Derngate, Northampton - May 14th 2002

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As musically entertaining as it was, I must confess when I saw that this was the support, I was a bit sceptical, not actually knowing much of what they had done in the past. To me their music has always been "nice song", but that’s it. However, I must admit I enjoyed their concert but I doubt that I will rush out and buy up the entire G&L repertoire on CD. Benny Gallagher was very good on vocals and guitars. He performed all the song with lots of feeling. All the band played brilliantly, Mike Bell on keyboards, Pick Withers on drums and Colin MacFarlane, excellent on guitars (and mandolin guitar solo). All in all, a very good support act. Their set included 'I Wanna Stay With You', 'Breakaway' and 'Heart On My Sleeve' along with 'A Heart In New York'.

Opening number, as ever, was the excellent Wall Street Shuffle, lead vocals supplied by Mick. This couldn't be faulted at all. Song two of the gig was The Things We Do For Love, Graham doing the main singing on this one. This was followed by another big hit from Deceptive Bends, Good Morning Judge. Graham sang the lead on this one too. Rick supplied wonderful guitar-work all evening, and showed he really enjoys himself on-stage. The bell sounded once, the engines roared, the backing vocals sang 'Ohhh no you'll never get me up in one of these again 'cause what goes up must come down, down, down, down' and what I can only describe as the best ever live drumming I've heard for this song followed as Paul played his heart out on I'm Mandy Fly Me. The whole song was immaculate. Mick performed lead vocals once more. That man is unbelievable. His one-arm drumming was excellent all night. His other arm was otherwise engaged on other percussion instruments. He plays a mean guitar too, and he's got cracking bongos too. Rick's guitar was used to wonderful effect as ever and he even took his bow to the audience just before he had finished playing on Mandy. Mick took the lead on the next song too. Life Is A Minestrone. My notes on this performance simply say Wow!!! The "first half" of the gig ended with yet another 'classic' rendition of Art For Art's Sake.

And now for the half-time show… One acoustic guitar, one very excellent lead vocalist, two or three backing singers then an all out group song. This was where Graham shone most. Singing his own songs from the 60's he proved just what talents he has really got. He started off with Bus Stop. Graham centre-stage, Rick and Mick just to his left providing the backing. Applause. No Milk Today aired next. This had Graham's own version of an MMR jab. An injection of Mike, Mick and Rick was a shot in the arm. Rick had the giggles throughout all his backing vocals in this part of the set. Look Through Any Window was next. More applause. Paul emerged from backstage for the next song, as Mick, Mike and Rick went back to their original stage locations. For Your Love. Great, smashing, super! Graham's at his best playing solo.

With no substitutions made at half-time, the second half kicked off in fine form, the home team attacking well with Silly Love. Mick gave us more of his marvellous vocals here, then followed through with the lead vocals on Donna. Absolutely fantastic. This song was updated to suit the present day when they sang "Donna's waiting for the phone to ring" and all you heard was a mobile phone tone. Oh how we laughed!

Thank you. It came as no surprise when the audience gave a standing ovation at the end of it. Then to finish the set, Dreadlock Holiday. Faultless again, Graham performed this song with the same amount of vim and vigour as he did for the first song of the concert. He seemed to be loving every minute of it. And at the end… I don’t like Northampton, I love it!!!" Standing ovation time again. The crowd went wild. Major applause.

But wait, what's this? A pitch invasion? An unidentified lady decided to calmly walk up the small staircase onto the stage and proceeded to walk off backstage to where the lads were waiting to come back for the encore. Graham emerged first again, somewhat startled to see her there. Apparently she had taken it upon herself to request the next song. How kind! Graham took centre-stage and announced that the requested song was in fact the next to be played… yes it was time for Rubber Bullets. Always excellent live, last year's keyboards/guitar "battle" between Rick and Spike Edney was replaced this time round by guitar versus saxophone.

All in all, this was another excellent concert. The sound quality was brilliant. The quality of those five men on-stage was top-rate. Thank you, lads, that was money well spent. Come back soon!

What the tour brochure says…

Since 1976 Rick was a member of 10cc. From 1979, he also toured with Mike Oldfield, and with him co-wrote "Family Man" which went on to become a big hit for Hall & Oates all over the world and win an ASCAP Award in 1984

In 1985, Rick wrote and recorded his own album "Profiles" with Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, featuring "Lie For A Lie" sung by Dave Gilmour which was a hit in the US.

Over the years he has toured with artists such as Rick Wakeman, Elkie Brooks, Jack Bruce and Andrew Gold. As a guitarist, he has recorded with numerous artists, among them Cliff Richard, Peter Green, Agnetha (from Abba), John Wetton (Asia) and Justin Hayward.

His writing for film and TV has been prolific and includes among them the feature films "Cresta Run" and "Body Contact", TV themes "The Jane Pauley Show", documentaries "Watching The Detectives" and "Coast Of Dreams".

He continues his association with Graham Gouldman on this current extensive tour.

Mike Stevens studied at the Birmingham School Of Music (clarinet, piano, euphonium). During his student years he gained much experience at venues ranging from Caribbean cruise liners to UK holiday camps. Mike graduated from Birmingham with an ABSM Diploma and became an Associate of the Royal College of Music.

Following college, Mike became established as a musical director (Bill Withers); live performer (The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, Ruby Turner); producer (LA Mix, Shaggy, Eternal, Juliet Roberts, Paul Johnson and Booker Newbury 3rd); session musician (Mica Paris, Barry White, Chic) and solo artist (3 albums for RCA America).

In 1993 Mike toured with Take That, subsequently becoming their musical Director with responsibility for arranging and producing all their live music including performing at all their concerts until their split in 1996.

More recently, Mike has gone on to MD for artists such as Geri Halliwell, Atomic Kitten, B*Witched, Blue, Martine McCutcheon, 911, Gary Barlow and Deni Hines. He has also acted as Musical Supervisor for the 1998 Concert Of Hope, UNICEF Charity Balls, 'The Clandestine Marriage' (film) and Party In The Park.

As a vocalist, Mick has previously toured and recorded with artists such as Kylie Minogue, KLF, Alice Cooper, Chris Rea and Cliff Richard. He has also produced music for corporate videos and shows for Mercedes, Toyota, Levi's, Reebok, Mitsubishi and Pepe Jeans. He has just produced and co-written an instrumental jazz album, recently nominated in the National Smooth Jazz Awards in the US.

Mick has been a member of Graham Gouldman's band for the past three years on both vocals and percussion

Paul met Graham Gouldman in the early days of 10cc when recording at Strawberry Studios and when they planned to start touring, asked him to join as an auxiliary member, playing drums, percussion and keyboards for what was to become a ten year period. He started recording with them in 1976.

In 1982 he toured throughout America and Canada with Jethro Tull and in 1983 his final tour with 10cc around the UK. The 80's became a tour fest with Camel in '83/84, Elkie Brooks '85, Joan Armatrading '86, Alvin Stardust '87, Gloria Gaynor '88 and Icicle Works '89.

1990 saw the beginning of a five year relationship with former Fairport Convention guitarist Jerry Donahue which reached a peak with the Hellecasters. Since then Paul has been working with legendary R&B singer Chris Farlowe and following a reunion in '99 with Graham Gouldman and Rick Fenn is pleased to be keeping the music of 10cc alive.

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