Gary Brooker's Birthday Party

Freising, 28 May 2014 • final arrangements • NB the birthday itself is 29 May

Please be at the venue (The Barockstube, Weihenstephaner Berg 10, 85354 Freising: details here) by 7.30 pm.

There Jens and Roland and Paul (our prime German collaborator) will greet you and give you your name-lanyard (typical specimen to the right of this page), which is both a souvenir and an ID so you can quickly make friends with the people you don't know. (The graphic on it relates to the special anniversary we're celebrating ... see further down the page for details)

This is the point at which you pay, in advance, for your meal: please be sure to bring cash (about 30 Euro per person) for this purpose (you've already sent your contribution to the band's meal, of course).

You'll also need cash to pay the waiter when you order what you want to drink with your meal.

It's a cash-only night! Credit cards will not be usable.

Dress code: whatever you like, smart or ordinary. Just be comfortable!

We expect the Procols to arrive at 8 pm, all being well.

Do take the opportunity, during the evening, to buy the band a drink or two (but don't mix drinks ... wine is safest ... remember, they have to play the following day!)

The three course meal will follow (selected by Gary Brooker himself from the restaurant's menu). There is of course also a vegetarian option for the four people who pre-ordered it.

We have the use of the terrace, so (weather permitting) we can go out there between courses if we like, move about, chat to different people, and so on.

We don't want to eat too quickly, because the plan is to toast Gary at midnight, the first minutes of his birthday. Please be ready to sing loudly! We'll sing 'Happy Birthday to You' which I'm sure you know ... but there's a clip here in case you need a refresher. We probably won't sing three verses! The timing is best on the last verse ... that extra beat near the end ...

There are extra charges for staffing after midnight. BtP will pay for this, but we must all be out of our hired, reserved area by 00:45 am on 29 May.

During the party, we'll all no doubt make some plans for how to spend an enjoyably social day in Freising on 29 May, before Procol Harum play in the evening! There is a lot going on in Freising on 29 May, and a trip to Munich would also be feasible.

Birthday present for The Commander? Probably not a workable idea, for a man on tour: but a birthday card in your own language will surely be a pleasing thought.

Photos: it will be nice if we can all take photos to commemorate the happy occasion, but also it will be nice for the band if we don't take pictures all the time.
So, please bring your camera, but we plan to have a dedicated photo-shoot time or times, to keep things civilised.

Merchandise: there will be some Procol merchandise at the party, but NOT at the gig itself. We'll be offering InsideOutside (the new 2CD compilation); Live at the Union Chapel (double disc set, CD and DVD); and the very fine '16 Vestal Virgins' puzzle tee-shirt (spot the virgins!). If you're interested in any of these items (nice prices, for the occasion!) then please bring CASH. We cannot take credit-cards.