BOC: Paris concert review.

[MORIAUD]

Hello,

I finally managed to get to the BOC concert in Paris on Tuesday 14th. In spite
of the strikes (no train and no public transports), no tickets due to the post
strikes, in spite of the signature of the Bosnia treaty (Clinton and many other
presidents were in Paris this very day...) and in spite of the snow (I did 550
km from home on slippery roads). You really need to be a fan...

I was there two hours before the show hoping they would let me in for the
balance as the producer let me understand. But this was rubbish and I stayed
nearly two hours waiting in the cold with other fans. I had anyway the pleasure
to meet with other French fans. I met the 'president' of the French BOC fan
club (I didn't even know there was one) which name is Jean-Luc Carrier. He
lives in Toulouse (south of France). He was there with several friends. I must
confess that actually I thought I was a fan... But these guys know by heart
everything about BOC, every song, and they collect virtually everything.
Jean-Luc is a personal friend of Bolle and often speak to him on the phone. He
regularly publishes a little bulletin named "Blue Perl". He doesn't own a modem
yet and has no access to the Internet. So I will send him the FAQ and other
information I get from the net printed.

BOC should have taken the Eurostar train from London to Paris, but due to the
strike, they took the plane and arrived late. The show was due at 19:30 and
they only manage to arrive at around 17:30 in limousines. The doors opened at
17:45 and the opening band was a French 'celtic/hard rock/progressive/jazz'
type of band named "peter Alexander Band". Good sound, good players but well,
we were all waiting for BOC... Their show took 40 minutes. Then it took another
30 minutes for the sound check and balance...

I had the opportunity to meet Rick Downey at that time and asked him to tell
the band that we'd like to hear "Veterans of Psychic Wars". Very kindly he came
back to me five minutes later and told me "maybe, depending on their mood...".
I was surprised how cool this guy is.

The "Elysee Montmartre" is a small venue and was 3/4 full. I would say around
500-600 people were there, average age around 35! I met a guy who saw them
there in 75 ;-) Nice place anyway and lots of fans.

The play list was the following (as written by the sound engineer):

Stairways
DR Music
OD
ETI
Before the Kiss
See You in Black
Take me Away/Joan/Telepath
Cities
Last Days/Astro/Vets
In Thee
Me262/Bucks
Harvest moon
Burning
Zilla
Reaper
----------
D&B
Summer/Golden
Red&Black

Then came the so awaited moment:

A strange music made of a mix of classical music, drums, guitar, during one or
two minutes and here they are. What a shock to see Eric with short hairs, small
beard, all in black, and Buck so 'class'!

They started with "Stairway to the Stars", loud and clear, excellent sound.
Allen smoking at the keyboards. With that kind of intro., you know immediately
that the show will be good. Waooo.

Then "DR Music", a song I personally don't really like, but still a lot of
energy, particularly with Danny Miranda. This guy looks really different ;-).
What a contrast between Eric, Buck and Allen, and this guy... Buck is full of
energy, enjoying himself and just 'too easy'.

"OD'd..." was then played LOUD. Allen playing guitar too. Then Eric says that
they have something old to play too and then starts "ETI". Eric takes the micro
in his hands and is playing with it. Het then plays the keyboards. These guy
don't show their age on stage!

The guitar solo is quite poor on this one. At least I didn't like it because
it's too different from the record one... Buck looks quite happy anyway since
he raises his arm and fist like a victory sign at the end of the song...

I didn't know "Harvest Moon", that Buck sang, and I couldn't remember it...
Then came "Before the Kiss, full of energy, with a very good bass solo from
Dany. But still, the look of this guy is too different from the one of Eric and
Buck...

Then Eric introduces in French the 'new song' "See you in black". It's the
first time I hear that song. Well, it's not the kind of song I prefer from BOC.
But still, full of energy and they seem to enjoy playing it.

Allen then on keyboard for a loooong introduction that I thought the one of
"Joan Croawford". But no, it's "Take me Away". We quite didn't hear Eric during
this one... problem with his micro... forget this one...

One of the best one was "Flaming Telepaths"... The stroboscopic flashes on "and
the joke..." was great... Then a good one too "Cities of Flames..." and a
disillusion (at least for me): they played "Last Days..." but no "Veterans...".

Eric was on keyboards and Allen on guitar for this one.

Eric introduces in French "Une chanson de Allen Lanier du disque Mirrors (a
song written by A.L from the Mirror album)". They perform the 'acoustic'
version of "In Thee". Nice work.

I liked the two or three time Eric said "And now something completely
different" a la Monthy Pithons... This was time for a GREAT "Lip in the Hills".
Eric presented the bassist and the drummer (O'Reilly?) and the performed
"Burning for You", that he told was "from our last album"... and at the end
"we're still burning..."

A very 'soft' "Godzilla" followed also introduced in French by Eric.
Impressively good bass solo. Funny to see Allen talking, drinking and smoking
in the back... Then Eric and buck leave during a looooong drum solo. Well too
long for me and unimaginative, sorry.

Eric says he is happy to be in Paris the same day than the president of the
USA... And that they have to leave for Greece, "...may be in Taxi..."

The "Reaper" is just great. Perfect solo (from my point of view again)... and
this is it...

Only five minutes and they come back with "Me262", "Dominance &.." where it's
nice to see buck enjoying himself so much during the solo. Allen takes the
guitar again and they end with a speedy "The Red&...". Nice to see all them in
line...

Ending words in French "Au revoir..."

We had the opportunity to talk to the band after the show. I asked and
autograph to Eric on my FAQ ;-) He hesitated quite a lot before signing...
asking what this was and verifying that it was not a contract...;-) I was
surprised how cool these guys are too. Very nice with us, taking their time for
some photos... I was also surprised because they are very small men...

All in all it was a great show and I am so happy I could be there. I'am already
waiting for the next one. I hope that next year as Eric said...

This is it, thanks to be indulgent with my english...

Best regards,
A happy fan:


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Jean-Charles Moriaud                       Digital Equipment Corporation
Tel: +41 22 709 4979                                   12, av. des Morgines
Fax: +41 22 709 4140                                        1213 Petit-Lancy
INet: jean-charles.moriaud at geo.mts.dec.com                    Geneva
X.400: c=ch; a=400net; p=digital; o=digital; ou=geo      Switzerland
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