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Post by martin53 on Apr 1, 2011 1:32:50 GMT -5
PROCOL HARUM / Saturday, September 30th, 1972 at the Eulachhalle Winterthur, Switzerland
Life is great when you are 19!
That’s what I thought when I was on my way from Zurich to Winterthur where Procol Harum would perform tonight. They had become one of my favourite groups in the last couple of years.
While the train was gently on its way to Winterthur, I was reading the New Musical Express. Exciting things were happening musically. Status Quo had returned with a bang – “Paper Plane” was their first massive hit worldwide. A new band, Roxy Music, had entered the charts with their hit “Virginia Plain” - a song displaying a complete new sound and a positive approach. T. Rex had turned electric and had another massive hit with “Metal Guru” whereas Mott The Hoople convinced the market with their astounding version of David Bowie’s “All The Young Dudes” and Slade thrilled their fans with “Mama Weer All Crazee Now”. Famous groups like The Kinks, Ten Years After, The Doors, Jethro Tull and last but not least Procol Harum kept on delivering solid albums with well-crafted songs - “Everybody’s In Show-Biz”, “Rock’n Roll Music To The World”, “Full Circle”, “Thick As A Brick” and “Live In Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra”.
Procol Harum’s unique concert was supposed to start at 08.00 p.m. As I was already there at 04.30 p.m. I had the chance to meet and to chat with Gary Brooker (the group’s musical mastermind, singer, songwriter, pianist) and his wife. Chris Copping (organ) joined later. Then they were off for the soundcheck.
The band were on time. They started the concert with an extended version of “The Devil Came From Kansas” from their highly acclaimed album “A Salty Dog” (1969). This excellent song allowed Mick Grabham to display his technical and musical skills as a guitarist. It was the band’s first appearance ever with him – the great Robin Trower and the amazing Dave Ball were his predecessors.
The group performed then the suite “In Held ‘Twas In I” in its full length from the album “Shine On Brightly” (1968) with the participation of Keith Reid - together with the Munich Symphonic Orchestra under the special direction of musical director Eberhard Schöner and the Swingle Singers from Paris featuring the great Christiane Legrand. They played as well songs from their forthcoming album Grand Hotel - the title track, “Bringing Home The Bacon”, “A Souvenir Of London”, “Toujours L’Amour”, “T.V.Caesar” and “Fires (Which Burnt Brightly”) – featuring again the one and only Christiane Legrand. Classics like “Homburg”, “Shine On Brightly”, “A Salty Dog”, “Whisky Train”, “Broken Barricades”, “Simple Sister”, “Conquistador” and “A Whiter Shade Of Pale” followed.
Having started the gig at the sold-out venue with “The Devil Came From Kansas” and having played more than 2 1/1 hours Procol Harum closed the outstanding Saturday night’s event with a fiery and unplanned rendition of Little Richard’s “Good Golly Miss Molly”. I thought: “Jesus, they even know how to rock!” Gary was in complete control of everybody and everything but nevertheless taken aback about the audience’s wild response to their encore.
Before leaving the stage, Gary turned to me and said with thumbs up ”See you soon, Al”. And off they were.
It had been an unique performance on a very special night. And what a combination - band, orchestra and choir!
Outside the stars were shining bright and the ambiente was full of sound. This very first concert in my life made such a huge impact on me that I remember it as if it had been yesterday!
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Post by uncleson on Apr 1, 2011 14:32:10 GMT -5
Thanks Martin!
I barely remember my first concert. I couldnt drive yet, so my cousin drove his brother and I to see Pacific Gas and Electric. They were a good band, and the lead singer, Charlie Allen, had a good voice and good stage pressence.
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Post by sleepwalker24 on Apr 1, 2011 15:03:53 GMT -5
Congratulations on your new thread Martin! I think its a really good idea for a thread and hope others will contribute their concert stories! Your concert review was great, I can't say I know that much of Procal Harum's music (bar a few songs) but I enjoyed reading your review!
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Post by Kinkcan on Apr 1, 2011 15:54:06 GMT -5
It must have been quite an experience for you Martin. Thanks for sharing.
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Post by martin53 on Apr 3, 2011 1:18:18 GMT -5
Thank you for your feedback, my friends. Who would love to make a contribution as well?
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Post by HollyH on Apr 3, 2011 20:36:57 GMT -5
I would love to write about the first concert I ever went to, but I honestly can't remember much about it -- it was either the Lovin' Spoonful or the Turtles (so that dates it pretty definitely as 1967 or 68 so I was still in junior high) although I do remember that it was at the Coliseum at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. A really huge, cavernous venue where it was difficult to see the stage if you weren't close (and this was in the days before they added video screens to give you close-ups of the artists). A few years later, however, I was back at the Coliseum to see James Taylor and Carole King. This must have been 1970. I already had all of James Taylor's albums and was very keen to see him. Carole King was the opening act, and she came bouncing out on stage with this huge mane of brown curly hair, wearing all sorts of loose flowing hippie-style clothes. She really rocked that piano, and raced through all those girl group songs she'd written with her ex-husband Gerry Goffin. I'd had no idea who she was, but of course I knew those songs by heart. She was such a funny, energetic performer, she completely won me over. Then James Taylor came on, dressed in a denim shirt and jeans, his long dark hair and mustache nearly hiding his face. He was so thin and reserved, he just sat on a stool and played his guitar. While it wasn't nearly as dynamic as Carole's act, his music at the time was still sort of haunted, melancholy folk songs, so he could get away with that intense, grave stage presence. I remember that at one point, during the song "Sweet Baby James," on the line "deep greens and blues are the colors they choose" the lighting on his face switched to green and blue, and he blinked up at the lights, startled -- he almost stopped singing, in fact. So I guess he was still very new to performing and ill at ease on stage. He didn't really properly warm up until Carole came back on stage to sing a few songs with him, ending up with his current hit, "You've Got A Friend" (which Carole had written). I should have gone to see their 40-year reunion tour this past year. I'm sure James Taylor is much more relaxed on stage now!
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Post by martin53 on Apr 4, 2011 0:45:43 GMT -5
Thank you for your contribution, Holly. I enjoyed reading your review!
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Post by martin53 on Apr 12, 2011 0:58:28 GMT -5
JOHN HIATT / Sunday, October 24th, 2010 at the Kaufleuten, Zurich, SwitzerlandTo cut a long story short – John Hiatt's concert was fantastic, impressive and wonderful. John and his skilled band “The Ageless Beauties” played a solid set of 2 ½ hours in the sold-out venue. He made a great musical journey through the decades presenting us his excellent songs from his incredible musical wealth – “Perfectly Good Guitar”, “Your Dad Did”, “Slow Turning”, “Open Road”, “Love You Again” and “Tiki Bar Is Open”. In the middle of the performance John said with a big and sincere grin “We thank you so much for being so terrific to us. I’m not kidding!”. And a couple of songs later shines through the down-to-earth John when contemplating “In this world-wide economic crisis where people possibly have other things to do, for example painting a wall in their apartment or buying new furniture (hey, how did he know about me!!! ) it is amazing that you people come along to see us and spend your money on what we are doing. Thank you again. We are more than pleased.” The set concluded with a terrific and intense “Have A Little Faith In Me”. Of course, John, of course. PS: Needless to say how I’m looking forward to seeing John and his excellent band again. “The Ageless Beauties” are Doug Lancio, guitar, Patrick O’Hearn, bass and Kenneth Blevins, drums – all highly qualified and in-demand session musicians from Nashville.
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Post by HollyH on Apr 12, 2011 9:08:30 GMT -5
They are indeed a great line-up. I saw them on a "cruise to nowhere" that circled New York Harbor two summers ago. When I talked to them after the show, Patrick O'Hearn admitted that he'd given up touring completely just to do session work and stay home with his family -- but he agreed to tour if John asked him. (He added that the pace of a John Hiatt tour isn't as crazy as he remembered life on the road back in the old days!)
There was one spine-tingling moment in that performance -- when John was singing "Cry Love" and just as he came to the line "the wings of an angel, the tears of a dove," the Statue of Liberty swung into view behind him, sunset gleaming off her crown. The audience oohed, and John turned around to see what they were looking at -- even he was awed by that sight!
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Post by Smiley on Apr 12, 2011 10:51:50 GMT -5
My first Rock concert was the KinKs!
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Post by martin53 on Apr 13, 2011 1:11:29 GMT -5
We would love to hear more about it, Smiley!
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Post by Smiley on Apr 13, 2011 9:47:27 GMT -5
Great times... Ray and Dave at the Uptown theater in Chicago. I was very, very young. I'm sure Uncleson was there as well. Ray would get the crowd going in a huge sing-along, before the days of the Big shows. Then he stopped talking to the audience with the Low Budget tours a few years later. The year the KinKs reinvented themselves as an arena band.
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Post by martin53 on Apr 14, 2011 1:01:21 GMT -5
Thank you for your contribution, Smiley!
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Post by martin53 on May 2, 2011 2:20:13 GMT -5
MARSHALL CRENSHAW
Just came home from the second of three nights of Marshall Crenshaw's 30th anniversary shows. I came home loaded down with a T-shirt, poster, and even a bottle of Marshall Crenshaw Cabernet Sauvignon (since the venue is the City Winery, they often produce a special edition wine for an artist to sell at his shows -- I'll have to set this bottle alongside the Graham Parker Plonk chardonnay I bought a few weeks ago!)
I have to say, my favorite thing about this excellent show was that Marshall had invited his brother Robert to play drums (Robert was the drummer on the original 1982 Marshall Crenshaw LP) and their other brother John assisted on percussion. Nothing like keeping it all in the family! I got to hang around with them a bit after the show, and even met their parents, who were in town from Detroit. They are truly the nicest, funniest, most down-to-earth family you'd ever want to meet.
Besides performing the entire first album, they did a number of covers and other early songs. Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo was also playing with them (we had a good chat about Frank) as was the amazing Graham Maby on bass. They'd never played as a band before, but you'd never be able to tell that -- they were having a great time and sounded fantastic.
Marshall Crenshaw's music has really stood the test of time -- 30 years later, it sounds as fresh as if it had been recorded yesterday. It was just a great show all around!!!
Copyright Holly Hughes April 30th 2011.
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Post by HollyH on May 5, 2011 22:48:16 GMT -5
Thanks for posting, Martin! Marshall's concerts were truly magnificent.
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