THIS front man has got the sound, does the moves and even has that trademark hiccup honed to perfection. Not bad for a man of 76… Of course, in real life, the boy genius from Lubbock died roughly this time 54 years ago in the most famous light plane crash in history.

But the legend lives on thanks to these actor-musicians who have taken the legend and endowed it with an almost unearthly immortality.

Then there are the fans, still plainly under the spell of the great Texas guitar slinger, who quite obviously refuse to accept that the music died in that icy Minnesota field back in 1959.

And as the Severn floodwaters advanced Titanic-style across the theatre car park while the crowd swayed to Oh Boy, That’ll be the Day and Peggy Sue Got Married, it did indeed feel like a trip by time machine back to the fateful Winter Dance Party, Holly’s last gig.

There is no shortage of fans who fiercely keep the faith. The Swan was packed solid with Holly loyalists, singing along to those iconic numbers with such vigour that it was as if they themselves were auditioning for roles in some enormous celestial backing group.

Oceans of ink have been expended on the Buddy Holly phenomenon since his untimely departure more than half a century ago, but no one has ever really adequately explained what made those three short years so magical.

Perhaps it was the vibrancy, optimism and sheer verve of those simple songs that burned their way into the youthful consciousness.

Whatever it was, this tribute band certainly captured every nuance, with each number sounding as fresh as they did when first released back in those fabulous 50s. Rave On? You bet.