Soft blue and viloet light bathes the back of the dark stage, and the insistent chant of the Indian warcry echoes out .. and a cheer goes up .. Everybody listens and waits expectantly .. John slips into his seat behind the drums towards the end and a cheer goes up .. And suddenly the stage is flooded with crimson and golden light as Meat and the band come running on to each take their place behind one of the microphones set out across front of stage .. a huge cheer welcomes Meat as he comes out, and I sense the crowd behind me jumping to their feet to welcome him .. He's smiling .. looks out at us as though he senses he's going to have a good crowd tonight .. and we're off! I notice tonight (may not be the first time she's had it, but the first time I'ne noticed) CC has a little pink toy guitar which she air-plays .. and I giggle, remembering the times I've said .. Mark on a Fisher-Price with Meat singing would still be bgreat for me! .. lol ... The main set list is the same .. and after a rousing The Boy Is Bad! we're into Break It!

Meat has started really strongly tonight .. he's crackling with energy, biting out the words, and the audience are loving it .. and as the opening bars of Frying Pan start there's another huge cheer from the crowd .. Meat walks back and forth looking out at us .. and then delivers a searing rendition of the song .. "Fire! Fire! Fire!" rings out clear and strong .. delivered from that half-crouch, with all the fire and passion he can muster .. and then the low, gentle "I wanna take youuuuu .. Oh I wanna take youuuuu .." .. before that little shout before he's returns to a final soaring "FIRE!! FIRE!! FIRE!! FIRE!!!!!!!" .. Just marvellous ..

Now the heavy vibrating chords of Lemon, which seem to travel right into your body from the stage .. as Meat strides between Patti and CC on either side of the stage, to take up a central position for all his tortured and angry come-backs to each question .. until the final furious line, followed by the pounding instrumental, leading us into the final chorus, again delivered with such energy and strength .. he wants his money BACK!!!!!!!!

I stand in wonder at the extraordinary fast pace of this year's show .. and we kick into Bad For Good .. Meat working the stage and making the song his own. Each song gets a wave of applause which is muffled by the swift entry to the next number .. I hardly have time to catch my breath .. but Meat pushes on .. driving through the song .. at times almost on tiptoe, at times crouched doen, clutching the mic, his whole body shaking with the passion he puts into it .. and all the time those expressive hands .. at times clenched and held close to his body .. at times stretched out, fingers fanned .. he's just a master of conveying the soul of every song ..

And now we come to Dead Ringer .. Meat retrieves the cap .. tries it and settles for the peak low over his right ear .. gets the cooler and produces his beer .. Without a single word, his looks, smiles, and every facial expression convey so clearly the picture he wants us to have .. that hint of swagger .. ain't I cool? .. kind of male-ready-to-pull .. and confident he's the man for the job :)) He uncaps the bottle .. blows off the froth .. then lloks at us with a big grin .. shakes it really hard and sprays us .. this time I actually get a mouthful .. lol .. he does it again .. he's having fun! .. Then Patti and CC come on .. chatting as they walk behind him .. he almost does a double take at Patti .. looks at us and grins .. gets his beer for Patti and saunters over with a come-hither grin and gleam in his eye .. stands behind Patti and holding the bottle in front of her with his left hand, reaches round and uncaps the bottle with his other .. Boy! .. his expression seems to say .. Am I the business or what? ... Blows the froth from hers .. and is starting his moves when CC indicates .. what about me? With a huge sigh and roll of the eyes, he returns to the coller .. and almost throws it at her .. before getting back to the chase! Great duet from him and Patti .. and hos conquest is going really well until CC walks slowly and sinuously to the centre singing 45 Seconds of Ecstasy.

Again this is a fantastic duet, charged with sexual tension .. their bodies so close, Meat at times burying his head on CC's shoulder, at times leaning back and rolling his head .. until the final words .. followed by him putting his head to her shoulder again and that hearftfelt .. "If only it could have been 50 seconds!"

They then sing Amnesty, .. both these songs showcase CC's great voice so well .. and together they make this such a special song ..

And now Patti's back in her long black coat lined with silvery-white .. Will someone please give her a bible and a beer .. She strides from side to side of the stage, that amazing voice ringing out across the pavilion .. those huge and expressive eyes rolling .. (It occurs to me that I love to be at the front to see the whites of Meat's eyes :) .. but I could see those of this extraordinary woman from 300 yards!!!) ..

Towards the end she is standing back at her backing mic .. and Meat comes across and sits on a box and looks at her as she concludes .. I remember reading a press review which refers to his sitting down as clearly a need for a rest .. lol .. and I think how they just don't always get the theatre of a Meat show .. We've seen him standing quietly as Patti solos .. and gradually it sems the meaning gets through to him .. and at the end he seems to acknowledge how he's wronged her .. again that expressive face seems to me to be understanding finally the love, blind as a bat, which is drawing him home ..

And he delivers BAAB with so much passion I am reminded of the first time I heard him sing it on stage at the RAH .. and the depth of feeling that quivered from him then .. At one point he is crouched so low he's nearly on his knees .. that dramatic figure in black, those white hands conveying every nuance of expression ..

The band move into Dissentience, I give my fire-folled knees a brief rest :) .. and wonder yet again at the tight and superb team of players Meat has with him on stage ...

And now he's back in the wig and Paradise costume .. he tells us he's noticed it's raining .. (us too!!!!!) .. and he thought he should cover his head (as he flicks the hair repeatedly fom his eyes .. it's also quite breezy) .. "Does this work for you?" .. and we all shout YES!!!! Tonight it's as funny and as fresh as ever .. Patti gets a huge cheer as she returns in the prom dress .. they kiss briefly .. Meat does the hands back and forth from her behind to his .. than just seems to find them on her breatsts and holds the position for ages .. his eyes wide with a huge "Look what I found" grin .. and Patti's round and huge with surprise and shock .. again he spins her like a top as he triumphantly removes the frilled skirt .. and again "STOP right THERE!!!!! .. and again the "What were you singing just then?" from Patti towards the end of the "Never felt so good" duet .. folowed by Patti pointing out how there there is less Meat on Mr Loaf thses days .. Meat grins .. as Patti asks us to applaud him and we do .. Then she produces a joke of her own .. "You've been working on that all day aven't you?" he says .. She laughs .. and gives us another one .. "I know a village which is missing its idiot .. and I have an idiot right here" .. huge laughter from the crowd .. then Meat points out that it's all in the delivery .. and he could have delivered it better .. and gives it his hallmark delivery, with the pauses .. the looks to the audience etc .. Then follows it with his "Your mother is so fat .." joke, which as ever he says in aside to us .. "I don't know what the hell this has to do with anything! .. BUT ...."

We move on to the final "**** yous!!" and then he holds her hand high and says "Ladies and gentlemen .. Miss Patricia Rousseau" and she gets the longest ovation ...

AFL follows .. and as Patti returns for her part in the duet a huge roar comes from the audience .. she looks stunning in her black flowing dress with the glitter that catches the lights .. and at the end when Meat is returning to answer her accusation "Sooner or later you'll be screwing around .... " he goes to catch the hand she's using to hold the mic .. she switches it with a bit of a giggle, Meat kind of turns and goes round .. and says "We don't usually do a square dance " .. and a bit of completely improvised fun haplens .. Meat calling out something about was that 45 seconds of ecstasy .. and twice Patti had to repeat the question .. before Meat finally sings very low and slow .. he won't do that!! ...

And suddenly we're into the opening chords of BOOH .. the time has flown .. my heart catches a little because this is the sign we're almost done .. Meat does what he's taken to doing .. comes to the mic and sems about to start .. then shakes his head .. "naah .. " walks back to the drums .. teasing us .. and then starts into his song .. Tonight I senss the audience reaction has lifted him more than perhaps Liverpool, where the crowd were not as vocal until BOOH .. he tuched his hand to his lips and heart more than once .. and delivers those final three long drawn out notes, despite the fact his voice must be tiring by now .. And I think there's so many things to love about this man .. his talent, his creativity, his passion, his incredible energy on stage, his kindness, his quick wit and humour .. but most of all I admire his sheer guts and tenacity .. that determination that informs everything he does .. just astounding ..

He thanks us from their hearts to our souls .. bids us goodnight .. and reminds us to never, ever stop rocking .. and runs from the stage folowed by the band ..

We wait .. calling for more .. and back they come to huge cheers .. He tells us there's a curfew but that we're gonna blow it .. and we're into Rock and Roll Dreams .. left out Roadhouse Blues, but we have a marvellous rendition of Let's Do It In The Road .. whether the whole audience are joing in I don't know .. but the sound from the rows around me fills the place .. and Meat finally thanks us once again .. he runs from the stage .. followed by the band .. and finally Patti .. who just can't seem to drag herself from it tonight :) But she was so hugely loved by the crowd tonight who can blame her :))))

And it's over .. We had an astounding set from Pearl with her band .. who was personally introduced by her proud father, wearing a warm scarf to protect that throat :) .. She is such a talented and beautiful young woman .. and really rocked out socks off! She's also beautiful right down to her soul .. so gracious and sweet when you speak to her .. a credit to her dad as he is to her .. And I saw she came out to stand at the side of the stage to listen to and watch him, just as I'm sure he was listening to her with such pride ..

So .. did he struggle with or miss the odd note here or there? .. possibly. Did he fluff a line or two? .. probably .. Did he think afterwards he would have liked to have done somethig better? .. undoubtedly .. But did he give us a wonderful two hours to remember forever, and did he give his all throughout, and did he make that soul to soul connection with us that uniquely he does? .. without any shadow of a doubt!! He was marvellous .. he was passionate .. he was sexy .. he was fired with energy and wreathed with smiles .. he was magical .. he was MEAT LOAF!! .. and that was something worth more than all the jewels of India!!

Caryl



-- Edited by Caryl at 10:11, 2008-07-05