Pete’s third show in his solo tour and the second sell out in a row saw us all head off to the Robin2 in Wolverhampton. I had been looking forward to this gig from the start of the tour as the Robin was no stranger to Westies who had enjoyed previous visits with Pete in ‘the Other Band he’s in’ as he jokily called Go West during this tour. It’s a great venue holding over 700 people and because it’s a standing gig always has a great atmosphere: something which is helped along by the chilled out staff who allow you to enjoy the gig without placing dumb restrictions on you: suffice to say other venues could do with learning a lesson from the Robin!.
Doors were due to open at 7.30 but there was already a very healthy queue outside an hour before that as people staked their claims for the best spots at the front. The queue were in for quite a wait as when the doors opened at 7.30 they stampeded to the front only to learn that the running order was that the support act ‘Lady K’ was on at 9pm and the man himself was scheduled for10pm. Its fair enough that smaller venues pretty much survive on their bar profits and so seek to maximise them by keeping people hanging about (and therefore drinking) for as long as possible; but its still tough when you get in and realise your standing time really has only just started; there was a great atmosphere however as everyone fully expected their wait to be well worth it and therefore settled down to wait for the show.
Lady K and her band came on promptly at 9.00 and performed the 6 songs that formed their support set. Lady K has a good voice and given how tough it must be to be a support act for someone with such passionate fans as Pete she did very well and got a well deserved round of applause for her efforts. Her band cleared their kit off stage in record time and we were delighted when as a consequence Pete and the guys were ready to come on stage at 9.45 and start the party early. The lights dimmed, the guys from the band took their places and as the intro music ended with a flourish Pete strode onto the stage and the crowd quite simply went bonkers.
Pete was looking stunning as ever in dark jeans and a navy t-shirt with a white modernist pattern on the front. He seemed to be relishing the prospect of the show and as he reached the mike burst into a grin and shouted good evening to the crowd: the Robin is such an intimate venue that artist and crowd are close enough to feel like they can really connect and when we all shouted back you could see the smile on Pete’s face widen as our cheers reached him. There was no time for more chat though as Brooky had counted them in and the show kicked off with the upbeat and catchy track ‘Shame The Devil’ from Pete’s last solo album Desert Blooms. It was a brilliant tune to start the show as it got everyone singing along and clapping. It was strange to consider as we all bellowed along that Desert Blooms got its name as a comment upon the difficulties Pete faced as a solo artist without a Label backing him trying to make the music he loved. He had to work harder and fight longer then anyone of his talent should ever have to to get DB out there to the public and yet as you looked around and realised that just about every soul in the crowd knew his song off by heart you knew how right he was to take that fight on. Many of us had waited a very long time for this tour and the chance to hear these songs live and from that moment onward it was clear we were all going to make this a night we and Pete would remember fondly.
The upbeat start was continued as Pete introduced the equally catchy Flame Still Burns from the EP of that name. By the end of that song the crowd were having a party and the temperature as seems to be traditional at the Robin seemed to be approx 110degrees at the front. I had chatted with staff earlier who had said that they had a book at the Robin full of details of people who had conked out in gigs due to the heat; well Pete and his fans were made of stronger stuff then that but already Pete looked like he was baking and was taking gulps of water inbetween songs to help him keep going.
The atmosphere was simply getting better with every tune and with the applause and adulation from the crowd you could see Pete becoming more and more confident; one of the reasons his fans love him as much as we do is because for a man with so many reasons to be arrogant there is simply no trace of ego in him. As a consequence seeing him so clearly having fun and occasionally holding his hand to his heart to express his appreciation for our enthusiasm was wonderful and just made us all shout our heads off even more!.
The Crowded House hit Fall at Your Feet was introduced by Pete with a thank you to Tony Hadley for giving him the gigs where he first worked on this performance. It was typical that in front of a sell out crowd there to see him that Pete took a moment to thank Tone for his support years ago: Thankfully the days when Pete needs any kind of help are long gone and never to return but he was as ever quick to credit a mate rather then quite rightfully bask in a bit of glory at a glorious cover. The crowd applauded as much at his modesty as at Tones kindness and we moved on again with Change and then the ever popular Glow. Introduced by Pete with a wry grin as he stated that when he writes with Rick they both bring ideas to the table and ‘this idea was all mine!’ For those who may miss the point of Glow he added, voice deepened for added effect, that it was ‘a song about sex’: that was more then enough to ensure the wolf whistles and howls from the crowd and still smiling Pete launched into what is always a cool and stylish performance.
One of the total highlights of the show was the opportunity to hear some of the eagerly awaited Motown album that Pete has been working on. The crowd at the Robin were in for a real treat as Pete treated us to firstly to the gorgeous Ooh Baby Baby and then to the Marvin Gaye classic Aint That Peculiar. Pete stated that he considered Marvin to be ‘the man’ and pondered to us all why the hell he was trying to cover a Marvin tune; well given the stonking rendition Pete gave us of this upbeat and catchy tune I cant help but think that he had done him justice. After a few slow tunes it was a great opportunity for us all to bounce along and get behind Pete in such a cool tune.
One of the most enjoyable points about Pete’s show was the way he was able to switch the mood and go from upbeat and energetic to something altogether more mellow and soulful: Pete’s last and classy EP Game for Fools made a very welcome appearance on the set-list next as the crowd went quiet and wallowed in the truly gorgeous A Lover Is Forever. It was remarkable in a packed gig to realise that Pete was listened to in almost perfect silence; it just seemed as if collectively we all realised this was something to be enjoyed and not chatted through and at the end Pete once again mouthed Thank you and placed his hand over his heart as if to show his appreciation of the moment. It was a really cool moment and again a point where you really saw just how the atmosphere at Pete’s gigs is so dependant on the partnership of artist and audience and the respect we show that then allows Pete to really express himself.
Me and Mrs Jones was as ever met with screams and wolf whistles from the crowd and a hugely enthusiastic sing along where Pete would turn the mike to the crowd and let us howl the lyrics at him: the last song in his set from Reborn in the USA really is fast becoming an essential part on any solo Pete show; it shows off the amazing voice and the cool moves to perfection and got one of the biggest cheers of the evening. By this time the people at the front looked like they had showered in their clothes and Pete must have been suffering in the heat under the lights on stage; he still looked amazing however and his t-shirt deserved a commendation for looking as good as we reached the end of the show as it had at the start.
More Motown with Reach Out was combined with a cover of the John Mayer track Bigger then My Body. It was then with howls of frustration from the crowd that Pete told us that there was only one song left in the evening; however what a song it was a Pete with no hint of irony said that ‘ maybe one or two of you will know this’. Given the song was the brilliant Aint Gonna Cry I think it was fair to say that we knew it; the crowd went bonkers and once again Pete grinned as if the enthusiasm still surprised him; the baking venue got even hotter as people bounced, waved and sang along with him at what remains for many the archetypal Peter Cox single: passionate and stirring it was a dream to hear it live and I know im not the only person who by the end stood screaming our support at Pete and grinning like a lottery winner at hearing it live. The guys went off but came back for the inevitable encore shortly afterwards. Pete; modest as ever about the popularity of his incredible solo set finished with two Go West tunes; they were great fun as ever but the evening was about Peter Cox and not Go West and we all walked away knowing that we had experienced a very special gig with one hell of a solo artist.
