THE ODD NIGHT OUT IN HARLECH - review by Helen Burns

As if proof were needed that I’ve finally lost my marbles, I decided act like the demented woman I’ve become and drive 2 hours through the mountains - after work, on a Monday night, on my own - to see Glenn in Harlech. Well, it was his only Welsh gig this tour, so I felt obligated. The mountains, as it turned out, were so beautiful and dramatic that I wanted to cry, and the journey ended along a narrow winding coastal road with the sun glittering on the sea. Having Squeeze on the car stereo at 2000 decibels also helped.

I checked into the huge, but very friendly St David’s Hotel next door to the venue (take your holidays here folks!) and wandered down to the Theatre Ardudwy. Only one or two familiar faces joined me there and when it came to the straw poll only about a dozen of the 150 strong audience had seen a Glenn acoustic show before. It was maybe half full, which wasn’t bad given the remoteness of the venue and the short notice, but because of the layout of the theatre it was impossible to mill about by the stage as normal. We had to sit, which was tough at times.

Glenn was slightly late, having had a seven and a half hour journey up from London to get there, but he was extremely chirpy nonetheless. The audience was appreciative and polite, and not exactly raucous. It’s oddly pleasant to be able to sit and listen quietly without being jostled, for a change. There were no guests up on stage and a few rather self-conscious shouts of requests. The Miracles needed a lot of coaching tonight. But he still managed to build up a rapport with everyone, although he may perhaps have taken some of the more genteel members of the audience aback with some of his more…er…down to earth comments.

Fashion report: hair even more optimum than before, blue and white striped shirt, current favourite greyish cargos and trainers. He didn’t have beer and a towel to start with so someone had to go to the rescue.

He played many of the same songs that have put in regular appearances on this tour, although no Annie or SFP. From the new songs he played By The Light Of The Cash Machine, Parallel World and I Won’t See You. My fellow Lister requested This Is Where You Aint (released that day) and Glenn came over to her and gave her £20 “as agreed”. [He’s made a video for this single, by the way]. He started to play Sunday Breakfast Treat but decided against it and read it out as a poem instead.

What else? Back in Rhyme - the only Gilbert O’Sullivan song that isn’t crap. Tough Love - twice! He realised about one verse into the second one and neatly dovetailed into Wine Spodee Odey instead. Tempted using the new Boomerang gadget to great effect. Goodbye Girl on the steps at the side, and no he WON’T sing Cool for Cats as it’s always a disaster when he does. Some members of the audience said they didn’t care and would he please still play it, but no dice!

He ran twice around the auditorium at the end, so the new jogging regime is paying off, but the audience had already given up the applause, and some had already left when he came on for his second encore. He decided to lead us, Pied Piper fashion, down to the bar and played down there instead, which was a delight.

I’ve never seen him work so hard, but he seemed a happy chap nevertheless, and he enjoyed the gig (as we did, needless to say). He later told us that he hadn’t slept the night before, having been up all night recording a bonus record for inclusion with the new album, and this coupled with the long drive had made him a bit manic. But it didn’t affect the quality of the performance, which was better than ever and a huge amount of fun.

My advice if you’re ever undecided about going to a gig is to GO FOR IT!! You never know what you might miss, and I wouldn’t have missed this experience for the world.