Van Der Graaf Generator Manchester Academy March 26th 2011
I always found Van Der Graaf Generator a tricky band to get into. To me, their songs range from classic progrock (Necromancer, Darkness, Refugees, Killer) through to others which are much darker, intense and, in parts, almost inpenetrable. So I approached last night’s concert at Manchester Academy with interest, and some nervousness; would I enjoy them after all this time?
Last night was the first time I’d seen VDGG since the 1970s, so this was a trip back in time for me. VDGG were one of the first bands I saw at Newcastle City Hall, on the Charisma 6/- package tour; the support acts were Lindisfarne and Genesis. I still remember parts of that night well, Genesis were exquisite (The Knife blew me away; Peter Gabriel used the mike stand as a gun and shot us all), Lindisfarne went down a storm with the home crowd (lots of singing along) and stole the show, and Van Der Graaf were quite perplexing for me. I remember thinking Killer was great, but also losing my way in some of the seemingly endless saxophone solos. I saw them a few times after that, at the Reading Festival, Newcastle Polytechnic, Sunderland Locarno and Redcar Coatham Bowl, and got quite well into them by the time they split up for the last (for then) time in the late ’70s. I missed their show at the Sage a few years ago as I away at the time, so I decided to make up for it last night, and drove across to Manchester to relive a little piece of my youth.
Manchester Academy 3 is a small, dark venue situated on the top floor of Manchester University Students Union building. Last night The Stranglers were appearing next door in Academy 1 and Peter Wolf was downstairs in Academy 2 (must be great being a student in Manchester!). Upstairs the venue was crammed full with 50+ (and 60+) year old fans fans who were waiting expectedly for their heroes. Peter Hamill, Guy Evans and Hugh Banton took to the stage to warm cheers at around 8.30pm and launched into Interference Patterns, which is from their 2008 Trisector album. Peter Hammil’s vocals were as unique and challenging as ever. He alternated between electric piano and guitar, and explained to the audience that he finds the arrangements difficult (and hence has to work from sheets of music). Guy Evans drumming was excellent, as was Hugh Banton’s organ playing; quite intricate with lots of 70s Hammond swirling. The set was largely drawn from their recent albums, with none of the favourites which I so wanted to hear. But this is a band reborn, with the same values and ethos, but a new take on the music. The vocals are still strident and dynamic, but the songs are more complex, there is more guitar and the trademark sax has departed with David Jackson. I still found the songs challenging and dark; I guess I would have found them easier if I’d listened to the recent albums. Most of the crowd around me seemed to know the new tracks; indeed each song was greeted with loud applause and almost reverance. But actually last night I sort of started to get it, and enjoyed the set. If a stranger walked into the hall last night, I swear they would wonder what on earth was going on: a strange manic old guy singing some weird songs, with a crowd of (mostly) older people hanging on every word. But it worked; the musicianship was superb, the vocals ranged from touching and beautiful to manic and almost screaming. Peter ignored the cries for Killer, Refugees (one guy was shouting for Mike and Suzie!) and Darkness, but actually, that was OK. I finally appreciated VDGG for what they are: superb musicians, complex, challenging, difficult, but ultimately satisfying.
Setlist:
Interference Patterns
Mr Sands
Your Time Starts Now
Scorched Earth
Bunsho
Lifetime
All That Before
Still Life
All Over The Place
Over the Hill
We are Not Here
Man-Erg
Encore – LaRossa
website: http://www.vandergraafgenerator.co.uk
ticket
poster with timings that I took off the wall as a momento
Vintagerock's Weblog. 
Posted by Graham HUlme on March 31, 2011 at 6:22 pm
An honest review and as a complete fanatic it was a truly brilliant gig
Posted by Peej2000 on April 1, 2011 at 3:02 pm
I was there and it was a great gig. A good choice of material (we got more songs than the other UK dates on this tour) and the band were in fine form. The songs from the new album, ‘A Grounding in Numbers’, worked very well live.
This was the first VDGG concert I had seen at a standing venue and there were actually quiet a few fans UNDER the age of 50 in the audience (myself included!)
I’m looking forward to seeing them again soon (the band, not the audience – no offence audience).
PS: Peter Hammill’s crib sheets were for the lyrics NOT the music!
Posted by John Roberts on April 25, 2011 at 10:55 pm
I first saw VDGG in 1976 at Leeds Grand Theatre (the chilling, unsettling yet strangely beautiful Still LIfe had just appeared).
My first intro. to them was buying “The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other” in ’74. I even did a piece of A level artwork based on the cover-some bugger nicked it from the school hall
notice board; maybe that was a compliment of sorts!!!
Saw them at Bridgewater Hall in 2005; previous concert I saw was Procol Harum with the Halle Choir in 2001 (also brilliant).
The sound at Manchester University Academy was pristine; a
combination of Quantum physics, relativity, sublime delicate beauty, a dash of Catholicism, existential musings on life,
and elemental force.
True outsiders who have never succombed to mediocrity.
Thanks for a great show, boys.
compliment to the soundmen. We could hear all peter’s vocals, even over the “racket” bits; the delicate bits sounded sublime.
How about a live Cd of this concert?
Someone asked what VDGG were like. This is my view! A c
Posted by Peej2000 on January 3, 2012 at 4:16 pm
There IS a recording of this gig available…if you know where to look!
Posted by John Roberts on April 25, 2011 at 11:13 pm
I first saw VDGG in 1976 at Leeds Grand Theatre (the chilling, unsettling yet strangely beautiful Still LIfe had just appeared).
My first intro. to them was buying “The Least We Can Do Is Wave To Each Other” in ’74. I even did a piece of A level artwork based on the cover-some bugger nicked it from the school hall
notice board; maybe that was a compliment of sorts!!!
I saw them at Leeds Grand Theatre in 1976. The chilling, yet strangely beautiful ‘Still Life’ had been played on John Peel’s show. Then saw them at Manchester Bridgewater Hall In 2005
(I saw Procol Harum there previously in 2001, with The Halle choir; also excellent).
The Manchester University Academy concert had pristine sound; you could hear all Peter’s vocals, even over the “racket” bits!
A credit to the sound engineers. How about a live CD of this
outstanding performance?
People ask what VDGG are like. My view is: a strange but compelling blend of Quantum physics, relativity, a dash of Catholicism, sublime beauty and emotion, existential musings on life and infinity, and elemental force!
True outsiders who have never succombed to mediocrity.
Thanks for a grat show, boys.