2012,what a year to be a fan of Steve Harley/cockney Rebel!..so many positives and good things!.... The build up to Birmingham was a joy to watch and follow as Mr H's dream was being fullfilled as fans from all over the place snapped up those Symphony Hall tickets with such pace!!Listening to Steve from Australia on an Internet Radio really was weird! such a small world these days.Jimbo sorting out the Hotel and The Flyers was a nice touch and that Cavaliers 4 cd Box set was superb, especially the unreleased early demo's and the box set received some great reviews as well..as it should! ..And the fans,new or old,lovely warm kind hearted people,there's something very special about Steve Harley/Cockney Rebel fans,they are always a pleasure to be with and around...
My two biggest highlights were..
1.Manchester last Friday..hearing for the first time the B side of White White Dove,Throw Your Soul Down Here.It really was special, you could have heard a pin drop in the sold out Hall as the Manchester crowd gave Stve and the boys immense respect as they gave a wonderful performance.There are so many hidden gems in the Harley career and lets hope Steve brings out some more of the long lost gems as time goes on...
AND THEN THERE WAS BIRMINGHAM....
For me the highlight of the entire performance was the last 15 minutes or so..with the ending of Stranger Comes To Town,Black Or White and Tumbling Down.The first two were a fantastic surprise.Stranger was performed quite brilliantly with so much passion and heart.It was so brave in the context of the show to perform that track,and perform it Steve did.That has to be the best Concert performance of a track by Steve ever! Black Or White performed live for the first time was awesome and again sung and performed at a brilliant level.I'd waited since 1976 to hear that song live and it didn't dissapoint.And finally we had Tumbling Down,with the crowd singing the refrain before the song had even started..it sounded fantastic and was truly a special moment,as was Steve Norman's smile as the crowd sang " OH Dear Look What They've Done To The Blues Blues Blues" as though their team had just won The European Cup Final!
The Fantastic review in The Times said "The crowd on their feet yet again,took over the chant at the end of the final nuimber Tumbling Down..they sang as an exhultant Harley left the battlefield"..says it all really!!

Would love to hear other Harley Fans highlight's of 2012...
Go on what was yours?..

After Bolton being relegated to the Championship,Rangers banished to Scottish Div 3 (should have changed our name to Starbucks FC and we'd have been ok) and the Tories reeking havoc across the land, 2013 needed to give me something to make me smile. First glimmer of hope was Owen Coyle being sacked by Wanderers and then.....Right on cue the rebel and cavalier Mr Harley was there to do just that. Last month's sensational gig at Birmingham followed by a wonderful acoustic show in Manchester lifted the entertainment gloom that had decended over Blake Towers. It also meant meeting up with some great friends I hadn't seen for some time. All in all things took a turn for the better.

The kindness of members on here...you know who you are.

The Birmingham concert was absolutely brilliant, to the extent that when the first few chords of 'Hideaway' were heard I thought it was a dream. I had travelled down from Glasgow after securing a ticket from a wonderful Norwegian gentleman on here and arrived full of expectation and anticipation. Harley and crew did not disappoint. My own personal favourite memory from the concert was 'Cavaliers'......oh my God......how good was it ?

The anticipation building as the orchestra took their seats, band shuffling into position and the standing ovation as Steve entered the arena with bowler hat. This was going to be special.

The nod and pointed finger from Steve to Robbie for the opening few notes on guitar, the swivel, nod and point to Barry as the violin came to life, followed by the same in Adam and Lincoln direction as drum and bass kicked in. All done to perfection,...."Let em come a running and take all your money...." Hideaway, never a favourite of mine, but I just can't stop playing it now.

It just got better all evening. Death Trip was breathtaking with that orchestral climax, Tumbling Down is always special but they were all amazing. I'll never forget the look on the fans faces during the interval and the tears in many people eyes at the end.

A very, very special night that is almost impossible to adequately describe with mere words.