Dublin: Roxy's First Gig in 18 Years - Sat 9th Jun

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Dublin: Roxy's First Gig in 18 Years
9th June 2001

This review was the first review and pictures to be seen anywhere in the world of the first Roxy Music show in 18 years. This review and picture launched vivaroxymusic.com and the site has been in continual growth ever since.

This page was updated 90 minutes after the show finished and was viewed just under 11'000 times in the following 30 hours.



THE POINT DUBLIN 9th JUNE 2001

Roxy Music played to a packed hall in Dublin's The Point Theatre tonight 9th June 2001. This was the first live public performance the band has done in over 18 years. A huge drape with the new Roxy logo hides the stage as Brian Eno's Music For Airports plays through the P.A. In fades South Downs, dim the lights, here's the rest.

The curtain rises to the opening piano of Re-make/Re-model, the first song on the first Roxy. Bryan behind the piano, in silver tuxedo and black trousers, as the band kicks in with a blistering version of this 29 year old classic. As soon as the song finishes, a count of 4 and in plays Street Life. The band are showing they are on top form through classics like Ladytron, While My Heart Is Still Beating, If There Is Something and Paul Thompson and Lucy Wilkins excelling themselves on Out Of The Blue. Colin Good then plays some excellent piano work a rhapsodic intro that at first is unfamiliar then in structure gets more and more familiar. Recognition comes from the crowd as it becomes the opening of A Song For Europe. This is Andy Mackay's show piece and he is in fine form.

Bryan walks away from centre stage as the percussion lays the foundation for the next song. Bryan arrives at the piano and plays the opening refrain to My Only love from 1980's Flesh + Blood and Chris Spedding is given his moment of glory with some fine guitar work. Staying with 1980 he moves into their UK chart number 4 Oh Yeah. The audience by now in sing along mode. A siren blasts through the P.A., Both Ends Burning really rocking with Manzanera playing some of his finest work of the night; this band is really on form. A diminished band leaves Colin Good, Lucy Wilkins & Julia Thornton on stage creating the perfect backdrop for Andy Mackay as he plays Tara. This Roxy instrumental is given an extended version with Lucy Wilkins playing some beautiful violin work as she solo's, then duets with Mackay. This was the stand out of the show and Andy beaming with delight at the huge applause. Roxy stroll through the greatest hits with classics from their repertoire, Avalon, the rarely played live More Than This and a welcome version of Mother Of Pearl, Jealous Guy, Editions Of You & Virginia Plain. The band leaving the stage to the chants of "Roxy /// Roxy /// Roxy ///" as if it was lifted straight off their live album Viva! Roxy Music.

The first encore was predictable in true Roxy style they played the classics Love Is The Drug and Do The Strand. The surprise of the whole show was when they finished with For Your Pleasure. As the band faded the songs closing chant 'tara, tara' the band slowly left the stage one by one, Bryan then Andy, Phil, Chris Lucy, Julia, Zef, Sara Brown whispering 'tara' leaving Colin Good with his heavily treated piano echoing and spiralling as if Eno wasn't far away.

If this is the band just starting, then they are unbelievably tight. The 18 years apart didn't show. Hopefully they will bring in new numbers as the tour heads around the globe to make this the talking point of the music world for 2001. The stage set is augmented with a huge screen backstage flashing archive images interspersed with the images from the on stage film camera.

This was Roxy Music, the band played, led and worked as a single unit and not a backdrop for Bryan, and this is the most poignant thing about this new Roxy, a new sensation.

Re-make/Re-model
Street Life
Ladytron
While My Heart Is Still Beating
If There Is Something
Out Of The Blue
A Song For Europe
My Only Love
Oh Yeah
Both Ends Burning
Tara
Avalon
More Than This
Mother Of Pearl
Jealous Guy
Editions Of You
Virginia Plain
Love Is The Drug
Do The Strand
For Your Pleasure.

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