Richard Hawley

He said he'd take the cost of the cake out of John's wages.

[quote]I agree about the gig tonight but if every song got the ovation it deserved, we'd still be there and Hawley would be paying a fine for breaking the curfew [/quote]

Ha! It would be worth it though and I wouldn't mind chipping in to pay the fine off either!

Every time I see Mr. Hawley he gets better and better. My personal favourite gig was the Christmas City Hall gig where he supported himself and gave out the 'Silent Night' CD (was that 2006?) but tonight was up there.

Hurrah, Stockport got a mention!!. I've not got the album yet, wanted to get it when I know I will have time to properly listen to it but on tonight's evidence the new songs are great, maybe he could have chucked in an uptempo number but it's a measure of Richard's integrity that he stuck to his guns and that's why he will still be making music for years to come.

Richard mentioned a while ago that he was considering writing another song in the vein of the ocean, I wonder if it was Open your Door.

Some great guitar moments - the live versions of 'Soldier On' and 'Remorse Code' were superb. Rich gave it the biffters. I loved 'Open Up Your Door' too.

Not sure about 'Don't You Cry' as the 'final' song though....the applause afterwards for the encore seemed laboured and I watched as a fair few of the audience gave up and left. I was squirming a bit by the time the band returned after their ciggies. Perhaps people had buses to catch?

Mr H appeared happy enough with the crowd though, and he enjoyed a bit of banter.

P.S. Was that Coleen Nolan who kept shouting out that she was in the mood for dancing? C'mon....name and shame.

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Jean Oeufs Nouveaux pretentious? I think not.

After The Ocean it was grab your bags and bugger off before the house lights came up...

It's an incredibly brave setlist. No Coles Corner and only two songs from Lady's Bridge (and not the singles). For me, it was the best Hawley gig I have ever been to but I imagine that a fair few of the audience tonight would not share that view. At worst, the venue size will go down on the next tour before 2011's album of three minute pop songs sends him straight to arenas. Or not - hopefully

True I heard a few comments about the lack of 'hits' going back to the car - but equally folks going on about the number of guitars used - the way the songs were arranged - Richard must have a 'muso' fan base

Open up your door stuck in my head after last night, listened to it again this morning that song is the absolute bollocks and I'm pretty convinced it's his new 'the ocean' beautiful song.

That was the case for my mother and I but it took less time than expected to sprint back to Oxford Road. Boooo!

Also, hello.

Aye, last train from Oxford Road to Bolton and beyond was 5 mins after the Ocean. A fair sprint. Shame, as it broke my mellow mood after what was a top gig.

I really enjoyed the fact that he didn't play "a song to dance to" as it captures the mood of Trueloves Gutter (Obviously the shouty woman on the balcony only came to hear Serious). Richard is obviously rightly proud of the album and enjoyed playing the tracks live. I have seen a couple of gigs at the Bridgewater Hall and it never lends itself to uptempo numbers. I prefer the intimacy of Holmfirth for that. My girlfriend only recognised a couple of tracks last night and she enjoyed it...especially the "chap with the saw"!

Had a wonderful evening, wish i was able to go to another.
Only one word to discribe the whole experience...sublime

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Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb.

My favourite too... I totally love that song. It's trapped in my head at the moment

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Hoarding money is like saving sex for your old age....

I know how unfit i am after that limp to the train station. My ankles are killing me today. Only just made it. The gig was so great the fact i could hardly breathe and the drunken football tossers didn't dampen my mood at all.

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There's something in the distance
a glorious existence

Hello, Bryony. Welcome to the asylum. The nuns will tell you if you break any rules!

At least travelling by train meant you avoided the curse of Manchester's one-way road system, complete with no signs for Bridgewater Hall. I was a student in Manchester (some years ago) but it didn't stop me getting lost last night and effing and jeffing at the missus.

I told her to look out for signs for the 'G-Mex' knowing it was over the road from Bridgewater Hall.........only to find out that the G-Mex changed its name to 'Manchester Central' three years ago. I felt a right dickhead when we found out.

It took us as long to get from the Mancunian Way (it's probably not called that nowadays!) by the Winnie Mandela student union building (nor that!) to Bridgewater Hall as it did to hoof it from Liverpool to Manchester!

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Jean Oeufs Nouveaux pretentious? I think not.

Ah, I remember the run for the last train to Bolton... Not so bad from the University venues, somewhat more nerve-jangling after staying to the end at the Apollo on a school night

My brother drove back to Bolton alone after the gig and would have been happy to have had a passenger. Perhaps there should be a forum gig carpool thread? Daft to miss the end if someone's going your way, innnit.

Thought the band were on astounding form last night. I'm just sorry I wasn't familiar with the new LP - it sounds like something I would love but that I would have to spend a bit of time with and steep myself in first. I thought some of the songs had an air of Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden in their stately layeredness. And that's no bad thing at all.

I got what appears to be a rather nice recording - I'll post it in the usual places during the week.