05/03/2022 | Texas – Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Tunnocks Wafers are biscuits and not cakes; you know? Don’t try and convince Sharleen Spiteri any differently. As Texas returned to the Symphony Hall in Birmingham to celebrate their 35th anniversary, this is just one of many things that the feisty frontwoman wanted to express.

This is a tour that has been three years in the making due to Covid, during which time some couples met, married, had children and divorced; but three years is merely a small dent in time in comparison to the band’s thirty-five. It only seems fitting to start at the beginning, so the band opened with a beautifully intimate set showcasing their debut album Southside, which was released in 1989.

This was a stripped back affair which all band members remained seated for throughout, yet it did not lack in any of the energy that you would expect from a Texas show. Fan favourites such as I Don’t Want A Lover, Everyday Now and Thrill Has Gone were met by rapturous applause that echoed around the Symphony Hall.

If you’ve ever been to see Texas before, you will know how they can be a little self deprecating at times and love to have a laugh with the audience during the show. It was not long before the fun and games started, with Sharleen sharing stories from their years as a band, and also talking about some fans who gave her some Tunnocks wafer ‘cakes’, which she pointed out are clearly not cakes, but biscuits.

Following an interval, Texas returned to the stage for a full throttle set from the band’s latest album Hi, along with some of their greatest hits. Dancing was encouraged throughout, especially during Summer Son and the smooth and soulful Lets Work It Out. Later, they took it down a notch to present a beautifully poignant moment during Unbelievable, which the band dedicated to the heroes of the Covid years, and the audience’s mobile phones lit up the entire hall for In Demand.

Saving some of their best songs for last, Texas performed an encore of I Don’t Want A Lover and Black Eyed Boy, before closing the concert with a spirited cover of Suspicious Minds. At twenty-five songs long, it was a marathon of a night, but as everyone watching left with a smile on their face, it was clear that even after thirty-five years, the band are still loving every single moment on stage.

www.texas.uk.com