Uriah Heep (Riolo Terme - Frogstock - 06.07.02)
Written by: Aleš Podbrežnik

Excitement. I have never had the opportunity in my life to see those legends live on stage. So three fellows decided to take a journey to Italy. Nearby Imola. It was confirmed that Saxon are the support band. So something fantastic was about to happen. We came very early on the scene. Riolo Terme is a lovely little place and many people live there from making a business out of tourism. When we were looking for a restaurant, we found only hotels all around us. So we decided to drive to Castelbolognese, a town close to Riolo Terme. There we satisfied our empty stomachs and turned back to Riolo Terme.

As we were relaxing under a shade of a giant conifers in park near the main avenue of Riolo Terme, we faced previously overlooked restaurant with pizzas on the other side. Everything became very boring. Sitting and waiting. Even the sky turned into dark colors. So when we were about to leave the park, a black Chrysler stopped on the other side of the avenue in front of the pizza place. And what happened next was what I always thought that it is possible only in my dreams. The whole Uriah Heep line-up (unchanged from 1986) stepped out of the car and disappeared into the restaurant. It seemed like a grand illusion. Well, I didn't think much. I just grabbed the booklet from Uriah Heep's double CD compilation "Blood On Stone" and with a friend went for a run across the avenue. As we entered, the cook was staring at us and laughing as he knew what it was all about. At next moment, the little Italian (he served as a guide to Heeps, a part of organization) was asking a real stupid question: "Ma che cosa...,L..!?" , well he tuned his perception frequencies on English language as he realized, that we are strangers but continued the conversation with the same stupid question: "What do you want?" "Autographs for heaven's sake, haven't you read today's newspapers, e stupido?!!!" Well he took the booklet and stepped to the table where Uriah Heep were sitting, probably starved to death. He explained that two guys are coming from Slovenia 700km far away from here (to face the truth Ljubljana is 430 km far from Riolo Terme, but we lied a little bit) and bla, b...la Bernie reacted: "Woow, 700km away, from Slovenia!" and we could hear and see Mick Box: "What the f...uck.!" but Bernie chilled him: "Psssst, just relax man!" I think that this wasn't a right time, because Mick was obviously dreaming about large amounts of delicious food on his table. But it was the only chance to get the autographs and we won again!

Let's finally talk about the concert. We went for a Frogstock main door. Frogstock is an open air festival. A part of a park was divided with wooden desks. The ticket cost was 23 Euro/person. We stepped into complete emptiness. It was 4:00 p.m. Only improvised little additional stage was very much alive. There were playing young Italian bands. Symphonic metal, I guess you all know what Italian power metal sounds like. Soulless, with a million of times copied riffs and melodies. Nothing new could be heard. Anyway we had a great time observing them due to their funny image. But the sound was cool. We could find every single mistake they made during performances, and we could also hear big problems of singing the vocal lines. All Italian power metal bands intend to have a singer with clean high tuned vocal. But we all know that there is only one Geoff Tate in the world.

Saxon was canceled. Shit. They were still waiting to get through the border from Switzerland into Italy. And it was half past seven p.m. in Riolo Terme. We were waiting in the front row when this was announced. And very frustrated Italians quickly left their positions. My two friends also weren't pleased with the situation. Each of them saw Uriah Heep for ten times already. So their main goal was Saxon. And they missed it. I didn't care much. I wanted to see the Heeps. So I stayed in the front row and kept on waiting.

Well light show was carefully checked light after light, drum kit was also standing there. Roady tuned and checked Mick's Gibson pearlblack "Les Paul" and deep blue Yamaha "Pacifica". I just couldn't explain to myself what the hell that funny little drum kit on stage is doin'. It was built up from more different drum kits. Basic set, with two more cymbals added. This was not original Uriah Heep drum kit.

It was 10:00 p.m., the fog tried to cover the stage, but in the blink of an eye it was blown by a heavy wind that pushed right at that time before the gig was about to start. Taped intro began. And finally "Return To Fantasy" brought Uriah Heep alive on stage. They were in a good mood. I guess that pizzas were very tasty. Bernie was in the center of the objectives. Logically, he was the only Heep that was really running all the time during the entire show. Now I really got the opportunity to feel what those five magicians can do!

All guys sing along with Bernie those well known back vocals. A Uriah Heep trademark which established them as a rock giants. Nor a single mistake was made. Bernie fantastically improvised on his vocals. "Stealin'", "Gypsy", "Look At Yourself" and later on in bis "Bird Of Prey" sounded really heavy rockin' pieces. They slowed down a little bit with "Tales" that was a surprise to me. I didn't expect it to be on the set list. The next surprise was "I'll Keep On Tryin'" from their first release. With "Sunrise" Heeps decided to bring their show to the highest point. I couldn't believed this magic they created. Heeps are undoubtedly one of those rare bands that sound even better on stage than on studio releases. What followed the "Sunrise"? A highlight of the gig. "Magician's Birthday"! Uauu, I was really shaking, this was the moment I was waiting for. This cosmic energy, I felt only in Zagreb (Croatia, 22.02.1998) during "Page & Plant" live performance of old Zepps stuff. What can five guys achieve on stage as a band. As individuals they're nothing special, but when they unite under Heep's flag they make a perfect unique balance in music. Every single tune finds its right place. What a great cooperance between Mick and Lee. This was shown especially in Mick's solo at the end of the "Magician's Birthday" which was supported with crazy Lee's drumming. This is a real kind of magic. Bernie took a sit on monitor as he always did during "July Morning". Wow, as if I would listen to David Byron (R.I.P.). Heavy "Look At Yourself" was to close the main part of a gig. And the crowd had a real big time here. We could anticipate in a great fade out performed by Mick. With a great feeling he has for music (generally speaking), he fantastically improvised fade out that raised with Phil's keyboards from behind a great atmospheric end of the song. Phil didn't use Hammond organ. He made Hammond organ sound out of his Rolland keyboard equipment. I must not forget a great Trevor Bolder's performance of his melodic bass guitar line during the show. Bernie just returned when "Look At Yourself" reached the end to say: "Thank you, 'bye and hope we see you soon!"

And we saw them real soon, when they stroke back the encore with "Bird Of Pray". Yessss!!! Then they said to themselves: "Let's play something for the crowd!" "What about some easy livin'?" asked Bernie the audience. "Easy Livin'" was the only point of a gig that Italian crowd banged on their well known extremely unpleasant way. That's why I hate to anticipate the gigs in Italy or Croatia. But this was not the end of the show. "Lady In Black" began. The audience helped Heeps in singing chorus: "Aaah, aah ...ahh,!" and Bernie asked us through his improvised singing: "Just a little-little more!" So after "Lady In Black" I just couldn't face the truth that the show was over. It is hard to explain all the impressions and emotional feelings. You should try and feel Heep's magic once in a life time by yourselves!

This band nowadays doesn't care much about money. And they don't hide that Italy is not their favourite place to perform. Mick threw only five guitar picks into the audience. They didn't set their official merchandising. Lee Kerslake played on additional drum kit, and when my friend told me that this gig was not their maximum as he compared it with those he visited in Germany and Austria, everything becomes crystal clear.

Uriah Heep don't give a damn about when to tour. This is also a big plus. The tour comes out of nothing. Most bands make a tour to promote their new record. Uriah Heep doesn't care about that. They're playing to enjoy themselves and not because of strictly commercial reasons. You can check this out also from set list that is adapted strictly for their personal pleasure. The band that has no contract with none of the record companies. A band that is truly free. Heeps are doing just what they like to! And so it was in their history, and so it shall be in their return to fantasy.

Uriah Heep set list:

----------------------------------- taped intro
1.) Return To Fantasy
2.) Universal Wheels
3.) Only The Young
4.) Stealin'
5.) Tales
6.) Between Two Worlds
7.) I Hear Voices
8.) I'll Keep On Tryin'
9.) Logical Progression
10.) Sunrise
11.) Magician's Birthday
12.) Gypsy
13.) July Morning
14.) Look At Yourself
----------------------------------- encore
15.) Bird Of Prey
16.) Easy Livin'
17.) Lady In Black
----------------------------------- taped outro