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Audiences at The Stables have a bit of a reputation for being a bit stiff. The musicians tell me that
the lighting is such that you can’t see the audience from the stage that well. The irony is that although it’s a fabulously comfy custom-made perfect-for-sound 400-‘seating only’ venue, it can be a bit dry.
Well, not tonight.
“We like it here” says Nearly frontman and guitarist Steve Hayes. “It’s posh and we’re not used to it. We usually play spit and sawdust type places.”
Steve is joined on
stage by Gary Davies on keyboards, Brian Hargreaves on drums, Pete Bacanin on bass and Rob Rolph on lead guitar. On Nearly horns, there’s recently hitched Anne Hansen on alto sax, Chris Davies on tenor sax and
Paul Bennett on trumpet. Backing singers Kate Robertson and Diane Davies complete the line-up.
Now I’ve seen this band on many occasions but tonight, I think, is the best they’ve ever played. They just
keep getting better and better.
It’s a gorgeous setlist in two parts. The first half is full of surprises in the form of great songs like ‘Night by Night’ and ‘Green Flower Street’. But the real
show stopper for me is, without doubt, ‘Home at last’ from 1977’s ‘Aja’ collection, with its fabulous bass part and lines like ‘the danger on the rocks is surely past, still I remain tied to the mast’?
The second half is Nearly’s selection of Steely greatest hits with the likes of ‘Rikki don’t lose that number’, ‘Peg’ and ‘My old school’ all featuring, something for everyone, so much great
material.
The audience gets a bit rowdy. We take a sharp exit to a fast car and the road home wishing we could do it all again, soon.
Nearly will be touring extensively throughout 2007 celebrating
their tenth year together! If you get the chance do go and see them. You’ll not be disappointed!
Set One
The Boston Rag **
Do It Again – *
Night by night ***
Home At Last +++
Green Earrings ++
Dr Wu +
Black Cow +++
Green Flower Street ###
Kid Charlemagne ++
Aja +++
Set Two
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number ***
Reelin’ In The Years *
Time Out Of Mind #
Cousin Dupree ##
Parkers Band ***
FM
Hey Nineteen #
Josie +++
Peg +++
Pretzel Logic ***
Bodhisattva **
Encore
My Old School **
Taken from the following Steely Dan albums
* Can’t Buy A Thrill [1972]
** Countdown To Ecstasy [1973]
*** Pretzel Logic [1974]
+ Katy Lied [1975]
++ The Royal Scam [1976]
+++ Aja [1977]
# Gaucho [1980]
## Two Against Nature [2000]
### The Nightfly
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