<snippet> "Ferry eventually danced like the last man at a cocktail party and what do you know, actually said thank you a couple of times."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/music/rev ... y-music.do

"Overall, a highly polished and professional performance lacking in feel due to Roxy's reliance on front man BF to connect and his inability to do this on the night.

- Andrew, London, 08/02/2011 13:43"

"-lacking in feel"? BF too shy? Internal friction?

le,

I met Bryan twice. He is shy.

e

Fronting up a band does not come naturally to him and never has. What he does have is a slightly wooden charm and vulnerability on stage that endears him to most of the audience.

Also, let's not forget that as we get older we also tend to shy away from the limelight a little. I suspect this is why he has been happy to step back from front of stage so much on this tour.

Similarly, it has never been difficult to tell the difference between Roxy and (say) the Faces in terms of on stage cameraderie. However, compared with their usual standards I felt that there was less rapport than normal on this tour (a point which has been picked up on by others) - so maybe, as le freak hints at above, there could be some internal friction at play between the guys.

I remember Bryan, at least during the 70s, as a very extrovert guy, enjoying to be in the front, and always in new costumes. When did that change? It must have been when he went solo with the Boys and Girls album, I think.

I watched a clip of Roxy at the Apollo 10 years ago (on YouTube) from the 2001 tour (when I saw them at Nottingham). The difference from the Nottingham gig this time around was really marked. So much less energetic, so much quieter with the crowd this time... why, I don't know. He should have been thinking... this could be my last ever Roxy tour so let's go for it!

It's funny how we see things differently. I always felt that the dressing up phase helped him overcome his shyness. It is a common enough approach. Bryan was never in the Elton John category but the gaucho look was getting there.

I don't know when things changed but my "off the cuff" theory is that the man did not change, just the clothes.

I am sure some of you guys will completely shoot me down on this one but "hey!"

PS - I seem to remember Bryan wearing a kilt at a Glasgow gig - possibly Stranded tour. Anybody remember that? I can tell you from personal experience that it is impossible to hide away when you are wearing a kilt and that it definitely frees up the inhibitions - which kind of supports my proposition above.

It's funny how we see things differently. I always felt that the dressing up phase helped him overcome his shyness. It is a common enough approach. Bryan was never in the Elton John category but the gaucho look was getting there.

I don't know when things changed but my "off the cuff" theory is that the man did not change, just the clothes.

I am sure some of you guys will completely shoot me down on this one but "hey!"

PS - I seem to remember Bryan wearing a kilt at a Glasgow gig - possibly Stranded tour. Anybody remember that? I can tell you from personal experience that it is impossible to hide away when you are wearing a kilt and that it definitely frees up the inhibitions - which kind of supports my proposition above

That's fantastic Roxy. Many thanks for digging this out. Those were the days !!!