3 thoughts on “Heaton Park, Manchester – 29 June 2012”
best fucking night of my life!!!
A balanced review from a lifelong fan who never got the chance to see the Roses in their heyday….well I was at the friday event and the positives far outweighed the negatives. I wasn’t expecting a noticeable improvement in Ian Brown’s singing so I was actually pleasantly surprised by his ability to hold a note…for the first few songs at least….he had some horror moments, but as any clued up Roses afficianado knows, it is not just about Ian Brown… it is about 4 people musically communicating with an audience..the atmosphere was beyond unbelievable…the anticipation was so intense i was surprised that some people weren’t ambulanced off. When that first bass line kicked in, the communal sense of rapture was so overpowering that Ian Brown could have farted into the microphone for the rest of the gig while John Squire played a pink plastic banjo from Toys r us and it would still have been a success…. there was some kind of magic in the air..indescribable, intangible…. I must admit that I did not appreciate the mass chanting of every bass line and guitar solo… there were a lot of people completely off their heads at this gig, with no regard for anyone else around them… but you go to this kind of event and you expect to see at least some moronic behaviour, it was not surprising, but I could have done without hearing poor karaoke renditions of every guitar solo… that aside, I have to say it was an amazing experience…the band were up for it..they were tight, energetic, enthusiatic, and luckily i was not too far from the stage so the sound for me was brilliant….some of the jamming outros, especially on Fools Gold, were phenomenal. I was sad to see so little from Second coming though… Breaking into heaven, Tears, even Daybreak…disappointed that they went with stuff like somethings burning and standing here (for me those two songs did not work here…somethings burning especially was a stinker…it brought a real lull to proceedings and had they not upped the tempo after that, I would have complained a bit more about that one…but generally the set as a whole was fluid and uplifting..Brown was badly off key a few times but it really didnt matter that much… all in all, worth every penny..I wont mention the location or the facilities..there were a few problems but I think friday was a huge success. Unforgettable. Thank you SR… you have made a lot of people very happy.
I am 49 and ive seen many bands in my time, but fck me, I flew back from perth australia to go to the friday heaton park extravagaza……..one of the best days of my life (manu winning the treble, also watching the jam and then weller is up there, oh yeah the kids, and wife (and the 2 before) but kin wow, had great day starting at the sale hotel, which was my first time in there in over 20 years…….I asked if I was still banned, and bless the lovely lady behind the bar said, hang on I will just check,, and she grabs a big thick black book. She asked me my name of which I duly gave, the she asked when it was, I told her around july 1992 as I was on my final leave from the army before I got out, anyway, I digress…………..she jumped up and clipped me ear….I am just over 6ft, and she was only little….cheeky begger she cald me…..then she Putbought me pint…..good to be home in manchester…, well the day just kicked right on….top memory stormin the bar,,,, all singing welcome to manchester,,,,,,,,and then the bassline hit me, then just pure joy, fireworks and rain…………….a memory never to be forgotten………….
best fucking night of my life!!!
A balanced review from a lifelong fan who never got the chance to see the Roses in their heyday….well I was at the friday event and the positives far outweighed the negatives. I wasn’t expecting a noticeable improvement in Ian Brown’s singing so I was actually pleasantly surprised by his ability to hold a note…for the first few songs at least….he had some horror moments, but as any clued up Roses afficianado knows, it is not just about Ian Brown… it is about 4 people musically communicating with an audience..the atmosphere was beyond unbelievable…the anticipation was so intense i was surprised that some people weren’t ambulanced off. When that first bass line kicked in, the communal sense of rapture was so overpowering that Ian Brown could have farted into the microphone for the rest of the gig while John Squire played a pink plastic banjo from Toys r us and it would still have been a success…. there was some kind of magic in the air..indescribable, intangible…. I must admit that I did not appreciate the mass chanting of every bass line and guitar solo… there were a lot of people completely off their heads at this gig, with no regard for anyone else around them… but you go to this kind of event and you expect to see at least some moronic behaviour, it was not surprising, but I could have done without hearing poor karaoke renditions of every guitar solo… that aside, I have to say it was an amazing experience…the band were up for it..they were tight, energetic, enthusiatic, and luckily i was not too far from the stage so the sound for me was brilliant….some of the jamming outros, especially on Fools Gold, were phenomenal. I was sad to see so little from Second coming though… Breaking into heaven, Tears, even Daybreak…disappointed that they went with stuff like somethings burning and standing here (for me those two songs did not work here…somethings burning especially was a stinker…it brought a real lull to proceedings and had they not upped the tempo after that, I would have complained a bit more about that one…but generally the set as a whole was fluid and uplifting..Brown was badly off key a few times but it really didnt matter that much… all in all, worth every penny..I wont mention the location or the facilities..there were a few problems but I think friday was a huge success. Unforgettable. Thank you SR… you have made a lot of people very happy.
I am 49 and ive seen many bands in my time, but fck me, I flew back from perth australia to go to the friday heaton park extravagaza……..one of the best days of my life (manu winning the treble, also watching the jam and then weller is up there, oh yeah the kids, and wife (and the 2 before) but kin wow, had great day starting at the sale hotel, which was my first time in there in over 20 years…….I asked if I was still banned, and bless the lovely lady behind the bar said, hang on I will just check,, and she grabs a big thick black book. She asked me my name of which I duly gave, the she asked when it was, I told her around july 1992 as I was on my final leave from the army before I got out, anyway, I digress…………..she jumped up and clipped me ear….I am just over 6ft, and she was only little….cheeky begger she cald me…..then she Putbought me pint…..good to be home in manchester…, well the day just kicked right on….top memory stormin the bar,,,, all singing welcome to manchester,,,,,,,,and then the bassline hit me, then just pure joy, fireworks and rain…………….a memory never to be forgotten………….