After the Heartbeat Fell Silent: The Glitter Band and “Rock ’n’ Roll (Part 2)” at the Concorde Club, 2022
When The Glitter Band performed “Rock ’n’ Roll (Part 2)” at the Concorde Club in Eastleigh on September 24, 2022, the moment carried a weight that went far beyond a familiar rhythm. By that time, the band was no longer what it once had been in its classic era. Just eleven months earlier, in October 2021, founding drummer and driving force John Rossall had passed away. His death marked a profound turning point, not only for the band’s lineup, but for its identity.
John Rossall was more than a drummer. He was the heartbeat of The Glitter Band, the architect of the pounding, unmistakable rhythm that made “Rock ’n’ Roll (Part 2)” one of the most instantly recognizable tracks of its era. His style was physical, relentless, and central to the band’s sound. Without him, any performance of that song inevitably carried an absence that could be felt as much as heard.
By 2022, the name The Glitter Band continued to exist, led by remaining members and often associated with Pete Phipps, but the group no longer included the core figures who defined its golden years. Legally and practically, the band could still perform under that name. Artistically and emotionally, however, it was operating in a different space. The Concorde Club performance reflected that reality.
Rather than attempting to recreate the past, the 2022 rendition of “Rock ’n’ Roll (Part 2)” felt like an act of continuation. The rhythm was there, the familiar pulse that invites movement and recognition, but it carried a quieter tone of respect. The performance did not erase the loss of Rossall. Instead, it existed alongside it, acknowledging that the song’s history could not be separated from the man who gave it life.
The Concorde Club, with its intimate atmosphere, made this distinction even clearer. There was no arena scale, no attempt to overwhelm. The band focused on delivering the groove cleanly and directly, allowing the audience to connect with what the song still represents. In that setting, “Rock ’n’ Roll (Part 2)” functioned less as a celebration of past glory and more as a shared memory, held together by those who still cared enough to keep it alive.
For the audience, the performance carried a dual emotion. There was recognition and familiarity, but also an understanding that this was not the same band that once dominated charts and stages. The absence of John Rossall was not filled or disguised. It lingered, shaping how the music was heard. In many ways, that honesty gave the performance its meaning.
By continuing to perform in 2022, The Glitter Band demonstrated that legacy can persist even after loss, though it inevitably changes form. This version of the band was not a mirror of the past, but a reminder of it. “Rock ’n’ Roll (Part 2)” still worked because its foundation was strong, but its emotional context had shifted.
That night in Eastleigh was not about reclaiming history. It was about acknowledging it, honoring the man who defined the sound, and allowing the music to stand as a living echo rather than a perfect reproduction. In that sense, the performance mattered not because it recreated what was lost, but because it openly carried the weight of that loss forward.