There was a late change of venue for this show when it was realised that the stage at the original venue, the Radisson Hotel, wasn't large enough for Gilbert and the band. There are a few changes in the line-up on stage due to prior engagements.  Bill Shanley is currently touring with Ray Davies and is replaced on guitar by Jimmy Smyth.  Jimmy was a guitarist/singer with The Bogey Boys from 1979 to 1983 and recorded several singles and two albums.  He has recorded/played with Lisa Stansfield, Van Morrison, Leo Sayer and Reba McEntire.

 

Martin Ditcham is currently on tour with Chris Rea and is replaced on drums by noted Irish session drummer Rod Quinn who has played live with Ronan Keating, Roger Daltry and Mary Black, to name but a few

 


MERCHANDISE

A large amount of Gilbert's back catalogue is still available from the merchandise stand at each live show and on-line from www.bygumrecords.com  A beautiful 16-page concert programme is also now on sale at the live shows and from the website.  Bygum Records have also repackaged an album called the Very Best Of Gilbert O'Sullivan which was originally available in Greece and have added a lyrics booklet to the originally released album.  The interesting thing about this album is that it features the 1975 single You Are You which is hard to find on CD.


Programme Old Version New Version


LINE-UP

For the purpose of this report the personnel on stage were:

String Quartet: Laura Stanford [violin], Eleanor Stanford [violin], Amy Stanford [viola] and Jessica Cox [cello].

Band: Rod Quinn [drums + percussion], Jimmy Smyth [guitars] and Nick Scott [bass].

Backing Vocals: Charlotte James and Niamh McNally.

Saxophone, Flute & Harmonica: Julian Webster Greaves.

Keyboard and Accordion: Mick Parker.


AT THE VERY MENTION OF YOUR NAME - [From the album "IN THE KEY OF G"]

Gilbert [keyboard] + Mick [Keyboard] + Jimmy [Acoustic & Electric Guitars]


MR. & MRS. REGARDS - [From the album "BY LARRY"]

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

 


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

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


ONE DOOR CLOSES - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

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

Gilbert mentioned that it was his first time in Galway, forgetting of course his appearance there in 2001.  He was reminded of this fact many times during the after show signing session.


NOTHING RHYMED - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

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


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

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + Mick [Keyboard] + Rod [Drums] + Julian [Flute] + Charlotte & Niamh [Backing Vocals]


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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Mick [Keyboard]


HERE'S WHY - [From the album "GILBERTVILLE"]

Gilbert [Vocal] + Jimmy [Guitar] + Charlotte & Niamh [Backing Vocals]

This is a new song from Gilbert's forthcoming album Gilbertville and this is the first time that it was perfomed to a live audience.  It's a duet. Gilbert chopped and changed the set list much to the consternation of the band who weren't sure what song was coming next but it made for a very interesting evening.


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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Jimmy [Guitar] + Charlotte & Niamh [Backing Vocals]

Gilbert looked at his set list, trying to decide what to play and joked that it was a good job he had a lot of songs or otherwise we'd all be going home.



This next song is one I've never done before.  "Being from an Irish family we used have get togethers when I was a kid and the accordion would come out.  I used to hate the accordion because I was more into piano, guitar and drums. The accordion is trendier now than it has been in the past and I thought I'd do this song, which I had lying around.  If you remember the Beatles album Beatles For Sale, there was a track on there called Baby's In Black which was in waltz time.  It's an old fashioned tempo and so it inspired me to write this song and Mick is going to play it on accordion and I'm going to sing it for you."


NOBODY - [UNRELEASED]

Gilbert [Vocal] + Mick [Accordion]


WHO WAS IT? - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]

Gilbert [Vocal + Sound Effects] + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Piano] + Charlotte & Niamh [Backing Vocals]

There was a slight change to the usual performance of this song with Julian playing piano.


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

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet


CAN I LEAVE THE REST UP TO YOU - [From the album "GILBERTVILLE"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + Julian, Jimmy, Rod & Nick [Backing Vocals]

This is the first live performance of another new song from Gilbert's new album Gilbertville.


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

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



ALL THEY WANTED TO SAY - [From the album "GILBERTVILLE"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Jimmy [Acoustic Guitar] + Charlotte & Niamh [Backing Vocals]

"This is a song that was written after the events of 9/11.  We all saw the pictures of the aeroplanes going into the building and the horror of it was explicit, it was there, but what struck me about it was the fact that the people in the buildings and the aeroplanes were using their mobile phones to call their loved ones and all they wanted to say was 'I love you'.  All they wanted to do was not scream for help but to say 'I love you'.


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

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


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

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


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 & Niamh [Backing Vocals]


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

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


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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band+ Mick [Keyboard]



CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT - [From the album "SOUNDS OF THE LOOP"]

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


YOU GOT ME GOING - [From the album "SOUTHPAW"]

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


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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard]


CAME TO SEE ME YESTERDAY - [From the album "BY LARRY"]

Gilbert [Vocal + Tambourine] + Band + String Quartet + Mick [Keyboard] + Charlotte & Niamh [Backing Vocals]


A FRIEND OF MINE - [From the album "I'M A WRITER, NOT A FIGHTER"]

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


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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard] + Charlotte & Niamh [Backing Vocals]



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

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


HOLD ON TO WHAT YOU GOT - [From the album "BY LARRY"]

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


SAY GOODBYE - [From the album "IRLISH"]

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


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

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



"Okay we are going to do something else that we've never done before. I don't tour that often, every two years or so but it gives me the opportunity to try things out.  We are going to do a bit of swing and if there's room on the floor....are there any ballroom dancers here?"  'Yes' was the answer from the audience but when Gilbert invited them on stage, everybody suddenly went quiet.  So Gilbert danced around the stage with Niamh during the song.


YOU ARE YOU - [From the album "THE VERY BEST OF GILBERT O'SULLIVAN"]

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


YOU ARE YOU


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

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


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 & Niamh [Backing Vocals]


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

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



STATS

Gilbert played and sang 35 songs tonight representing material from 15 different albums.  The breakdown was as follows:

The Berry Vest Of

5

Alone Again (Naturally)/No Matter How I Try/Ooh Wakka Doo Wakka Day/We Will/Why, Oh Why,Oh Why

A Scruff At Heart

3

A Proper Fool/I'm In Love With Love (Again)/One Door Closes

Back To Front

3

Clair/Out Of The Question/Who Was It?

By Larry

3

Came To See Me Yesterday/Hold On To What You Got/ Mr. & Mrs. Regards

- Gilbertville 3 All They Wanted To Say/Can I Leave The Rest Up To You/Here's Why

I'm A Writer Not A Fighter

3

A Friend Of Mine/Get Down/Where Peaceful Waters Flow

A Stranger In My Own Back Yard

2

Can't Get You To Love Me/The Marriage Machine

Himself

2

Matrimony/Nothing Rhymed

Off Centre

2

Can't Get Enough Of You/What's In A Kiss?

Southpaw

2

You Got Me Going/Miss My Love Today

In The Key Of G

2

At The Very Mention Of Your Name/Stick In The Mud

Sounds Of The Loop

1

Can't Think Straight

Irlish

1

Say Goodbye

Piano Foreplay

1

Make My Day

The Very Best Of Gilbert O'Sullivan 1 You Are You
- Unreleased 1 Nobody