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Cerdanyola, Spain, 4th October 2003 |
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Hi all! |
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After some busy days, I've finally found the time to write about the gig in Cerdanyola. It was an important day for me because I'd just found a nice flat and I moved in there, "with the help of my friends" like The Beatles said. |
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When everything was in its place we left for Cerdanyola, a town 20 km. away from Barcelona. The Blues Festival of Cerdanyola has a great reputation - and a lot of blues loving fans!. |
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The venue was the Ateneu, and the good news was it was full! (around 600-700). We arrived just when Francis began to play his particular version of Burrenstone Sunrise, linked with Pick a bale of cotton, as a way of beginning the show. I noticed by looking at the audience around me that they didn't expect this mixture of styles - but they liked it! |
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The first thing I've got to say is Barry's band is a band in every sense of the word. The arrangements of the songs are developing in a way that Barry shares the weight of the soloing with Harry Knight on the sax and Francis on the pipes, which succeeds in finding a balance in the songs, IMHO. The songs off both volumes of Absolutely Live! which were included in the setlist are adapted to this format and the band reaches a higher level of sophistication, IMHO again! |
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The concert was rolling and then we got the acoustic part, when Barry and Francis played The Emigrant. This is the third time I've listened to this piece of music live and it is always a kind of (good) shock for all the audience. From this point until the end of the show the audience was enjoying and walking with the band. Barry also played a traditional song arranged for guitar (really nice) and Talk to your daughter. When he sang the first verse I could hear a harmonica doing some nice licks. but no one was on the stage with one! Then I realised that it was a guy from the audience! It sounded great! |
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When the band came back to the stage the audience was really warm, and then we got Full moon on Main Street! Great interpretation, and the time was passing really fast, until Barry said "ok, this is the last one". But the band did a great encore. Barry came out alone playing the first verse of The Peace within, and then all the band joined in for a very energetic version of the song! |
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We wanted more, but it was time for Roy Rogers. a slide guitar virtuoso, but that's another story! |
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To surmise, a great show... and for all of you that still haven't got the chance of seeing the band live, stayed tuned... I've got a gift for you coming soon! |
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Take care, |
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Rafa |
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