FROM OTTO at Groningen
MONDAY 23 OCT 2000

Just back from the concert of the year. Here is the set list

Electric Piano

Easy to Slip Away
Too Many of My Yesterdays
A Better Time
Touch and Go
Unrehearsed

Acoustic Guitar

-Few lines of Scarborough fair
Comfortable
Come Clean
Shingle Song
Like Veronica
Time for A Change
Primo on the Parapet
Electric Piano:

Bubble
Tango for One/Faculty X
Traintime
Stranger Still
First encore:

Refugees

Second encore:

Modern
Review

Hammill goes 2000

The first (to watched by me) concert in Groningen of Hammill in the new era was definetly dedicated to the nineties. The set comes as no surprise when you have seen the Italian info.

The ambience was perfect(about 200/250 people), Hammill (seemed) in a good mood and an Orchestra playing good and straight as always.

In the first piano-part the highlight was definetly "A better Time" with a chilling performance. When PH changed from piano to guitar he introduced a new folkduo and started singing acapella a few lines of "scarborough fair". In comparison to the piano-part the guitar-part was far more dynamic, altough a rest point was a dazzling performace of "Shingle Song" which PH started A-cappella.In the final part on piano he began with the introduction of Stuart Gordon, the orchestra.The set was ended with Hammill walking in to the audience quoting the last lines of " Stranger Still" with his voice "unplugged".

Groningen was gifted with two encores, first "Refugees" and the second encore was " Modern". By the introduction of "Refugees" PH mentioned the forthcoming box of VDGG and that he would not play in a band anymore altough he still would play the songs. The concert duration was in total abouth two hours.

Its needless to say that this was one of PH better concerts I have seen.

From Jaap K [ph7 List]

How in contrast was the concert in Groningen on 23 October. Also a rather new theatre. Comfortable chairs in a huge room. No stage. The distance between the performers and the first row was approximately 12 meters. I guess also about 150 people. Good acoustics as well.

Hammill had to fill this space with his songs. And how he did! Softly sung songs from the night before were brought with full power and energy.

This audience was as excited as the Tilburg-audience. Hammill introduced the first encore "Refugees" by announcing the forthcoming Van der Graaf CD Boxset and told that this band was the only one he could play in.