This unofficial site features his current and recent events and tours
Review of Tony Hadley vs Martin Fry ABC: -
Portsmouth -
6th March 2005
I
really shouldn't have been at this gig, it was my weekend off, but my heart said
I should I see Tony but my brain said Jersey is too expensive and Portsmouth is
too far away. I would have never have gone only I saw a third row ticket
advertised on ebay at a reasonable price and decided to bid on it, I was the
winning bidder, so it was off to Portsmouth for me on my own. I knew
several other people that were going, so I knew I could meet up with them at the
venue. I was a bit late leaving home, and Portsmouth was further than I
had thought. I arrived in Portsmouth with a few minutes to spare, but
couldn't find the car park that was mentioned on the map, so parked near the
station. I wasn't expecting the Guildhall theatre to be such an impressive
building and wasted time walking straight past it and looking up the road for
the theatre, the gig had started at 7.30 pm, I arrived at 7.45 pm, the elderly
usherette showed me to my seat which was on the end of the row, I never sat in
it all night, I just put my stuff there. People were already up and
standing and dancing, so I joined people I knew. I had missed the first
four songs, but at least I was there.
The Portsmouth audience must have had some of the same party animals that were at Bournemouth a few weeks previously or it is something about living on the South Coast that you are up for a good time at a Tony gig!
Martin Fry sang the Bond theme 'Thunderball' thought it was not too bad, but I think he is better at some of his other songs. A woman with a little boy aged about 3 gave Tony a 'Jack Daniels' branded mouth organ in a tin, at first Tony thought it was a miniature bottle of JD, but when he opened the tin he took it out and played a few notes on it. Tony was on his anti political correctness crusade again and his latest thing is that all women should throw their leggings away. I'm ok, I never wear leggings. Too soon the first half was over (ok, I know I missed 4 songs), but at least I hadn't missed any of Tony singing on his own.
The second half started with my favourite from this tour 'Soul Love' and then the lovely acoustic 'Time in a Bottle'. Tony launched into 'Walking in Memphis' he is having real fun with this song and add libbing all the time. It rolled along nicely with the Brassy Boys (although the trumpet guy was a different one, I had seen him before at another gig) and their dance routines. Tony's routine with the guitar on 'Let's Stick Together' is still great, but this stage was much larger and Richie couldn't hide so easily when he was doing Tony's finale! The two final songs were great.
It was time to head to the stage door, but I stayed in the warm for a while and chatted and they didn't throw us out! Finally went out into the cold and chatted with people I had met at the Butlins weekend. Martin Fry came out first and I got him to sign my programme. A bit later Tony came out, wearing his usual leather jacket and scarf, but on his feet were flip-flops. He has nice feet, not your usual bloke feet. He took time to speak to everyone, but did complain about digital cameras that don't work. I got him to sign my copy of the paperback version of his autobiography, he signed it 'To Denise, love Tony Hadley' without even hesitating what my name was and he asked me how I was.
It was great meeting up with everyone again, but it was a bit of a longer journey than I should have gone on, it was 2.15 am before I got home.