Uriah Heep

23rd February 2025

King's Theatre, Glasgow

I do tend to be rather cynical about Farewell Tours, having seen so many of them turn out to be nothing of the sort.  Such scepticism was justified with regard to this Uriah Heep's Farewell to The Magician Tour, as I later learned, not only is this Farewell Tour expected to continue for "two to three years", but even after that, the band will continue to do festivals and one-off gigs.  I really do think it will take Mick to be finally placed in his (ahem) box, for this band to pack it in.

Although, I personally would suggest Uriah Heep had already said Farewell to the Magician in 1980 when main songwriter Ken Hensley left, but that is another Tale.

Heep began tonight's show with a trio of forgettable newer songs, before presenting us with Stealin' and then a real shock: Shadows of Grief.  This latter is a real dogs' dinner of cod blues rock/proto prog, the likes of which cluttered up the band's second and third albums.  But, for all that, it was actually quite fun listening to the band clattering their way through it, and witnessing the puzzled looks on the faces of folks around me.

Following Hurricane, a rattlingly good tune from the latest album - written by drummer Russel Gilbrook no less, the band moved into a collection of songs from their 70's pomp - a selection which I rather doubt has changed much for the last forty years.  But it was no less enjoyable for all that, and even Gypsy and July Morning, neither of which I have ever had much time for, came across rather well.  

One of the encores was Sunrise, a song which I am starting to feel more and more with each passing year represents Ken Hensley's crowning glory with the band.  It really is rather special.

Mick Box

.

Dave Rimmer

Bernie Shaw

The Wizard disappears.

At just 65-years old, I probably dropped the average age of the front row by a few years.

 


Set List

Grazed By Heaven

Save Me Tonight

Overload

Stealin'

Shadows of Grief

Hurricane

The Wizard

Sweet Lorraine

Free 'n' Easy

The Magician's Birthday

Gypsy

July Morning

Encore

Sunrise

Easy Livin'

(other stops on the tour got Rainbow Demon and Hail the Sunrise, but I am guessing these were victims of Glasgow's Sunday evening noise curfew).

Before Uriah Heep we were treated to a set by Canadian band April Wine.  Although, as with Heep, the current line-up's relationship to the band's heydey is best described as tenuous.  None of the original members are present, although guitarist/vocalist Brian Greenway was around when April Wine enjoyed their period of maximum popularity in the late 70s/early 80s.

The band lost their leading light and frontman, the eccentric Myles Goodman as recently as 2023, his replacement being Marc Parent.  

They were OK, I suppose: cliched lyrics about "wanting to rock" and "ladies in the night, working overtime" apart they were moderately entertaining.  The guys could clearly play, and there was (generally) a melodic element to their songs.  But not quite my drug of choice.

Richard Lanthier

Marc Parent