Warrington 911 star Spike on his first gig since Covid

The 911 boy band star, who grew up in Orford, did a backwards somersault on stage at The Knowsley Social – dubbed the north west’s biggest socially distanced festival.

While most concerts have been cancelled or postponed due to the crisis, a series of events have managed to go ahead on land adjacent to Knowsley Safari Park thanks to restrictions being part and parcel of the experience.

Which meant that breakdancer Simon ‘Spike’ Dawbarn had to get back in shape and fast.

The former William Beamont student said: “I was a bit nervous about doing my first back flip in more than a year.

“I’m 46 now and I was thinking: ‘Has age got me?’

“Everyone was videoing it because I’d mentioned it on Facebook beforehand. Even Lee (Brennan, bandmate) videoed it just to see if I’d fall. I thought: ‘Cheers!’”

Spike did not mind though as he was just thrilled to be back performing.

The break due to the Covid era was the longest he has been off stage since he was a teenager.

Spike, who racked up 10 consecutive top 10 hits with 911 in their heyday, including the number one A Little Bit More, added: “Knowsley Social been going for about six weeks now with all different shows.

“It’s in a circus-style big top which holds about 1,000. The audience are all in pens with six to a table.

“It was definitely different. You don’t get the same atmosphere with the audience divided and spaced out like that.

“It was great to be able to do a show but I’m looking forward when they say people can go to a gig as normal.

“The audience probably loved it because it’s table service.”

Spike was actually on stage when Boris Johnson first announced the lockdown in March 2020

“We were in the middle of The Boys Are Back tour which had about 30 dates,” he said.

“They packed us up dead quick and off we went home. It was nuts.

“We could see the nervousness in the crowds during all that week leading up to lockdown.

“Even though it had sold out there were empty seats. People were starting to get worried. It was a mad week.”

It worked out well for Spike in a roundabout way as he got to welcome his son Neo, now one, into his family. He has two other boys, Teddy, three, and Phoenix, 13.

He added: “It’s been mad for my family as we had a baby on April 7 last year at the first peak of the crisis.

Former William Beamont student Simon ‘Spike’ Dawbarn with Jimmy Constable and Lee Brennan

“I’ve also got a three-year-old so it’s been a busy year for that. But it’s the longest I’ve been without going on stage since I was 13.

“It was good at first. I was worried during that tour anyway as the baby was due in early April and the tour wasn’t going to finish until the end of March.

“Every night I was ready to scoot off home in case he came early. So it was good to be home and not have that uncertainty.

“I was in shape then as I’d just come off the tour but, like everyone, I stopped training as I had nothing to train for.

“I’ve spent the past three and a half months getting back in shape for upcoming shows.

“A lot of our other gigs booked in are without social distancing measures so whether they go ahead depends what goes on.

“But in September we’ve got about 17 gigs on.”

Spike also wants to get back to his work as a promoter for the next generation of artists.

He said: “HRVY who has just been on Strictly started with us.

“We’ve had a few others like The Hara who are a big indie band that everyone is talking about

“They’re on the line-up for about 20 festivals including Neighbourhood Weekender.

“I must admit I prefer doing that kind of work to 911.

“911 is good fun but I prefer being behind the scenes and I’m considering doing an academy in Warrington again.

“It’d be based around singing and dancing and I’d get people to come and do masterclasses.

“There is a lot of talent in the area and I want to help people go all the way in the industry.”

Among those doing well in Warrington is Spike’s niece Lexy Dawbarn who has previously performed on stage with Justin Bieber and was on ITV’s Little Big Shots – but Spike admits he can’t take the credit.

He added: “No one has really made the connection but to be honest she has done it all on her own. I’ve not trained her.

“There must be something in the blood as my mum Mo was a UK dance champion.”

As a promoter, Spike knows how difficult it is for young artists at the moment – with the constant glare of social media on them.

He said: “One of the best talents I’ve come across is from Warrington – Alex Buchanan.

“He was on The Voice and did Thriller Live. He’s the best I’ve seen but he never made it.

“It’s about personality now and who picks up the fanbase.

“It’s mad but we have to bear that all in mind and after a couple of weeks we pretty much know who will get a good following on social media.”