Procol Harum

Beyond
the Pale

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Gary Brooker's 'Band du Lac' extravaganza

Robert Cooper reports for BtP from Wintershall, 11 June 2005


I'm afraid this is only an approximation of the set-list, there were a couple of numbers I didn't recognise and a few I forgot to note down:

1. Tequila
2. Looking Back - Paul Carrack
3. A blues I didn't recognise - Eric Clapton
4. Lay down Sally - Eric Clapton
5. How Long - Paul Carrack (nice guitar work from EC)
6. Willie and the hand Jive
7. Slow train? - Katie Melua
8. My Aphrodsiac is You - Katie Melua
9. Katie Melua's big hit. I didn't recognise it but everybody was singing along, possibly "The closest thing to crazy"
10. Will the circle be unbroken - Andy Fairweather-Low
11. a new song - Roger Taylor
12. I want to break free - Roger Taylor
13. Photograph - Ringo Starr
14 ? - Ringo Starr
15. With a little help from my friends - Ringo Starr
16. AWSoP - short version with Frank Mead sax solo
17. The Drifters mini-set. I didn't jot down the numbers but they would have been their 3 biggest hits
18. Cocaine - Eric Clapton and Chris Barber
19. I can't dance - most of the performers plus fireworks, laser show
etc.

As far as I can remember they came on stage about 10:30 and the crowd were still calling for more at 12:25; other celebrities spotted in the crowd: Chris Evans and Cilla Black, not together I hasten to add. Of the other groups, the Jones Gang went down very well, they claimed their album is due out this month, but they've been claiming that ever since the closing concert at the Guildford Civic Hall: maybe all those drugs distort one's sense of time. There was an Abba tribute who were the first to connect with the crowd, that probably says a lot about the audience who seemed to be there more for the event than for the music. Paul Young, who followed them on the stage and had the only rain of the evening, only drizzle really, came off worst in terms of audience appreciation. Rory Bremner did a fine job of covering the changeover from the Jones Gang to the Band du Lac, not an easy job.

Highlights, really the last few numbers, AWSoP got a great reception, Cocaine with Chris Barber and EC was good, With a little help from my friends got everybody singing along. The most impassioned song was A F-L's Will the circle be unbroken
 

 

 

 

 

The show from this fantastic line-up is available on DVD and Blu-ray. You may order it from Amazon UK by clicking this link (DVD) or this link for Blu-ray

To order from Amazon USA, use  this link for Blu-ray


Procol Harum concerts in 2005: index page Gary Brooker's concerts sans Procol Harum

A great sequence of pictures from this fine show

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