No, right gig, but if you saw Steves face at a couple of points you would know I'm right. I go to many many gigs in a year and musically this was not good. No knew as more sorry than us, but the four of us agreed, by SH standards, this was poor.

I came from Frankfurt and was glad I did. The show, generally, was exceptional. Re band, Best Years in total and in sequence, the Twins in the band AND in support - some people have missed the point, SH ACTUALLY introduces them as a sort of "Support Band", but with a difference, they are IN THE BAND. The girls play leas than 10 minutes in a show lasting, in playing terms on stage, two hours twenty minutes of their TWO songs. Good on SH for introducing young talent to us oldies, especially two such brilliant musicians. Anyone who plays that side down, sure doesn't go to many gigs and sure doesn't know perc players and guitarists of high standards when they stare him in the face. There were a couple of ragged endings, admitted, and Jim missed a few cues and notes but this was a first night of a long tour and that happens, I guess. I felt proud to be there, as the moments of pure magic (Riding The Waves, All In A Life's Work (Lisa's guitar, WOW!), "Compared With You, "Sebastian" "Back To The Farm" etc. etc. far outweighed the couple of fluffs. This is a great 8 piece band and I can't wait til I fly back for the Phil gig in Liverpool - those first-night nerves will have settled down I reckon !! ROB

Will be seeing two of the shows on this tour and will be interested to see for myself what they're like. I'm slightly disappointed with the choice of setlist for the first half of the show. The fans 'chose' the songs so no blame here on Steve. At 90% of the gigs played over the last 15-20 years Riding the Waves has been included. It's an almost 'first choice' along with Sebastian, MMS, Judy Teen, Mr.Soft etc. Why didn't the fans pick 3 slightly more obscure songs?? I thought the point of this poll was to winkle out some of the ones you don't get to hear that often. Maybe some of us needed it to be spelt out...this is your chance to hear some songs that probably won't ever get played live again!!! Still, despite everything I'm looking forward to the Best Years played in it's wonderful entirety. I'll settle for just ONE really big surprise during the first half of the show.

Dare I say, some people are being a little 'precious' here? It WAS magic to see Jim and Duncan back again, but, I have to say, I think Manchester may have been a little 'under-rehearsed'.
I've seen a good few gigs in the last few years, and, despite being a great occasion, I have to agree that, musically, it wasn't the best I've seen.
Still good,and I loved it, but it wasn't great. I can only assume that it got better as it went along.
FFS, we're not Take That fans, a little honesty doesn't go amiss..... I did like the Mona Lisa Twins tho'