Donovan in concert Manchester Bridgewater Hall 2004
In 2004, UK concerts by Donovan were few and far between. It had been 14 years since I’d last seen him in concert, so when he announced a couple of shows, one in Manchester and one in London, I decided it was time to see the troubadour child of the 60s again. Marie and I decide to make a weekend of it, and booked a room in a hotel opposite to the venue. We arrived early, and from our hotel room window a could see a small crowd waiting outside the stage door of the Bridgewater Hall. I guessed they were waiting for Donovan’s arrival, and went down and joined them. I waited around 30 minutes or so, and sure enough a black people carrier arrived and Donovan stepped out of the back of it. He took the time to talk to everyone and sign piece of memorabilia. Donovan seemed to know some of them; the guy beside was carrying a book which was signed by him on several pages. Donovan signed my flyer, and shook my hand. He looked well, and seemed genuinely pleased to meet everyone. 
The Bridgewater Hall is a lovely, purpose-built concert venue in the centre of Manchester. The gig was almost sold out, and we were treated to a set which drew from all periods of Donovan’s career, and especially from the 60s. Donovan clearly still believes in the ideals of those magic days, and reminisced about encounters with the Beatles and the Maharishi in India, and Buffy Sainte-Marie, as an introduction to her song “Universal Soldier”. He was promoting his latest album: Beat Club. He also sang Colours, Mellow Yellow, Catch The Wind and Hurdy Gurdy Man sitting, for part of the concert, cross-legged on an eastern rug. I bought a book of Donovan’s poetry, “She”. A wonderful evening in the company of a child of the 60s, whose songs have the power to take us all back there. The set included the following, although not in this order (and I have missed some I am sure): Sunshine Superman; GooGooBarabajagal; Season of the Witch; Lalena; Josie; Universal Soldier; Catch the Wind; Colours; Happiness Runs; Jennifer Juniper; There Is a Mountain; Hurdy Gurdy Man; Mellow Yellow; Atlantis
28 Aug
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