Riders on the Storm, Camden Roundhouse, 30 December 2006

Paramedics at the Riders of the Storm Roundhouse gig were probably expecting pace maker failures rather than drug overdoses from wrinkly rockers in the crowd. Maybe they had underestimated Doors fans. One leather trouser clad groupie was so excited he chundered in his pint glass before inanely waving his arms and climbing over the seats for the two hour set’s entirety.

In true Doors style, the band entered the stage half an hour late. Keyboardist Ray Manzarek and guitarist Robby Krieger were the only original Doors members, but lead singer Ian Astbury had Jim Morrison’s look as he shook his tambourine and stamped his feet for opener Roadhouse Blues.

67 year-old Manzarek flippped is leg onto the keyboard to play with his foot with relative ease and shouted, “We’re going to do this for Jim,” as many of the crowd left their seats to head to the front to shake hands with Krieger for the dexterously played Turn out the Light.

Krieger’s flamenco guitar interlude was the low point but things picked up with an unerring acoustic version of When You’re Strange.

Manzarek sang lyrics to Sex Machine which he dedicated to James Brown and fans were stamping in the balconies for the second encore. Manzarek questioned: “What would you like us to play?” As if he needed to ask. The band dragged out Light My Fire for ten minutes to raucous applause.