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From Procol Harum’s Office |
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Tel/Fax: +48 0 606 639769 |
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PROCOL HARUM IN WARSAW!
Legendary British art rock band again in Poland.
This unique and exceptional concert on Friday 14th December 2001 in representative Congress Hall, Warsaw
Promoter Concert Agency NORDICA LTD.
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This will be the second visit of the band to Poland this year. Earlier last June Procol Harum gave successful performances in Opera Lesna, Sopot (on photo) and Teatr Polski, Wroclaw, followed by a concert with Halle Orchestra, one of the best British symphonic orchestra in Manchester, among others. |
34 years have passed since the World heard one of the greatest hits ever A Whiter Shade of Pale. It became a favourite of John Lennon and the hymn of the epoch, inspiration of many pop & rock artists and bands. The single has been sold in more than 11 million copies. No party in late sixties and seventies could take place without playing it over and over again ...
A Whiter Shade of Pale was sung by Annie Lennox, Joe Cocker, Michael Bolton, Willie Nelson and many others, was also played in famous films directed by Martin Scorsese and Alan Parker.
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That evergreen hit with heavy organ sound transcribed from Bach and piercing voice of composer and pianist, Gary Brooker, made a revolution of rock music of sixties. |
However, Procol Harum is not only A Whiter Shade of Pale. This is also a romantic Grand Hotel, rousing Conquistador , nostalgic A Salty Dog, monumental Homburg and many other fantastic songs where an unique sound of the band rises up on the wings of Nirvana towards the tops of art rock.
Procol Harum means a sore, "ghostly" voice of its leader, Gary Brooker, heavy, church sound of Hammond played by Matthew Fisher, enchanting guitar solos and modern rhythm section. Procol Harum means not only progressive art, this is also blues, rock’n’roll and romantic ballads, though sometimes even music close to heavy rock.
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Finally, Procol Harum is also full of mysterious, unidentified symbolic poetry of Keith Reid, a poet who used to be a full member of the band between 1967 and 1977. |
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A brilliant guitarist, Robin Trower, played with the band during 1967-71 as well as a genuine drummer, B. J. Wilson who died prematurely 1989. At the time he was appointed by US internauts as No. 1 drummer ever, before John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Ginger Baker of Cream. |
Procol Harum conquested Polish fans back in February 1976 when the band was warmly welcomed wherever they played. Old rock fans still remember long lines to box offices in freeze to get a ticket for one of the gigs.
Can one forget that grey LP cover of Procol’s Ninth issued in Poland same year?
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This used to be a rarity then. |
Gary Brooker, a composer, vocalist and pianist, likes to come to Poland. He visited this country three times more playing without the band. 1978 he was a genuine star of Sopot Festival and a year later Jerzy Gruza, director, filmed his concert for Polish TV (promoting No More Fear Of Flying album). 1985 Gary Brooker added splendour to 10 years jubilee concert of Zbigniew Gorny Orchestra in Poznan. In one of his interviews Zbigniew Gorny admitted that Brooker’s concert with his band back in 1978 in Sopot belonged to one of most important in his career.
In August 1991 reformed Procol Harum moved New York and the whole US tour was later acknowledged the best rock tour of the year. Later concerts of the band promoting The Prodigal Stranger gained a wide applaud in Poland, too.
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The band played in Poznan and Zabrze getting enthusiastic reviews. "Such moments happen once in a million years", the late Tomasz Beksinski, commented in Tylko Rock magazine. On photo from left to right: G. Brooker, G. Whitehorn, M. Fisher, D. Bronze and M. Brzezicki. |
Later in nineties, the band was still active though more among his faithful fans. The previous big tour in 1995 passed Poland by and the only reconciliation was a new CD recorded with London Symphony Orchestra, called The Long Goodbye: Symphonic Music of Procol Harum (in Dolby Surround System). And later there were a few only though unforgettable concerts in London Barbican with London Symphony Orchestra (1996) or the latest Millennium one in September 2000, in Guildford.
In nineties Gary Brooker toured all over the world playing with Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band, ex-Stone Bill Wyman’s The Rhythm Kings (they also made 3 CD’s together) and British Rock Symphony.
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He also played a role in famous Evita musical. "Gary Brooker is one of the great unsung heroes of British music. Most people don't know what a jewel he is", Douglas Adams, a famous British writer who died prematurely last May, used to say. This photo by Bert Saraco, of Bert and Carina. More here |
Indeed, Brooker’s voice stood the test of time and did not loos any of its freshness and timbre. It is still, as ever, charismatic and slightly sore and blue. A real jewel among rock singers.
Today Gary Brooker claims without a shade of coquetry: "We are in better shape than we ever have been!" And "I enjoy singing even more, now, than ever!"
That’s true: Procol Harum are touring again! To be precise for those who call them rock veterans, average age of their members is only 47, less than of Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd , Black Sabbath or Jethro Tull.
Following their Danish concerts the band will visit Warsaw on 14th December.
Their line up is now as follows:
Gary Brooker (voice, piano), Matthew Fisher (Hammond), Geoff Whitehorn (guitar), Matt Pegg (bass) and Mark Brzezicki (drums).
(Click here to get a picture of higher resolution)
Procol Harum website "Beyond the Pale": www.procolharum.com
Tickets
250 zl / 160 zl / 60 zl
Box Offices in Warsaw
Sala Kongresowa PKiN Pl. Defilad 1 (+48 22 6567299) |
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ZASP Al. Jerozolimskie 25 (+48 22 6219454, +48 22 6219383) |
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Stoleczna Estrada ul. Flory 9 (+48 22 8496884) |
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Serwis Biletowy "Roland" w "Juniorze" ul. Marszalkowska 122 (+48 22 6713088, 0-602 838646) |
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Bileteria EMPiK "Junior" ul. Marszalkowska 104/122 (+48 22 8277989) |
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Bileteria EMPiK "Megastore" ul. Nowy Swiat 15/17 (+48 22 6251219) |
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"Mega-Disc" ul. Nowy Swiat 52 (+48 22 8263043) |
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"Helicon" ul. Freta 45/47 (+48 22 6350077) |
Accomodation in Warsaw: here or here
© 2001 Nordica Ltd.