Procol Harum at Naples, 2003
Soundcheck pix and captions from Stefano Ciccioriccio
Having see Procol Harum's picture in Pompeii at BtP (Pink Floyd did a live record there: PH, for the moment, just a picture – but we never know) and, maybe it could be of some interest to show what happened in between Pompeii and the concert in Naples in the evening.
I had the opportunity to be there during the soundcheck (what a magnificent experience!) where I took these pictures that give a different and unusual image of the band.
Furthermore they give the guarantee that the wonderful picture made in Pompeii is an authentic one. Look at their clothes: apart from Matt Pegg, who maybe passed through the hotel, the other four went directly from the ruins to the venue.
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Matthew setting his organ |
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Everything OK? Let's drink a beer! |
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Mark in the wrong place drinking a coke |
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...and now in the right place! |
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Smoking break: Gary lighting his pipe |
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Matthew preparing a cigarette. In the background Tony is setting the lights |
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Gary at work. See, at the end of the piano, the anti-mosquito spray. It was largely used during the evening |
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Geoff at work in his ... beach clothes! |
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The rhythm section at work |
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Gary and Geoff playing Apache (what a surprise to hear Procol's version of the famous Shadows song) |
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Graham Ewins, who is responsible for PH's sound. Without him nothing was possible |
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A picture, among the smokes, of the evening concert |
During a long chat and a beer drunk together before the concert, Gary was telling me his feeling of the Pompeii visit and we started talking about the Roman Empire and how strong we were at that time (unfortunately no longer today). During the discussion Gary started mentioning the British Empire and was trying to convince me that it was as long and important than the Roman one.
For a matter of ... hospitality I said yes but – better reconsidering the item – I hope he will admit that Rome was (and is) Rome!!
Ciao
Stefano