Thursday, April 28, 2000 Ole Blues Festival, Bergen, Norway (Night 2)

Report by Sali

set list: Morning Dew / ?? / Motel / Bummer in the Summer / Bluebird / Carpenter / Darkness Darkness / Think / Early in the Morning / Baby Please Don’t Go
Encore - August / Move It / High School Hop / Trouble in Mind

The Moroccan alarm clock goes off exactly on time (11pm) and Priory of Brion hit the stage in clean shirts. Carlisle’s is white, Eric’s is black, Robert’s is black shimmering with gold, Alistair wears a Bruce Lee T-shirt and Owen’s says ‘Who said old school?’.

Eric cool as a cucumber Bloodaxe and Carlisle are immediately together for Morning Dew. Each seems able to cover a third of the fretboard with the fingers of the left hand while nipping effortlessly from top to bottom while Owen’s fingers are sliding up and down the keyboard. Robert says ‘Hold on tight’ and we’re into an expressive rendition leading to a great waily ending. ‘It’s Friday and it’s Bergen’ says Robert as Alistair sets the scene for Motel and three guitars, including Owen on accoustic, play fast and furious while Robert shakes and shimmers . The place is really rocking and then we’re then into Bummer in the Summer with Robert calling out ‘Can you feel it?’ - he knows we can. This drumming ain’t gonna stop for anyone and Carlisle’s manic fingerwork on guitars is beautifully offset by some light piano touches while Eric Bloodaxe is sliding up and down the bass making it all look so easy. Robert seems able to go anywhere he wants to with the vocals and his hands are dancing in the air until Carlisle brings it to a close with a leap.

Robert tells a slightly weird story about Stephen Stills in a military style uniform, like something out of a Gabriel Marquez book, enabling him to say ‘Stephen, you’re a true Bluebird - what a great introduction to a song. Owen’s on guitar again and having a great time shaking it while Roberts sits on a stool to sing, appearing at times to fly and Alistair proves that he can be gentle as well as a powerhouse with some great dynamic range. The voice is perfect for Carpenter then Robert asks for some light on the audience and mentions coming back next year to continue inventing feedback. The voice seems even better for Darkness, particularly ‘the things that cannot be’ and some woderful wailing. Carlisle seems to have put in some new chords making it even more demonic and the flying fingers of Owen Glendwr continue to develop the keyboard contribution. Alistair missed a chime but made up for it with a lovely smile while Robert narrowly avoided a low flying rose.

‘Not for the first time - for the umpteenth time since the invention of feedback’ says Robert as he introduces the band - including, ‘Alistair Crowley….a man who travels the fjords in a pointed hat’ (Alistair gives us the sign of the cross with his drumsticks) and ‘Eric Bloodaxe…the hero from the sagas of the North, carrying the loadstone’ at which Eric was ceremoniously crowned with a horned viking helmet.

Having ‘Done white hippy stuff’ they launch into Think closely followed by Early in the Morning and then into The Bridge. Owen struts his stuff over drums and bass while Robert sings ‘Come on baby…….b b b b b baby’ - the audience loves it and Owen must cover every note on the keyboard for the ending. Baby Please Don’t Go was tight and fast with a great guitar passage by Carlisle and Eric with Carlisle really looking as if he is enjoying himself.

The encore starts with a song I don’t know but Carol thinks it’s Autumn. Anyway it was lovely. Then we had a story about a man who never married, but fell in love with a tennis player and shared biscuits with her….. as an introduction to Move It complete with some Cliff style moving and grooving embellished with Priory style wild guitars , (? one handed?) keyboards and demonic drumming. This really got the audience moving, as did High School Hop.

It seemed as if the evening might end with a storytelling session as Robert began the story of the three bears….. ‘Once upon a time there was a mummy bear, a daddy bear, and Elvis Bear, followed by a false start ‘Wrong set’ and Trouble in Mind. The only trouble in my mind was that it had to stop.

article courtesy Sali, who allowed the contents of her Calling to You website to be added to ManicNirvana.com.

Thursday, April 27, 2000 Ole Blues Festival, Bergen, Norway (Night 1)

Report by Sali

The show started exactly on time at 11pm with the Morroccan alarm clock. The band received a huge welcome from the Norewgian (plus 3) audience.

Robert in black sparkly shirt, black trousers and black soft pull on boots welcomed us to the band’s first international appearance. Owen appeared brandishing a video camera which he was obviuosly itching to use, so Robert asked for the lights to be turned on the audience for a quick bit of videoing. This was very popular.

At first the sound was a bit muddy but it was sorted out and although one, possibly two of the band members were possibly a little tired from the travelling they were soon infected by the energy in the room and a lively evening ensued. There were particularly enthusiastic performances by Alistair Crowley on drums and Owen Glendwr on keyboards and acoustic guitar. Alistair was highly energetic and focused, producing some delicate fills and dainty touches amongst the driving power. Owen was apparently fresh from another border skirmish and wearing the spoils of war to prove it - huge baggy jeans, a T shirt with some number on it and a Body and Soul hat pulled right down to his eyes. He seemed particulary keen to get stuck in to Darkness Darkness - perhaps he enjoys it as much as I do - He certainly wasn’t going to wait for anyone else to be ready but they caught on And Alistair was there with his chimes. Owen and Carlisle really got it together, Carlisle almost laid back in places (!) while Owen fairly fizzed. Meanwhile the newly named Eric Bolldaxe on guitar made it all look so easy throbbing away underneath it all. Still waters run deep, especially in the fjiords. The bassline from Darkness was still in my head throughout the following day.

Endings are becoming particulary flambouyant with some notable leaps from Carlisle Egypt, complicated flourishes from Alistair and Owen’s fingers whizzing up and down the keyboard and Robert seemingly able to do anything he wants to do with his voice at the moment, we got some powerful, soulful wails.

The third song was new to me - I’m looking forward to getting to know it. I particularly enjoyed Bluebird. Robert sat down for this one. His voice was in fine form, sounding relaxed and melodic and he really got into soaring mode, complete with actions. There was a teasing hint of Light my Fire as they went into the bridge, and some light hearted reggae got an enthusiastic moving in the audience. For Carpenter Robert moved the music stand away, always a relief to the photographers but also to those of us who want to see the man as well as hear him.

Think was less powerful and dynamic than it has been but GLORIA made up for it with immediate and powerful audience participation. We all agreed with the sentiments of Baby Please Don’t Go at the end of nearly 90 minutes of pure pleasure.

article courtesy Sali, who allowed the contents of her Calling to You website to be added to ManicNirvana.com.