Pizza Express Live Gigs Feb 2018

[mariaw81]

That would be brilliant Chris if there was more Pizza Express restaurants had music venues and had Gareth performing. x

[lindajan]

Hi,

Thanks  to everyone for their reports, comments, pictures and videos from Gareth's short Pizza Express Live tour. I was at the show in Birmingham on Saturday with Chris and Yvonne and also with my sister-in-law, Joyce, and her friend, Ann. It was a lovely, intimate venue which was virtually full (all ages and both females and males) by the time Gareth performed. The stage was set when we were shown to our table just after 6.30pm and as I'm always especially excited to see a piano (or keyboard), I wasn't disappointed - there was a grand piano all miked up and ready to go. Although I'm not a huge fan of his velvet or flowery suits (I much prefer the one he wore at Holborn on Sunday), Gareth always manages to look amazing. It was also lovely that Pete Rinaldi was his guitarist for this tour (and most of the cruise shows and probably other shows during the year) - they have a brilliant rapport and genuine friendship.

After everyone had eaten and had a few drinks, Pete came onto stage first and commented that there wasn't anyone to do the introductions so he was going to do them and proceeded to welcome Gareth to the stage. As usual Gareth bounded out then, as Chris said, he stopped, preened himself and seemed to be inviting us to appreciate his suit. He then went straight to the piano, sat down and started the first song, so now seems a good time to include his set list. (I'm pretty sure I've got all the songs with their correct titles and I hope I've got the order right).

GARETH GATES SET LIST BIRMINGHAM PIZZA EXPRESS LIVE
Part 1

I Believe I Can Fly (piano)
Yesterday (piano)
My Girl
Suspicious Minds
True Colours
Angel On My Shoulder (Gareth dedicated this to his mum, Wendy, who wasn't there)
Faith (dedicated to Inger Barber, Faye's mum & a George Michael fan, who was there)
Valerie
Anyone Of Us
Hold On Tight (this was written for Faye, who was at the gig)
Can't Stop The Feeling! (sung for 1st time in Maidstone – it was in the last panto though)
Footloose (Gareth made it quite clear he wouldn't be stripping!)

Part 2

All Of Me (piano)
That's When You Know (piano)
Dance With My Father (piano)
Sentimental
Heaven
Sweet Child Of Mine
Say It Isn't So
Mr Brightside
Unchained Melody (piano) (still got audience to sing high note – in panto sang a lower, highish note himself)
Brown-Eyed Girl
Spirit In The Sky (got 4 girls, separately, on stage to sing with him, the last of them was Sarahjane)

Encore

Mustang Sally

I've added a few comments next to some of the songs. The set list appears to be an extended and re-ordered version of the one Gareth is using on the cruise (at least when Doris went). Everything about his performance was superb. Gareth's voice was strong, rich and faultless (finally back to how it was, perhaps even better); his piano playing was beautiful, adding an extra dimension to the songs he accompanied; his speech when talking between some of the numbers was fluent; his stage presence was charismatic and sometimes funny; frequently he asked us to acknowledge Pete and his brilliant guitar work; and he engaged with the audience, encouraging us to join in or take over at times. Gareth really is a fantastic entertainer and I'm certain that he thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Faye and her family and some of his were there to support him.

Although Gareth was on stage for around 90 minutes with a break in the middle, all too soon the show was over. However it wasn't long before he was back for a 'Meet and Greet', happily chatting, signing autographs, having photos with everyone that wanted them. Eventually we reluctantly left, having truly enjoyed the show in a great venue. I really hope the news report I came across this morning (which mentions Gareth) about Pizza Express opening many more of these venues is true and that Gareth does a more extended tour covering more parts of the country.

Thanks to the people I was with for your excellent company and also to other fans that were there that I've met at various other times.

Love Linda xx

 

[Barbara]

Really enjoyed reading your detailed report and could picture the evening you described. Thanks x

 

[Yorksheather]

Thank you Linda for your very detailed excellent report , much appreciated

[Val4Gareth]

Thanks for your lovely report Linda. 

[garethsmelody]

Thank you for your report. Loved the set list.

[Val4Gareth]

Lovely recording of the whole of Dance With My Father, recorded by June on Sunday night

 

[eternal]

Thanks Linda for such a comprehensive report. Not sure how you remember it all but glad you do?

Please thank June for this amazing recording of Dance with My Father. How good is this?

[Guest NicolaJayne]

Thank you for your lovely report, pics and video’s Maria. 

I really enjoyed it and can’t believe  Sarahjane being so brave to get up on stage and sing with Gareth. I would never have the nerve to do anything like that, not even in my younger days. But admire anyone who does and love to see people enjoying themselves singing with Gareth. I think you may have been so shocked you didn’t think to take a pic or record her. Is there any chance she may come and write a report for us, I used to love her reports and it would also be nice to have her pic with Gareth on here as it’s lovely 

its been so nice reading everyone’s reports of this fantastic Pizza Express tour and it’s a pity there isn’t more that are music venues, but judging by the link to the Gardian that  Chris put up it sounds like They are very successful so let’s hope more are adapted to become music venues. 

 

[Guest NicolaJayne]

I have read your report quite a few times since Chris as it’s so interesting and fills in all the gaps that I didn’t put in mine, mine was purely factual. I didn’t realise that you had never had a pic taken with Gareth, I have probably got far too many but treasure each one as a lovely memento  of the event

Thanks to Linda for spotting it, we are now booked for Peterborough.  It seems to be the only chance that we will get this year unless more events are added in the south of the country.

[dorral]

Thanks Linda for your detailed report,,loving all the videos from the weekend,

[mariaw81]

Thank you to June for recording the full song and to Val for posting it for her 🙂 think I’ll take mine of as who needs 2 parts to a song when there’s a full one. Apologies to anyone disappointed that I didn’t do any full ones.

[mariaw81]

Thank you for posting your fantastic report Linda 🙂you’re always brilliant at remembering the full set list. x

[eternal]

Maria please leave yours on.. we can never have too many. Don't forget they ate different venues too. 

[sarahjane]

Thought id do a report as I know people miss them from me. I was really glad my mom could go with us she had not seen gareth since glee club. we went to eat at slug and lettuce as I don't think I could eat pizza or there stuff as its all dough which I cant digest bread good so I thought best to go some where else. met Hayley and pat we had trouble getting a table was packed in there luckily we did though. I had pina colada to drink just the 1 as I don't drink much cause of all my medication maria had one too and Hayley and her mom. my mom had a coffee.me and my mom and maria all had skinny fries to eat and then me and maria had these mini desserts I shared some.i gave half the choc orange thing to my mom and only ate 3 churros gave the others to Hayley and her mom.i ate both mini bits of sticky dicky with custard though they was those mini type desserts. was a lil apriehensive when we first wet up to the pizza express room as I thought we be at front but was,nt as it was all 2s at the front and there was 5 of us.i needant of worried though the view was perfectly fine could,nt take photos of him singing the lighting make pictures go blurred. I knew where gareth and pete was beforehand as id seen waiters take food in through fire exit door. pete introduced gareth he was wearing crushed velvet suit not my cup of tea neither are the flowery ones the grey one he had with waistcoat looked nice though. gareth looked gorgeous though and it was lovely to hear his voice back to its fullest. his voice is so beautiful and mesmerising you just feel in awe listening to him. he dedicated the singing on angel on my shoulder to his mom. he dedicated hold on tight to faye and faith by George Michael for fayes mom. during his time singing footloose when it came to singing the name jack gareth kept saying jack barber he was teasing fayes brother. had to laugh that gareth and pete had written the song list on a hat from pizza express which at one stage gareth had on his head looked like a sailor lol he later tried stick it on petes head but it fell off. I was amazed at how many songs gareth sang linda got the list covered. there was quite a lot id not heard him sing before a mixture of gareth songs and covers gotta say prefer gareths versions of everything but im biased lol. him singing footloose tune reminded me of time at footloose gareth as Willard in his dungaress. gareth put the mic to a few at the front to sing a few words. later he started gestering people saying who want to sing.i thought oh what do I do I always wanted sing with him but after the stage invasion incident at Lichfield I believe it was I was totally put off but having my mom with us I thought I cant really miss the opportunity to sing infront of my mom aswell. I think gareth pointed at who he wanted up on stage. the fourth time I still put my hand up and then he said come on lets hear the lovely sarahjane.i thought oh my god can I do this everyone watching how do I even get up there lol. but cause gareth had actually said my name it felt like he was encouraging me and as I got nearer I was,nt sure how to get up on the stage. gareth put his hand out and helped me up like the gentleman that he is. I tried to just focus on holding onto gareth and sang as if I was at home playing sing star with my friends. I felt really proud of myself that id done something id dreamt of doing for like since forever. my mom said the look on gareths face as I sang was as if he was impressed I dunno I was,nt looking I was just focusing on the task lol. afterwards at meet and greet gareth actually said to me sarahjane you sounded great on stage to hear that to have a person like gareth say I was good it meant a lot. I had a lovely huggy picture with him I love his hugs there the best his so comforting. waited after while others saw gareth I did,nt know my mom had gone ask manager for poster off window lol.when she gave it me she was like go get it signed by gareth so I did.gareth had a big grin he said oooh this ideal to sign he wrote sarahjane you sounded great lots of love gareth. he had trouble writing as marias pen was running out lol so finished with biro lol. I rolled up the poster I said to gareth I better make sure know one grabs it off me lol jokingly. it was the perfect time and gareths voice was just amazing some of the songs made you feel tearfull the emotion in his voice the tone just beautiful. here is my picture and photo I took of gareth on his own as mom don't like her photo taken love sarahjane xxx

[mariaw81]

Thank you so much for your very detailed and lovely report Sarahjane 🙂it really was a special night finished of nicely by you singing on stage with him, he was definitely impressed. Gorgeous pics. x

[Yorksheather]

Thanks for posting your lovely detailed report Sarahjayne . You posted some things no one else mentioned , and you obviously had a great time . Your photos are lovely also  

[garethsmelody]

• Thank you Sarahjane.  Loved your report and pics.

[Val4Gareth]

Thank you for your lovely report SarahJane. Loved reading it and your pictures are beautiful. 

[Khelda]

Sarah Jane, you look lovely with Gareth and a big thank you for your report, loved reading it.

[eternal]

Elaine I have had a couple of photos taken with Gareth but there has always been someone else in the photo too(my choice). Who knows one day i will have one taken. Meantime I am loving all the ones on here. Love the photos of Gareth taken on his own too.

Thanks Sarahjane for your report. Yes we have missed them.

How lovely your mom got the poster from the wall for you. Was lovely to see your mom too.

You were very brave getting up on stage. Sounded good too.

." You posted some things no one else mentioned" . That's the joy of reading every report. Each of us has a different angle on the event.

[eternal]

June has added some amazing videos to her website from Sunday in Holborn:

http://www.devotedtogareth.com/pizza-express-holborn

Anyone who is in touch with her directly= please thank her for sharing them.

[dorral]

Thanks for your lovely interesting report Sarahjane, your pictures are gorgeous.

 

[Guest NicolaJayne]

Just want to say thank you Lindajan for your lovely report and so sorry I missed it earlier and just saw Maria’s. All the reports on here are so good and don’t know how you remember the songs, I never do unless I write them down. 

[Val4Gareth]

June has now put more of her videos on YouTube