10/12/2012

1971 - Newcastle (Reuploaded)


October 16, 1971
Newcastle City Hall, UK

The Fragile tour began before the actual album was released, and this show is from the very beginning of the tour.
This concert was unique, because there were problems with Rick's organ that made them change the songs and make a nice instrumental jam. Read the transcription:
Jon Anderson : We'd like to do another song, a new song from Fragile, which should be out in a couple weeks time we hope. And uh, The song is about ??? and the fact of living in the city. Uh, generally people work in the cities, get out of the city, which is a strange way of doing things, uh..that's the way it happens. The song is called Heart Of The Sunrise. Are we alright?hold on. I say, hold on, just a minute. Whatcha doing? Can't play this. Organ is not working
Steve Howe : We got a new member since we last came here.
Jon Anderson : it'll be ready in about 20 minutes, so we'll just..
Steve Howe : 20 minutes? ??? [band plays a jam] Its really great to ???
Rick Wakeman : ???
Steve Howe : Now we lost our drummer.
Jon Anderson : Plug it in. We're going to do something else then. We'll do a good tap dance. We're going to do another song from the album. ??? can't start without the organ happening. This is Lou. Lou? There he is. We're going to do a few things. Actually, the first part is a song, the second part is an instrumental featuring Chris, on bass guitar, and uh... its called "The Fish" and uh we've nicknamed him the fish ever since, well ever since I've known him I always called him The Fish cause he spends, uh.. at least ten hours a day in the bath soaking himself and rejuvenating himself. Yeah alright, here we go with Long Distance Runaround and The Fish.

Funny how Jon's explanations for Heart of the Sunrise changed... In 1978 he would say it was a song about the sun, and in 2000 he said it was about the sharp and distance feeling of recording music.
Then, after The Fish (which was a great rendition):
Jon Anderson : Chris!
Steve Howe : Chris Squire, ladies and gentlemen.
Jon Anderson : Thank you. The organ. This is a good joke. One of the best jokes in the business. ??? We're going to do without organ. You can't hear it anyway
Rick Wakeman : Glad you mention that.
Jon Anderson : We're going to do a song called Heart Of The Sunrise, with or... with or without him. He can mime. Imagine there is an organ playing, you know?

Rick had to improvise new parts to Heart of the Sunrise on the keyboards that were working.
Another difference is in Rick's solo spot. He was still composing Six Wives, so the solo almost doesn't feature this album.

Set list:
Roundabout
I've seen all good people
Mood for a day
Clap
Jam
Long distance runaround
The Fish
Heart of the sunrise
Wakeman solo
Perpetual change
Yours is no disgrace

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