Seeing 'Procol Harum' at the top of a concert bill in London is so rare the audiences here might be excused for wondering if the group is still in circulation.
Yet they still have enough name power to pack the Queen Elizabeth Hall, as they did on Friday, and in spite of continual line-up changes there is still a majestic sweep to their music which is original and powerful.
Friday was another debut for them. As the group's leader, Gary Brooker said, "Every time we play here, it’s a debut". Because of that it was not surprising that it took time to find the right blend – new guitarist David Ball began by drowning out even Brooker.
But as the evening wore on, things fell more and more into place with Brooker very much in charge of things. Both vocally and visually, he is not unlike a smoother version of Joe Cocker, and I can't help feeling that if the band's career had taken a few different turns, Brooker Power could have been a major influence in pop too.
Instead they are forever saddled with the success of a record which must now seem like something that occurred way back in the past when the group was just a child prodigy. The music still throws up echoes of the old Whiter Shade, but it has gained authority.
