The Combe-back Tour

Today's post comes (or you could say combes rofl) from whiteboydancefloor affiliate, long time friend and all round good looker Sam whose musical opinions and taste are held in high regard within the whiteboydancefloor office. After her amazing date with Pete Combe and destiny, we felt we need to share it with you.

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Cast your mind back as far as it will go, to a magical time in your childhood when at 4.30 every afternoon the ABC would indulge you in a daily delight; One song each day taken from a rare and prestigious collection of timeless tracks written especially for a generation of kids who have since grown up to become musically inspired adults. Nothing pleased us more than a happy song and dance- especially when it managed to simultaneously incorporate dress ups and candy. No child entertainer achieved this delightful combination better than the king of kids, Mr Peter Combe.

I was both appalled and disappointed at the vast number of people my age who had forgotten this man who so memorably filled our lives with silly childish pleasures. From endorsing a daily intake of junk food to inspiring completely new and mischievous bad habits, he was a parent's worst nightmare and a child's dream come true. Whilst the name might not trigger fond reminiscence, it is the songs that have truly lasted the test of time in our memories. Personal favourites that ring true to this theory include "Newspaper Mama", "Toffee Apple" and who could forget the collective favourite "Mr Clicketty Cane.........he plays a silly game, and all the kids in the street, they like to do the same"? SEE! I can't even write a review on the man without breaking into song.

It was the unmatchable genius of Peter Combe's catchy call and response song writing that spawned the beginnings of an idea so inconceivably brilliant that word only leaked to me in the hours leading up to its fruition. The Combe-back Tour (as I've affectionately titled it)! An over 18's show for the true Combe fans to return and relive the wonder days. So donning a newspaper hat and carrying an abundant supply of red and green toffee apples (crunchy, munchy and very sticky) I made my way into the Metro with a smile on my face and several special songs in my heart ready to take a journey back down memory lane.

Never have I seen such an ocean of newspaper hats! Upon entering the venue I was met with a room full of young adults, sitting cross legged on the floor, eagerly clutching their toffee apples with sparkling eyes (or glazed eyes- I'm not sure.. I was drunk). After sitting through a hilarious guy who calls himself The Bedroom Philosopher and then the musical stylings of The Finishing School (a band comprised of Combesy's kids) the moment every inner child had been waiting for finally arrived. The crowd leapt to their feet in a wave of enthusiastic cheers as good old Petey lit up the stage struggling to get his guitar strap over his head (give the guy a break- it’s been a while). After gazing out at all the hats and toffee apples it was evident that Combesy was just as delighted to be back as we were to have him back, and with a "1 a 2 a 1, 2, 3" the childhood “ants-in-your-pants” dance moves were back in action.



The set was comprised of a choice selection of tracks opening with Jack and the Beanstalk then belting out an array of favourites including Saturday night, 6 juicy apples, Baghdad, Parcel in the Post, Spaghetti Bolognese, Newspaper Mama, Rain and Toffee Apple. For every song that brought back a memory there were shrieks of joy from individuals and cheers of appreciation collectively. Throughout the evening I seized a few opportunities to look around the room and take a few snapshots of a childhood revisited; It was evident that more than a few “grown-ups” shed a tear at some point when a special song reminded them of younger times. For most of us I think that moment was during “Rain”; we all linked arms and waved our toffee apples high above our heads swaying back and forth sobbing our little hearts out. But of course the loudest cheers of all came when the final song of the night was unveiled- none other than Mr Clicketty Cane. Every person in the crowd remembered every word, eagerly anticipating the most memorable line of all, and when that moment arrived the crowd let Combesy have it- “BELLY FLOP ON A PIZZA?!! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWW” to which he replied “that’s what you said 20 years ago!” sparking an uproar of cheers that lifted the ceiling. The night closed with an encore of Juicy Juicy Green Grass and then the crowd proceeded to shuffle into a line, picking pieces of toffee out of our hair and clutching childhood memorabilia for the king to sign.

One by one we all took a moment to shake the hand of genius and share a personal message with the man who inspired so many games, endorsed the sale of so many toffee apples and spent many an afternoon singing and dancing away with us in our matching red tights and baggy t-shirts. I myself was privileged enough to get a personalised autograph “To Sammy” and my very own photo hugging the sweaty old man that will always be up there next to Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny on my list of favourite child performers. The only difference with Peter Combe is that he’s real! I’ve seen him! Seriously.