South Parade Pier  March 14
OK, so I'm a bit early!
Miraculously the traffic on the road network from North Hertfordshire does not stop once. We gather just outside the door waiting to get in, some diehard fans clutching album sleeves and other relevant media for signature capture. Many cannot believe their luck. They've chanced upon a poster, just days earlier, announcing this quiet warm-up gig. We can hear the soaring sounds of 'Secret Place' in the distant rooms of this classic English Pier. Yes, the sound check is coming to a close. At 7.30pm the front door opens. Not to let us in, but to let someone rather special out. You guessed it, our hero. Looking very cool and relaxed, black flat cap worn back to front and tipped downwards at the back, strapped soft canvass guitar case over his shoulder, game on for our intrepid autograph hunters. We have joined the ranks of Southsea's Bullfrog Blues Club for a rather special show. I can't believe how full the place is. The large room is laid out cabaret-style with tables and chairs. I'm sitting with Clive and his niece, Sarah. There's a queue for the bar and the merchandising table - don't miss the 'buy the new remix CD + tour t-shirt for just £25' offer, bargain! Jon Amor's acoustic set follows swiftly and includes some great numbers, which extol the virtues of digital delay sampling. Jon suddenly seems to be playing with a second invisible guitar player. And then the moment we've all been waiting for - well 14 years, if you want to be precise - Robin Trower live, back home in the UK! The band plays it loud tonight, really loud with Pete Thompson's snare set to 'total reverb'. But this is great!  The set is as foretold. The stand out tracks are 'Secret Place', 'Sweet Angel' and 'Breathless' with Robin taking the vocals on the latter. Pete, Dave and Davey are all on great form too.

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Davey's vocal on 'Another Time, Another Place' and Dave's bass work on 'Daydream' are quite stunning. Pete takes the honours in 'Bridge of Sighs', the song that most people have come along to hear tonight!
There are two fabulous, brand new numbers towards the end. 'Close Every Door' is a sassy 12-bar blues. 'Come To Me' is pure 'Misty Days'-era funky r n' b. Hopefully, there's so much more to come from Pete, Dave, Davey and Robin. Welcome home fellas!
Set List: Too Rolling Stoned; Sweet Angel; What's Your Name; Rise Up Like The Sun; Daydream; Living Out Of Time; Breathless; Day Of The Eagle; Close Every Door; I Want You To Love Me; Please Tell Me; Another Time, Another Place; Little Bit Of Sympathy. Encores: Come To Me; Secret Place