Procol Harum at Basel, 18 June, 2005

Photographs from Andreas Havlik

Basel. I love the town, spent some time in my life here, so when I saw the concert date I packed my bags and fled. The Z7 is a very nice location, a factory hall with huge doors in the front, which kept open during the concert, so we got a little feeling of an open-air concert. The show started with the (meantime) classic opener Bringing Home the Bacon (I always love Mark's drum work here – brilliant! BJ must be satisfied in the upper audience!).

The sound was not very good in the beginning, the vocals were distorted – but it became better and better and ended up in a perfect performance. But then: OH MY GOD! Cerdes (Outside the Gates Of), one of my all-time favourites, which I didn't hear live a long long time! It was just a blast! My wife beside me got restless: "The guitar," she was gasping, "the guitar sings again!" Yeah yeah, Mr Whitehorn started his show. He was unbelievable again this evening. And now, Mr Whitehorn, it's time to admit: You made me forget Robin finally (sorry Robin). Really Geoff, you're the man! You were fantastic again!

Whaling Stories – I really can't remember such a powerful and precise live-version of this song. Gary's voice was clear and fresh, well tuned as usual. No way of ageing – go on, Gary, go on.

Second set. After the first song VIP Room Gary started his 'request-thing', and I shouted Simple Sister which was soon prompted by this unique guitar riff. Geoff was breathtaking again, and Matt and Mark did a very very nice rhythm job. When I was jumping around playing on my good old air-guitar I suddenly discovered Roland (Clare) in the audience. I knew him from some pics around, but he only knew me from some email-contact. Time to say hello – it really was him, hehe! During the AWSoP-encore I took a close picture of Josh, and when I watched the pics at home, there was Roland in the background ... HAHA ... Ijust felt like this photographer in the Antonioni-movie Blow up. Very funny!

Oh, Gary reached 60 - some happy birthday tunes were sung and he got a nice cake there. All right Commander, I will follow your footsteps. Procol Harum lives and will continue. I will be there. Great concert, great memories, I love you! 

The Commander, of course

Gary sings AWSoP in front of the band

The audience was astonished!

Matt obviously amused

Bizarre smoke-ring in the background

Geoff in his one-eye tee-shirt, in The VIP Room

Great shot of Mark in action

Backing vocals from the fretsmen

Gary in full voice

Josh studious at the B3