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DISC & MUSIC ECHO

6 March 1971

ROLL UP — IT'S JETHRO

Roll up! Roll up! The circus comes to town! With that articulate and stage raving ringmaster Ian Anderson keeping under control John Evan, virtuoso pianist and loveable wandering clown in the baggy white suit, Jeffrey, the enigmatic silent stooge ... oh! yes and Jethro Tull one of the most exciting bands on the scene.

The feeling of the big top was there at Kilburn State Gaumont in London last week. Ian Anderson wandered on the darkened stage first and played acoustic guitar and sang. Then crash, surprise! The lights go on and there are the rest of the band.

I thought we were off into another exciting evening, with Martin Barre's guitar interweaving with the Anderson-style flute as the basis of the individual sound. The famed Jeffrey does not appear to be as new to the bass game as was thought, but he does lack a certain drive that Glenn Cornick gave.

But the evening slowed badly when Jethro Tull gave way to shows of individual virtuosity in which each member had a long solo and good as they were, don't do much for an evening with Jethro Tull. John Evan, much changed from his Isle of Wight appearance, where he was nervous and shy, wore a baggy white suit, and stumbled around stage reminiscent of a Bonzo.

Ian Anderson finished the evening as he began, solo. he finished song, music and show with a halting few notes on the guitar, and the voice fading away. A very clever, surprise finish.

GAVIN PETRIE


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Thanks to Mike Wain for this article