25/08/01 - VICTORIA EMBANKMENT, NOTTINGHAM Review by Steven Stanley:
This was the first proper BA show I had been to in 2 years so I was really looking forward to this gig. It was the first time BA had ever played in Nottingham which is a surprise considering it's Robin Hood - 'Everything I Do' connections! The gig was originally intended to be across town at Wollaton Park but due to the then 'foot and mouth disease' crisis it had to be relocated to the Victoria Embankment. It is to my knowledge the biggest gig ever have been held in Nottingham.....badfans far out numbering previous festival headliners 'All Saints' and 'The Corrs'. Nottingham is really close to where I live near Sheffield so myself and Mike went down the night before to have a scout around. The stage was already setup and we could see BA's big white marshall amps ready to be used! We went back home anyway and came back the next day fairly early just before dinner. There were a few people queuing already (some had been over night). It was a really really hot day and it seemed like ages before we were let in. The stage was one of those dome shaped ones that you see at Festivals like Glastonbury etc. We got in anyway and bought some merchandise like normal. It was so hot it was unreal. I was getting surnburn! Various support acts came and went...then it was time for Glen Tilbrook (formerly of Squeeze) and he was quite funny. It started to rain when he came onstage which was quite a surprise. An even bigger surprise were hailstones when Gabrielle came onstage! She was ok I guess. After Gabriel a radio DJ came onstage again giving us a number to text message our messages to Bryan backstage...I was texting him to play 'We're Gonna Win' or 'Kids Wanna Rock' but he didn't1 It was still raining when the next band 'James' came onstage as well but not quite as bad...it was like all 4 seasons in a few hours....really freaky weather!

The weather cleared a little more anyway and BA and the band came onstage to a huge welcome from the very patient Nottingham crowd. The guys came out with big white balloons for us to punch around which was very funny! They were wearing cool jeans....Keith's has horses on and Bryan has angel wings on his ass or something lol. They went straight into 'Back To You' which was great! I really missed hearing that song! Next up was 'House Arrest' in which BA looked over at the local housing estate next door when he shouted 'We'll be waking up the neighbours!!!!' That was funny. During 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' there were big inflatable steamers come up either side of the stage which looked really cool. Another surprise in the setlist was 'Do To You'. During the song he shouted 'should I stay?'....we all shouted 'yeeesss!' then 'should I go?'...the answer from the Nottingham crowd was of course 'nooooooooooo!'. An old song I heard for the first time was played next....'Into The Fire'.....it was amazing! The 'Blues Jam' sounded better than ever and the best song of the night was 'The Only Thing' because it was sounded good that night! 'Run To You' sounded really good....me, Mike and Mike's new rugby friends couldn't stop bouncin' around! A really cool new song was played at the end....'The Way You Make Me Feel' which sounded amazing.....the whole crowd was singing it. All in all a very good gig. Me and Mike didn't wait around afterwards....after failed attempts to locate a McDonalds (also we did see a hooters bar ;) ) ......we went all the way home as fast as possible to order a pizza!

Setlist:
Back To You
House Arrest
18 Til I Die
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
Summer Of '69
It's Only Love
Everything I Do
Straight From The Heart
Cuts Like A Knife
Do To You
Please Forgive Me
When You're Gone
Into The Fire
I'm Ready
Heaven
One Night Love Affair
Blues Jam
The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You
Cloud #9
Somebody
Run to You
The Best Of Me
The Way You Make Me Feel

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The gig Nottingham has been waiting for :)

This was the best shot of BA we got....will teach you to buy shitty disposables cameras on BOGOF from Morrisons!