Return to Forever in Columbia!!

[terp37]

I'll try to remember to start another thread after the show so we can talk about it. I went all out for this show, August 4 can't come quick enough. I bought a vip ticket package from return2forever.com. They are probably my favorite band ever!

Rael, I'm glad to see another RTF fan out here!

[Rael (Premo)]

Originally Posted by terp37

I'll try to remember to start another thread after the show so we can talk about it. I went all out for this show, August 4 can't come quick enough. I bought a vip ticket package from return2forever.com. They are probably my favorite band ever!

Rael, I'm glad to see another RTF fan out here!

Same here, terp37. This is one reunion show I do not want to miss.

[Rael (Premo)]

terp? kelb? Mr X/ Anyone else go?

Best group of musicians I've ever seen. Wish they played a little longer, but that's my only critique.

[kelb (Premo)]

Nope didnt go.. how was it?

[Rael (Premo)]

Originally Posted by kelb

Nope didnt go.. how was it?

Like I said, I didn't think they played long enough. They had a last minute opening act (The Eleventh House" with Larry Coryell). Highlights for me on this were his drummer (very central to the band's sound), and moreso Larry Coryell's son Julian on guitar. I was impressed by Larry's playing, particularly on one acoustic piece, but the sound quality didn't cut it as much for me overall.

On the other hand, RTF's sound quality was just beautiful (except for when Stanley Clark got into a fast tap, it muddled a little with the drum sound).

Published setlist, though short:

Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy
Vulcan Worlds
Song To The Pharaoh Kings
The Romantic Warrior
Duel Of The Jester And The Tyrant

Encore:
Sorceress

To have three pieces from Romantic Warrior topped off the experience for me. Since the first three are less familiar to me in title than the music (it was all instrumental), I'm going by the published set list.

But damn, these guys can still play. The crowd was so into it...quiet parts stayed quiet. Everyone near us seemed to be looking for eye contact with someone else just to acknowledge how great they sounded.

Even though they played so well together, they were all incredible on their own. Without discrediting any of the others, I found myself constantly going back to Al DiMeola and Chick Corea. But Stanley Clarke and Lenny White wowed everyone constantly as well.

Since I never saw them before while they were together in the 70s (yet have loved their music and talent so much for years), I was pretty much just blown away by their performance, not to mention still in disbelief we were actually attending an RTF concert.

We were in left center, row P (around 9 rows up after the floor seats, or so). Great show!