Concert review :
Wembley Arena, London, UK - 8 & 9 February 2001
by Vasiliy from Russia
Texas burn Wembley Arena
London. It’s rainy and cloudy all the day. Despite the weather thousands of people (and me among of them) move from everywhere to see one of two Texas shows on Wembley Arena, a part of “The Greatest Hits” tour…
19.00 people slow step-by-step fill the concourse. Just in hour it will be filled to capacity…On the stage and near to it a few people (I count about 5) check the equipment: guitars, drums, microphones. Very carefully, accurate. All is preparing for the gig…
19.30 the light is switching off…Semisonic appear on the stage.
To be fair, I never heard them before. Didn’t see them and didn’t know them. The first thing that impressed me was the keyboard near the drums. I saw it before the beginning and was thinking about why is it there? Later during their performance of one song a drummer played keyboard and the drums at the same time! Well, as for me, I don’t think it was really needed…but looked great.
The guys played 1 hour, till 20.30. For those who don’t know them…Their 3 guys: 2 guitarists (and vocalists) and a drummer. Also the 4-th one joined them from time to time to play keyboards or a guitar. The style…Well, I think it’s called “garage” in Britain. It’s not a pure “garage” but very close. Some songs were really good. They “warmed” the people. It was good performance. But…don’t know…their music recalled me Radiohead and Blur…Is it my bad knowledge of their music or not?…don’t know, maybe. Just I think it was not so difficult for them to play because all the people were waiting for Texas and could easy listen all they played…Don’t think that after Texas somebody would like to listen them. But to be fair I have to say that nobody will lose something listening Semisonic. Their music is at least interesting. As for me, I’m going to buy their CD…Is it a bad result of their work?!…
So at 20.30 Semisonic left the stage. What was after? The same as before. I counted 12 people on the stage and about 5 else near it. They worked very quickly to get up a new stage for Texas. Again checking all the instruments and the last preparations….
21.00 The light is off again…”Zero Zero” begins to play. The stage is behind a huge white. On it there’re animated sea waves and then a spout. (I have to say in advance that all the light during the shows will be really great. All will be made according to the music and feelings of the songs.) Behind a white you can see how Texas are coming on to the stage. The hall is filled with a screaming. You still can’t see them, just the silhouettes. The light is slow turning on. They dance and take the places on the stage. Shar begins to sing something to the melody. Suddenly a white is falling down… Well, I can't explain how people screamed at this moment. It's impossible to say it in few words... And at this time begins “In Demand”. I never heard such clear and great live singing as Shar sang these shows. I couldn't believe that she sings live. It was fantastic! It always seemed that she can sing and sing, more and more. Don't know if there any limit for her! Not like the most artists sing and you see that they are tired or something...You couldn't even think that about Sharleen. Despite I can just imagine how she tired after all was ended (and all the guys , of course). Well, here are the songs in the order they were played after “Zero Zero”:
1.In Demand
2.Black Eyed Boy
3.Halo
4.In Our Lifetime
here Sharleen told the story how she was going to somewhere in a cab and a driver was looking to her all the time. She was confused but he kept watching. She thought that he guessed her like a member of Texas. Suddenly he said "That's Elvis!". (It was really funny!) Shar told him that everyone can became Elvis despite of his sex after 6 hours of make-up. In general, Shar was very funny sometimes. She talked to people, was joking etc.
"This is "Guitar Song"....
5.Guitar Song
6.Insane (at the ending of the song Shar played keyboard! Never saw that before. She's a good player. It's for sure. Not that it was so necessary to play the keyboards for her… but the main is that it looked really cool. She was sitting near to Eddie.)
7.Tired Of Being Alone (Sharleen played keyboards all the song).
After this song Shar chose one guy from the people in front of the stage and invited him to come on. At first day, Feb 8, it was a guy from Spain. She asked if he dances or not. He said that yes. Well, it’s needed to see that to understand how it was funny. All the guys went for the rest. Just drummer and 2 girls from back vocal were on stage else. Sharleen was dancing with the guy and sang something. Drummer played some hip hop rhythm.
The same was during the 2-nd concert. Just that guy wanted to make Sharleen's photo at first. She didn't let it him but after their dancing she took his camera and made a photo of him with the girls from back vocal!
8.Put Your Arms Around Me (acoustic version, Shar played guitar alone on the stage. Pretty…)
9.Prayer For You (acoustic version, Johny played guitar sitting and Sharleen sang. A difficult song for guitar. But Johny played really great. Shar even asked watchers to "help" him. So all the people clapped during this song.)
Before they began to play this song Sharleen asked Johny to stand up and to turn his back. So on his jeans behind was written with white letters "Texas" …
10.I Don't Want A Lover (all people stood up with the beginning of this song and none sat down after. Arena became in one huge dance-pool).
11.When We Are Together
Here Shar says:" Now it's 10 p.m. It's late. So now will be the last song. - people are screaming- What? You can come here tomorrow. I'm working tomorrow too. (She said it on Feb 8)".
"Ok. This song will be a test for you".
12.Summer Son
Here Shar said goodbye and Texas left the stage. People are screaming. Then see how in the darkness they are back. Begins to play "Inner Smile". Then lights turn on and there's Shar standing in her leather cloths from "Inner Smile" video. There also was written with big red letters "Texas" (like in video) behind the stage.
13.Inner Smile
14. Suspicious Minds , the Elvis cover song.
After they' said goodbye and left the stage again. Screaming filled the hall…
And Texas are back again... Sharleen: "I guess we forgot something...? Do you know what?". All people screamed "Say What You Want"...
15. Say What You Want
It was the end. Well, all I can say, none would ask them to stay anymore. How they played these evenings! Everybody understood how they tired.
The level of the band is seen during their live performances. During the concert you see the band how it is in fact. So after these concerts I can just say that Texas proved again that it is really great band. The best band. The great musicians and the great people. And I've never seen so much happy people after the concert. I think even somebody who didn't like Texas before would be a fan after the concert.
It's hard to explain the feelings and emotions in words. I hope that Texas will produce a video with some of these concerts. It's really cost it. If you haven’t a ticket for one their next concerts hurry up! Hope there’re still a few tickets yet…
Vasiliy
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