Status Quo, Ipswich Regent, last nightLEGENDARY rockers Status Quo rolled in to the Regent theatre last night for the first of two sell-out concerts.

Status Quo, Ipswich Regent, last night

LEGENDARY rockers Status Quo rolled in to the Regent theatre last night for the first of two sell-out concerts.

The band is promoting its 33rd album, In Search of the Fourth Chord, on its traditional pre-Christmas tour.

But their fans just wanted to rock to all the old favourites and lead singer Francis Rossi and co-founder Rick Parfitt didn't disappoint when they opened the concert, as always, with Caroline.

The stage was bathed in white light for the opening number and this was the cue for another night of Quo's driving, no-nonsense brand of rock. Some of the songs sounded the same and most of the audience had heard them hundreds of times.

But Britain's best-loved band do have vast experience - they have played live to more than 24million people - in making the audience stand up and having a great time.

They have to play Ipswich twice because the town loves Quo so much and last night the band was given a rousing reception.

Rossi, still sporting his distinctive ponytail, and Parfitt were joined by bass guitarist John ''Rhino'' Edwards, drummer Matt Letley and keyboard player Andrew Bown for the gig.

The five-man band tore into the opening numbers with boundless energy and treated their fans to a set full of classics.

They included 4,500 Times, Paper Plane, three tracks from the Heavy Traffic album plus Dear John, Big Fat Mama, Gerundula, Roll Over Lay Down and Down Down.

The new album was represented by Is It The Beginning of the End? and Gravy Train. Rossi told the audience the group had been researching for many years to try and find a fourth chord, and they hope Rick may have found it.

Rossi and co just love performing live. They have spent more than 22 years away from home on the concert circuit and yet again the former ice-cream seller and his band served up a treat for Ipswich.