A
concert review by Linda Welch:
All around Vienna, deep in
snow, there were posters advertising the 'Radio Wien -
Oldie Nacht'. Thank goodness they had got the most
important band's name right! SAILOR was the first name on
all the posters. No sign of Slayer tonight! The Wiener
Stadthalle is a huge venue and stadium D, where the Oldie
Night was playing, must  have held about 3,000 or 3,500
people, and it was full...
First act was Chris Andrews. I had never heard of him,
but he wrote some great songs for other people in the
60s, and he sang those songs to a backing tape. He was
very good, and he got a good reception - but that's not
who we all wanted to see. Next on stage was The Glitter
Band. I don't know how well-known they were on the
Continent in the 70s but in England they were huge, and
they played a great set... They didn't seem to want to
leave the stage, and the audience was so enthusiastic I
thought, 'They have to bring on SAILOR next!' Sadly, they
didn't. Mungo Jerry were next and, although they were
good, they really weren't in the style of the evening.
They did get everyone on their feet, though, and they
were a pretty good 'warm-up' act for what we had all come
to see... The DJs from Radio Wien came on stage to
announce that, after a very short break, SAILOR would be
next. That was the cue for most of the people to use the
break to get a drink so they could be back in their
places for SAILOR. It was MY cue to jump over the seats
where I was sitting and run down to the front and stand
as close as I could to the stage.... After all, that was
my reason for travelling 1400 km from Southampton to
Vienna!
I had all good intentions of writing down which songs
they played, but it was impossible to think of anything
but the music. I was surrounded by so many genuine fans
who were as thrilled as I was to be there - all singing,
all dancing, all having a really great time. They played
"A Glass Of Champagne", "Panama",
"Karma Chameleon", "The Old Nickelodeon
Sound", "Vera From Veracruz", "La
Cumbia", "The Secretary", "Girls,
Girls, Girls", "Give Me Shakespeare", a
reprise of "Champagn"e.. and then they
disappeared! Everyone around me shouted for more, and I
knew that SAILOR would give everyone what they wanted....
Grant came back on stage, giving his all on the drums in
his version of "Catwalk Girls" while the others
changed into their uniforms for "In The Navy"
and "The Full Monty" ("Hot Stuff").
We all whistled and shouted and sang for more after they
had half-stripped but the DJs from Radio Wien came back
on stage to announce the next band - the Spider Murphy
Gang.
While the Spider Murphy Gang were playing, SAILOR were
busy signing autographs and selling out of DVDs, CDs and
tee-shirts at the side of the stage - 'Links von der
Bühne' as Peter said in a pretty good accent ... So of
course I went 'Links von der Bühne' to say hello....
Rob asked me, 'Was it worth it?' (We were on the same
flight over from Heathrow, so he knew I'd come to Vienna
especially for the concert.) My answer was, 'YES!' Even
if they give us the show we expect, know and love, each
concert is different, because there are different fans
every time, and the atmosphere is differently charged. On
Friday night in Vienna I was surrounded by fans of my own
age (from the 70s) and fans from the 90s... and next to
me was a woman in her 40s with her 2 sons, aged between
10 - 13. Those little boys were having a fantastic time,
too. SAILOR isn't an 'Oldie' band - SAILOR is timeless
and special... special to everyone who hears them, in so
many different ways and for so many different reasons...
Anyone who has ever listened to their music will
understand....
Copyright by Linda Welch, 29 October 2003
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