Review: 10cc, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
It gave me goosebumps at the age of 14 – and, 41 years later, it gave me goosebumps again.
10cc's performance of I'm Not in Love at Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury on Monday was mind-blowing, with musicianship and vocals of the highest order.
It was the climax of a concert that was an evening of complete nostalgia for the mostly 50-something sold-out audience. Graham Gouldman, co-founder of 10cc, took the latest incarnation of the 70s band on tour with its last night in Shrewsbury.
Other members of the 10cc line-up, drummer Paul Burgess and guitarist and vocalist Rick Fenn, were joined by Keith Hayman and Mick Wilson.
I thought I would miss Eric Stewart, one of my teenage crushes, but Wilson was not only a one-man band, his voice was spookily like Stewart's. The first half was a slightly indulgent production of the entire Sheet Music Album.
The current band referred to the songwriting of past members Godley, Creme and Stewart and the second half was hit after hit, which showcased the range of musical genres the original band embraced.
From the reggae Dreadlock Holiday to the rock classic Feel the Benefit, from Art for Art's Sake to The Dean and I, the audience was treated to the best the band produced over a decade. There was a wonderful acapella version of Donna and the finale, Rubber Bullets.
But for me and the vast majority of the audience I'm Not in Love was what we had waited for – and the 2016 version completely surpassed expectations.
By Sue Austin
