VENUE SAGE, GATESHEAD
DATE 15/03/2023
That was our very first hit in Holland “T and the Flemish part of Belgium… maybe in Poland a little.”
Focus have just aced their 1971 single House Of The King, and their venerable leader Thijs van Leer is sketching the Dutch band’s gentle rise to fame. Now 75 and something of a ringer for the late horse-racing pundit John McCririck, van Leer looks a tad unsteady on his feet. But as with Focus’ 77-year-old drumming colossus Pierre van der Linden, his bounteous musical gift endures. Some punters have had tickets for this thwarted 50th anniversary show since 2021, so it’s a joy and a privilege to finally witness prog royalty in such an intimate setting. The live sound is perfect, and the Sage crowd…
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Prog (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 140