Uriah Heep Carlisle Sands Centre 30th October 2004
Support from Doogie White’s White Noise
Thanks for sticking with my during my week of ramblings on Uriah Heep. This will be my last post on that mighty, great band (at least until I see them again).
It was 2004 and I was suffering Heep withdrawal. I had foolishly lost touch with the band and it had been 19 years since I last saw them perform at a gig at Newcastle Mayfair. I read that they were touring the UK, and saw the nearest concert to me was at Carlisle Sands Centre, so I decided to go along. Carlisle is a 60 or so mile drive, and the Sands Centre is a leisure centre cum concert venue just outside the city centre. I arrived in time to catch support act Doogie White and White Noise. The ticket lists Manfred Mann’s Eartband as support, but this wasn’t the case. Doogie White was the singer in a later line-up of Blackmore’s Rainbow, and his set contained quite a few Rainbow favourites.
The 2004 line-up of Uriah Heep was Mick Box (guitar), Lee Kerslake (drums), Trevor Bolder (bass), Phil Lanzon (keyboards) and Bernie Shaw (vocals). Shaw and Lanzon both joined the band in 1986, and Shaw is now their longest serving vocalist. It was really great to see Uriah Heep again. I wasn’t sure how many old songs they would play, and whether I would know many, but I need not have worried. They started with Easy Livin’, and also played Stealin’, Gypsy, The Wizard and July Morning. The encores were Bird of Prey and Lady in Black. Shaw is an excellent front man with a great voice, and does justice to those classic Heep songs. It all came back to me, and I was once again a big fan. I’ve seen Uriah Heep on four further occasions since then, in Stockton, Workington, Newcastle and Holmfirth, and have already blogged about those shows. During that period Trevor Bolder has sadly passed away, and Lee Kerslake has retired from the band. Mick Box continues to lead the band. Long may they continue to rock.
Setlist: Easy Livin’; Shadows of Grief; Pilgrim; The Other Side of Midnight; Stealin’; Wise Man; The Wizard; Devil’s Daughter; Sunrise; Gypsy; July Morning; Look at Yourself
Encore: Bird of Prey; Lady in Black
14 Dec
Uriah Heep Carlisle Sands Centre 30th October 2004
Posted December 14, 2014 by vintagerock in Uriah Heep, White Noise. Tagged: classic rock, concert, concerts, gig, gigs, heavy metal, heavy rock, music, prog rock, rock, rock n roll. 4 Comments
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Posted by Neil Thompson on December 14, 2014 at 8:06 pm
I never saw Heep’s classic early 70s lineup but I saw them twice in the late 80s at the Astoria in London (the first one had many more people there for some reason) and the main reason I went to these gigs was to see one of the best frontmen in rock – Bernie Shaw.
One night in January 1980 me and my mate decided to go to Fulham Golden Lion to see a band called ‘Paris’ What I saw that night just knocked me for six. I’ve never seen such a professional looking and sounding band in a pub before or since – they were so brilliant that they could have been headlining Hammersmith Odeon that night and nobody would have questioned why they were there. The singer was Bernie Shaw – and he looked every part the rock star – bangles all down his arm, T-shirt and skintight spandex trousers! What a voice and what a performer. I was hooked and went to see them a couple of more times at the same venue. They would absolutely pack the pub out and were brilliant every time.
They soon changed their name to Grand Prix and released an album at the end of 1980 – what a classic. I went to see them support Manfred Mann’s Earthband in 1981 at the Dominion and again they were absolutely incredible. I was talking to Bernie at the end of the show and he was a lovely warm bloke (I spoke to him a couple more times in the early 80s and again he was the most friendly, down to Earth bloke) He was crazily sacked by Grand Prix and replaced by a far inferior singer whose name isn’t worth mentioning.
Heep’s first studio album (Raging Silence) with Bernie (and fellow Grand Prix man, Phil – where on Earth does he get them shirts! – Lanzon) is great. I bought their second album and I wasn’t that impressed by it so I lost touch with them.
Anyway – Bernie Shaw – brilliant frontman, brilliant bloke.
By the way – there must be some sort of connection between Doogie White and Uriah Heep cause when I saw them at the Astoria the second time, they were supported by Doogie’s band – Midnight Blue – who were great.
Posted by vintagerock on December 14, 2014 at 8:56 pm
Many thanks indeed Neil. Great story. I agree with you about Bernie Shaw. I don’t think I ever saw Paris, but pretty sure I saw Grand Prix, although I can’t recall when or where. The connection with Doogie White is,I think, Praying Mantis. Both he and Shaw very vocalists in the band, so I suspect that they know each other. Cheers Peter
Posted by Neil Thompson on December 15, 2014 at 12:07 am
Grand Prix supported Sammy Hagar at the City Hall (but it was with Robin Mcauley on vocals, not Bernie)
Posted by vintagerock on December 15, 2014 at 7:52 am
Many thanks Neil That must be when I saw them Best wishes Peter