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Right, lets get this out of the way. This is my first posting EVER so please be gentle with your replies!
On a typically blustery night in Liverpool city centre, I'm running towards the students union building.
'Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t.....I new this would happen'
After months of eager anticipation I'm late.
Ten to nine, caught in a traffic jam whilst coming home from work and everything is totally screwed.
Arrive panting at the door,'Have I missed him?'
The doorman looks at me like I was a bit of a weirdo, 'Nope...just the supporting act'
I smile gleefully, give him my ticket and rush in.
Hmmm....a bit empty methinks...ah well more room for me!
Grab a pint from the bar and go to take a seat.
Maybe 250 people are sitting in the small room at the Academy in Mountford Hall in Liverpool awaiting an performance by an artist who is (in my humble opinion) severely underated and underplayed.
I'm just getting comfortable as the man walks on stage, rapturous applause ensues and I'm a little excited wondering what he's going to play.
The set starts and I'm whisked back to my halcyon days as a teenager remembering the first time I heard Blacks' first album and Sweetest Smile, I had never really listened to lyrics THAT closely before but this song just got to me in a way no song had before.
As the trio played their way through oldies and new tracks the slightly subdued crowd start to nob heads and tap feet, then Colin announces a 15 monute break for us to 'Drink, smoke and mingle', before 'We rip the place apart' in his second set.
I take the opportunity to peruse the merchandise on sale.
After buying two albums, I find another £10 note in my pocket I go back to buy another.
'Thats your third album?' asks the lad selling the merchandise.
'Yep, I would have got more but had to rush here so did'nt get to a cashpoint!'
'Hang on there a sec, Ive got something for you......'
After fishing around in a bag under the desk, he comes out with a white tshirt,'Ive had this floating around for years but you can have it'
After thanking him A LOT, I step into the foyer to examine my 'old' tshirt to find its an original Are we having fun yet promo shirt with the the three pinned flies in blackon the front, Are we having fun yet on the back in red letters and Bla on the sleeve..... is this a failed print on the sleeve? Even if the tshirt is a 'reject' I dont care as I was like a pig in mud, a good night was getting better and the second set was still to come.
People were starting to go back in so a few last puffs on my cigarette and I followed them in.
Out they come to whoops, claps and shouts of 'come on Colin' (big mouthed scousers like myself are in full flow) they start to play and Im being pulled this way and that by Colins' soulful voice, one minute playing solo, then with bass and drums, the next, percussion, cello and guitar but Colins' voice always holding your full attention, never more so than his rendition of Water On Snow, absolutely THE performance of the night, but wait a minute....what about Sweetest Smile? or the haunting Ave Lolita?
We even got TWO encores. Another eight wouldn't have been enough!!
All in all one of the BEST performances by any artist I have seen for a LONG time. Cant wait for the next gig (Morecambe on the 30th) as my 18 year old daughter wants to go with me next time. Who says the youth of today have no musical taste?
Wether he's being bluesey or soulful you have to have a good time at a CV gig, so get your arses in gear and support the man on tour, I guarantee you will LOVE every nostalgic second of it!
Bye for now
Gimpy ;)
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