KING George's Hall holds memories of school speech nights and prizegiving but on Friday night it was transformed.

The seating layout could have passed for a school night but the stage, with its sophisticated sound and lighting systems, was the backdrop for a night of rock as Blackburn became the latest venue in the 40th Anniversary Tour of Status Quo.

At 7.30pm when the supporting act, Paul Camilleri, began the evening's entertainment, there were a number of empty seats.

The serious Quo concert goers - and there were plenty of all ages - were either still arriving or occupying the Kathleen Ferrier Lounge.

But by the time the group took to the stage at 8.45pm, to a deafening sound, the hall was packed and everyone in the stalls was on their feet - the majority remaining so for the next hour and three quarters.

The group moved through a slick compilation of the old and new, the latter coming from their latest album "The Party Ain't Over Yet" and also their "Heavy Traffic" album.

Not surprisingly, the hall reverberated to such classics as Down Down, Whatever You Want and Rockin' All Over The World.

Age has not diminished the duo's enthusiasm or stamina, and the 15-minute encore was testimony to a terrific night of nostalgia.

The abiding memory was the sight of men and women of mature years head shaking, "rocking" in the aisles, playing fictitious guitars and drums and totally absorbed in the electric atmosphere.

What would the Headmaster of Kathleen Ferrier have thought?