David Gogo / Ivory / Wishbone Ash

February 15, 2009 -  At  "Honerkamps Ballsaal", Melle 

This venue is one of the best around locally. It’s just a twenty minute drive from our house. The venue is large enough, yet small enough to create just  the right atmosphere for an intimate concert. The people are excellent there, helpful and friendly. The food is the best as well!

David Gogo:

Would you like to know why we’re at this concert in the first place?
To see and support our old / new friend Mr. David Gogo from Canada.

We came out tonight, expecting to see David perform a full one hour set, if not a little longer. But what we got was David playing very quickly for only half an hour – and not a minute more. He came on and went off in a blink of an eye. How disappointing,

David really needs to put his own show together, and get on the road alone, and not as support act. But, it’s almost impossible to come to Europe to play as a solo attraction / artists. Even to break out of Canada to the States is a struggle these days.

To be fair, David was asked to join Wishbone Ash, to play with the band during their last two numbers. David’s  talent was wasted on this, as he became muffled / muted between all the other wailing guitars. It was so unfortunate, so unnecessary and so useless to have him up there – clear the stage and let David play his heart out - that should be the rule. 

Wishbone Ash:

I could write a book on why I don’t like this band. I never have liked their music and never will….and tonight’s performance didn’t alter my thinking one iota ( not one little bit).

The guitar solos are not to my liking, the vocals were weak, the drumming was the best part, yet the message was delivered to their loyal following in attendance. 

It’s never my intent to slam any band in my reviews, I just call it as I see it and try to avoid any pre-prejudice that I may have had. 

This part of the review is easy, and will be brief and succinct.

The fans who came out to see Wishbone Ash got their money’s worth. The band played well enough to suit their loyal following. The audience members don’t dance in a rock frenzy, they sort of sway to and fro to the music, kind of in a hypnotic state of numbness. Once long ago they would have been drug induced, and now, just on a natural high. Even their alcohol consumption is well within legal guidelines. Kindergarten people, now hooked on graham crackers and skim milk. While the band raised their plastic bottles of water in their direction to show solidarity, or in this case Solid-Dairy-Tea.

Bland, Predictable and Boring – powdered milk with luke warm water…….

As I said, just not my cup of tea, and the only original member in the band is Andy Powell.    

Ivory:

If Wishbone wasn’t to my liking, then the second warm up band to perform was even worse.

A band called Ivory. Must be a local band, never heard of them – wasn’t expecting them and they weren’t even mentioned before we came to this gig.

These guys made Wishbone look good. This band seemed like they just blew in from a Grateful Dead Concert somewhere in the cosmos. But play they did, and every song sounded exactly the same. A set pattern, of riff, rhythm and lead guitar break…wailing guitar duo's, guaranteed to drive you out of your mind. But the band had a good time as did the audience, so who am I to judge? I'm not one of Jerry's kids!

Review by Dave and Brigitte