THREE thousand fans turned up at an Elvis convention in Birmingham to watch 80 tribute acts to compete in the European Elvis Championship: thirty five years after the death of the King.

The winner was Irishman Ciaran Houlihan who was, they say, all shook up after he won.

“It feels great. Growing up, I was always into music, but people find it funny that I am doing this because I was not even alive when Elvis died.”

Ciaran is described as a full time Elvis impersonator, which makes me wonder if he eats peanut butter, banana and bacon sandwiches, says thank you very much a lot and has flared a jumpsuit for pyjamas.

It also makes me wonder how long can there be a future impersonating a dead rock and roll star. I mean, in 50 years time there will be very few people around who remember Elvis alive.

Will there still be tribute acts wearing blue suede shoes and staying at the Heartbreak Hotel in 2062? Or in a hundred years? I doubt it.

The tribute act or band is a modern phenomenon. Otherwise we would still have Blondel minstrels wandering the land on horseback plucking their lutes or pint sized court jesters called Will Sommers (by royal appointment to Henry VIII) making us laugh.

But they’ re not – instead we get pretend Peter Kayes and ersatz Beatles and Abba lookalikes.

I would prefer it if the trend went further back to the days of Victorian music hall when Nellie Wilson suggested Let’s Have A Tiddley At The Milk Bar and Florrie Forde revealed What The Curate Saw.

This is an era that sounds far more interesting and it could provide me with a part time job.

I may not fit the profile for rock stars but I would be perfect casting for Little Tich.