Focus in Leadmill, Sheffield, UK, 23/07/2010
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Live Performance Reviews
Forum Description: Performance Reviews by Members
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=69526
Printed Date: April 27 2024 at 08:55
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Topic: Focus in Leadmill, Sheffield, UK, 23/07/2010
Posted By: aapatsos
Subject: Focus in Leadmill, Sheffield, UK, 23/07/2010
Date Posted: July 24 2010 at 04:26
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Having observed the tramlines festival website, the name of FOCUS caught my eye. All events during the festival are free, so this was another reason I should not miss this one... I arrived at the venue at 9.30 while FOCUS were supposed to have started by 9 pm. A small delay and a problem with a fuse allowed for a half-hour warm-up as the band kicked-off at 10pm. The audience was fairly mixed, ranging from youths that probably have never heard of the name of the band (maybe someone informed them about the latest NIKE ad) to oldish chaps that have probably been listening to FOCUS for 40 years now. I consider myself to be somewhere in the middle of this range... The band nowadays consists of two original members (frontman Thijs van Leer and drummer Pierre van der Linden) and two relatively new members (Bobby Jacobs, bass since 2001 and Niels van der Steenhoven, guitars since 2006). Surprisingly to me, they started the set with Focus II and Focus III, giving a much more melodic character to the atmosphere than I expected. The legendary tunes were infallibly delivered by the guitarist who was the highlight of the night. House of the king was next as you could feel the vibes lifted in the venue and more enthusiastic response coming from the audience. Eruption probably confused the majority of the people in the crowd with its constant changes of tempo and prog improvisations, but Sylvia brought back a rocking and more melodic feeling. Harem Scarem was next in the list; clearly one of the most enjoyable moments of the night due to the rock'n roll nature of the track. After a long organ introduction, the time of the long-awaited Hocus Pocus had come, with the audience taking the lead role, providing the necessary "screams" after each riff section. van Leer impressed me with his plethoric presence and his trademark organ and flute playing. There were also several sections of guitar, bass and drum soloing that filled the (relatively short, but thoroughly enjoyable) 1h15min set. Those watching FOCUS tonight in the High Voltage festival should be rewarded by a solid performance and a great guitar player. |
Replies:
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: July 24 2010 at 23:16
| I envy you. I'd really like to see Focus live, they're a great band. Many years ago they came to Mexico, but my grandmother informed me the very day of the concert, and it was in another city, so it was really impossible to know (and by the way, it was my grandma who introduced me to the band in the first place). Some years later I got Il Balleto di Bronzo's YS, and learned that it was both bands toring at the same time. Now I really understand what I missed. |
Posted By: Harry Hood
Date Posted: July 26 2010 at 00:05
http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=69148&PID=3729303#3729303 - YES I called it! ------------- 
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aapatsos wrote:Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: July 26 2010 at 14:18
^  It could not have been omitted
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Posted By: Rockin rob
Date Posted: January 27 2016 at 17:22
| Now here is band which probably has not had air play in the United States for a very long time.I remember seeing them in a High School student center back in 1974 sitting on the floor and my ears and eyes amazed at what was taking place! Those where the days my friends! |