Words by Jim Rowland. Photos by Neil Henderson.
Although I’ve liked Supertramp’s records for a fair few years now, last year’s Stone Free Festival was the first time I’d managed to see Supertramp legend Roger Hodgson live. In a succinct hour’s set that night, he knocked out classic after classic and proceeded to steal the show. So, having dipped my toe firmly in the water then, tonight gives me the opportunity to dive in headfirst for the full Roger Hodgson concert experience in the spectacular surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall.
With the stage decorated in tropical plants, Hodgson arrives on stage, resplendent in trademark white suit, to a huge ovation. Not many artists can open a two hour concert with songs of the calibre of ‘Take The Long Way Home’, ‘School’ and ‘Breakfast In America’, but such is the strength of Roger Hodgson’s catalogue that he can afford to do just that. The two hour show is split into two halves, and largely celebrates the incredible body of work Hodgson created with Supertramp as well as dipping in to some of his finest subsequent solo efforts, particularly from the ‘Open The Door’ album. The ‘Breakfast In America’ album is not surprisingly well represented, with ‘Lord Is It Mine’ and ‘Child Of Vision’ featuring alongside that album’s big hitters, one of which, ‘The Logical Song’ closes the first set in sublime fashion. Elsewhere tracks like ‘Easy Does It’, ‘Sister Moonshine’, ‘Hide In Your Shell’, ‘If Everyone Was Listening’ and ‘Don’t Leave Me Now’ span the Supertramp years well.
It’s fair to say that a lot of people attending a Roger Hodgson concert would primarily be there for the Supertramp material, and be less familiar with Hodgson’s solo work, myself included. So the material on display from his 2000 album ‘Open The Door’ is hugely impressive. The Celtic flavoured ‘Along Came Mary’ is a delight, as is ‘Death and a Zoo’, but it’s ‘Say Goodbye’ that almost steals the show. The reason for this is that Hodgson scales the heights of the Albert Hall, through the audience behind the stage, to reach the huge pipe organ that has been there since the 1870’s, and probably not many rock fans at the Albert Hall have even noticed. It’s clearly a thrill for Hodgson to play it (he describes it as ‘bucket list’), and the song itself is worthy of the grandeur. It’s a moment many fans are talking about at the end of the show.
The closing stretch of the set finally sees the audience get to their feet, as ‘Dreamer’, for me one of the finest pop/rock songs ever written, is a delight, and ‘Fools Overture’, a real fan favourite, ends the set in epic prog style. With time ticking on, the band decide against walking off and then on again, and stay put for the encore of two more Supertramp big hitters in the shape of ‘Give A Little Bit’ and ‘It’s Raining Again’ which get the crowd clapping and singing along.
Roger Hodgson has a superb band behind him that really do these songs justice, performing them to perfection. A Hodgson concert is a masterclass in song writing quality. So many of the songs on display tonight transcend the name of Supertramp or Roger Hodgson – monumental songs like ‘Breakfast In America’, ‘Dreamer’, ‘The Logical Song’, ‘Take The Long Way Home’ and ‘Give A Little Bit’ are songs that so many people know and love without necessarily knowing who wrote or performed them. Fortunately for Roger Hodgson, they do enough to sell out two nights at the Royal Albert Hall. Long may he continue to do so. Outstanding.
PHOTO CREDIT: All photos © Neil Henderson/Über Rock. You can view our full gallery of photographs HERE.
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