Reviews

 I just don't connect with Sinatra, and particularly the moon in June,
 autumn leaves, crooning, shallow songs he sang. The great American song
 book was a pile of piffle, imo, until Bob came along and freed the world
 from all that nonsense. The show is very polished. The band is as tight
 as a drum.The drummer holds it all together. Bob spends a lot of time
 centre stage, which is great cos he is always fun to watch. The stage
 lighting seems designed to ensure you can't see too much, and filming and
 photographing will be difficult! The sound is the best I have ever heard
 at a Bob gig and his voice is the best I've heard since 99. He has
 rewritten Tangled, yet again, which is nice, and Love Sick, which has
 never been a favourite of mine, is a real show stopper as final encore.
 High Water sounded, to me, as though it could have come straight from the
 basement tapes, and all the Tempest songs were well performed, with
 special mention for a powerful Scarlet Town. Dotted in between were all
 this non Bob tunes. One, or, at a push, two of these in a show could be
 enjoyed as a novelty, a bit like when he did The Times We Have Known,
 back in 98. But, so many together, I just find tedious. However, he is
 clearly enjoying performing them and they were very warmly received by
 the audience. Bob will do what he will do, and it's good that he is still
 enjoying it after all these years. 

Manchester Apollo was an appropriately down at heel art nouveau location
for Bob to conjure his stuff.

Slightly loose at times, the band and Bob came together for stunning
versions of the Tempest songs - Early Roman Kings and Scarlet Town cut
through. The latter featured sinuous contributions from Charlie with a
trippy vibe.   For these songs Bob and Charlie were telepathically close. 
Spirit on the Water was jaunty and tight.

In the first half I'm a Fool to Want You proved Bob right, as usual, in
his latest excursion into Americana.  That and Tangled up in Blue brought
the first session to an emotional close.

Good mix in the audience with a lot of younger people very appreciative
and a genuine ovation at the finish.

He really does know what he's doing - every time.

1996 1st concert. 20+since. Been using boblinks for over10years. Never
been compelled to write a review, even to gigs I have been to. But use
boblinks daily when the great man is touring. You know the set list so no
need to discuss...... But points worthy of mention; Bob's attire: White
hat, referee black with white piping and white spatz. He looked the
business. Bob's dancing/mannerisms: Chaplin, Jackson,Steptoe. The Band:
Tight as cramp. Best I have heard in my 20 years. Voice: So suited to the
songs. But not just new ( last 17 years) songs... And there were plenty of
them. TUIB: As usual, brought a tear to my eye. But I have never heard it
sung better. New phrasing as is his way. Sinatra songs: I will admit I was
dubious, even with the positivity on Boblinks. However. I was truly blown
away by them. He may be older than he once was.... But he is still the
coolest cat on our watery ball we call planet earth.

Rob Frodsham
Liverpool

A great night, the bobsongs were excellent but some of the other guys
stuff really wants to be in another concert. OK they are done with
precision and love but when Tangled Up In Blue was tearing the walls down
it was clear this is what a lot of people want. Maybe he'll come back
without them sometime, he has a mass of his own songs that deserve to be
unearthed and given fresh life.