FIRST HALF

TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF MY TOE - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + Mick [Keyboard] + String Quartet

A PROPER FOOL - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

MY PLACE OR YOURS - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + Mick [Keyboard]

During the Sound Check Gilbert had been concerned that the first three rows on the left hand of the stage were so close that they could only see the back of the baby grand piano.  He expressed this concern before the next song and suggested that those occupying these seats should move to different ones nearby to get a better vantage point, which they did.  Gilbert remarked on the fact that it was over 30 years since he had played there and acknowledged the Swindon contingent in the hall, for which there were cheers.

NOTHING RHYMED - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet + James [Bass] + Julian [Flute]

As usual this song was warmly greeted and upon moving to the other keyboard Gilbert remarked "Okay you can come back now" [to the fans that had moved].

OUT OF THE QUESTION - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Flute] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

Gilbert acknowledged someone who had travelled from Waterford [his home town], adding "Glad you could make it."

MISS MY LOVE TODAY - [From the album "SOUTHPAW"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Mick [Keyboard]

TAKING SIDES - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Nick [Flute]

YOU CAN'T CON-CRETE - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano]

WE WILL - [From the album "THE BERRY VEST OF"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

Again the crowd only responded to this song after the first line and gave it a warm reception.

MR. MOODY'S GARDEN - [From the album "THE BERRY VEST OF"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Mick [Accordion] + Julian [Voices]

"This song dates back to the 60s.  I had a disastrous time in 1967 at my first record company CBS.  In 1968 I gave Major Minor the best song I had [I Wish I Could Cry], which they ruined completely so I begged them could I just go into the studio on my own.  So I went into the studio with a friend from college who did the voices, and this became the b-side."  John Peel gave my career a boast by inviting me to appear on his radio show 'Top Gear'.  I dressed up the cap, jacket, trousers and boots for the show and John Peel and producer Bernie Andrews liked me because I was different.  The funny thing is John  Peel completely ignored me when I became successful.

"People talk about John Lennon singing 'Picture yourself on a boat on a river, where plasticine people eat marshmellow pies' [Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds] and they ask what was he on when he wrote it?  Well in this song there's a verse that goes:

Now down among the Partridge trees

Lives a "Don" who loves his knees

So much so he's framed them in a jar

And if by chance one should escape

Then "to put on" must in it's place

Eat half a pound of shredded tar

Gilbert asked "Now what was I on when I wrote that?" [audience laughter].

I'M IN LOVE WITH LOVE AGAIN - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

DON'T LET IT GET TO YOU - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano]

SOMETIMES - [From the album "SOUNDS OF THE LOOP"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet.

Gilbert appeared to have difficulty changing the settings on the keyboard and joked "It's like mission control up hear with all the buttons, last week I got radio 4." [audience laughter].

OOH-WAKKA-DOO-WAKKA-DAY - [From the album "THE BERRY VEST OF"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Flute]

"We had the 'Do Run Run' and we had 'Do Da Diddy Diddy Dum' and we had 'Da Da Da' by the Police and we had this" and he lead into Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day with a long intro. Extended applause afterwards.  "I got a lot of flak because of that song but who cares!!" said Gilbert.

CLAIR - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Harmonica]

SECOND HALF

STICK IN THE MUD - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE / IN THE KEY OF G"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Saxophone] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals] + Charlotte [Tambourine]

CAN'T GET YOU TO LOVE ME - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Saxophone] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals] + Nina [Caxixi]

MAKE MY DAY - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band+ Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Saxophone] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

Gilbert acknowledged people in the audience from his old school 'St. Joseph's' which is gone now he informed us.  Gilbert told us "The latest greatest hits album released by EMI about three years ago, I didn't want to have 'The Best Of', or 'The Greatest Hits'.  As a kind of novelty I thought I'd put a vest on the front cover and put berries on it and call it 'The Berry Vest Of'.  Get it?  The record company didn't like it.  Recently HMV were stocking more of the album and when the delivery arrived, the person receiving it said 'Oops!' this should read 'The Very Best Of' and sent it all back.  [audience laughter].

NO MATTER HOW I TRY - [From the album "THE BERRY VEST OF"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band+ Mick [Keyboard]

There was a nice guitar solo on this song and the false ending fooled nobody and the song was applauded loudly.

A FRIEND OF MINE - [From the album "I'M A WRITER NOW A FIGHTER"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Mick [Keyboard]  + Julian [Flute] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Saxophone] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

WHY, OH WHY, OH WHY - [From the album "THE BERRY VEST OF"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard]

Gilbert chops and changes the running order each night to 'keep the band on their toes' in his own words.  On this track Bill was obviously prepared for different track and quickly had to changes guitars as Gilbert began his count-in.

FOREVER WONDERING - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Saxophone] + Charlotte, Nina & Julian [Backing Vocals]

This a Fats Domino style song. I like Fats Domino, guitarists look to Eric Clapton, as a piano player I looked look to him.  I wrote to him four years ago witha view to doing a duet.  he is in his late seventies know and in ill health.  I sent him the song I wanted to do,  he was a bit worried when he realised that it was a love song [audience laughter].  We might approach him again and maybe I'll change the lyric.  There were nice saxophone and guitar solos in this song.

CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOU - [From the album "OFF CENTRE"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Flute] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

WHERE PEACEFUL WATERS FLOW - [From the album "I'M A WRITER NOT A FIGHTER"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

Gilbert acknowleded his mum in the audience and the fact that it was her birthday.  He then sang 'Peaceful Waters', her favourite song.  Before the song he coached the audience to sing along and afterwards applauded their efforts.

HOLD ON TO WHAT YOU GOT - [From the album "BY LARRY / THE LITTLE ALBUM"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard & Accordion] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals]

HAPPINESS IS ME AND YOU - [From the album "THE BERRY VEST OF"]

Gilbert [Vocal] + Bill [Spanish Acoustic Guitar] + Julian [Flute]

You could hear a pin drop during this song which is quickly becoming a crowd favourite.

THE MARRIAGE MACHINE - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Nina [Vocal] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Flute]

This song is performed as a duet but Gilbert got slightly confused and sang part of the second verse with Nina.

WHAT'S IN A KISS? - [From the album "OFF CENTRE"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard]

SAY GOODBYE - [From the album "IRLISH"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Flute] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals] + Charlotte [Tambourine] + Nina [Caxixi]

ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) - [From the album "THE BERRY VEST OF"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard]

ENCORE

MATRIMONY - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Saxophone] + Charlotte & Nina [Backing Vocals] + Charlotte [Tambourine] + Nina [Caxixi]

GET DOWN - [From the album "I'M A WRITER NOT A FIGHTER"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Charlotte & Nina [ Backing Vocals]

STATS

Gilbert played and sang 33 songs tonight representing material from 13 different albums.  The breakdown was as follows: