Paris Stadium 1979 Manfred Mann must be the unlikeliest
looking Rock Star ever. Other musical compatriots of similar years can occasionally heave their old bones around with a dash of panache. Manfred perennially looks like a bus conductor who's just come off the night shift. And
as his personal non appearance might not send excitable young ladies into paroxysms of ecstasy, likewise one might have thought, his music. But Manfred Mann and his Earthband never purport to be a sweaty rock'n'roll band and the
boisterous following that goes hand in hand with such an act is something that they have never hankered after and never had. Therefore it was s surprise to watch the 2,000 capacity crowd at Paris' Stadium get off on this
bespectacled bank clerk/ smart keyboards player and his band. Technically MMEB are superb. Tight and together, they ran through the set which featured material from the new album "Angel Station" and a selection of the
hits which have kept the memory of Manfred bright in these European minds. Best new tracks were "Don't Kill It Carol" fast and fluid, the Dylan penned "You Angel You" and "Angels At My Gate", a low
key number with an almost hypnotic, repetitive chorus. New boy Steve Waller did an admirable job on vocals and guitar. His powerful voice with it's grainy melodic quality fits in extremely well with the MMEB repetoire.
"Davy's On The Road Again" deservedly got the crowd to their feet but only because the song is such a heartfelt favourite, and not through any excitement or aura the band themselves projected. They finished with a
"Pretty Flamingo", "Mighty Quinn" medley, much to the pleasure of the stomping, cheering crowd. But don't get me wrong, Manfred Mann's Earthband is not boring. They're an accomplished, professional act
which can supply an evening's good entertainment if you're into that kind of music. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would, it's just that I find the rigid confines of the band too soulless and serious to really enjoy.
But everyone who bought tickets for the sell-out European tour don't agree. And maybe you don't either. Make your minds up yourselves and go see 'em. Janice Moir |
Paris Stadium 1979 Not having seen Manfred Mann's
Earthband since they played in London at the Rainbow, a year ago, I enjoyed catching up with them once again. In the intervening period between these concerts a new album "Angel Station" has been released and inevitably
the stage show has altered considerably to include many numbers featured on it. This is a plus factor, since the "Angel Station" material surpasses their previous achievements. The other major change is that the post
of lead guitarist, formerly held by Dave Flett, has been handed over to Steve Waller. His previous experience includes a lot of session work and also, until he teamed up with Manfred, a spell with Gonzales. Steve's arrival has
benefited the Earth Band, especially on stage where his dynamic lead \axe and general good humour have established him as a focal point. When I last saw them, too much emphasis seemed to be placed on vocalist and guitarist Chris
Thompson as a front man, but now the attention has been more evenly distributed. Although the Parisian fans were delighted to hear standards like "Blinded By The Light", "Day's On The Road Again" and
"Spirits In The Night", it was the newer material which had the most impact. Such songs as "Don't Kill It Carol", Dylan's "You Angel You" and "Angels At My Gate" managed to create an intense
atmosphere. It's to be regretted, as the group is obviously better than ever, that after this tour Chris Thompson will be leaving - creating a gap which will be difficult to fill. An added bonus for the Paris audience was
provided by some cleverly contrived animated film, which provoked considerable laughter. Although projected onto a giant screen, this gimmick was not visible in some parts of the auditorium. That minor problem however didn't
prevent the French kids from applauding Manfred Mann's Earth Band's visit as a gig formidable. Steve Gett |
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