Talk about luck, I just bought the last 4 tickets for the VDGG show at the Festival Hall - its now completely sold out apparently.  I thank this site for the tip-off, otherwise I'd never have known about it in time.

Anyone else going along?

Excellent SV, the more old stuff the better.  And I'm hoping Hugh will spend from now until then ripping the guts out of old organs to get those amazing sounds. 

I saw Peter Hammill play with PFM last year, and he was belting it out - I only hope his little heart tremor hasn't incapacitated him in any way.  Sounds like he's alright and fully recovered.  When he walked on stage with PFM I thought, "My God, it's Spike from Buffy..."

You lucky beggar Ninian. I am suprised it's sold out so quick; to my knowledge it hasn't even been advertised as yet.Just goes to show how much this band are greatly appreciated.Hammil looking like Spike!!!!! your'e having a laugh But since he owns one of the greatest voices in music I could let him away with that.Enjoy, perhaps, there will be other dates

Wrath_of_Ninian wrote: Talk about luck, I just bought the last 4 tickets for the VDGG show at the Festival Hall - its now completely sold out apparently.  I thank this site for the tip-off, otherwise I'd never have known about it in time. Anyone else going along?

You lucky Bast*rd.  I missed out by a matter of an hour apparrently. Hoping to get some through one of the ticket agencies.  

'Spike' Hamill with PFM last year...

Keep an eye out for returns to the Box Office - there are ALWAYS some - especially when people book holidays in January.  Just a question of getting lucky by phoning on the right day, although they may have a waiting list. 

The demand has astonished me I have to say.  I friend of mine who was "cryptically tipped off" by the Peter Hammill website booked her tickets online TWO HOURS after booking opened, and still couldn't get a seat near the stage.  

Apparently VDGG are releasing a double album in 2005, and so I would imagine further dates will be forthcoming - especially in light of the demand for Festival Hall tickets. 

friend of mine who was "cryptically tipped off" by the Peter Hammill website booked her tickets online TWO HOURS after booking opened, and still couldn't get a seat near the stage.  

I'm so exited about this concert - I got some Balcony seats.

Apparently they'll be performing songs both "ancient and modern" -

what tracks are you hoping for Ninian -

me presonally I just hope its the whole of lighthouse - I know they only attempted it a few times in the early 70s but with todays technology and what not - didnt' know about the double LP tho - is that gonna be a new studio LP?

I'd imagine they'll do killer and man-erg - another good one for me would br childlike faith in childhood's end - or ARROW!!!!!

The whole of Pawn Hearts would suit me. Have you seen the DVD studio version of Lighthouses with the sparklers and the glasses of wine?  They didn't seem to have too much trouble with the arrangement then! - so maybe it will be a pivotal part of their set - it is after all, their magnificent octopus.  But then, who knows... 

Not sure about the album content, the news was second-hand to me, but I can certainly go back to source and find out. 

Balcony seats will be fantastic, and I wish I'd thought of this sooner and got some better seats.  I'm in the rear stalls, (as I said, the last 4 tickets), but they are smack in the centre which is small consolation.  I understand the Festival Hall stage is pretty high and its better to be nearer the back anyway, but I think I'll be a fair bit away.  I actually sat next to Peter Hammill backstage at the PFM gig last year - WITHOUT knowing who he was!  I only looked into Van Der Graaf after that gig, and was amazed with what I found.  I wish I'd spoken to him now. 

Lets hope its a cracking show anyway, with more to follow.

yeah I have got that DVD - and your right it is a great performance - I have read though that lighthouse was edited togetherfrom two performances on that show - seamlessly done though - but i don't think it will cause them problems nowadays.

I saw Magma at this venue a few years back - I was actually on the front row for that - outstanding it was too!! To be honest - I'm just so glad that a) VDGG are gigging and b) I have a ticket - that they can do any set they want - its bound to be great!!!!

I thought that about the DVD  - and when you look at it, its obvious really - half the shots have sparklers lit, and half the shots have candles or something!  The new double album is due in Spring apparently, though I've not heard yet whether its new studio material or live material.  Perhaps it will be a mix of both, as they are supposedly playing 'new' stuff at the RFH.    

I'm a huge fan of Magma by the way, and have just been listening to 1001 Degrees Centigrade whilst cooking. I know they are still gigging, and I just missed them in the UK a couple of years ago.  Still one of my ambitions, to see them live, before Vander packs it in.  I love the Trilogy DVD - utterly intense - Vander is the most amazing and bizarre drummer to watch.  I'm a drummer myself, and I really dont know how he does some of those breaks. If you blink, you miss the flash of his arms.   

I believe there is a GODBLUFF LIVE DVD out as well and it has this 72 footage on also - is this the one you have - mine just has the 30 minutes of 72 material - is it from Belgian Tv I think - something like that?

Hey what were PFM like - did they do much early stuff - please tell me they did THE MOUNTAIN off The World Became the World LP - ???????

Magma were pretty amazing live - being at the front I had chance to study closely Vander and boy did he go for it!!!! - the only other drummer I've seen live that equalled Vander was Jon Hiseman from Colloseum. I'm a bassist myself. Dont' know whether you've heard of a band called AREA from Italy - they have an LP called Crac from 74 and the drumming on that is absolutely outrageous.

Anyway back to the topic in hand Bands On Tour - I see Styx are set to tour the UK - I was saying to a friend the other night - if I could be sure that they were doing a good chunk of material from the first two Lp's then I'd go. But for me I'm not a big fan of STYX after the first two Lps. Saying that 1st two are great!

Hi Mandrake,

Yes, its the Godbluff DVD I have, and amazing it is too.  Lighthouses is nice bonus.

PFM were immense, but sadly omitted alot of material I would love to have seen.  No 'Mountain' and nothing from Chocolate Kings (although I know they played both Out Of The Roundabout and Chocolate Kings on their Japanese tour).  There is a DVD available of the Japanese tour which pretty much captures the spirit of the gig, although the London show I saw was played in the dingy Astoria, to a around 600 people (wasn't even a sell-out), whilst I saw them Italy and they payed to 35,000.  A new DVD of that show (in Siena) is coming out in March 2005. If you get the chance, go and see them - its closest I could get to a genuine 1970s prog rock concert - they're very faithful to their sound, using most of the original keyboards etc.

I know Area quite well, and yes it is amazing stuff - my route in was PAtrick Djivas who played bass on their first album, before going on to join PFM. 

Dont know much about Styx, and I never really got into Colosseum, but have you heard Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Variations' album (1978)?  The musicians are mostly from Colosseum (including the brilliant Hiseman), along with Rod Argent, Gary Moore etc. and its superb.  Flashes of brilliance certainly, if not a classic.  Not typical Llyod Webber, completely instrumental, and warrants a mention in Jerry Lucky's dodgy Prog Rock Files book.

I must have flipped past that Variations LP hundreds of times in record fairs, shops etc and about 6 months ago a friend played me it and I was very impressed.

I saw that PFM were playing in London a while back. Unfortunately for me, I live in the north, near Liverpool, so a trip to London for a gig has to be a really special event nowadays..simply down to money really. Obviously if bands play Manchester I often attend. Anyway...despite really liking PFM it wasn't enough to warrant a trip to London at the time. Bands I've made the journey down for include Magma, Tangerine Dream (a mistake), When I saw the VDGG thing I knew I had to go, even if it meant selling my soul!!!

No material off Chocolate Kings surprises me though! I take it they did Alta Lo Mate (Mr Fill Till Nine) - this must be my favourite track by PFM overall with The Montain a close second. What a build-up!!!

Styx to me, barring the first two Lps, are a waste of time. Very MOR-type sort of thing. but Colloseum are worth checking out - the early line up including Tony Reeves from Greenslade (another big favourite of mine) - two good lp's I could suggest are The Valentyne Suite and the live double.

Julian plays the Cello on it, but Andrew wrote it.

Mandrake - PFM did an amazing rendition of Alta Loma, complete with band introductions - upon the announcement of the violinist Fabbri's name, the whole band exploded into a rollicking hoedown, turning the first 10 rows of the crowd into a mosh-pit!  Brilliant stuff.  They rarely played the Mountain (or its Italian equivalent) live, and only one VERY rare bootleg recording exists - so rare in fact, that I dont have it, but if anyone does....  I was really disappointed with the lack of Chocolate Kings stuff, especially knowing that they played it elsewhere - indeed so disappointed was I, that I wrote to them asking them to come back and do ANY of the tracks in the near future.  They actually wrote back and said they would - though they clearly haven't thought about the UK since!  I know what you mean about travelling - I actually flew from Northern Ireland (where I was based at the time) for the gig, knowing it would be one of only a few opportunities I'd get to see them.  They were so good live, that I'm planning to go to Canada this year to catch them in Montreal...and if they dont play Out Of The Roundabout, there'll be a scene!

I recall a CD collection of PFM a friend taped me years back Ninian, - think it was just called "PFM: The collection" it was a double cd, I don't have the tape anymore but i remember it was all early 70-78 live stuff - what was most interesting was they did 21st Schizoid Man and My God by Tull (or is it O God?) - great versions too. I'm sure you'll have got them - you sound a dedicated PFM fan - doing all that travelling.

 Dont' know about you, but being too young to know them first time around (I was born in 1971) i'm so glad all these prog-bands are re-forming. I know not all of them are succesful (a friend saw Uriah heep the other week - said they were abysmal) - but the good one's are really good - Crimson, Floyd, Magma, PFM (by the sound of it) and hopefully VDgg. Just need the Nursery Chyme line-up of Genesis to re-re-form and I'll be happy for a lifetime!!!

Yip, the double live CD is named after their most popular (and consequently one of my least favourite) songs 'Celebration' - its actually a compilation from a larger bootleg series spanning 10 years of live performances - some great, some not so great...  The Crimson covers were from 1971-2 when they first started out.  It was actually Greg Lake who signed them in 1973 to ELP's label Manticore, thus exposing them to large North American and British audiences for the first time.  Sadly, most ELP fans dont seem to share their beloved Lakes's passion for PFM, and its rare enough you get a decent conversation about them on this site!! 

I was also too young to know them first time around (I was born in 1972, the year of their first album release), but the music had a strange familiarity to me when I first heard it.  PFM's music, like no-one else's, really captured what I can remember of being a child in 1970s rural Scotland - even though I KNOW I didn't hear them til much later.  It just reminded me of a calmer, more tranquil time, when nothing really mattered - I suppose it reminds me of being a kid again, with a big forest to play in! 

You may or may not have noticed that I've had a few skirmishes with some Genesis fans in other threads, about my abject dislike for the majority of their material.  Well, recently I chose to go back over the Genesis trail again, steering well clear of any Collins-led material, and I've been pleasantly surprised with the results.  I wouldn't say I was bowled over by Foxtrot, Nursery Crime or Selling England, but I have to admit that the Lamb Lies Down has been on repeated play for sometime now, especially disc II.  Perhaps in time, I will get over my Genesophobia, but  in the meantime maybe you could recommend a worthwhile live recording from this period that may further impress.   

Erm..I'm no expert on genesis but the only proper release (from that time) is the Genesis Live LP which - being only a single LP - doesn't really do them justice. There is a box set with lots of live material on it including the full live version of the Lamb - there are some great BOOTS goin about though - Montreal 74, Rainbow Theater 73'.

I must say though it is quite surprsing to hear your opinions on Genesis as I see so many similarities in the early years between the bands. Although PFM could out-play Genesis blindfold I think there is a certain debt to their music in PFM's style. Particularly, the mellow, arrpegio type things, on twelve strings, mellotron, and hammond. Genesis were massive in Italy before they were here in the UK! I think Nursery chryme was a NO 1 LP. I think Genesis along with VDGG, Yes, ELP, and Crimson were the most important bands to the burgeoning Italian prog scene - mixed in with the Italian's love of the classical and operatic - makes for some of the most enduring prog ever, Banco's Darwin, ARea's Crac, Celeste's Celeste, PFM's Per un Amico and so on. Have you heard off Celeste Ninian? - I'm sure you would have - they're very like the early, mellow PFM-sound. I do think the early Genesis LPs'a re ruined by inferior production, esp. trespass, and some of Nursery Chryme.

Peter Gabriel has just toured the UK - did anyone go to this?

As to ELP I'm not a massive fan really - the first 3 or 4 LP's are really worthwhile but the mid-70s stuff is just too pompous for me. My mate has a saying that he likes to repeat during prog discussions: "You listen to Works by ELP and you begin to understand why Punk happened."

NO question that Genesis were an huge influence on the Italian scene, and in particular PFM, and I'm sure they'd be the first to admit it.  But you are right to highlight the stylistic influence over the musical influence, as I think that was where the crossover was most apparent - I certainly dont get the same feelings listening to early Genesis as I do listening to PFM, and until recently, I found albums such as Foxtrot and Nursery Crime rather tedious and dare I say it, boring. Perhaps it is down to production - certainly those albums suffer from a lack of dynamics: not enough contrast between light/dark; loud/quiet; melancholy/angry.   Uninspired production along with bad mixing are often to blame, rather than poor composition.  Maybe further listenings will alter this view, as it has done with The Lamb Lies Down.

I know what you mean about ELP too, and I stopped sequentially buying their albums after Brain Salad Surgery, knowing full well the horror that lay in store!  That said, I actually do like Keith's Piano Concerto on Works, and genuinely believe he was the only real talent in the band - something else I've come into conflict with Prog Archive people about.  I'm hoping that I'm safe on a VDGG ticket thread, but no doubt someone will weigh in Greg's defence!!