It has been a hectic week, full of vroooommm, vroooommm and I am looking forward to some quiet time and a night of sleep which is more than five hours long. I hope you will enjoy First and its contents. Make certain you are given a copy with the newspaper.

I went with my two sisters and sister-in-law to Flashback, the 70s and 80s show at the Catholic Institute. This was a Spiteri Lucas Entertainment and Hermann Bonaci Productions effort with plenty of singers that we know and love and who have become part of our household because of their appearances both on the stage and on television. The discovery of the evening, for us Oldies was Klinsmann. I somehow had the impression that he is Albanian only to learn from Mark Spiteri Lucas later that he is Maltese and lives in Luqa. He is only 16, Mark tells me, and he’s just won third placing in the Malta Song for Europe with his hit She Gives Me Wings. The music was written by Mark. We enjoyed Klinsmann’s Queen medley with Ludwig and Godwin Lucas and also his Summer of ’69, a Bryan Adams favourite.

But the revelation of the evening for me at least was Hermann Bonaci singing. My family was surprised that I hadn’t ever heard him sing before, at least on television. His Hello (is it me you’re looking for?) Lionel Ritchie’s hit was beautifully sung, with heart and with confidence and just enough movement to befit a singer of a certain age. I shall play it again and again this weekend as I have a long playing vinyl record of Lionel, bought when he was at the peak of his popularity.

Another revelation to us at least who don’t frequent nightclubs was Godwin Lucas, Ivan’s and Mark’s uncle. He must spend his time singing as he is very much at ease on the stage. Our favourite was his last song Music which we all know. Very suave, Godwin and no pretentions, easy going and professional.

At the start of the concert I met Ivan Spiteri Lucas’ wife Phyllis. She told me: ‘Ivan was rehearsing September Morn’ at home and I thought of you. I am certain you are going to love it.’ And of course, I did. She knows my taste by now. This is one of Neil Diamond’s best. ‘September Morn – Do you remember how we danced that night away?’ and Ivan croons it beautifully. We decided that he is our sort of singer together with Hermann and Godwin and we would have liked to hear more of them.

Debbie Scerri is always a favourite. She has a way about her that we like and of course we loved I Will Survive, Gloria Gaynor’s hit which some of us girls sing every morning with our breakfast, or in the bath. “It took all the strength I had not to fall apart, kept trying hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart, and I spent oh so many nights just feeling sorry for myself…” An excellent piece of music and lyrics. Many a girl falls back on them for, in the end, no one can save us, we have to save ourselves.

There are plenty of singers and songs I’d like to mention but I’ll give you just one more: the Abba medley with Debbie, Eleanor Cassar, Christabel Borg and Christabelle Curmi. Lovely and sung with great energy and it took us many years back to our long lost youth (my family are going to object vehemently to this. They seem to think they are still Sweet Sixteen and expect to climb up ladders with the agility of a 25 year old and will not admit that this is no longer possible because yes, whether we like it or not, there is a thing called wear and tear and the joints, after a certain age, start objecting to too much rushing around. Anyway. I haven’t mentioned Nadine and J. Anvil, Ludwig and Leontine and Glen Vella as a Michael Jackson look alike…

The Celaine Buhagiar dancers were very energetic and with Ludwig’s Final Countdown the audience was surprised with the pyrotechnical effects which lit the stage and which looked very pretty indeed. And everyone, altogether then burst into YMCA.

I spoke to Labour MP Carmelo Abela who was there with his wife and two young children who, they told me, were enjoying it all.

I had brought a small box of goodies with me and although all three girls with me kept on protesting ‘No! Please No!’ we finished them all and it was not just me who ate them I am happy to say, or I would have to sign myself in for a spell on Kilò.

Of course I complained, not too vociferously, that it was all slightly too loud. But as a colleague who was in the audience pointed out: ‘The Catholic Institute Theatre seats around 860 people and if you want everyone, including those upstairs to hear, you have to put up the volume.’

I love these young people who use their time properly and don’t waste it away propping bars. They are talented and hardworking and deserve all our support. Mark tells me they are already preparing for their next show in early summer. I’m trying to persuade them to sing some of the Ink Spots songs but they’ve never heard of them. Gosh! Am I that old?