Manfred Mann's Earthband - On The Road November 2001
Friday, 1 November, Oslo, Norway
Posted by Thorbjorn on November 02, 19101 at 10:29:50:
Hi everybody! After a short night sleep I will give you a good (hopefully) report from the Gig at Rockefeller Music Hall in Oslo. Everything was set
for the big day, 1st of November... MMEB was visiting Oslo again! I met Roar and Jørn at Fredrikstad Railwaystation and we entered the the new
Norwegian Agenda train with destination Oslo. We arrived the capital of Norway in good time for the Gig (about 9 hours before MMEB entered the stage!).
At Oslo S. we met Ari from Gothenburg, who had come with an earlier train. I haven't met Ari before, so we all decided to go to a pub for a beer
and talk about music. Ari was an interesting person who had been to a lot of conserts with many different bands. Specially his story from the
Jarre consert in Kairo in 1999 was interesting, the gig was in the desert between the pyramids with over 60.000 people! After one beer at
Engebret kafe (expensive place, 70 kroner for a beer!!! That's 5.50 pounds or 17 DM) we went to Sir Winston pub. I had agreed to meet Snorre
from Trondheim at this pub, and he showed up. This was the first time I met Snorre too, a nice tall Viking! Sorry Snorre, but I have to tell the
Message Board about your record: 21 pints in one evening!!! I was a little bit concerned about my new friend, but MMEB smoothed his mind, so
there was no need for that amount of beer this evening. But you can't survive only on beer, so we went to Scotchman for a pizza. A very good
and dear friend of mine, Beate Karine from Oslo, phoned me and ask if she could join us for the Gig. And so she did!
The doors at Rockefeller opens at 8 o'clock, and we went to The John Dee pub (locaded in the same building) around 6 o'clock. I ask the pub
lady/girl to put on some MMEB music, but she didn't have a MMEB CD... But I had! ...and the atmosphere was rising! Half past seven we queued up
outside the door to Rockefeller and everyone was smiling and laughing :-) Well inside we went to the stage immediately to find our place in the
1.row (as usual). Rockefeller is a very nice place for concerts, the crowd capacity is around 1300. I think it was around 1200 inside... I also met my old girlfriend, Mona, among the crowd. Nice seeing you again Mona!
FINALLY... Half past nine our Band entered the stage! A big warm applause welcomed Manfred Mann and his band... And I was very curious on the new drummer, Pete May. Will he deliver the goods?
Well there is no secret anymore: HE DID! To the sound of JOYBRINGER the Gig was on. It was a very good and long intro before Noel entered the
stage to the very, very warm sound of CASTLES (one of my favorites). After this song Mick introduced Noel and Noel smiled to the audience and
said: "Nice to be back again!" and MARTHA was next! Then CAROL and under this fantastic song Noel nodded and smiled to me! He reconized me
in the front row! And now it was all clear for DANCING... and Noel told the audience that this song was maybe new for the norwegian MMEB fans.
And what a fabulous preformace from The Band, the crowd was a short time in heaven! And now it was Mick's highlight of the evening: FATHER!
Good old Father... What more can I tell you!? So fantastic to see Mick's solo with Manfred!! I saw a big smile in Manfred's face :-) No doubt that the
norwegian audience liked what they saw and heard. And REDEMPTION was next with Mick speaking to the crowd and he said: "It's a bit cold here
in Norway, but nice to be here at Rockefeller!" After this beautiful ballade time was set for DEMOLITION (another favorite for me), but first Manfred
spoke to the audience and he said: "Let me introduce Pete May, this is his first ever Gig with us! And amazingly he is the coolest man on stage!
Fantastic!" And we all applaud very warm for our new drummer... The intro to Demolition was new (for me at any rate)and I liked it so much! And
Manfred was smiling again, I think he was very delighted this evening! Next song out was BLINDED, as always; Perfect! After Blinded Noel gave
his big thank to the audience when he said: "Fantastic! Thank you!" The Band leave the stage to a long and loud applaud and come back for...
DAVY! Finally we saw a big smile on Pete's stoneface, when Noel tested his drums during Davy! Once again they leave the stage after Davy and
another big applaud brought them back on stage for QUINN. I wished that the Gig never had to stop, but after 1 hour and 42 minutes it was all over for this time... THANK YOU MANFRED, NOEL, MICK, STEVE AND PETE for another fantastic Gig!
After the Gig I had a little chat with Ian Tompson, always nice to talk to you Ian! All the best! And Noel come out and wrote some autographs and I had a nice chat with him. He asked me about Bodø (Gig there on saturday)and he wondered
if he should buy some new warm clothes. I told him that it was to far for me to go... and I wish him and The Band good luck! Time to split up and go back home with the midnight train with lots of memories on my mind!
... and a thank you to Ari and Snorre for a very nice day and evening! Thorbjorn
Friday - Sunday, 15-17 November, Zoetermeer, Stadskanaal, Hardenberg, Holland
Posted by Wil It took me a day to recover but here is the report:
Finally Manfred Mann's Earth Band back in Holland for three gigs in three days. Enough to invite some fan friends to come to Holland and join me in
those three MMEB days and keeping up the nice international contacts we have. Together with Ben, another Dutch fan, Erika, Reinhard and Iris
from Germany we went to the gigs in Zoetermeer (15th), Stadskanaal (16th) and Hardenberg (17th). Unfortunately Angela stayed at home and I
really hope all is well and we'll meet very soon. And in my mind were Graeme, Lois, Graham, Terry and Nigel because they were also not able to
come. We really missed you. I would meet Erika, Reinhard and Iris at around 4 o'clock in a small pace called Haastrecht, about 30 kms from Zoetermeer where the first gig would take place. Zoetermeer
The 3 day trip started very nice with a coffee at the fireplace because the central heating had fallen out. At 8 we went to the gig in Zoetermeer.
The place called "De Boerderij". At the entrance Ben was waiting for us and together with two of his friends we went inside. It was a nice little venue with around 700 people.
With no supporting act and Ian changing the setlist at the last moment we were anxious to our first gig with Pete as the new drummer. The setlist,
well known, Joybringer, Shelter, Castles (This was new for Ben), Martha, Carol, Dancing, Angels at my gate, Father, Demolition man, and Blinded. And after the break Redemption song, Davy and Mighty Quinn.
Although it was Pete May's one of his first gigs life on stage, it seemed that the band was playing together for years. For the ones that like the
music it's no loss that Richard left the band, Pete knows exactly what to do. Richard played a little bit louder I think and he is much shorter than Pete. Thanks for the gigs I saw you on stage Richard and hope you're doing well in the future.
The band played again with much fun. Highlight for me was Dancing in the dark because I like the mixture very much. A request to Manfred: If
you're able to make such a wonderful arrangement (with or without friends) please give us more. Besides Dancing, Martha's Madman is allways a
life sensation, the way Manfred plays the keyboards in this song can't last long enough. That same feeling comes back when Mick and Manfred
are having a fight during Father. Especially during the third gig I was suprised by the way they were performing this part, again too short unfortunately.
Evert it was nice meeting you (Uriah Heep is going to Hardenberg on the 21th of December)
After the gig Ben went home and we to our tiny cozy hotel near the "IJssel" where we got our last drink at the fireplace and where the central heating was working again, so a hot shower the next day. Stadskanaal
After our lunch with excellent Dutch cheese we went on to Stadskanaal. It took us three hours to get there, Holland is bigger than I thought. This
hotel was the most expensive one of the three and with an owner not in his best mood. When he heard that we were getting our dinner
somewhere else he was really pissed. (and Iris upset). With me going to the garage because of some car problems and the others going to see where the gig was, in "Zalencentrum Bruinsma".
Around five o'clock Ben arrived and together we went to an Italian, Greece restaurant. The gig started at nine and the Earth band would start at 22.45 hrs.
The place was only half-filled, around 700-800 people and a local supporting act called "De Pompers", or something like that started around nine.
Erika asked me several times if I was able to understand what they were singing, but I had to confess my Dutch (Achterhoeks) wasn't that well.
Roel thanks for tickets and we really enjoyed the gig. According to Reinhard this was the best gig of the three we've been to. With a nice light show.
The version of Demolition Man was slightly different from the day before and Reinhard liked this one better. Besides of that the audience was very
enthusiastic. Remember the guy next to you Erika? Trying to rip the fence, wasn't it Iris? And one Venus falling from the stage, Iris had to laugh. I liked the keyboard part Manfred played during Blinded.
After the gig we got us a poster, a good idea from the organisation to give them away at the end of the gig. And Reinhard waiting for the band to sign it. Back to our hotel and the next morning get away as soon as possible. Hardenburg
To Hardenberg it was only a short drive and we got us a wonderful stay at "Beekzicht". Friendly people, making me feel better as a Dutch man (forgetting the Hotel owner).
With Ben staying at the same hotel as Manfred we went to the gig at around 8 o'clock. This was the smallest venue, "Podium", of all and in the end
only 300 people joined us. But we were glad to meet our youngest fan and little drummer David and Dietmar again. Unfortunately it was not possible to stand in the frontrow, the stage was too high you wouldn't be able to see anything.
During this gig Noel was so tired he had to lay down, maybe because of the audience, I've seen them better. But the band was acting as if they
wanted to convince them. In the end they sang along. In my, and Iris, opinion this was the best gig from the band. The duel between Mick and
Manfred, the special announcements from Noel (singing Mick Rogers, Mick Rogers during Father) and again a beautiful Dancing made this evening a perfect end of three days with some of my friends.
After a lot of drinks we got into a taxi and a deep sleep. The next day, tired, but satisfied, we got us a last coffee and some big kisses. Till next time.
Thanks Pete, Steve, Mick, Noel and Manfred for giving me nice music and many friends.
This may last for ever. Thanks Pink for the buttons. Erika, Iris, Reinhard and Ben thanks for the lovely days we spend together, "Proost Holland" Wil
Friday, 15 November, Zoetermeer, Holland (Sweet Lake City Gig)
Posted by Umberto Y Lost Trio Paranoias It was great to see some solid rocking going on yesterday at De Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Holland. The house was filled with balding 45+ fans (including me ;-).
I must say the audience was a bit luke-warm, giving the band a hard time to sweep up the atmosphere. All instruments were skilfully played,
vocals were strong and present. Each and every song was applauded and cheered for enthusiastically, though.
It was a bit of a disappointment to see the Mini moog was merely used for filtering. I read the messages about this subject but I CAN hear it. One of
the major differences is that the Moog filter is voltage-controlled and opens synchronous with the tone pitch. This is why the early Korg synths
without that feature sound so poor. Portamento (tone slide) is essential too, as well as pitch modulation with square or sawtooth wave. All these
things are in the playing, they cannot be sampled. The sounds and riffs were there, but to me the Magic Moog Sound, being a trademark for MMEB, was absent.
Manfred - I really enjoyed meeting again with my favourite synthrock band, next time you come around please include more songs from the IMHO "glory days": Nightingales & Bombers, The Good Earth, The Roaring Silence.
greetings and don't be upset ;-) Umberto Y Lost Trio Paranoias
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