Review: Status Quo, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
It may have not quite been the world they were rocking – but the classic 1970s line up of veteran rock group Status Quo thrilled the Civic Hall during a triumphant set.
After drummer John Coghlan and bassist Alan Lancaster departed in the 1980s, Quo diehards feared they would never see the group all back together again.
But with old issues settled the "Frantic Four" have re-united, with the pair re-joining Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt for a one-off tour.
Quo took to the stage of Wolverhampton's sell-out concert last night with a trio of songs sung by the now grey-haired Lancaster.
It took a while for the band to get into full gear but by the time the power chords of the classic Forty Five Hundred Times chimed out the audience, including plenty of veterans in denim, went wild.
Quo avoided most of their singles in the reunion set delivered in front of a trademark wall of Marshall amps, concentrating mainly on live favourites and bluesy and hard rocking album tracks from their 1970s heyday.
Is There a Better Way, Little Lady, Most of the Time, Big Fat Momma and Rain, driven by the twin guitars of 63-year-old Rossi – in trademark waistcoat – and Parfitt, 64, went down well with their faithful Black Country fans.
The main 75-minute set closed with a terrific performance of Down Down before the live classic of Roadhouse Blues. The audience loudly demanded the return of the foursome and they were rewarded with an encore of Don't Waste My Time and Bye Bye Johnny.
After the show fans were well satisfied at seeing their reunited idols.
Paul Morris, aged 50, of Dudley, who bought a £20 double CD of the show straight afterwards, said: "I've followed Quo for 30 years and seen them about 20 times.
"I'd never seen the original four and they were very good. I'd really looked forward to going, but they were not as raunchy as I remembered."
Richard Lacon, 45, of Dawley, Telford, a veteran of 45 Quo gigs, was also seeing the classic line-up for the first time and said: "I'm in heaven. I wanted to see them play Forty Five Hundred Times and Roadhouse Blues – and they did."
Steve Roper, 52, of Sedgley, who has been a fan for 40 years, said: "I would have preferred to see them do more of the singles like Caroline, but they played some of their rockier stuff and they were pretty tight. It was just a pity the sound wasn't better."
John Corser
