Richard's review:
Just got back. Nick and Roy were both amazing in their own ways - Roy very happy, with really funny and interesting banter. The intro involving Miles Davies struck a resonant chord, as I've only recently "discovered" Miles, and have found in him such passionate jazz music, some of which was recorded when I was but one year old. So much more to hear yet as I've only scraped the surface! I'm consciously streaming, sorry.
Nick was scarily good as ever. How did he get to be able to do that? Where is that damn crossroad? I need a map!!
And then Roy... I was unsure what to expect. Some of the reviews have been somewhat disappointing. And he had to follow junior. No problem. The set list was as reported elsewhere, and it was so very nice to hear some of these songs live for the first time. I'm struck by how good Rushing Camelot and Green Man sound live, and how well received they are. Maybe they need time to mature and flourish before they become more universally accepted amongst Roy's best, but I hope that time might come. Overall though the man just seemed so happy and at one with the whole deal. It was nice that he hung around after the encore, with no intention of playing more, but just to say goodnight and to applaud us, the audience - and to tell us to piss off home. :-)
Others will write more and better than this, and I look forward to reading their words. Nice it was to see Nick [Lane] again, and to meet Elizabeth and Paula and Philippa. Oh and I had to buy Dream Society - ah well, hang the expense!
Time for bed, and sweet, happy, hippy, harperesque dreams :-)
Nick's review:
I'll echo what Richard said, one of the happiest and most relaxed Harper gigs I've been to for ages.
As regards Miles Davis, stay on the discovery track Richard, as Roy said, he was also the ultimate cool... (Roy also said that it would be cool if he never said a word during one of his gigs, which made me laugh).
If I was given the map [mentioned in Richard's review], I'd still read it upside down! Nick's finale was rushing around the room and weaving throughout all of us, playing like crazy, ending up on the bar! Unbelievable stuff, I just had this huge sappy grin all over my face. I was lucky enough to have a few words with him later and shook his hand to congratulate him.
After we'd all come down off the ceiling from Nick's performance, Roy quietly sloped in like he does and proceeded with a superb performance. You all know the set by now, they were all finely done. Nick's support for the final half was wonderful, they really played well together. One of the highlights for me was Sophisticated Beggar, which I'd never heard live before.
Good to see you again Richard, but sorry I missed you somewhere Bob. Paula and Philippa, we can't keep meeting on the stairs y'know, great to meet you, didn't say our goodbyes but I think you were still in the 'moshpit' somewhere. Very mixed feelings about standing up for hours though and it's a bit difficult to applaud with a pint of beer in one hand. Problems, problems...
My one and only regret for the evening, was that I tried to grab the single remaining full size gig poster on the way out, but was beaten by a millisecond by another guy. Damn... I was going to send it to a friend, with a "wish you were here" message on it.
Went home to bed, as per Roy's firm recommendation to all of us, in a very happy daze.
See photos and Paula's mini-review of this gig here
