Mike + The Mechanics live 1995

If you attended one of the Mechanics shows on this club tour you are lucky. Complemented by Tim Renwick and Gary Wallis Mike and the two Pauls played an “honest” concert without of the show bits that seem to have become a standard. So it does not take a stadium or a big arena to play a good gig – a quality performance and intimate atmosphere replaced the technical effort and the paraphernalia of stardom.

The gigs could have been longer than 90 minutes, though, especially since one would have hoped for older songs and more material from the new album. It was a unique experience and a remarkable alternative to the shows Genesis & Co. have played in recent years.

by Andre Garnath

The concerts beg one important question: Why were they so short? 90 minutes are long (exhausting) enough, according to Paul Carrack. Someone else explained they had only been hired for 90 minutes. However that may be, a longer set would have left time for the odd classic and some of the better Beggar pieces. When asked who decided not to include interesting songs such as The Ghost Of Sex And You in the set Paul Carrack replied “Guess who?” and did not look too happy. Yes, perhaps Mike prefers to play songs everybody can clap along to. The shows therefore lacked not much in order to be called “exceptional”. But they did lack that final bit. And that is a pity, really.

by Helmut Janisch

both parts English by Martin Klinkhardt