Fish - O2 Academy, Glasgow 9th & 10th March 2025

These were not the only thoughts I had going on. In my head, I was 14 again and running down Princes Street to catch Fish as he went into Bargain Books, he bought a Catherine Cookson novel and I got an autograph on a Bargain Books Bag. In my thoughts I was heading to the Carlton Hotel after a gig because that was where the band were staying; we had to meet them. The autographs from that night still hang on my wall.

My final thought was my mum, she died of cancer, and I wanted to raise money, so my friends and I did a sponsored head shave – it was Fish who came along with his clippers to do the shaving.

This was not a walk to a gig, this was a walk down memory lane. I was not alone in my stroll, there were another 2500 people on each night of these two-night goodbye gigs who were also walking my way. Nobody was there to listen to the new stuff, no one was talking about the new album; there was none, this was an occasion to look back and to look back and smile.

Like so many, my journey to the O2 in Glasgow began in 1983. Since then, there have been the highs – the success of Misplaced Childhood, the 40,000 who were in the audience at that Milton Keynes show and the pull of Fish on Friday. There have been few lows along the way too, I remember a night in The Liquid Rooms when the crowd was no more than several dozen. The constant was Fish. I have seen him play it theatrical – the Fugazi tour, happy – the last gig before lockdown and angry, his performance at Ramblin’ Man in 2018 was still a cracker!

Most importantly, this was, for me, a walk down memory lane with my mates Andy and Paul. We have been friends since school and part of that friendship, nights at gigs and trips away have often been to see Fish. I was standing in the incredibly long queue with them on Sunday night, and being with them made me happy.

The long queue gave us plenty of time to chat and, in Andy’s case, theorise. Like many he had been following the tour online since we pitched up in Haddington three weeks earlier. He had keenly noticed that backing singer Elisabeth Troy Antwi alternated her jacket between a red one and black one. Andy wondered if this was a sign regarding the set list, Elizabeth’s jacket serving as a reminder to the rest of the band what they would be playing on any given night.

So to the gigs, Sunday night was, I thought, a cracker. Andy was unable to come on Monday so he had a great deal of hope invested in what would be played tonight. As the band came on, his hopes were high, Elizabeth was in a black jacket. That night in Haddington it had been a red one; it had to be a different setlist.

Andy was not disappointed. Pretty much all he wanted to hear was on offer. Vigil kicked us of, that first track from the first solo album was a statement then, and very much felt like a statement tonight.

After a fantastic blast of Pipeline, things got a bit progy, which was no bad thing. Weltschmerz and Shadowplay were two tracks I really enjoyed. Family Business was always a top tune, and I thought tonight it was delivered with a real bite. Very few singers write songs about domestic abuse, if you count Punch and Judy, Fish has done two, both, in my view, are belters although there was no hint of that 1984 single on this farewell journey.

Throughout this tour Fish has been playing full suites from a number of albums. This approach is a high-risk strategy for any artist. If the crowd love it, it's great, if not it can be a long wait for the next toe-tapper to make an appearance. Tonight, it was the turn of The High Wood from “Feast of Consequences”. For Andy, this story about service and sacrifice was exactly what he was looking for. He loved it and I thought it was pretty good too. Slainte Mhath from “Clutching at Straws” got a run out – personal favourite for me. The main set ended with Raw Meat. I’ve always liked that song, the first time I heard it played was at a poorly attended gig on the Suits tour, I am chuffed it got an airing in front of 2500 as part of this tour.

The first encore was Fugazi, everyone loved a bit of that. Fish went off but the crowd kept singing. It was one of the few times I have been at a gig where this happened for the full encore. The energy in the room and the obvious love for the protagonist on stage could almost be tasted.

Lucky and Market Square Heroes lifted the crowd and The Company, the only constant of this entire tour, brought the first night to a close.

Well not quite the only constant, it’s important to mention the band, most of whom have been part of Fish’s travelling circus for many years. Robin Boult on guitar was outstanding, Steve Vansis kept the boogie strong on the bass and Gavin Griffiths really knows how to bang a drum. I don’t know where these guys will appear next, but whoever grabs them for their band is both wise and fortunate, their individual and collective musicianship was outstanding. Mickey Simmonds was, well, Mickey Simmonds, he can pay the key fantastically, moreover he just looked, all tour like he was living his best life. As for Elisabeth Troy Antwi, what a voice. She carried some of the top end and gave a passion to all the places she was brought into. She was outstanding.

As we all left the O2 there were people limping, people on sticks and clearly many suffering with hip problems. As Paul said, it would have been great to get a photo of everyone leaving Glasgow 2025 and hold it against a similar picture of fans leaving Edinburgh 1983. The limps would have been fewer, there would have been a more innocent, less world-weary look on the faces, but I am certain the smiles would have been just as wide.

Night two and it was just Paul and me. Again, with the queue around the block, but we got in and found a spot. As we walked in, we were wondering what colour of jacket Elizabeth would have on tonight.

The lights came down, The Thieving Magpie blasted out and the band appeared – the jacket was black! The first bars of Credo were struck, and Andy’s theory went out the window.

I thought this and Big Wedge gave the night a much more rocking start. The duet of Just Good Friends was wonderful. I still don’t quite know why this was not a solo Kayleigh moment for Fish. I always thought this was a great song for radio; how different so many things might have been if it had taken off.

It's not all about the voice, Cliché is a top song, but Robin Boult’s guitar solo at the end really makes this piece of music come alive for me. I’ve always liked Robin’s playing, and I thought he really nailed it on Monday.

Tonight’s suite came from Raingods with Zippos. I heard it at another gig and though “hmmph, that’s okay”, as I say long suites are high risk strategies. I enjoyed it much more tonight and have given it a play on a dusted down CD since and enjoyed it more.

Having already played one Marillion era song – Incubus, Fish pulled out another three for the first encore, Kayleigh, Lavender and Heart of Lothian. In the second encore he gave us Market Square Heroes too. There is much, and, indeed, heated, debate in the fan Facebook pages about how much Marillion era stuff should or should not be played. I think the cold hard truth of the matter is that Fish would not be playing to 5000 people over two nights without it, I also thought these were the parts of both shows that got the biggest cheer. To give up just about a quarter of the 21-song set list to this era was, I felt fair. Every one of them was a banger.

The Company ended the night and the era of Fish’s live performances. I thought there would be more of an onstage marking of that. Instead, there was a cameo from long time tour manager and friend Yatta before Fish signed off by simply introducing himself as Derek. Fish was officially retired.

These were two great nights. I am not a man given over to tears easily, but I found myself weeping a wee bit at the end of Monday’s gig. It's important not to be melodramatic, nobody has died or been injured, somebody has just retired. Retirement is a privilege not granted to everyone and we should congratulate Derek on reaching that milestone. However, I will miss the gigs and time with friends that his music has afforded me since I was 14.

Thanks for the music and the memories Fish, I’m one of the fortunate ones, I still have hair so when I need another haircut, I know you can turn your hand to it.

Slainte