GLASTONBURY

The Glastonbury Festival is a fantastic spectacle of music and performing arts and is the biggest festival in the world.  It is held yearly on a 900-acre site in the South West of England.  Security at the festival is very strict with entry to backstage areas only possible if you have the correct wristbands, which are issued on receipt of valid tickets and paperwork.  No exceptions are made. Getting through the different layers of security can take some time.

Gilbert, the band and crew stayed at the wonderful Shapwick House near Glastonbury.  It is a 15th century Tudor House about 7 or 8 miles from Glastonbury with four-poster beds and huge gardens to stroll in.  Sue and Steve were wonderful hosts.  It was very relaxing and idyllic and prepared everybody for the shows ahead.

GILBERT AT SHAPWICK HOUSE WITH MANAGER SUE SELLICK

Gilbert was scheduled to be on the Acoustic Stage, which is in a tent, at 22:45.  This meant arriving at the backstage area with the equipment at 20:45.  While the preceding act is still playing, the equipment is unloaded and placed in a holding area behind the stage.  Once the preceding act finishes their set, the Glastonbury stage crew swarm onto the stage to clear it and to set up Gilbert's stage equipment.  Time is of a premium here because if the set-up takes too long, the crowd can get restless.  At a regular theatre show, this process could take three hours but because of the superb effort by the stage crew supported by our own Gary, Richard, Francis and Kevin, it took 45 minutes.  Still... this meant that Gilbert, the band and the string quartet went on stage without being able to test the set-up and were relying on the expertise of the tour crew.

Because of delays and over-runs that accumulated throughout the day, Gilbert didn't get to the stage until 23:30.  That was no fault of his, he was there ready to go.  But once he got on he quickly got into his stride and played a great set which was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience, who especially liked Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day, Matrimony and Get Down.

Because of the nature of the gig, Gilbert didn't dwell too long telling his usual anecdotes but instead kept the music coming and managed to do 19 songs before ending at 00:45.

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: Martin Ditcham [drums + percussion], Bill Shanley [guitars] and Nick Scott [bass].

Backing Vocals: Charlotte James and Niamh McNally.

Saxophone, Flute & Harmonica: Julian Webster Greaves.

Keyboard and Accordion: Mick Parker.

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

NOTHING RHYMED - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet + Band + Julian [Flute]

This song had the full band backing as opposed to just Nick on bass guitar.

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

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

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet

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

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

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

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

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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard]

FOREVER WONDERING - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE / IN THE KEY OF G"]

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

MARTIN & NICK

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

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

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

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

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

Gilbert [Electric Piano] + String Quartet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 19 songs tonight representing material from 8 different albums.  The breakdown was as follows: