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50th anniversary personal thoughts
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Author:  Richard [ Mon Oct 17, 2022 2:55 pm ]
Post subject:  50th anniversary personal thoughts
When the 50th anniversary tour was announced, I was excited, surprised and slightly worried.

The band hadn’t played together since 2011 and that tour ended with friction between the core members. They were also now all in their 70s and for them a 90 minute plus show was going to be tough physically.

We knew Paul and Andy had both had some difficulties with their health and that Bryan’s voice could be slightly weak live. It was fingers crossed.

I saw the setlist from the US and watched a lot of the YouTube clips that appeared regularly and boy they sounded good.

Like many fans I was disappointed that there were no songs from Stranded. There were also a lot from the last three albums in particular Avalon. I was disappointed they were doing To Turn You On. Its a great song but definitely a Ferry solo outing and therefore an outlier and not a welcome one either in my opinion.

Personally I wanted more from their first five but everyone has their favourites and they were never going to include all the songs people wanted to hear.

They had slowed the songs down. Instead of the punkish rush we got in the 2000s, the grooves held together much better at the lower tempos and with the change of key, it all sounded great.

I made the trip to the O2 for the final show and what a finale it was. If they never play live again, the whole band can be proud of the show. The screens were fabulous and so were the main protagonists who played to the top of their capabilities.

Most importantly they looked as though they were having a blast with Ferry seeming to really enjoy Andy and Phil’s solos. TGPT underlined just what an underestimated drummer he is. There is no doubt he is one of the best the UK has produced.

The supporting cast was also great. They brought the textures and sounds we needed. Eno’s Remake/Remodel synth parts in the body of the song were reinstated and it sounded great.

Yes RM/RM, Out of the Blue, Bogus Man, Ladytron, Edition of You, Virginia Plain and Do the Strand stood out for me but Heart Still Beating and Tara were taken to new heights with the former gaining the darkness and weirdness we all associate with early Roxy.

When all is said and done, the tour was about the band’s legacy as a truly great British band. They can wake up now every morning knowing they did themselves proud and cemented their reputation.

It was the best I have seen them play.



VIVA! Roxy Music
Author:  UKRichard [ Sun Oct 30, 2022 10:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 50th anniversary personal thoughts
A really good post Richard - thanks.

Having never missed a tour since 1975, I was gutted to miss this one as a result of a long-standing holiday commitment. Like you, I was a sceptical about this outing after the 'issues' of 2011. The early video clips coming out of the US made me worry even more, especially for BF's vocal. I don't think it was the quality of the recordings either because BF himself shared a number of them. However, as the tour progressed the vocals seemed somewhat stronger and more assured. I wonder whether the frailer voice actually warms up with use these days, rather than the stronger voice of yore suffering under the strain? From what I can see, UK audiences were certainly beneficiaries of the dates that preceded theirs.

I'm glad you and everyone else enjoyed it. I can only keep my fingers crossed now for a DVD. Surely...?
Author:  Gardner [ Sun Oct 30, 2022 12:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 50th anniversary personal thoughts
I always worry about the vocals - its probably my biggest gripe .. And I've avoided the last few Ferry solo shows as a result - But I should keep reminding myself that these fears disappear in the atmosphere of a gig setting - This is exactly what happened on this tour - Yes, sometimes his voice seemed weak - but the spectacle, camaraderie and the electricity in the air took over and I thought the evening was wonderful. A glorious memory.
Author:  Richard [ Sun Oct 30, 2022 2:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 50th anniversary personal thoughts
UKRichard wrote:
A really good post Richard - thanks.

Having never missed a tour since 1975, I was gutted to miss this one as a result of a long-standing holiday commitment. Like you, I was a sceptical about this outing after the 'issues' of 2011. The early video clips coming out of the US made me worry even more, especially for BF's vocal. I don't think it was the quality of the recordings either because BF himself shared a number of them. However, as the tour progressed the vocals seemed somewhat stronger and more assured. I wonder whether the frailer voice actually warms up with use these days, rather than the stronger voice of yore suffering under the strain? From what I can see, UK audiences were certainly beneficiaries of the dates that preceded theirs.

I'm glad you and everyone else enjoyed it. I can only keep my fingers crossed now for a DVD. Surely...?


Thanks. I hope there is a DVD and album from the tour.
Author:  Richard [ Sun Oct 30, 2022 2:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 50th anniversary personal thoughts
Gardner wrote:
I always worry about the vocals - its probably my biggest gripe .. And I've avoided the last few Ferry solo shows as a result - But I should keep reminding myself that these fears disappear in the atmosphere of a gig setting - This is exactly what happened on this tour - Yes, sometimes his voice seemed weak - but the spectacle, camaraderie and the electricity in the air took over and I thought the evening was wonderful. A glorious memory.


Perfectly said
Author:  pianoman [ Mon Oct 31, 2022 5:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 50th anniversary personal thoughts
Gardner wrote:
I always worry about the vocals - its probably my biggest gripe .. And I've avoided the last few Ferry solo shows as a result - But I should keep reminding myself that these fears disappear in the atmosphere of a gig setting - This is exactly what happened on this tour - Yes, sometimes his voice seemed weak - but the spectacle, camaraderie and the electricity in the air took over and I thought the evening was wonderful. A glorious memory.

That was my impression in the years 2015/2017/2018, too, Gardner: Everybody knew about Bryan's voice before and knew that he needed a perfect choir to support him. But the whole show with its atmosphere, the songs we knew for such a long time, the old man who was and still is alive and kicking and the nostalgic feelings all this created - a perfect package 8-) .
Author:  VivaVoce [ Wed Jan 04, 2023 9:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 50th anniversary personal thoughts
I attended Manchester and London.

Rating them against the solo RAH on the eve of the pandemic I would say RAH 9, Manchester 7 and O2 6. Obviously different acts etc, but the larger venues are just about money.
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