Hyde Park: BBC Proms In The Park

You won’t come across a better organised concert than this.

It’s put together by Radio Two, and yup, it sounds and feels like it.

Imagine Tony Blackburn conducting a 40,000 strong rendition of YMCA, and then easing into the equally classic Hi Ho Silver Lining but three times halting the track because “there’s man at the back was waving out of time”  - yup it’s as cheesy as that.

Thankfully Tony needs a nap late afternoon so he's gone even before the show officially starts.

Then there’s the musicals’ section.

This year we got an all too brief excerpt from Les Miserables with some stuff from Hamilton thrown in.

Then  it goes all Radio2-ish with the sort of music they love - nice,middle of the road stuff that was dull the first time round but still clings like a cobweb to the playlists

The Lighthouse Family performed four songs which simply reminded me all their hits sounded the same 30 years ago. Ocean Drive IS Lifted. Lifted IS Ocean Drive.

Gabrielle was glorious, however, as she gave us Dreams and Rise. The audience sang them word for word.

Then comes the ‘national treasure’ moment.

Two years ago we got Gilbert O’Sullivan performing his 70s hits with real gusto and going down a storm - grief, the lad finished up atop his piano, Elton John style.

This summer, Proms opted for poor Bonnie Tyler.

For reasons not entirely clear - it possibly sounded like a good idea at the time - they stuck her on a cherry picker, hoisted her 40 feet in the air and left her there to two perform two songs. A mercifully short set.

On the big screen she looked petrified as she grabbed on to the railing.. She sounded it too.

Holding Out For A Hero was bad, Total Eclipse Of The Heart was genuinely, distressingly painful.

Michael Ball chucked in more from Les Mis - glorious stuff - before we looked to Chrissie Hynde to add some much needed rock into a show that was drowning in Radio2 blandness.

Alas, she kicked off with two songs from her new jazz covers album which had only just been released and which hardly anyone in the crowd was familiar with. That perhaps explained the (ahem) limited response.

Only when she kicked into Brass In Pocket did Hyde Park come alive.- but it was all too brief. One more song and she was gone. That wonderful Pretenders’ back catalogue was sadly left untouched.

So, it was left to Barry Manilow to sprinkle some stardust across Hyde Park.

And he did.

Fifty years in showbiz, and he still left you with the sincere impression this was the most wonderful night of his career. 

His fans - the ‘Fanilows’ - sang every word to every song, lapped up every moment he spoke, and headed towards the exits still  convinced they just couldn’t smile without him.

He’s a national treasure and, backed with an orchestra and his band, knew exactly how to deliver a headlining set.

The day/evening ended by joining the Albert Hall for the traditional last night of the Proms - Jerusalem, Rule Britannia and Land Of Hope And Glory. Cue flags - UK and EU -and the sort of community singing Radio2 just loves.

And the perfect end? Auld Lang Syne.

It still takes the work of the Bard to add the perfect finishing note to a glorious festival staged in blazing sunshine.

I just hope they didn't left Bonnie Tyler up in that cherrypicker all night ...