Friday 28 April 2000

Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings am 27 April 2000 im Kammgarn, Kaiserslautern

Ein Konzertbericht von Gary Brooker's Seite oder Fanseite .... muss von einem Procol Harum Fan stammen (aber sicher keinem englischen Muttersprachler ;-) 

Ich war bei diesem Konzert leider nicht dabei, habe aber Janice Hoyte noch bei anderen Gigs auf dieser Tour gesehen.
Musicians:
"fabulous" Gary Brooker, piano / vocals; "Burt Lancaster" Graham Broad, drums; Bill Wyman, bass; "the one and only" Georgie Fame, organ / vocals; "incredible" Albert Lee, lead guitar / vocals; Terry Taylor, rhythm guitar; Beverley Skeete, vocals; Janice Hoyte, vocals; Frank Mead, Nick Payn, horns.

The official Set List ( it was lying on Gary’s piano):

Song: Vocals:
1 Let the good times roll Gary
2 Walking one and only Georgie
3 Jitterbug Gary
4 Groovin' Beverly
5 Melody Georgie / Bev
6 Jump jive and wail Albert
7 Motorvating Mama (?) – (they played Hit The Road Jack) Gary / Georgie
8 Lead me to the water Gary
9 I put a spell on you Beverly
10 Anyway the wind blows (?) – Easy coming, easy going Terry
11 I'm ready Albert
12 Baby workout Beverly
13 Mystery train Gary / Georgie
14 I’ll be satisfied Gary
15 Little boy Janice
Encores
1 Little Queenie Gary
2 Tear it up Albert


What a great Rhythm and Blues evening in Kaiserslautern! Some of the musicians had problems with the pronunciation of Kaiserslautern, so they called it K– town.

The opening act was a German jazz formation, "Melange", a good band with strings and and a good-looking and good-singing girl in front.The concert took place in an old factory, a creative environment for the artists, in front of a crowded arena. The concert was sold out, about 500 grey haired spectators watched the grey haired musicians (of course, except the ladies).

On stage we could see and watch ten superb musicians, treating their instruments in a fabulous way. Bill needed one square meter on stage, like 31 years before, as we knew him on stage with the Stones. The only words we heard from him, was the welcome of the audience and the introducing of the band. But during the concert he demonstrated what a great bass player he is at all. He was smiling all the time, sometimes smoking a cigarette.

Gary and Georgie sang most of the songs, nevertheless they where topped by the extraordinary singers Beverley Skeete and Janice Hoyte.

Gary opened the concert with Let the good times roll. Especially Procol-fans enjoyed the "grey eminence" and his inimitable voice.

Highlights of the concert were Hit the Road, Jack by Gary, Put a Spell On You by Beverly and Little Boy by Janis. But the unsurpassable highlight of the evening was doubtlessly the second encore, an unbelievable "battle" between guitar (Albert) and sax (Frank, we got to know him at Chiddingfold Christmas-concert 1995). I have never seen such a thing in nearly 30 years of watching rock- concerts. It was an impressive demonstration of guitar- and sax-players.

Not to forget Nick Payn on sax and mouth-organ, Graham Broad on drums, we got to know him at Redhill 1997 (30 years' Shade), and Terry Taylor who wrote songs together with Bill and sang for the first time on stage this evening.

The audience could see that the "old men"on stage obviously had a lot of fun . The audience was seized by the enthusiasm of the musicians in the Kammgarn.

At last Gary called the Hammond-sound "the sweetest sound of the world". Of course – this sound (Matthew Fisher) and Gary’s voice were responsible for Procol’s music. At this moment Procol-fans hoped to hear Shade as another highlight this evening, but they didn’t.

No Shade, no Bonnie and Clyde, no Satisfaction, but the audience had an unforgettable evening.

Tuesday 4 April 2000

Bill Wyman "Ich bin keine glamouröse Rampensau" (Spiegel online)

04.04.2000 11:56

Bill Wyman "Ich bin keine glamouröse Rampensau"


Vor sieben Jahren trennte sich Bassist Bill Wyman von den Rolling Stones. Inzwischen hat sich der 59-Jährige mit seinen Rhythm Kings musikalisch meilenweit von Satisfaction und Gimme Shelter entfernt und spielt im Kreise von Veteranen wie Gary Brooker, Georgie Fame, Mick Taylor und Albert Lee ein buntes Repertoire von Jazz über Country bis zum Good Ol' Rock'n' Roll. Jetzt erscheint mit "Groovin" bereits das dritte Album der Rhythm Kings.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Auf deinem neuen Album findet sich nicht ein einziger Stones-Klassiker!
Wyman: Natürlich nicht, warum auch? Ich habe ein Vierteljahrhundert Jumpin' Jack Flash spielen müssen, und ich hatte mir, ehrlich gesagt, den großen Spaß immer etwas anders vorgestellt.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Immerhin waren das Millionenhits...
Wyman: ...waren ist das richtige Wort in diesem Satz. Die letzten zehn, fünfzehn Jahre meiner Mitarbeit bei den Stones ist kein einziger mehr dazugekommen, das war schon frustrierend.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Die Rhythm Kings machen zwar prima Musik, aber einen Hit konntet ihr doch noch nie landen?


Restliches Interview unter dem oben genannten Link.

Bill Wyman & The Rhythm Kings - Groovin´ (Roadrunner); VÖ: 15.05.2000, Tourdaten: 09.04. Roth (b. Nürnberg); 10.04. München; 11.04. Hamburg; 12.04. Krefeld; 13.04. Offenbach; 14.04. Stuttgart; 25.04. Bonn; 27.04. Kaiserslautern; 28.04. Leipzig.

Saturday 1 April 2000

Bill Wyman´s Rhythm Kings Tour 2000

Sat 8th April..German Lottery TV show
Sun 9th April..Mehrzweckhalle-Roth-Germany
Mon 10th April..Colosseum-Munich-Germany
Tue 11th April..Fabrik-Hamburg-Germany
Wed 12th April..Biebericher saal-Krefeld-Germany
Thu 13th April...Capitol- Offenbach-Germany
Fri 14th April..Stadhalle-Leonberg-Germany
.Sat 15th April...off
Sun 16th April...Paradiso-Holland
Mon 17th April..Off
Sun 23rd April...Nightown-Rotterdam-Holland
Mon 24th April..DE oosterpoort-Groningen-Holland
Tue 25th April..Bruckenforum-Bonn-Germany
Wed 26th April..TV Show..Baden Baden-Germany
Thu 27th April..Kammgarn-Kaiserslauten-Germany
.Fri 28th April...Anker-Leipzig-Germany
.Sun 20th Aug...Ross-on Wye-Festival-Uk
Tue 22nd Aug...Jam House-Birmingham-Uk
Fri 25th Aug...Jazz and Blues Festival-Gosport-Uk