Newcastle City Hall
	Sat 18th Nov 2000

Newcastle was one which always had an air of doubt as to whether I would be there or not, mainly due to travel problems but luckily everything worked out fine in the end and I made it.

During the day (for once) it never really felt like the build up to a gig as I spent time with the Dutch girls and was joined by Ems from Barnsley and latterly the Bankie boys; Stuart and Dougie, thanks for the entertainment guys ;-). I must admit that we hung about the venue for a wee while during the day just in the off chance, well you never can tell. However, instead of seeing Marti we were lucky enough to catch Chris Difford for a quick word and he very kindly signed my Squeeze ‘Domino’ CD booklet which I just happened to have with me - I like to be prepared. By the time an hour or so before the gig came though, the excitement soon took over.

I was right up the front for this one, just at the left end of the centre section thus had a brilliant view. The second the lights went down we all made a beeline for the stage, the first venue I’d had the opportunity to do so, literally two steps and I was there ! The stage wasn’t that deep compared to some, so much so that as the curtain was sweeping across the stage on its exit I could touch it. What with my height and the height of the stage it was almost up to my chin. From the stage I must have looked like a pair of hands and eyes (and camera) peering over the edge of the stage.

The first three Wets tracks got everyone to there feet if they weren't already on them and 'East Of The River' sounded as fabby as ever. 'Did You Ever Wake Up' in its inimitable smooth style had the front row swaying side to side in time to the music, such perfection.

One of Marti’s first addresses to the crowd, ‘So this is Newcastle on a Saturday night ?’ got a really loud rowdy cheer from everyone who in return got a nice smile from Marti. He then went on to repeat the end of that question followed by, ‘ . . . must be full of Temp-ta-tion’. No surprises here for what the next song was going to be then.

As the week went on Leo must have been getting more venturesome in his antics during 'Temptation' as tonight he was on top of the piano and jumped off it to land then stumble, ending up on his backside looking rather dazed and worried as his clip-on mic came off the horn of his sax. Marti was quick to his rescue when he realised what had happened and fixed it for him. Marti and Leo then proceeded to go back to back, Marti on top of Leo, then a piggy-back style a little later in the song. This was really funny but typically my camera film had just come to an end so I never got any evidence from this extremely comical episode.

After 'Oh! You Pretty Things' the resounding guitar at the start of 'Hard To Cry', brilliantly played by Alan, had the audience captivated in an instant, thus listening intently and dwelling on Marti's every word, followed by an equally intense instrumental backing on 'I Don't Trust You'.

Football was referenced on more than one occasion that evening. First of all by the sound engineer testing the mic in between Bex and Marti by saying 'testing, testing 2 – 1, 2 – 1' instead of 1 - 2 - 3 then by the keyboard player. On Marti’s jibe of Sunderland, who incidentally had beaten Newcastle 2 – 1 that afternoon, there was a roar of condemnation from the crowd. He soon won them round again though when he started to sing the next song.

'New York Vibe' is such a groovy song, I really love it. From the first moment I heard it, the 'She Might Never Know' style and beat got me hooked. As soon as I heard the chorus again tonight it came back to me and I joined in.

Newcastle City Hall was a very warm venue indeed which was extremely evident on Marti as his shirt, and trousers for that matter, became more and more soggy from sweat as the night progressed. He joked that his trousers were soaking from more than just sweat which got a laugh from us or to be more precise,

'I'm sweating that much it looks as if I'm p**sing ma pants man. Oh maybe I have. Okay dokey maybe a wee bit more information than you need to know".

Some of the fans at the front were in hysterics at this, it was that funny. This was well timed just before 'I Can Give You Everything'; with comments such as those Marti I think you just about did. As he shrugged his trousers up and down from his hips, the look on his face at how his clothes were clinging to him was enough to say, look at the state of me !

Yet again ‘I’ve Been Around The World’ had changed it’s name again and was now cut to just ‘Been Around The World’. I think it’s stuck with this name now, sounds good to me anyway. Whenever he got to the line just after the title of the song, 'and now I'm back again' there was always a small element of the crowd gave a timely cheer, which I think Marti appreciated.

Marti even warned Jackie to keep her distance from him when she came over to do the duet.

‘You won’t mind if I don’t embrace you Jackie, I’m a bit sweaty.’ in his so distinguishable Scottish accent.

‘Aww, I’ll take the sweat’ she replied smiling.

‘Hey man, your drippin’ as she came into contact with him.

‘Yeah nice and moist baby !’ Yep I think the crowd were getting carried away with such banter.

Needless to say 'It Should Have Been Me' was as spectacular as I remembered with Jackie as soulful as ever and Marti enjoying himself bopping around beside her.

'Lip Service' with that ever so dodgy rap in the middle of it, mmm, definitely need a bankie with you then for a translation ! Dancing about like what used to be classed as a 'headless chicken' too, as if Marti wasn't sweaty enough already. He was more subdued during 'Goodnight Girl' but went a bit mad again during 'With A Little Help From My Friends'.

By the time the first encore came he was absolutely wringing and in desperate need of a change. He disappeared for what seemed like ages but we soon found out why.

For the only night that I heard of from the tour Marti went off at the encore and changed into a fresh new outfit. Coming out in all black to a rapturous applause and looking a lot cooler than he did when he’d left the stage a few minutes earlier.

Someone even gave him a silk hankie to mop his brow. Marti thought he knew what their game was – that they’d want it back but on his offer to return it to them, they said no !

As he spoke, his voice was so deep he commented about sounding like Barry White and I think also because he’d had a hankie in his hand just as Barry White does - always the comedian ;-).

'The River' was met with an air of hush as Marti put so much into it, getting a tremendous round of applause after it.

Once again ladies of the night were mentioned in what seemed to be his standard 'Gypsy Girl' quirk on the whole tour. I think the audience here were more 'up for it' in the sing song part than those in London, no offense but as Marti said, it was Newcastle on a Saturday night !

'Angel Eyes' again stole the show out of all the Wets songs which on a whole gig scale was only surpassed by one other, 'Close To You'. Not much more can be said about those songs which I haven't already said in the London reviews, you all know how much I love them by now.

Of course 'Love Is All Around' was left right to the end and the entire hall was in full voice. I took the liberty of having my flag with me again since I was on foreign soil so to speak. Well, there was a dutch flag too, so why not eh ?

I don't know what it was about Newcastle but it was something special and second (for me) only to Marti's home gigs in Glasgow.

Afterwards we went round to a solid back entrance gate behind which Chris and Marti were preparing to leave. Not too long after 11pm the gates opened and they left in their vehicle, giving everyone a wave as they went.

Thanks to Wil, Erna and not to mention Monique, who initially bought the Newcastle tickets, for inviting me to go with them, it was very kind of you and I had a wonderful time in your company.

Tour Index

Marti Index