Three Songs Dropped In Belgium - Mon 2nd Jul
Three Songs Dropped In Belgium
02 July 2001
A heartfelt thanks to Han Snijders who gave this report of the Roxy
performance at the Wertcher Music Festival in Belgium July 1st 2001.
Ever been to what they call a 'rockfestival"? People in heavy-metal
t-shirts, beer in plastic, a mixture of smells of wet grass, piss
and yesterday’s beer? The word "style" isn't the first one that springs
in mind when you think of such a place. And it was there where Roxy did
their comeback in Belgium after 18 years of silence. Werchter 2001.
It looks like nothing really changed between 1972 en 2001. Roxy Music,
unique as ever. Can you imagine this on a Rockfestival: a silver suit,
feathered lido dancers, and oboist and violinist doing a duet before an
audience who thinks that Faithless is the coolest band in the universe?
Only one band can do that. Roxy!
The set was a little shorter than the performances for their own audience.
In a little 1.5 hour they had to show what Roxy is all about. No Streetlife,
Mother of Pearl and unfortunately their farewell song: For Your Pleasure.
But not only the ending was different....at the start of the show there wasn't
the waving curtain. They used the curtain as a background. They simply walked
on stage during South Downs and after a sign from Colin they burst into Re-Make/Re-Model.
I'm sure the crowd was surprised by the energy of this band and their mixture of styles
everything between classical and punk. After three weeks touring they're in top form.
Especially Andy who is getting better with each show.
Two immense screens on both sides of the stage gave a crystal clear view
of all the performers. Lucy's ecstasy during her violin solo in Out Of The Blue.
Manzanera going wild at the end of Ladytron. Paul Thompson playing as if his
life depended on it, Sarah Brown doing her very soulful interpretation of My Only Love.
And Roxy ruled defiantly. Even after the ladyspeaker had closed Werchter 2001,
the crowd asked for more, but no Roxy, Roxy, Roxy could
bring them back on stage.
Set:
Re-make/Re-model, Ladytron, While My Heart Is Still Beating, Out Of The Blue,
A Song For Europe, My Only Love, Oh Yeah, In Every Dreamhome A Heartache, Tara,
Both Ends Burning, Jealous Guy, Editions Of You, Virginia Plain, Love Is The Drug,
Do The Strand.
The set was shorter presumably because the show was part of a festival with
other bands, and that the time on stage was limited.