Went to the first show at the Turning Point. Terry really put on a good show. Standout songs were
"Without Expression," "Brave New Awakening," "River,"
"Waterloo Sunset" and "Baby It's You"
Terry was in great voice. The venue's intimacy really
made him connect with the audience. The backing band were also extremely good.
One gripe: He still insists on playing that old Martin of his, which he had a terrible time keeping in tune. I wish he'd play a more dependable axe.
Other than that, a great experience. John Carroll
I was at the Turning Point gig at the start of this tour in New York and I have to admit that none of the comments I've read about the subsequent UK gigs, both pro and con, come as a surprise to me. And, to the people who argue for a more "professional" presentation I say that I sympathize with your position. Those thoughts came to mind a few times during the gig I saw, BUT, they were overwhelmed by the same realization that I had 30 years ago: that I was seeing an original talent doing something so unique and with so great a passion that all conventional "showbiz" or "entertainment" standards for live performance were rendered irrelevent. What I saw was a musical performance that was, indeed, uneven but that reminded me of Lester Young's famous comment : "If you're getting all the notes right, you're not really trying". What I saw was a performance that was all about human communication, passion, and taking chances and if "human" means flawed and imperfect then, yes, this performance was definitely that but it also fulfilled all of my expectations for what I was really there to see and that was an attitude towards reality that isn't about image or untruth. What I saw was Terry Reid as he is now in the year 2005 and aside from the obvious shortcomings, the essential talent, warmth, passion, and charisma that inspired me in 1974 was still very much intact. The people who love Terry's music aren't about to be turned off by a bad gig or an off performance, because I bet that there were times during these shows that even the most disappointed audience members had a glimpse of something that they rarely see: the real thing. And, for the record, the audience in New York was thoroughly entertained and charmed by Terry Reid that night.. Allen Mathes
Some photos from The Turning Point , click for larger versions |
