“Let
me hear you say YEAH!”
pictures &
review from our own Alan Howard
A few days off followed by a trip to the Welsh
outback of Pontardawe. Now onto a pro venue with a pro crew for a pro show,
big time.
Was tonight the best show of the tour so far?
Certainly, Pete and Glenn felt so, afterwards. You have to say ‘YEAH!’
Robin and the band walked on stage at 9pm
precisely and played their hearts out for 90 minutes. It was a performance
of immense strength and depth. The mix was excellent throughout, even down
at the front.
Davey, who has been in particularly sparkling
form on this tour, really belted it out tonight. His vocals were absolutely
magnificent. The fact of the matter is, nobody does Jimmy Dewar anthems
like ‘Shame the Devil’, ‘For Earth Below’ and ‘Gonna be more suspicious’
like Davey. He really is one in a million.
I may be less than unbiased but this band’s
rendition of ‘No Time’ on this tour is probably one of the best pieces
of music you are ever likely to hear. Living the lyric, with every minute,
Davey spits out the words tonight. What a great number, it is! Boy, does
this band know how to dish it out?
Pete steps up into another gear tonight. It’s
great to hear him tingle the bells of his cymbals with his trademark offbeat
ride during the chorus of ‘Roads to Freedom’.
Glenn’s soulful syncopation - on those numbers
I have previously dubbed the ‘Motown trio’ [‘Rise up’ – ‘Victims’ – ‘Suspicious’]
– is starting to creep into the set elsewhere. Fabulous. ‘The Fool and
Me’ has a much funkier feel tonight due largely to the lines he is now
throwing, twisting and turning in and out of the arrangement.
Robin is in top top form, playing very deeply.
The highlight is, without doubt, ‘Bridge of Sighs’ which is greatly extended
as he squeezes out every last ounce of expression, tonight.
The music is real all right and the passionate
reaction from tonight’s packed audience, I hope, gives Robin the sort of
feedback and reassurance, he would want for himself from his devoted British
fans.
John Waters, David Smith, Tony C and many others
are also in the house tonight. I think I even spotted Ronnie Kerrigan too?
From the capital we move next to the magnificent,
trophy-winning city of Manchester. Bring it on! Or, as Davey said several
times tonight, “let me hear you say YEAH!”
This is Alan Howard for ‘Steve’s Place’ reporting
from the Astoria, London, England. 23 May 2008.
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