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from BBC website 14th October 2005 at the Forum, Kentish Town. Sharleen & Co hit the comeback trail and attempt to recapture their white soul glory days. Our reviewer Lianna Brinded watched in awe and appreciation... This tour has been a long while coming. Sharleen Spiteri has had a baby and become something of a media darling and gossip mag favourite. Can Texas still rock? Can they deliver? And can Sharleen recapture the 20 years of magic she has conjured within the band? Yes, yes and yes, resoundingly. Fans of all ages (with a large sprinkling of over 30s in attendance) queued for hours before the doors opened to gain a place at the front of the stage. After the support act, Robert Post, gave a spirited and clearly elated performance, Texas stormed on with the fan-pleasing anthem I Don't Want a Lover. It was like the band had never left the rock n roll arena, vindicating Sharleen's earlier statement that she had discovered "a new found hunger for it [singing and playing, natch]". Summer Sun, Black Eyed Boy and Halo were highlights of the show, as the band roared through a set of pure classics. earthy performance Sharleen's stage presence seems not to have diminished in any capacity: she conversed with the audience, introduced the band and rocked her way across the stage and through every song with the attitude of a bona fide star. There was a surprise near the end with a cover of Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone, which the audience lapped up with pure pleasure after the band had previewed material from new album Red Book. The choice of venue, the somewhat tawdry Forum in Kentish Town, actually matched Sharleen's new found lust for the rock and roll life, as well as emphasizing the band's no nonsense, earthy performance. Was this designed to counter-act all the glossy media attention of recent times? The bulletin board on the Texas website has been ablaze with "Shar is GOD" messages and queries about the "grassroots" nature of this London gig. Speculation is rife that the current tour is an audience-gauging warm-up, gearing the band towards arena dates by next spring. No sweat. On tonight's evidence, there's still plenty of fire in their collective belly. |