I didn't want the unsatisfactory crowd experiences at Liverpool Pops 2 to be the lasting memory of my final aussie show of the year and so Mrs Mike and I made the last minute decision to go to the Ipswich gig last night. So I telephoned the box office totally confident that I would be able to get tickets only to be told that the show was a sell out!! Doom and gloom. ??? I was just about to hang up when I was informed that a couple of tickets had just become available and so I bagged them straight away. Deep joy. ;D They turned out to be in row M of the stalls, more or less centre stage - great seats with a perfect view.
And so it was that we tipped up in Ipswich nice and early, collected our tickets from the box office and settled into the chinese restaurant across the road from the Regent for a pre show meal. I spotted Damian, Gareth, Ian and Carl Brunsdon at a table over the other side of the room and after a while Damian came over to say hello and give me the news that Carl was standing in for Mike the sax at last nights show. No cause for concern - it was just that Mike had a previous engagement.
After an excellent meal it was back to the Regent, which was already thronging with people. I bumped into gerald_mouse in the foyer which was great as we always seem to manage to miss each other when we happen to be at the same show. Plenty of time for a chat this time, then into the auditorium to get settled.
I'll do the setlist now, as usual reproduced faithfully from Gareth's copy that he gave me.
Ipswich
Speak To Me
Breathe
On The Run
Time
Great Gig
Money
Us & Them
Any Colour
Brain Damage
Eclipse
(47 minutes)
Shine On 1-5
Learning to Fly
Set the Controls
Pigs
Goodbye Blue Sky
Empty Spaces
Young Lust
Keep Talking
Nobody Home
Wish You Were Here
One of These Days
Bricks 2
Comfortably Numb
Run Like Hell
(1:38 minutes)
I really enjoyed last nights show. The bands' performance was, as usual, totally professional and they gave their all to a crowd who were very enthusiastic and, in return, gave the band rapturous applause on numerous occasions with several standing ovations to boot. I found the Regent to be a very pleasant venue, an old building nicely renovated but still retaining some nice features. The stage was larger than I expected, going by past reviews from gerald_mouse, and was easily able to accommodate the screen but, as Andrew has already said, there was no skippy, lasers or inflatable pig. The only downside was that it was insufferably hot in the auditorium - the addition of air conditioning in what I think was a recent refurbishment would have been a worthwhile consideration. A good venue though - and one that I would not hesitate to visit again.
As has already been said, Mike the sax was not playing and Carl stood in for him. It was nice to see Carl again, I saw him play last year at Rochester. I felt his performance last night was much more confident and stronger than at Rochester and I enjoyed it very much (no surprise I guess because he only had a few days to prepare for Rochester last year after Mike was taken ill) Carl's 'set the controls' last night was especially enjoyable.
Jaquie Williams was also absent last night and so there were 3 BVs'. If we needed reminding, which we probably don't, as to the talent of these young ladies then we had a perfect example again last night. Whether there are 3 or 4 of them on stage, or if there are 3 then which 3, it matters not. They just seamlessly move through the repertoire, any one of them seemingly able to cover the part of an 'absentee'. Last Saturday it was Amy, Jaquie and Ola on stage. This week it was Amy, Emily and Ola. They all have distinctive individual voices of course - but collectively they are, in my opinion, simply marvellous.
And so, that's about it. For me, the end of another season of fantastic, enjoyable shows from one of the best bands you're likely to see. I've witnessed some incredible performances this year. So different, huge arena shows in the likes of The Royal Albert Hall through to more intimate gatherings in places like The Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone, with plenty else in between. I don't think I could actually pick a 'best of' and I don't think I really want to. I'll just remember what I've seen and the enjoyment I've had. Last night was a fitting end. My thanks to the band, crew, management - everyone connected in fact - for the effort that you all put in.
Final thought. Most of us know that a musicians life on the road is often far from glamorous. Well, when Mrs Mike and I left the venue at about 12:30am last night, the fly nite lorries were well on the way to being packed up, most of the band were having a well deserved chilling out session, the crew were still knocking their pipes out clearing up and the whole shooting match was soon going to leave Ipswich to drive the 130 odd miles to Dover where they were due to catch the 6:30am ferry this morning!! Not so glamorous me thinks.
