Slade Sunderland Polytechnic Wearmouth Hall 21st February 1981
The “Live at Reading” EP reached number 44 in the UK singles chart; the band’s first chart placing since 1977. Polydor Records seized the opportunity to capitalise on Slade’s recent success and released a compilation “Slade Smashes!” in November 1980. The album was a big succees, turning a whole new audience onto Slade; it spent 15 weeks in the UK chart, was certified Gold, and sold over 200,000 copies. Success continued with the release of their new single “We’ll Bring the House Down” which was released in January 1981. 
Aimed at the new heavy metal audience who had picked up and them at, and after, Reading 1980, it was a bit heavier than their normal sound.”We’ll Bring the House Down” got to number 10 in the UK singles chart, and became Slade’s first top ten hit since 1976.
Slade were starting to fill concert halls again, and toured relentlessly throughout 1981. The next time I got to see them Live after Reading in August 1980, was 6 months later at a sold-out gig at Sunderland Polytechnic’s Students Union dance at Wearmouth Hall on 21st February 1981. The place was ram packed with students and heavy rock fans who gave Slade the returning heroes welcome that they deserved. It was great to see them back filling halls again, and you could tell how much Noddy, Dave, Jim and Don were enjoying their newly found stardom.
I saw Slade again that year, 6 months later at the Donington Monsters of Rock festival on 22nd August 1981 , where they shared the bill with Whitesnake, Blue Öyster Cult, Blackfoot, More, and headliners AC/DC. Slade were 4th on the bill, appearing after Blackfoot and before Blue Öyster Cult. By now they were well and truly accepted as bona fide members of the heavy metal fraternity. Denim jackets were starting to sport Slade patches alongside those of Motorhead, AC/DC, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. You couldn’t make it up 🙂
Slade’s setlist at the time was: Dizzy Mamma; When I’m Dancin’ I Ain’t Fightin’; Take Me Bak ‘Ome; Lock Up Your Daughters; Everyday; Somethin’ Else; Pistol Packin’ Mama; Gudbuy T’Jane; We’ll Bring the House Down; Get Down and Get With It; Mama Weer All Crazee Now; Cum on Feel the Noize; Born to Be Wild; Merry Xmas Everybody
Almost finished my coverage of Slade gigs. One more day to go 🙂
Posts Tagged ‘heavy rock’
16 Aug
Slade Sunderland Polytechnic Wearmouth Hall 21st February 1981
15 Aug
Slade become heavy metal heroes at the Reading Festival 24th August 1980
Slade become heavy metal heroes at the Reading Festival 24th August 1980
Their singles weren’t selling, and their concerts were no longer drawing in the crowds. In fact, at the time of that they took a last-minute call asking them to appear at the 1980 Reading Festival, Slade were on the verge of packing it all in. “We had to pay to park in the public area,” recalls Jim Lea incredulously. “With no roadies, we had to carry our own gear and there was even trouble getting into the backstage area!” From the SladeInEngland site” “Reading Rock 1980 was without a doubt one of the bands finest hours….As far as their history was concerned, perhaps only their groundbreaking appearance at the Great Western Festival at Lincoln in 1972 had as much impact on their standing with the music going public, and the music writing press, as the Reading Festival in 1980.”
By 1980, Reading Festival had become a heavy metal extravaganza. Headliners were Whitesnake, UFO and Rory Gallagher, with a full supporting heavy rock cast including new up-and-coming NWOBHM bands Def Leppard and Iron Maiden. Metal legend Ozzy Osbourne was billed to play on the Sunday with his new band Blizzard of Oz, but rumours started to go around the festival site, that Ozzy wasn’t going to show. Soon those rumours started to hint at who might replace Ozzy, and the name in the frame was…wait for it….Slade. At first this seemed implausable. Slade were out in the “wilderness”, playing in small clubs. How would a staunch heavy metal crowd react to them? The festival organisers wouldn’t take the risk, would they? But the more I thought about it, the more I began to hope that it would happen, and the more I began to think it might really work out well for Slade. After all, I’d seen a similar thing happen eight years before at Lincoln, when Slade turned around a potential disaster and secured themselves a special place in the heart of rock fans. I had no doubt that they had the ability, the songs, the passion and the supreme rock’n’roll sensibilities and credentials to do the same again. I’d seen them play Middlesbrough Rock Garden a couple of months earlier, so I knew that Slade were performing well, powered on all of four cylinders, and ready to rock. And if anyone had the bottle to face the Reading crowd, and a potential shower of Party Seven cans, and talk them round, it was Noddy.
I think it was on the Saturday night that DJ Bob Harris (or it may have been John Peel; they were both there) confirmed that Slade would be replacing Ozzy, to massive boos from the crowd. Slade, those guys who sing the Christmas song? How could they replace a metal legend like Ozzy? The crowd was having none of it. I’m sure many were already plotting how they were going to show Slade exactly what they thought of them. This would no doubt involve lobbing cans at the stage, and probably filling them with piss first.
Sunday afternoon came. Slade were to appear after glam heavy metal band Girl, and just before new heroes Def Leppard. My mate Dave and I were willing it to work out. The field wasn’t that full as Bob Harris announced that Slade were taking the stage. Their entrance was greeted with a hail of cans. Noddy wasn’t phased at all by that, and asked everyone if they were “ready to rock”. And then they launched straight into “Dizzy Mama”. And then it started to happen. Slowly at first, the crowd began to cheer. People wandering around the outskirts of the site started to run towards the stage. Slade knew they had to win the crowd over and were working so hard, rocking so hard, and playing the hits. The area around the stage was soon completely rammed and the whole field was going crazy. Amazing. Slade nailed it, and in the space of one hour made sure that they were well and truly back. I had tears in my eyes.
From the SladeInWales site: “Slade’s appearance at the Reading Festival in 1980 will go down in the annals of rock history as one of the great comeback stories….Slade then went out and kicked everyone’s ass so hard they completely stole the show. All the British press (who had been ignoring Slade for some years by this point) wrote about Reading that year was Slade, and how they were back, dynamic, one of the greatest live bands ever….The Reading Festival in 1980 gave Slade a new lease in life.”
Dave Hill: “One heck of an experience, ‘cos I wasn’t going to do that gig. Slade manager Chas Chandler talked me into it…the confidence came when there was a reaction, as it built and built, sort of got bigger and bigger. I mean getting that lot to sing “Merry Xmas Everybody” was amazing. I could see Chas at the side grinning.”
The event was recorded and a few tracks were released as an EP. For their next tour, Slade were back in concert halls, and were filling them.
Set list: Dizzy Mamma; My Baby Left Me; Take Me Bak ‘Ome; When I’m Dancin’ I Ain’t Fightin’; Wheels Ain’t Coming Down; Everyday; Somethin’ Else; Pistol Packin’ Mama; Keep a Rollin’; You’ll Never Walk Alone (Noddy leading the crowd in a mass singalong); Mama Weer All Crazee Now; Get Down and Get With It (mayhem; mass stomping of feet); Merry Xmas Everybody (well they had to play it, didn’t they, and the crowd sang the chorus; a surreal moment, a field full of denim singing along with Noddy; it was wonderful); Cum on Feel the Noize; Born to Be Wild (a perfect closer; follow that Def Leppard)
A great day 🙂
But….I got back to the camp site after Whitesnake and discovered that someone had nicked my tent 😦 Oh well, you can’t win them all. It was a cheap crappy tent anyway.
Thanks to Andrew King for allowing use of his image of Slade onstage at Reading, through the Wikimedia Commons licence.
12 Aug
Slade: Whatever Happened to Slade? (or the night I saw the old Slade return) Newcastle City Hall 8th May 1977
Slade: Whatever Happened to Slade? (or the night I saw the old Slade return) Newcastle City Hall 8th May 1977
Slade had been away too long. They’d been over in America working the US market, and had taken their eye off the ball in terms of their home fans. As a result their popularity was waning. They realised this, and in early 1977 Slade came back home to England and recorded their sixth album “Whatever Happened to Slade?” The album was a return to their rock’n’roll roots, and received positive critical reviews, but failed to make the UK album charts. Musical tastes were changing in the UK, the glam craze had passed, “dinosaur” or “old fart” bands were being passed over for new bands, and the fashion of the day was “punk rock”. Some of us could see the similarities between the rawness of punk, early Slade, and their original skinhead image; however to the majority of the music public Slade were a forgotten band; a thing of the past.
Not deterred, however, Slade decided to go out on a national tour, returning to the theatres and concert halls which they were selling out just two or three years earlier. The tour called at Newcastle City Hall and I went along with a few mates to renew our acquaintance with Slade. Support for the tour came from Liar, a rock band formed by a former member of Edison Lighthouse and featuring Clive Brooks, who was previously in Egg and the Groundhogs. The City Hall was far from full, which was a shame, as Slade were on fire, working so hard to regain their fans, and demonstrating just how great a rock band they were. The stage was set with the one of the biggest backlines of stacks that I’d ever seen. I knew this was going to be LOUD 🙂 The lights went down, and Slade walked on stage. The first I noticed was the appearance of guitarist Dave Hill. Dave’s hair was gone; he was completely bald with a shaved head and the biggest dangly earring that I’d ever seen. He was wearing a leather jacket and jeans, and looked amazing!! Noddy was wearing a Napolean hat and jacket! Now what was all that about? Then I heard the opening chords of “Hear Me Calling’ and everyone was up on their feet. And away we went. For an hour or so Slade showed us exactly how and why they made it big the first time. By playing LOUD, good honest raucous rock, like only Slade could. They even finished with “Born to be Wild”. It was just like old times, as if the last five years had never happened. The loud, heavy rock band that was early Slade was back 🙂
From a review of the time: “But poor old Slade have blown it, have they? Oh no…..The music suggested havoc. It was sensational: a riff as pile driving as anything Quo have produced with the distinctive fuzzed, rough texture of the Slade guitars and a hint of American funkiness working through. Compulsion……I could hardly believe it….Dynamics, dynamite….The crowd……were on their feet and singing ‘The Blaydon Races’ while Noddy in total friendly rapport squawked away like a cross between Mr Punch and schnozzle Durante….. I expect Slade will be the Status Quo of 1987.” (Phil Sutcliffe, Sounds, May 1977).
Setlist: Hear Me Calling; Get on Up; Be; Take Me Bak ‘Ome; Gypsy Roadhog; Everyday; Gudbuy T’Jane; Coz I Luv You; The Bangin’ Man; Lightning Never Strikes Twice; The Soul, the Roll and the Motion; Mama Weer All Crazee Now; Cum on Feel the Noize; Born to Be Wild
Yes, Slade were playing excellently, but it was a few years before they would rebuild their fan base and return to the charts. During the period between 1977 and 1980 Slade entered their “wilderness years” playing up and down the country in clubs, dives and cabaret. I attended a couple more great Slade gigs during those wilderness years, and will reflect on them over the next couple of days.
18 Jul
Johnny Winter New Victoria Theatre London 26th October 1974
Johnny Winter New Victoria Theatre London 26th October 1974
I was very sad to hear of the passing yesterday of the great Johnny Winter.
Johnny Winter was an incredible blues guitarist, an amazing performer, and a spectacular rock’n’roll star. He looked great, played and sang impeccable electric blues, and his performance was like being caught in a whirlwind.
The first time I saw Johnny Winter live was at a concert at the New Victoria Theatre, London in 1974. I went with my friend John, and it seemed quite an adventure travelling all the way to London for a concert. I’d been to a few festivals and one day events, but I think this was the first time I had travelled to the capital for a single artist concert in a theatre. Support came from Elf, who were fronted by Ronnie James Dio, but it was Winter we had gone to see. The concert was sold out and we had seats up in the circle, looking down on the stage. I recall that Johnny Winter was late coming on stage, but boy was he worth waiting for. This was Johnny the young rock’n’roll bundle of energy and fire (he will have been 30 at the time, but he still looked young and sharp to us). He wore a flash cowboy shirt shirt with long tassels flowing from the arms, and he twisted, twirled and ran around the stage, his incredibly long white hair swirling around him under his cowboy hat, while he shot fire-fast riffs from his trademark Gibson Firebird. 
Winter was every inch pure rock’n’roll energy; the renegade electric cowboy, playing dark and fast music from the delta. Flanked by fellow ace guitarist Floyd Radford, Johnny Winter and his band rocked through a set of blues, his own tracks including the ace “Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo” (written by Derringer), great covers of the Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Honky Tonk Women”, Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” and “Roll Over Beethoven, and Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally”. He was simply stunning and we were blown away.
Philip Norman wrote in The Times of the concert at the time: “Johnny Winter has long white hair and sleeves with red streamers like abandoned conjuring-tricks; his legs are as slim as the caddis-fly’s and, like that nervous insect, he lives in electric storms…effect is not calculated by mere voltage; there was something breathtaking …in this unrepentant chaos”
John’s memories of the concert: “I first got into Johnny Winter after listening to one of the many great lives albums from the early 70’s Johnny Winter and Live. As I recall he did not tour the UK much and certainly not out in the provinces, so when we saw the date in London, we decided to go. The tour was to promote the recently released Still Alive and Well which was recorded after one of his many periods of ill health. The setlist included the title track and I think “Silver Train” (the B side from “Angie”? by the Stones). He did a lot of covers and seemed to especially like the Stones. But the stand out track was his own blues tour de force “Mean Town Blues”, which remains one of my favorite live cuts from that period to this day.”
Thanks to John for his image of the album of the time and for the photo of his poster which he bought at the concert that night in 1974.
RIP Johnny Winter.
9 Jul
Pearl Jam Leeds Arena 8th July 2014
Pearl Jam Leeds Arena 8th July 2014
This was my initiation to Pearl Jam. I’ve been meaning to go and see them for some time and finally did so last night in Leeds. The closest I got until now was seeing singer Eddie Vedder guest with The Who at the Albert Hall a couple of years ago.
My evening started shortly after 5pm, as I set off down the A1. I had am uneventful journey south into Yorkshire and was parked up in a multi- storey car park in Leeds by 7pm. It was then a short walk to the First Direct Arena, before I took my seat in the first tier, just to the left of the stage. Pearl Jam came on just before 8.30pm; there was no support act. This was one of only two UK dates which they are playing this time around, the other being a massive open air show at Milton Keynes bowl.
Leeds First Direct Arena is a fine venue, which holds around 10,000 people, but somehow has the feel of a much smaller hall. This is my second visit, having seen Springsteen there last year.
I’m familiar with very little of Pearl Jam’s material, but I’ve read a lot about them, and was really looking forward to this gig.
Got home late last night. This was an epic 3+ hours, 30+ songs, set from the band, and they exceeded all my expectations. Few bands connect with the audience in the way Pearl Jam did last night. At times I felt like I was the only one in the entire arena who didn’t know all the words to every song as the whole crowd sang along, arms waving. It was like being an observer at someone else’s massive party. The band were very clearly having a great time, and made several references to being pleased to be playing in Leeds, where The Who recorded their famous live album. The encores included covers of two Who classics: The Real Me and Baba O’Reilly. I find Pearl Jam’s music difficult to categorise; although they grew out of the grunge movement, their songs reflect their classic 70s rock roots. You can hear The Who, punk, The Ramones all mashed in there somewhere. In some ways the epic, lengthy nature of the set, and the loyalty of the fans reminded me of seeing the Grateful Dead back in the day. Perhaps that’s a strange comparison, as the music of the two bands is so different. However, I am not alone in making it: “Is Pearl Jam a Modern Grateful Dead? Pearl Jam has long been linked to flannel, but what about tie-dye? As the band closes in on its second decade making music, Pearl Jam and its follow-them-anywhere fans have slowly become one of the tightest communities in rock ’n’ roll, complete with a vibrant bootleg trade centered around the band’s ever-changing, much-lauded live show that many claim transcends the pomp and circumstance of normal rock shows for something more human. Sound like a mouthful? Sure. Sound like the Grateful Dead? Absolutely.” (You can read the full article by Justin Jacobs at http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/09/pearl-jamband-are-pearl-jam-a-modern-grateful-dead.html )
Last night what I witnessed was a classic rock act who transcend genres, were obviously enjoying themselves and unquestionably playing on top form. Many fans are already proclaiming it the best Pearl Jam gig they have attended.
Setlist: Pendulum; Of The Girl; Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town; Breakerfall; Hail Hail; Once; Mind Your Manners; Lightning Bolt; Tremor Christ; Wishlist; Who You Are; Ghost; Even Flow; Sirens; Push Me, Pull Me; Do The Evolution; Don’t Gimme No Lip; Army Reserve; Present Tense; Given To Fly; Setting Forth; Rearviewmirror.
Encore 1: Man Of The Hour; All Or None; Fatal; The Real Me (The Who cover); Porch.
Encore 2: Smile; Leaving Here; Black; Jeremy; State Of Love And Trust; Alive; Baba O’Riley (The Who cover); All Along The Watchtower (Dylan cover); Indifference
21 Jun
Michael Schenker Newcastle City Hall 30th November 1982
Michael Schenker Newcastle City Hall 30th November 1982
I get the impression that the mad axe man was probably not the easiest guy to work with. Come 1982 and vocalist Gary Barden was out of the MSG, to be replaced by ex Marbles and Rainbow front man Graham Bonnet, he of the powerful voice with an amazing range. On top of that drummer Cozy Powell and Schenker’s UFO mate Paul Raymond were also off. A new album “Assault Attack” was recorded and released and a tour followed soon after. However by the time the tour started Graham Bonnet was gone, and the vocal spot was refilled by Gary Barden. What was happening! I was looking forward to seeing Schenker and Bonnet together; now that would have been some gig. The rest of the line-up was Chriss Glenn on bass (aha someone stayed constant) and his SAHB pal Ted McKenna on drums.
The tour called at Newcastle City Hall on 30th November 1982, and it was another good concert, even if we didn’t get the chance to see Graham Bonnet. Less UFO songs this time around, but we still got “Doctor Doctor” 🙂
An audience recording exists; I found this comment about the gig on the Live Rock Avenue blog spot: “Assault Attack tour but no Graham bonnet, unfortunately. Assault attack was a masterpiece, on the same level of the first two studio album but rawer,harder, heavier, bluesier…Barden’s abilities weren’t the same as Bonnet’s. Assault attack, Dancer, Samurai, Broken promises were left out of the set list due to Barden’s inabilities. However a great concert. Also Looking for love was played!”
Setlist: Ulcer; Cry for the nations; Attack of the mad axeman; Rock you to the ground; Bijou Pleasurette; Victim of illusion; Into the arena; Desert song; Curvoisier Concerto; Lost horizon; Let sleeping dogs lie; We are looking for love;,Armed and ready; Doctor doctor; Ready to rock; Rock Bottom
This was the last time I saw Michael Schenker, which is a mistake on my part. Another one to add to my list of people to see again. I see he is touring again in December….
20 Jun
Michael Schenker Newcastle City Hall 2nd Oct 1980 and 4th Sep 1981
Michael Schenker Newcastle City Hall 1980 and 1981
Michael Schenker was (and still is) a true guitar legend. Back in the mid 70s, Shenker was the man. Great rock attitude, a reputation for being a pretty wild guy, great screeching riffs, fast fingers up and down the neck of his Flying V, a little bit flashy, so skinny, and amazing long blonde hair. I saw him many times with UFO right back from the early days when they used to play quite regularly at Sunderland Mecca. I would stand on the dance floor transfixed by Schenker’s playing, and had a few mates who swore down that he was the best guitarist at the time. “Doctor Doctor” was of course a big favourite of all of us, and the dance floor would always fill when it was played. Then around 1978, shock horror, Schenker announced that he was leaving UFO. He was becoming known for drug and drink excess, for being unreliable, disappearing for spells. The usual tale of a young guy (he was only 17 when he joined UFO) and too much too soon. However it seemed that he soon got his act together and that by 1980 he was of sufficient stature to lead his own band, and to go out and headline his own tour. Schenker set about assembling a band of top rate musicians. By 1981 his band included Schenker on his signature Gibson Flying V lead guitar, newcomer and Schenker discovery Gary Barden on vocals, ex SAHB Chris Glen on bass, his old UFO pall Paul Raymond on keyboards and rhythm guitar, and powerhouse drum supremo Cozy Powell.
I saw Schenker on his 1980 tour, in support of his first solo album “The Michael Schenker Group, when he called at Newcastle City Hall on 2nd October 1980 and at the same venue again on 4th September 1981 when he played in support of his second solo lp “MSG”. Both shows were opportunities for Schenker to show us what virtuoso rock guitar playing is all about. The set featured a mix of his new solo stuff and UFO favourites like “Rock Bottom”, “Shoot Shoot”, “Lights Out” and of course “Doctor Doctor”, which, for me, is one of the great classic rock songs, and a track that I play to this day.
Setlist from the Hammersmith Odeon gig of the same tour: Armed and Ready; Cry for the Nations; Victim of Illusion; Natural Thing; Feels Like a Good Thing; Into the Arena; Looking Out from Nowhere; Rock Bottom; Tales of Mystery; Lost Horizons; Shoot Shoot; Doctor Doctor; Lights Out
From the 1981 tour programme:
“The Mad Axe Man is Back.”
“Is it Loud Enough?”
I just have to hear the first few bars of “Doctor Doctor” with that magnificent swirling guitar, and I’m back on that dance floor again – just to the right of the plastic palm tree 🙂
“Doctor doctor, please…..
Oh, the mess I’m in
Doctor doctor, please…oh, the mess I’m in
She walked up to me and really stole my heart
And then she started to take my body apart
Livin’ lovin’ I’m on the run
So far away from you
Livin’ lovin’ I’m on the run
So far away from you”
(Schenker and Mogg, 1974)
Wow is that song really 40 years old ? 🙂
It all seems like yesterday…..so recent, and yet so long ago
19 Jun
Joe Satriani Newcastle City Hall 29th May 1990
Joe Satriani Newcastle City Hall 29th May 1990
Joe Satriani was inspired to pick up the guitar at age 14 when he learnt of the death of Jimi Hendrix and is “one of the most technically accomplished and widely respected guitarists to emerge in recent times.” (Greg Pato, AllMusic bio). A group of us went to see Joe Satriani when he appeared at Newcastle City Hall in 1990, shortly after he had released his highly successful third album “Flying In A Blue Dream”. I recall a set of super ace virtuoso guitar work, largely instrumental, although I believe Joe did sing on a couple of numbers. His work is heavily influenced by themes from science fiction with titles like “Surfing with the Alien” and “The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing”. “When he was just a little-biddy boy, ace widdlist Joe Satriani used to have weird dreams, dreams where he was flying around in “this blue colour” which coulda been “sky or space or water”. Hmmm, weird huh? But wait, it gets weirder… he’s still having them, has a new LP out called Flying In A Blue Dream featuring ‘The Mystical Potato Head Groove Thing’ ” (Steffan Chirazi, Kerrang!, 1989)
18 Jun
Skid Row Whitley Bay Ice Rink 15th Nov 1991
Skid Row Whitley Bay Ice Rink 15th Nov 1991
Support from Love / Hate
I often learn something new when I do a blog entry. I already knew, of course, that Skid Row had been an Irish Rick band of the early 70s featuring Gary Moore and Brush Sheils (and later Tonka Chapman). And I also knew that the US Skid Row was a very different, heavy rock, band who were big during the late 80s and early 90s. What I didn’t realise until today (thanks to Wikipedia) is that the latter band had connections with Jon Bon Jovi and that “reportedly, Jon Bon Jovi asked Gary Moore – guitarist with late ’60s Irish rock group Skid Row – to sell the rights to the name for $35,000.”
I took Ashleigh and her friend to see Skid Row at Whitley Bay Ice Rink in 1991. They were big fans while, to be honest, I knew little by the band. I lurked at the back of the hall while Ashleigh and her mate joined the mosh down front. Ths tour was at the time of Skid Row’s second album “Slave to the Grind”, which “marked the band’s move towards a heavier sound. The lyrics were more complex, criticizing modern ways of life, authority, politics, drugs, and organized religion, among other topics.” (Wikipedia). The line-up of the band at the time was Rob Affuso on drums; Sebastian Bach on lead vocals; Rachel Bolan on bass, and guitarists Scotti Hill and Dave “The Snake” Sabo.
Setlist: Slave to the Grind; Big Guns; Here I Am; Makin’ a Mess; 18 and Life; Piece of Me; Sweet Little Sister; Psycho Therapy; Wasted Time; Psycho Love; Mudkicker; Midnight / Tornado; Quicksand Jesus; Get the **** Out; Monkey Business; Riot Act; Train Kept A-Rollin; Youth Gone Wild
3 Jun
Status Quo Dublin & Newcastle in 2006, Harrogate in 2007
Well you will be pleased to know that I have finally come to the end of my ramblings on Status Quo. My writings over the past week sort of mirror my relationship with Quo. I started quite enthused about the band, recalling just how amazing a live act they were in the early 70s. Working through those early 70s festival gigs and the 70s tours brought back great memories of an age which is long gone. An age when denim and simple rock and boogie were fun, and it didn’t matter if it was cool or not. When Status Quo were a serious player, and quite simply on a good night, the greatest rock’n’roll band on the planet (OK I know, I will have said the same about Zeppelin, The Who, The Stones, Slade and one or two others…but when I was in the City Hall, and they were playing Backwater or 4500 times, I did believe that they were the best band in the land, just as I believed it about Zeppelin when they played Communication Breakdown or Dazed and Confused…oh well, you know what I mean 🙂 ). Then there was the break-up in 1984, the comeback in 1986, my loss of faith in the band during the 90s, and then a renewed energy in Quo, and my renewed interest, with the release of Heavy Trafficin the early 2000s. Well my renewed interest stayed for a few more years until perhaps 2009, or 2010. But I am afraid I have to report that the sets and the tour became too similar, and I started to lose faith again. I saw Quo at Dublin in The Point on 25th October 2006. 
I was over for work and Quo were playing (result! 🙂 ). They were also doing a book signing at a large department store in O’Connell Street the day before the concert, so I went along, bought a book and got it signed and met Francis and Rick!! Then I was back to see them again at Newcastle City Hall on 2nd December 2006. The following year I saw them at Harrogate International Centre on 25th November 2007, as I couldn’t make the Newcastle gig (I think I was away in London that day). Great gigs, but as I say, a few years later I started to tire of it again a little. However the recent reunion tour renewed my faith again, and I missed last years Winter tour to have a rest for Quoing. However, I will go along and see them on the Winter 2014, and am looking forward to it, after writing these blog entries, and after not seeing them for almost 18 months (wow).
That takes me to my 33rd Quo experience. I’ve seen the band 6 times since these gigs, taking my total to 39 shows; I blogged on those gigs at the time. So that concludes my Quo blogging marathon 🙂 The next instalment will be in December when I go to see the guys play at Newcastle Arena on their Winter tour (which will be my 40th Quo gig….now can I get to 50?)
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