What was new at 'Beyond the Pale'

August 31: Procol Harum play Randers in ten weeks' time

The Palers on the newspaper front page ... and a whole page inside (thanks Henrik, Charles and Hans)

August 30:

Added some excellent pictures from the Palers' Revels at Domus Felix, Lejre (thanks, Peter)

August 29: Happy Birthday Geoff Whitehorn and Chris Copping! RIP David Schnaufer

Added the setlist for the Palers' Band at the Palers' Revels, Sunday 20 August  (if you find any errors or omissions, please let us know)

August 28:

Added the setlist for the Palers' Band and Procol Harum at the Palers' Revels, Saturday 19 August  (if you find any omissions or errors, please let us know)

August 27: RIP Maynard Ferguson

Read Charles Allison's fully-illustrated report from the Palers' Revels Saturday 19 August

August 26: BtP's errant What's new page has now been completely restored. Thanks for all help

August 25: Happy Birthday Franky!

Added pictures from the Palers' Revels at Lejre, Denmark, on Sunday 20 August (thanks , Mogens)

August 24: Procol Harum play Randers in eleven weeks' time

Added Charlie Allison's illustrated review from Procol Harum's concert at Ledreborg Castle, Saturday 19 August.

Added more European dates here and here. BtP hopes to announce even more Procol Harum concerts for this Autumn within a few days (thanks, Chris and François)

August 23:

Because of the fantastic Palers' week in Denmark we have been too busy (and had too much fun) to keep you updated on what happened in Ledreborg and Lejre. But starting tomorrow we will start to tell the whole story, with reviews and photos. Webmaster Jens (now renamed the real One-Eye) is back home and ready for his normal duties tomorrow.

Added an excellent page of wedding photographs (thanks, Josh and Emma)

Added the Procol setlists from Ledreborg here and here

Added an excellent overview photo here (thanks, Roy)

August 22:

The Paling in Denmark has ended, and people have left or are about to leave the Basecamp Hotel. We will, of course, bring you lots of photos and other stuff over the next days about the great time we had. Right now the BtP team would like to thank some of the fabulous people whose help made this event possible.

See you the next time!

August 21:

Added a fourth page of photos documenting an American fan's excursion to hear Procol Harum play at Lulworth Castle (thanks, One-Eye)

We have been too busy here in Denmark to keep you updated about the concerts and the Palers' Revels (sorry), but the Danish website has done a good job, so visit them for glimpses of Nirvana

BtP will resume normal operation soon.

August 20: Procol Harum play their second of two consecutive orchestral gigs at Ledreborg Castle in Denmark

Added a nicely-illustrated report of Gary Brooker's recent Band du Lac gig (thanks, Mirek)

Procol Harum played a fantastic concert yesterday: surprises in the setlist, very nice venue, and probably the best live sound we have ever heard.

The Palers' Band was also great and had some big surprises in the setlist. Details from Lejre will of course follow, when we find time between rehearsals, concerts and partying.

August 19: Procol Harum play their first of two consecutive orchestral gigs at Ledreborg Castle in Denmark

Sorry for delayed update today, due to internet connection problems in Lejre

Added a third page of photos documenting an American fan's excursion to hear Procol Harum play at Lulworth Castle (thanks, One-Eye)

August 18: Tomorrow Procol Harum play their first of two consecutive orchestral gigs at Ledreborg Castle in Denmark

Added more pictures of the Palers' Band rehearsing

August 17: Procol Harum play Randers in twelve weeks' time  

Today at 9 pm (Danish time) there will be a one-hour long programme about Procol Harum on Danish Radio. You  can listen to the broadcast on the net at www.dr.dk/p4 . Press the button P4 Netradio (right-hand side of the page) (thanks, Henrik)  – or this link will open up in Windows Mediaplayer (thanks, Thomas)

August 16:

Added a transcript of a Danish Procoholic's recent radio interview (lightly seasoned with misunderstandings on the interviewer's side!) (thanks, Niels-Erik)

Palers are now gathering at the Base Camp hotel in Roskilde. Good spirits, and everybody is delighted to see each other again. The BtP team, assisted by Henrik and our families, has been to Domus Felix where the Palers' Revels will take place, and done some roadie work. So we now have a stage ready when the backline and PA companies arrive at 8.30 local time with all their stuff ... including a 5000 watt PA system.

Picture (right) showing the BtP team and Henrik Gøttrup with families having a nice meal at Helle and Henrik's house, before going to Domus Felix for the roadie work. More pictures of Palers in Denmark will surely follow the next few days. (thanks Helle and Henrik)

We just had a mail from Beverly in Florida. And since you all will probably read this on your laptops or in the PC in the reception at the Basecamp Hotel: she wishes everybody a pleasant time in Denmark. (thanks Beverly)

Palers' Band now assembling for rehearsals at Domus Felix: first pictures here

There will be a second interview with Danish Paler Niels-Erik in Denmark's radio Programme 1 at 6.40 a.m. and 8.40 a.m. - in case of other breaking news, the interview will air Friday morning instead. Later in the morning, the item will appear on http://www.dr.dk./.(thanks, Niels-Erik)

Also tomorrow: Danish TV DK4 will show the concert 'Live from Portalen' at 21.35 (thanks Pia and Mogens)

August 15:

Added the second and final part of a Paler's epic report on BtP's 2003 celebration, the 'Leaving for the Coast' festival in Los Angeles (thanks, George)

August 14:

Added a remarkable page about Procol Harum from a young writer in Denmark (thanks, Helene)

Coming to the Ledreborg concert and Palers' Revels this week? Here is some useful information

August 13:

In the run-up to the Palers' Revels in Denmark next week, what better time to publish this epic report on BtP's last such celebration, the 'Leaving for the Coast' festival in Los Angeles? (thanks, George)

Added more people who are coming to the Palers' Revels here, and people who are coming only in spirit here

August 12: A week until Procol Harum play their first of two consecutive orchestral gigs at Ledreborg Castle in Denmark

Added more details of the final event of the Palers' Revels, 21 August in Copenhagen, the trip to the Tivoli Pleasure Gardens, one of Copenhagen's prime attractions.  All are welcome, whether or not they have been to any of the BtP parties: meet in front of the main entrance, 3 Vesterbrogade, Copenhagen, on Monday 21 August at 4 pm (1600 hrs). At about 4.15 we'll take a stroll through the garden and perhaps later have a bite and possibly a few ales (Guinness and other imported beers are available). We could have a look at the Concert Hall, where Procol played a lot in the 70s. Participants pay their own way, so just send an e-mail to ledreborg@procolharum.dk (up until Friday 18 August) if you'd like to come. Niels-Erik Mortensen will be our guide, and will be easy to recognise, 'wearing a more-or-less complete Procol outfit' as he says. Read his additional notes here.

Don't overlook this whimsical page (thanks, Bert)

August 11:  

If you know how many members there were in the original line-up of Procol Harum (was it five? was it six?) you can win tickets to hear PH play at Ledreborg Castle (even though the venue is sold out to the general public!). Click here for the quiz. (thanks, Niels-Erik)

Added a page of photos documenting an American fan's excursion to hear Procol Harum play at Lulworth Castle (thanks, One-Eye)

The new  regulations at UK airports may have effects in Denmark too. If you're flying in to Kastrup Airport (Copenhagen) you may find this page helpful (thanks, Niels-Erik)

August 10: Procol Harum play Randers in thirteen weeks' time 

Added a report on Robin Trower's recent show in San Diego (thanks, Allen)

August 9: 

'... a bond was forged in those brief hours that mere mileage would be hard-put to dissolve ...'

The first time the Palers' Band ever met there was considerable uncertainty in the air ... would the players gel, would they be up to scratch, would anyone listen? And in particular, would the petrol ('gasoline') strike that was crippling the UK mean that anything we'd ordered for the first Palers' Convention would actually arrive?

In the event we begged a van and cajoled fuel to deliver most of the gear; the Hammond C3 we'd paid for never materialised; but crucially the fans did appear for the Convention ... and Procol Harum did get to Guildford for a marvellous concert the following day! But it was a nerve-racking time for all concerned.

Out of that Convention came the first Palers' Band recording – innocent, inexperienced, and now sold-out – and its liner-note, which we add to the website here, is still poignantly evocative (thanks, Jill)

August 8: 

The reason that Matthew left? I don’t think there really is a particular one ...'

 Added an interview from the time when Procol Harum played Campione in Italy, June 2004: Gary Brooker talks about the band's 'separation' from Matthew (thanks, Gianluigi)

August 7: 

Where does Procol Harum overlap with the inventor of 'cyberspace'? The answer, of course, is DESH ... the Diatonic Elaboration of Static Harmony – now read on (thanks, Peter)

Added a smidgeon of useful information to this set list (thanks, Tom)

August 6:

Added some more shots of Procol Harum playing at Lulworth on 7 July

August 5: Two weeks until Procol Harum play their first of two consecutive orchestral gigs at Ledreborg Castle in Denmark 

'The path between King Crimson and Procol Harum contains 3 steps' ... 'The path between Richard Thompson and Squeeze contains 2 steps' ... 'The path between Roy Wood and Beatles contains 3 steps'

Have fun 'mapping the rock'n'roll genome' here ... and do send them more band information (personnel etc) as the Procol / Brooker / Fisher / Whitehorn / Grabham / Palers' Project information is far from complete at present! (thanks, John)

Overhauled BtP's much-used Frequently-asked-Questions page

August 4: RIP Arthur Lee

Added a picture here with a link you're invited to click to find out whose torso it is!

Find your Procoholic neighbours and have fun with the Procol fans' world atlas ... now showing 470 names and counting ... and add your own name, town, or favourite lyric. There are some amiable curiosities in the film-strip associated with it ... click here

August 3: Procol Harum play Randers in fourteen weeks' time 

The Procol Harum shows in August are now completely sold out ... 22,000 lucky people will hear the band play with the Danish Radio Orchestra at Ledreborg Castle. Your only chance of a ticket now is to listen to local radio in Copenhagen where there will be a pair of tickets to win each day next week; there will also be a daily chat with Henrik Gøttrup, who will be speaking about The Palers' Revels – BtP's after-show parties following the Procol gigs – which he is co-organising.

Hello to Danish Radio, who we gather are following developments at the Palers' Revels with keen interest!

In various countries around the world now musicians are learning their parts, to play Procol tunes in The Palers' Band 2006: e-mails are humming to and fro, scores are being settled (as it were) and Skype is being much-employed. Click here to see the people who will be contributing to the fab entertainment at the Palers' Revels on 19 and 20 August.

August 2:  

Rectified some omissions on this page (thanks, Gisle)

Were you in the crowd at Lulworth, dancing to Procol music and singing along to Something Following Me etc? Check here!

Yesterday we sent out confirmations to everybody who had ordered tickets through the BtP shop for the Procol Harum concerts in Ledreborg on19 and/or 20 August. If you received a confirmation (and it is according to your wishes): relax and count the days. If you think you have ordered tickets, and did not get a confirmation mail from BtP, now is the time to panic and contact us immediately so we can sort this out.

We will not send similar confirmations for the Palers' Revels, as any problems here can easily be sorted out on the spot.

August 1:  

In various countries around the world members of the Palers' Band are sorting out their parts for two sets of PH music at the Palers' Revels. We first did this in September 2000: read the numerous foolish suggestions as to what such an ensemble should be called ... but the one that stuck was nobody's suggestion, it now seems.

Here is a video of the world's largest viking ship leaving Kristiansand today (webmaster Jens's home town) bound for Roskilde where Palers will meet in two weeks' time. Jens will cross the sea to Denmark in a more modern and much faster ship.

Read the current month's what's new at this website

Read what was new at BtP in previous months