The Yardbirds, The Troggs and The Spencer Davis Group: Portsmouth Guildhall, Tuesday...

THEY'LL be rolling back the years to a golden musical era at Portsmouth Guildhall on Tuesday night when a trio of the Sixties' most popular bands celebrate the music of that heady decade.

The Yardbirds, The Troggs and The Spencer Davis Group are currently touring around the UK together on one big nostalgia trip which culminates at the Royal Albert Hall later this month.The Yardbirds, pictured, were the first British band to be described as psychedelic by the trendy Melody Maker music paper after being reviewed at an American gig and boasted a succession of great guitar players, including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.

Among their hits were the four top ten smashes For Your Love, Heart Full Of Soul, Evil Hearted You and Shapes Of Things. The Yardbirds formed in 1963 and split in 1968. They reformed recently with original members Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty at the helm, Gypie Mayo (ex-Dr Feelgood) on guitar, Alan Glen (ex-Nine Below Zero) on harmonica and John Idan providing vocals in the place of the late Keith Relf. The Troggs, led by the irrepressible Reg Presley, were well and truly thrust back into the show business limelight after the phenomenal success of Wet Wet Wet's cover version of Love is All Around. As well as making Reg a lot of money, his melodic anthem also earned him a prestigious Ivor Novello Award.The Troggs burst on to the international music scene when their first single Wild Thing became a multi-million selling hit worldwide. It still remains one of the most influential records of British rock music. This was followed by their number one single With a Girl Like You and a parade of other hits, including I Can't Control Myself, which was banned by the BBC on account of its "provocative" lyrics. Reg Presley continues to front the band alongside original member Chris Britton (lead guitar). They are joined by Peter Lucas (bass) and Dave Maggs (drums).The Spencer Davis Group are renowned as one of the best R&B bands to emerge from the British beat boom era. Originally led by Stevie Winwood, they came to prominence as a major group with the release of their debut album, Their First LP, then scored their first hit in December 1965 with the blistering Keep on Running, which knocked The Beatles off the top spot in January 1966. Among the hit singles which followed were Somebody Help Me, When I Come Home, Gimme Some Lovin' and I'm A Man. Alongside Spencer Davis in the current line-up are Miller Anderson (guitar and vocals), Colin Hodgkinson (bass and vocals), Eddie Hardin (keyboards and vocals and Pete York (drums).

n For tickets and information, call the box office on 023 9282 4355.

PAUL GREEN