SLADE II AT CLASSIC ROCK OPEN-AIR
Saturday 21.08.2004 Schwerin Freilichtbühne, Classic Rock Open-air
- Slade 2
- Sweet
- Oliver/Dawson Saxon
- Bosstime
Grey start to the Classic Rock evening
report from Ilpo Bister, Helsinki
copyright@ Ilpo Bister
On a rainy Saturday evening Classic Rock Open-air festival was organized for th 4th time in Schwerin Freilichtbühne, a fine amfi-theatre kind of place in the Schloss Park. The headlining acts were Slade 2 and Sweet.
I found my way to the concert place at 6pm, when the first band Oliver/Dawson Saxon had already finished their 1 hour set. One of Slade's roadies has sometimes played in Saxon.
Second act was Bosstime playing Bruce Springsteen songs. In front of the stage there were some 50 people, while the others were still concentrading on beer. No wonder, the band was a real bore, but you can't win with such a wallpaper music; weak, flat songs without any great
But the next band performed in a totally different way and kind of set with 14 catchy, great rock tunes mostly by Lea-Holder in their unique good-humoured, funny manner. Slade 2 got on stage at 8pm starting with "Cum On Feel The Noize". The audience was a little tame (in Slade 2 scale) during the very first numbers, but got soon into the same, great atmosphere the band showed through the whole live set.
The BOYZ (Steve Whalley, vocals and guitar, Dave Hill, guitar, backing vocals, Don Powell, drums and John Berry, bass, backing vocals) had even unusually fun on stage and that spirit catched in the audience as well. There was maybe about 1000 people, which was a pity, because there would have been lots more place at the Freilichtbühne amfi-theatreExpress 18.08.2004
The main showman was as always Dave Hill with his new silver Adidas shoes. Also Steve and John were in a merry good mood. Even Don gave his bid of humour and fun by shouting "Be quiet there!" to someone in the audience, when Steve was playing the sensitive intro to "My Oh My".
Don handled the drums on his own, powerful way, so hard that one of the plates got loose flying on the stage.
Can't tell much about the sound, because I was in the first row for photos, but it struck to me that it was better than usually. The Slade 2 show was BIG ROCK'N'ROLL SOUND and great fun as always!
Finished
Slade II played two encores; "My Oh My" and "Born To Be Wild" and then it was finished. After Slade II there was still Sweet to come, but Slade II's show was also physically as demanding as always and I didn't bother to stay and see Sweet alive.
While walking back to the town I heard some proge band playing their sound landscapes. What a contrast to Slade II's vivid touch and great classic rock tunes! That proge sounded really ridiculous, simple, non-ideal non-sense, out of life.
Greetings and thanks to the BOYZ
Before the fine concert I had a chance to see John and Steve on the audience side and give them on behalf of PopRockNews site's (www.poprocknews.com) webmaster Monika Kahle the double CD of the two part Slade Special radio show with Hidde Paulmann (with Steve Whalley and Don Powell interviews and the great Slade fans in Germany Monika Kahle, Martin Kitz and Uwe Friedrich) by Radio Ostfriesland.
Thank you again (for the 23rd time) to Slade 2 for a great rock'n'roll show! See you soon again! In the meantime, Keep on rockin`.
Slade II set at Schwerin Freilichtbühne 21.08.2004:
- "Thunderbird" intro
- "Cum On Feel The Noize"
- "Cum On Let's Party"
- "Lock Up Your Daughters"
- "Far, Far Away"
- "Everyday"
- "Red Hot"
- "Look Wot You Dun"
- "Coz I Luv You"
- "Run Runaway"
- "Gudbye T'Jane"
- "Mama Weer All Crazee Now"
- "Get Down With It"
Encores:
- "My oh My"
- "Born To Be Wild"
18.08.2004
Glamrock-Gipfel in Schwerin - Schweriner Express 18.08.2004