Sorry, Erland; this "review" is intended for VRM members, who can read it or not, as they see fit. If it was intended for publication elsewhere, I'd do a more thorough job of it and seek payment for it!
Mind you, if J.O'B wants to swing me a part-time job in Team Ferry's publicity engine room, my hourly rate would be very reasonable...
Well, a combination of poor weather and middle-aged lethargy left me wondering how much time I wanted to spend standing in a muddy field with the smell of manure in my nostrils. I spent the afternoon considering, in turn, the various merits of the Guilfest undercard: Alvin Stardust (surely not?), Candi Staton (has she had a follow-up to 1975's Young Hearts Run Free yet?) & Chic (maybe, maybe not...).
Net result was I ended up on the last train that would get me there in time for BF's 20.30 (until 22.00) scheduled appearance. I dawdled through the gates at 20.15, grabbed a warm festival beer and wandered unhindered (save for the quagmire...) to within 20 yards or so of the stage before the band appeared at 20.35. Simples!
Same line-up as Reykjavik, with the addition of Johnny Marr as third guitarist (which is pretty much the role he played; I can't remember him taking a meaningful solo all night) and a fourth backing singer.
(N.B. The extra singer was introduced only as Michelle; having missed Chic, I don't know if Michelle Cobbs was singing with them. Maybe another member got there early enough to clarify this?) The temperature was fresh, so I take my hat off to the dancers and backing singers, who were impressively (under)dressed! Sewuese & Bridget have either grown even taller or their gold mini-dresses have shrunk a little in the wash; either way, the effect was quite mesmerising and I fear that I may have dislocated my eyeballs...
BF looked relaxed & happy as he rattled through Spell, Slave & Don't Stop, before whipping out the harmonica for the usual duel with the guitars on a rollicking Tom Thumb; hits the spot every time, that one.
Surprisingly, no Make You Feel My Love, as we slipped straight into ITIS, an unexpected Oh Yeah and the timeless Casanova. Reason Or Rhyme followed, sounding louder & stronger than I remember it and all the better for it.
TGPT had been on cracking form from the outset (even on the songs he didn't originally play on) and he is such a good rock drummer that it seemed practically insulting to have a second drummer or percussionist on stage, however talented they might be. Cherisse, however added some nice colours to Hurricane, before Spedding calmly reeled off a blistering solo that must have left a few jaws in the mud.
The trio of Jorja, Good & Spedding (on acoustic guitar) then played another delightful version of Tara. Ollie & Mr Marr were on stage and must look at Spedding and wonder what it takes to become that good...
Chance Meeting was again minus TGPT, which just seems plain wrong; even if it's more percussion than drums, I don't recall it causing him any difficulties in '72 or anytime since! Bassist Turner played all over it in a style that would have made Graham Simpson smile, I'm sure.
Still no TGPT for More Than This, with Cherisse taking over the full kit and simply playing the hell out of it - very impressive! Avalon saw Sewuese defer to Michelle for the stratospheric closing vocals, before a long My Only Love featured Ollie & Spedding extensively.
Editions signalled the start of party time, followed by LST; Jorja was joined by a second saxophonist on the latter (and for the rest of the show) - J.O'B may be able to confirm in due course, but it looked to me like Iain Dixon.
Jealous Guy featured all four singers - Sewuese, Bridgette, Shar (the pocket rocket!) & Michelle - before a surprisingly late Watchtower and a closing Hold On. Finish spot on 90 mins at 22.05; I was on the train home less than 20 mins later!
The rain stayed away, but the circumstances & surroundings meant that it remained a very good gig, rather than scaling the heights of, say, Paris 2011 or the recent Icelandic one.
That said, BF won't tour for too many more years and I'd encourage everyone to grab every chance. We collectively moan & carp and maybe the voice is stronger on some nights (like tonight) than others, but I've never witnessed a Ferry or Roxy show that was less than very good and the recent ones (2010-12) have been among the best.
