ART ON ICE 2004

REPORT num 3
MIGUEL ANGEL CANDELA
English

January 2004

Roger Hodgson was playing in Zurich together with John Helliwell and Jesse
Siebenberg (Supertramp) and other artists on the Art on Ice show from 23 to
26 January, as a part of the project Gaia of Alan Simon.

Due to the last minute advertisement, the cheapest option was flying to London
on friday to meet my good friend Gonzalo (The Logical Tramps and Landmarq).

I arrived to Zurich on saturday evening and I met some friends: Annie McClean
from Ireland, Fabrice from Paris, Gudrun from Germany, Giussepe and Laura from Milano, Roger Tanner from Zurich and Fernando ( a spanish guy living in Zurich) big fans of Supertramp and Roger Hodgson all of them. I was not alone then :o) it's always a big help when you are in another country and another language.
The swiss Roger invited me and the italians staying at his home, what a nice
offer in the expensive Switzerland. We are a kind of big family.....

There were five gigs from thursday to sunday (two on saturday, afternoon, and
night) at the Hallenstadium, a big sports venue where it was installed a big
ice track and a big stage for the musicians also.
The three hours show is spectacular, many numbers of skating, art and humour on ice, amazing pirouettes, some of the numbers were very funny.
Three big circle video-screens, really good sound and lights and good quality.
The venue was full of people every show, around 10.000 people every gig.

Some famous musicians were playing during the show, I remember some members of The Moody Blues and Fleetwood Mac, always together with the band of the show, where John Helliwell is the sax player and Jesse Siebenberg the basss player (and Alan Simon, the promoter of Gaia, the acoustic guitar player) and even a the three girls chorus (as Pink Floyd).
Jesse performed the song of Gaia "Love calls love".
John spoke to the audience some times as he do with Supertramp, and he got the audience surrended when he spoke: "There are 3 things I like about the Swiss: cheese, you (claps....) and ... Watches, and (looking at his watch) I see that my swiss watch tells me that its time to play... "The Logical Song" !!!

Roger was the big end of the show, playing four themes: "Take the long way home", "Give a little bit", "The logical song" and "It's raining again", surrounded
by the band and the chorus.
The audience was claping the whole four songs, really nice atmosphere.
It was really kind of John when he devoted some words to Roger, something
about "it's really nice to play together after 20 years, this is a nice reunion
...." and they shared a big hug while audience were claping a lot.
Roger spoke some words also, and said thanks to the people and mainly to
the promoters and organizers of this big and different show.

The last song was "It's raining again" while all the skaters of all the numbers
were on ice with blue umbrelas and a real rain from the roof sprinklers.
At the end of the song, all the musicians (all the bands) went up to the stage
and Roger started singing again "It's raining again", all together. Wonderful !!!
Roger and John were the stars of this end of show.

As I know the last part of the show was changed and rehearsed the last days
before the show as Roger came at the last minute !!!
Really good job.

I was lucky to meet John and Jesse during the weekend and I also met Roger
for a while (he was really busy) and he told me he's feeling fine, with
energy and said me cheers to Jordi.

John told me he was really happy playing together with Roger again and I
saw him really happy the whole weekend and even more quite and open that
in the Supertramp concerts.
The same with Jesse, really funny the whole weekend, he was talking with
Roger about Give a little bit (you know, last tour of Supertramp) and Roger
was really nice with him in that personal pending conversation as I know. I'm
really happy about that. :o)

Thanks to Roger Tanner and Fernando for his invaliable help and thanks a lot
to John, Jesse and Roger for their kindness, friendship and wonderful music.

Miguel Angel Candela (MAC)