Brooker, Dunn, Pegg, Phillips, Whitehorn
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I Told on You [GW sporting a new guitar
that he 'bought from a bloke in Margate last Friday. 'Nice to be back in
civilisation', said GB]
Homburg [Sung by GB, watched by a sea of phones, in
a new, dark, circular, flat, raffia-work hat of his own design ... 'I dreamed it
up myself']
Still There'll be More [Faster than last night's slightly
lugubrious version, with sizzling organ solo and great rhythm work]
Don't Get Caught [preceded by a pleasant taster of Beethoven's
so-called Moonlight Sonata]
Pandora's Box [GB's band intros included a bonkers
genealogy of bassists starting with Joshua Pegg, 'an Irish maniac', who begat
Hezekiah Pegg, the orchestral player ...]
As Strong as Samson [a verse ends, there's a pause, another
verse starts: not continuous, like the 1974 recording. But the seesaw singing is
still the same!]
Sunday Morning [there had been some talkers at the back of
the standing area. They went silent for the whole of this spell-binding
performance]
Businessman [some very groovy sounds coming from GW's guitar,
or the associated box of tricks!]
A Salty Dog [as great as ever ... high vocal glide at
the climax, from a man who turns 72 this month!]
In the interval, as we have
found at every gig, the audience pours out of the auditorium like locusts and
strips the merchandise
stand of CDs and LPs, signed and unsigned. Presumably they heard some new music
they liked during the first half! Tee-shirts too,
and the impossibly desirable 'Fiftieth anniversary' Procol Harum
brass/nickel/enamel badges.
Image of the Beast [really striking
piano solo, GW now wielding his third guitar of the evening, the Les Paul]
An Old English Dream [As a country we have our dreams ...
'One day we'll do well in the Eurovision Song Contest'. Splinters of Puppet
on a String and Congratulations are played. OED greeted with
applause]
Grand Hotel [GB waxes nostalgic; whereas today he had the
MacDonald's breakfast, 'discounted, because it had gone off.' Great playing from
everyone, daftly-voiced spoken words from GB near the end.]
Can't Say That [Fantastic in every way ... a huge belter,
specially enjoyed by the gentleman in the Deep Purple tee-shirt. Matt Pegg plays
a blinder. GB speaks of having dinner in Moscow ... 'very nice, if you like
Sturgeon]
Cerdes (Outside the Gates of) ['One of my favourites',
confides Franky Brooker ... standing/dancing behind the back row of the circle ...a
sentiment apparently shared by much of the crowd. Sensational Whitehorning!]
Neighbour
[Executed with sturdy panache. GB invites the audience to
'join in the subliminal bridge.' Dennis Weinreich and a webmaster do their very
best to get some offbeat clapping going]
Conquistador [rip-roaring, brings the crowd to their feet.
Supernatural fluency of Josh on Hammond!]
The Only One [magnificently sung, with great
ensemble-playing and restraint; bass and drums wonderful]
A Whiter Shade of Pale [An ocean of phones; a man openly
weeping; three verses, piano solo, great and subtle guitar break. Crowd
exceptionally happy. Fifty years and a day since it came out!]
| 18 | songs altogether: | 2 | From Procol Harum | from Shine on Brightly | |
| 1 | From A Salty Dog | 1 | From Home | from Broken Barricades | |
| 1 | From Grand Hotel | 1 | From Exotic Birds and Fruit | 1 | from Procol's Ninth |
| From Something Magic | From The Prodigal Stranger | 1 | from The Well's on Fire | ||
| 8 | From Novum | 2 | non-album tracks | Thanks to the late Kellogs, for putting Linda and Roland on the guestlist at this venue in August 1995, 'which brought us to what we're doing here today' so happily. | |
|
Fantastic to see Procol pack out a top
London rock venue ... a lot of last-minute ticket sales presumably
resulting in part from Gary Brooker's tireless interview schedule ...
and partly from the success of the Festival Hall show in March. Five
nights into the UK tour, the new songs are splendidly integrated into
the programme and were very well received by the throng. |
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