OK... after the HOB (Hollywood) and Galaxy Theater (Santa Ana) shows my expectations were high but nothing could have forecast the Ventura Theater show last night...in a nutshell WOW...From the outstanding opening act, blues rocker Alastair Greene to the final song 'Another Time Another Place' from the 'Living Out Of Time' CD this venue rocked hard. The sound system was extraordinary the mix was superb and the band was nearly perfect, some feedback issues at the start of the show didn't throw anyone off and once they were corrected it was full speed ahead. Oh yeah and damn the torpedoes...if there was a show on the So Cal. leg of the '08 tour not to miss...last night in Ventura was it, The theater is great for sound and the PA is set up in such a way that it even sounds great in the men's room, sorry ladies I wasn't able to do a sound check for you but I'll assume it sounded equally good for you too,   Davey Pattison (vocals)sounded extraordinary, very strong voice and  Pete Thompson (drums) in his usual fashion
played a flawless gig keeping the beat strong without a lot of flash, just the way RT likes it I presume.  Glen Letsch (bass) is right at home with this line up, sounds like he's been playing with these guys forever and that's a good thing, a really good thing if you ask me, I do wish they would showcase the bass more (maybe a solo) and show what Mr. Letsch can do because he is clearly gliding effortlessly through this set, that too is a good thing but Glenn has a ton more to
bring to the party, (as anyone who has ever listened to Gamma already knows)  it would be a treat to see. 
 Robin Trower has once again claimed his place at the top of my short list of all time (past and present) great guitar players, in a class with few others where he can gaze down from the top while most look up to him in admiration. This tour I saw Robin sing a little laugh a little and play a lot of what made him famous and loved by myself and very probably every person reading this review right now...he is indeed a MAN OF THE WORLD.

The 3/15/08 Atlantic City show was the most bizarre Trower show I have seen in the over 30 times I have seen the band since 1976.   The band performed extremely well and the changes to the set list since the last tour were most welcome.   I suspect that the crowd was largely intoxicated from the St. Patrick's Day celebration which featured a parade on the famous Atlantic City
Boardwark that same afternoon.   Several of the celebrants must have continued throughout the day and were well lit up when the band took the state at 9:30 pm.   As Davey broke into his driving vocals in "No Time" a fight broke out in the 5th row of the audience just a few folding chairs from where I was sitting with my wife.   Apparently, a few members of the audience grew tired of a fan who was standing through the first 4 songs and took exception to his spilling some of his beer.  The bouncers escorted the "gentlemen" involved in the scuffle out while Davey crooned on. 
    The "fun" continued when a middle aged "roundish" woman who appeared to be flying on estasy made her way around the room, sitting on stranger's laps, dancing with bouncers, trying to crawl on the stage and standing on the folding chairs.  She eventually fell backwards into the crowd.  Davey seemed to enjoy her antics at one point when she was trying to elude a bouncer.  There were a few more women in the audience who also appeared to me enjoying the "love drug". 
    As to the show itself, I really enjoyed the new additions to the set list "Shame the Devil", "Fool and Me", "For Earth Below", "Islands" and "More Suspicious".  The new bass player also was good and had a nice stage presence.  The 4th through 6th song sequence of "No Time", "Fool and Me" and "Roads to Freedom" were probably the most satisfying song selection for me for any
Trower show ever.  Of the 17 songs they played, I would guess 10 of them would be on my all time favorite list - not bad!   If I can only hear "Long Misty Days" before the "Final" Farewell tour. 
    I agreed with the earlier reviews that the shortened "Too Rolling Stoned" was less satisfying...personally I would scratch "Twice Removed From Yesterday" from the opening and go back to the traditional "Too Rolling Stoned" to open the show.   You can improve on perfection!
     During the encore the guy next to me said "This guy is as good as Eric Clapton".  I nodded my head, thinking to myself - "Clapton wishes he could play like that!" 
Can't wait to see Tuesday's show in NYC!

20    Long Island, NY            IMAC                   Reviews and Pictures

    22          Vervier,  Belgium               Spirit of 66

  8        Brighton, UK                   The Komedia                REVIEW

                                               (thanks to Matthew for these pictures and great review) 
    I drove over the hills to Holmfirth tonight, to see Robin Trower and band at the Picturedrome in Holmfirth. The plaque above the doorway says that it was built in 1912, and in its heyday, Buster Keaton, Gloria Swanson, Fred Astaire and many more would have featured on its silver screen. Sadly the building isn’t in quite such glorious shape these days, but the welcome was friendly. 
     The posters outside featured upcoming gigs by Southside Johnny, Joan Armatrading, Blue Oyster Cult and the Average White Band. It made me wonder which decade I was in! 
     Overhearing some of the people in the queue outside, it was obvious that this gig meant a lot to people. Reminiscences  were being swapped of ‘the last time I saw Robin Trower’. Quite a few of the faces in the crowd were familiar from the last tours in 2005 and 2006. There are obviously some very loyal fans. 
    Pre-gig sustenance having been found at the brilliant Hollowgate Fish Bar – you can tell it’s a good fish-and-chip shop  when it has a queue down the street, it was time to get into the gig, and check out Aynsley Lister and his band, who were the support. They played with commitment and Aynlsey clearly has some talent.
    After a short pause, Robin Trower and band descended to the stage from the dressing room somewhere up under the rafters of the Picturedrome. 
     With just a word or two of hello, it was down to business, and ‘Twice Removed from Yesterday’ started. 
We’re lucky in England to be seeing the band at the end of this long tour, because they were totally locked in together. Glenn Letsch was so comfortable with his role, and  played really sympathetically. Pete Thompson was back there in the gloom (why don’t they ever put a light on him?) and  was as good a foil to Robin as ever. He seems to me to be one of the most musical drummers you’ll hear, with tremendous light and shade in his playing. Davey Pattison was in strong voice and connected well with the audience, with  an occasional grin to the faces he recognised. 
     The set list has been artfully chosen to include songs from all points in Robin’s career, and it would be hard for any fan to be disappointed by the choice. There were quite a few people in the crowd throwing a subdued shape or two, but the average age in the audience was well above thirty, I would say, so it’s not surprising that the crowd didn’t seem too overly demonstrative. In one song break, Robin grinned and said, “It’s so quiet”. You couldn’t quite hear a pin drop, but it didn’t seem far off – there was such an air of anticipation and respect. It was clear that everyone was having a very good time in their own ways. 
     With the pace only slowing slightly for the only instrumental, ‘Islands’, the set reached a climax with two personal favourites, ‘Gonna be More Suspicious’ and ‘Hannah’.
    Robin was using different amps from last time out, with the Marshalls replaced by two Cornell amps. The sound was more balanced across the band, so perhaps Robin’s amps are lower wattage. He seemed happy with his sound, and really leant  into the songs with attack and soulfulness. The whole band sounded strong and wholly integrated. A great performance.
    Back for  encores, the band finished with the very  appropriate ‘Another Time, Another Place’. I’m sure, as the song  suggests, that many of us will meet again on the remaining dates of this tour.
 

                                                           Another review  from GARY ASHTON

 Review - Holmfirth Picturedrome 17th May 2008
The former picture house situated in the centre of Holmfirth is now firmly on the circuit as a regular music venue here in the UK so you can imagine my delight when I heard that Robin Trower and his band would be playing a gig in my hometown for the first time. 
Tonight's show in front of an excellent attendance was started by Aynsley Lister and his band and as far as support's go , they were up there with the best, a truly rocking 40 minutes which the crowd really appreciated.
 Just before 9.30pm , Robin and The Band took the long journey to the stage from the dressing  rooms which are situated at the very top of the theatre and blasted straight into 'Twice Removed From Yesterday' , one immediate problem was that bass player Glenn Letsch wasn't 'plugged in' but tis was soon rectified and the sound overall was excellent from my position right in front of vocalist Davey Pattison.....Next up 'Shame The Devil'  and then an excellent 'For Earth Below', by this time the band were really on fire and this showed in Robin's playing which just moved to another level with each track......
The set took on a more subtle feel with 'Islands'but we were soon back rocking with 'Day Of The Eagle' leading nicely into 'Bridge'.....Robin really excelling on the extended guitar solo which saw him distribute a few plectrums into the audience during the solo !
The set was now moving towards closure with 'Victims Of The Fury', 'Gonna Be More Suspicious' and a great version of 'Hannah' with  the final track 'Little Bit Of Sympathy ' sadly bringing a storming 75 minutes to it's finale.
The band received tremendous applause and this brought them back for another rocking 15 minutes with 'Too Rolling Stoned', 'Go My Way' and 'Another Time Another Place'. 
All over too quickly but a great set from the band and great to see them play here in West Yorkshire , I hope they won't leave it too long to come back ! 
Gary Ashton