Renaissance 'Novella'... and other thoughts and questions!

[winkersnufs]

Good Morning on a latter July day ~

While having breakfast, doing my on-line dailies, and listening to 'Novella' by Renaissance.... I wanted to pass along some thoughts and to throw out a question as well.

I really, really enjoy 'Novella'. I found myself in many of the releases fine moments, head thrown back, huge smile, and those tears of pleasure and joy. Those tears that somewhat hurt but oh feel so good. If my memory serves...this may have well been the first Renaissance CD of my exposure to... and purchase! Back in those 70's indeed! My appreciation for this band has strengthened quite a bit over the years since.

Question : For those who may have followed the band in a close way. I was very aware of them but not to that point where I knew a lot about them. Anyway - Here in the USA just how big did they get in their prime? What size venues did they play at peak? How overall respected was the band culturally. I know they did very well here on the east coast.

Enjoy the day and Thank You in advance
Carry On
Chris Buckley

[Mister Triscuits]

Question : For those who may have followed the band in a close way. I was very aware of them but not to that point where I knew a lot about them. Anyway - Here in the USA just how big did they get in their prime? What size venues did they play at peak? How overall respected was the band culturally. I know they did very well here on the east coast.

Novella was their highest charting album in the USA by a slim margin (#46, Scheherazade had made #48). I saw them touring behind that album in 1977: in San Diego, they were opening for Gentle Giant in a 3,000-seat hall. I ran into some fans in the lobby who were resentful that Renaissance were not topping the bill. Two years later (for Azure d'Or) they were playing the open air theater at San Diego State University; a few years after that (Camera Camera) they played a nightclub (the Bacchanale).

[markwoll]

I saw them in 1977 at Warner Theater ( 1850 seating capacity ) with Happy the Man opening.
I think that was their biggest show in DC.
The other times I have seen them have been in the last 20 years at much smaller venues.

[LASERCD]

They were a Northeastern US phenomena with their core base in NYC and Philadelphia. They did headline the Nassau Coliseum which holds about 15,000 people but I’m certain it didn’t sell out. Typically they would play Radio City Music Hall. I saw them there on the Novella tour. Sea Level opened up. I’m fairly certain in Philly they would play venues of similar size.

[headcrash]

I can't count how many times I saw the band live in the 70's, probably between 10-20. The largest venue I think would have been the Rutgers University Athletic Center in NJ which holds about 8000 for basketball, so probably half that for a concert. In the NYC area they mostly played smaller theaters like Town Hall in Manhattan, the Capitol Theater in Passaic NJ and Convention Hall in Asbury Park NJ. I can't remember many shows that weren't sell-outs or very close. They were very popular in the NY area and got a lot of airplay on the NY "progressive" rock station WNEW-FM. And they were so effin good live.

[Top Cat]

Don't know if they were sold out or not, but they did play several nights at Carnegie Hall in New York which can be listened to on the Live at Carnegie Hall album.

In reference to Mister Triscuits comments regarding Azur d'Or and Camera Camera signaled the end of Renaissance as we knew them. Those weren't very good albums in my opinion as Renaissance deviated from their previous style and the attempt to be more relevant in a more commercial sound didn't work for them.

I have their earlier albums and the 2011 Renaissance Live DVD and it was a joy to see her and Michael Dunford performing together again, sadly he is missed greatly following his untimely passing.

[DocProgger]

I became an avid and lifelong Renaissance fan around 1975 when I heard the fantastic epic Mother Russia on the iconic StL FM prog/classic rock station KSHE. Immediately went out and bought the Turn of the Cards and Ashes are Burning LPs, followed shortly later with Scheherazade and the fabulous Carnegie Hall double album.

Bought Novella when it came out almost immediately and was overjoyed to hear they were playing live at the Mississippi River Festival in 1977 touring that album. (The MRF was the festival that Bob Dylan showed up unannounced and a complete surprise and played with The Band in 1969 for the first public appearance and live concert since his motorcycle accident in 1966). I had been to a few concerts at that great outdoor venue with groups of HS friends where we would just sit on the huge lawn, but for this one I bought good close in seats under the tent near the stage, and took a date for the first time to a concert, as she liked this music she had never heard of when I played it in the car. That venue held about 20,000 with the lawn filled, but I think there were only 1500-2000 seats close in under the tent.

Still one of my most memorable concerts ever. Jean Luc Ponty Band opened (with future Genesis guitarist Daryl Steurmer). Seeing the classic lineup at the peak of their careers playing that music live and close up was really magical. Annie in kind of a white flowing dress if I remember, and hearing that stunning voice live was something else. Dunford on the acoustic--amazing they were a 70s band without a lead electric guitarist, Camp instead playing a loud rickenbacker bass if I recall. Most of all I remember Tout's precise spot on playing on the piano and keys. Can You Hear Me? extended instrumental with flowing dry ice billowing the stage stands out, and unless my memory betrays me, I think they were playing the yet to be released Song for All Seasons back then too. And of course classics like Ocean Gypsy, Mother Russia, Running Hard, Can You Understand, and Ashes are Burning etc.

Just a fantastic concert, and though I saw Renaissance several more times in smaller clubs on the Azure D'Or and Camera Camera tours (and then later at ROSfest and at NEARfest), that 77 show on a nice summer night when I was in HS and seeing the full classic lineup was the one I'll treasure the most.

[moecurlythanu]

^ I'm jealous. I didn't become aware of them until the late 70s when I purchased the Song For All Seasons album, and didn't get to see them until Nearfest. (Thanks again, Rob & Chad!)

[bRETT]

Novella I ran into some fans in the lobby who were resentful that Renaissance were not topping the bill.

I saw the same tour in Boston. Renaissance definitely headlined there.

[flowerking]

I became an avid and lifelong Renaissance fan around 1975 when I heard the fantastic epic Mother Russia on the iconic StL FM prog/classic rock station KSHE. Immediately went out and bought the Turn of the Cards and Ashes are Burning LPs, followed shortly later with Scheherazade and the fabulous Carnegie Hall double album.

KSHE continued to play a couple of Renaissance songs into the late 70s and early 80s, Mother Russia and less frequently Ashes Are Burning. Thats how I learned of the band.

As far as Novella goes, I love Captive Heart and Touching Once. Captive Heart is one of their most underrated pieces in my opinion.

[DocProgger]

KSHE continued to play a couple of Renaissance songs into the late 70s and early 80s, Mother Russia and less frequently Ashes Are Burning. Thats how I learned of the band.

As far as Novella goes, I love Captive Heart and Touching Once. Captive Heart is one of their most underrated pieces in my opinion.

I'm surprised KSHE would be playing tunes as long as Ashes in the early 80s, but I only heard KSHE in the summers in the late 70s/early 80s because I was away at college out of town the rest of the year. I thought by then they had started moving away from the long epic prog of the early 70s. So if a few of those DJs were still sneaking in Ashes, that's pretty cool.

[Steve983]

I love Novella, in fact I will take out my original vinyl and play it this evening - thanks for mentioning it.

[flowerking]

I'm surprised KSHE would be playing tunes as long as Ashes in the early 80s, but I only heard KSHE in the summers in the late 70s/early 80s because I was away at college out of town the rest of the year. I thought by then they had started moving away from the long epic prog of the early 70s. So if a few of those DJs were still sneaking in Ashes, that's pretty cool.

They were doing "KSHE Classics" every weekend through at least 1982. I think it was Sunday mornings but won't swear to that now.

[miamiscot]

Novella was the first Renaissance LP to find its way into my childhood home. My older brother bought it and it's been my favorite from them ever since.
Once again proving the "first mover advantage."