The tour moved southwards 250 miles to the Woughton Centre in Milton Keynes. Unlike the show in Newcastle this time the venue was full to capacity. There was also a good turn-out from the Gilbert mailing list group. First of all I met Tony Burnside and his wife Mary, then there was group moderator Steve Graves and his wife Kathy, then there was Dave Haq and his wife Helen. I was also delighted to meet former group member Jonathan and his partner Claire from Leamington Spa, whom I'd met in Galway last year at the first show of the Irish leg of the Irlish tour. Before the show started we were joined in the audience by Bobby Davro, a British comedian and impersonator, who it turns out is a big time Gilbert fan. Some people might remember seeing a video of Gilbert singing "It's Easy To See When You're Blind" on the Bobby Davro television show Rock With Laughter in the mid 90s. Before introducing Gilbert, Bobby imitated Gilbert while singing "Clair", while dressed in the Bisto Kid outfit.
STEVE GRAVES - BRIAN KING - DAVE HAQ - ANTHONY BURNSIDE
1st HALF
DISAPPEARAt 8.35 p.m. Gilbert took to the stage again in a black shirt with blue sleeves.
THE THING IS - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"]
NOTHING RHYMED - [From the album "HIMSELF"]
NO MATTER HOW I TRYLyrics changed slightly from "Is there a bank in town, that might cash me as a pound?" to "Is there a bank in town,
that might cash this euro for a pound?" Also "It's easy to see why, she's over six foot five, I'm only five feet two (and a half). Gilbert shouts "rock on Tommy" to begin the solo. This is a reference to the catchphrase used by Bobby Ball of British comedy duo Canon & Ball when talking to his partner Tommy Canon. It never ceases to amaze me how many people begin clapping at the false ending of the song just before "I remember our first anniversary". Tonight was no exception.
BECAUSE OF YOU - [From the album "BY LARRY" / "THE LITTLE ALBUM"]Dedicated to Bobby, obviously a favourite of the afore mentioned Mr. Davro.
WE WILL
Gilbert spoke of his last show in the Milton Keynes area which was at The Stables. Gilbert was saying that he is not used to the 8.30 start and that he in fact was ready tonight to go on at 7.30. He reminded me of something that I forgot to put in my Newcastle report, when at the end of the first half of the show, some of the audience were chanting We Want More!, not realising that there was another half to come.
HAVE IT - [From the album "IRLISH"]
MISS MY LOVE TODAY - [From the album "SOUTHPAW"]If an artist's career depended solely on hit singles then careers would be short.
STICK IN THE MUD- [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE / IN THE KEY OF G"]
CLAIR - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]Gilbert recalled the same story about walking with his daughter in Jersey from the other evening.
SOMETIMES - [From the album "SOUNDS OF THE LOOP"]
What a treat we were given when Gilbert was joined on stage by Snake Davis (right) playing the flute. Snake is a member of the British pop group M People and he has played with Paul McCartney amongst others and "has a CV to die for" to quote Gilbert. He seemed to enjoy himself as he performed a beautiful solo.
THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE / IN THE KEY OF G"]Gilbert changed again to his other keyboard for this song. He related his experience of playing the Blue Note Club in Japan last October. Seemingly patrons of the club can have a meal while the show is on. The closeness of the stage to the dining area coupled with the natural shyness of the Japanese fans almost caused a few of them to have heart attacks when Gilbert changed keyboards and sat close to them.
WHAT'S IN A KISS? - [From the album "OFF CENTRE"]
FOREVER WONDERING - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE"]
Gilbert it seems is still hopeful of persuading Fats Domino to record a duet with him. Fats is also keen and has promised to do it when his health improves. This led Gilbert on to talking about his duet with the late Peggy Lee which was recorded over a two day period in New York. Although frail and in a wheelchair Peggy Lee completed the recording of which a video was also made. This was Miss Lee's one and only video or pop promo and in fact was her last recording. Snake Davis was again on stage, this time playing the saxophone. Fantastic!
DOESN'T IT MAKE YOU SICK (MORTAR AND BRICK) - [From the album "SINGER SOWING MACHINE"]This song is from the Singer Sowing Machine album. A title Gilbert chose because although he is a singer and also a songwriter, he objects to being pigeon-holed as a singer/songwriter. So when asked 'Are you a singer/songwriter?' he replies no I am a singer/sowing machine.
HOLD ON TO WHAT YOU GOT - [From the album "BY LARRY / THE LITTLE ALBUM"]Mick played accompaniment on accordion, an instrument that Gilbert has grown to love after being less than fond of it as a child
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - [From the album "HIMSELF"]Snake Davis returned. Top man, what more can I say?
THE INTERVAL WAS FROM 9.50 p.m. UNTIL 10.20 p.m.
During the interval I had a chat with Bobby Davro (right) and a very nice guy he is. He told me that he was Gilbert's No.1 fan. I told him "No Bobby, you are his No.2 fan, meet the No.1" and I offered him my hand to shake. We had a laugh and decided to share the title, so we are joint No.1 O'Sullivan fans. We tested each other's knowledge of Gilbert's music and I can tell you that he knows his stuff.
2nd HALF
A FRIEND OF MINE - [From the album "I'M A WRITER NOT A FIGHTER"]"They said that I was like my dad, now they say that I'm just like his daughter (it's the hair)"
ME - [From the album "IRLISH"]
"Self explanatory" explained Gilbert.
SAY GOODBYE - [From the album "IRLISH"]
"Eat your heart out Ricky Martin" Gilbert quipped.
WATER MUSIC - [From the album "IRLISH"]Gilbert introduced this song by explaining how he got the idea for it. A few years ago his drummer had a cassette tape of sounds and rhythms that some people had recorded of everyday activities from around the world. The basis of this song is the rhythmic sound made by women washing clothes on the rocks at the riverside in the Peruvian jungle. Gilbert had tried to incorporate the rhythm into a song but couldn't. Instead he decided to use the rhythm as a backdrop and write lyrics for it without anything else added.
WHO WAS IT? - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]
Gilbert introduced the people on stage not forgetting Snake Davis. He told us that he also plans to use local or guest musicians in the forthcoming shows in Grimsby, Blackburn, Leeds and of course Ronnie Scott's, where he should have no problem in finding a saxophone player. As usual Gilbert danced around while singing this song while Mick Parker (right) swapped over to Gilbert's keyboard. Gilbert played some sound effects on Mick's synthesizer during the break in the song; breaking glass, dogs barking, cows mooing etc.
THE MARRIAGE MACHINE - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"]
PERMISSIVE TWIT - [From the album " HIMSELF"]This was the first change from the Newcastle play list. It replaced Mr. Moody's Garden.
WHAT COULD BE NICER (MUM THE KETTLE'S BOILING) - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]Reggae style
GO FORTH AND MULTIPLY - [UNRELEASED]As a bonus Gilbert sang this song which he has never recorded. He told us of his love for the English language but he felt that the F word was too commonly used and was not necessary and could be said in another way. To prove the point he sang this song.
ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY)
ENCORE
MATRIMONY - [From the album "HIMSELF"]
GET DOWN - [From the album "I'M A WRITER NOT A FIGHTER"]Gilbert finished the show with the usual song but the customary standing on the keyboard returned.
THE SHOW ENDED AT 11.15 p.m.
Backstage in the dressing room I asked Gilbert if he had a title yet for his new album. He has, but he wasn't telling, except to say that we should expect a raunchy cover. I also asked him had he any plans to record Go Forth And Multiply, which he doesn't. He was in top form signing autographs and posing for photographs.
Onwards to Grimsby!
Happy Fans after the show!
JONATHAN - CLAIRE'S MUM - BRIAN - CLAIRE - BRENDA - MARY - TONY
