Portsmouth, UK, 5 January 1976

This gig was at the Portsmouth Guildhall, and I begged my folks to drive me over there (about 30 miles) because (I reasoned, and I bet you don't fall for this these days) Procol would never play a gig nearer. A few months later they played Bournemouth Winter Gardens, a mere 10 miles away! Oh well ...

I took a friend from school called Tony White-horn, who always claimed to be Geoff's cousin.

He didn't mind me taking photos from where we were sitting, but when I walked up the front to take some he says he died of embarrassment. Ha! you've got to be bold in this life sometimes!

Gary is singing Souvenir of London on a steel guitar - his piano is off to the left.

My folks had a night out in Portsmouth, which they seemed to enjoy, so I didn't feel too guilty, and gig was great.

BJ sat sideways on the right, with Chris at the back. I never saw another set-up like that in all the gigs I've seen.

My only criticism was that when the band tried to capture the sound of an orchestra (eg Conquistador) they didn't succeed, probably due to the acoustics of the hall and / or the keyboards / synths. When I saw them in Clacton 3/4 years ago, this was much improved. Viv Stanshall played this gig, methinks, and was as daft as ever.

Illustrated setlist for this gig

More davelee pictures