This unofficial site features his current and recent events and tours
Review of Spandau Ballet at the Odyssey Arena, Belfast
14th October 2009
If you've read the Dublin review you will know that it is all the airline's fault that I was in Belfast for this show, but after a bus, a train, another bus and a taxi (with a stop at a hotel in between) I was outside the Odyssey Arena in Belfast and ready for my second gig on the Reformation Tour. A pit stop at the Pizza Hut (bit worried about their speed of service, but it was fine and we were out of there in plenty of time). I'd taken a bottle of water with me and was a bit worried when the woman on the door wanted to look in my bag, but she allowed me to take it in but confiscated the top.
Again, I'd booked my ticket through spandauballet.com and although my Dublin tickets had arrived two weeks before, I was getting a bit worried when just over a week before the show, the ticket hadn't arrived, but a phone call assured me it had been despatched and 20 minutes later, there was the delivery man. I think this was cutting it a bit fine especially as I don't live in Ireland and I could have been wrapping a holiday around the gigs.
A couple of years ago I had a holiday in Ireland and we had visited the Odyssey Arena as we went to W5, which is an interactive science place, but had never been in the Arena.
Having already been once, I knew what to expect, but because I knew what was coming, I enjoyed it more and was able to anticipate my favourite bits. The atmosphere was almost electric when you could see the band behind the thin curtain, which came down and revealed the band and they launched into 'To Cut a Long Story Short'. Tony mentioned he was glad to be back in Belfast and that in the 80s they were one of a few bands who would come to Belfast. Through the Barricades went down really well too. The highlight of my evening was nearing the end, Tony was going to either end of the stage and singing, he came to the end where I was sitting in the second row. He had previously noticed the ladies in the row behind me who were loud and standing for most of the show enjoying themselves. He looked out into the audience and saw me standing there, he took a double take and put his hand above his eyes to shield them from the lights so he could see better and gestured and whispered to me. I don't think he was expecting me to be there, but as I have said to him in the past, 'don't be surprised where I will turn up'.
I haven't been able to get out of my brain the acoustic '"With The Pride', I knew it was on the album, so had refreshed my memory of this song, but this version is really good and I could see it being released as a single. The expression in Tony's voice is outstanding.
Where does the time go during the show? I'm almost wanting each of the songs to last longer so the end of the show doesn't come too soon. But end of the show comes and two of the of the ladies who were in the group behind me ask if I know Tony and have met him before. I say yes to both questions and say that I have met him at the stage door many times. I wasn't going to try and meet Tony on this tour but that idea went out of the window and I walk with them to the back of the venue looking for the artiste entrance. We found it and waited and chatted. The Kemp brothers were out first, said hello to the fans and were driven away in a blacked out Mercedes people carrier. A long while later Tony, Steve and John came out and spoke to everyone before leaving in their Mercedes.
It was a late night and a fairly early start back at the airport for my flight, but thank you to my airline and their flight schedule I was able to go to this excellent gig. Roll on my next show on this tour.
SET LIST
To Cut a Long Story Short
The Freeze
Highly Strung
Only When You Leave
I'll Fly For You
How Many Lies
Virgin
She Loved like Diamond
Once More
Round and Round
Man in Chains
With The Pride
Through The Barricades
Instinction
Communication
Lifeline
Chant No. 1 with
Paint Me Down in the middle
True
- - - - - - -
Fight for Ourselves
Gold
Denise - October 2009