HIS mum was there, along with family and old school friends.
And then there were the 5,000 or so fans who left Roger Hodgson overwhelmed at the Royal Albert Hall in London last night.
You may have seen the former Supertramp star all but steal the show at July’s televised Memorial Concert for Diana.
He’s attracted the interest of a new generation, thanks in part to Scooter’s recycling of The Logical Song.
And then there’s the Gym Class Heroes track Cupid’s Chokehold / Breakfast In America.
There were more than a few young faces at last night’s concert.
But the vast majority giving Roger a prolonged standing ovation would have bought the original Breakfast In America album way back in 1979.
Over 18 million copies have been sold – the back cover of the original record sleeve features Supertramp sat at the bar of an American diner.
Each member of the group is reading a different newspaper, including our very own Manchester Evening News.

Anyway, I can’t add much to the reviews of Roger’s solo tour which are already around on the web, including one in the MEN.
It was a brilliant performance from a superb musician and a reminder of just how many great songs he has written.
Canadian sax player and vocalist Aaron MacDonald accompanied him on stage and played a dazzling variety of instruments.

The fact that Roger forgot the words to two songs didn’t matter.
It simply made him even more endearing.
I’d already taken delivery of the DVD of his Montreal gig before going along last night but decided not to watch it until I’d seen him live.
If you’ve missed this solo return, you might want to check it out.
The links below include a performance Roger gave on Canadian Idol.
So how about a Roger Hodgson masterclass for the latest bunch of X Factor finalists?
Roger Hodgson Official Website
Breakfast In America CD
Roger Hodgson: Give A Little Bit YouTube
Long Way Home For Dreamer Roger
Roger @ Manchester’s Palace Theatre: MEN Review