[ Post a Response | a messageboard for fans of Donny McLean ]
Posted by BillH on July 26, 2008, 4:17 pm
Don McLean in Turnhout, Belgium
25 July 2008
A glorious sunny day greeted Don to this sleepy Belgian town. Everything about the place seems unhurried and Don's laid back demeanour, and comments during the show, suggested that he and the band had enjoyed the experience immensely.
Having arrived in town the previous day I rose late and in the early afternoon I made my way to the town square where the performance was to take place. Activity was already underway to lay out the stage, and I retired to a convenient bar where I could keep a weather eye on the action whilst availing myself of the product of the country's famed brewing industry, all in the selfless cause of accurate reporting you understand.
Several pleasant drinks later, just as Don and the band took to the stage for a soundcheck, I met up with my good friend and fellow Scot Bill Nisbet and his son Ross and together we watched the shortish soundcheck, which would have been quicker still if anyone had known how to get Ton'y keyboards working! The band was as usual except for the substitution of Pat Severs by his twin brother Mike.
After a couple of tunes and jams Don pronounced himself satisfied and ready to eat. We were fairly glad to get out of the baking heat of the square so we had a beer (yes another one!) Then we wandered around town looking for a convenient eatery. predictably ending up virtually back where we started. On our wanders we saw Don being interviewed for TV on the gantry behind the stage.
We ate a pleasant meal and could hear the beginning of support act Nell's set. There sounded to be nothing there to really make us want to hurry, so we didn't emerge into the square until halfway through her show Her songs were a mixture of English covers and songs in another language, which may have been Flemish. The covers included the widely disparate 'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen and Dolly Parton's '9 to 5'. She sang, and played piano, well enough but I rather feel that a support act which needs 8 musicians is somewhat over-egging it. The crowd reacted to her set with mostly indifference – i thought she might be some local hero' off Belgium's Got Talent but this didn't seem to be the case.
Nell continued till around 9.30 and by the time the stage had been reorganised Don did not appear till 10 pm – I was worried that this would mean a short show but in fact we got about an hour and 50 minutes. Don started with some Buddy Holly but it is nice to report that neither Maybe Baby or Everyday made an appearance – we had a medley w hich included 'Crying, Waiting, Hoping' and 'Peggy Sue Got Married' and one other which eludes me right now.
The core of the set contained (in no particular order and not necessarily complete) – Crying, Jerusalem, Lotta Lovin, Headroom/Dreidel, Fashion Victim, In a Museum, Crossroads, Winterwood, Vincent, American Pie, Bronco Bill's Lament, Tulsa Time/Deep in the Heart of Texas and Lovesick Blues.
After the usual extended AP Don implied that he was going to finish with 'one for the King' and did his standard Elvis number. However he then decided to 'sit down and play a couple more' which turned out to be 'And I Love you So', a nice song which I assume is called 'A Hundred Years from Today' written by the composer who wrote 'Gone With the Wind' and 'The Wizard of Oz', a slow rendition of 'Magdalene Lane' which he described as a prequel to AP and finally 'Castles in the Air' to close the show not far shy of midnight.
It is hard to be specific on the numbers attending the show because it was free in a large open square. Several thousand were certainly there – I'd guess at least 5,000. Plenty alcohol was consumed and there was a pleasing party atmosphere. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, although a few might not have remembered in the morning! Don got a great reception at the end and was duly presented with a bunch of flowers by the male presenter which he looked suitably sheepish about. The show was filmed, I am assuming for TV since although it was shown on a screen at the side of the stage this alone seemed insufficient to justify the several cameras and effort involved.
All in all a great couple of days in a lovely location. Don commented with obvious sincerity on how much he had enjoyed it and he certainly looked totally relaxed. His voice was in excellent shape – he has shaken off the slight 'ragweed' which caused him to chew almost incessantly during last year's UK tour and the square's natural ampitheatre aspect enhanced the honeyed tones.
I am now on the Eurostar en route back to London ready to hotfoot it to Trowbridge tomorrow morning. Just another day in the life of your roving European Don reporter!! Look forward to seeing everyone in (hopefully) sunny Wiltshire, though I doubt the English beer can compete with the Belgian variety!
Bill Hamilton
Somehere approaching the Channel tunnel
Saturday, 26 July 2008
Message Thread:
« Back to thread