The Delirious? Christmas Show in London is becoming, quite simply, legendary. I arrived in London about 6pm, and turned up to an Italian restaurant not far from the Shepherds Bush Empire. The band, crew and a few family members were just finishing their meal, so I joined them for a quick drink before we walked to the venue. Jon had brought his eldest daughter Winona (nearly 5) along and Stu G had brought Mrs G and two very polite G daughters with him. Back inside the venue I decided to have a wander around on my own to see what's happening. Paul Smith is setting up the merchandise stand out the front, Andy Hutch is busying himself with lights and levers, Paul Buron twiddles a few knobs and Dave the roadie strums a guitar. Unusually for a Delirious? show there was not one, not two, but three support acts lined up for tonight's show.

Before long, the doors have opened and immediately a DJ is on stage 'spinning a few CDs' to keep the crowd entertained. I watch for a while from the side of the stage, stood in the position that Trevour the monitors engineer will occupy later in the evening when Delirious? are on stage (see above right). If you haven't been privelledged to see backstage at the Shepherds Bush Empire, above left is a photo of the area immediately behind the stage. The door on the right leads onto 'stage left' (where the monitors desk is located) and the door opposite it on the left leads to a stair case that climbs several flights before leading to the band's dressing room and several other rooms. The small corridor that the photo is taken from leads around the back of the stage and is completely plastered with tour posters from all the major bands who have performed in this superb venue over the years. Every available piece of wall is covered with posters from the likes of David Bowie, Queen, Robbie Williams and pleanty of other artists I've never heard of. Maybe there will be a Delirious? poster there one day! (I was half tempted to sneak one up there when nobody was looking)

Towards the end of the DJ's set, some Brazilian dancers were limbering up ready to go on stage. As bizzare as it sounds, that very narrow corridor was where they decided to do their stretching exercises. I hastily got out of their way as arms and legs started doing things that looked very painful to me. Once the dancers had finished, I moved out to 'front of house' and stood behind Andy Hutch's lighting desk with former crew member Colin who had turned up for the show (I think he was just there for the after show party to be honest). From there I watched Kendall Payne perform her half hour set before I returned backstage to find Delirious? in their dressing room getting ready to go on stage. Full of confidence they marched out onto the stage and proceeded to rock for the next hour and 45 minutes.

As usual for me, I ran around the venue taking photos from every available position. The sides of the stage, the 'pit' out front and up in the balcony. I had been pre-warned of the planned 'snow storm' during the final Christmas number, and so I duly made my way up to the balcony and stood ready with my camera for the snow to descened. It was then that the batteries on my camera decided to die, so in the darkness I frantically rushed to change them to a fresh set and just about got myself ready as the heavens opened and millions of tiny pieces of paper floated down over everyone (see below).

So another superb Delirious? concert came to an end. Here's to a great 2006. Happy Christmas everyone.

Just on my way home from the Christmas Gig in London. Once again
Delirious? put on an amazing show. As well as the fantastic Mission Bell
songs, the setlist included the spine tingling Obsession, the emotional
With You and not one but two Christmas songs. Stu G dueted with Kendall
Payne on Let It Snow and then the band performed the Cliff hit Misletoe
and Wine, during which millions of tiny pieces of paper fluttered down
from the ceiling. Stunning. My review and photos will follow in the
morning.

Earlier this year at the gig in Horsham (1st July) the band told me that their manager, Tony Patoto, was leaving to pursue a new career in the USA. It was sad news for the band since Tony had been with them since the early days and had been the foundation stone of much of what they have achieved over the years. But they also knew that the new opportunity would be brilliant for Tony, so their sadness was mixed with good will and happiness for their good friend and mentor. At that time, the news was still being kept fairly quiet as Tony's visa and contract needed to be sorted out. But in September the news was finally confirmed and made public.

The previous month, August, I asked Tony if he would be willing to do an interview for Delirious.org.uk to talk about his time with Delirious? and what his new job would entail. I've done a number of interviews on Delirious.org.uk over the past few years. I've interviewed the band as a whole and as individuals, but I also like to get the views of people close to the band, like their crew and producers. Sometimes, as in the case of Julian Kindred (producer on World Service), they approach me offering to do an interview, but usually it's the other way round. I've only been turned down once, but thankfully Tony was more than happy to agree to an interview, which I was really pleased about because I knew that he had a superb insight to everything the band have done in the past decade.

Tony is an incredible guy. I've met him on numerous occasions, before and after gigs, in the studio and at the Furious? offices, and built up a good repoire with him. He is a very friendly and jokey kind of guy and always has a willingness to do whatever he can to help out. It took a bit of time to get the interview sorted out. He had a long wait for all his paper work to be sorted out before he could finally move to the USA and start his new job, and that kept him busy for several months. But he didn't forget his promise to do an interview, and now at last I'm able to share what he had to say about Life as the Delirious? Manager. It's particularly interesting to hear about his new job, setting up a new mainstream record lable for EMI in the USA called ReThink, aiming to bring Christian artists to the secular world. Just like he did with Delirious? All the best Tony.

Navigating the streets of Bournemouth turned out to be slightly trickier than I had anticipated. This resulted in me arriving about half an hour later than planned. Finally however I found the Italian restaurant that Jon had described to me on the phone while I was going round one of Bournemouth's many roundabouts for about the tenth time. Thankfully they'd saved me a seat opposite Jon and as I sat down a young American lady stretched her arm out towards me to shake my hand and said "Hi, I'm Kendall". Next to Kendall was Stu G, deep in conversation with Rusty (the new guitar tech) and next to Rusty was Little Dave (the other guitar tech). Martin, Stew and Tim were on various other tables with the rest of the crew. Arriving late at a restaurant is never a good idea, and there's always that awkward moment when you realise that everyone else has finished eating and are all watching while you eat. With the meal finished, we all walk down the road to the Opera House, the venue for tonights gig. As we passed a large double decker bus parked outside the stage door, Little Dave invites me in to have a look around the tour bus.

Inside, the tour bus is decidely cramped with minimal head room. Downstairs is a toilet and a small lounge. Once you climb the stairs you find yourself in a larger lounge area (see above) and behind you is a series of beds either side of the walk way (see below), stacked two-high like bunk beds. There is just about enough space to lie down in each bed, but it's pretty 'cosy'. With the tour bus tour finished (it didn't take long) we head inside the venue and I find myself in the 'production office' chatting with Ian, the band's tour manager. This highly informative chat brings up all kinds of useful information. Ian confides the band's tour plans for next year (expect a bigger UK tour in the Autumn and a few new countries around the world) and explains how he selects the venues for a tour. Apparently on this tour they chose venues that were self-contained in terms of sound and lighting equipment, rather than taking their own on tour with them.

Next door to Ian's mission control is the Delirious? dressing room (see below). Inside I find Jon and Stu with red marker pens engrossed in colouring in the previously pink flowers on Stu's current black and white floral tour trousers. It's probably best not to ask them why. Kendall Payne's dressing room has an adjoining door and she wonders in, chatting away to the band like old pals. Actually they are old pals since Kendall also supported the band on their UK Tour 4 years ago. I quickly come to the conclusion that Kendall is a lovely girl, and she chats to me in a friendly manner for several minutes. There is a hilarious moment when Stew asks her when she is getting changed into her stage clothes, only to be told that these are her stage clothes. Soon it is time for Kendall's set, and she heads downstairs to the stage and from the dressing room we hear a huge applause as she starts to play.

With the sound of Kendall playing on stage in the background, Martin works out the band's own setlist. The band decide to drop Heaven and go with My Glorious and pretty soon Ian has printed out a finalised setlist for each band member. I cheakily request my own copy, to which Ian kindly agrees. Looking down the list I see they have 7 songs from new album The Mission Bell, but tracks like Stronger, All This Time and Our God Reigns are not including. I enquire about these, and Jon tells me that they're saving a few of the new songs back so that there is something new still to play on next years UK tour. Finally Ian announces that it's time for the band to go on stage. I'm honoured with the task of saying the ritual pre-gig prayer before we head down the stairs and into the darkness on stage. I find an ideal position to watch the gig, just to the side of Jon in the wings of the stage, and watch as the crowd goes wild. The concert is as incredible as ever, with so much energy and passion being ploughed into every song. I snap away with my camera and watch with interest as Little Dave scampers onto stage to replace a cable connecting Jon's bass to his amp after they've exchanged a few puzzled glances as to why his guitar has fallen quiet mid-song.

During Paint The Town Red, Martin climbs into the crowd and Ian comes rushing past me diving into the security pit to grab hold of Martin's ankle just in time to stop the crowd swallow him up completely. He pulls Martin to safety and almost throws him back up onto the stage. Clearly having strong arms is part of the job description for a tour manager. Apparently all is not right as Martin starts gesturing towards Trevour the monitors engineer. Presumably his ear piece is playing up and so Trev frantically twists a few knobs on the sound desk in front of him and soon Martin seems satisfied again. Once the gig is finished, Tim and Martin make a quick exit for the drive back to Littlehampton, while Jon and Stu are content to hang around and catch the tour bus on to the next gig in Bristol the following night. I say my goodbyes to band and crew and head back to my car, hoping I can find a quicker route out of the city than I took on the way in.

With Christmas fast approaching I thought I'd give you a few last minute suggestions if you're still struggling for present ideas to buy your friends and family this year. So here is my Top 5 Christmas present ideas...

1. Delirious? - The Mission Bell (£12.00)
The obvious choice for any Delirious? fan - the latest album is a must buy. Containing 12 new songs including Now Is The Time, Paint The Town Red, Solid Rock and Miracle Maker. Delirious? at their finest.
Buy the CD | Read a review

2. We Must Go - Soul Survivor Live 2005 (£13.95)
This album was recorded live at Soul Survivor this summer and features Tim Hughes, Hillsong and two exclusive live tracks from Delirious? This is the only CD in the world that has live recordings of Delirious? performing Now Is The Time and God In Heaven.
Buy the CD | Read a review

3. Narnia: Music Inspired by The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (£13.95)
With the Narnia movie set to be huge this Christmas, this various artists album is the perfect present. Featuring Stronger by Delirious? plus tracks from the likes of Jars of Clay, Rebecca St. James, Toby Mac, David Crowder Band and Chris Tomlin.
Buy the CD

4. Worship Guitar Course DVD (£59.99)
For the guitar enthusiast this 3 DVD boxset of tution is the ideal companion. The high price may put some off, but the superb guitar advice plus interviews and lessons with worship leaders including Delirious' very own guitar genius, Stu G, make this well worth the purchase.
Buy the DVD | Read a review

5. Building One World (£9.95)
This compilation albums celebrates the World Youth Day event in Germany this summer, when millions of people gathered in front of the pope. Delirious? are included on the album, along with Audio Adrenaline, The Newsboys, Moya Brennan and pleanty more.
Buy the CD

Sorry for the month-long gap in blog posts. I thought I'd give the new album some time to settle into everyones cd racks before blogging about it. The Mission Bell has now been released for a whole month and in those four weeks, as expected, everyone has formed their own opinions about it. There has been the usual lively d:bate in the d:scussion forum, and I think it's fair to say that the consensus of opinion is favourable. One interesting quirk has been the 'getting-used-to-it' efactor. Time and time again people have said their opinion of the album has changed over the first few days of listening to it. Like a fine wine, The Mission Bell improves with age. Some would say that an album needs to grab the listener from the very first listen - but personally I've always liked the fact that the more you listen to a d: song, the more you notice things about it. It took me years to really appreciate See The Star for example. It was only when I noticed the beauty of the strings in the background that I realised what a superb song it was. Similarly with The Mission Bell, some people seem to need a few listens to really appreciate the new songs.

In addition to numerous fans being eager to analyse and review the album on the forum, there has also been some interesting reviews coming from the 'outside world'. Q Magazine, for example, this week gave their two pence worth with comments like "...musically, their isolation is shifting them towards polished earnest-period U2, fuelled by the unbridled passion of singer Martin Smith". Add to that the 3/5 star rating they gave the album and you have yourself a fairly impressive review of an overtly Christian album by an overtly secular music magazine with a reputation for not mincing its words. The 'religious' factor that these secular magazines often struggle with when reviewing Delirious? albums can never be avoided, and indeed Q made the comment that "...without God they could be massive". This throws up all kinds of points.

The band themselves would almost certainly declare that 'without God' they'd be nothing, but from a secular music industry's perspective - the comment has a valid point. Delirious? have often found their faith to be a virtual brick wall in trying to invade the mainstream music world, particularly in the UK, and if their Christianity wasn't a factor then it's conceivable that additional doors may have magically opened in that otherwise obstructive brick wall. But the band have consistantly been true to what they believe, and whatever criticism you throw at them, they can never be accused of hiding their belief. Their uncompromising stance may have cost them a Top10 chart position or a slot on a certain TV show, but that is outweighed by not being at a cost to their faith.

Within a few days of The Mission Bell being released, I started a new poll to give people a chance to declare their initial opinion on which was the best song on the album. Over a month 548 people took part, and the runaway winner was Miracle Maker with 160 votes. Now Is The Time came second, but was a long way back with just 64 votes - showing just how far ahead of the crowd Miracle Maker is. Sometime next year I will run the poll again and it will be interesting to see if opinions have changed over time. For now, a new poll is running to ask how The Mission Bell compares to the other Delirious? albums. Currently, about 80% of the votes are split between this being the best album yet, or nearly the best.

Tomorrow night Delirious? embark on their Paint The Town Tour which will be the band's chance to set out The Mission Bell in a live context. It's always exciting to hear a new set of songs live, and I'm very much looking forward to hearing the likes of Solid Rock and Here I Am Send Me screaming out of Stu's guitar and Take Off My Shoes and I'll See You being gently eased out of Martin's vocal chords. Whilst the tour won't have the 'big production' style of previous tours in terms of video screens and the like, it should be one of the most exciting tours in recent years when it comes to the music. These songs are just demanding to be played live in front of a few thousand ecstatic d: fans. The London gig has already sold out, so if you're planning to see Delirious? on this tour and haven't bought tickets yet - hurry up before the rest of the venues sell out too.