Let’s cut to the chase;
Glass Tiger never officially broke up;
Glass Tiger has been very much alive and well these past 25 years or so;
Glass Tiger has been gigging a fair old bit.
It’s just that, well, quite frankly, YOU didn’t know it, correct?
But I have to admit that we haven’t done one on this level for quite some time. The huge staging. The enormous rigging, The intense travel schedule, indeed the smells and sounds and tastes of… A TOUR! There is nothing quite like it.
Yes indeed folks this is Glass Tiger / Roxette 2012 and this is GREAT!
We did a tour with these guys back in the day and yes it was massive but it wasn’t exactly the best experience of our career. Don’t get me wrong it had nothing to do with Roxette themselves, on the contrary, Per and Marie and all the band members are great, but we were the “opener” and they had a multi-national crew who didn’t exactly like each other and we got caught in the ” crosshairs” of their dislike for one another until they themselves started to dislike having to deal with us which resulted in us being treated very poorly indeed… THIS TIME IT’S DIFFERENT.
They are in Canada, our home turf, our kitchen, our living room, our “very own” backyard.
Without us they would certainly still do okay but there is no doubt that having GT on the bill with them during this tour has been a major asset and they have been kind enough to really acknowledge that fact.
It’s a short tour but from a vocal and physical point of view it’s very demanding.
[quote]even some of the major critics have dropped their “grumpy drawers” and are actually giving positive reviews of the show, not that I really give a shit anyway[/quote]
Ottawa-Toronto- Montreal were the kick-off dates and all the hard work we have put into rehearsals were tested to the max but band and crew came through with flying colors. We are at the top of our game. The most difficult thing is how in the hell do you select songs from Glass Tiger to be played to an all-Canadian audience and keep it to just 45mins? AND add in two brand new ones to boot? Well the answer became simple. Pick the songs you know you MUST play and shorten them, then medley a couple, then tell that singer guy to do very little or no talking between songs and you just might bring it in at 45mins… and we have, every night , right on the money!
A tight, concise, well-rehearsed set mins set filled with hits ; Someday, My Town , Diamond Sun Thin Red Line and of course the ubiquitous and infectious pop classic, “Don’t Forget Me (when I’m gone ) which launched this Glass Tiger “JOYRIDE” some 26 years ago are all included plus our new single, ” I Take It Back” and the soon to follow ” Love is on The Way” makes for a pretty killer set and the crowds are lapping it up.
Goodness knows, even some of the major critics have dropped their “grumpy drawers” and are actually giving positive reviews of the show, not that I really give a shit anyway, for I have always marched to the drum that my audience gives the review of the evening instantaneously by deciding whether they like it or not with there cheering and clapping and enthusiasm or conversely their lack thereof, so why care about what some dude writes the next day in a newspaper to people who were NOT there? It just doesn’t make sense to me, never has , never will.
Saskatoon- Winnipeg- Toronto again ( sans Roxette) – Calgary -Edmonton ALL back-to-back, now THAT’s ROCK’N’ROLL !! That I must admit was a grind, lots of travel and performing and very little sleep but all good.
Got a scare in Edmonton ( crowd attendance 10,000) when just minutes before going on stage my nose started to bleed and we could not get it stopped. Show was delayed and just as I finally managed to stop it and literally the lights went out and crowd cheered it started to bleed yet again!! Nightmare, plain and simple… but as Freddie Mercury said, “The Show Must Go On” and indeed it did… I grabbed a wad of tissue shoved it in my nose and went for it… end result… the BEST one yet!!
Got a well-earned day off in Vancouver before finally wrapping things up there the following evening.
All-In-All the tour was a smashing success. 80’s music is alive and well and living richly and the hearts and souls and minds of those who love it.
We know that not everyone loves it, but then again not everyone loves 90’s, or 60’s or Zeppelin, or Mumford and Sons or dare i even say The Beatles? But that is the beauty and diversity and individuality that is music and only the fans of music get to truly decide. I was quoted recently as saying that,” Hit songs are not so because EVERYONE loves them. Hit songs are made because MORE love them than HATE them.” I still stand by that motto and I am thrilled to say that there are an awful lot of you out there that still love 80’s music. Thank you from the bottom of my heart not only for coming out to this tour to see us and to support us but also for keeping us on your playlists for over 25 years. Thank you Keith and Music Express for being tireless supporters of ALL genres and for the great support you have given through the years to Canadian music in particular.
Alan Frew ( Glass Tiger 2012 )
Photos: Denise Grant (Featured Image), Sean Andrews (Crew photo), Carla Kallous (Live shots).
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