Kammgarn, Kaiserslautern, Germany

Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, 27 April 2000

Hans Volkhardt reports

	Musicians: "fabulous" Gary Brooker, piano / vocals; "Burt Lancaster" Graham Broad, drums; Bill Wyman, bass; "the one and only" Georgie Fame, organ / vocals; "incredible" Albert Lee, lead guitar / vocals; Terry Taylor, rhythm guitar; Beverly Skeete, vocals; Janice Hoyte, vocals; Frank Mead, Nick Payn, horns.
These "titles"were used by Bill when introducing the band.

The official Set List ( it was lying on Gary’s piano):

What a great Rhythm and Blues evening in Kaiserslautern! Some of the musicians had problems with the pronunciation of Kaiserslautern, so they called it K– town.

The opening act was a German jazz formation, "Melange", a good band with strings and and a good-looking and good-singing girl in front.

The concert took place in an old factory , a creative environment for the artists, in front of a crowded arena. The concert was sold out, about 500 grey haired spectators watched the grey haired musicians (of course, except the ladies).

On stage we could see and watch ten superb musicians, treating their instruments in a fabulous way. Bill needed one square meter on stage, like 31 years before, as we knew him on stage with the Stones. The only words we heard from him, was the welcome of the audience and the introducing of the band. But during the concert he demonstrated what a great bass player he is at all. He was smiling all the time, sometimes smoking a cigarette.

Gary and Georgie sang most of the songs, nevertheless they where topped by the extraordinary singers Beverly Skeete and Janice Hoyte.

Gary opened the concert with Let the good times roll. Especially Procol-fans enjoyed the "grey eminence" and his inimitable voice.

Highlights of the concert were Hit the Road, Jack by Gary, Put a Spell On You by Beverly and Little Boy by Janis. But the unsurpassable highlight of the evening was doubtlessly  the second encore, an unbelievable "battle" between guitar (Albert) and sax (Frank, we got to know him at Chiddingfold Christmas-concert 1995). I have never seen such a thing in nearly 30 years of watching rock- concerts. It was an impressive demonstration of guitar- and sax-players.

Not to forget Nick Payn on sax and mouth-organ, Graham Broad on drums, we got to know him at Redhill 1997 (30 years' Shade), and Terry Taylor who wrote songs together with Bill and sang for the first time on stage this evening.

The audience could see that the "old men"on stage obviously had a lot of fun . The audience was seized by the enthusiasm of the musicians in the Kammgarn.

At last Gary called the Hammond-sound "the sweetest sound of the world". Of course – this sound (Matthew Fisher) and Gary’s voice were responsible for Procol’s music. At this moment Procol-fans hoped to hear Shade as another highlight this evening, but they didn’t.

No Shade, no Bonnie and Clyde, no Satisfaction, but the audience had an unforgettable evening.