Re: TFI Review - Better Late Than Never

[LEDBOOTS <steves@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tony,
Would you trade me a copy?

Tony Gassett wrote:

> Plant And Page - TFI Friday Session, Riverside Studio, London UK 27th
> March 1998
>
> We're getting to feel like old hands with this TV show recording stuff!
> Once again another pub meet before the kick off. Except this time a bit
> of confusion about which pub in the Hammersmith to gather at - it
> changed names years ago, didn't it Issac McHelicopter!!! - just to keep
> us on our toes. After a short dry and thankfully this time warm wait
> outside the studio in the late afternoon, we're in. Lightly dismissing
> the usual restriction on the audience having to be 28 or younger.
>
> After 10 minutes or safety instructions, which wouldn't be out of place
> in a kindergarten and 'always look happy as you never know when you're
> on camera' spiel we're shown into the floor area, where various stages
> are set-up. Correctly spotting Jimmy's pedal board from a choice of
> three stages we jockey for position and wait for the red light to go on.
>
> This show is recorded 'live' about a hour before it's transmitted -
> maybe to counter the hosts Chris Evans tendency for colourful language.
> After a lengthy warm-up by the floor manager i.e. gives us reactions
> based on a scale of ten, recording starts. After watching the intro on
> an overhead monitors, the boys are announced to mega-applause, hit the
> stage and straight into Rock And Roll. The energy between band and
> audience is incredible, a storming version of this old war-horse and
> we're clapping along, headbanging and bouncing up and down like there's
> no tomorrow. Three minutes later the first number's over and we're left
> to wait to the end of the show for the new single to be performed.
>
> The time is mostly spent watching the antics of host 'Ginger' with
> various guests on the monitors and moving back and forth from the Page
> and Plant stage for a massive mobile camera rig to be moved about the
> various stages. After the final scramble for the front of the small
> stage, the boys are interviewed by Ginger in the upstairs bar area and
> then come back to our area for the closing number. Another excellent
> live version of Most High is greeted with rapturous applause - all the
> band obviously enjoying the crowd reaction.
>
> Outside after we filter back out into the daylight, new boy Phil Andrews
> slips away virtually unnoticed and  Robert Plant drives his grandson
> away in a big Merc. Jimmy kindly waits around to sign autographs before
> making his escape., and Charlie Jones has a quick chat with some of us
> about the summer touring schedule.
>
> So at the end of the third consecutive day of Page and Plant activity
> it's back to normal life. Okay we'll be sitting in front of VCR's many
> times, showing those not lucky enough to be there where we standing on
> the playbacks. I've already seen it twice already before writing
> this!!!!
>
> Tony Gassett - March 28th 1998.



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