Val4Gareth

Linda I hope you don't mind I've put a link to If You Leave Me Now on Twitter. So many people wanted to hear it and its so good.

Thank you Linda for recording this fantastic song and thanks heather for posting it up for us. There's not too much interference, except for the slight cut out at the beginning. The speaking you can hear is part of the show. Gareth sings the song while others in the cast are performing centre stage. Its a fantastic recording. Thanks again Linda.

A message has now been posted on Gareth's Website

Thanks for the link Heather. Bit scathing in parts I think, but good comments about Gareth.

I wonder if he was having a bad day with his speech, which was why they didn't show his interview. Its so hard for him. Feel so sorry for him sometimes.

Yes it does look like they'd bought a job lot doesn't it. My grandson's got one as well.

Nice Video from the Press call at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon Pity we don't get to hear Gareth being interviewed.

Gareth said he did a press call in Swindon yesterday and here's the result in the Swindon advertiser. http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/10247605.Boogie_on_down_to_see_Gareth_Gates/

Gareth has set up a Twitter account for his new Gates Academy https://twitter.com/GatesAcademy

Its not a case of trying to prove your point Sophie. You're trying to preach to the converted on here. We're here because we think Gareth has a fantastic voice. Watching those videos will only appeal to people who enjoy that kind of voice, which I'll say again is not me. In my honest opinion Gareth has a far better voice than either of them, with much more tone, gentleness and feeling. Like you said on Twitter `each to their own' and I don't think a Gareth fansite is a very good place to try to change opinions.

Its £10.52 Elaine and Gareth sings just the one song `Closer To Heaven' Here's the link on Amazon for the CD listing. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Somewhere-The-Audience-Eric-Woolfson/dp/B00B2M7D1O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361462207&sr=8-1 That was exactly what I thought of their voices when I listened. Neither of them would encourage me to listen again or to buy the CD if Gareth wasn't featured on it I asked John (Laughingmonsta) on Twitter if he knew what the problem was with the MM CD and he said it was a problem with the distributors, but didn't know when it would be available. Hope its not much longer. I can't wait to receive mine.

Thanks for posting Sophie. This is the album Louise Dearman mentioned a while ago when she said she was recording with Gareth. I'll buy it to hear Gareth singing a new song, but apart from that the only ones I'd want to listen to is Louise and Oliver Thompsett. Not keen on Steve Balsamo and although Ben has a nice voice, I find him one dimentional and a bit screachy,

Thanks Heather. Very funny. He was sort of asking for it wasn't he.

I only wish I could Chris. It was made even worse as I'd taken my camera to record everything on and the very first thing I tried it told me the memory card was full, so that's why Debbie tried on her phone. Guess it just wasn't meant to be. Fancy going somewhere else with me?

I love hearing Gareth singing Puppy Love. My one regret is that when I went to Plymouth last week, my daughter recorded all Gareth's songs on her phone and when we tried to play them back none of them worked. Particularly upset about not having `If You Leave Me Now'

Not sure why some of you don't like the Argos interview. I think its quite a nice interview where Gareth was given the opportunity to say exactly how he feels and what he wants from his life. What is it in particular that you don't like?

Thanks Heather. I like the new hair style.

Thanks Heather. That was a nice interview.

Plymouth Pavilions have posted up this slide show of pics from last nights show. http://www.plymouthpavilions.com/gallery_images.asp?pid=711#id=1&num=6

I knew I hadn't missed Jimmy with a keyboard on Saturday. My daughter enjoyed it so-so. She was never a fan of the Osmonds but she did think they were pretty good. Contrary to me, she did think Shane was pretty good. She didn't enjoy it enough to go to SD though. Told me I could go and she'd wait in the car for me, but I didn't bother. There was a very large crowd waiting. Before we left we saw Merrill come out with two bodyguards but no-one else. They had a barrier across to keep everyone behind. Could see the stage door from where we were parked in the car park.

Just got back from Plymouth. Enjoyed the show even more tonight if that's possible. The atmosphere was much more relaxed than it was in Birmingham. Crowds of people moved right down by the stage and the performers were kneeling down to have pictures taken with anyone who wanted them. Merrill even got down off the stage at one point. Gareth too was leaning over and holding as many people's hand as he could reach. It really was a lovely evening. One thing I don't remember seeing on Saturday. Jimmy played a keyboard for one of the songs and at the end fireworks shot out the end of it. Can anyone remember that happening? Only thing is its made me want to go again now.

Thank you for putting up your lovely report and pics SarahJane. They are really lovely. I love the one you had taken with Gareth. He looked so smart when he came out after the show. Loved what he was wearing. Well done on taking all those pictures.

Loads of lovely pictures from last night on this link https://www.dropbox.com/sh/aaq5imys52h4yc6/WVuqm-QEPx Do you think these were taken by the man that was disrupting your view Doris?

What a fabulous feel-good show. So glad I was able to see it. Enjoyed the Osmonds much more than I thought I was going to. Not really been a fan of theirs, but they were great. They had lots of videos flashed up on a screen behind them of the whole group and Donnie & Maria in the earlier years which was a lovely touch I thought. They still have a huge following and even after all the years they've been in the business it was very noticable that Jimmy in particular was very touched with tears in his eyes at the reception they received. We were up on our feet for at least three quarters of the show I think. Needless to say Gareth's voice was head and shoulders above anyone else, but I did enjoy listening to Andy Abraham. He's got a very good voice. Wasn't at all impressed with Shane Richie Jnr, and for someone who is I believe only 19, he looked much older than Gareth. Chico also looked a lot older than I always imagined him to be from seeing him on TV. He didn't have too big a part in the show. Didn't sing and was mainly there to display his body it seemed. Loved the dark girls voice and the blonde one, but Louisa Lytton was definitely the weakest singer on the night. Gareth was absolutely amazing. So much enthusiasm and put everything into his facial expressions. The dance moves were not too shoddy either. He's got a natural movement. What I thought was especially lovely was the way when Gareth was singing he was looking around the whole crowd and individually acknowledged everyone that he recognized in the audience. Hearing him sing Puppy Love with the Osmonds was amazing and YMCA was such fun with Gareth in his feathers. He even lingered on the stage for a short while after all the others had gone off. Gareth came out after the show looking very dapper in his dickie-bow tie and waistcoat. We were half way back in the queue to see him and he went back in straight after seeing us, so bit of a shame for those behind us. Goes without saying he was his usual lovely appreciative self. There was a very substantial crowd there waiting for him. The only other one to come out was Shane, but hardly anyone realized it was him until he'd almost walked past the crowd. We were sat in front of SarahJane and her mum and Andrea. I'd not seen Sylvia for ages so was nice to see her again. During the interval Gill (Bracknell) came over to have a chat. She'd been sat up in the balcony so was lovely of her to come down to speak with us. This was the first time she'd been to see Gareth since the Valentine's Ball two years ago. Vera also came over and had a chat with us during the interval. Want to say a big thank you to Yvonne who accommodated 4 of us at her home last night. We sat up uptil almost 3 o'clock chatting. It was really lovely. Also thanks Chris for the lift back to the station this morning. Had such a great time, I'm hoping to go again on Wednesday to Plymouth.

Just got back home. Will put up a report when I've recovered. It was fantastic.