02/06/07 - SPORTPALEIS, ANTWERP

Review by Wouter:
Here we go yet again, I went to see Bryan and the dudes for the 3rd time in the Antwerpen Sportpaleis, a great venue. Last show here, in 2005, was a really awesome one. Plus thinking at what the band had performed in the UK (as I had seen that myself in Glasgow) and that they have had three weeks off before coming to Antwerpen: It really should be a great show..

This time I went with my fellow baddies Remco and Ralf. Since the Belgian crowd always turns up late and we had other things to do, we had decided to go for the b-stage and go a little later. We arrived shortly before 6 as the doors would open at 6.30. I already met Dave and Marloes in the que shortly. As the doors almost went open, I met Yori from Belgium, which I know from a forum for about a year or two, really nice to suddenly meet people at a concert then. As they let us in, the sound check was still going on, so we couldn’t go further into the hall. The weird thing was that we had to stand there for 40 minutes in front of a stair down, which could give dangerous situations. That was not really properly organized this time.

The second they let us go we rushed our way through and everyone ran to the front barrier. We already had been on the 6th/7th row for two times, and the b-stage thing should be good, we straight took the spot at the front-center of the b-stage. Support band `She Says` from Austria sounded like a real band, but I couldn’t really see or hear them properly unfortunately. It was cool to see all the preparations at the b-stage to get it ready.

After a long wait, the lights finally went off and Bryan started `There Will Never Be Another Tonight` by himself. Soon accompanied by Keith, Mickey and Norm. It immediately turned the Sportpaleis on fire, as nobody expected them to be there at the back. Great to hear this sing again, and to see the band from so close. After a deaf making applause the band launched into `Can't Stop This Thing We Started` which got the entire crowd bouncing. Great great stuff, what a start of the show right in front of me. Please Forgive Me had Bryan on acoustic as the band went to the main stage. Big cheer and it looked like everyone of the crowd knew the song. Then Bryan had to find his way to the main stage during `The Best of Me` which turned the entire audience

Arriving on the main stage, Bryan kicked that part of with `Somebody` which sounded great with the banging at the end. Bryan then picked up the Rickenbacker for `This Time` and after that they really got the crowd going with `Kids Wanna Rock` which was great as always. Fantastic song, good that it’s back as a regular. Bryan started playing harmonica after that song and so we got a different intro to `Open Road` which then had Bryan messing up the lyrics during the first verse of the song. Looked a bit stupid to me, but at least he had the guts to try something new. 18 Til I Die was brilliant to shout along with, fantastic tune live. Which is the same for the next song, `Let's Make a Night to Remember` which is musically a very good song, and really well performed this time.

`Back to You` had us bouncing like our life depended on it, and in the end we got everyone in front of us going. That was great and a big cheer applause followed after the song. Still one of the live classics for me these days. For a lot of people, Bryan went on the surprise-tour again when he pulled out `I Think About You` which sounded very very good. `Summer of ‘69` had the crowd exploding and I had a very good party with my mates at the back. `Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman` and `(Everything I Do) I Do It For You` were a pleasure to listen to, although it entirely took away the energetic atmosphere after the `summer`. `Cuts Like a Knife` had everyone singing along with the nananana’s as always. `When You're Gone` had a girl who worked at an insurance company, which resulted in a huge noise. The way Bryan introduced her was very funny, but the only thing that could flow my boat was Keith playing his ass off. She did quite a good job though.

`It's Only Love` was just fantastic, it’s different every single time. They just started out with the guitars and Bryan singing it more Tina style. In the middle of the song, the Keith Scott show started. He pulled out an improvisation, you don’t want to know. It looked like another song with the band kicking in and it was just so loud, unimaginable. Totally blew everyone away, what a guitarist he is.

`Heaven` had no intro by Gary, which is a shame as he kicks in later in the song. `The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You` had the usual shouting to the audience, but the song was really long this time. Then they took a bow before leaving and coming back for `Cloud #9` which had everyone waving, which looked nice, but the song still doesn’t have it. `Run to You` was great as Keith was on top form this night. I don’t know what it was, but they rocked the entire place.

They then came back to the b-stage for `There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'` which surprised my fellow baddies, but everyone enjoyed the rocking. It occurred to me though that the sound at the b-stage is messed up by the drums. Understandable, but they might place a sort of plastic wall like you see more often on stages. `Seven Nights to Rock` had us rocking like hell. Really great to see the dudes rocking out right in front of you! On `She's Only Happy When She’s Dancin’` a few girls immediately came on the b-stage. I just paid attention to Keith dancing and that turned a big smile on my face again, he really is my hero. Then at the second part of the song, a spontaneous dancing contest started which was very funny. A shame that Keith was not competing in it, but the grins on the faces of the band members was just priceless. Fantastic, the end of the song had the girls clapping for the band, which they really deserved. Then the audience gave the band a real big applause, which resulted as Bryan standing there like a 12 year old shy kid. It was so funny and it just turned a big smile on everyone’s face! He’s such a normal person when it comes to that, really cool.

Bryan closed the show by himself with `Straight From the Heart` and `All for Love` which sounded very good once again. I’ve never seen sweat dropping from his face like then. Bryan once again apologised for not having his album ready, but I don’t think anyone cared after this show. He then said `well, I’m working on it, and I’ve just got like….. 12 songs to finish` with the typical smile like, `sorry I can’t help it` that was really funny.

After the show, we went to the city centre to catch a drink. We ended up at probably the best karaoke bar in the centre, which we visited a few times before. After a few minutes, Ralf and I decided to sing `Summer of ‘69`. We just went rocking all the way during the song, the place was “our” Sportpaleis for a few minutes. The solo at the end got me on my knees strumming the microphone wire, and so had me being introduced as `Ladies and gentlemen, on the lead guitar, Mr. Keiiiiiith Scott!` which was a right laugh..

Great night, still feeling excited as I’m typing this…

Setlist:
***b-stage***
There Will Never Be Another Tonight
Can't Stop This Thing We Started
Please Forgive Me
The Best of Me
***b-stage***
Somebody
This Time
Kids Wanna Rock
Open Road (intro on harmonica)
18 Til I Die
Let's Make A Night to Remember
Back To You
I Think About You
Summer Of ‘69
Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?
Everything I Do
Cuts Like A Knife
When You're Gone
It's Only Love
Heaven
The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You
Cloud #9
Run To You
***b-stage***
There's Gonna Be Some Rockin'
Seven Nights To Rock
She's Only Happy When She’s Dancin’
Straight From The Heart
All For Love
***b-stage***

 


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Thanks to Wouter for the setlist. Pics by Thomas Van den Bossche.

BA rockin' out

'Open Road' with a harmonica intro

Rockin' out during 'Kids Wanna Rock'

Crowd singalong on 'Cuts'

'Cuts Like A Knife'

BA gettin' the crowd going

'Back To You' jamming session with Keith

BA ending the show acoustically on the b-stage