Status Quo at Symphony Hall, Birmingham - Review
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Sun 06 Mar 2022 - Fri 18 Mar 2022
It's been a long time coming but, at last,
Status Quo are back in Brum. The band's
Backbone tour was originally scheduled for 2020 but it was cancelled and life was put on hold due to the pandemic.
So, here we are with the renamed
Out Out Quoing tour, two and half years after their last UK gig (in Hyde Park), and a little longer than that after their previous
Birmingham show (supporting Lynyrd Skynyrd at the NEC). And it's as if Quo have never been away!
Frontman
Francis Rossi says the band rehearsed relentlessly for three weeks to ensure they returned to the standard they were at in September 2019. As the
Symphony Hall lights go down at 9pm, and the familiar opening riff of
Caroline is heard, it's soon apparent that their objective has been achieved.
Following the untimely death of co-frontman
Rick Parfitt , Rossi is the centre of attention but some of the lead vocal duties are shared with bassist
John 'Rhino' Edwards (
Rain, Whatever You Want, Again and Again), rhythm guitarist
Richie Malone (
Little Lady, Get Out Of My Head, Mystery Song) and keyboardist
Andy Bown (
Whatever You Want). Drummer Leon Cave also chips in with some impressive backing vocals.
It is Quo's first visit to Birmingham's premier concert hall and Rossi is impressed with the prestigious facilities. "
It's rather posh – and very, very nice," he enthuses as he gazes at the fans occupying the stalls and three balconies that soar to the gods.
Now aged 72, Rossi's banter with the crowd includes more jokes about the 'joys' of getting older. He even admits that the songs in the set from the latest album,
Backbone, are known as the 'Help the Aged Section'. But if fans do have to leave the auditorium for a comfort break they miss some cracking new tunes, particularly Richie Malone's
Get Out Of My Head and Rossi and Rhino's
Cut Me Some Slack.
The hour and 40 minute set has a good range of songs from the band's career, although there will always be favourites like
Big Fat Mama, Forty-Five Hundred Times and
Don't Waste My Time, that will be omitted. It was good to hear Malone's interpretation of Rick Parfitt's
Mystery Song, an extended version of
Down Down and a rip-roaring rendition of
Rockin' All Over The World. But – and here's my only complaint – it was a disappointingly short encore. While it's great to hear
Paper Plane (and I wouldn't want it dropped), another one or two tracks would have been welcome and, in my opinion, a Quo electric show should always conclude with
Bye Bye Johnny. Maybe next time!
Set List
Caroline
Rain
Little Lady
Softer Ride
Beginning of the End
Hold You Back
Backing Off
Get Out of My Head
What You're Proposing / Down the Dustpipe / Wild Side of Life / Railroad / Again and Again
Mystery Song
The Oriental
Cut Me Some Slack
Liberty Lane
In the Army Now
Roll Over Lay Down
Down Down
Whatever You Want
Rockin' All Over the World
Encore
Paper Plane
**Status Quo's UK Out Out Quoing dates:
Mar 8: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend;
Mar 9: Regent Theatre, Ipswich;
Mar 11: De Montfort Hall, Leicester;
Mar 12: G Live, Guildford;
Mar 14: Bridgewater Hall, Manchester;
Mar 15: St David's Hall, Cardiff;
Mar 17: New Theatre, Oxford;
Mar 18: The Forum, Bath. **
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#march
!date 06/03/2022 -- 18/03/2022
%wnbirmingham
70631 - 2023-01-26 01:48:17