PROCOL HARUM
BBC Live In Concert (True North / Fuel 2000)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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Guilty pleasure confession: as a misguided youth I was a Procol Harum freak. Sure sure, everyone had the Live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra record, but who else played the hell out of Grand Hotel ? That was me, I admit it. So when this platter flew across my imaginary desk I showed indifference so as not to let slip my little secret, all the while caressing the shiny jewel case like a high school crush. When in private, I slip the disc in and the familiar strains of "Conquistador" bring it all back. Still sounds pretty good, a surprise since most of classic rock dates badly (we're talking bell bottoms and walrus moustaches era). Then it hits. Track two: "Bringing Home the Bacon". The simple drum opening, a cowbell clang, then the roar of Gary Brooker's organ and gravel vocal. Maybe Grand Hotel wasn't so obscure after all. Hell they even include the title cut later on. Billed as their first official live concert recording (I suppose the Edmonton thing was without audience), these BBC sessions show the band reworking, rather than regurgitating their songs, avoiding their hits in favour of more adventurous material. They even have the balls to leave out the overplayed "Whiter Shade of Pale", and you gotta like that!

© 2000 - John Sekerka