29 May 2024
Today would have been Gary Brooker's 79th birthday. BtP spoke with Franky
Brooker, who was in good form. She asked us to pass on to fans the news that
work continues on the planned DVD of the Memorial Concert, from 4 December:
'People can expect to see it, perhaps in a couple of months'.
In that connection, there are still supplies of the Memorial Concert official
programme, which 'Beyond the Pale' is sending out to collectors of Procolabilia,
for a nominal charge.
The offer stands while stocks last ... it has been very popular. Read how to get
your copy or copies by clicking here
In that connexion, too, there's a great GB interview
online
here (thanks, Dianne)
19
December
Added The Final Farewell, Charlie Allison’s liberally-illustrated report from 4 December's concert in
memory of Gary Brooker at Guildford (thanks. Charlie, Jim and Franky)
24 November
The organisers
of the 'Remembering Gary Brooker' concert write to us with another ticket
offer as follows:
"We have created a new 20% discount code for your audience (see below),
which will bring the remaining tickets down from £250 to £200 each. The buyer
gets:
• A
ticket to the concert
• A collectible one-of-one digital version of an official concert photograph
that they can own, or sell or trade
• The option to choose the photograph from the official portfolio released
after the concert."
Place your order by clicking here, and claim the discount by using following code PH20RGB or call Glive.co.uk Box Office +44 (0)343 310 0055
17 November
'A chilling emotional
lifetime memory ...'
With great regret we must
announce the death of organist Peter Solley, who left a strong mark during his
relatively brief tenure with Procol Harum, and remained a proud Procoler
to the end of his days. Read his comments here, and follow many links from the
same page.
Both BtP
webmasters count themselves lucky to have known Pete, largely through e-mail
exchanges and phone-calls, and mourn the loss of a very erudite, musical and
friendly correspondent.
Readers of this tribute will notice a slightly crossed
wire: 'Webb' is not a thinko for 'Reid'. Keith Webb
and Peter Solley were co-founders of the British twin-keyboard band Paladin.
15 November
Added some new and special tickets for the Gary Brooker memorial concert
29 October
Palers' gathering at the Gary Brooker
Memorial Concert. Added two possibilities for meeting
new and old friends
before the Gary Brooker memorial concert in Guildford UK.
26 September
Pre-sale booking for the Memorial Concert for Gary Brooker:
click here and read it all carefully! (thanks, Andy; thanks, Mark)
Click on the link
provided in the pale purple panel: this will insert a Promo Code into the
booking process, allowing readers of this website – BrookerFans,
in fact – to get through to the priority booking that would otherwise be open
only to signed-up members of the venue.
25 September:
Sorry to report that the pre-sale booking for the Memorial Concert for Gary Brooker will not begin on 25 September as previously
announced.
We understand that it
will start on Tuesday 26 September at 10:00 am UK time, and last for 24 hours,
after which fans will be competing for tickets with the general
public.
21 September:
' ... always there with his bouncy positivity and musical contributions ...'
With great sorrow we publish words and pictures commemorating the
life of our good
friend Gary Shepard (thanks, Bert; thanks, Geoff)
15 September:
Watch this page for an imminent announcement about the Memorial
Concert for Gary Brooker
(thanks, Franky)
When the page goes live,
you will find a link for fans of 'Beyond the Pale' to use,
to book tickets before they go on sale to the wider public.
NB The pre-sale link itself will not go live until 18 September at 10 am UK
time.
NB2 We've just now (18:00 on 15/9) heard that the show announcement is
being delayed by a week ...
to give an additional artist time to assess whether 'they' can or cannot
participate. Keep watching this space.
20 May:
RIP
Pete Brown
Poet, musician,
lyricist (not least, furnisher of words for much of Procol
Harum's well-loved final album ... time now to re-read
this interview with Gary Brooker)
14 May:
RIP
Francis Monkman, a wonderful and
highly influential musician
Time to re-read the BtP interview in which Francis
describes his 'audition' day with Procol Harum ... and explains the guitar break
in Quite Rightly So
23 April:
'No-one sounded better
with band and orchestra than Gary!'
Added an intriguing page about the continuing tradition of sold-out
'Rock meets Classic' concerts in Wuppertal, ten years after Procol
Harum's triumphant showing there with orchestra and chorus, and featuring an
artist much influenced by Gary Brooker and his music (thanks, Michael)
30 March:
‘Don’t get
caught again ...'
Added a second written tribute to
Barry Sinclair
29 March:
'Taking turns in trying to pass it on'
We are extremely sad to have to anounce the death of Keith Reid, in the
words of his official representative
28 March:
‘He will be remembered ... for his humour and his
passion for Hornby trains ...'
Added sad news of the death of Barry Sinclair (thanks, Franky)
22 March 2023:
Added a rather special, orchestral/choral setlist ... upgraded from this incomplete version (thanks, Peter, Ken)
19 February:
To mark the first
anniversary of Gary Brooker's death, added a special Haiku
written by an admirer, from the Palers' Band (thanks, Nancy)
|
Sleep well, Commander!
Your voice lives on forever
In our grateful hearts.
AriZonophone
|
The 'Beyond the Pale' team would
like to express our sympathy to everybody touched by Gary's death, especially
to Mrs Franky Brooker, surely foremost in every fan's thoughts on this sad anniversary.
4 February
2023:
'... gradually, through
Diane’s perseverance and Gary’s generosity, more and more [Procol]
members (past and present) were recruited ...'
Sadly added a page commemorating the life of Diane Rolph, outstanding Procol
and Paramounts fan to whose vivacity, acumen and
loyalty all readers of this website owe a tremendous debt of gratitude (thanks,
Franky, Lou, John)
1 January
2023:
Added a taster from long-time friend of BtP, Steve Hunter, by way of a taster for a piano album
of Procol songs which we're all looking forward to
very much!
Happy 2023 to
all our readers, and let's hope for a good one at last :-)
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