REVIEW
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
JUST A BOY AT 70
Leo Sayer heads home for a 25-date, UK Tour
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
31st May 2019
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
JUST A BOY AT 70
Leo Sayer heads home for a 25-date, UK Tour
Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
31st May 2019
Leo Sayer makes you feel like dancing
What a great evening! Leo Sayer performing at the Palace Theatre, energetically dancing around the stage, belting out hit after hit and raising the roof.
Now in his seventies, he shows no sign of slowing down. Discovered by Adam Faith in the mid-sixties he had two consecutive number ones, six UK Top Ten singles and one US Top Ten album; a Gold Badge of Merit; and a Grammy Award, in 1977, for You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, winning it for the ‘Best Rhythm and Blues Song.’
He opened the show by bouncing on the stage with a raucous rendition of his big hit Thunder in My Heart, and for the next two hours proved why he is one of the most enduring of pop stars. His voice although deeper was as big as ever, singing with lots of falsetto and interjections. He dominated the stage in a striped blazer and white trousers and immediately interacted with the audience. He called out, chatted, laughed and joked particularly about the steep rake on the stage, which he managed to teeter down at various times.
There seemed to be a few technical hitches with the lighting effects and at one point he asked for the house lights to be left on. The people in the gallery shouted out that they couldn’t see him as the mic was placed at the bottom of the rake. He spent time testing out where they could see him and made a great effort to keep them involved by dancing around at the back and even seated himself there for one number. Luckily the equipment was moved around for the second half. He even made a great show of borrowing an audience member’s iPhone to take selfies to wave at the gallery to show them what he looked like.
The evening is part of the ‘Just a Boy at 70’ tour, and he played up to the audience saying that actually he was now seventy one, but felt like seventeen. I must say he still has masses of curly hair and with the energy of his performance he didn’t look his age. He even made a joke against himself saying that one day he might even be big enough to perform at the Cliffs. The packed audience loved it.
As well as his own hits he sang a couple of covers like Bobby Vee’s More than I Can Say and a harmonica-based, blues version of Buddy Holly’s Raining In My Heart demonstrating his skills on that instrument. He even allowed his band Steve Williams (keyboards) Dave Day (guitar), Richard Hammond (Base) and Elliott Henshaw (drums) their own moments in the spotlight with some virtuoso playing.
As the crowd expected he sang his familiar hits, One Man Band, I Won’t Let the Show Go on, Have You Ever Been in Love, Restless Years, Orchard Road, and Moonlighting. When asked by one of the crowd to explain the lyrics of Moonlighting he told them it was based on one of his roadies who ran away with a Police Chief’s daughter. He also sang some more recent material from his new album Selfie.
As usual Leo was good at the raucous and up beat numbers like You Make Me Keep on Dancing, and I Can Dance, getting the crowd up jigging about in the aisles. However, he was also particularly effective at the more sensitive numbers like I Can’t Stop Loving You which he sang for an encore.
Leo Sayer proved that as well as a hit maker he is an all-round entertainer. Everyone was enjoying themselves and some of the crowd couldn’t have been born when he was at his peak. It is a shame that he was only on for one night.
Review Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Now in his seventies, he shows no sign of slowing down. Discovered by Adam Faith in the mid-sixties he had two consecutive number ones, six UK Top Ten singles and one US Top Ten album; a Gold Badge of Merit; and a Grammy Award, in 1977, for You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, winning it for the ‘Best Rhythm and Blues Song.’
He opened the show by bouncing on the stage with a raucous rendition of his big hit Thunder in My Heart, and for the next two hours proved why he is one of the most enduring of pop stars. His voice although deeper was as big as ever, singing with lots of falsetto and interjections. He dominated the stage in a striped blazer and white trousers and immediately interacted with the audience. He called out, chatted, laughed and joked particularly about the steep rake on the stage, which he managed to teeter down at various times.
There seemed to be a few technical hitches with the lighting effects and at one point he asked for the house lights to be left on. The people in the gallery shouted out that they couldn’t see him as the mic was placed at the bottom of the rake. He spent time testing out where they could see him and made a great effort to keep them involved by dancing around at the back and even seated himself there for one number. Luckily the equipment was moved around for the second half. He even made a great show of borrowing an audience member’s iPhone to take selfies to wave at the gallery to show them what he looked like.
The evening is part of the ‘Just a Boy at 70’ tour, and he played up to the audience saying that actually he was now seventy one, but felt like seventeen. I must say he still has masses of curly hair and with the energy of his performance he didn’t look his age. He even made a joke against himself saying that one day he might even be big enough to perform at the Cliffs. The packed audience loved it.
As well as his own hits he sang a couple of covers like Bobby Vee’s More than I Can Say and a harmonica-based, blues version of Buddy Holly’s Raining In My Heart demonstrating his skills on that instrument. He even allowed his band Steve Williams (keyboards) Dave Day (guitar), Richard Hammond (Base) and Elliott Henshaw (drums) their own moments in the spotlight with some virtuoso playing.
As the crowd expected he sang his familiar hits, One Man Band, I Won’t Let the Show Go on, Have You Ever Been in Love, Restless Years, Orchard Road, and Moonlighting. When asked by one of the crowd to explain the lyrics of Moonlighting he told them it was based on one of his roadies who ran away with a Police Chief’s daughter. He also sang some more recent material from his new album Selfie.
As usual Leo was good at the raucous and up beat numbers like You Make Me Keep on Dancing, and I Can Dance, getting the crowd up jigging about in the aisles. However, he was also particularly effective at the more sensitive numbers like I Can’t Stop Loving You which he sang for an encore.
Leo Sayer proved that as well as a hit maker he is an all-round entertainer. Everyone was enjoying themselves and some of the crowd couldn’t have been born when he was at his peak. It is a shame that he was only on for one night.
Review Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
The iconic Leo Sayer returns to British shores this May/June as he embarks on a 25-date, second leg of his ‘Just a Boy at 70’ tour, the first leg taking in Australia/New Zealand.
Leo, who celebrates his birthday during the second, UK leg of the tour, has had an extensive career in the music industry dating back to the mid-sixties, starting out with David Courtney and Adam Faith – and he wanted to be a graphic designer.
Now performing in what will be his sixth decade as a musician Leo has racked up eleven UK Top Ten (two number one) and four US Top Ten (two, consecutive number one) hit singles; six UK Top Ten (one number one) and one US Top Ten album; a Gold Badge of Merit; and a Grammy Award, in 1977, for You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, winning the award for ‘Best Rhythm and Blues Song.’
Add to that appearances on The Muppet Show, The Wiggles (DVD), Celebrity Big Brother UK (season five, for ten days), and a mention on The Simpsons, then you can safely assume it’s been a different, varied, and an enjoyable career to say the least.
Leo, who celebrates his birthday during the second, UK leg of the tour, has had an extensive career in the music industry dating back to the mid-sixties, starting out with David Courtney and Adam Faith – and he wanted to be a graphic designer.
Now performing in what will be his sixth decade as a musician Leo has racked up eleven UK Top Ten (two number one) and four US Top Ten (two, consecutive number one) hit singles; six UK Top Ten (one number one) and one US Top Ten album; a Gold Badge of Merit; and a Grammy Award, in 1977, for You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, winning the award for ‘Best Rhythm and Blues Song.’
Add to that appearances on The Muppet Show, The Wiggles (DVD), Celebrity Big Brother UK (season five, for ten days), and a mention on The Simpsons, then you can safely assume it’s been a different, varied, and an enjoyable career to say the least.
“I count myself very lucky to have a wonderful band at home in the UK” explains Leo.
“I always look forward to coming back to perform.
“From Soho to Brighton by way of Cornwall to Glasgow, I like searching out all the places I used to haunt and see if they’ve changed, many haven’t at all, under the surface.
“It’s going to be another great tour and I’m looking forward to the shows immensely.”
In addition to his UK tour Leo also releases his brand new album, ‘Selfie,’ on April 26 through Demon Music Group. A 15-track LP will be printed as a Vinyl, Limited Edition pressed on heavyweight 180g pink vinyl.
www.leosayer.com
£37.50, £33.50
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
“I always look forward to coming back to perform.
“From Soho to Brighton by way of Cornwall to Glasgow, I like searching out all the places I used to haunt and see if they’ve changed, many haven’t at all, under the surface.
“It’s going to be another great tour and I’m looking forward to the shows immensely.”
In addition to his UK tour Leo also releases his brand new album, ‘Selfie,’ on April 26 through Demon Music Group. A 15-track LP will be printed as a Vinyl, Limited Edition pressed on heavyweight 180g pink vinyl.
www.leosayer.com
£37.50, £33.50
Prices shown are inclusive of any applicable booking fees. Groups of 10+ please call 01702 351135 to buy fee-free.
www.southendtheatres.org.uk
June 1 Birmingham (Town Hall & Symphony Hall)
https://www.thsh.co.uk/event/leo-sayer-1
June 5 Barrow (The Forum)
https://www.theforumbarrow.co.uk/event/leo-sayer-just-a-boy-at-70/
June 7 Edinburgh (Queens Hall)
https://www.thequeenshall.net/whats-on/leo-sayer-just-boy-70
June 8 Gateshead (Sage)
http://www.sagegateshead.com/event/leo-sayer-just-a-boy-at-70/
June 9 Glasgow (Pavilion Theatre)
https://www.paviliontheatre.co.uk/shows/leo-sayer-just-a-boy-at-70/
June 12 Bury St. Edmunds (The Apex)
https://www.theapex.co.uk/whats-on/details.cfm?id=426547&ins=559790
June 14 Scunthorpe (Baths Hall)
https://www.scunthorpetheatres.co.uk/whats-on/leo-sayer-just-a-boy-at-70/
June 15 New Brighton (Floral Pavilion Theatre)
https://www.floralpavilion.com/en-GB/shows/leo%20sayer%20-%20just%20a%20boy%20at%2070/info
June 16 Porthcawl (Grand Pavilion)
http://www.grandpavilion.co.uk/events/3879/leo-sayer-just-a-boy-at-70/