Concert Reviews

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Wendy Dixon

What happened to Woolly Wolstenholme at last nights concert at Fairfield Halls? I thought this new line up included him? Enjoyed last night, though was very disappointed with the lack of older BJH material. At least thought you would finish with Medican Man, She Said,The Poet, After The Day, Galadriel etc. Enjoyed Mockingbird (sadly no orchestra) though promised this on next tour! The last time I saw you was 14 years ago though have been a fan since 1968! I remember a great night in Tower of London sadly you were stopped half way through'The Sun will never shine' the orchestra were fab on this night please tour with them soon. Thanks for still trying to keep your music live!! 7 March 2007 Webmaster comments   Sorry, wrong band! You saw Barclay James Harvest Featuring Les Holroyd. If you want to see Woolly Wolstenholme and Medicine Man, She Said, The Poet, After The Day, Galadriel etc., you need to go and see John Lees' Barclay James Harvest - get your tickets for the 2009 dates now!

CHRISTINE,GREECE

AMAZING EXPERIENCE!YOUR CONCERT IN ATHENS WAS SOULFULL AND COLORED. THANKS FOR THE AUTOGRAPHS.J.J.GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR MUSIC.LOVE FROM GREECE 8 January 2007

Graham Wheelwright

Yes! That one did it for me! After the slight disappointment of the Manchester gig, the Barclays delivered the goods in style at Wolverhampton Wulfrun the following week. The scene had been set delectably by the highly accomplished support act, Jim Leverton and Geoffrey Richardson. These Caravan stalwarts treated the audience to an all-too-short half hour of acoustic delight. There is something enchanting about the stark simplicity of acoustic performance, and this was in the main a fascinating departure from the more complex compositions the duo perform with Caravan, although a proggy excerpt from In The Land Of Grey and Pink was thrown in for good measure. Jim Leverton provided accomplished vocal and acoustic guitar accompaniment to Geoffrey Richardson’s multi-instrumental talents. Apart from occasional departures on mandolin and electric spoon, the latter fascinating to watch, as well as listen to, Geoffrey played fiddle for the main part, and his playing was beautifully expressive, providing us with moving performances of standards such as Say It’s Alright Joe, Ordinary Man and Mandolin Wind. Along with Roy Harper in the mid-80s, this is the best support act I have witnessed in the 30 years worth of BJH gigs i've attended, and the audience were so enthralled that the duo were recalled for an encore. Indeed, this live performance exceeded, in my opinion, the duo’s current cd release, The End Of The Pier Show, where additional bass and keyboard accompaniment seem to create unnecessary clutter compared with the simpler live arrangements. The album also contains a few relatively weak self-penned numbers (with the exception of Geoffrey’s excellent bluesy instrumental Bluefin) and i would gladly have traded some of these numbers for more of their excellent cover interpretations, such as Mandolin Wind and Waterloo Sunset (the latter not played at the Wulfrun, but performed elsewhere on the tour). Nevertheless, the album is well worth buying: there are half a dozen or so really nice numbers on it, and I can’t help thinking there is further mileage in the alliance of this excellent duo, who wouldn’t be out of place at festivals such as Fairport Convention’s Cropredy reunion. And so the stage was set for the entrance of the Barclays, the stripped-down acoustics of the support act having whetted the appetite for the more compex rock tapestries that were to come. From the strident opening chords of For No One it was clear that John, Woolly and company meant business and were intent on dispelling any misconceptions from one or two earlier gigs that they had lost their magic. Indeed, this was to become a classic performance, up there with the Barclays' other career highlights I have had the good fortune to witness, such as Edinburgh Usher Hall in 1977, Wembley Arena in 1984, Queen Elizabeth Hall in 1992 and Manchester Academy in 2001. A string of classics followed, with emphatic vocals and searing, trademark melodic guitar riffs from John (who has lost none of his capabilities in either department), subtle keyboard intricacies and sensitive vocal contributions from Woolly (and the occasional comic visual stunt!), and excellent accompaniment from everyone else concerned: Craig’s bass work was tight, Kevin’s percussion more creative and sympathetic than the 2001 tour, and Mike Bramwell, drafted in at a late hour to replace Jeff Leach, filled the role well, adding further nuances to the keyboard sound (such as the piano accompaniment to Poor Man’s Moody Blues) and allowing Woolly occasional freedom on acoustic guitar. The concert was tighter and more energised than the Manchester gig, and the band seemed to be enjoying the party atmosphere of the final date of the tour, with a vaudeville version of Life Is For Living thrown into the mix, providing an unexpected and amusing gag. Woolly’s voice was also much improved after his recent throat infection too, and this provided a vital element in what, for me, was the highlight of the show, the poignant and intense The Poet / After The Day, which fittingly ended the main set. This is easily one of the most masterful, and progressive, peaks of the Barclays' career. Other highlights included the psychedelic –tinged, Medicine Man, which reminded us how the Barclays could occasionally rock, and a rare and welcome airing of the acoustic Poor Wages, which also rocked well thanks to an excellent new twist at the end. There were plenty of other treats too, such as the angry Child Of The Universe, the gentle but barbed Iron Maiden, the ethereal Galadriel, the chilling and thought-provoking Suicide?, and the timeless Mocking Bird, on which John’s son made a surprise guest appearance on cornet, providing further complexity to the reworked version of this song. I have to say that not all the songs were to my liking: I could have done without Poor Man’s Moody Blues, for example, and I would have preferred another Woolly contribution such as Ursula or Sea Of Tranquility rather than In Search Of England, but you can’t, of course, please all of the people all the time, and such was the quality of the performance I would still have rated this gig 10/10, were it not for the disappointment of two of my favourites from the early gigs of the tour being dropped, namely If Love Is King and the raw, angst-laden She Said, which is for me the Barclay’s greatest moment. Nevertheless, it was still a fantastic gig, recapturing all the intense qualities of the old Barclays magic. Full marks must go to the sound crew for the vital part they played in proceedings: given the budget the band must now be working on, and the halls in which they are playing, the sound was powerful and well-defined. It was nice to meet every band member after the gig, and to obtain their autographs and have a brief chat. One of my final memories of the night was being given a ‘helping hand’ out of the venue by one of the security staff, as I tried to snap one last photograph, accompanied by the words “you’re taking the p- now!” Indeed. And who would want such a magical evening to end any earlier than it had to?? After a chat to a couple of forum members on the steps of the venue (hello Pigeon and Lyell!), and a final farwell to my two time-honoured walking, gigging and drinking companions, i travelled the long road home in a jubilant mood. 20 December 2006

EddyB

Well I have a confession to make! I would not listen to Barclay James Harvest for over 20 years because I was first exposed to them in the 80s when they were, ( sorry lads) awful ! BUT as my presence on this website implies, something must of happened to make me change my mind ! What happened was a chance aquiring of the BJH compilation ' Mocking Bird' which is a best of the pre Polydor era. And. I liked it ! In fact I really liked some of it, She Said, Mockingbird, Poor Wages, Child of Man , all great. Then I heard John Lees solo album ' A major Fancy' , which my girlfriend had from way back when, and again ! I liked it, esp 'Child of the Universe' So imagine how chuffed I was to find this band I had only got into in 2006 were playing in Norwich the weekend I was visiting Norwich ! As an attender of both 'cutting edge' modern gigs AND veteran classic bands ( after JL BJH the next band I saw was the superb New York Greenwich Village grunge Folk group the Jeffrey Lewis band !) , I realised that 'Veteran stuff' can be a bit hit and miss. However , It was great and I can't wait to See John , Wooley and the boys in action again. Even at something like Cropredy Festival would be great. They'd go down a treat there ! bACK TO THE nORWICH GIG, THE VENUE WAS GOOD, uea , suited the band, and the choice of songs being mainly from the ' better end' of the BJH catologue helped. Mocking Bird was brilliand, as was child of the Universe. The surprise highlight to me ws Wooley ! He was funny and chatty in a way that John Lees wasn't . However, John did not look miserable at all, and was friendly when he talked. He obviously isn't a natural joker, and why should he be, we went to see a band, not a comedy act. I met them both briefy afterwards and they were both 'nice blokes' ! I liked the atmosphere , the sound the songs. Highlight was Poor Wages and Mockingbird. Songs I missed were ' She Said' which I love. I hope they play that next time. But most of all I hope there is a next time. Thanks lads. Oh, and thanks to the rest of the band too, the drummer bassist and other keybord player all fitted in well and were very pro. A good nite all round from a new fan ! 4 December 2006

nigel tanner

More than a month has passed since that wonderful night in Newcastle. No problems with the 'sound' up north, just pure professional music. My only remaining dream is that Barclay James Harvest decide to tour the country again in the not too distant future. 3 December 2006

Matt Thomas

after reading all the other comments I sit here at the beginning of december and wonder if i was being to harsh in my initial review of the Colchester gig. Unable to sleep last night I re-reviewed in my head while listening to the revival disk (actually a cheapo 1 disk version with only the 'classic' songs from 78 or earlier on it). OK, I Digress. on with the 're-review' It was a good set list and it was great to hear more early stuff than has been played for many a year. Personally I'd love to hear evenmore from the EMI years. How about (Taking Some Time On; The Sun Will Never Shine; Song For Dying; Blue John's Blues; Someone There You Know; Harry's Song;) 'Everyone is.' is my fave album of the lot so it was wonderful to hear so much from that disc but hey I'd like to hear more from the other 70's albums too such as. Titles; Jonathan; Hymn For The Children; In My Life; Polk Street Rag; Leper's Song; Science Fiction: Nova Lepidoptera; Fiction: The Streets Of San Francisco too many songs - not enough time!!! Guys, may be you could leave out some of the obvious choices in favour of a few 'new' old ones from the lists above, you know, maybe give 'Suicide?' 'PMMB' and couple of the others a vacation. I can see why John wants to concentrate on the classic era - so much stuff that ought to get aired. For what it's worth I'd just stick to the 70's stuff and to hell with the rest - if it's what you feel good about it then do it -we will love it, And Hey, you record live shows full of this stuff and we will buy it - play us the stuff from the attic - this is the stuff we don't have live records of, especially the 1st 4 albums. OK enough about the set lists current and future. My only real complaint (other than John looking miserable) was the gig sound as I said in my first review. I'm a little confused about this as other people (in their reviews) didn't really seem to hear what I was hearing. I stood behind the desk and from there the sound was murky and way too loud (others standing there agreed) and that partially ruined the show for me. Please, Please get this right next time - and do make sure there is a next time - there is an audience out there that want to hear you (leave the 80's and beyond to Les to do his thing and you do yours) I hope to see you play again in the future. Matt Thomas 3 December 2006

Olivier Gille

2400 kilometers with the car, in France and in England ( really not easy ! ) and the plane between Nantes and East Midlands, 2 nights in Diggle… tired but it was more than worth while. The morning : Preston House, Denshaw, Greenfield, Diggle, Pots And Pans Plot and Stones. The evening : the Good Concert in Manchester Academy 2. The 3rd november 2006. This day will stay in my memory. A Big ‘Thank You’ aux deux Philippe, to Vicky and Mark Powell, to Sunfield Accommodation, to Janet & Geoff Iles, to John from the hall, to Monika Domone, to Kevin Whitehead for the gift, and the kind people that we found all along the way… And of course MERCI à John Lees, Woolly Wolstenholme, Kevin Whitehead, Craig Fletcher, Mike Bramwell and J.J. Lees for the concert and thanks too to all the people who worked for this tour. Not time enough to speak longer with the band and to have a drink together after show, it was a pity but I hope it will be possible next time in France or in Germany. M. Olivier GILLE PS : I was nicely surprised by Jim Leverton & Geoffrey Richardson. 27 November 2006

Sotiris Tsamilis

Last night i was in the JLBJH concert in Athens. Nice club, nice audience, the band in a great shape and mood, Supurb performace in all songs, especially Mockingbird, Poor Man's, Medicine Man, Cheap the Bullet and Poor wages. Two songs missing from playlist. Thank you for visiting us here in Greece. 26 November 2006

Vandal Sassoon

Speaking as Woolly's personal hairdresser, make-up artist, costume advisor and style guru, all I can say is that if you peasants don't appreciate the hours of work that went into the preparation for each gig then it was wasted on you. 23 November 2006

Mick

After first seeing BJH at Birmingham University Students Union in 1969 it was brilliant to feel the same buzz & excitment after all these years. My wife Sue said we were a pair of anoraks to attend a fans convention but even she enjoyed it. It was great to speak to and have Woolly & John autograph the very first BJH album. More conventions please ! Concert was brilliant with Medicine Man the standout for me. It truly was a very good night. Only criticism was the crowd - BJH are a rock band not a string quartet and ther is nothing wrong with showing appreciation !! Roll on the next tour and the CD/DVD release of this tour but please ensure a new studio album is released soon. Many, many thsnks for a brilliant day at Wolverhampton!!! 23 November 2006

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