As the title suggests, this was a greatest hits tour. I have seen 10cc many times in the past. I think the first time was at Sunderland Locarno when “Rubber Bullets” was in the chart. I then saw the original lineup several times at Newcastle City Hall. The tour when “I’m Not in Love” was top of the chart sticks in my memory as a particularly excellent concert.
That was, of course, the original lineup of Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. I then saw the later lineup during the period that they hit the chart with “Dreadlock Holiday”. I have not seen them since. So this was me reuniting myself with my old memories of excellent past concerts and the new version of the band fronted by Graham Gouldman.
The website of The Glasshouse proclaimed: “50 years on from their debut album, art pop and soft rock legends 10cc are back on tour. Their live shows are a hit Parade of sing-along classics like “I’m Not in Love,” “Rubber Bullets” and “The Things We Do For Love” that capture the band’s witty lyrics and innovative studio wizardry.”
“Having sold over 15 million albums in the UK alone, 10cc have eleven Top 10 hits to their name, including three No 1 singles – Rubber Bullets, Dreadlock Holiday and the ubiquitous I’m Not In Love – along with Donna (No 2), Art For Art’s Sake and Good Morning Judge (both reaching 5), The Things We Do For Love and I’m Mandy Fly Me (6), and The Wall Street Shuffle (10).”
The new band is led by Graham Gouldman, and also features Rick Fenn (lead guitar, bass), Paul Burgess (drums) – both of whom have been with 10cc since the early years; alongside Keith Hayman (keyboards, guitars, bass,) and Iain Hornal (keyboards).
The concert was in two parts with a short interval. I was accompanied by Jackie and Elaine and we all greatly enjoyed our nostalgic trip through the many, fantastic hits of this classic rock/pop band. Many thanks to Jackie for the excellent photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site.
Particular favourite songs were, for me: “Rubber Bullets” (which closed the evening), a wonderful a cappella version of “Donna”, “I’m Mandy Fly Me” and (of course) “I’m Not in love”. All of which took me back many years to many, many happy memories. At one point a wonderful image of Kevin Godley appeared on the screen. Almost spooky! Excellent.
Setlist: The Second Sitting for the Last Supper; Art for Art’s Sake; Life Is a Minestrone; Good Morning Judge; The Dean and I; Old Wild Men; Clockwork Creep; Feel the Benefit; The Wall Street Shuffle; Floating in Heaven; The Things We Do for Love; Say the Word; Silly Love; I’m Mandy Fly Me; I’m Not in Love; Dreadlock Holiday.
Encore: Donna; Rubber Bullets
This man is a walking jukebox! Not only did he write/co – write all of the hits of the magnificent 10CC, he also penned many of the hits, all songs I loved and still love, from the 60s. So, when I saw he was appearing at the Fire Station in Sunderland I just had to go along.
Graham started acoustically with one other guitarist Andy song which I didn’t know he had written: “Pamela, Pamela” which was a UK hit for the late Wayne Fontana. A simple song with a very catchy tune. Lovely. Then he started to sing a series of songs which mean so much to me and were such an important part of my youth. With each song, Graham introduced a new band member until the stage was full of a set of four excellent musicians. And so he delivered: “Heart Full of Soul” which was a hit for the Yardbirds, the late great Jeff Beck’s guitar solo still jangling around my brain; the bittersweet tale that the note in a milk bottle can bring (Graham explained his father brought him the title for the song after seeing a milk bottle with such a note one day): “No Milk Today”, a hit for Herman’s Hermits, and then moving forward to a 10CC hit “Good Morning Judge”. It doesn’t come any better than this.
A few more songs in and then another classic, again inspired by a conversation with a family member about looking through windows as the bus passed by each house: “Look through Any Window” a big hit for The Hollies, one of my all-time favourite bands. Graham explained that when he was inducted into the rock ‘n’ roll Hall of Fame there was only one song he could choose and that had to be his favourite (and mine) “Bus Stop” which he wrote, again for the Hollies. Another excellent 60s pop song. Somewhere in there he sang a big hit which, to my shame, I had forgotten: “Bridge to your heart” which he co-wrote with the late great Andrew Gold in their short lived collaboration band Wax.
Vintagerock's Weblog. 