A day's annual leave had been spent doing that great British of pastimes - DIY. So, already half knackered from sawing and sanding bits of wood, pissed off with the weather which was nothing but rain, rain, rain and having to start out at a ridiculous time - rush hour - in order to pick up our friends on the opposite side of Birmingham on what had been dubbed 'delay day' on every traffic report I'd heard on the radio that day, we finally arrived at the Varsity in Wolverhampton around 7.45pm. It was probably the least excited I've ever felt about going to an IM gig just due to pure exhaustion.
However, once ensconced at the bar, we started mellowing out with several beers. Not wishing to miss anything, when we enquired about the proceedings, we were misinformed by the girl behind the bar who told us that Ian was on at 8pm! So off we all hurried up to the first floor where our hands were duly stamped with an ultraviolet tag. Then we stood looking longingly at all the merchandise that was on offer just outside the gig room. It was quite obvious that the gig would not be starting at 8pm so we all had several more beers and excitedly stood deciding just what we would buy as it said on the notice board that Ian would be available to sign purchased goods after the gig.
Whilst waiting I went to the 'ladies room', which was right behind the stage area. Whilst in there a girl came in and shouted 'Are you in here, Ian?'. When I came out of the cubicle, I found that it was Carina Round who had played the gig at Ronnie's in May with Ian. While she was on the loo I inanely stood and chatted to her about her dates with Ian. She told me Ian had just been in there and my bot had been on the same spot as his.... a claim to fame at last!
When I returned to my friends they wondered where the hell I'd been. I think they thought I'd run off with Ian himself!...
The usual set of McNabb heads turned up and the room was quite full when he eventually appeared around 9pm. The crowd seemed somewhat 'shy' at first and made me feel rather self conscious as I took up my usual spot right under the microphone! Even my companions deffed me out - wimps!
Ian greeted the crowd briefly but then went into a flurry of good old favourites - mostly from his solo albums and the odd new number on the acoustic guitar - without pausing for the usual between song crowd interaction. At this rate I was beginning to think he'd be done and off by 9.30! Then, the more usual side of Ian McNabb returned and he did several tracks off the new album, with much more chatting and joking. The crowd also lost it's shyness and we all huddled up a little closer!
At this point, like those rather professional reviewers of other gigs - whose accounts I have read admiringly, I would love to be able to give you an accurate list of all the songs which Ian did. However, I'm always far too busy having a good time to actually remember it all so precisely!
I can remember, however, that he did 'Little Princess' - by which time he'd swapped to the Les Paul Deluxe guitar - branding himself as a 'traitor' as it was supposed to be an acoustic set (but how glad of the treachery I was). He also did the fabulous 'Absolutely Wrong', and 'The Man Who Can Make a Woman Laugh'. He explained the 'heavy mood' of the new album as just a phase he had been going through but he surely must have got over it now as he was in an extremely lighthearted mood by this time. Two of the highlights for me as an electric guitar lover were the fantastic 'Out of Season' and 'Child Inside a Father', which were just breathtaking.
He also did a comical version of 'Liverpool Girl' - congratulating himself on the best opening line ever and having to stop following it just to get over how good it is! Personally I think 'Don't she look just like her mother, strangely nothing like her brother' has to be one of the best (and probably true!).
We had a break of around 45 minutes when Carina came back and did her thing. She even got to borrow the great man's acoustic guitar. Lucky girl.
When I nipped to the loo again (so much lager, you know how it is.. ) my friend told me that Ian had gone in again just as I'd come out. Damn missed him again!
Anyway, back he came on stage and really rocked the place, doing loads of favourite Icicle Works classics like Evangeline, Understanding Jane etc... The room was packed and the crowd were as vocal as ever by this point. 'There's always one' - according to popular belief - and he turned up next to me - as usual. He sang twice as loud as every one - including Ian - insisting on harmonising and embellishing songs with his own extra bits. Shaddap!
When Ian said 'Call 'em out' I was quick to respond and asked for 'Rapids' which he very kindly did a very curtailed rendition of as he had trouble remembering half the lines. However, the crowd hadn't forgotten and we all kindly helped him out. The same was true of someone else's excellent request for ' All the Daughters'. 'You lot are great', he said, ' I've got a massive play list here and you haven't picked any of them'.
Mokka and Roy Corkill joined him for one number although the solemn mood of the song - whatever that was - was lost when they all had a giggling fit over Corkhill's lack of frets on his base. It was like a kind of musical comedy night which we all thoroughly enjoyed.
Unusually, he only did one encore, but he'd done at least another two hour stint by then so we were all resigned to letting him have a rest.
So, I went to the loo again (yes, again!) and who should I meet in there but Ian himself! Now, I have been a fan of his for a long time and have often hoped to meet the guy himself and have a really meaningful chat to him about guitars, his wonderful attitude to life etc, etc ... but, when it came to it, all I could come up with were some feeble utterances all of which I'm happy to wipe out of my memory. So, my apologies to Ian and my thanks for tolerating my obvious enthusiasm to be in the same loo as him and keep him occupied with such drivel! I at least managed one half witticism and that was that we should have our money back as we did more singing than him! He then made his excuses, as he had limited time and he had promised to sign people's purchases.
When he came out I happened to be sitting on the stage admiring my 'hot off the presses' copy of the new album which he very kindly signed. I even let him borrow my 'emergency Argos pen' when his ran out, but I'm afraid to say that let him down too. He personally signed requested messages for everyone who had taken their time to wait for their things to be autographed as if it was no trouble at all and answered all the questions with which he was bombarded.
Reluctant to go, we said we'd see him at the forthcoming Coventry and Ronnie Scott's gigs. He said 'Come to 'em all - if only we could! And off we went.....
Despite the doldrums as we set out earlier in the evening, I went home feeling totally elated, although a little pissed off with myself for not following my own edict of seizing the moment when I had the chance in the ladies loo!
I don't think I will ever get tired of going to those gigs, just as long as he never loses that wonderful fever he's got and he can keep the fire inside his soul burning bright.
Having already written a review of the last Ronnie Scott's gig, I had refrained from writing this until now. It's a little vague in places, but once I've been to an IM gig the sensation and memories seem to hang around until I feel simply compelled to write it down, even at this late date. It's just such a really good feeling that everyone should hear the word!
The really good thing is that nothing changes - the fans are loyal, it's obvious there are quite a few of us who all feel that same soft spot for his talent and sense of never giving up. Even better, I am really happy for Ian that he's finally got his own label and I wish him every success with the venture. Perhaps now he doesn't have to convince all the talent-blind ones, we will see more of him.
Good luck Ian, we'lll see you in Coventry.
Trina Heath
11 November 1998
Received 5 January 1999. Posted 8 January 1999. Slight modifications 19 January.
This review Copyright © 1999, Trina Heath. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with permission.
The right of Trina Heath to be identified as author of this work has
been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
1988.
[Back] to the Ian McNabb News Page