Well
!!!!!!!!! Here are my first thoughts about
what I saw tonight. It is 4:00 in the morning while I type this, so excuse
my shortness. It all seems like a great big, fantastic dream!! Anyway....
First off, when the initial report came in of a
Tulsa gig, the name of the venue was given as "CHARLIES." I
spent 30 minutes trying to locate the place and a phone number, but no such luck. So I
went to the Tulsa info page and searched all bars/nightclubs which name began
with a C and called each one to see if Heep was playing--the winner was
CURLEY'S. So I posted that info to the list and hit the road!
Bernie Shaw and Roland
Austin! |
I was told Heep would probably start playing at
11:00, so when I arrived at 11:05, I thought I had missed the opening. Due
to some soundcheck problems with the keyboards, they had not begun when I
arrived. So I took a leak, then introduced myself to Dave Owens and helped
out at the Merch table. Dave said Heep did not find out about the Tulsa gig
until 4:00 that afternoon.
They thought they were going to get a night off
before the Ft. Smith, ARK, show. Heep did not come on until 12:30, so
I got a long chat in with Dave and some other Heep fans. Even Bernie came
around and talked with us.
Trevor and Roland |
All I have to say about Bernie, is....he is a
character!!! I mean that in a good way. The man is so friendly, he knows
no stranger. While the soundcheck continued, Bernie was buzzing around
the place chatting with everybody. While talking with Bernie, I told him
that last time I saw Heep was in Tulsa on the Return to Fantasy tour.
He said, "Really, that's funny.
Guess what number we are going to open
with?" I said, hesitantly, "Uh,....Return to Fantasy??" He
said "F***ing yea!" Bernie said this
is the first time RTF has been played in a live set
since 1976. So Tulsa got a real treat!
Jesse Lowe was in attendance. He managed
to get about 75-percent of the show on video. I took a lot of pics with my
digital camera, I just hope enough good ones turn out. I will post the ones
that do turn out on my website in the next few days.
|
|
Roland and "The
Big Cheese !! |
OK, here is the set list:
1. Return to Fantasy --Blew me away! This
was better tonight than when I first heard it in 1975. Bernie's vocals
were much more solid than David's then, and even on the studio album -- I KID YOU
NOT!! Bernie was fired up for this show, and it showed through his great
performance! After this intro song, Bernie said he "heard there were a
few Okies in the audience," which
drew some chuckles from the highly receptive
crowd. He then said, "It took us 32 hours to get to Tulsa, so we are going to
have fun...or, at least a drink!"
2. Universal Wheels -- Great, great, sounded
just like the album. How many bands can say their live stuff is as good, if
not better, than their studio versions??
ROland and Dave Owen
the "Mercho Man " |
3. Stealin" -- Man o man, another great
tune. This has become one of the Heep "signature" songs in the U.S.,
and tonight these guys cranked out the best version I have heard!
4. Between Two Worlds -- This is one of my all
time favorites, and to hear it played live and as solid as tonight, I was
totally in awe. Some guys I met there had never heard Sonic Origami, so I told
them this was the intro song on the album, and they said it was one of the
best songs they have heard anywhere in a long time, and they were going out
to buy it tomorrow.
5. I Hear Voices -- Beautifully rendered. This
one definitely sold these guys on SO!
6. Sunrise -- the crowd went wild when this came
on. Sounded as good as the LIVE 73 version. By now I was just
stunned. Great, great!
7. Traveler In Time -- Again, the crowd rewarded
the choice with much appreciative yelps. Beautifully rendered. By
now I was scared to pinch myself, because I knew I did not want to wake up
from this! Everything was perfect!
Mick Box and Jesse
Lowe !! |
8. Gypsy -- This one really does get the crowd
going, myself included! Bernie introduced it as "that song with only three
words." By now people were at the stage and dancing in front of the stage. Again,
a classic masterpiece, and that includes Bernie's vocals.
9. Lee put on a little solo here. He was
having fun tonight.
10. Look At Yourself -- Just when you
think it could not get any better, here the boys come with this baby! Mick
was having fun with every song, and he treated us to a 10-minute solo on this one,
with Lee, Trevor, and Phil keeping a light, steady beat in the background.
Bernie left the stage and retreated to the far corner of the room and
stood in the shadows; I guess he
was catching his breath. The he left the
corner and went up and disappeared into the balcony with an off-limits sign. Some
of the guys asked me what he was doing up there. I told him that is where the
"groupies" were (of course, like true Okies, they believed me).
11. July Morning -- Bernie sat himself on a left
stage speaker with the lights dimmed and delivered a touching vocals
intro. Again, I would have to say it had as much smoothness and feeling as
David ever had. Another crowd favorite.
Encore. Easy Livin' -- It was now 1:30 in the
morning. When the boys came back on stage, Bernie mouthed, "What?! You
people don't have a home to go to??!" This was a treat for me, as I had
played this song several times on my bass tonight right before I got the email from
the list that Heep would be in Tulsa. It was a perfect way to end the show.
It is too bad this show wasn't recorded, everybody agreed they were very, very
above par tonight!
I did not realize how important this night truly
was until I had time to reflect on it on my drive back to Stillwater.
When it hit me, I cried. These guys put out the best music this Earth has
ever heard, and they are so warm hearted and considerate of their fans.
You cold tell they wanted us to have a good time tonight and they delivered. My
heart felt wrenched out when
they closed the bus door and I had to leave, it
was like saying goodbye to family members. I wish to thank Mick,
Bernie, Trevor, Lee and Phil for a wonderful, memorable experience that will last a
lifetime. It is a wonderful feeling knowing I will see them again Sunday in
OKC!
It's late... I am going to hit the sack and hope
I dream this dream again!
Best,
Roland Austin
Where do I begin? Their sound was tight. They
definitely had their shit
together. We are lucky they even played at all.
I only counted approximately 65 people in the whole club. They
didn't let that stop them from ripping Tulsa Oklahoma a new orifice.
I remember hearing "Sunrise/July Morning/Gypsy/Easy
living/Look at Yourself". I heard some new stuff I am not familiar with that just
smoked. Anyone who is afraid these five guys won't harmonize, forget it.
Every member had his own microphone for background vocal and they
definitely used them. The lead singer remarkably sounds an awful lot like David
Byron, bless his heart, rest his soul. I am going again tonight to see
them in Fort Smith and Sunday night in OKC. My hat goes off to Mick Box
and Lee Kerslake and the rest for a magical night in Tulsa.
