The screen is in place behind the stage picturing a reclining ballet dancer. An incessant heartbeat drones on and on. Just as the slow handclap starts, the dancer on the screen rises, the stage is filled with smoke and on come Jethro 1973 style.

The first half of the set is used to introduce their new work, A Passion Play, which is full of the group's trademarks. One minute Ian Anderson's flute is riding over a solid wall of sound, the next the familiar staccato break into vocals or organ solo and a change of tempo.

Ian is constantly swapping from flute to acoustic guitar and soprano sax.

The title track is a major part of Passion Play which features a short film halfway through. It's a kind of Alice in Wonderland sequence with a maypole, animals and an announcer complete with horns — a strange combination of colour and black and white.

Gradually the band work their way back into the story with acoustic guitar at first and then some neat flowing lines from organ and bass.

The second half provided more familiar material with mini versions of Thick As A Brick and Aqualung. Every member of the band had their own feature here. On familiar ground the crowd were warming to the set but all too soon it was over with Wind-Up/Locomotive Breath from Aqualung as the encore.

A.Y. BRACERS

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