The CP Bowl .. I have memories over the years of seeing Joe Cocker, the Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple (I think), Donovan, Rory Gallacher and probably a few that I have forgotten. My all time favorite open air gig was at Nice in sth France. I was sitting on the beach, just passing the time with my then girlfriend when a group of hairies turned up in a big Mercedes van, came onto the strand, erected a small stage, lugged a load of equipment and instruments onto the stage and plugged everything into a generator located a good few yards away on the concrete promenade. All this took about 1/2 an hour. Soft Machine then appeared and played a wonderous gig. This was in their 'Miles Davis/Bitches Brew era' .. ethereal sounds, June sunset, riviera beach, wine and afghan, gorgeous French girls dancing like Salomé .. them was de days
Oh I remember these concerts really well Miserableoldgit absolutely fantastic. Recall seeing a great US band called Mountain the drummer was bouncing his sticks off the kit and into the lake, what a band. The Faces followed and Rod Stewart walked on and said f**K me how do we follow that! I think Elton John topped the bill that day. Correct Pink Floyd played there along with loads of others. Eric Clapton jamming with Freddy King was another great memory.
Recall one bizarre incident where the MC announced that Elvis had turned up and just for a second through a chemically induced haze we thought it was him, turned out to be a very young Shakin Stevens as it happens having a bit of a wind up.
Rory Gallagher seemed to pitch up everywhere especially at these kind of gigs, Family were another festival favourite. Lets be honest there was some right dross, The Third Ear Band were grim and bloody Edgar Broughton with his "Out demons out" drove me Tonto. all in all great days, long gone but well remembered.
Saturday looks a blast. Rick Wakeman, Hawkwind, Focus,The Strawbs, Wishbone Ash. 5 of my favourite bands from back then. I remember Wishbone Ash's first album. I think it was voted Melody Makers album of the year. I still have it on vinyl. Brilliant.
Well by a spooky chance my art school re-union in Bromley is happening the week-end before hand, and myself and another graduate have been making a compilation of the music of the day which of course includes so much of the music from this era...... Remember 'Yes' doing the world premier of 'Close to the edge' at the bowl.
Saturday looks a blast. Rick Wakeman, Hawkwind, Focus,The Strawbs, Wishbone Ash. 5 of my favourite bands from back then. I remember Wishbone Ash's first album. I think it was voted Melody Makers album of the year. I still have it on vinyl. Brilliant.
That's an incredible line-up for those of us of a certain age!
Saw a specially reformed Yes, with of course Rick Wakeman, play the Jazz stage at Glastonbury 2003.
They played all their old stuff naturally - and amongst the shall we say more maturing audience, there was a fair sprinkling of yoof; obviously used to nicking Dad's old vinyl.
Forgot Wishbone Ash all harmony guitars and Andy "snap" Powell and his Flying V. Really good band I think Pilgrimage was their best album. saw them at The Rainbow with the aforementioned Mountain what a great night. I loved The Rainbow one of the best music venues ever!
Probably my favourite band when I was at school (showing my age ;-) ) and have their first 7 or 8 albums. Saw them a few times and always an excellent gig, especially when their dancer Stacia danced naked on stage - rather enjoyable for a teenager watching from the audience :-)
Didn't get anything more by them for decades until 2010 when they released 'Blood of the Earth' ... great album and a real return to form.
Probably my favourite band when I was at school (showing my age ;-) ) and have their first 7 or 8 albums. Saw them a few times and always an excellent gig, especially when their dancer Stacia danced naked on stage - rather enjoyable for a teenager watching from the audience :-)
Didn't get anything more by them for decades until 2010 when they released 'Blood of the Earth' ... great album and a real return to form.
Some of these groups still going and played at Chiselhurst blues club last year Stonemuse, along with a derivative of the strawbs,curved air, and Martin Turners wishbone ash. I saw the strawbs down at the woolwich poly on there friday night rock nights. http://www.feenstra.co.uk/ Photographed Larry Miller there last year: http://www.flickr.com/photos/52647217@N00/sets/72157626383898979/
My all time favorite open air gig was at Nice in sth France. I was sitting on the beach, just passing the time with my then girlfriend when a group of hairies turned up in a big Mercedes van, came onto the strand, erected a small stage, lugged a load of equipment and instruments onto the stage and plugged everything into a generator located a good few yards away on the concrete promenade. All this took about 1/2 an hour. Soft Machine then appeared and played a wonderous gig. This was in their 'Miles Davis/Bitches Brew era' .. ethereal sounds, June sunset, riviera beach, wine and afghan, gorgeous French girls dancing like Salomé .. them was de days
How lucky was that Lincsadick? If I had a time machine... Do you remember if it was the instrumental (Third album) stuff they played or the earlier sound? Sometimes I just long for intelligent original and challenging music. I do go to a few gigs but have yet to find anything that comes anywhere near Soft Machine, Hatfield and the North, Magma and all that. But I might well get along to the CP Bowl - really hope that Curved Air are playing.
^^ You rarely get that kind of happening at Scarborough, Margate or Torquay ! .. The line up was not the classic Ayres/Routledge/Dean outfit, Roy Babbington was on bass and Roy at that time was a regular sideman at Ronnie Scotts, backing a lot of top US jazzmen. Routledge was the keyboard man, (1 of 2) with (as I recall)drums, reeds and guitar .. as to what they played, as I say, it reminded me of Bitches Brew but just a little softer, with a touch of Solid Air .. IF you get my drift. Curved Air ?? .. I saw the original line up, Daryl Way, Sonja Christina, Stuart Copeland at the Lyceum ..... those were the days, silly clothes, silly dancing, silly talk, silly amounts of puff, silly people but a great time .. what do you think of 'It's a Beautiful Day', another violin/female singer band and one of my all time favorite bands
^^ You rarely get that kind of happening at Scarborough, Margate or Torquay ! .. The line up was not the classic Ayres/Routledge/Dean outfit, Roy Babbington was on bass and Roy at that time was a regular sideman at Ronnie Scotts, backing a lot of top US jazzmen. Routledge was the keyboard man, (1 of 2) with (as I recall)drums, reeds and guitar .. as to what they played, as I say, it reminded me of Bitches Brew but just a little softer, with a touch of Solid Air .. IF you get my drift. Curved Air ?? .. I saw the original line up, Daryl Way, Sonja Christina, Stuart Copeland at the Lyceum ..... those were the days, silly clothes, silly dancing, silly talk, silly amounts of puff, silly people but a great time .. what do you think of 'It's a Beautiful Day', another violin/female singer band and one of my all time favorite bands
I do have an 'It's a Beautiful Day' album... really like White Bird and all that but top of my violin pops was Darryl Way's Wolf. Saw them at Thames Poly when I was 16... pure magic. Classical style violin, jazzy guitar and electric piano.
Great to see all this Soft Machine, Caravan talk on here. A lot of great bands with the Canterbury connection.
Never been to Crystal Palcae Bowl. What is it like as a venue? How big is it? Presumably standing/siting on gras or will there be seats?
The last time I was there (when God was a boy and I doubt it has changed much) .. the venue is a natural ampitheatre covering a big area .. no seats, plenty of space, sloping ground, natural terracing, a delight on a nice day, like anywhere in the open, a bit of a downer on an overcast, wet day. The focus is on a covered stage and of course the closer to the stage you get, the more crowded it is
CP bowl is a good venue. I was at the Faces/Floyd /Mountain gig that Dave sescribed. We got in for free by jumping over a fence and ended up in the Faces press portocabin, knocking back triple vodkas. Then when the Floyd came on to do Atom Heart Mother we watched from the side of the stage, well plastered. It started to rain quite heavily so we climbed under the speaker covers and kept dry but is was very loud. Sadly the fish all died in the pond in front of the stage. I hope the remove the fish next time around. I am very envious of OliverStreet seeing the Softs perform live in France. Very cool.
Saw Wishbone Ash live a few times...Catford. The Ranbow and Dartford spring to mind, very good band live. Surprised Caravan are still going, but pleased....love their early stuff. Another great band from that era was Camel...also very good live.
Comments
My all time favorite open air gig was at Nice in sth France. I was sitting on the beach, just passing the time with my then girlfriend when a group of hairies turned up in a big Mercedes van, came onto the strand, erected a small stage, lugged a load of equipment and instruments onto the stage and plugged everything into a generator located a good few yards away on the concrete promenade. All this took about 1/2 an hour. Soft Machine then appeared and played a wonderous gig. This was in their 'Miles Davis/Bitches Brew era' .. ethereal sounds, June sunset, riviera beach, wine and afghan, gorgeous French girls dancing like Salomé .. them was de days
Recall one bizarre incident where the MC announced that Elvis had turned up and just for a second through a chemically induced haze we thought it was him, turned out to be a very young Shakin Stevens as it happens having a bit of a wind up.
Rory Gallagher seemed to pitch up everywhere especially at these kind of gigs, Family were another festival favourite. Lets be honest there was some right dross, The Third Ear Band were grim and bloody Edgar Broughton with his "Out demons out" drove me Tonto. all in all great days, long gone but well remembered.
crystalpalacegardenparty.com/pages/Rock_LineUp.html
; )
FUBB ----Argus enough said.
Remember 'Yes' doing the world premier of 'Close to the edge' at the bowl.
They played all their old stuff naturally - and amongst the shall we say more maturing audience, there was a fair sprinkling of yoof; obviously used to nicking Dad's old vinyl.
Didn't get anything more by them for decades until 2010 when they released 'Blood of the Earth' ... great album and a real return to form.
http://www.feenstra.co.uk/
Photographed Larry Miller there last year:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52647217@N00/sets/72157626383898979/
Curved Air ?? .. I saw the original line up, Daryl Way, Sonja Christina, Stuart Copeland at the Lyceum ..... those were the days, silly clothes, silly dancing, silly talk, silly amounts of puff, silly people but a great time .. what do you think of 'It's a Beautiful Day', another violin/female singer band and one of my all time favorite bands
Caravan, still going with Pye Hastings.
Great to see all this Soft Machine, Caravan talk on here. A lot of great bands with the Canterbury connection.
I am very envious of OliverStreet seeing the Softs perform live in France. Very cool.