Gilbert O'Sullivan Reviews

Tonight's show is at the Grand Opera House in York to which Gilbert has been a regular visitor over the years.

MERCHANDISE

People never cease to be amazed on tour at the amount of albums that Gilbert has recorded and that are available at the Merchandise Stand. The stand is fronted by Gilbert's sister Marie, and her husband Richard and they both spend their concert evenings helping fans find their required albums from the large back catologue. For those who can't make it to a live show, the same merchandise is available from www.bygumrecords.com A new tee-shirt has been designed for the Gilbertville tour and comes in five colours and features the cartoon sketch of Gilbert from the Gilbertville album sleeve. Bygum Records have also had Every Song Has It's Play reprinted and is now available. The very popular tour programme from last year has sold out and and an updated version is planned.

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], Bill Shanley [guitars] and Nick Scott [bass].

Backing Vocals: Nina Ferro and Niamh McNally.

Saxophone, Flute & Harmonica: Julian Webster Greaves.

Keyboard and Accordion: Mick Parker.

All photographs by Brian King

(1) - THUNDER AND LIGHTNING - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

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

(2) - PRIVATE EYE - [From the album"GILBERTVILLE"]

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

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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Tambourine] + Nina & Niamh [Backing Vocals]

Gilbert expressed how nice it was to be back in York, a beautiful city and how he felt like a local because he has played there regularly. He then counted 1...2...3 and we all expected the opening base guitar note of Nothing Rhymed but it never came much to Gilbert's amusment.

(4) - NOTHING RHYMED - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + String Quartet + Julian [Flute]

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

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

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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Mick [Keyboard]

(7) - WHERE WOULD WE BE (WITHOUT TEA) - [From the album "GILBERTVILLE"]

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

Gilbert introduced this as a very English song.

(8) - NOBODY - [UNRELEASED]

Gilbert [Vocal] + Mick [Accordion] + Julian [Flute]

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

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

(10) - KNOW WHAT, YOU'RE RIGHT - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

Gilbert [Baby Grand] + String Quartet

(11) - I KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO - [From the album "A SCRUFF AT HEART"]

Gilbert [Baby Grand]

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

Gilbert [Baby Grand] + String Quartet

The musicians that hadn't played on the last song returned to the stage and because the setlist had changed to include Stick In The Mud and they hadn't realised there was a mad flurry of activity as they changed instruments and flicked through sheet music. All in good fun!

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

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

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

Gilbert [Vocal + Sound Effects] + Mick [Keyboard] + Julian [Baby Grand] + Nina & Niamh [Backing Vocals]

Gilbert stood and sang centre stage while Mick and Julian doubled up on the keyboard and piano.

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

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

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

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

(17) - CLAIR - [From the album "BACK TO FRONT"]

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

INTERVAL [20 Minutes]

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

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

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

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

(20) - THE ALLERGY SONG - [From the album "GILBERTVILLE"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Julian [Harmonica]

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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band+ Mick [Keyboard]

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

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

Gilbert explained how the recording of this duet with Peggy Lee came about.

(23) - OR SO THEY SAY - [From the album "OFF CENTRE"]

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

This is a great song played live and I love Rod's drumming on it.

A fan shouted to Gilbert "I want your babies". In reply Gilbert said "First of all I'm 64 years of age and I'm not like Rod Stewart and I've got a good wife and I don't think she'd be too happy. But it's a nice thought." [Audience laughter]. "I appreciate the sentiment."

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

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard]

(25) - IT'S EASY TO SEE WHEN YOU'RE BLIND - [From the album "SOUNDS OF THE LOOP"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Mick [Keyboard]

I can't ever remember Gilbert playing this live in concert before and it was really nice.

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

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

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

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

(28) - HAPPINES IS ME AND YOU - [From the album "THE BERRY VEST OF"]

Gilbert [Vocal] + Bill [Guitar] + Rod [Percussion]

BAND INTRODUCTIONS

(29) - I WANNA KNOW - [From the album "GILBERTVILLE"]

Gilbert [Keyboard] + Band + Julian [Saxaphone] + Mick [Keyboard]

This is another song that really rocks when played live.

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

Gilbert [Vocal] + Band + Nina & Niamh [Backing Vocals]

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

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

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

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

ENCORE

(33) - MATRIMONY - [From the album "HIMSELF"]

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

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

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

STATS

Gilbert played and sang 34 songs tonight representing material from 12 different albums. The breakdown was as follows:

	Gilbertville	7	All They Wanted To Say/Can I Leave The Rest Up To You/Here's Why/I Wanna Know/Private Eye/The Allergy Song/Where Would We Be (Without Tea)
	The Berry Vest Of	6	Alone Again (Naturally)/Happiness Is Me And You/No Matter How I Try/Ooh Wakka Doo Wakka Day/We Will/Why, Oh Why,Oh Why
	Himself	3	Matrimony/Nothing Rhymed/Thunder & Lightning
	A Scruff At Heart	3	I Know What I Would Do/I'm In Love With Love (Again)/Know What You're Right
	Back To Front	3	Clair/Out Of The Question/Who Was It?
	Off Centre	3	Can't Get Enough Of You/Or So They Say/What's In A Kiss?
	Sounds Of The Loop	2	Can't Think Straight/It's Easy To See When You're Blind
	Southpaw	2	Miss My Love Today/You Got Me Going
	I'm A Writer Not A Fighter	1	Get Down
	In The Key of G	1	Stick In The Mud
	By Larry	1	Hold On To What You Got
	Piano Foreplay	1	Make My Day
-	Unreleased	1	Nobody