If this short and sweet tour was bookended by a couple of false starts, it demonstrated the  easy charm of the bandleader.  “Is there anyone here from Bolton?” she enquired as she marked time.  “Is there anyone who went to school with me?  I’m serious!” And we almost got an impromptu version of ‘Monster Mash’.  At the Citadel, the gig was delayed whilst Annie Haslam sorted out some vocal/reverb issues but things finally settled down with opener ‘Prologue’.

The gig – promoted by Classic Rock Society – demonstrated that you don’t always need a support band; not least it means that the main band leave the soundcheck in the knowledge that everything is just right, secondly it might allow a longer main set.  And the choice of support was questionable to say the least with Polish rocker Agnieszka Swita not really complementing one of prog’s most venerable.

It seems crazy that Renaissance may not have toured in the UK since the 1980s, only coming back together in 2009 and then only with the late Michael Dunford and Annie from the “classic” line-up.

The rest of the band includes her long-time musical director Rave Tesar and newcomer Mark Lambert (guitars) together with Frank Pagano (drums),  David J Keyes (bass) and Tom Brislin (keys).  They do great justice to the Renaissance canon with the expected highlights ‘Mother Russia’ and ‘Ashes Are Burning’ well balanced by the more recent material from ‘Symphony Of Light’.

And then there is that wonderful voice, unchanged through four decades.  If Renaissance reflect the dawn of symphonic prog and gentler times, it is still possible to trace Annie Haslam’s lineage in some of our contemporary female fronted bands.  At times – on pieces like ‘Symphony Of Light’ and ‘The Mystic And The Muse’ – you could imagine Annie vamping it up in some dark Hammer Horror – circa. 1972 of course – or am I thinking of Ingrid Pitt?

One hopes that they do return to the UK soonest, but perhaps in a slightly more opulent venue than the Citadel.  They should really be savoured in fully seated surroundings and of course with the appropriate amount of reverb on the vocals.

1.  Prologue  2. Carpet Of The Sun  3. Ocean Gypsy  4. Running Hard  5. Grandine Il Vento 6. Symphony Of Light  7. Northern Lights  8. The Mystic And The Muse  9. Mother Russia  Encore: 10.  Ashes Are Burning

Review and photos by David Randall

David Randall presents ‘Assume The Position’ on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio every Sunday at 22:00 GMT.

Gig review (The Stables, Wavendon, 14 April)

---

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

---

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

---

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)

---

---

Popular (last 10 days)

---