Asia Live
at Royal Oak Music Theatre, Detroit (Suburb), Michigan. USA.
November 1st,
2012
Asia is a
band, where each musician has so much history, so much so that I could easily
fill a whole page just on that alone.
So, to
keep it more to the point, especially keeping that thought in mind, for those
that really don’t know who’s in Asia – Where have you been for the past 30
years!? – the band is made up today, of four superstar status musicians.
John
Wetton (King Crimson, Uriah Heep, Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music, UK, Wishbone Ash) on
Bass / Lead Vocals, Steve Howe (Yes, GTR) on Guitars / B.Vocals, Carl Palmer
(Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Atomic Rooster, 3 (Three), Qango) a phenomenal
drummer extraordinaire and the perhaps least known, yet perhaps most talented
(Ouch! I’m going to get some stick for that I’m sure!) is Geoff Downes
(Buggles, Yes, Trapeze, Icon, Qango) on Keyboards / B.Vocals.
This is
the definitive Asia line that started it all in 1982, with the very first
self-titled debut and the second release 'Alpha.'
After
that, various Asia albums were released with many different members, but one
constant being Geoff Downes.
In 2006
all four of the original members reunited and have been together since, whilst
all carrying on with their other projects too.
Today the
band are out touring in support of ‘XXX’ signifying the band’s 30th
Anniversary and they made a stop in Royal Oak, Michigan, a suburb that’s kind
of headed on the north west side of the city and it’s a pretty nice area.
Royal Oak
Music Theatre, which was opened back in 1928, is a pretty nice smaller size
venue holding around 1700 capacity.
So to the
show, there was strict instructions given to all security – As I heard while
standing in line to get my ticket - that there was to be ‘NO photography during
the bands set.’ When I got to the box office, no photo pass … Uh oh!
So round
the back of the venue I went, seeking out someone to put me in touch with tour
manager, who I’d been told I could go to if there were troubles at the box
office. This took some time and I thought I’d miss the start of the show, as
thirty minutes passed.
Still, it
happened in the end - You lot think this reviewing lark is a walk in the park
huh?! – although the amount of security that kept grabbing me saying ‘no
photo’s’ was just crazy, at least five members of the venue security hassled
me. Ah well …
OK now,
really, to the show!
The band
hit the stage around 8.30pm and continued until around 10.20pm, lucky us, they
played a good mix of material – In my opinion. – covering so much of their back
catalogue and included a track that was originally only released as a ‘B’ side
to 'Only Time Will Tell,’ which incidentally was the song they started with!
It was a
huge hit single back in the day that became very popular in those early days of
MTV. Such a great song!
My only
gripe on the show itself was that the vocals seemed to come through just a tad
muffled, but the music throughout … Great!
New track,
‘Face on the Bridge’ was next, with a tasty solo from Steve Howe, it’s a great
track as are they all on the album, go on, go and check it out!
Geoff Downes, the keyboard maestro - Photo: Alun Williams
‘Time
Again’ from the debut release was next and what’s this? The lighting seemed to
be a lot brighter …
Hmm, I
guess perhaps this ties in with only allowing photographers to shoot the first
three songs and no flash allowed.
Ed’s note:
Incidentally folks, that is standard press / PR protocol at any gig covered.
Something
else I noticed during this song was that for the most part Geoff Downes with
his three racks of keyboards, had his back to us, with the forth side open while
playing with one hand on one keyboard and the other on any one of the many
others. Well now, he seemed to turn and face the crowd, while playing either
sets of keys to his right and left and his back to the third rack in between.
Bummer! When I tried to snap him in the first three songs, I was clearly too slow.
Bummer! When I tried to snap him in the first three songs, I was clearly too slow.
Still, the
music is wonderful!
‘Tomorrow
the World’ from ‘XXX’ is next and it’s the album’s opening track. I just love
it, the way it builds from the gentle intro to how it just grows and grows in
classic Asia style. The new album, really does seem to be a great return to the
band’s classic early sound.
Next John
Wetton introduces ‘a track that Steve Howe and I wrote, before the first album
was released, that the powers that be didn’t think should be included.’ This is
‘Ride Easy’ the song that was the ‘B’ side to the ‘Only Time Will Tell’ single.
I remember
it well and it’s great to hear it again after all these years.
John
Wetton then introduces Steve Howe’s solo spot, as Steve grabs a chair and parks
himself at the front of the stage with an acoustic guitar in hand and proceed
to go through a series of acoustic arrangements, one I believe was a Vivaldi
piece.
All nicely
done, but I’m really not familiar with his solo acoustic works.
Around ten
minutes on, Steve then wraps his spot up and then introduces ‘John Wetton and
Geoff Downes are now going to play some different versions of new songs.’
This is
just Geoff’s keyboards and John simply doing vocals and first up is ‘I Know How
You Feel’ another from the latest ‘XXX’ release.
Sounds
really nice too!
Steve Howe, so serious ... Great player! - Photo: Alun Williams
Then John
asks the crowd if we would join in on the chorus of this next song and it’s
‘Don’t Cry,’ from the second album ‘Alpha.’
Fun stuff
as John encourages the crowd to start clapping in the chorus and sing-along and
looks like he’s having fun as well!
The whole
band returns to the stage for another gem off the first album, ‘Cutting It
Fine,’ magic stuff!
Sounds
great, although I would say that when it gets to the section where it’s just
Geoff on the keys, he was clearly keeping both hands busy, but I could hear
more …
Not sure
if Carl Palmer was playing something too, as when the military snare piece was
heard, he had his back to the crowd, so who knows, just didn’t look like he was
visibly moving, to be playing anything though?
‘Holy War’
from the last album ‘Omega’ and I love this song, although perhaps it was a
little lost on the crowd, as a few of the people I spoke with only seemed to be
aware of the hits. Shame … Sounded good to me guys!
It’s another
of their songs where Carl Palmer really gets to shine and shone he most
certainly does, before the drum master then proceeds to continue alone in his
solo spot.
The guy is
simply amazing, truly so … I know as a drummer I am biased, but nonetheless I
felt the audience was equally inspired too!
I wish I
could’ve videoed it, phenomenal!
Both hands
and feet do so much and I particularly love the part where he’s just going
around the cymbals and while one hand continues playing, the other throws the
drumstick onto his large ride cymbal, to roll back down to him. He catches it
and repeats this from time to time. Nice touch Carl, but he really is something
else and all I can say is, ‘… And how!!!?!’
When he’s
done, he introduces the next song ‘An Extraordinary Life,’ from the ‘Phoenix’
album, which was the band’s first reunion album. It’s a really nice tune and
the crowd does appreciate it.
‘Open Your
Eyes’ is up next from the ‘Alpha’ album and it closes with a massive climax
with every one of them getting their moment to shine once again. Great, great
stuff indeed!
This wraps
up the set and they leave the stage, but the crowd is yelling for more and we’re all
happy when they come back to play out with ‘Sole Survivor’ and closing number
‘Heat Of The Moment,’ which at the very end, John pushes the crowd to
sing-along with too, after they’ve put their instruments down and come and take
their bows.
Happy 30th
Anniversary Asia, now what next?!
