WHEN 14-year-old Wayne Ellis was watching the local news after school an item came up which would change his life forever.

“They introduced this band called Thin Lizzy who were playing their new single live,” said Wayne. “When I looked up from my tea there was this black singer fronting a rock band. That was it for me, I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Wayne now makes his living as the frontman of Limehouse Lizzy, the country’s leading Thin Lizzy tribute band. The outfit will be in Blackburn next Friday night as part of an outstanding rock double bill which will see them sharing a stage with Livewire, the premier AC/DC tribute band.

“This will be the third tour that the bands have done together,” said Wayne. “We all get on really well and respect each others abilities as musicians. For an audience it’s a pretty powerful experience.

“Anyone can form a tribute band I suppose but it is very difficult to form a genuinely good one.”

Clearly Limehouse Lizzy have got the winning formula having travelled the world over the last 20 years playing sell-out shows.

“The fans will soon let you know how you are doing,” said Wayne. “With a band like Thin Lizzy and a singer like Phil Lynott, fans are particularly devoted. There are guys in their forties and fifties now who in their teens would get in a van and follow bands like Thin Lizzy around the country when they went on tour.

“They have some very precious memories and we are very conscious of that.”

Wayne grew up surrounded by reggae and soul music.

“I was the only black kid in my year at grammar school,” he said. “I started getting into rock through my friends there.

“I had to gain an appreciation of rock as they weren’t interested in soul!”

Wayne started life as a bass player and spent six months having singing lessons.

“I was fortunate in the my natural tone is pretty similar to Phil Lynott,” he said. “But I also noticed that when people try to sing rock they tend to adopt an American accent.

“Phil did this too to an extent but it was his natural Irish accent which was dominant so I had to work hard at that.”

Wayne believes that Phil Lynott, who died 29 years ago aged just 36, was a hugely influential figure in music.

“He was a poet,” said Wayne, “Many of his lyrics stand out on their own. He was also hugely charismatic and what he did was definitely groundbreaking.”

On the Jailbreak tour with Livewire both bands will be performing their full shows.

“I think that both bands are at the top of their games at the moment,” said Wayne.

“I think people come away from our shows very surprised at the power and the musicianship.

“The original bands got to the top because they were so good at what they do. We all have to be equally as good or the fans will soon see through it.

“The interesting thing about this tour is that we get new fans in the audience.

“I think both bands have been picking up converts along the way from each other.

“For our shows they will still wear their AC/DC t-shirts.

“It’s a great night out and we are looking forward to bringing the show to Blackburn.”

  • Jailbreak featuring Limehouse Lizzy and Livewire, King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Friday, April 24. Call 0844 847 1664 for further information.