Concert Review: Newcastle, UK - November 6, 2002
Jan Holmes:
Well I guess Newcastle was a little different from other UK concerts so far. Chris came out on his own and said that he almost had to cancel the concert because he was feeling ill, but that his fans in Newcastle had always been loyal to him and he didn't want to let them down (well, he wouldn't want to let anyone down wherever he was, but it was nice to hear anyway). He said that he would start on his own and sing a few quiet songs first to try his voice out, and later the band would come out and join him. It was the high notes he was struggling with, and if he missed any this time, we knew they were usually there. He started at the piano with Here is Your Paradise, followed as at Sheffield with Missing You. When I took up my rose I couldn't give it to Chris personally because there was a barrier put up, apparently because a woman had gone nuts at a Barry Manilow concert a few weeks ago. Don't they know that CdeB fans are not like that? :-) Chris apologised for not being able to kiss the ladies who gave him roses, but that he would try later, then after trying to sing from the front of the stage, he had to go back to the piano to continue the song. Sailing Away followed, then Carry Me, Borderline and Natasha Dance. Then came a new song which he said was from the album he is going to release next year, when he is going to do a tour of cathedrals. This song was called Snow is Falling, which is a different song from the one he sang at Sheffield. He then sang The Tower, after a request from the audience, Lonely Sky and A Spaceman Came Travelling. After that, the band came out and they sat at the front of the stage to sing Sailor, Another Rainbow and Save Me, which was complete with Al missing his cue (where have I seen that one before), but then anyone seeing the concert for the first time would think it was spontaneous, but it did look spontaneous, it was as well done as usual. After this, the band went to their instruments and sang some songs from the new album, along with some older ones. It was during this last section that Chris expected people to get up and dance, and I thought the audience at Newcastle were a bit quieter than Sheffield, and slower to get up and dance. Of course I could have led from the front, but I'm too shy for that :-) First was Guilty Secret, then Where We Will Be Going, The Same Sun, Saint Peter's Gate, Lebanese Night, The Best That Love Can Be, and Lady In Red. I think it was at this point that Chris introduced the band, calling Al Vosper something else entirely, I'm not sure if that was deliberate or not! Chris then sang Revolution, Light A Fire, Liberty, There's Room in This Heart Tonight, Nothing Ever Happens Round Here and finally Don't Pay the Ferryman. At this point Chris said it was time to go, but of course after lots of cheers and shouts of more he came back for a short encore, singing High on Emotion and the S! nows of New York. At the end Chris came down from the stage and kept his promise of kissing the ladies and shaking many hands. All in all Chris was on stage for 2 hours and 20 minutes, not as long as previous concerts, but not bad for a man who came out of his sick bed to sing for us when most people would just have stayed there. Well done Chris, "You were amazing"