Thanks to Matt Innes for the following review:

5th Oct London Wembley Arena

This was the big date of the tour, and at an appaling venue. Either 
way, it was almost the highlight night of the tour, barring a very 
similiar setlist to the first Bournemouth night. Due to the 
acoustics, Sweet Marie was lost in a wash of noise, but Senor was 
strong enough, and Tough Mama as powerful as ever. Another sweet You 
Ain't Going, the song sounding delicate in the enormous venue, and a 
routine Silvio - he has resorted to the standard rockers at the 
moment, which is a shame, as his more sophisticated arrangements are 
holding up very well.
One Too Many exposed his voice a little too much, and he almost 
seemed relieved when it finished, but led straight into one the most 
urgent, anguished versions of Tangled that I've ever heard, 
exploiting the momentum of the song to reach real peaks with the 'Now 
I'm going back to there..' verse. An extroardinary, touching version 
of the song, similar to the Thursday night of the Hammersmith '93 
shows, where one reviewer wrote (I think in Q) that it sounded like 
his lover had left him just before he came on stage. Quite.
Then a ressurection of Rank Strangers, which carried the pained 
momentum, again magnificently, to Stuck Inside and Blind Willie, he 
former forceful, excellent and exciting drumming again, the latter 
still a little uncomfortable - it's such a great recording (the 
original) it seems a little incongrous to squeeze into a live 
knockabout, but still worth hearing. Then all out chaos wiht Highway 
61, lovely carnage, and the usual encores, a particularly good 
Rolling Stone, a decent Don't Think Twice, and a slightly mistimed 
Love Sick - the opening staccato (is that right?) beat was fluffed, and Bob didn't 
seem that bothered about retiming it. Eventually a flighty #12/35, 
the whole arena lit up, and everbody standing - all 11,000 of them -I 
don't think Bob even bothered singing past the first two lines, just 
set about his hip bending axe-man postures, and the little head 
twitches he's had all tour. 
Not as peculiar (original meaning) as Bournemouth 1st, but 
nevertheless a triumphant night (I hate these cliches, but given the 
reviews in the English press, it seems the inly fit way to put it!).

Matt Innes

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