Robin Trower @ The Mystic Theatre

Wielding a Fender Strat with the deepest candy-apple red finish, Robin Trower took the stage in Petaluma CA @ the legendary Mystic Theatre at about 9 pm after an interesting set by Bob Culbertson performing on the Chapman Stick.





A Master at the instrument, Culbertson performed a 40 minute set that covered such stylisticly diverse genre's as Celtic, Bluegrass, Classical (Bach), freeform Blues & Jazz, the Hendrix' masterpiece "Little Wing," and a few improvisational pieces and originals. Very enjoyable.

Robin Trower, dressed casually in a western style shirt and trousers,
took the stage at about 9 pm to a *sold out* house of young, and old
fans who had obviously been followers since his days with Procol Harum.

With little circumstance, Robin broke into a surprising selection
from his first LP in 1973, the title song, "Twice Removed From
Yesterday." His guitar a little lost in the mix, nevertheless
Robin removed all doubts to all in attendance as to whether he
still had "it"...!

With shouts of LOUDER from those of us standing at his feet,
Robin broke into another gem from the first album, "Hanna."
Better mixed, this tune brought out Robin's guitar much better,
and the vocal talents of the once ego-maniac COCK-ROCK-STAR
Davey Pattison shined.

Pattison, now middle aged, short of hair, a little frail appearing,
has lost most of his 80s-90s arrogance and just plain sang Robin's
music to the best of his abilities. He did a good job, but I was
there to see and hear one of the great British Guitarists who came
out of the second wave of the British Invasion with his great band,
Procol Harum in 1967, and honestly had no eyes or ears for anyone
but Robin.

By now the crowd was ecstatic! We were all crammed up to the front
of the stage right under Robin, whose humble manner and great smile
charmed us all. A powerful "Day Of The Eagle" followed, the audience
going crazy, Robin all smiles, pouring out all those great bluesy
riffs and licks in that slow, groove ending that is the signature
of the Bridge Of Sighs era tunes.



Some less recognisable songs came in the middle of the show,
pulling titles off more obscure albums such as the title song
"Victims Of The Fury" off the LP of the same name, "Island,"
an instrumental from the "Back It Up" LP in the early 80s
& "Rise Up Like The Sun" from the oft' overlooked but
fantastic CD "20th Century Blues" from the mid-90s, plus
titles from his 2000 CD "Go My Way," including the title
track, as well as "Too Much Joy."

Intermixed with these lesser known tracks were the classics,
timeless in their substance, execution and effect on the
audience. The amazing and empassioned "Bridge Of Sighs" with
its incredible nuance & dynamics, and slow bluesy outro, then
"Too Rollin' Stoned," again, sending us on a journey with
blues-laden licks in an extended outro, the kind only known
from the guitar of Robin Trower, and a riveting "Little Bit
Of Sympathy" to round out the main set to the complete
satisfaction and awe of the whole sellout crowd.


After a short pause, Robin and group came out and laid
the crowd out with a two song encore, beginning with
"Bridge Of Sighs'" "Lady Love" and ending with the
classic "Daydream" from "Twice Removed From Yesterday."
An incredible way for Robin to close the show with this
subliminal masterpiece.

Approximate Setlist:

Twice Removed From Yesterday
Hannah
Roads to Freedom
Too Much Joy
Day of the Eagle
Bridge of Sighs
Rise Up Like The Sun
Victims of the Fury
Too Rolling Stoned
Go My Way
Islands
Another Time, Another Place
Little Bit of Sympathy

Encore:

Lady Love
Daydream