On and on they go, reports Rachel Watts.
With 2013’s album Bula Quo being the last release of any new Status Quo material, and currently on tour to support yet another greatest hits album, you could be forgiven for thinking that Status Quo might have become a bit jaded by now.
Even for the most loyal Quo fans, the last few years have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. From the excitement and smaller venues of the 2013 and 2014 Frantic Four reunion tours; which saw the original members reunited to perform classic 1970’s tracks, to the release in October 2014 of classic reworked Quo songs on Aquostic – Stripped Bare; whilst not to every fans taste, certainly their most successful release in many years.
However, from the moment Status Quo opened the concert with the usual crowd pleaser, Caroline, it was clear that jaded was the very last thing they were. As the band thundered through classic Quo hit after hit, it was clear they were having the time of their lives, with Rossi on top form and Parfitt’s vocals sounding better than they have in a long time.
Quo have never been ones to mess around with the set list too much, but there were a few subtle changes since they were in Birmingham last year, we lost Hold You Back and Oh Baby, but gained The Wanderer. Burning Bridges came into the main show, with Paper Plane opening the encore for a change.
This tour may have been the ideal opportunity to drop The Oriental and Creeping up on You, both from the 2002 Heavy Traffic album, especially as it’s a Greatest Hits album, but for some reason they didn’t, and the crowd seemed to appreciate them.
Gerdundula has been a staple part of a Quo show for many years, with Rossi, Parfitt, Bown and Edwards all on guitar. With the arrival of new drummer Leon Cave, the song has been given a fresh lease of life as he comes front of stage to add an impressive drum beat to the track. Becoming the fifth Quo drummer upon joining the band in 2013, replacing Matt Letley, Cave seems to have revitalised the band, and has them matching his youthful energy. His impressive drum solo leading into Roll Over Lay Down certainly shows off his skill and talent, and proving more than capable of doing justice to the much loved Quo classics.
All in all, a truly great night of Quo classics, performed by a band that seems to be having as much fun on stage as the people in the crowd; and a band that don’t appear to be showing any signs of stopping, as they approach their 50th Anniversary.
For further details of Accept No Substitute! – The Definitive hits, the tour and 2016 dates released so far, go to the official site, www.statusquo.co.uk.