Peter Green and Band Paradiso Amsterdam 21.2.2009

[Ms Moose]

I have not been able to record the show, but I really hope someone else did! IT WAS GREAT! I am happy I travelled all the way to Amsterdam to attend to this occasion. The concert lasted about one hour and ten minutes. The band was late because they had not been able to find their way around the streets of Amsterdam.

Unfortunately I could not keep track of all the numbers, and I can't remember them all (maybe somebody else can fill in here) because I was too busy listening to the music (I am sure you get this doodyhead), (but amongst others) they played:

Blues Don't Change (the first number) - Canvey Island Session arrangement.
Some Hank Marvin piece that I don't remember the title of, but played brillianly by Green - very very good, clear tone and determined..
On The Hook
I was A Fool To Love You - A Billie Holiday song?
Long Grey Mare - PG had trouble with the harmonica there. They had trouble with the sound some of the time. The sound technician sometimes held his head in his hands!
Albatross Lovely tone, but played a bit too fast for my liking.
Still beautiful!
The Stumble - in a much more vital version than with Splinter Group. Great! Closer to the original version in my opinion.
Black Magic Woman - the audience sang along and knew every word. He seemed a bit taken aback by this...
The Thrill Has Gone - Canvey Island arrangement. Beautiful - "B.B. eat your heart out" - I really mean this and I love B.B. King! A very sad slow version. It was the last number before the encore which I don't remember.

Peter Green sat down during the whole of the show, but compared to five years ago with S.G. he was in a much more central position. He didn't have any guitar changes at all. His singing is much better too. Most of the time he seemed to enjoy playing immensely - and we were treated to those moments of pure bliss. Sometimes he seemed to get lost though, and loose contact with the core within himself where the music comes from. When that happened the other musicians seemed very concerned. Mike Dodd had a kind of "Master of Ceremonies" position and helped PG overcome his insecurities. He was doing a great job getting PG back on the right track when this happened, having eyecontact with him all the time. The 'down-side' of this was that the music sometimes were played too fast, because Mike Dodd acted as a kind of energy booster

I stood very close to the stage and was able to watch the interactions very closely. PG does not seem to be pressured to do the FM stuff (which the audience cried out for), and with the help of the band (and especially Mike Dodd) you got the feeling that you were participating in a session with friends practicing. It was very laid back in a way.
Matt Radford played up-right bass (do you call it that?) and Geraint Watkins played organ beautifully giving the whole show a godspell-like feeling. He is really really good.

The Amsterdam audience loved Peter Green. Mike Dodd commented at one point that he would love to take us with him on the rest of the tour. The audience loved PG when he goofed as well as when he was brilliant - just like it should be.

A great show - and this was only the second show of the tour!!!
I heard rumours that they are planning a small tour of Engalnd in april. I hope everybody here will get a chance to see and hear Peter Green and his Band.

Ms Moose