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Dear Tull fellows ...
third concert, third review ... After I
wrote about my impressions from the shows in Hameln and Braunschweig, I
would like to do this for my final concert on this tour in Wuerzburg, too.
I know that there are many people out there who like to read the latest
waffle, so ... here it is ....
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The concert in Wuerzburg was (unfortunately)
moved from a very beautiful outdoor location to a rather unimpressive indoor
venue. The "Carl Diem Halle" is just an ordinary sports hall. The reason
was very simple: The concert didn't sell enough tickets in advance, so
the move seemed to be necessary. I would estimate there were 2,500 or (at
maximum) 3,000 people in the (still too big) sports hall. And many of them
seemed to be "pissed off" about the move (I talked to some of them) ....
it was really hot weather on Friday, 2nd July, and an indoor show isn't
the best choice on such a day ....
Anyway, the German folk rock band Galahad
opened the evening (as they did e.g. in Hameln - but I forgot to mention
them in that review ... sorry, guys). Their final song "Lady Of Cork" within
the 30 minutes set was a really nice and catchy tune. But the rest of their
program didn't turn me on very much. The music is not bad and fits pretty
good to a Jethro Tull concert - but the live performance misses a certain
kind of "power". Sounded all a bit "lifeless", in my opinion ...
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After a (but only this time) much
too long 40 minutes interval, Tull entered the stage. Although there are
obviously no more surprises in the set list towards the end of this German
summer tour 1999, I scribbled down the exact order of the tracks. But it's
rather easy when you already have a prepared sheet of paper before the
show. Of course, then I just mark there the very few changes during the
show (not too difficult) ...
Intro (Stronger Stuff) / Steel Monkey
/ For A Thousand Mothers / Serenade To A Cuckoo / Nothing Is Easy / Rare
And Precious Chain / A New Day Yesterday / New MB Instrumental / Spiral
/ Fat Man / Nothing @ All / Wicked Windows / Hunting Girl / Bouree / This
Is Not Love / My God / Passion Play Jig / Budapest / Locomotive Breath
// Aquadiddley / Aqualung (extract) / Living In The Past / Dogs Intro /
Balloons / Cheerio .... (110 mins)
Well, all tracks were also performed at
the two shows I saw before. "Spiral" and Ian's announcement of the end-of-August-release
of the new album "j-tull dot com" were back in set ... thanks! On the down
side, the fine acoustic title track "The Secret Language Of Bird" from
Ian's solo album was dropped. "Nothing @ All" was also performed at the
previous shows. It's just Andy's separately titled piano introduction (approx.
45 or 60 seconds) to "Wicked Windows". Well, at least I had hoped to hear
the "Sossity/Reasons" medley .... but "Bouree" (with the fine classical
intro) seems to have constantly taken the place at the end of this tour.
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I think an extended review of
the show does not make any sense. You'll probably read enough about the
German summer tour elsewhere. Therefore, just a few things ... One real
"highlight" at the beginning was less a musical but more an optical one.
When "Steel Monkey" began, Ian entered the stage with a (kind of) pirate
head scarf! ... and ... sunglasses!!! (the ones you know from his promo
photo of their website). It was an unbelievable outfit, really! Sunglasses
during an indoor show .... great!!! ... Ok., he wore them not all the time
(in opposite to this pirate head scarf), but at least at the beginning
of the show and again during "Wicked Windows".
The other rather non musical gem I already
mentioned in my previous reviews, but I have to repeat myself again and
again: "Fat Man"! I can only cross my fingers, that the number will "survive"
until the tour in the fall. Less to the excellent performance and the new
arrangement (means the new flute part by Ian), but even more to (I know,
I mentioned them already ...) Andy's and Jonathan's completely silly "contributions"
during the song ... and they seem to extend "their part" from show to show.
First class entertainment! (for those who haven't seen a show so far: it's
a little bit comparable to what Andy and Dave Pegg "did" during "So Much
Trouble" on the 25th Anniversary tour ....you remember?)
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To summarise it: I think it was another
very good concert from Jethro Tull. Not an outstanding one, but a good
one. Ian's voice sounded slightly more strained than in previous shows,
but he compensated it one more time through really brilliant "work" on
stage. He walked up and down there in a way that I sometimes thought: How
does he do it? In "his" age? Where does he take the energy from? (I'm already
completely worn out by standing there for three hours on this hot summer
day ....and I'm 20 years younger ...). Especially this "energy" of Ian
Anderson is THE phenomena of Jethro Tull to me at the moment. I mean, we
all know that he's "addicted" to live performances ... but despite this
fact, there have to be "physical limits" .... or not?
Well, I saw three shows in Germany during
this summer tour. Three really enjoyable ones, to be honest ... but maybe
not a (so called) "breathing one" (as e.g. in Jerez, Spain, in November
last year). I think the reason is easy to explain: I saw three indoor shows
this summer. And I already recognised it two years ago: In the summer,
you should go and see them OUTDOORS! It's really better, for the band AND
the audience (fine weather provided....). I heard and read some OVERWHEMLING
reviews from recent outdoor shows - and two years ago, I SAW two overwhelming
open air concerts. But I hadn't the possibility to do so this year ...
Anyway, Tull are still doing a "good job" (even indoors in the summer),
so I think we have nothing to moan ... roll on autumn! (with more concerts
and - hopefully - a completely "new show" ...)
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In case anybody would like to ask
why I'm always writing these extended reviews? Well, I just like to read
concert reviews .... and therefore, I like to write them, too. I always
try to write them in the way I would like to read them ... eh ... logical,
or? Well, I prefer writing in German, of course, mainly for the German
fan club magazine BEGGAR'S FARM "NEWS". But as there are many other club
members at the moment who like to write articles for this mag I have to
"interrupt" these days. So, these concert reviews (in probably not so good
English ...) are a kind of a "substitute" for me .... But it's really nice,
e.g. at the recent concerts, to meet mates from the club (unfortunately,
I sometimes do not remember their names immediately ...) who say: Hi Dietmar,
we really enjoyed reading you articles in the magazine .... Well, normally
I'm far too modest to mention this here (honest!), but after several of
these statements in Hameln, Braunschweig and Wuerzburg I must admit: it
makes a bit proud .... a little bit ...
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But what enough is, is enough. Thanks
again for paying attention .... I hope all of you out there have a nice
summer time - with or without Jethro Tull. "See you" in late October and
in November ... (somewhere ...)
All the best to you out there,
Dietmar
"You'll smile in a while and discover that
I'll get you happy my way" (I.A.)
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