Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
The last time Roger made a visit to Liverpool, not only did he give the performance that was filled with humour, grace and style but he left with the glowing ringing endorsement afforded to so very few by the discerning city audience, that Roger is a Scouser. Many musicians and actors, artists and performers, from every sphere and walk of life come to Liverpool, very few walk away with that type of praise echoing in their ears, especially from a Liverpool Philharmonic Hall audience.
As Roger walks onto the stage for only his second visit to the city since the days when Supertramp were one of the foremost groups in the U.K., the love that the audience felt for the quiet, dignified man of rock and prog was palpable, it was in the atmosphere ready to breathed in, savoured as if tasting the finest malt whisky and exhaled carefully as if not to spoil the aroma.
In today’s ever increasing commercialism that saturates television and makes young would be singers believe all they have to do is turn up on a stage somewhere, impress a judge and their future is set for life is disheartening. To witness one of the legends of rock continue to ply his trade, to give the kind of performance that melts hearts and builds proper realistic goals dreams is one of the best groundings a musician can have. The admiration is sincere, the applause after each song is from the heart and the respect he garners as he gently acknowledges how he got to where he is with hard work and talent is one in the eye for the those in charge of certain television programmes where they believe that to be liked means having the looks a plastic Adonis, manufactured and malleable.
Alongside his fantastic band, Roger Hodgson took the audience down certain paths of memory, of songs that are the backdrop to many people’s lives and in which for all the period they were on stage never faltered or sounded anything other than fresh, life affirming and musically generous.
Whether it was the openers of Take The Long Way Home or School, the beauty of Lovers in the Wind or Lord is it Mind, the brevity, anger, frustraion and lyrically sublime Breakfast in America, the incredible Death Or A Zoo, Hide in Your Shell or Fool’s Overture, this was a night where once again, no matter what, Roger couldn’t put a foot wrong in a city that seems to have become very dear to his heart. His love of the music from the city is no secret and as part of the second half set; he performed a great version of The Beatles song Across The Universe to great acclaim and rapturous applause.
The evening wouldn’t be the same without some of the Supertramp hits for which Roger made his name as young singer/songwriter and in the tracks Dreamer, Two Of Us, the excellent Give A Little Bit and the sensational closing track It’s Raining Again, the audience wrapped a metaphorical pair of arms around Mr. Hodgson, not wanting him to leave the stage and to thank him with a hefty cheer of appreciation for a truly remarkable evening.
One of the legends of British music, Roger Hodgson just gets better and better with every live act, an inspirational musician who gives all to his fans.
Ian D. Hall