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The time was
near and very soon the man we had all been waiting for would take to the
stage.
The lights were dimmed and the crowd stood silent as they waited for the
band to appear. Like footballers taking to the pitch we watched Vince,
Colin, Paul and Al run in and take their positions onstage.
The lights suddenly flooded the stage with red and gold and the crowd
erupted into loud cheers and clapping.
It was only a couple of minutes later when 'Oor Bob' took to the stage
as well, but it was timed to perfection. The crowd went wild and the
noise was deafening.
Smiles crossed the faces of both fans and band alike with the
realization that tonight was going to be one hell of a night. Five
months had passed since the lads had graced us with their presence. To
many of us it seemed like only yesterday as they launched into their
opening song 'Return of the Mountain King'. They were back, they sounded
fantastic, and we were ready to share the rest of the evening with them
and them alone.
Bob cut a
fine figure in his tight black leather pants, studded leather biker
jacket. Not forgetting of course that wonderful black hat complete with
feathers and red and gold scarf which he wore for the insert of the new
album cover. Not many men his age could bare their midriff and look as
finely toned as he did.
Standing on his right we had guitarist Vince looking like a pirate from
the seven seas. This proper little scally-wag played it up for the crowd
and gave them plenty of showmanship throughout the night. Behind Bob we
saw a half naked Colin on the drums showing us just how good he is at
keeping up a good rhythm.
Yes it was
hot, and things were going to get hotter now that the band had taken to
the stage. To the left of Bob we saw Al peeping out from under his
floppish blonde locks. Last but most certainly not least we once again
saw Paul take the helm of the keyboards.
Poor lad he must have been knackered after doing a full set with the
support act Ten. Is there such a thing as repetitive finger syndrome?
Standing under all those lights for so long he must have been about
ready to pass out.
The room was so packed by this time that you would have needed a jemmy
to move anywhere now. Good job we were all here for the full duration as
there was certainly no escaping now.
Like a character out of Fantasia, this singer who stood before us, waved
his arms around as he cast a spell over everybody in the room. We were
truly captivated. The audience was totally transfixed in what this man
had to say to us tonight.
After each song the crowd erupted once more and like the true gentleman
he is, Bob let them show their admiration for him and his band before
carrying on.
The
songs came naturally from all three of his solo albums and a selection
of old favourites from his reign in the kingdom of Magnum. The fans
lapped each and every note up and knew the words of each song as if
etched into their very souls.
As he sang
the songs we adore so much a mix of emotions ran through us. It was so
intense we had to keep reminding ourselves to breath every now and
again.
As he sang the songs we adore so much a mix of emotions ran through us.
It was so intense we had to keep reminding ourselves to breath every now
and again.
Early on in the set we saw a dubious looking character take to the front
of the crowd. Looking like a character out of a Harry Enfield sketch
with his thick dark hair and a stuck on black moustache we saw Vinnie
Burns flexing his muscles.
It took a few moments before he caught the bands eye but once he was
spotted the band and crowd alike were in an uproar of laughter.
For someone that always looks so intense and straight-faced onstage it
was good to see this human side to him. Bob thanked Vinnie for all his
help and also gave a special thanks to Gary Hughes for all his help with
his solo albums.
Having been in this business for such a long time Bob knows how to read
and play a crowd. He knew we were there with him and the lads 200%
during all the songs. Throughout the set he took off from the stage and
jumped down to dance with his fans loyal and true. One middle aged
female fan with bright pink hair shimmied as he got her to dance with
him to the centre front of the stage.
A surprise special guest to the band was Bob's hat that started off on
one young ladies head and found itself soon making it's way around the
room as both men and women alike posed for their friends to photograph
them in THAT HAT!
Bob looked fleetingly at it in bewilderment and amusement as it danced
across the heads of the audience as if it had a life of it's own.
The
set flew over and by the time the band broke into the rousing
'Vigilante', the crowd were wild and jumping up and down like crazed
loons.
Where the old Magnum line-up were deep and mysterious for much of their
performances this new band of Bob's really seem to enjoy every second of
the gigs as much as the fans do. They do the songs both old and new
proud and put on a magnificent performance.
Songs ranging from 'Scream' which had everyone singing at the top of
their voices, to the new favourite the very delicate and very beautiful
'Stormcrow and Pilgrim', they played a flawless set.
We all knew when they told us that the set was finished that this would
not be so, you can't wind up a room full of people and then leave them
high as kites and buzzing like an electric pylon.
The room erupted once more when they came back to play a magnificent
encore consisting of two totally different tracks. The first was 'The
Fellowship', a song about comradeship, which is something that we
certainly felt here in this room tonight. The second was 'Days of No
Trust', which nicely finished off a wonderful evening's performance.
In a world so full of woes and hate it's good to be able to lose
yourself for a few hours and travel through times and worlds with this
band of 'merry' men.
Setlist: Return
of the mountain King, City Walls, The Pain, Dreams, Scream, Stormcrow
and Pilgrim, Vigilante, Start talking Love, Lonely Night, Storytellers
Night, Fear of the Dark. Encore: The Fellowship, Days of no
Trust
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