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Roxy Music Tour 2001|
The show started at 9:15 with a longer clip from South Downs, then the party chatter, which appeared to be echoed, or was it the echo of the chatter of what appeared to be a capacity crowd. Chatter,chatter-then Re-Make/Re-Model. Something seemed off, though,and Bryan, who starts the song upstage on the keyboards, didn't appear to time coming down correctly. He seemed to laugh as he did make his way down, and there were enough of us in the audience to keep the chant of "CPL593H". Things seemed to tighten up as the set went on. Street Life..good and the audience was up for it. It looked like the set would be the same, and Bryan, who has a stand with what can only be assumed is the song lists (and words?) would turn pages as the songs continued. Ladytron - audience loves it, great hand for Phil. While My heart Is Still Beating - crowd cheer even when the song begins. Out of the Blue - an even better version tonight, seems longer too. But it's clearer, sharper as well. Lucy is loudly cheered when the song ends. A Song For Europe - sure, we're Americans, but we still sway back and forth, enthralled by his voice, even when it seems to get lost near the end (must have been some American sound engineer saying , hey that's not English, cut that sound). My Only Love - again, seemed longer than the last show, can't say for sure, but very good nonetheless. And the crowd continues it's habit of giving a standing cheer at the end of a song (then demurely sitting down for the next song - with a few standing up and dancing ). Then, what spooky sound is that? Someone sitting near me who I had been talking to before the show asks "is that Dream Home?" "Yes!" I cry. In every Dream Home a Heartache had been added to the set. Swirling red images on the back screen only heightened the real creepiness to this song. It was great. I think Bryan knew not enough people would be familiar with the killer line in the song,so he sang it, but I saw quite a few jump up and shout it with him - "but you blew my mind". Oh Yeah - probably the first real sing along song of the night, this song was a real hit on Boston radio, and has real emotional resonance with the crowd, everyone stands and cheers at the end - and stays standing for Both Ends Burning, which is both a fun song,as well as a real hoot for people as they realize that, hey, there are go-go dancers up on the stage. Bryan tries to play a harmonica(?) during this song. Laughs and puts it away when it's obvious the sound isn't getting picked up. Song gets a huge ovation. Tara - sometimes you wish the crowd would make more noise, sometimes you wish that people would go silent - and the latter would be my wish during this beautiful song. Avalon - another song that is much better tonight - plus the move to Dance Away is much better. And people love Dance Away, singing along with the "dance away,dance away" part, standing and swaying back and forth; and then the cheering starts for the next song - Jealous Guy. John Lennon is still remembered and loved. Editions of You - crowd is really dancing now - some dance pogo style, not much room for anything else. And we all do the "wooo". (No Virginia Plain). Everyone on stage seems very happy with the response tonight.. so there's more! Love Is the Drug - arms of the crowd pump out as we all sing,"Love is,love is the drug". Do the Strand - Bryan is having a great time, and seems to give the feathered dancers an especially long lingering leer as he accepts the crowd's applause at the end (you naughty boy!). For Your Pleasure - yes,we were pleased. Few more notes - so obvious that the crowd was so much better than Tuesday, that Bryan seemed to play with us, taking those extra big, showy kind of bows, repeatedly. And then cupping his hand to his ear to get the crowd to roar even louder, or going off to the sides to get those people into the action - and they stood and roared back their approval of that move. Even the weather was perfect - the stage and most of the seats are covered by a big tent, but if it's raining it's just kind of miserable at this facility. A fairly hot day led to a warm evening,with gorgeous views of the harbor for all to see as we walked around before the show. I have it as a 95 minute set. I loved it. And I think they loved the response from the crowd. |
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This was my first exposure to Roxy Music, and I’m thankful to report that this concert was much more substantative than simply watching a nattily clad Bryan Ferry croon away plaintively at center stage. Of course, we had plenty of that in this greatest-hits package, but the nine-piece backing band – including guitarist Phil Manzanera – really fleshed things out and propelled the performance to stunning heights. Joining Ferry and Manzanera from prior Roxy incarnations was sax player Andy Mackay and drummer Paul Thompson. Assuming the Eddie Jobson slot on violin and keyboards was the young Lucy Wilkins, whose passionate solo during "Out of the Blue" brought the crowd to its feet. This was a flashy, big-time production, complete with rear-screen projections, creative lighting effects and four dancing girls. Roxy has a very retro-hip, very "British" vibe to its formalized romantic style of progressive rock. Of course, the suave Ferry held court (through various suitcoat changes), delivering the likes of "Avalon," "Both Ends Burning," "Street Life" and the requisite "Love is the Drug" in fine voice. Creative instrumental passages led by Wilkins, Mackay, Manzanera and pianist Colin Good did more than enough to soothe the proggy beast in this reviewer. Might some new studio Roxy be in the cards? Perhaps a live album from this tour? We can only hope. Meanwhile, catch ‘em live, if you can. John Collinge, Progression Magazine If you want to know more about Progression Magazine |
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Roxy
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we’ve waited