But, enthusiastic as the Portsmouth Guildhall crowd were, it was never going to be easy with just a few hundred clustered downstairs in the cavernous auditorium. ‘I reckon we could get us all into one selfie’ quipped lead singer Ian Clarkson as he gazed out at rows of empty seats. A big contrast, as he observed, to a few hours before hand when the band sent almost 2,000 schoolchildren wild with excitement as they went through their mostly-fast paces at a Portsmouth Music Hub extravaganza. Those who were there for the evening did though show their appreciation for a typically-rumbustious set in which the yellow-suited Aces reprised great classics from the likes of Woody Herman, Louis Prima and even Charlie Chaplin, interspersed with their own songs. On that note, check out La Dolce Vita - a wonderful upbeat ballad that’s just perfect for these colourful characters. MARK ACHESON