Date: 9 December 2011
Originally published in: Nottingham Evening Post (UK)
Written by: Tim Horwood
IT was quite fitting that this gig was billed as Quofest, as it had both a festive and festival feel about it, with Kim Wilde and Roy Wood joining the evergreen Status Quo for a star-studded Christmas show.
For various reasons I ended up missing Kim Wilde’s set but Roy Wood’s Rock’n’Roll Band did exactly what you would expect and more. The former Move, ELO and Wizzard man and his accomplished group ran through hits such as Blackberry Way, Flowers In The Rain and, of course, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday to really get the crowd moving. Having observed it was “like playing to a library” initially, he had the audience up on their feet dancing, clapping and singing along by the end. A brilliant support act, and Quo would have to be on their game to match it.
The stage set was smart, with a bank of black and white amplifiers lined up to welcome the rock veterans. Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt and the gang strolled on nonchalantly – also in black and white – and then burst into life, embarking on a set featuring countless hits. From the opening singalong Caroline, we knew what we were going to get and the party, started by Wood, was carrying on. It’s part and parcel of Status Quo’s act to launch into medleys of their greatest hits, and there was no exception here.
A bouncing version of What You’re Proposing and the seemingly timelessly relevant In The Army Now were my personal favourites, but newer tracks from the latest album Quid Pro Quo – like Rock’n’Roll’n’You and Two Way Traffic demonstrated that Quo are very likely to be rocking into 2012 and beyond.