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Thread: Colosseum: The Reunion Shows 1994

  1. #1

    Colosseum: The Reunion Shows 1994

    Ive been meaning to get around to checking out this band for years, and just wasn't getting to it. These reunion shows, and the 2 discs that came from them, finally did it, quite unexpectedly, too. I came across this on YT, and immediately afterwards bought the recordings. Great stuff!

    Jon Hiseman - Drums
    Dick Heckstall-Smith - Saxes
    Chris Farlowe - Lead Vocals
    Dave "Clem" Clempson - Guitar
    Dave Greenslade - Keyboards, Percussion
    Mark Clarke - Bass

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKrSnZ6Gsso

  2. #2
    I also have another reunion show with Barbara Thompson on sax.

  3. #3
    Cool, just watched the entire thing during lunch. great set.

    Thanks for posting.

    Since I have the Colosseum box set, I should definately get this too.

  4. #4
    Hiseman announced their last tour ever in 2015, in Britain and Europe only. I am nursing a fantasy of flying over there just for it. If only...

  5. #5
    Big, big fan. I remember one of my teachers showed us bits of the 1994 Reunion Concerts in class back in school when I was about 15, including Hiseman's stunning drum solo. Most of my classmates just thought he was being weird but I found it intriguing. Then it turned out my dad was already a fan, so I got into their old albums. Saw them on the Bread and Circuses tour in Budapest around '97 with Dick, then again after Tomorrow's Blues came out in 2003 and 2004 with Barbara on sax as Dick was ill by then - all fantastic shows.

    Looking forward to seeing them again next year at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London which seems will be their very last show.

    Just a wonderful live band, the Valentyne Suite is always mind-blowing.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by DarthVander View Post
    Big, big fan. I remember one of my teachers showed us bits of the 1994 Reunion Concerts in class back in school when I was about 15, including Hiseman's stunning drum solo. Most of my classmates just thought he was being weird but I found it intriguing. Then it turned out my dad was already a fan, so I got into their old albums. Saw them on the Bread and Circuses tour in Budapest around '97 with Dick, then again after Tomorrow's Blues came out in 2003 and 2004 with Barbara on sax as Dick was ill by then - all fantastic shows.

    Looking forward to seeing them again next year at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London which seems will be their very last show.

    Just a wonderful live band, the Valentyne Suite is always mind-blowing.
    I would SO love to see them one time before they call it quits, but I just dont see myself getting to England or Europe next year. I wish more Americans appreciated them, rather knew who they even are, so they would come over here, but Im sure it too late for that as well. I myself have taken over 20 years to finally really dig 'em. I discovered them way back when while going thru a Colosseum 2 period, which was exactly the kind of fusion I was looking for at the time. Checking out the first Colosseum, I didnt get it. Too jazzy, too much sax for my taste, just wasnt what I was looking for. As the years passed I thought it was time to give them another try, seeing as how my taste had expanded. It wasnt til a couple weeks ago I became a fanatic, and that was all kicked off by hearing the '94 Reunion concerts, and seeing clips on YT.

    Ive read that the addition of Chris Farlowe "galvanized" the band when he joined in time to be on "Daughter of Time". Then they released their '71 Live album, which was such a success that, when Hiseman decided to reform in '93, he stipulated that it would be that SAME line-up from the live album. I noticed that the songs that inspired my love of them have Farlowe singing very prominently. I ponder the extent that a band, especially a band that plays such complex music, benefits from the addition of a GREAT vocalist; how it can give an added focus and punch to the music, and even make the musicians seem to play better because of it. Checking out the first two Colosseum albums that didnt do it for me before, I notice the vocals are rather weak compared to the rest of what's going on. I think Farlowe's addition really DID make a substantial difference in how people, particularly myself, perceive and experience their music. I love Hiseman's playing, as well as Dave Greenslade and Clempson and Heckstal-Smith (Valenyne Suite is indeed awesome and epic, and all instrumental, barring the non-verbal sung notes) yet the first thing I thought with the Reunion shows is "damn, that guy can sing!" And it just put all the rest of what was going on in a context that suddenly worked for me in ways it hadnt before. Just something Ive been pondering.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Werbinox View Post
    Ive been meaning to get around to checking out this band for years, and just wasn't getting to it. These reunion shows, and the 2 discs that came from them, finally did it, quite unexpectedly, too. I came across this on YT, and immediately afterwards bought the recordings. Great stuff!

    Jon Hiseman - Drums
    Dick Heckstall-Smith - Saxes
    Chris Farlowe - Lead Vocals
    Dave "Clem" Clempson - Guitar
    Dave Greenslade - Keyboards, Percussion
    Mark Clarke - Bass

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKrSnZ6Gsso
    That 1994 reunion show made me a big fan too! I knew about them since I was a teen, but it didn't click until watching Valentyne Suite on the 1994 DVD. Check out also the 2003 Rockpalast footage on YT with Barbara. That is another great performance.

    And I understand they have a brand new CD out, too. Came out last week or maybe next week.


    Last edited by arturs; 11-21-2014 at 07:47 PM.

  8. #8
    Yeah they've always been much better live than on record. I like their early studio albums a lot (especially Daughter of Time) but the 1971 live album just blows all of them out of the water.

    Farlowe is a bit of an acquired taste, he does some fairly unusual things with his voice which makes it hard for some people to enjoy his singing, but he's undeniably a very powerful and authoritative singer. I love his style and enjoy his work with Atomic Rooster and his solo albums as well. His range has understandably diminished somewhat but his tone is still superb.

    And I understand they have a brand new CD out, too. Came out last week or maybe next week.
    Yep, 'Time On Our Side' came out very recently. It's great if you don't expect Valentyne Suite-style lengthy prog work outs. Still has their very unique mixture of rock, blues and jazz, some lovely playing, very sophisticated without being in your face.

    And Barbara is amazing, check out this version of Jack Bruce's 'Morning Story' recorded just two days ago in Vienna:

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by DarthVander View Post
    Yeah they've always been much better live than on record. I like their early studio albums a lot (especially Daughter of Time) but the 1971 live album just blows all of them out of the water.

    Farlowe is a bit of an acquired taste, he does some fairly unusual things with his voice which makes it hard for some people to enjoy his singing, but he's undeniably a very powerful and authoritative singer. I love his style and enjoy his work with Atomic Rooster and his solo albums as well. His range has understandably diminished somewhat but his tone is still superb.



    Yep, 'Time On Our Side' came out very recently. It's great if you don't expect Valentyne Suite-style lengthy prog work outs. Still has their very unique mixture of rock, blues and jazz, some lovely playing, very sophisticated without being in your face.

    And Barbara is amazing, check out this version of Jack Bruce's 'Morning Story' recorded just two days ago in Vienna:


    I always go for the "unusual" vocalists, the ones that are usually cited as an "acquired taste"; for example, Im a huge fan Demetrio Stratos of Area and Alberto Piras of Deus Ex Machina, Mike Patton of Mr. Bungle / Fantomas / Zorn's Moonchild Tri fame, as well as Peter Hamill and early Peter Gabriel. Also dig Arthur Brown and Glenn Hughes. I guess it was a natch I would be blown away by Farlowe, and am pleased to add him to the list. Im always ready to be blown away by another singer that moves me, and I never know when or where its gonna happen. It works best when they are also with a progressive band

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