20th June 2015
With a stack of huge Marshall amps on stage it's clear that something big is going to happen in the sedate surroundings of Hatfield House. After Rick Parfit had to pull out of a series of concerts last year due to illness, it was great to have the iconic duo back on stage together. After seeing them for the first time last year sans Rick, I was eager to experience Status Quo in all their glory. Suffice to say they did not disappoint, their interaction on-stage is second to none and the band are so much more dynamic with both front men leading the way.
Caroline heads off a fantastic set filled with classic Quo tracks. Something About You Baby I like, Rain and Paper Plane soon follow. The audience is filled with fans of all ages which is a testament to the Quo appeal. For over 40 years we Brits have had Quo as a backdrop of our lives, they are part of our culture and like it or not you always find yourself singing along to their songs. There's not a rockin' riff that these guys turn out that does not get you dancing and take you over.
The What You're Proposin' medley, always a live favourite, has the audience jumping around and grown men playing air guitar in public. The Oriental, a fairly new track from 2002's Heavy Traffic is another track that goes down a storm. A personal favourite, In The Army Now is great to hear live too. Sadly Burning Bridges is not on the set, but there is a lot to keep the crowd happy, Down, Down, Whatever You Want, Rockin' All Over The World and a three song encore which culminates with Rock and Roll Music/Bye Bye Johnny. (Chuck Berry cover)
The music of Status Quo really comes alive on-stage, the magnitude of their sound is impossible to capture in the studio and their energy on stage is as powerful and as explosive as those Marshall amps!