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And Now - Gig Review Walking
Back to Happiness I got the feeling, watching him perform at the Palais Royale in Toronto last night, that Bob Geldof is doing just that. The man was full of smiles and good humour and it was evident, from the moment he stepped onto it, that he loves being back on stage. Walking back to happiness one show at a time. Now, I would be thrilled just to watch this man eat his cereal and I have a predisposition to liking just about everything he does. I knew, going in, the kind of live performer Bob was, after seeing him twice in the early eighties with The Boomtown Rats and again, 9 years ago, on his Happy Club tour. I knew, going in, that he would put on an awesome show for us. But this was a concert for everybody, not just the die-hard fans (several of whom I had the pleasure of meeting that night, including my pal Dan). My husband, Darren and my friends Kim & Joe came with me to the concert. They don't know his music inside out and upside down as I do and they didn't feel the intense excitement, going in, that I did. However, coming out, all three agreed that it was a fantastic show and that Bob and the band ROCK! The night was packed with energy and was just plain fun. Even though Bob threatened to keep us in our seats, by the end of the night that simply wasn't possible. We arrived at the Palais Royale, at Sunnyside Beach at 7 p.m. Built in 1921, this classic ballroom has seen the likes of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and, very recently, The Rolling Stones on it's stage. The deck, overlooking Lake Ontario, provided a great lookout for us as we were treated to a spectacular storm. The night was hot and muggy and though they tried with all their might, the fans placed throughout the hall did little to keep us cool. We didn't mind though, this show was going to be hot in every way. The doors opened at 8 p.m. and I was the second one inside - the rest of my party nowhere to be seen - I wondered how I could have lost them so early on. Never mind, to my surprise there were chairs set up for the concert so I merely claimed four of them in the front row and waited for the stragglers to find me. Front row seats and I couldn't be happier. An hour later, PJ Olsson opened the show. A man, a few guitars and a laptop. This was my introduction to PJ Olsson and I thought that his music was wonderful - he has a beautiful voice and did a great job of entertaining us. While PJ is performing, I spot Bob arriving backstage! This is an incredibly intimate venue and makes for a highly personal evening. I see Pete hanging out backstage too, drinking what looks to be a cup of coffee. Bob Loveday comes out into the hall and chats with some mates. The atmosphere is relaxed, laid back and friendly. We are a small crowd - no more than a few hundred. It's 10 p.m. and we know Bob and the band will soon be on stage. I am full of anticipation. Looking very sexy in his pinstripe suit and polka dot shirt, Bob finally comes on stage. The band launches into The Great Song of Indifference and it is obvious they have energy to spare. Bob is in fine form and I am reminded of why I love his music so much. After a few back-to-back songs from both his Happy Club and Vegetarians of Love records, including Too Late God and The Chains of Pain, Bob takes a breather to have a chat with us. Turns out he is in a rather chatty mood and he regales us with stories throughout the night, adding to the personal atmosphere and intimate feeling of the show. We feel more like we're hanging out with the boys than watching a concert - participants more than spectators. Bob told us he would be "disappearing" when he performed songs from his latest CD, Sex, Age & Death and he did just as he promised. It is clearly difficult for him to sing these songs and he does, indeed, go someplace far away. What we are left with is pure magic. The passion and intensity with which he performs these songs is amazing. He sings three in a row - One for Me, Mudslide and My Birthday Suit. Mudslide simply blows me away and the live version of My Birthday Suit is hypnotic, raw and beautiful - stunning! Inside Your Head comes later and is a particularly powerful performance. Bob agrees to play some requests "if I can remember the words" and obliges with a great Rats song - House on Fire (my personal request - thanks!), and then The Beat of the Night - humming and smiling when he can't actually remember all of the words - obviously enjoying himself. Fantastic. Dan asks for Six Million Dollar Loser and Bob treats us to a stirring acoustic version. I Don't Like Mondays and Rat Trap bring the crowd to their feet, as does Mary of the 4th Form. Walking Back to Happiness and The Soft Soil are gorgeous. Our encore songs include Pale White Girls (a personal favourite), A Hole to Fill, another rousing version of The Great Song of Indifference and finally, a rocking, bring the house down, don't want it to end rendition of Diamond Smiles. Over twenty songs, three encores and two and a half hours later, we reach the end of the night. We want more, but at this point I imagine there is little left to give. They gave us everything they had. Until about twenty minutes later, that is, when Bob comes out and meets with his fans, signing autographs and having his picture taken with us. Giving us just that little bit more. Set
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