After more than 1100 miles by car and countless hotel rooms, we have come to the last night of the tour.  Alas there has been a casualty along the way.  My credit card is in intensive care on a life support machine and I am afraid there is very little hope for it.  The last show was at Ronnie Scott's, a famous jazz club in Soho in the heart of London in Frith Street.  With Gilbert due on stage at 8.15 p.m. the queue began gathering at 6.30 p.m. What a heartening sight!  The capacity of the club was only 300 and this made for a very intimate setting with everybody seated at tables while Gilbert performed on a small stage.  There wasn't even standing room available.  Our group was well represented on the night with five different nationalities present and we had the best seats in the house, I could have leaned across the table and touched the keyboard, it was that close.  Also there was Nicky Tonglet (right) who traveled from Belgium specially for the show.  It was great also to once again meet up with Tony Burnside from London and Charlie McDonald from Scotland who was accompanied by his daughter Lorraine, who despite only knowing one song, seemed to have a good time.  It was a pleasure to meet up with all you guys and I would like to extend that sentiment to everyone I met at the other venues.  It has been a pleasure. As we were to find out, Gilbert was in great form, his timing while telling his stories between songs was perfect and he had the audience amused throughout. Gilbert's wife Aase and daughter Tara were among the audience. 1st HALF DISAPPEAR The show began at 8.15 p.m. THE THING IS - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"] "This is very cosy" says Gilbert. NOTHING RHYMED - [From the album "HIMSELF"] NO MATTER HOW I TRY For probably the first time on the tour nobody in the audience was caught out by the false ending of the song.  Gilbert spoke about the radio interview he had with Jo Brand on Radio London that morning and enquired from the audience if the ticket competition winners had got to the show. BECAUSE OF YOU - [From the album "BY LARRY" / "THE LITTLE ALBUM"] WE WILL It was obvious at this stage that Gilbert was having a good time.  He was smiling a lot and seemed very relaxed and was obviously enjoying himself. MISS MY LOVE TODAY - [From the album "SOUTHPAW"] Gilbert changed to his second keyboard (DX7) for this song and then realised that he had forgotten to do "Have It".  "Never mind we have all night, we'll get to it later". STICK IN THE MUD - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE / IN THE KEY OF G"] Gilbert spoke about the different radio stations in London; Radio London, Image Radio, Capitol and Radio 2 and recalled that one upon a time if you released a good record, that they would play it, but now they are more concerned with the image of the artists they play rather than the quality of the music.  And it appears that his face doesn't fit. CLAIR - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"] "Sing along with this one if you know it" asked Gilbert.  We did know it but on this occasion Gilbert didn't and got the opening verse mixed up.  He saw the funny side and remarked "I am singing this bloody song for 30 years so I am entitled to make a mistake".  The crowd loved it. SOMETIMES - [From the album "SOUNDS OF THE LOOP"] 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, a jazz club in Japan, "almost as famous as Ronnie's." 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 palpitations the first time that Gilbert came to this keyboard to play "Miss My Love Today". They relaxed when he returned to his main keyboard but when he returned once more for this song, they disappeared. WHAT'S IN A KISS? - [From the album "OFF CENTRE"] FOREVER WONDERING - [From the album "FROBISHER DRIVE"] Gilbert once again spoke of his admiration for Fats Domino and hoped that one day Fats would eventually agree to record the duet "Here's Why" with him.  Fats Domino claims that ill health prevents him from recording the song but Gilbert wondered if the fact that it is a love song  had anything to do with it.  Gilbert once more played the wonderful opening riff of a Fats Domino song and quipped that if Fats owned the copyright to it, that instead of lounging in Tennessee, that he would have bought Bermuda.  Lennie Aralia provided accompaniment on saxophone. DOESN'T IT MAKE YOU SICK (MORTAR AND BRICK) - [From the album "SINGER SOWING MACHINE"] HOLD ON TO WHAT YOU GOT - [From the album "BY LARRY / THE LITTLE ALBUM"] Mick Parker backed Gilbert with the piano-accordion.  Gilbert told us that as one six children growing up in an Irish family there would often be sing-songs and the piano-accordion would be brought out and that he disliked it, especially the Jimmy Shand records that they played.  But now that he has grown older he had learned to appreciate it and has come to like the instrument.  As usual he praised Mick's playing of the instrument. HAVE IT - [From the album "IRLISH"] THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - [From the album "HIMSELF"] Once again Lennie Aralia provided accompaniment on saxophone. THE INTERVAL WAS FROM 9.27 p.m. UNTIL 10.00 p.m. 2nd HALF OUT OF THE QUESTION - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"] ME - [From the album "IRLISH"] "This isn't about me" explained Gilbert. SAY GOODBYE - [From the album "IRLISH"] After the song Gilbert spoke about the different versions of the song that he has recorded and delighted the audience when he sang the Japanese version.  "I know what you're thinking, he should be able to do it, he is half Japanese anyway" he remarked.  "There's a Spanish version for the English market because there are more English in Spain than Spanish, there's a Portuguese version and a French version." "What about an Irish version" asked our Lisa.  "I'll work on it" came the reply.  WATER MUSIC - [From the album "IRLISH"] WHO WAS IT? - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"] "On this tour we have been to Newcastle, Leeds, Milton Keynes, Blackburn and Grimsby, where we picked up a bit of fish.  It was thrown on the stage actually." IS IT A CRIME? - [From the album "LIFE & RHYMES"] A WOMAN'S PLACE - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"] Tonight in the men versus woman singing competition returned.  "I saw this headline in the newspaper one day and thought it a good title for a song, not realising what I was getting myself into.  I was going to call it A Woman's Place Is On the Phone or A Woman's Place Is Off The Bone".  Tonight the men triumphed and Gilbert rose from the keyboard and raised his and Mick's arms in triumph while sympathetically turning to Helen and Eve. MR. MOODY'S GARDEN A mystery was solved for me personally tonight as up to now I could never make out the last name in the lyrics of this song.  It is in fact Pierre Carden, the designer. THE MARRIAGE MACHINE - [From the album "A STRANGER IN MY OWN BACK YARD"] This is a favourite subject of Gilbert's for song writing.  "I am happily married for about 15 years now" said Gilbert.  "22" came the retort from his wife and family in the audience.  "Oh I'm in trouble now" he replied.  Again Gilbert played snippets of two songs he is currently working on.  "To be in this business you have to have a sense of humour, I used to remember when doors used to open for me, now I can't even find them" Song #1 I used to be allergic to anyone with hair All my girlfriends had to shave, otherwise I wouldn't care Now I am pleased to report I've only changed a bit Now I am allergic to clothes Now all they have to do is strip Song #2 I ain't about to be held for no ransom I ain't about to be wasting my time You've led me up so many garden paths lately Had you been around in 1942 I'm sure Hitler could have made it with you "That's a nice gentle love song"  he said. WHAT COULD BE NICER (MUM THE KETTLE'S BOILING) - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"] GREY HAIRS - [UNRELEASED] This is a new song about how it is better to have grey hair than no hair. ALONE AGAIN (NATURALLY) ENCORE MATRIMONY - [From the album "HIMSELF"] GET DOWN - [From the album "I'M A WRITER NOT A FIGHTER"] THE SHOW ENDED AT 11.15 p.m. So that's it for another tour.  Maybe we will do it all over again in November.  Take my advice and don't miss the opportunity to see Gilbert live next time.  You won't be disappointed. The highlight of the tour for me was the song "Sometimes" in Milton Keynes with accompaniment on flute by Snake Davis.  A beautiful song, beautifully played. Many thanks to Gilbert, Kevin, Mick, Eve, Helen, Gareth, all the crew and last but not least, all the fans for making it a wonderful tour and a memorable fortnight.