Brighton & Hove – it’s the “Marmite” city of the UK for me. I love the history of the place, the Georgian era of the Prince Regent and later King George IV. The Royal Pavilion, then the building of the Grand Hotel, West and Palace piers in the Victorian era. Move forward to my own lifetime and the mods and rocker confrontations of the 1960’s depicted in Quadrophenia. Then when our son was young, we took half-term breaks there and although many think the beach as being pebbled, I still have the picture where our son and niece wrote happy birthday to me in a sandy stretch in Hove in the mid-1990’s.
For many it is well known for it’s diverse community and is listed as the LGBT capital of the UK, which for me simply adds to the fascination of the city. The shopping lanes are a must, especially the Northern ones, where you find murals on the sides of buildings, pubs and railway arches, so is there really anything you cannot love about the place? Well of course there’s the football club and it also gave birth to ABBA!!!
Thankfully unlike the 2014 venue, this year’s concert was staged at Sussex’s cricket ground (Quite appropriate at a time when England could finally win the World Cup in this particular sport) and was for many local residents in the overlooking flats an opportunity to see Sir Rod completely free of charge…. More on that later.
Without further adduce and unwanted ramblings of my normal disposition, our days activities around the city and the beach (Didn’t some scruffy beat up working class teenage troubadour sing a song about that?), I shall swiftly move onto the meeting arrangements of fellow like fans and a mini gathering of the Stewart dressed clan.
The first liaison was at Caffe Aldo’s (highly recommend if you visit Brighton’s North lanes) with the best Rod mate that anyone could have, along with a partner in crime who due to certain circumstances I’m not at liberty to name (You know who you are!).
Unfortunately our scheduling had to be rearranged thanks once more to “our local man” with all the knowledge telling us Rod would be on stage anytime from 7 p.m. – Forget having a party – You’re having a laugh aren’t you!!! – Hence an early Italian feast just after 4.
All fed, it was grab a cab and off to the Palmeira to meet up with Mark Gaudiere, The brummie Baker’s and two nice Norwegian folk that told us of their adventures following Rod’s tour in Europe and the UK. How ever thanks to good old Ticketmaster, our tickets were at the box office, which being the manic person I am, I had to go and collect them first before considering a drink (which was to prove a sensible move).
Just gone 6:30 and it’s the short walk to the venue, although being Gate 1, it was the furthest part to walk, plus we had the let’s say “One armed bandit” with us. By the time we got through bag checks, buy the programmes (drop my tickets!) and filter towards our seat past Mr. Piers Morgan – the sound of Rod about to come on stage music along with the band appeared (Yes we gave Johnny Mac a miss – based on recommendation and the fact I was still digesting the garlic bread!). So could there have been better timing to have arrived nice and central and in row Y with an excellent view and close enough to get a few decent photos?
The full set list can be found below – if I comment on each song you will be reading this for longer than the concert itself! – Hence here are some of Rod’s comments at certain points of the evening.
“Good evening everybody, and thank you for coming along and buying a ticket, apart from all those in the flats along Palmeira Avenue, look at you all on the balconies and roof tops” said with a big grin and a wave.
“Yes Mrs. Cockbottom in number 57, we will be playing Stay With Me, but much later so don’t go away just yet”. As Rod alluded to a banner strung along a balcony.
“Some of you that may have already seen the show will notice we have one person missing tonight, unfortunately our Katie Dix received a message that her father is suffering from a dodgy ticker, so she has had to fly home, I will miss her, I truly will, but the remaining girls will compensate for her absence”
Rod would say “We’ve got 24 songs (includes the instrumental from the band and the girl’s version of Fleetwood Mac’s – If you go your own way) for you tonight so sit back and enjoy yourselves”
“I’m someone that loves the sun, but it’s shining right in my eyes, here’s a song that me and my great mate Ronnie Wood wrote in 1972 at his mum’s house in Richmond, it only took two takes to get it right as well, it’s a song that also goes down better when it’s getting dark” Rod’s introduction for I’d Rather Go Blind, sung in perfect pitch and as ever brings a shiver to the spine. You can never tire of this record sung the way he does it.
“You’d think after 50 years or more in this business I’d know what I’m doing, but sometimes I get a bit tongue tide and it all goes wrong” After admitting missing a verse of a song.
A poignant moment as he mentioned his meeting in Southampton of the war veterans readying themselves for the D-Day landing 75 year celebrations. “I found myself kissing these wonderful old folk on the head for their courage and commitment to enable all ourselves to be free to this very day”. Prior to Rhythm of my heart.
There were many more humorous quotations that exudes from Rod’s wonderful personality – many especially at the “non-paying” local residents as he kept them interested and involved on the proceedings.
Just on 9:00 he would look at his watch and say “Unfortunately we have to go” and played out with Mrs. Cockbottom’s request.
The personal special moments had to be the ballads of Georgie, I’d Rather Go Blind, Dirty Old Town and of course Grace – (and I’m excluding 2 other classics here). The much more upbeat Forever Young, Tonight I’m Yours and of course Stay With Me.
We would all choose different selections from Rod’s amazing catalogue of songs, so I won’t complain about what might have been, we need to remember we are lucky to still see him perform in the manner he does and also look at Ronnie Wood’s set lists of the current Stones tour where they only do 20 numbers these days.
By the time this is circulated, only his re-arranged Aberdeen concert of his UK tour remains – he has thrilled many of us throughout the past months – and we still have the winter concerts to look forward to as well.
I would like to say a big thank you to the girls for sharing their experiences of touring with Rod on both Facebook and Instagram (I personally don’t use twitter) – so thank you Julia Thornton, Becca Kotte, Katie Dix and Amanda Miller (And the wonderful Miller Time video’s where other members of “the crew” get interviewed). These have been appreciated by many fans and is a new dimension of a Rod tour I believe.
My final note is in recognition of someone that I shared my first real “Smiler” experience with 10 years and 10 days ago from the date of this concert – without you I would probably still be a silent member in the background of this wonderful fan club, since that day back in Plymouth taking me “on board” has enhanced mine and my wife’s lives no end. These past 10 years you have introduced me to so many people that we treasure now in our lives and love spending evening’s sharing our music loves, seeing and discussing so many different bands with you all, you know who you are brother, thank you for making me part of one big happy “Smiler” family.
The setlist in order of play.
Having a Party, Young Turks, Some Guys Have All The Luck, Tonight’s The Night, Forever Young, Twisting The Night Away, Rhythm Of My Heart, The Killing Of Georgie, It Takes Two, Tonight I’m Yours, I’d Rather Go Blind, Rolling & Tumbling, Going Home (band instrumental), Grace, I Don’t Wanna Talk About It, Dirty Old Town, You’re In My Heart, Have I Told You Lately, If You Go Your Own Way (The Girls), Baby Jane, Sailing, Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?, Maggie May & Stay With Me.
Review By Colin Baker
Photos By Colin Baker
Piers Morgan Photo of herself with Piers thanks to Gemini Elsie Stewart