Status Quo legend Francis Rossi tears it up at the Parr Hall

Status Quo legend Francis Rossi took to the stage at Parr Hall on Friday night, April 21, as part of his current 'Tunes and Chat' tour.

Francis, now 73, brought humour, showmanship, and intimacy to Parr Hall during his performance, and it was a rare drawing back of the curtain on what life in showbusiness is really like.

The showman performed a stripped-back set of songs, combined with anecdotes from decades in the business (Image: Status Quo)

Billing himself as the 'Grand Old Man of Rock' (GOMOR) Rossi displayed an amount of self-awareness that is rare in so many musicians - having interviewed him before the gig, I wondered if the humility he had in our conversation would translate to his onstage persona.

It did.

From the off, the veteran performer showed that he was fully aware of his audience, and his career path; this tour is not to reignite his career, or to feed his ego - it's a celebration of his work.

Attending the gig on Friday night, I am not embarrassed to say that I may have somewhat lowered the audience's average age, and there was something special about that.

Without wanting to come across as patronising, there was something magical about seeing a room of people Rossi's age listen to the music of their youth, and be transformed once again into the leather jacket-donning, double denim-wearing, air guitar-wielding rockers of the 1970s.

The Status Quo legend performed to hundreds at Parr Hall last week (Image: Francis Rossi)

The gig was not a sell-out show at Warrington's most famous music venue, but I doubt it was ever meant to be.

By the time it was for Rossi to bid farewell to his audience of devoted fans, he seemed almost choked up, even saying "I wouldn't normally say all this nice stuff at the end of a gig" before thanking the audience.

There must be something incredibly satisfying for the showman to look into an audience and see they have grown with him; they aren't punk rockers anymore - they're parents, grandparents, and even retired.

But that night, hearing Rossi's stripped-back set of the best of his own and Status Quo's work, they were again transformed into punk rockers.

Filled with humour, tangents, and anecdotes, the 'Tunes and Chat' show at Parr Hall was a real insight into Rossi's life - and there were no holds barred.

He referred to his history with alcohol and drugs, as well as his frustrations with being an artist who creates a lot of work that 'nobody wants to hear about.'

In turn, Francis spoke about the sobering fact that in his younger days as a rock star he was the proud owner of a very large dog - whereas now, as an elder statesman, he is the loving father of his small dog, Nancy.

Filled with audience interactions and a very frank Q+A session, Rossi's appearance at Warrington's Parr Hall can only be described as a triumph.

It should also be said that there is something incredibly satisfying about being in a room listening to 'Rocking All Over the World' being sung live by the man who recorded it - and being part of the hundreds-strong audience singing it back at him.

Hundreds turned out to see the veteran showman take to the stage in Warrington (Image: Newsquest)

My only wish was that I was able to take more photographs, however, Francis made clear that he didn't want people taking photos or recording anything during the gig - and who am I to break the rules of the Grand Old Man of Rock?

Following the interview Rossi gave with me some weeks ago, I think he'd approve of the statement that there certainly is 'life in the old dog yet.'

Francis Rossi appeared at Parr Hall on Friday, April 21, as part of his 'Tunes and Chat' tour.