U.K. Spring 2001
Andy Powell - guitar, vocals
Ben Granfelt - guitar, vocals
Bob Skeat - bass, backing vocals
Ray Weston - drums
2001 marked yet another change for the lineup of Wishbone - a new guitar player! The shelf-life of each incarnation of the band in the past ten years or so seems to be about three years each, with of course Andy being the anchor of each unit. This guy just refuses to give up the ghost in the face of numerous challenges, giving us fans a fresh slant on Ash music every couple years. Keep 'em coming I say - sure doesn't get stale this way. The core of every lineup for a guitar oriented band of course is the guitar section, and I think the past two lineups with Roger Filgate and then Mark Birch more than lived up to the thirty years plus of Wishbone heritage. But this new lineup has the promise to be really something special!
As you may already know by now, Mark Birch has moved on to other things (a stable job in the computer industry with music taking a back seat) and we fans thank Mark for his Ash contributions the past couple of years and wish him all the best. Hope to see you again at a future Ash convention or reunion, Mark. We fans have two albums to remember Mark's phase of the band, BARE BONES and the new, most excellent live album, LIVE DATES VOLUME III. ROCK ON!
The new guitar foil for Andy to spar with is none other than Finland's finest, our friend from numerous gigs in supprt of Wishbone Ash with his own band, Ben Granfelt. Ben is an incredibly talented guitar slinger in his own right and his style fits in with the band perfectly. He will add a bit of a heavier edge, as well as pushing Andy to new heights with guitar jamming to keep him awake while playing the old standbys. Welcome Ben! Don't forget Ben, that I have your signature on a "document" committing you to a minimum three-year stay!!!!
When I heard about the lineup change for the Spring tour I made plans to travel over to the UK to catch a couple gigs. I saw five shows in all, Northampton, Bilston, Chelmsford, Norwich, and Derby and was blown away. Not only has Ben really added a new fresh dimension to the guitar assault, but the whole band seemed newly energized. The rhythm section of Bob and Ray sounded better than ever. Despite some rough edges the band pulled through in flying colors and seemed to be having a great time up on stage, jamming away in spots. A real treat for the ears, I am so glad I caught this lineup while it is still young, before it gets too polished.
The biggest thrills on this tour were of course music-related, with a revamped set list that included some songs I'm not sure if I've ever heard live, the most exciting for me being "THE WAY OF THE WORLD", as the first encore. I think the abbreviation for this song is W.O.W. and it is a fitting acronym. And as an extra special treat, the band played Ben's song "HOME" (from his E.G.O. album) with an Ash flair of twin harmony guitar parts, and the super suprise of a new song called "FAITH, HOPE, LOVE" which Ben had as an unfinished song in his back catalog. This song is tremendous! Hopefully a harbinger of things to come with a new Wishbone studio album by this lineup.
So without further ado, here are some shots from the tour. Unfortunately the film place lost some of my rolls, but here's some that didn't disappear into the land of the lost.
- The Soundhaus, Northampton, England 5/19/01 -
This was one happening town; I've never seen so many people out roaming the streets barhopping anywhere in my entire life! Maybe it was some special occasion on that Saturday night, I dunno...
- The Robin R'n'B 2, Bilston (near Wolverhampton/Dudley), England 5/20/01 -
This was a pretty nice small club, very similar in layout to its partner the Robin in Dudley, except that this one is not a dump. Even harder to find than the Robin in Dudley though. If not for the local I met in a gas station whilst trying to find this place I'd probably still be driving around in circles. Never would have found it without following him - thanks dude!
- The Waterfront, Norwich, England 5/22/01 -
This was a pretty cool place, in a neat town. Run by the local college students for the University. I got some nice photos in soundcheck and hanging out but no shots during the show - unfortunately I missed half the show trying to get something to eat, thanks to a snafu by the folks running things regarding getting the band/crew food delivered on time. That's rock'n'roll life on the road - grab a meal while you can or go hungry!
- The Flower Pot, Derby, England 5/23/01 -
I thought this was a pretty neat little town. Supposedly in the the most haunted shire in England. My hotel even had a ghost! Thankfully the ghost didn't pick on me when I came back to the hotel at the end of the night; it sure was spooky though, walking those very old deserted hallways knowing there was a ghost lurking about.
The concert photos below are from soundcheck. It was too crowdy, hot, and sweaty to try to get any shots during the show. People were packed in like sardines in this small pub.
These live photos from several venues courtesy Alan Pye and his new digital camera.
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