My blog of Lorelei Steves gig
Posted: 28 Aug 2009, 18:52
Stephs's blog of her Lorelei trip
« Thread started on: Jul 24th, 2009, 05:31am »
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I was so excited about this trip,I never believed I would see Steve Hackett twice live in one year abroad already .
The Lorelei setting was just right with such an attentive audience of prog lovers an ancient Roman ampitheatre where Steve Hackett had played all those years ago with Genesis and acoustically recently with the Trio.
It was a bit tense on the Friday as our flight times had changed and we had to get our hire car and go straight to the festival
We arrived in time to see Arena do their set with John Mitchell.
Then Agents of Mercy featuring Roine Stolt who were rather good
Then the excellent Riverside who I must investigate more musically ,rounded off by Gazpacho for a thoroughly nice evening the weather ,food and drink and company were lovely
Of course the main reason I was really here was to see the Steve Hackett band live in an electric setting for the first time since March 2004
We were staying in Wiesbaden for two nights near to Lorelei.
On the Sat morning we went sightseeing in Wiesbaden and then Rudesheim before going to the Sat gig. Part of our route follows the River Rhine with its romantic scenery and fairytale castles and vineyards.
We wanted to arrive in time for the Lazulis set,this band sing in French, look very gothic and heavy .But are a marvellous instrumental band and the crowd loved them.They were that good, it prompted me to buy their latest album.
The Pure Reason Revolution gig was cancelled which I was really looking forward to ,band had health problems A nice young band with proggy overtones and electronica.
Pendragon a favourite band of mine played a marvellous set,with some tracks from the new album Pure and my favourite track Indigo
I met up with the Italian band The Watch mgr Paul and his wife Carole whom I had met at Remscheid, also some French Genesis fan club members, we had been invited backstage to see Steve before he went on to do his gig.
Eventually we were let through the press gate, Steve was conducting an interview and would be out shortly to see us.
Presently Steve came out , greeted us and chatted with us for a while he looked well and was getting fired up for the nights gig.
I was actually given a press pass by the Hackett camp, which meant I could stay at the side of the stage and watch if I wanted to and had access to the artists compound too. What I really wanted to do was watch the band with the audience from the front of the stage, so that's what I did later.
Steve's set was at 8.30pm , I asked how long he would be onstage ,he said possibly about one and half hours(but he ended up onstage for two.
I managed to have a brief chat with Steve before he went on.
I sent Steve greetings from all the forum esp. the Jacuzzi sub forum from Brian, Maschi / Jana , the Mellotrons, Jo C and Steve L and Rosie.
With all the interest in Ant Phillips being on the forthcoming new album I wanted to know if Steve might be working again with John Wetton in the future on any projects.
He said that he had actually contacted John Wetton recently, whether anything comes of this I do not know as John has not got back to him yet.
As John Wetton has great vocals, this was another reason why I would like to hear John interpret some of Steve's classic material and new stuff . Not that Steve can't sing but Steve is stronger at harmonies and we all go to see Steve for his guitar skills
I also wanted to find out if John Hackett would be appearing at any of the UK shows in the November tour.
Chances are that he will be at the Shepherds Bush gig in London.
As you can see from the set list he played some classic material esp a full set of " Firth Of Fifth"! and the new number off the forthcoming album "Fire On The Moon"
The high lights for me were" Everyday "as this is a favourite track of mine,"Spectral Mornings¨ as this always makes me fell very emotional ,"Clocks" for the heaviness of the track and also Steves guitar skills when he uses it like a saw effect I love that!!
And of course "Blood On The Rooftops" with Gary o'Toole on vocals.
Steve did say that all those years ago in 1976 when Genesis appeared here , there had been a drugs bust I think at the venue and in revenge I think someone set fire to the stage. Steve was commenting , on the fact how hot it was
that afternoon (present day )and it was even hotter when the stage caught fire all those years ago
After Steve's set I went backstage again to congratulate them on such a magnificent gig performance. I could have stayed there with them longer , probably next time.
I did have friends in the audience who I was with though and wished to get back to them and see the final act which was the Marillion tribute act Script .
Nick Barratt was lead guitar with them so I particularly wanted to see this.
Brain Cummins did a fine impersonation of Fish complete with Scottish accent ,also he explained the background to a few of the Marillion tracks which were very entertaining. They did a great version of Grendel.
On the Sunday I had to depart back to the UK via Frankfurt airport ,end of a dream holiday, my friends were travelling onto Heidlberg for the next two days.
I think it was well worth it this trip, as a taster for me before the UK tour in November.
P. S. It looks like the new Hackett album maybe called "Out of The Tunnels Mouth¨ (make of that what you will ), I saw this had been posted on the official forum.,by a fellow progger who had asked Steve this at Lorelei.
I know the tour is called the¨ Train on the Road Tour¨ off the adverts at venues where Steve is playing in November.
Hope you like the blog, wish you all could have been there, a dream come true for me personally
I met some new French friends from across the water too
The Hackett entourage were very kind, friendly and helpful. So a big big thanks to Steve H ,Jo l,Nick Beggs,Dave Cobby, Ben Fenner
« Thread started on: Jul 24th, 2009, 05:31am »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was so excited about this trip,I never believed I would see Steve Hackett twice live in one year abroad already .
The Lorelei setting was just right with such an attentive audience of prog lovers an ancient Roman ampitheatre where Steve Hackett had played all those years ago with Genesis and acoustically recently with the Trio.
It was a bit tense on the Friday as our flight times had changed and we had to get our hire car and go straight to the festival
We arrived in time to see Arena do their set with John Mitchell.
Then Agents of Mercy featuring Roine Stolt who were rather good
Then the excellent Riverside who I must investigate more musically ,rounded off by Gazpacho for a thoroughly nice evening the weather ,food and drink and company were lovely
Of course the main reason I was really here was to see the Steve Hackett band live in an electric setting for the first time since March 2004
We were staying in Wiesbaden for two nights near to Lorelei.
On the Sat morning we went sightseeing in Wiesbaden and then Rudesheim before going to the Sat gig. Part of our route follows the River Rhine with its romantic scenery and fairytale castles and vineyards.
We wanted to arrive in time for the Lazulis set,this band sing in French, look very gothic and heavy .But are a marvellous instrumental band and the crowd loved them.They were that good, it prompted me to buy their latest album.
The Pure Reason Revolution gig was cancelled which I was really looking forward to ,band had health problems A nice young band with proggy overtones and electronica.
Pendragon a favourite band of mine played a marvellous set,with some tracks from the new album Pure and my favourite track Indigo
I met up with the Italian band The Watch mgr Paul and his wife Carole whom I had met at Remscheid, also some French Genesis fan club members, we had been invited backstage to see Steve before he went on to do his gig.
Eventually we were let through the press gate, Steve was conducting an interview and would be out shortly to see us.
Presently Steve came out , greeted us and chatted with us for a while he looked well and was getting fired up for the nights gig.
I was actually given a press pass by the Hackett camp, which meant I could stay at the side of the stage and watch if I wanted to and had access to the artists compound too. What I really wanted to do was watch the band with the audience from the front of the stage, so that's what I did later.
Steve's set was at 8.30pm , I asked how long he would be onstage ,he said possibly about one and half hours(but he ended up onstage for two.
I managed to have a brief chat with Steve before he went on.
I sent Steve greetings from all the forum esp. the Jacuzzi sub forum from Brian, Maschi / Jana , the Mellotrons, Jo C and Steve L and Rosie.
With all the interest in Ant Phillips being on the forthcoming new album I wanted to know if Steve might be working again with John Wetton in the future on any projects.
He said that he had actually contacted John Wetton recently, whether anything comes of this I do not know as John has not got back to him yet.
As John Wetton has great vocals, this was another reason why I would like to hear John interpret some of Steve's classic material and new stuff . Not that Steve can't sing but Steve is stronger at harmonies and we all go to see Steve for his guitar skills
I also wanted to find out if John Hackett would be appearing at any of the UK shows in the November tour.
Chances are that he will be at the Shepherds Bush gig in London.
As you can see from the set list he played some classic material esp a full set of " Firth Of Fifth"! and the new number off the forthcoming album "Fire On The Moon"
The high lights for me were" Everyday "as this is a favourite track of mine,"Spectral Mornings¨ as this always makes me fell very emotional ,"Clocks" for the heaviness of the track and also Steves guitar skills when he uses it like a saw effect I love that!!
And of course "Blood On The Rooftops" with Gary o'Toole on vocals.
Steve did say that all those years ago in 1976 when Genesis appeared here , there had been a drugs bust I think at the venue and in revenge I think someone set fire to the stage. Steve was commenting , on the fact how hot it was
that afternoon (present day )and it was even hotter when the stage caught fire all those years ago
After Steve's set I went backstage again to congratulate them on such a magnificent gig performance. I could have stayed there with them longer , probably next time.
I did have friends in the audience who I was with though and wished to get back to them and see the final act which was the Marillion tribute act Script .
Nick Barratt was lead guitar with them so I particularly wanted to see this.
Brain Cummins did a fine impersonation of Fish complete with Scottish accent ,also he explained the background to a few of the Marillion tracks which were very entertaining. They did a great version of Grendel.
On the Sunday I had to depart back to the UK via Frankfurt airport ,end of a dream holiday, my friends were travelling onto Heidlberg for the next two days.
I think it was well worth it this trip, as a taster for me before the UK tour in November.
P. S. It looks like the new Hackett album maybe called "Out of The Tunnels Mouth¨ (make of that what you will ), I saw this had been posted on the official forum.,by a fellow progger who had asked Steve this at Lorelei.
I know the tour is called the¨ Train on the Road Tour¨ off the adverts at venues where Steve is playing in November.
Hope you like the blog, wish you all could have been there, a dream come true for me personally
I met some new French friends from across the water too
The Hackett entourage were very kind, friendly and helpful. So a big big thanks to Steve H ,Jo l,Nick Beggs,Dave Cobby, Ben Fenner