LAST time he played he brought the house down with a classic pub knees up, and the king of the ivories is back to tinkle them once more as Chas Hodges lines up another gig at the Railway Hotel over the weekend.

It will see one half of duo Chas and Dave return to the Southend pub to take a turn on the old Joanna and he’s sure to go down a storm once more.

“When he played here last time he really liked the place,” says Railway manager Fi Jacob, whose own duo the Tuppenny Bunters will be one of the support acts.

“He liked the audience as well. He just said, ‘Give us a shout if you want us to play again’, so we did. We gave him a shout.”

She describes how Chas had the whole pub on its feet as he busted out his jangly tunes.

She says: “It was really cool. We had the big grand piano out and everyone was all around it. It was a real knees up.

“People were just singing and dancing all around him. I think that’s why he liked it, from ever angle there were just people crowded round.” Best known for Chas and Dave classics including Rabbit, Gertcha and Ain’t No Pleasing You, Chas is a man with more than a few tales of musical adventure.

He briefly became a Beatle when he played a song at Eric Clapton’s wedding in the Eighties and found himself joined by Ringo, Macca and George. His first real venture on to the music scene was playing bass for Jerry Lee Lewis.

It’s exciting for Fi to take to the stage ahead of Chas as well and she says: “It’s just nice to be on that side, with him.”

Chas Hodges With support from Tuppenny Bunters, the Seasiders and Deferred Success Railway Hotel, Clifftown Road, Southend.

Saturday. 8pm. £7 01702 343194