ROYAL ALBERT HALL - CONCERT REVIEW!
MAY 12TH 2001 - Review Presented by William Hooper

I hope you enjoy this review of Cliff's wonderful concert! I saw the concert on Sunday 13th May but I am still on cloud 9! and could not possibly write an  accurate account! The concert was, in my opinion, one of Cliff's best ever although it would have been nice to have seen a few more of his oldies included! I'm not complaining though - it was a fantastic evening with great seats and lots of award winning smiles - thanks Cliff!

7.45pm and the time is ticking by.It is full-house. Soon he will be on stage, but it's the first night and those don't always start on time! Expectation is rising by the minute.Somehow, with the stage at one end, the RAH seems smaller than with the stage in the middle..some sort of illusion.The audience hubbub is high, the atmospher is BUZZING.The ladies of the National Symphony Orchestra come on followed by Cliff's band and backing singers,They are all in evening suits and look very smart(John Clarke still has his hat on though!)

7.50 and the lights go down. We can hear Cliff sing REUNION OF THE HEART but we can't see him, then all of a sudden, there he is to an almighty cheer as he gets a standing ovation. He looks fit, tanned and very happy to be back.He iss wearing a shiny silver/grey suit and blue tie. Straight into WE DON'T TALK ANYMORE. Cliff then asks everyone to 'be seated'. He tells us that there is a special guest just flown in-Olivia Newton-John. Then it's MOVE IT and it's the new, rocky version-great.Over a year off maybe, but Cliff can still ROCK!

To slow things down a bit it's THE BEST OF ME. He then talks of being in America and about singers doing songs made famous by other people and it's a reggae version of LET'S FALL IN LOVE which leads into BLUE SKIES reggae also!-and back again tOo 'Let's fall'.Then it's EVERYTIME WE SAY GOODBYE with stunning red flame effects behind him on the stage.Cliff's voice sounds just great. He talks about being in Barbados and going to the South side where the paparazzi don't go and then he had a call from his PA Roger to say that he was on page 3 of the 'Daily Mail'!!-But Cliff says they caught him on a good day!

Then it's ON THE BEACH with everyone singing along to. Cliff then has a guitar for SHE'S GONE.This song was on "Me and my Shadows" album. This is a surprise-it's a slower,tougher and stronger version. BRILLIANT. This very cleverly leads into the Rolling Stones song written for Cliff BLUE TURNS TO GREY. How great to hear Cliff sing this on stage.These are some really nice surprises you are springing on us here Cliff!

SOME PEOPLE and all the lights and torches are waving. At the end of this women give him hankies for the sweat and a white bear. Cliff talks of the new album and next comes MOON RIVER, but this version is different-slighly different arrangement with different phrasing. It doesn't sound like the original at all!Good though. John plays accoustic guitar in the middle-it's more like 'Some people'.Then it's the old Dion and the Belmonts doowop hit WHERE OR WHEN with saxophone-a slow, rocky version.

Next is the familiar start of OCEAN DEEP which applause straight away.Then it's the next single, a Chris Eaton song LET ME BE THE ONE.Medium-paced ballad with a swishing drum beat. Sounds a bit African beat and has a haunting effect on this first hearing. Then it's THE MILLENNIUM PRAYER and there is a run to the front.Everyone singing and swaying.

...and that's only the first half!

The 1st half finished at 8.55pm. Who should we bump into outside but Alvin Stardust!(He probably thought 'Who IS that man in a white jacket?')It is hot, very hot!There is great excitement in the audience about the new songs.

9.25pm and it's the 2nd half...The band and singers now have white jackets on. Cliff comes on wearing a salmon pink jacket with grey trousers and grey shirt. It's an Abba song LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME.Cliff does lots of actions and hip movements that all the ladies love.This is a great version of this little-heard Abba hit. It goes down a bomb!A definate highlight.Then Cliff says he is going to one of his favourite songs JOANNA from the "Stronger" album and written by Chris Eaton.

Cliff then talks of his 60th birthday 'cruise' and how many friendships were made by the people on it.Then it's an old Rogers and Hart song SHE WAS TOO GOOD TO ME. He says that he was on the cruise and listened to some of these old songs and heard this song being sung by Natalie Cole.Following this it's MISS YOU NIGHTS.The lights are waving all over the RAH.

Now another surprise! A great rocking version of WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE. Haven't heard this for ages.Cliff obviously enjoys doing this.The audience too.Next it's two Rogers and Hart songs back-to-back:THIS CAN'T BE LOVE and MY FUNNY VALENTINE.Again, while these some are 'old', Cliff makes them sound different to the expected.

Now it's STRONGER THAN THAT and there is a run to the front. How fantastic to hear this great song again!Cliff hasn't done this on stage for 11 years!This is one of my all-time favourite Cliff songs. Cliff says he is now going to do a Terry Britten song and it's CARRIE.Not heard this on stage for a while now either. Cliff goes off but there are shouts of MORE,MORE,MORE.Next is another oldie MY HEART STOOD STILL.Again a great Cliff saxophone solo in this.Nice version of this song Cliff.

DEVIL WOMAN and everyone is clapping and singing along and this is followed by A LITTLE IN LOVE. Cliff looks happy and we are happy!THIS is a perfect combination. Cliff singing live with his loyal fans singing along with him. JUST PERFECT. It is as though you have never been away now Cliff!

He goes off again but fans at the front are chanting WE WANT CLIFF,WE WANT CLIFF,WE WANT CLIFF.

He returns and says that he going to do a song that was in the film "Meeting Joe Black".It was sung very simply in the film and it's OVER THE RAINBOW with a medium tempo and this leads into WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD and back to 'Rainbow'. Everyone is singing along and these two songs do work together very well indeed.SUPER.

10.30pm and that's the end of the show.

Cliff has certainly come up with a 'different' show. A mix of Tarney, Britten and Chris Eaton songs, Rogers and Hart songs, perennial Cliff favourites and some great covers.

It was quite refreshing NOT to have:Living doll, The young ones and Summer holiday. It was great to have some Cliff songs not heard in ages.

To sum up, a mixture of songs to suit all ages of Cliff's fans...

The BEST thing was...

To see Cliff looking and sounding so good again.

If he had butterflies before he came out on stage tonight (as he said he did), he certainly didn't show it.

CLIFF-the BEST live performer.

CLIFF-the BEST pop singer.

William

FOOTNOTE: William is a long standing Cliff Richard fan and collector - sincere thanks to him for such a good review

PHOTOS FROM THE CONCERT