Alright, alright, calm down, calm down, just because our Roddy is back in the UK you don’t all need to get weak at the knees.I know really you should have all been reading this days ago, but due to technical difficulties I couldn’t get my review done straight away. But never mind like, ‘cause here it is, the start of the 2nd leg of the UK concerts and most of you will be wondering, what on earth is “he” doing upin the ‘Pool when there were 2 concerts to go to on his doorstep at the O2 in London? Well forgive me for being a little different, but could there be a more vibrant music venue than Liverpool? Having sampled the venue with my old mucker back in 2010, when my wife Alison suggested “lets go somewhere different” I thought “there’s unfinished business in Liverpool”.
I did not fancy Leeds, whilst Newcastle Neal and I had done before and that venue is not as idealy placed as the Echo Arena where the Premier Inn is just 2 minutes away, so this was going to be a 3 night stop to take in all the city can offer and hopefully still have the wheels on my car by the time we head home! The city is labelled “World Capital City of Pop” … but the last act of note that came from these parts was the likes of Frankie Goes to Hollywood or Echo and the Bunnymen – or maybe I just don’t keep up with the times? Of course real music from Billy Fury, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black(what am I saying! Including Blind date and the Surprise Surprise host in this list?) and a certain four chaps that formed The Beatles come to mind,and it was a lot to do with the latter on why I felt 3 days here was worthtaking so we could take it all in, in a “relaxed” manner.Famous land marks such as the Liver building, the cathedrals, the Dock’s and the Cavern club are there to take in, plus of course take the ferry across the Mersey – well I might have if it ever stopped raining!I guess Mathew Street where the Cavern club was the main place for me to mention, if you have never been, you can have a nice drink there and listen to a wannabe John, Paul, George or Ringo (although these days a machine rather than a person makes up a drummer). The wall outside by the Cavern pub is worth a look, if you study it, focus on the plaque in the middle, below it will be the bricks of the fab 4, cast your eyes 6 bricks below and you find the man himself, one brick lower and 3 across you find The Faces with Long John Baldry below – so yes I have a few odd photo’s now of a brick wall!!! The timing could not be better to visit a city with their football team carrying 100% record at the time of our arrival, but that went the night of the arrival but the locals should have been on a high last seen in these parts when Rod was pre -Vagabond Heart tour, as we were taking in Storyteller – which I still have on tape (so we are talking probably pre-CD days if I study my music collection). And what better point to move away from the story telling and back onto the Echo Arena gig.
I thought having seen Mike Walton suggest you can get good tickets by just turning up at the box office that I would see if I could upgrade mine as I was aware mine were central, but at the back of the arena, fat chance, if you buy your ticket via Ticketmaster, they won’t upgrade unless you can re-sell yours back to Ticketmaster, so back of the Arena it was. With tickets that stated the wrong start time (but we had been alerted), we sat on the first tier, it’s not the biggest arena’s so it was not a problem.
Moya was again the support act, if we knew what we were about to witness, we would have realised a far better female singer was going to sing one of her songs about an hour later – so as much as Moya promoted her album, it won’t be part of my collection. As scheduled she was gone inside 25 minutes with probably only a quarter of the arena populated, it must be difficult to perform under such circumstances – but as Rod quotes in “Can’t Stop Me Now” – this is hardly singing in the pubs and clubs is it?
A twenty minute turn around till the famous introductory sound blasted out from behind the silver curtains, the crowd awoke, out came the band members playing their own introductions before Rod made his entrance waving and breaking into This old heart of mine, whilst Alison leaped up screaming and clapping then for some reason apologising to the somewhat stunned girl sitting next to her, I knew I was in for a good night. Now you know, I don’t jot down all the tracks, but I will try and list as many by my recollections – but if you want a set list Gerard is your man. What was very apparent was Rod was in a very good mood, he commented after his first number on “What a crowd, since I was last here, I’ve had another child, become a grandfather and you’ll be delighted to hear I’ve put my cue back in the rack”, this was the start of a few witty throw away remarks hemade during the concert, he said we have 23 songs to get through and broke into You Wear It Well. My less than favourite Havin’ a party was to follow. Rod made reference to how well the cities football teams were doing at the moment and said “It’s funny how we men always talk about football, but we just fucking love it” – Not the only time the “f” word would be heard either.
Rhythm of my heart and the normal tribute to the British troops made me think, is this just going to be a similar pattern … well no it was not, he had arranged his songs in a good varied order, with a few different thrown in from June. Tonight’s the night, You’re In my heart made me think I was to witness just a hits concert – but the special part of the night came when he said he was taking a break and his own Ruby was to sing one of her own songs –what a great voice – she was outstanding and deserved the compliment of “Pretty good chip off the old block eh?” from Dad, but that was not all, as Rod said, for the first time on stage he and his daughter would duet on Forever Young – wow, I witnessed a first and a delight to. When the old man decided to put his own voice on hold, I would happily pay to see his daughter perform – if you pardon the expression, I meant as a singer.
Rod would then make reference to “our very expensive tickets” and a chance to join him seated as he brought on his choir….. only to turn around and say “where fuck are they?”.I don’t wanna talk about it, Have I told you lately started this session –after which he turned to both J’Anna and Don and said “What fantastic solo performances, it takes courage to perform these, one mistake and it’s like taking a penalty kick and placing it over the bar”.
Finally into his new album, with another leading reference to his early days on Brighton Beach which was to result in the conception of his eldest daughter Sarah who he quoted as being 50 years old now, with the quote “Christ”, he then turned his back and said “One should have been more careful of ones drippings!”Pure Rod humour which certainly made me chuckle. He would follow that by Can’t stop me now and She makes me happy. We would then get 2 numbers from the era that got myself and Alison hooked as he broke into Every Picture Tells A Story followed by the awesome “I would rather go blind” – last heard by us live from Mick Hucknull’s voice in a Surrey polo club field!
The final stretch was no real surprise Maggie May, Baby Jane, Hot Legs and Sailing and of course the encore of Da Ya think I’m Sexy? Looking at the stage, the balloons had released on the left hand side, whilst to the right it needed manual intervention, some where of large proportion that Rod invited those down the front to throw up at him so he could head them back. It was difficult to think that anybody could not have enjoyed the performance, although Alison remarked on those around us that with that Liverpudlian tone were far too squeaky and talked as long as the Mersey….But they still left smiling … As I’ve said before, you pay your money and take in the performance how you choose, so I can’t complain. Alison stated she felt it was probably the best concert she had seen …which given Rod’s mood I can see why, although sadly she has never experienced a front row SMILER ticket as I had before.
With literally under a 5 minute walk back to the hotel, and only that given the number of people around us slowed the journey, we were back in our room for our cocoa in time to see the end of the 10 o’clock news! (how sad I hear you say).Rod had given us a 2 hour 5 star performance, that meant I could hardly enforce the clause of the Premier Inn slogan from old Lenny Henry of “A good night guaranteed or your money back”.I was pleasantly surprised that my photo’s of the concert had come out quite well, a little grainy given much was focus on the screens – but overall being central and looking over the crowds they had no stray hands or heads on them. We would awake the next day and walk over to John Lewis for our breakfast where Alison would say to me “You did the Beatles Story last time you were here, I’m not that bothered, so what do you want to do if we don’t go?”, I said “Well we could always take a trip over to the Trafford Centre as we are in the region”. It was difficult from that point onwards to know as she sung “He makes me happy” whether I had stolen Rod’s thunder by a shopping trip…. Which I think in all honesty I’m kidding myself.
So home late Thursday afternoon back down south by mid-afternoon (perhaps I should have booked for the O2 as well?) – well a 550 plus all round drive was all worth it regardless of the rain, as listening to the Handbags double album and Time makes any journey worthwhile. Next up it’s off to the local Basil Brush club in a few weeks to see Jim Cregan & Co do the best Rod karaoke ever. I can hear that “Echo” already –please don’t let him post a review of that night as well !!! Thanks and regards.
Review by Coin Baker
Rod Photo by Mike [I am no Yve Paige] Walton
Rod and Ruby photo by Colin Baker
Set List
This old Heart
You wear it well
Having a Party
Rhythm of my Heart
Sweet little Rock n’ Roller
Just One More Day – Ruby Stewart
Forever Young – Duet with Ruby Stewart
First Cut Is The Deepest
I Don’t Want To Talk About It
Have I told You Lately
Brighton Beach
Can’t Stop Me Now
She Makes Me Happy
Every Picture Tells A Story
I Would rather Go Blind
Soul Girl
You’re In My Heart
Maggie May
Sailing
Hot Legs
Baby Jane
Encore
Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?