This is a review someone wrote -sorry, but i'm too lazy at the moment to think in english a good review.
Firstly, we WERE told we would all be sitting on cushions on the floor, and we WERE told that this would be a ´masterclass´with a question and answer session from Bryan! But it didn't happen quite like that....the gig was standing as usual, no cushions (they had moved them by the time we got in, but I do have photographic evidence that they were there!), and no ' question and answer' session either!
Anyway, onto the gig itself. It was totally fab as you'd expect...Bryan played for 45 minutes which went very quickly but was worth every one of the 45 minutes. It was a tiny, intimate little venue so we were still closer to the stage than we are in first row in the normal arenas.
The gig totally rocked as well! Funny to say that, since it was an acoustic gig, but most of the songs Bryan played were the rockers stripped down. The atmosphere was brilliant with the crowd really into it and it will be interesting to hear what Bryan has to say in his Diary entry. He seemed in a good mood, he was very smiley and interacted a lot with the girls on the front row...in 'Walk on by' he sang the line 'Watch out for those guys out there, they're gonna hit on you' with a big grin on his face to the girl in front of me and she melted to jelly! Always great to see!
So the set list:
1. "Tonight we have the stars"
This is an awesome song live - will probably be even better with the full band but was great on its own anyway and I'm so grateful for those snippets that got posted so that we could sing along!
After the song he introduced himself and said "it's just me tonight wthout my band"....someone shouted out "where's Keith?!"...Bryan laughed and said "he's not here".
2. "Back to you"
Yes we did the actions and the bounce as usual and Bryan looked very happy to see everyone getting so into it!
3. "Can't stop this thing we started"
When he first started it, it was hard to work out what song he was going to play until he started singing it, and when everyone realized what song it was, they all sang along.
4. "I thought I'd seen everything"
Bryan introduced this one by saying he had a new song...then said something like "actually I have 11 new songs!" It sounded great...and pretty much everyone seemed to know it which shows it must be getting the right promotion in Spain! Was fun to be able to sing along to it for the first time. When he sang the line "I love your kiss-me mouth" he was getting all grinny again with the ladies down the front which did make me giggle as I think when we first heard the song, we said that line would be a fun one for flirting to...lol
He then stopped for a little chit chat which turned out to be a real giggle....he said he´d originally planned to write an acoustic album but changed his mind because his band had said...come on Bryan, if you release an acoustic album what are we going to do for the next year?! - and they got a little bit jealous so he had to release a rock album instead.
5. "Cuts like a knife"
Wicked because everyone filled in the na na na's!!!
6. "Oxygen"
Having heard it all the way through I'm still standing by my opinion that this is one of the best songs he's ever written....it did sound good on acoustic but I really think it will come into its own with the full band and will rock everyone's socks off.
7. "Summer of 69"
He played this one just like on the unplugged CD (same intro etc)....the hall went wild and everyone sang along
8. "Walk on by"
This is a cool, chilled out little number and really shows off Bryan's voice! It's really strange when you've only heard snippets of the song...I was singing along one moment, then when he got to the second verse I was lost! Very odd not to be able to sing along at a Bryan gig...some serious lyric learning is needed I feel!
9. "Heaven"
He played this one on request because everyone was shouting out for it, so much that he really seemed amused. At one point he just played the music and let the whole crowd sing along...(the part that goes "you're all that I want, you're all that I need")...and I loved the look on Bryan´s face at this point. He looked kind of overwhelmed and happy and proud...he`s heard people singing the words of his songs back to him time and time again over the years, and so he must be used to it, but he really did look happy and I loved to see that.
10. "Run to you"
Of all the songs this evening, this was the only song where I really, really missed Keith! Ha that sounds terrible doesn´t it....I´m now going to dig myself out of a hole - because saying that sounds like I didn´t miss Keith on any of the other songs and I love Keith to pieces and didn´t mean it like that! But if I said I missed Keith on all of the songs then it sounds like I didn't appreciate seeing Bryan on his own....which I did! But ya know what I mean....oh dear, I´m just digging myself in even deeper now!
11. "Straight from the heart"
He said the show was now coming to the end (cue lots of cries of "oh don´t go!") and then he played Straight from the Heart, which was of course exactly as he plays it at normal gigs...just tender and lovely really! HIs voice gets better and better I swear. It was beautiful and very lovely to hear 'up close and personal' because it´s usually on the b-stage these days!
So that was the 11 songs...he then said he had to go but he´s back in Spain in December! That got a huge cheer! At that point, a very excited young lady leapt up and flung her arms around him and gave him a big hug! Security came straight over but Bryan seemed quite touched by the gesture and let her hug and kiss him...and told security to relax, it was ok. He then waved and left the stage...
I don't know why, this person left to write that he actually appeared on stage again and played an 12th song which was "The only thing that looks good on me is you". That was a present because so far, in Lisbon and Milan he only played 11th songs.
The only good pics i could take:
And sorry for the quality of the videos, it looks like i suffer from Parkinson but i'don't!
Oxygen
Tonight we have the stars
