July 20th - Northampton, Abington Park
August 5th - Cardiff City Hall
August 17th - Perth City Hall
August 18th - Aberdeen, Crathes Castle
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July 20th - Northampton, Abington Park
Arrived at 7.30 after getting lost too many times...There was about 30 people queuing followed by the mad dash to get to the front made it seem like the January sales had arrived!
The support was not only gorgeous but also sung some fab stuff.. a cross between Alanis Morissette / Sheryl Crow and Suzanne Vega (what was her name...anyone know??)

Anyway the band came on at 8.45 to This train... and it was like the tour all over again:)

Ricky's tempting of fate proved fateful as it did 'rain down' after they sung Raintown and didn't stop. Fortunately at the front we had a bit of cover. Ricky's voice was much improved after all the excesses of the tour the only change in the line up was no Dougie instead it was Dave Stewart?? who played with Ricky on his solo tour in 2000 (I think) anyway he played really well.

Highlight for me was Homesick with great audience participation and Ricky's dedication to Jeffery Archer before 'Loaded' made us all smile:)

Lorraine remonstrated at Ricky as his stole the opening verse of Dignity but the crowd didn't help there cause by starting it far too early:)

The fireworks at the end were very reminiscent of the big day 3/6/90 and it certainly was a BIG NIGHT for all us skyliners who were there brilliant selves as usual...

Roll on CARDIFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    Richard Waldron

Hard to believe this was free! , Was a bit worried at first when I arrived at 7:30 there was still plenty of room at the front. But the fans they did come. Support - Sarah somebody? was excellent, and a babe - can we have her at Cardiff?

A well balanced set with Ricky on good form. Homesick really is going to be a big concert tune isnt it - Lorraine looked a bit suprised how well the crowd joined in with it. Shame the drunks next to me started off Dignity too early cos we were ready for it. Hard to tell how many were there but despite the rain they stayed and they enjoyed.

I wonder if he will wear his new bra at any of the summer shows? Rick (NTMH)

What else can I say, but absolutely fantastic.  I expected the show to be good but not this good.  I arrived when the support act was on [who was very good] and the number of people in the arena was minimal so I thought it was going to be a bit of a damp squib especially as it was throwing it down with rain.  How wrong I was!  By the time the band had kicked off the set, the arena was packed. 

The band took us through some of their new material, but it was the old favourites that really got everybody going.  I live in Northampton and found it quite amazing to see the crowd going wild at what is usually a mediocre event!  The local rag said that despite the rain, there were over 11,000 fans there that night and Deacon Blue were one of the best crowd pullers that had ever appeared at the event.  

If you also take into account that Robbie Williams was playing at the Milton Keynes Bowl that evening which is only 20miles away from Northampton, you can appreciate just how pop! 'ular Deacon Blue still are. Cat

Get there early, I thought, and beat the queues...well until about 18.45 the queue was pretty much myself, Tonya, Kazza and Co, so I began to worry about the lack of crowd...but needn't have bothered (but still felt the dash to the front was oh-so-necessary). Excellent support act. But to the main act. Ricky and Lorraine seemed genuinely surprised at the response to their arrival and the reception through the night. 

The opening number 'This Train' was a winner and from there they didn't look back. The set list was pretty much the same as the tour - the 'Homesick' stuff was well received especially the title track! 

Even the non-fanatics seemed to be having as good a time as us down the front. Perhaps there may now be a little surge in sales of Homesick, if only in Northamptonshire! No fear, the band are on top form at the moment - the number of people sticking the awful weather to see them was a good indicator. Ali

August 5th - Cardiff City Hall
Here's a tip. If you are driving to Cardiff to see Deacon Blue don't start from Anglesey. In summer. On Sunday.

By the time we crawled into the city the festival was edging towards a grand finale - apart from an expensive tuna baguette that must have reached its own zenith early the previous day.

A half-mile boulevard of fairground attractions led us to the stage. Immediately before Deacon Blue there was a wonderful set by Andrea Marquee, a Brazilian artist: imagine samba crossed with hip hop. In the half-hour interval that followed the Deacon Blue faithful closed in on the stage like hungry jackals.

The high energy set was well chosen for a lively free-concert crowd. Not all were Deacon Blue fans, and not all were members of the temperance movement. This Train thundered on powerfully, and favourites like Real Gone Kid, Loaded and Twist and Shout stirred happy memories for many.

'Please don't throw objects d'art onto the stage' limited the flying plastic bottles to just the one. Ricky's offer of money back to anyone who didn't enjoy the set went down well, and free or not no one could have been disappointed.

An encore of Chocolate Girl and Queen of the New Year finished a great night, and with the last chord ringing the Welsh sky filled with fireworks.  John

My world tour with the band continues. First Scotland, then England twice, now Wales.

My friends and I made the most of the fair plonked amongst the civic buildings and decided to engage position about 8:30, and endured the Brazilian! Didn't think much of her to put it mildly. Still most of the drunks and the drugged made their way away and it felt good to obviously be around some serious devotees as we counted down to 9:30.

The guys did much more of what I would expect from a band headlining a free gig - a snappy hour long set with enough to please the neutrals - which now makes Northampton an even more special concert. But the passion and the delivery never falters. I'd like to see This Train get a single release and would now reckon that Homesick is officially a DB classic. I don't ever want to be too far away from the front when seeing this band because it is becoming more than just music. There is so much character poured out on that stage and I sense it is well reciprocated amongst their loyal followers. Maybe this review got a bit heavy but I think everyone that follows DB does so with an enormous amount of feeling probably difficult to put into words. Me included.

Another great concert, long may they continue. Rick  (NTMH)

This gig was all the more memorable for the circumstances under which we attended. I was sitting in a garden in Kent at a BBQ following a christening at 6.00pm when I mentioned to the wife that I thought I could still make it to the gig. Much to my surprise we set off at 6.20 with me expecting to miss the first couple of songs but made good time and parked the car at 9.15 asked a steward where the gig was and found out we were only 50 yards from the stage and was even happier that we could get quite close to the front.

The gig was once again right out of the top drawer and I still haven't seen a DB concert which has failed to uplift me  The new songs get better & better live with Silverlake & Homesick now integral parts of the show. This was the first concert of any type for my young children (10 & 12) and both enjoyed it so much much that they cant wait for the next tour - the next generation of fans awaits. I am so glad that their first concert was not one that would embarrass them in later life (mine was the New Seekers - thanks mum) Thanks to the band for another memorable night. Ian Sears
August 17th - Perth City Hall
No Review
August 18th - Aberdeen, Crathes Castle
No Review