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29/12/03 - RUTH ECKERD HALL, CLEARWATER,
FLORIDA Review by Steven
Stanley : Anyway after panicking all day whether or not I would get my tickets ok (my friend booked them on a credit card he no longer had and even worse got someone else to do it for him....he tells me this at the last minute!) we got them fine as soon as we got to the venue. No queuing was needed as this was an all seater gig so no matter how early you arrived you were still gonna be in the same spot. It was my first all seater BA show and it was kinda relaxing to be relaxed before a show for a change instead of worrying about getting your spot etc. I was also wearing my Chelsea shirt for the occasion (I know I know I'm a Wednesday fan!) and I also noticed another local who was going to the show with one on! As we were allowed into the foyer I got a BA shirt like the one I already had but with the USA dates on for $32. I looked around and there were quite a few young people coming to the show with and without their parents so they must still know BA around here which surprised me...saying that I did hear BA singing 'Run Rudolph Run' and the radio in Wilmington, NC Christmas Eve which was a nice surprise! There was no security at the show hardly just ushers that were all over 70 and by saying that I am not kidding they were all pensioners! They let you video and take pictures the whole show...I was gutted I didn't bring my proper digicam in with me and get the whole show but thats the way it goes sometimes. I did get a couple of videos on my digital camera which are quite good anyway. I took my spot anyway in the theatre and I was sat halfway up in the middle directly behind Karen and her friend. It was evident there were a few old posh toffs in the audience who didn't have a clue about what they were letting themselves in for and probably came every week for a nightout but nevermind the badfans that were there did BA justice. Even the programme notes gave a biography from back in '96 when BA had just released '18 Til I Die'!
Anyway shortly after an announcement by a promotion person from the theatre BA came onstage and kicked off with 'One Night Love Affair', then straight into 'There Will Never Be Another Tonight' which for me was amazing as I haven't seen him sing that song (one of the best live rock songs he's ever done in my opinion) since '97 on the '18' tour. Throughout 'Here I Am', '18 Til I Die' and 'Let's Make A Night To Remember' the audience was crap really apart from a guy in a white t-shirt who had left his seat and was now standing down the left hand corner going crazy! Nobody stopped him doing this so the trend followed and people started doing the same. Near the end of 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' I was tired of sitting down. As the song was nearing it's end (and BA might pick someone to stop the song again ;) ) I decided to leg it down my aisle and toward the stage. I was going ok getting past people until I came across a really large woman who I just jumped over!!! Bryan didn't pick anyone to stop the song this time anyway but it felt great to be standing which just had to be done for the 'Back To You' bounce! By the end of this song it was crammed near the front more like a gig should be. Bryan did 'Summer Of '69' half unplugged as he has been doing all year but before he started playing the legendary first few notes on the guitar he played a sort of unplugged version of the middle of the song. Was very cool to hear...wish I had got that on video. Keith was on form during 'It's Only Love' once more and as I expected the US audience went wild when he did 'Everything I Do'. 'Cuts Like A Knife' was the real song from start to finish when it felt like the whole crowd was into the song...excellent vibe. He dragged a woman from the crowd from nearby Tampa to do 'When You're Gone' and she didn't know a single word. The worst I have ever seen....truely awful. Then a woman from England was brought on instead to finish the song and she did a good job. 'Heaven' was performed upbeat again and BA really did show off his solo skills again in 'Somebody' followed by the stomping 'The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You'.
BA left the stage and returned with 'This Time' as part of the first encore then 'Cloud #9'. 'Run To You' was very nice to hear with the 5 piece...I got fedup of hearing it with BA on bass...it was too slow for me and just didn't seem to have the energy of the 5 piece. Before the bridge BA did what he does on the 'SFSG' video and shook his guitar in the air to get every last note out of that strat and both him and Keith launched back into the song...much more powerful than the trio version. BA then went offstage with I thought was unusual after 'Run To You'...I did once see him end the show with that song at Warwick so I half-thought the show might be over as BA seemed to struggle singing some songs...actually it was kinda hard to tell as during 'Run To You' BA's right hand mike wasn't working! When he came onstage I thought "right ok time for 'The Best Of Me' yawn"....but no!!! I saw BA whisper something to Keith and the band. He said that he was playing the song as a request from a bloke on the front row and launched into a guitar solo....yes BA on another solo! Then came the words...."I was caught in the crossfire, of a silent scream"....the baddies went crazy and it was the best version of the song I have ever heard! He then left the stage and took his time doing so so I thought that was it because he took his time coming back.......by this time I was standing front row :) Some people started to leave and then he came back on and sang 'Straight From The Heart' along with the crowd who seemed to know every word! Amazing. He left the stage to a standing ovation and after signing a couple of autographs ran off...me thinking he was outa the venue and off somewhere....I was wrong! I met up straight away with Karen, Leah and Marilyn and we took some pictures of each other. For the record the friend who ended up coming in with me called Plattsy said he really enjoyed it and thought Bryan was an amazing performer....RESULT! He even said "that Keith's good isn't he!"...amazing coming from Plattsy as he is a hardcore RNB, rap, etc fan. One funny thing was that my other friends that were there who didn't want to see Bryan and didn't have tickets to the sellout show were ALLOWED IN WITHOUT TICKETS! To watch the last song! Can't be bad! This after they went off to get drunk in a bar! We waited ages for BA to come out but eventually after nearly playing the 'Waking Up The Neighbours' album all the way through after an hour wait!....the bus pulled out and the driver told me to go around the other side of the bus where BA was waiting. I got a quick chat with him and a picture. I noticed he was wearing green and white adidas samba trainers which I thought were cool. Didn't want to say too much as he looked knackered...he doesn't normally stay when he looks tired like that so it was nice of him to do so. As soon as I got off the bus with Bry I got straight into our Chevy Blazer and drove to New York for New Years with just me driving....but thats another story!
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® 2003 18 Til I Die.co.uk. All rights
reserved.
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The glitzy Ruth Eckerd Hall...nice pretty venue :)
Go on Keith my son!
Woooo it's only love!
BA does the 'Everything I Do' natter :)
Keith adjusting his mike stand!
BA comin' back to the USA
BA and the band take a bow
Leah, me and Karen...photo by Marilyn :) |
