GIG NUMBER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX
Who
In fact most of my photos turned out a little gloomily, but I think that said more about the weather than the quality of the camera, although it was a bit worrying when a couple of times the same lens error message which had ruined my previous camera came up! We decided to walk along the river to get to the venue which was lovely, but we had to head back up the hill as apparently the whole park had been sealed off due to the show. I didn't think it was necessary but it didn't do us any harm, and despite the tiny gate we got in reasonably fast as we approached from a different direction to everyone else. The venue was larger than I'd expected as I couldn't recall such a large open space being in the park. There was a large stage and a hell of a set-up for what appeared to be just the one night, so perhaps they'd saved the money by not hiring bouncers to confiscate everything from everyone upon arrival! In fact we were even encouraged to bring a picnic and many had carried their own chairs and were blocking up the field with them. Considering the amount of space they took up and the fact that nobody dared to stand amongst them and block their views it may in fact have been a pretty good idea! I've read somewhere that there were nearly 7000 punters but it felt like more? I had just the one bottle of water to last me throughout the show and we approached the stage from the right but my Dad started complaining about it being too loud. This was rather strange considering it was around 20 times louder by the time Status Quo came onstage, but I dutifully took him to the St John's Ambulance tent to ask for some earplugs anyway. However the rude cunts had the nerve to laugh when I asked for earplugs as if it was the strangest request they'd ever heard, making me wonder what they were there for? The only reason I'd ever seen them at a gig before was to distribute earplugs, and I think that the only part of you likely to be damaged during a Status Quo show is your ears anyway? In the very unlikely event you injured yourself properly then they could just call a real ambulance, plus the venue should have a couple of wheelchairs handy and there were loads of ambulances buzzing about outside anyway.
I never did find out what St John's Ambulance were doing there if they weren't handing out ear plugs, but the whole incident was doubly annoying as they'd been pissing me off at work earlier in the day too! Anyway, we simply headed forwards towards the hog roast tent which had been pitched incredibly close to the stage where they were carving up just the one pig and probably making a fortune off the revenues! There were some random tents at the back of the arena which presumably served some kind of hospitality function but the main challenge was negotiating the sea of chairs which were perched on the highly convenient slope that we were standing on. We'd arrived in fantastic time as 10cc had taken to the stage at 7:30pm very shortly after we'd got through the gates and they opened with a few songs which I knew. I can't find the actual setlist but a review states that the opener was Life Is A Minestrone. Their songs were a bit wanky but the crowd seemed to like it and I was surprised by how many I'd managed to learn beforehand. My Dad couldn't hack the standing up and the noise so decided to take a seat miles away from the action near the toilets for reasons I can't fathom. However the real talking point was the amazing fact that I spent this set standing next to the Mayor of Shrewsbury, who was singing along and enjoying the music with his entourage. He presumably was on official business as he wore his chains around the neck, in which case he's a jammy sod as I'd love to get paid to watch Status Quo and have a pint while a stream of well-wishers and friends amble up to say hi! In fact my Facebook status update afterwards was that I'm "standing next to the mayor of Shrewsbury while watching 10cc singing I'm Not In Love - very pleased to cross off #11,468 on the list of things you must do before you die!" which I was very pleased with but it received little response. It's always a fascinating point that I get less response the more interesting my post is, and I'm a firm believer that anyone who posts an update such as "is very tired" should be shot for being such a boring fuck!
But anyway, I shot a few videos of the hits, which obviously were I'm Not In Love and Dreadlock Holiday. I'm Not In Love is pretty enough but is ultimately a rather dull song, and unusually the band swapped singers at this point. Dreadlock Holiday on the other hand lost a couple of marks due to the cheesy change to the lyrics of "I don't like Shrewsbury, I love it!" I'm also disappointed to learn that the lyric is "don't you queer on me pitch" as I always thought it was the infinitely more aggressive and totally-out-of-character "don't you queer me, bitch!" I guess I shouldn't be surprised as the guys are just too dull to dare to sing that anyway! The band came across very much as a cheesy oldies act with some very middle-aged banter when introducing themselves, and they even did a shock encore which I thought was against the law for a support act! It was a bit cheeky actually, as if to say "wow, thanks, you all paid money specifically to see us as well didn't you?" but the crowd lapped up the unknown song and clapped along excessively. It was all a bit unnecessary and weird, but 10cc really weren't that bad, I'm just slightly offended by their MOR mediocrity! After this we joined the queues for the portaloos then decided to head past all the deckchairs to somewhere around the middle. The sound had been a bit uneven and loud for 10cc, which is hardly a surprise considering we were standing underneath a speaker, and we were confident it would be better nearer the mixing desk. There were quite a lot of people with chairs blocking our way and taking up some of the best spots but we eventually found a good place. Strangely enough, despite the main act being much louder and the length of time we had to stand up, my Dad heroically made it to the end without any further fuss! A lot of people had inflatable guitars but I'm really not sure if that's on the acceptable side of silliness or not? I guess there's a certain appeal in pretending to rock out with the band, but if too many are doing it then it ceases to be funny. Maybe at a festival, eh? There also was an utter twat of a tattooed guy standing in front of us, looking like a dick, swearing to himself and getting all agitated before finally marching off. Maybe he was waiting for a friend or someone to show up, but he was a strong contender for the douchebag of the year award either way!
The stage was set up with minimal fuss, with the main point of interest being the "SQ" written on the drum kit. For the most part though it was just a very simple black and white set-up, with plenty of space left clear for the guys to rock out! There was a sudden downpour beforehand and a flurry of umbrellas were opened up, but it didn't last long and, by the time the band arrived onstage promptly at 9pm, the main thing I had to worry about was a couple of annoying children who were perched on their parent's shoulders and bounced around for much of the show. It may have been to give them a decent view, but it was to the detriment of everyone else! But anyway, Status Quo were now onstage and begun predictably with Caroline. However it's such a monster tune and an obvious opener that I'd had been disappointed if they'd had done it any other way! I filmed the start of the introduction but for some reason the sound came out muffled, so I guess my finger was covering the speaker or something? The actual song was bloody loud though, although the sound quality may have suffered as a result. If they'd had turned it down a bit and tried harder to get the right mix it could have been perfect. I don't recall sound quality being an issue in Cardiff? Also the band literally looked like pictures of matchstick men as, despite all the effort in setting up the arena, they must have decided not to bother with video screens. This was definitely the wrong decision as a couple of large screens either side of the stage showing the action coupled with one in the middle showing cool graphics and backing videos would have enhanced the experience considerably. After the opener I'd hoped for The Wanderer but was reasonably pleased to hear Something 'Bout You Baby I Like, which apparently is a Tom Jones cover?! I'd been thinking it would have been fitting and a cheeky way of tempting fate so was happy when this was followed by Rain! In fact there was a bit more rain later on but by this point everyone was enjoying the music too much to care so it just didn't matter.
There was a mixed crowd tonight. Obviously there were plenty of old people, which explained the volume of deckchairs and even a couple of tables, but also some youngsters who were here to rock, including a guy who was waving his long hair around as if he was seeing Motley Crue! At the scariest extreme was an old bearded man banging his walking stick in time to the music and a wheelchaired guy headbanging before his friend wiped the drool off him! Francis Rossi, as well as cracking some weird faces while doing his solos, had definitely assumed the role of frontman, which surprisingly I hadn't noticed last time around. I'd got the impression that he and Parfitt were equals who carefully balanced the vocal duties between them. Maybe amongst all the amazing hits in Cardiff I'd failed to notice that it was Francis who did all the talking! He introduced Rock 'N' Roll 'N' You by announcing that it was from their new Quid Pro Quo album, trying to say it like the deep-voiced movie guy does. It's amazing really that they could resist using Quid Pro Quo as an album title for so many years of their career! He also told a couple of funny anecdotes and swore a bit but as I didn't write them down at the time I've forgotten the specifics! The show picked up again with an awesome medley that started with the glorious What You're Proposing. Thanks to the very simple trick of flashing strobes at us in time to the guitar it sounded extraordinary and was possibly the highlight of the evening! I'm gutted that they don't play it in full though and wonder if the band simply don't like it very much? It made one of the best camera videos of the night for me. The medley then went into some moderately big hits, the highlight of which was Little Lady, which is one of my faves and I hadn't expected to hear it. They then closed with Red Sky and Dear John and, although it's always annoying to hear songs being cut short, Quo songs lend themselves brilliantly to medleys and I sort-of wish they'd done more of them. Perhaps for the newbies instead though!? The unexpected delight of the evening was Creepin' Up On You, which I barely recognised but it just sounded awesome, and by now the sun was starting to set on us. Living On An Island on the other hand was a rare change of pace as it was done pretty much acoustically, but I'm afraid to say I just don't like the song very much. In The Army Now will always be a classic though, and in fact a 2010 version had made its way onto the Quid Pro Quo album. It was one of the best crowd participation opportunities of the evening but it desperately lacked the video screen which had given it such atmosphere last time around. I still shot a video of some of it though.
Next up was a typically unnecessary drum solo. Yes, it was technically good, but no-one wants to hear one, especially when it has to be drawn out too long! There must be some mental block when bands become famous and lose their roots and can no longer recall what it was like being a punter who is subjected to an unwanted drum solo. Or maybe drummers demand it and the band don't always have the guts to tell them to sod off! Thankfully though there'd be no more messing around tonight, starting with a rocking take on Roll Over Lay Down! At some point there was four guitarists and, judging by the noise required on this tune, I can reasonable assume it was at around this moment! The next contender for song of the evening then followed in the form of Down Down. Strangely enough it still is the band's biggest hit but I always felt it was inferior to some of the other tunes. I guess I still stand by that point but they rocked the hell out of it, and the false ending is a work of genius! It was quickly followed with an awesome take on Whatever You Want as the introduction was drawn out leaving most of us to go crazy once the guys got into it! Seeing as Rockin' All Over The World is a cover version you could make a strong argument that Whatever You Want is their greatest ever hit, Argos advert or not! Sadly though it was undermined by a steady stream of wankers pushing past to get out, all of whom were tripping up on the deck chair in front of us. It serves them right I say, as how could anybody want to leave during the best songs? I'd sooner stay where I was and piss my pants, so I just wonder what their excuses for leaving were? Nevertheless, putting the wankers aside, the band did what I predicted and segued Whatever You Want straight into Rockin' All Over The World! Last time around it had been too much to take but this time I was ready for it and caught the segue on camera, as well as much of the last three songs. Yes, that's correct, the band had played literally their three biggest songs all together in a row!
It was a pretty amazing way to finish and we were delighted when they came back out for an encore which turned out to be just Rock 'N' Roll Music coupled with Bye Bye Johnny. It may have rocked out and sounded great but Status Quo shouldn't have to rely on Chuck Berry cover versions when they have so many classics of their own to choose from. I'd expected them to come back and finish like they should have done with Burning Bridges but sadly we knew it was all over at 10:45pm when the advertised fireworks display got under way. I guess seeing the London New Year fireworks put things in perspective, but they simply weren't very impressive, and I'm shocked to have read somewhere that they cost £10k! I can't believe it's true but, if it is, that's money which would have been far better invested in some video screens! But anyway, it was all over and so we headed for the exit. There was a bit of a crowd but it wasn't too hard to get out. Surprisingly the cathedral was in total darkness, but as it's a dull Catholic cathedral I guess it doesn't particularly matter anyway. As I said above, I failed to get decent night shots of the Abbey too, so the most photogenic thing I passed on the way back was St Chad's Church outside the venue. This meant that I didn't have a chance to test if my camera could take decent outdoor night shots, sadly. We walked back to the car park near the Abbey and arrived back home at around midnight, which really wasn't too bad and was a vast improvement on what it had been for The Flaming Lips. Apparently the distance is three times greater but it took a third of the time, which just goes to show how bad London transport can be when it fails to run smoothly.
So to summarise, Status Quo had played a reasonable set, even though it was greatly inferior to what I'd seen from them before. The lack of a video screen and poorer sound quality were key issues, plus we were further away from the stage. I guess it's a bit cheeky to complain too much about the set considering this wasn't billed as a greatest hits tour, whereas last time had been in support of their 40th anniversary compilation album. Also most of the very biggest moments were present and correct. However, last time had been truly extraordinary and they'd crammed an insane amount in. Tunes I'd have liked to hear were oldies such as Pictures Of Matchstick Men, Ice In The Sun and the awesome Paper Plane. Also Wild Side Of Life, full renditions of What You're Proposing and Little Lady, Rock 'N' Roll, Marguerita Time, The Wanderer, Lies, Burning Bridges and Hold You Back! I guess it's difficult to play everything when you've got more chart hits than any other band ever, but they could have improved things anyway. I'd love to see them for a third time playing a medium-sized indoor venue, which would be fantastic as then I'll have seen them in an indoor arena, outside event and at a smaller show. That's what's so annoying about their pulling out of the Stoke-on-Trent show as we had front row balcony seats! I wouldn't want to see them before 2012 though as I predict that they're the kind of band to tear up and rethink their setlist every twelve months. Once I got home I enthusiastically checked out my photos and typed some notes but it has taken me over three weeks to write them up, so I hope I haven't forgotten too much. My ears were whistling but Status Quo rocked and long may they continue doing so!
Mark: 8.0/10
Status Quo
Support
10cc
Where
Shrewsbury Quarry
When
15th July 2011
Price
£35.00
Who with
Dad
Position
In the middle
Comments
Hot on the heels of The Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire came Status Quo and surprisingly the tickets here were the cheapest of the three! It was the first time I'd seen them playing since Cardiff in 2008 as rather annoyingly they'd pulled out of a show in Stoke-on-Trent at the last minute back in 2009. Strangely enough they magically recovered once it came to playing the arenas and I presumed that they'd treat this as a major show and that it would take more than a simple cold to stop them this time! On the other hand though, they did have the decency to post us a free live CD by way of apology after rescheduling the show and then pulling out again! I prepared by listening to all the Quo songs I owned and also by recording a definitive greatest hits, in particular discovering what an absolute tune Hold You Back was, although sadly it wasn't played tonight. I also greatly enjoyed watching a video compilation, even if it only went up to 1986, in particular the classic performance of Rockin' All Over The World featuring a life-sized puppet of Alan Lancaster who apparently couldn't be arsed to fly back to England to shoot the video! I didn't hear quite as much of 10cc as I'd hoped to but surprisingly all the songs had sunk in anyway so I went to the show as well prepared as I possibly could be, although obviously I hadn't acquainted myself with the newest Quo album! It had been a very chaotic day at work so I was glad to escape and get on a train to Shrewsbury. It's a bit annoying as I'd arranged to meet my Dad next to the Abbey and the train passes right by it, but I had to go all the way through Shrewsbury to get back out there! We enjoyed an Indian meal whilst pondering the threat of rain and then I had my big chance to test my new camera. As previously reported, my old one had decided to go totally gay after just six months but I was generally happy with it so decided just to get the newer version of the same model. It was slightly gloomy but I took some reasonable photos of the abbey, making up for the disappointment of it being the one place I hadn't got a good shot of during my proper visit back in March. I also wanted to get some decent night shots of the Abbey after the show but sadly it was just too dark. It had looked so beautiful when I'd passed it when I saw Half Man Half Biscuit on my first real visit to the town in 2010, but I think that was because it had been much earlier in the evening and the lights get dimmed later on.
Setlist
Caroline
Something 'Bout You Baby I Like
Rain
Rock 'N' Roll 'N' You
Mean Girl
Softer Ride
Beginning Of The End
Two Way Traffic
What You're Proposing/Down The Dustpipe/Little Lady/Red Sky/Dear John
Big Fat Mama
The Oriental
Let's Rock
Creepin' Up On You
Living On An Island
In The Army Now
Drum Solo/The Killer
Roll Over Lay Down
Down Down
Whatever You Want
Rockin' All Over The World
Rock 'N' Roll Music/Bye Bye Johnny
