Tonight was the second of three nights in the Olympia Theatre in Dublin.  After saying that last night's show was the best I'd ever seen, I have had to revise my opinion and say that tonight's show topped it.  It was almost the very same play list as last night with one notable addition.  It goes without saying that each and every song was well received and sung by the audience.

1st HALF: STARTED AT 20:05 - LASTED 68 MINUTES

IT AIN'T FOR ME - [From the album "BY LARRY / THE LITTLE ALBUM"]

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Accordion]

THE THING IS - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"]

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Saxophone, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

NOTHING RHYMED - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Flute]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Foot Stomps]

IT NEVER RAINS BUT IT POURS - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Saxophone, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Synth, Mick Parker : Synth]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Saxophone, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Harmonica, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Julian Webster Greaves : Flute]

THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE / IN THE KEY OF G"]

[Gilbert : Synth, Mick Parker : Synth, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Saxophone, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Saxophone, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

2nd HALF: STARTED AT 21:45 - LASTED 68 MINUTES

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth]

READY MISS STEADY - [UNRELEASED]

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Harmonica]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth & Accordion, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

CONVERSATION WITH FLYING PLATES - [From the album "PIANO FOREPLAY"]

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Flute, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

PERMISSIVE TWIT - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth]

SAY GOODBYE - [From the album "IRLISH"]

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Flute, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

WATER MUSIC - [From the album "IRLISH"]

[Gilbert : Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Vocals, Mick Parker : Electric Piano, Helen & Victoria Hardy : Backing Vocals]

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth, Julian Webster Greaves : Flute, Helen Hardy : Backing Vocals]

Gilbert told us, "I love married women and this is a song I'm working on".  "Do you need any help?" asked one female fan.

I love married woman, for me they are the best

I love the way they comb their hair, I love the way they dress

Love the kind of feelings they invoke inside my brain

Married women sure know how to drive a man insane

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

[Gilbert : Electric Piano, Mick Parker : Synth]

Gilbert introduced the song by saying "I'm going to sing a song now that I know you'll like.  Unfortunately I don't know it all.  I have been trying to learn it for two or three days but I'll do the bit I know".  The introduction to Ooh-Wakka-Doo started and the crowd went wild.  It seemed as if every single person in the theatre sang every word.  When Gilbert went as far as he could with the song he said, "That's it", but the audience had other ideas and continued on regardless.  When it came to the end of the song Gilbert joined in again and it literally brought the house down.  I can't remember such excitement for a song.  Afterwards everybody on stage applauded the audience for quite a while.  It was a magic moment to savour.

When calm resumed, Gilbert explained why he seldom sings the song, "I know how much that song means to you, but in the past I have been criticised in the music press because I want to be seen as a serious song writer.  They use that song as ammunition to say "How can you be a serious song writer when you write a song like "Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day"".