Oh, you would like to know some more about TYA’s festival gig here in Sweden (smile).

OK, here we go.

TYA had a short reunion, "just for the summer festival gigs." They played in Brazil and Denmark, then they came to visit us here in Sweden on June 14, 1997. I was very happy about that because I had not seen them live since 1973 (or Alvin since 1974, with Alvin Lee & Co.).

I would like to tell you what the "Festival Paper" said before the show:

Who doesn’t remember TYA’s gig at the Woodstock festival and that they ended the festival with "Going Home ‘by helicopter?’" Since the gig at Woodstock, the song "I’m Going Home" has been their trademark. To see Ten Years After with the living legend Alvin Lee on Guitar at the Karlshamn Rock Festival was for many a dream that came true. Alvin Lee became very early a famous guitar player who was very fast; a sixties version of what Yngwie Malmsteen is today. From 1967 to 1975, Ten Years After released 11 albums, then Alvin started a solo career.

In 1983 Alvin put TYA back together again with the original members for a gig at the Marquee Club, which was celebrating its 25th year. In 1988 Alvin put TYA together again, this time permanently, and they recorded the "About Time" album. TYA are still playing together, and with the original members who are: Alvin Lee on guitar and vocals, Chuck Churchill on key- boards, Leo Lyons on bass, and Ric Lee on drums. We all like to hear the song, "I’m Going Home," even if it is without the "helicopter" this time.

Please note, this was exactly what the paper wrote, with their spelling.

Now, my report:

We arrived at the Festival at about three o’clock. In the paper they gave out at the festival before the show, it said that TYA were going to play at 8:15 PM. But they had changed the schedule, so TYA was the main act at the festival (and they should be). They ended up the festival, starting to play at 11:15 PM, and playing until 1:00 AM.

My legs were really shaking before they entered the stage (yeah, during the hole gig as well, big smile). It felt like I was 18 years old again. We just heard from the PA system, "Please welcome Ten Years After," and there they were right in front of me on stage. I just heard Alvin say, "Do you want some Rock & Roll!?" Then they opened the gig with "Rock & Roll Music to the World." Everything just sounded very good; the sound, the instruments, yeah, everything.

They looked very happy, too, all four of them. Especially Alvin, he had a real nice smile on his lips the hole gig. He was really rocking around on the stage.

Alvin played a Gibson ES335, but not his old one. This one didn’t have a single coil in the pick guard, so it was one of his other 335’s. The 335 was almost original, except for a tremolo system; I think it was a Khaler system, but I’m not sure. I could not see it so well. He also used his usual "two Marshall stacks."

Leo played a Warwick bass and two stacks of Ampeg amps and speakers. Chick played his familiar Hammond B3 and a Korg keyboard (I’m sorry I could not see which model it was). Rick played on Sonor drums.

The set list was, in order:

Rock & Roll Music To The World/ Hear Me Calling/ Love Like A Man/ Good Morning Little Schoolgirl/ Hobbit/ Slow Blues In ‘C´/ Johnny B. Goode/ Victim Of Circumstance/ I Can’t Keep From Crying Sometimes/ and I’m Going Home

Then they came back to do some extra songs: Choo Choo Mama/ Rip It Up/ Sweet Little Sixteen

I liked the gig a lot; and so did all of the other 6000 in the audience who were there to see them.

I would like to put out the only newspaper review I have found. It says:

What does he do to have this power on the stage? The fast guitar player Alvin Lee started Ten Years After in Nottingham in 1961. The international break came in 1969 at the Woodstock festival, and the band had the biggest time until 1972, then Alvin started his solo career. But this Saturday evening, more then 35 years later, Ten Years After with the original members ended up the festival at Karlshamn.

Note, this is the only review I have found. I have translated it exactly.

The bands who played at the festival were, in order:

Simon Bolivar (Sw), Overdrive (Sw), Mick Taylor (UK), Innocent Blood (DK), The Blues Band (UK), Dublin Fair (Sw), Molly Hatchet (US), Led Zeppelin Jam (DK), and then finally, the one and only, Alvin Lee with Ten Years After.

Special thanks to my very good friend, Maurice N. "Buzz" Anderson who helped me to edit my Swenglish, and many other things. Thank you, Buzz.

Best to all of You and Keep on Rockin’!

Benny

© 1997 Please feel free to E-mail me with any coments or questions. Benny Back. to my Home Page.

Alvin Lee: Discography 1: Discography 2: Discography 3: Videos: Alvin's Setup:

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