FOR Dave Berry, being part of the Solid Silver Sixties tour is just like being back on the road in his heyday.

With hits including The Crying Game, Little Things and Memphis Tennessee, the Sheffield-born singer was a teen idol and part of some amazing touring shows.

“I did three tours with Rolling Stones, the Hollies and the Ronettes all on the same bill,” he said. “That’s how people toured in the Sixties, you didn’t just have the headline act with perhaps just one support.

“I remember when I went to Amsterdam back in 1965, the show we did there was the Grand Gala de Disc and that was Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Crickets, the Everly Brothers, Wayne Fontana, myself and about five other equally well known European artists all in one night.”

Now in its 32nd year, the Solid Silver Sixties tour has once again brought together some of the most influential names of that golden era of pop so as well as Dave, the tour includes the Merseybeats. Wayne Fontana, Chris Montez and Vanity Fair.

“They are all the original acts,” said Dave, “which is what the tours have always been.

“There is a great camaraderie on tour. We’ve known each other for so long. We take the shows themselves very seriously but backstage there’s a lot of mickey taking and if anyone starts taking themselves too seriously they soon get brought back down to earth.”

With over 30 dates around the UK in a little over six weeks, the tour schedule would prove punishing for much younger bands but Dave loves every aspect of it.

“I do enjoy it, the travelling, the different hotels. Some of those things many artists get fed up with I still enjoy them. It’s like an adventure.

“I’ve used my years on the road to educate myself. Rather than getting up for breakfast and then going back to bed and sleeping in until two or three in the afternoon, I’ll get up and have a walk around the area.”

All the artists travel independently for the shows, there is no tour bus which, again Dave is happy about.

“When you’ve a bus it’s all a bit regimented,” he said. “One of my hobbies is hiking so depending on where we are playing I might try and get down there the day before and go off on a walk.”

The shows themselves are tightly structured allowing each artist a chance to entertain their fans.

“We have 25 minutes each or thereabouts and no-one pushes it. At our age we’re only too glad to get off and have a rest,” joked Dave.

“But it’s a long enough time to be able to put a bit of contrast into the show.

“What’s kept me in the music industry so long is that I am still a music fan. I listen to music and I’m interested in making my show varied. I will always includes my chart successes but also a few things that my audience might not expect me to do.

“Having to keep to a strict stage time does hone the performance but I would never do a medley of my hits to cram them in, I’m proud to say that’s something I’ve never done.”

Solid Silver Sixties tour featuring Dave Berry, the Merseybeats, Wayne Fontana, Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Saturday, April 16 (details from 01253 290190) and the Palace Theatre, Manchester, May 7 (details from 0844 871 3019)