Focus - Swindon Art Centre 12/03/2007

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The Swindon Art Centre gets some decent artists...Carl Palmer,Coloseum,Mountain,Jan Akkerman,Wishbone Ash....and now the latest to come into my home town, Dutch prog rockers Focus lead by the lovely 'eccentric' organist and flautist Thys Van Leer. Luckily I had a second row seat and on arriving was more than glad to see a battered old Hammond organ on the corner of the stage held together by duck tape (had Keith Emerson borrowed it?!). Following soon after came the battered old musician to play it!

As they settled down to play a nondescript opener followed by the much better House Of The King I was thinking to myself 'that drummer aint half good...wonder where Thys picked him up from?' Eventually Thys got around to announcing the band and much to my pleasant surprise it was Pierre Van Der Linden.Great! I had no idea he was still in the band!! 'This is going to be good I thought!' I thought...and it was! I love that bass drum thing that he does..no static bass drum for Pierre..this is how the bass drum is meant to be played..real intent.His snare drum work is still excellent as well.

So what tracks were in the set you may ask. Well I remember Eruption,Focus III,Black Beauty,Harem Scarem,Sylvia as well as the obvious Hocus Pocus and the encore Brother.The 2 young guitarists certainly can play..while Thys and Pierre still play with loads of energy.It was Focus through and through and a very enjoyable evening.Well worth the £15.Please go and see them if you get the chance.

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richardh Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 26453	Topic: Focus - Swindon Art Centre 12/03/2007 Posted: March 13 2007 at 17:39
	The Swindon Art Centre gets some decent artists...Carl Palmer,Coloseum,Mountain,Jan Akkerman,Wishbone Ash....and now the latest to come into my home town, Dutch prog rockers Focus lead by the lovely 'eccentric' organist and flautist Thys Van Leer. Luckily I had a second row seat and on arriving was more than glad to see a battered old Hammond organ on the corner of the stage held together by duck tape (had Keith Emerson borrowed it?!). Following soon after came the battered old musician to play it! As they settled down to play a nondescript opener followed by the much better House Of The King I was thinking to myself 'that drummer aint half good...wonder where Thys picked him up from?' Eventually Thys got around to announcing the band and much to my pleasant surprise it was Pierre Van Der Linden.Great! I had no idea he was still in the band!! 'This is going to be good I thought!' I thought...and it was! I love that bass drum thing that he does..no static bass drum for Pierre..this is how the bass drum is meant to be played..real intent.His snare drum work is still excellent as well. So what tracks were in the set you may ask. Well I remember Eruption,Focus III,Black Beauty,Harem Scarem,Sylvia as well as the obvious Hocus Pocus and the encore Brother.The 2 young guitarists certainly can play..while Thys and Pierre still play with loads of energy.It was Focus through and through and a very enjoyable evening.Well worth the £15.Please go and see them if you get the chance.

Blacksword Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: June 22 2004 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 16130	Posted: April 10 2007 at 15:53
	Sounds good Richard! I had no idea they'd been touring. I would like to see Focus at some point.
	Ultimately bored by endless ecstasy!

VanderGraafKommandöh Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Prog Reviewer Joined: July 04 2005 Location: Malaria Status: Offline Points: 89372	Posted: April 10 2007 at 15:56
	I wanted to go, but I didn't. Why do I always miss the good prog in my home town?


Prog.Sylvie Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 12 2006 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 449	Posted: April 18 2007 at 15:03
	It seems it was a great show to attend Richard. This is the kind of show that I would like to see. Glad that you enjoyed yourself. If I remember correctly , the Swindon Art Center is very near your home, something like 5 or 10 minutes by walk, Am I right ? If so, you are a lucky man Richard.
	C'est la vie

chopper Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: July 13 2005 Location: Essex, UK Status: Offline Points: 19965	Posted: April 18 2007 at 17:39
	Wow. Swindon - the rock'n'roll capital of the word!