Evening
With Ricky Ross
March 2000
Liverpool
Philharmonic 2nd
0151 709 3789
London Shepherds Bush
Empire 3rd
0181 740 7474
Macclesfield Bar Cuba 4th
01625 614314
Coventry Warwick Arts Centre
5th
01203 524524
Reviews
Liverpool Philharmonic 2nd March
2000
The first half of the night was the support act by name of Carina Round
who played guitar and sang. Afraid she did nothing for me whatsoever:-( Things
seemed flat whilst she was on stage and strained to the point of embarassment.
All that changed when Ricky and the guys came on. He was his usual chatty
self. The atmosphere soon warmed up and everyone seemed to be having a really
good time. He began the set with a new song followed by The Undeveloped Heart.
(This is where my memory starts to let me down!!) All in all he sang four
new songs I think, including one called London Comes Alive dedicated to his
Mum. After the first hearing they all sound very promising and I'm looking
forward to the new album which he says will be out later in the year.
The bulk of the other material was from the two solo albums: Blue Horse, Icarus, Rosie Gordon, When Sinners Fall, The Further North You Go, Ash Wednesday, Cold Easter, What You Are (Mick Slavin was brilliant during that one!) and Good Evening Philadelphia. The only Deacon Blue material was Wages Day, Dignity, Bethlehem's Gate with Love and Regret as one of the encores. As usual though they got the most enthusiastic reception of the evening. One guy, who had possibly spent a tad too long in the bar beforehand, continued his loud clapping accompaniment to Wages Day until being told to pack it in by security. For his pains though he did get a special mention by Ricky at the end of the song:-) Much as I love the Deacon Blue stuff though, the highlight for me was the wonderful rendition of What You are and hearing When Sinners Fall live for the first time - it's a particular favourite of mine from "What You Are".
I'd expected to have a good night but my companion was neither a Deacon Blue
or Ricky Ross fan and only went with me under duress. However, he ended up
having a a thoroughly wonderful time and has been well and truly converted
which for me says it all!!
.Clare Hughes
Ricky's support act was very brave I thought, and I think the crowd appreciated
her trying her best.Anyway, here's to the next gig. Hope to see you all
there.Chris
I felt the whole band were very tight and Mick Slaven can't half play that
guitar and Ewan Vernal on the keyboards!! As Ricky said The Ross Geller of
the Keyboard world!...The setlist was very similar to Liverpool and to be
honest I didn't pay too much attention I was just lost in the moment...(and
the fact that you could drink beer in the theatre probably dulled my memory
a tad) but Highlights for me were 'What you are 'and 'Bethelehems Gate'.....After
the gig we got chatting to Carina Round....I have to disagree with the other
comments on the site..I thought she played really well and certainly after
speaking to her seems to have very similar influences to Ricky.....Springsteen
et all...And she's only 20!!!!
Carina took us round to the bands dressing room so apologies now Ricky for
the two half drunk gushing English men who crashed the after show...but Ricky
said that he is pulling out all the stops to get an album out this year so
I look forward to that joining What you are and New Recording at the top
of that CD Collection.....Anybody going to the rest of the tour have a fantastic
time...and take along a friend..This new stuff needs to be
heard!!!Enjoy!
.Adam Rowse Ricky’s comparison of Ewan on keyboard to Ross Gellar was spot on and
very funny. I got the giggles watching him pulling these strange faces while
playing.
The new track This Is The Life was simply brilliant. It’s very rare
for me to get excited about a song when I hear it live first but I loved
this straight away and can’t wait for the new album – promised
for this year. If there is any justice this will be the song that puts Ricky
back where he should be – in the charts above those bloody boy/girl
bands!
A big disappointment though was the sound mixing. It was far too heavy on
guitar and we often couldn’t hear Ricky’s voice. This was particularly
noticeable with Bethlehem’s Gate which Ricky started on keyboard and
sounded perfect, then the band joined in and drowned him out.
I have to echo Neil’s comments about Mick Slaven, he was excellent.
What an amazing solo in What You Are.
A real pleasure of seeing Ricky, with or without this band or Deacon Blue,
is the variety of songs. Even when I’ve seen him on consecutive nights
he changes the set. Other acts I’ve seen I can tell you 80% of the set
list before the tour because it never changes (Elton John take note!).
I couldn’t have had a better seat – THE middle seat in the front
row, all thanks to seeing the date nice and early on Steve’s Circus
Lights site. And I got to shake the great man’s hand again. Ricky’s
that is, not Steve’s.
Thanks for another great show Ricky. Keep ‘em coming.
David
Wright
Support act 'Carina Round' with her deep spiritual sound seemed out
of place in the pop/rock atmosphere of a full band Ricky Ross show.Her talent
was never in question right from the off with her powerful accapella introduction
'Damn Your Eyes' but her suitability as a RR support act maybe needed a
re-think.
For the main event Ricky chose to uncharacteristically begin at the
piano with a slow new song "Threatening Rain' and a good new song it is too
along with song 3 the upbeat and deeply melodic 'Away'.For tonights show 'New' seemed to be the theme, if it wasn't a new song it
was a new arrangement like 'Blue Horse' backed by drums and bass or 'Bethlehems
Gate' with Ricky playing solo at the piano until the band kicked in at the
second verse.New songs, new arrangements and new faces too, drummer Jim Gash
played well and added great vocal harmonies along with the slightly more
familiar face of Ewen Vernal, who now it seems adds keyboards to his repertoire!,
although Jim Prime has nothing to worry about, trust me!!
Highlights for me were finally getting to hear some of the long lost songs
from "What You Are" which never really got toured with a full band.'When
Sinners Fall' and 'Rosie Gordon Lies So Still' sounded great and were well
received along with the ever-popular and ever-rockin' "What You Are", Mick
Slaven bounded round the stage thrashing the living daylights out of his
Fender Jaguar, during some Deacon Blue shows Lorraine often stole the show,
tonight I think it may have been Mick!
Ricky ended the set the way he began with a cracking new song 'This Is The
Life' , a song which he described as 'realising that where you are now, is
as good as it gets' does this mean that Ricky is content with his solo life,
I think so.
If I was honest I'd say this was not my favourite Ricky Ross show, but
nevertheless it was something 'New' and fresh and with
the promising new material ,it looks like a fine new album is coming our
way, personally,.......I can't wait! Neil Parry
Thanks to Ricky for another top night. It was nice to hear some new
songs especially "Away" and completely look forward to the next solo album.
Whatever Mick Slaven is on ....I want some!!! The guy had so much energy
it was great to see.
London Shepherds Bush Empire 3rd March 2000
I've just got back from Sheperds Bush and Wow what can I say....This
was my first Ricky Ross show as I had been in Australia for the last tour...I
have to admit when Rickys first Album came out I wasn't that impressed,I
guess I still hankered for the old Deacon Blue sound and it wormed its way
to the bottom of my CD collection..I can tell you its gonna nestle very snugly
at the top of that pile now.
We had a great night at Shepherds Bush.I thought the mixture of songs
was good – some new ones, some from the 2 solo albums, including my
favourite The Further North You Go and a few Deacon Blue songs. Dignity,
of course, and James Joyce Souls was a pleasant surprise.
Macclesfield Bar Cuba 4th March
2000
When I first heard this gig announced I thought, well, its pretty
local, maybe I should go.But having been there a 10 months earlier among
the rowdy and somewhat bewildered locals I thought better of it.But then
Warbeck started giving away tickets and I thought well, why not its
free.Boy do I wish I hadn't bothered.
The band were great although not looking totally comfortable with the limited
stage and audience attention span.But they battled on, Ricky almost ignoring
the fact that many people weren't listening or even aware who he was.The
audience were divided, you had 'The Fans' the people who had travelled
and waited patiently for the gig to start at 11pm, and then you had the
'locals' who simply go there every Saturday night.With the vaguely
clued up locals yelling for 'Chocolate Girl' 'Dignity' and mimicing that
ever popular hook line, you know the one that goes Oooh Oooh Oooh!!, the
new material that Ricky came to perform was largely overlooked and it wasn't
until the powerful and upbeat 'Cold Easter' and 'What You Are' appeared that
the heads started to turn.But by this point it was too late, the beautiful
'Rosie Gordon' and several others had already been lost amongst the sheer
noise and ignorance of the crowd.Only once did Ricky try to battle the situation
by saying 'Usually the audience doesn't talk when we play' but he may as
well have gone home, most of them wouldn't have even noticed.
But what do I care?.....I caught the Liverpool show and got in free at
Macclesfield , but I can't help feeling sorry for the people, for whom this
was there only chance to see him, maybe they won't bother next time, and
that really would be a shame :-( Neil Parry
Coventry Warwick Arts Centre 5th March
2000
Just been to the Coventry gig where Ricky and the band absolutely rocked
(pity the audience never did).ive never seen them put on such a drum and
guitar based show like this one,anyone watching mick slaven would have thought
hed been wired direct to the national grid.a great show which would have
been a fantastic show if played in a better venue than warwick arts
centre.Rob Nicholl
I see that tune as being like the way i feel at the moment at university,
putting up with basicly a lot of 5hit. Everyone seems to believe in material
stuff these days. You go to church every week etc and people think your a
freak. Spending the last 12yrs of my life in the heart of England and coming
from Edinburgh. I know that poeple down here sure no how to take the pi$$
out of a scot. The gig last night brought back a lot memories from Scotland
for me,£*** knows why. When i was about 9yrs old my sister had bought
'Raintown', that great album that, - "doesn't seem to go away". Ever since
then I have listened to dB music. When i was 16 I could afford to by all
their albums, so I've got all of them now. I've got the new one Walking Back
Home, kind of appropriate, as after clubbing i can never afford a taxi.I'll
Like track 14 All i want.
At the gig ricky said- any requests, it was so quite you could here a "pin
drop" then someone said 'Circus Lights', 'Chocloate Girl', and people started
bbbaaaaing like sheep.I think we then heard 'Wages Day' which sounded
excellent.We also heard 'Dignity', I think also Real Gone Kid ,I've got a
crap memory but there where a few Klass Tunes in there.
Also one for his mum which sounded impressive. The coordination with the
band was spot on he jumped and both ricky and the drum landed with a perfect
bang.I had a front row seat but i was late and sat five rows up on the end
on the left which would have been rickys right. there was three real big
old blokes behind me. I could have sat down the front but there was these
big speakers blocking my view even when was five rows up. I have tinnitus
(permenate ringing) in my left ear so i had to wear ear plugs as seating
right in front of a 8ft speaker hurts.
If ricky can appraoch his solo career with the same effort and tunes as he
did with deacon blue then us fans will have something to look forword
to.Paul D