It’s all about the songs. That sounds so obvious when you say it but how many shows have you seen where it’s all about the set, the costumes or the effects.
Barry Gibb at Melbourne's Rod Laver Arena, 2013, Photo By Ros O'Gorman
Barry Gibb is first and foremost songwriter, a genius at that, and that is what he is delivering on The Mythology Tour.
Last night (February 12, 2013) Gibb performed in Melbourne for the first time since 1989 and only the second time since 1974.
The emotion was highlighted by the fact that the fans were witnessing the last living Gibb brother. Barry paid a touching tribute to his three brothers Robin, Maurice and Andy through the show. He described Maurice as the extrovert, the one who always bought the latest gadget. He said Robin was both the funniest and most serious of the three brothers and Andy was an incredible talent who could do anything he put his mind too.
Maurice’s daughter Sam and Barry’s son Stephen were in the band. Sam sang a duet with her uncle on ‘How Can You Mend A Broken Heart’ and lead for ‘If I Can’t Have You’, a Bee Gees song from Saturday Night Fever, originally recorded by Yvonne Elliman.
The Mythology show was an historic glimpse into the past of one of Australia’s greatest songwriters. Barry credited Dennis Smith’s The Go Show, where the still teenage Brothers Gibb performed in television in their early days, with Olivia Newton-John and Johnny Young.
He also recalled the early recording sessions in the Sydney suburb of Hurstville where the Bee Gees recorded ‘Spicks and Specks’, a major Australian hit before they relocated to the UK.
‘You’ve still got in Barry,” screamed an over-excited fan. “That must be a member of the family,” he replied.
During ‘I Started A Joke’, the unexpected image of the late Robin Gibb graced the screen. It was a touching moment for the audience and you could see Barry was clearly moved.
Remaining tour dates from Live Nation are:
February 16 and 19, Brisbane, Entertainment Centre
February 27, Sydney, Entertainment Centre
The Barry Gibb setlist for Melbourne, February 12, 2013 was:
Jive Talking (from Main Course, 1975)
Lonely Days (from 2 Years On, 1970)
You Should Be Dancing (from Children of the World, 1976)
First of May (from Odessa, 1969)
To Love Somebody (from The Bee Gees 1st, 1967)
How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (from Trafalgar, 1971)
Fever (Little Willie John cover)
How Deep Is Your Love (from Saturday Night Fever, 1977)
On Time (from Maurice Gibb, A Breed Apart, 1984)
The Long and Winding Road (The Beatles cover)
I’ve Got To Get A Message To You (single, 1968)
Kilburn Towers (from Idea, 1968)
Playdown (from Spicks and Specks, 1966)
Spicks and Specks (from Spicks and Specks, 1966)
With The Sun In My Eyes (from Horizontal, 1968)
In The Morning (written for Ronnie Burns, 1966)
Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You (from The Bee Gees 1st, 1967)
I Started A Joke (from Idea, 1968)
Islands In The Stream (written for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, 1983)
Guilty (written for Barbra Streisand, Guilty, 1980)
Words (single, 1967)
If I Can’t Have You/Night Fever/More Than A Woman (from Saturday Night Fever, 1977)
Ordinary Lives (from One, 1989)
Immortality (written for Celine Dion, 1998)
Stayin’ Alive (from Saturday Night Fever, 1977)
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