Post by therockdoctor on Dec 18, 2016 18:17:26 GMT
It was a misty December day as the Quo tour bus rolled into Brighton on 13th December 2016. It was exactly thirty years ago to the day that I first saw Quo at Birmingham NEC, 13th December 1986, on the "In The Army Now" tour. Wandering along the seafront, the heavy traffic helped us spot the bus arriving so we followed it as it parked up at the back of the Brighton Centre and took the chance to meet Rhino, Leon and Richie as they headed into the gig.
The afternoon activity centred on the unlikely Blue Man, a North African restaurant/bar in the city centre, where we had the downstairs to enjoy some Quoing and catching up with friends old and new. It was fantastic to see Burning Benson, a die hard US fan who I used to gig with back in the 1990s, and he'd brought another couple of US fans with him. We enjoyed a couple of hours in our basement Quo den before heading down to the gig shortly before the advertised door opening time of 6.30pm.
It was a chilly wait on the seafront until the masses piled in and then the dash to secure a decent spot in the standing section. The "premium" standing meant the barrier was gone but we easily secured a spot one off the barrier in front of Rhino so were happy with that. The Lounge Kittens and REO Speedwagon did their things but we were all waiting for 9pm and the start of the Quo set. The Brighton Centre was very close to capacity by the time the lights went down, with almost all seats full and a packed standing area, all set for a great gig.
There were no surprises in the Quo set, so it seems likely the subtle set changes we got in Nottingham have been dropped and it'll be the familiar LNOTE set until the close of the UK tour now. The band played well here I thought and the day off had done them no harm. Francis certainly had a spring in his step and the smiles on stage were matched by the happy faces rocking along around us in the standing section.
I enjoyed this gig much more than the O2 gig, probably by being much closer to the action and soaking up the vibe of the standing section. As a thirty year anniversary gig, it lived up to my expectations and it's quite incredible to think of the journey I've had following the same band live for the last thirty years - a privilege to see them change and evolve, to see so many places I'd never have visited otherwise and, most of all, the amazing friendships I've made with people from all over the world while doing so.
The afternoon activity centred on the unlikely Blue Man, a North African restaurant/bar in the city centre, where we had the downstairs to enjoy some Quoing and catching up with friends old and new. It was fantastic to see Burning Benson, a die hard US fan who I used to gig with back in the 1990s, and he'd brought another couple of US fans with him. We enjoyed a couple of hours in our basement Quo den before heading down to the gig shortly before the advertised door opening time of 6.30pm.
It was a chilly wait on the seafront until the masses piled in and then the dash to secure a decent spot in the standing section. The "premium" standing meant the barrier was gone but we easily secured a spot one off the barrier in front of Rhino so were happy with that. The Lounge Kittens and REO Speedwagon did their things but we were all waiting for 9pm and the start of the Quo set. The Brighton Centre was very close to capacity by the time the lights went down, with almost all seats full and a packed standing area, all set for a great gig.
There were no surprises in the Quo set, so it seems likely the subtle set changes we got in Nottingham have been dropped and it'll be the familiar LNOTE set until the close of the UK tour now. The band played well here I thought and the day off had done them no harm. Francis certainly had a spring in his step and the smiles on stage were matched by the happy faces rocking along around us in the standing section.
I enjoyed this gig much more than the O2 gig, probably by being much closer to the action and soaking up the vibe of the standing section. As a thirty year anniversary gig, it lived up to my expectations and it's quite incredible to think of the journey I've had following the same band live for the last thirty years - a privilege to see them change and evolve, to see so many places I'd never have visited otherwise and, most of all, the amazing friendships I've made with people from all over the world while doing so.