Gary Brooker Band

Markthalle, Hamburg, 18 February 1983

We know of only this one gig by the GB Band, promoting Gary's second solo album, with a mix of Paramounts and Procol material, other solo tracks of his, and a standard. An edited version was broadcast in the Rockpalast television series; we believe this is the full set-list (below) When BtP asked for more information about this concert, Whaler Paul Thelen promptly sent this informative memoir.

This Gary Brooker gig in Hamburg was briefly mentioned on the radio and I heard it by accident. There was to be a Rockpalast event, for subsequent broadcast on TV.

After Procol Harum had been first to play this programme (recorded 17 January 1976) Gary was now invited for his solo efforts. Since Hamburg is 600 kilometres away from where I lived, and it was long before world-wide ticket services a brother of a friend had to get the tickets at the place. This friend I took along although he had no Procol prehistory at all.

The news of this concert hit me right in the middle of the period in which Gary made himself very scarce: 1977 was the last year I saw Procol Harum live, and it was long before the PH reunion and the Rock Meets Classic concerts. Thus, it was no hard decision to go there, but I had no idea what a unique event this one-and-only gig of a Gary Brooker Band was to be.

The Markthalle was a much smaller location than the halls we were used to for Procol concerts and fortunately it was sold out. Overhearing conversations from other visitors before the concert I gathered that these people were well-educated in Procology, since one enthused about the great skills of the Procol drummer and hoped to see him that night again. I myself was in doubt because his personal trademark, the gong, was missing at the drum kit on stage. Unfortunately, my hunch was true and there was not to be that last chance to enjoy BJ once again.

What happened then had only little resemblance in sight and sound of a Procol concert, as one could tell right from the opener, Fat Cats. Sound and appearance were equally casual. The promoters of Gary Brooker solo-efforts at that time deemed his Procol merits to be a darker shade of past. And if you look at the set-list you hardly see any reference to Procol history. But nevertheless it was highly appreciated by the audience including my friend, and me being biased for Procol sound. Gary recruited his men for this gig from his actual collaborators with Clapton and Collins, plus all-time fill-in guitarist Tim Renwick.