SPRING is in the air and that means tulips, daffodils and all that type of thing, right?

No. spring is the traditional time for The Solid Silver 60s Tour to travel around the UK reviving the music and memories from that unique decade.

Now in its 31st year, the current show features Peter Noone, lead singer of Herman's Hermits, Dave Berry, The Merseybeats Brian Hyland and The New Amen Corner.

"It's just like the package tours of the Sixties, when half a dozen acts would turn up in the town and perform for 20 to 30 minutes," said Dave Berry. "It's how we all started.

"I always try to include something different and I may do Don't Ever Chang' by The Crickets this time. I've never done it before, and of course I'll be doing all my chart hits and hopefully This Strange Effect. It was written by Ray Davies of The Kinks but they never recorded it for an album (a version did appear on The Kinks at the BBC), it was a big hit for me on the continent."

Dave has always been a keen supporter of the tour.

"It's the main Sixties touring show," he said. "It's fabulously organised and has first class promotion. Simply, it's the premier Sixties touring show."

This is a sentiment shared by Tony Crane, a founder member of The Merseybeats.

"We love doing them," he said. "We have a great rapport with the audience and it all sounds like it did in the Sixties. I think is important. It has to be authentic.

"Sometimes it's like playing in your own front room."

The band started out as The Mavericks in 1961 but the name was accidentally changed to The Merseybeats.

"We were due to appear at this club and they had listed us as The Merseybeats, which was the name of a paper," said Tony, "To be honest, I think The Mavericks sounded a little too country and western.

"John Lennon loved the new name."

In 1966, Tony and Billy Kinsley (who had also been in the band from 1961, and is still in it today) became The Merseys.

"Two of the band left and Billy and I became a duo and formed a backing band," said Tony.

"We toured with The Who as The New Merseys and at the time we needed a new song.

"One of The Who's roadies mentioned Sorrow which was the B side of a McCoys' hit and we worked on the song for a long time."

And it has a stellar line-up.

"That's right, as well as me and Billy, we had Clem Cattini (Tornados) on drums, Jack Bruce (Cream) on stand-up bass, and Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones on it."

Billy left the band for a while and had success with Liverpool Express but rejoined 1992.

It can be a busy time for the artists as they are touring while having other interests but Tony handles it quite easily.

"I switch off from all my other interests and just knuckle down and focus," he said.

"We are all really looking forward to the tour as it always goes down well."

The Solid Silver Sixties Tour, Manchester Opera House, Sunday, May 15. Details from 0844 871 3018