So here we sit . centre stage right in front of the mike with the long red scarf draped round it ... the support band have left the stage .. Meat came to the wings earlier on and listened to them .. applauding and signing thumbs up for about 10 minutes .. but now they are gone and we wait for the man himself to arrive ......
Randy has come on stage .. the guitar solo leading into Whore! .. and now he's arrived .. and he's rocking! Great tempo and lyrics are just so good for Meat to start a show .. energy and anger all rolled into the explosive character he's brought on stage ... he's wearing the leather fringed jacket and blue shades .. striding around the stage, working it from side to side .. I can feel the energy crackling off him .. Everyone at the front is standing and cheering .. the atmosphere is building and I know we're going to have a fantastic time tonight ..
... and without a pause we're into Life is a Lemon .. Meat's in top gear .. as he sings with Patti and CC in those amazing outfits that make look like biker chicks escaped from a bondage parlour! .. he pounds out the song .. he's in such good form tonight .. Meat pissed at how life sucks is always so compelling! .. and from this we're into Black Betty . Meat has discarded the leather jacket .. well, it is extremely hot .. the black silky shirt with red piping looks great .. and the, now almost signature, twinkly cuff buttons .. I love this song .. Very much in the style of Do It! .. a fast paced song that Meat can bite out so you can hear every word .. and he always seems to so enjoy delivering this type of mumber .. he knows he's the master and he is revelling in it ..
And now he's grinning .. that big sheepish schoolboy grin .. shrugging his shoulders and moving like a shy but randy college kid .. he pulls out a wad of money and waves it at us .. he's primed and ready for action this Saturday night! .. yes, it's Dead Ringer .. I watch the pantomime played out .. and not for the first time think what a great performer he is .. he hasn't come on stage to sing a setlist of songs .. he is going to take us and give us theatre .. strike chords and stimulate our imagination every second he is on stage .. I may have heard this song many times .. but every tour a new twist .. he knows instinctively what will grab us .. he is the master of performance .. and he's doing it again tonight .. The money goes in his back pocket and is patted, as he homes in on Patti .. I've always loved this song .. and love him singing it now as he grabs Patti and puts his head on her shoulder and dances .. real sexy dance .. now CC is coming up to tempt him away from Patti .. hey! .. he's a college kid .. so he's distracted and starts to smooch with her .. while Patti picks his pocket before the two of them leave him high and dry .. very funny .. very Meat :)))
And now the opening strings of Frying Pan .. tonight this song seems so appropriate as it has been a sweltering day .. and Meat is hot .. HOT! .. in all senses of the word .. he fans his face .. and I notice something ... he's not chatting and interacting with the audience .. and I'm not expecting it tonight, because I know he's limited in time, and if he spends time in that banter he excells at, it will limit the set which he probably feels will make some people think they have got less .. but tonight the passion in every song seems even more intense .. every word is delivered with such depth of feeling ... he may not have the time to chat and engage in badinage .. but he is giving his absolute all for every precious minute he will spend with us ..
Now into You Took The Words .. "You can sing along to this if you like .. we won't mind" he says .. and sing we did .. that song must have travelled miles over the surrounding countryside .. he stops singing the words .. we all continue .. he motions to the band to stop . we continue .. he tilts his head to one side considering if we're doing well enough .. we sing louder . it's clearly not good enough .. we sing louder still .. finally he beams .. we're doing OK .. he applauds us .. he has us in the palm of his hand .. and he's loving it :)) And I think .. he may not feel he can spend time chatting .. but boy he can work an audience .. he communicates to us without a word .. Tonight he owns that stage .. he owns us .. and he knows it and he revels in it :)
Now he's pulling a maroon topped stool to the centre stage .. he's starting into Only When I Feel .. having said "This is off Bat3 .. the last at Bat .. coming in 2006" .. and I love his voice, his passion, his despair and his anger .. he abandons the stool and he is pacing side to side of the stage .. If it ain't broke .. break it! .. Love him singing this .. the delivery is for me what makes the song ..
And now he's putting on the football jacket .. Paradise is coming!! He's singing so well and as ever this is a beautiful piece of theatre .. I feel he's probably relieved when Patti strips the jacket off him as the sun hasn't set and it must be sweltering under the lights above the stage! Everyone is singing their hearts out again .. I love the way his voice holds that "par-a-diiiiiise .. by the daaaaaash-booooooard liiiiiiiiiiiight" .. and although we don't get a big piece of theatre and play before the end .. it's still great .. and I love the look of shocked horror on the dear old ham's face when Patty calls him a Fat Fuck! .. rolling .. I love his face .. it's so wonderfully expressive .. what a showman ..
And now the stool again .. time to rest those knees :)) .. Two Out of Three . again delivered with such depth .. the tears start in my eyes .. and as the band go into their instrumental solo he sits there, head back, gently rocking side to side .. I'm struck again by how much he loves to perform . IS a performer .. he knows we're getting close to the end of the show and he knows he's done a wonderfu job .. knows we have had a spellbound time .. knows he has delivered excellence . he can still do it .. loves to do it .. and my heart swells for him .. he gets off the stool and walks across to each guitarist .. acknowledging their consummate skill .. joins in the headbanging with Paul .. I love the pride he takes in their skill as much as he does his own .. His voice is superb .. he is singing this as well as he has sung it ..
And now he's putting on the long velvet cloak as the sun sinks .. AFL .. the shorter version, but delivered with such passion again .. all night he's been doing this .. lots of finger pointing to the heavens .. lots of that semi-crouch as he grabs his shirt . and often hitches up his pants leg to go with it .. the hand held mike shakes with the strength of passion he is putting into every song .. his voice and feeling reach into my heart and squeeze it ..
And now the moment I almost dread .. the opening chords of BOOH .. love the song for it is so much a part of him .. but dread it because you know that once he's done Bat he's going to be outta there! One of his best performances .. I'd like it to go on forever . but it has to come to a huge close and it does .. and tonight when he does that hand held up, palm out to the audience, before clenching his fist and grabbing it to his heart, he does it time and time and time again .. working across the entire audience .. I always feel that's him taking our approval, our joy, our thanks, our love and pulling it into his heart .. and tonight I feel he is is really pulling us into him .. by now his face looks a little tired .. hardly surprising!! .. but he seems still suffused with adrenalin and knowledge that there are 12,000 people there willing him to know they love him, and want to see him rocking their lives forever ..
He has introduced the band earlier .. and now he holds up his hand and goes off-stage .. Kasim putting a tender hand on his shoulder as if to say "You OK? You did great" It's such small gestures that make me realise how close a team they are .. and that this great and talented man is nonetheles human, and welcomes assurance from his peers as well as his loving audience .. and Kasim is always there .. a talented and solid rock of a partner .. you can feel that special closeness that they have built over the years, and I recall hearing Kasim say how he felt as he kissed Meat on the forehead just before he went in for his surgery in London .. they are such an integral partnership on stage ..
We wait of course shouting for more .. and I see a roadie come on stage and set upright again the standing mike that Meat has smashed to the ground .. and then start picking up all the clothes he has thrown to the floor at various stages in the show .. walks off with his arms full :) .. and I smile as I wonder if his bedroom floor is the same :))
And now they're all back on stage for the encore ... Mercury Blues .. Meat may have been pounding out songs without pause for over an hour and a half, but this is delivered with as much energy as when he started .. he and the band are pepped up .. knowing they have given a wonderful performance and that we have loved every second .. Meat looks excited and he's still having fun .. and now he's saying ..
Fro the bottom of our hearts .. to yours .. thank you .. very, very, very, very much .. and remember
Keep on ROCKIN' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And he's off .. the Bat Out of Hell .. and for a moment it's like a piece of the world has disappeared .. that stage that was empty when we arrived has been so filled with the presence of this wonderful man that it's a shock to see it empty again .. and it seems emptier now than it was before he started, when we came into the arena and looked at it set up for the treat that was in store .. He has yet again taken us by storm .. lifted us up and taken us to that better place as always does .. and his departure leaves a void that seems overwhelming .. But the memories are tucked safely away .. the voice is still ringing in my head .. the passion seems to linger in the air and wrap round me .. and will stay with me ....
And it has ..... Thank you Meat .. from the bottom of my hert to your great big rocking one .. thank you very, very, very much :))
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Meat Loaf for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Let's help him get there!
Thank you so much for that great review Caryl! I went there with you, in tears too. We need to see this kind of review downunder so we don't feel abandoned entirely. Thanks again. Anne
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Good friends are like stars....You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.
I know how lucky I am to be able to get to Meat's concerts .. so I try to give those who can't at least a flavour of it .. so I'm pleased it helped do that a little for you Rockette :))
Caryl
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Meat Loaf for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Let's help him get there!
Thanks for the great review Caryl,i was nearly in tears,and felt like i was there with you,even had the shivers down my spine,cant wait till Sat 16th,to see our hero at Warwick Castle,i will let you all know how it was
Please do Bob .. and hope you have a wonderful night :)) On second thought .. no need to hope .. the form Meat is on I am confident that you will !! Caryl
__________________
Meat Loaf for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Let's help him get there!
Thank you so much for that great review Caryl! I went there with you, in tears too. We need to see this kind of review downunder so we don't feel abandoned entirely. Thanks again. Anne
