At about 7.45pm Kasim was introduced and walked onto the stage wearing his red suit with that white shirt that looks SO very good on him! Even some of the women around me were remarking on it after his set!

Kasim started by first asking us if we were looking forward to an evening of rocking rock and roll and then joked that he had Meat Loaf tied up in the dressing room and that it was going to be Kasim alone on stage for the next 3 hours (what a wonderful idea!). The audience always seem to appreciate it more when Kasim explains that he’s Meat Loaf’s bass player which he did tonight. He also said something along the lines that “I promise” that his set wouldn’t be long. As I was surrounded with people with Brummie accents, the way that Kasim said that one word “promise” sounded just so American! Kasim then launched into Don’t Hold Me Back.

For anyone who saw Kasim play this song last night, tonight they will have heard a different version as he started with his “I gave no promise or guarantee” vocals. The opposite to last night, Kasim’s voice was very slightly husky (I doubt that most people will have noticed it) in the first song but got stronger through his set. However he still sang a strong “strong” at the usual part and the next note was almost spot on (a lot cleaner than the Quid Pro Quo version).

Next Kasim explained that he used to be in Utopia and that he was going to sing a Todd Rundgren song. Unfortunately relatively few people in UK know who Todd is and even less would know Todd’s version of Cliché and therefore appreciate how good Kasim’s version is - when I heard Todd sing it on stage, I only really could make out the Madonna lines whereas when Kasim sings it EVERY word is clear.

Kasim next mentioned Quid Pro Quo and that it was available at the venue and then made a lovely speech about Meat Loaf and how Kasim appreciates his giving him a chance to play his music on the nights that he does.

Kasim’s final song was Sacrifice which I’d guessed he’d play as I saw the capo (I know the lingo!) on the end of his guitar. He sang a brilliant performance of the song and it really shows off his guitar playing so well too.

All too soon for me, it was time for Kasim to leave the stage. He said goodbye and as the people were applauding he bent down to the microphone twice to say something else but they had already switched it off and his bum was hardly off the stool! Eventually he just shouted it and it was to say that Meat Loaf would be on soon!

I know it’s only a pipedream but I just wish that Kasim could open all the UK concerts. The original announcement was that Kasim would open all the concerts at which there are Meet and Greets and others (depending on curfews and what’s happening backstage). Now that there are no M&Gs I wonder where that leaves Kasim’s set?!! I hate driving to venues think “will he or won’t he?”.

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