Roxy Music

Well beforehand I wasn’t sure whether to see them or go off for some food before nightfall. My reasoning went well they’d been in the industry for ages they must be accomplished musicians so go and see them. Around me the generation who grew up with them were excited and clearly relishing the moment.

Roxy Music took to the stage, there were a lot of them I counted eleven in all including backing singers and as they start ‘Street Life’ – thankfully my wife is a fan so I knew some of the names as well as a few other tracks from, I’m assured, their early albums.

Brian’s distinctive voice and the musicianship made it acceptable festival fayre. But I have to say I stood through most of it bemused. Insidiously however, the violin and drums had got me tapping my feet. Once a guitar and saxophone had been added along with a pounding drum beat, and some twiddly synth noises I was reminded of Hawkwind.

But then after spiralling for a couple of tracks it suddenly becomes straight jacketed and rather middle of the road, but the lyrics are still well crafted. Brian’s fox-hunting son is in the pit and getting grief off the security for standing too close to the barrier.

The sound is big enough to be able to listen to though few people seem to know the words and clearly the band are enjoying being on stage and play their instruments with awesome technical ability. Then it happens they actually play a song I know – ‘Oh Yeah (On the radio)’ and as I open my mouth to join in it seems like I’m not the only one.

Then as we head into the night we are treated to a nice floaty guitar number. The guitar and extended drum solos are great and Chris Spedding on guitar is at least as nice as Dave Gilmour! In fact the track does sound like it’s all gone Pink Floyd. Then it gets even busier on stage as a dancer appears and Brian moves to the harmonica and were treated to a driving beat as we head into the night with a song about dancing.

I find out later that much of this sound is Eno inspired and that my earlier comparison to Hawkwind makes sense because Hawkwind toured for a while as Roxy’s support act and I can’t help but think of Roxy Music as Hawkwind Light.

Brian asks us to put our hands in the aire, we do and then sing our hearts out to John Lennon’s Jealous Guy. The impressive light show and Virginia Plain has all the flashing/glowing things in the air and is one for their fans. It’s the end and no 80s kitch stuff to be seen! No ‘Avalon’ or ‘Lets Stick Together’ but there’s an encore to come despite over running. Guess Brian has more weight than Travis.

The first track is ‘Love Is The Drug’ ah well and then two showgirls are now added to the burgeoning stage after the band say they have to go only to return on stage seconds later to ‘Do the Strand.’

So overall a performance which impressed me more than a little, having only really heard the Eighties songs I was surprised how much better early Roxy Music actually was, and nice of them to show us that side of them here at the Isle of Wight.

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