Uriah Heep - Official Web Site

Sorry for the long delay in submitting my review but I was on vacation for 3 weeks in the western part of Canada which included getting to see Heep for the FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE. Just returned home to Fredericton, New Brunswick last night.

Let me put this in perspective. All the reports I have read about how great the guys are were absolutely right on the money. Thanks ever so much to Dave Owen (excellent mercho madman) who arranged for my wife and I to go backstage after the concert. Talking to the guys was like talking to one of your buds. They are every day people who talk to you as if they have known
you forever.

The guys had driven for 22 hours from Seattle to Vanderhoof (they were delayed in customs for 3 hours) and only made it 2 hours before they were to play.

They were very tired but they signed every autograph asked of them and posed for pictures, talked and joked with us. My wife has never heard them before and she was blown away by how great they are in person and in concert.

As I expected UH were the hi-light of the night. Even though they were very tired they played their set with all the passion and enthusiasm they had in them. How can one explain seeing a band live for the first time which you have followed throughout their career and loved their music for almost 30 years. All I can say is it was a dream come true.

As Ian stated in his review the whole concert was threatened by thunder, lightning and rain and although it did rain some during the opening act it cleared up and a beautiful double rainbow appeared which in my opinion was a good omen of the night ahead.

I cannot remember the order of the songs only that they started with Return to Fantasy and ended with Easy Livin. The whole set was outstanding and showed the younger crowd what a great band they truly are. I would suggest to the guys that they try to include more of their new material because it stands right up there with the old material. But how do you squeeze 31 years of outstanding music in 90 minutes, they could have been the only act that
night and still not covered all of their stuff.

I estimated around 2-3000 at the Friday night show. I think the weather had a lot to do with the Friday crowd being so small. One of the security guys told me last years Friday night had about 12-15,000. I met quite a few heepsters on this night and passed out some of the Journal
Postcards that Dave brought with him (I don't know how many will be sent Dave but I did try).

As I told each of the guys that night it was an honour to meet them. It truly was an evening I will remember the rest of my life. I lost my voice for 2 days after the concert but I was there to enjoy and enjoy I did.

I only hope their next tour has more stops in Canada and at least one on the east coast so I don't have to travel 5000 kilometres to see them (although it was worth it every kilometre).

I also am looking forward to the new album which Mick told me would be out sometime within the next year.

Take care Mick, Lee, Trevor, Phil and Bernie. Keep on Heeping and keeping your loyal fans happy with your fantastic music.

Glen Doucet

Just finished a four day weekend rockfest in Vanderhoof BC. Edgar winter, Uriah Heep and Grand Funk on the big night.

The heep were actually the star performers that I had expected. They played in a smaller venue of about 8-10,000. Most other people up here had no idea what to expect. It was great to see the Heep come thru and make some real fans in BC.

Once Bernie and Mick cranked it up the crowd really tuned in and started to respond appreciatively. Pictures to follow shortly. Appreciate all the info on your site.

Kevin Boyer

Prince George, BC

Sorry this is a bit late, but the Heep show in Vanderhoof was outstanding, and I'm still coming down from what was an incredible evening on Friday Aug. 3! It was a dream come true for my brother and I to finally see the greatest rock and roll band in the world, for the first time in about 8 years, and thanks to Mercho Man Dave Owen, the dream became unbelievable when he got us backstage. More on that shortly...

Before the show which was constantly threatened by rain, we were at the campsite and after a deluge of rain, a beautiful rainbow appeared, and we right away thought of the song Rainbow Demon, and how this must have been some sort of blessing that the show would'nt be marred by poor weather.

As it turned out, that was great, and after meeting the Mercho man, getting my t-shirt, and the two c d's I've been waiting such a long time for" Future Echoes of the past "and "Accoustically Driven", which are amazingly good, we settled in right up at the front of the stage...well at the fence they place about 15 feet in front of the stage. The crowd was close to about 1,000 possibly, and were ready to rock after a decent performance by Edgar Winter.

We were right between Mick and Bernie, and loved every single minute of the show which started out of course with Return to Fantasy, and ended with Easy Livin. In between were incredible performances of Look at Yourself, Between two worlds, I hear Voices, Time of Revelation, Sunrise, Gypsy, Only the young, Bird of Prey, and Stealin which was probably the crowds fav. overall, but they were awestruck by the whole show, and went nuts over July morn. as well, especially when Bernie showed what a tremendous front man he is, and amazing singer.

I may have missed a song or two, and they certainly were not in that order, but the whole band were in fantastic form, and showed the younger people in the crowd, and there were lot's of them, what a real rock and roll band is all about.

Thanks Heep for a high like I haven't experienced since I saw them at the Commodore about 7-8 years ago, and thanks for giving us the time you did backstage when we were able to meet you all and take many pictures. It was a night I'll not soon forget, nor will my brother who reminded Mick about the time a friend of ours who had a few too many nearly tumbled over Mick backstage at the Commodore. We all had a good laugh about that one.

Thanks ever so much again, thanks to Dave Owen, and please don't take so long to come Canada again.

The Heep RULES!!!!!!

Ian Roberston

North American Tour Reports