Set the postcode on the satnav and got taken on a journey through the arse end of London, by the time we were there I thought my ears were going to explode through frustration!
I told Tara & Julian that if I ever suggest driving to the 02 again they have my full permission to kick me up the arse good and proper.
And relax...........Found a pub, pint of Doombar, remembered why we'd travelled to the 02 & all was well again.
Quite an early start to this gig, the first support came on at around 6.40pm, they were called The Lounge Kittens, three birds in short skirts & pink high heels, warbled abit then buggered off............that's a bit unfair, they were very good! They did acapella type singing, mostly rock covers, AC/DC et al with key board accompaniment. They were good fun & had the audience behind them, such as were there for the first support anyway! Given a smaller venue I think they'd be good to see again, something a bit different.
Not a bad seat all things considered, we were tucked in to the right of the stage, quite near the stage but high up, any higher & we'd have had nose bleeds, no big screens which was surprise, they are usually the only way of identifying who is actually on stage!
The second support are a band I've always liked called REO Speedwagon, I suppose they would have once fallen into the category of 'middle of the road' rock, soft rock if you like. They were very good, but Tara said she thought singer, Kevin Cronin sounds like Kermit the Frog, when he spoke anyway!
Then about 8.45pm the mighty Quo hit the stage! This tour is called 'The end of the electrics' as they are hanging up the electric guitars in favour of acoustic but we'll see!
They were of course brilliant playing all the old barnstormers and very little from more up to date albums, nothing from 'Bula Quo' for instance which was definitely a good thing! (You know me, I have always been a huge Quo fan ever since I first got into music around 38 years ago, cut me in two & there'd be 'Status Quo' written through me, but they just shouldn't release any more studio albums!)
Loud enough to cover my dodgy singing I was able to give vent to such classic Quo tracks as 'Caroline,' 'Roll over lay down,' 'What you're proposing', 'Whatever you want' and of course 'Rockin' all over the world.'
Always good value they played for about two hours, Francis Rossi hasn't lost any of his musical ability as Julian remarked. Tara noticed that strangely he did not mention his old sparing partner Rick Parfitt who has had to retire due to health problems, they've played together in Quo for something like fifty years so you'd think he'd have said something about his old mate, nor was there any kind of thanks to the support bands as you might expect from the headliners & is usual with other bands.
However that does not detract from the great evening we had. I ummed & arred about getting a t shirt as they were £25, alot I think for a t shirt. Julian had already decided to get one & I then had second thoughts & succumbed! We nearly didn't end up with them as we didn't get them until after the gig and two of the kiosks selling them were out of what we wanted so we had to go the main sales point near the 02 entrance.
While we were queuing Tara had the great delight of watching some big jessie getting her knickers in a twist as she couldn't find her husband. On being comforted by a member of the 02 staff Tara heard her ask this idiot what her husband was wearing, she didn't know! Has he got a mobile? Yes. Have you phoned it? No. Why don't you then? Some people shouldn't be let out on their own!
The gig wasn't a sell out of the 02 as most of the back of the arena was either empty of curtained off but given the capacity of the 02 being 20000 I reckon there must have been a good 12 to 15000 there, anyway we left the arena happily clutching our new t shirts and made our way to the car park. Traffic was pretty well grid locked as there was alot of people trying to get away. Tara had wisely thought to pack us some victuals which we tucked into, by the time we'd finished the traffic had cleared and we sped away, this time I just followed the signs for Bethlehem...... not really, the M11, then I knew where I was . We got home in an hour! It was a terrific gig!
Lounge Kittens set list.
Who Are You
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Africa
Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)
Pictures of Matchstick Men
Isle Of Wight Festival 2016 Medley
REO Speedwagon set list.
Don't Let Him Go
Take It on the Run
Keep Pushin'
Can't Fight This Feeling
Son of a Poor Man
Time for Me to Fly
Back on the Road Again
Ridin' the Storm Out
Keep On Loving You
Roll With the Changes
Status Quo set list.
Caroline
The Wanderer
Something 'bout You Baby I Like
Rain
Softer Ride
Beginning of the End
Hold You Back
What You're Proposing / Down the Dustpipe / Wild Side of Life / Railroad / Again And Again / Paper Plane
The Oriental
Creepin' Up on You
Gerdundula
In the Army Now
Drum Solo (The Caveman)
Roll Over Lay Down
Down Down
Whatever You Want
Rockin' All Over the World
Encore.
Burning Bridges (On and Off and on Again)
Rock and Roll Music / Bye Bye Johnny
 |
| REO Speedwagon |
 |
| REO Speedwagon |
 |
| Status Quo |
 |
| Status Quo |
No comments:
Post a Comment