Jilted John rocks Lincoln Engine Shed on 40th anniversary tour

Louth's Graham Fellows revived his heartbroken teen punk character '˜Jilted John' in Lincolnshire this week, as part of a nationwide tour to mark the 40th anniversary of his famous chart success.
'Jilted John' on stage at the Lincoln Engine Shed.'Jilted John' on stage at the Lincoln Engine Shed.
'Jilted John' on stage at the Lincoln Engine Shed.

Jilted John - best known for his eponymous Top 10 hit with its popular refrain ‘Gordon is a Moron!’ - appeared at Lincoln’s Engine Shed on Thursday (October 18), as part of what Graham has described as the character’s first, and probably last, tour.

And yet, Jilted John - ably supported by his backing band - held the crowd with great confidence from the moment he bounded on stage to ‘I’m Still Jilted John’ and exclaimed: “Forty years on, I’m still Jilted John!”

He proved beyond any doubt that he was far more than just a one-hit wonder, following on with cult classics including ‘Going Steady’ and songs from his album ‘True Love Stories’ (1978) such as ‘Baz’s Party’, ‘Fancy Mice’, and ‘The Birthday Kiss’.

'Jilted John' on stage at the Lincoln Engine Shed.'Jilted John' on stage at the Lincoln Engine Shed.
'Jilted John' on stage at the Lincoln Engine Shed.

Of course, the evening’s entertainment would not have been complete without a performance of his most successful hit, which the crowd enjoyed twice - once at the end of the main show and again during the encore - with plenty of opportunities for them to join in and let ‘Gordon’ know exactly what they thought of him...

For the second rendition, Jilted John was joined on stage by eccentric singer-songwriter John Otway, who had warmed up the crowd with ease earlier in the evening.

Mr Otway - whose career has spanned five decades and who was one of Graham’s early inspirations - will be performing with his band at The Yardbirds in Grimsby next month (November 16).

However, whether we will have another chance to see Jilted John on stage in the future remains to be seen...

• Visit www.jiltedjohn.co.uk to find out more information and view his remaining tour dates.