Wolfsburg / Germany, 06. November 2004 - Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich

Actually that weekend was a double feature for the band but we only went to the show on Saturday in Wolfburg, a quiet city for a Saturday. In the hall itself it was very comfortable with enough space for everyone to dance and sing during the whole evening.
I had already checked the set-list that was pinned on some walls and although after the Animals as opener the Dozies were set for second, I decided to stay the whole evening, since I had not yet seen the Spencer Davis Group or T-Rex who completed the show. I was really looking forward to the band, since it would be the first time for me to see them without Dave Dee.

We had already spotted Beaky watching the last songs of the Animals - who were a fine starter - and then during the short break after them he brought us the first big laughs - first trying to fix his cowbell to those timbales (must really be difficult to fix a few screws, huh ?) and then even toppling one of the stands for the micros...
When everything was settled and one of the organizers announced the band - or at least tried to - we started giggling again - even Tich (probably reminded him of the Dozies´ first song on their first LP - DDD-BMT... - "Huh ?!?") who - when Rudi Hauptmann started a long speech - moved around behind him like winding a barrel organ....

Beaky behind his fixed Cowbell - not really straight but it held and worked...

Starting with the usual "Hold Tight" intro and "Hideaway" they immediately got everyone joining in !

Right: Even Dozy was wide awake and rocking around !

"Try to play that note with your bass drum, Mick ..."

The four guys really had their fun onstage - somehow I got the impression that without Dave Dee they were a little more relaxed

Four rocking friends - Beaky, Mick, Tich and Dozy

Left: One the audience´s favorite moments during their show: a little posing for nice photos ...

"And now we have - a classic dark blue suit - buy it now and get those fabulous drumsticks for free !"

... even with a special modelling photo offer from Mick [only way to top this would have been a leopard loincloth ]

Right: it´s not easy to get a good photo of Tich - he is always moving around too fast

After "Hidaway" they started with some other great songs of the 60s like "Bend me shape me" or "Sweets for my sweet" - with Tich trying to play a trick on the audience again.
What I really like about them is how everyone gets his songs to sing - and they all have phantastic voices !

Although that cowbell had a precarious tilt it withstood Beakys forceful drumming during "Save me"...

"Faster Tich, faster !"

During the instrumental parts of the songs Beaky and Tich really rocked the house !

One of the very few songs where we really missed Dave was of course "Legend of Xanadu" ! Without that bullwhip on stage it´s just not the same...

But the enthusiasm with which they performed it surely made up for that !

"Hey buddy, don´t start a sit-down strike now!"

After a few more 60s songs and "Last night in Soho" their show reached it´s peak: "Bend it"...

...with Dozy making jokes about Tich´s "little instrument"...

Nevertheless Tich still raised hell with that mandola and got everyone joining in once more.

Tich running from side to side...

The guys really had their fun during that one

Everyone had a goood time

The grande finale was of course the anthem - "Hold tight" !

So they lined up again and gave full power once more ! Just great !

The boys popped in their heads during the first songs of the Spencer Davis Group as usual, but then headed back for the hotel.
SDG brought up a fine show too, and then, during the last break, and when the roadies brought the last set of guitars onstage, for a change I was the one bringing the big laugh for the First row - Except for the Dozies all bands had Fender (or at last Fender-like) guitars and so, without thinking, I blurted "So Tich´s guitar was a really beautiful sight tonight - well, actually both..." - and only when the others turned around and started to look at me with question marks in their faces I added "GUITARS !" ...
Anyway with that happy mood we enjoyed T-Rex who were a bit loud, but just as good as SDG. After that we finally headed for the hotel as well.

It was already after midnight when we joined the bands for some drinks. It was a friendly atmosphere with some of the T-Rex fans celebrating a birthday and everyone talking and laughing and just enjoying a nice night. One of the running gags that night was "BOB" - a joke that Tony (Beaky) had been spreading around all day - and of course our John (Mick) brightening the evening with a candle in his hands and chanting "OOOMMMMMMHHHHH" over and over again (hmmm, maybe he was already ordering breakfast - an OMMMMMelette ? )
Tich told us a few stories of the 60ies and 70ies while Tony played a lot of Beatles songs on the guitar that one of the T-Rex fans had brought for autographs. He really must love making music - although he complained about that guitar all the time (because it needed re-tuning every five minutes....) he kept on playing songs for maybe two hours ! Great !