Events and Reports - Vanilla Fudge - Live in Randers, Denmark 08/16/2002
Written by Anders

Before this concert I didn't know much about the old 60's band Vanilla Fudge. I only knew what my father had told me about it. Vanilla Fudge is a great band playing music that resembles that of Uriah Heep and Deep Purple. A couple of years ago three of the original members Carmine Appice (drums), Vince Martell (guitar) and Tim Bogert (bass) teamed up with Bill Pascali (organ) and reformed Vanilla Fudge after 30 years of separation.

In their early days they have been on tour with Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin has played warm up for them. Their famous drummer Carmine Appice has worked with famous artists such as Pink Floyd, Ozzy Osbourne and Rod Stewart. And the other members have very impressive careers as well. Unfortunately Tim Bogert was caught ill before the concert, so another very competent bass guitar player Pete Bremy took over. The show in Randers was the first Vanilla Fudge concert ever in Europe!

The concert was pretty amazing! The musicians were in absolute world class. Carmine certainly lived up to the expectations; his drumming skills were almost unreal. He made the most incredible breaks, and he had a tendency to throw and spin the drum sticks at every time possible. This made his performance a great visual experience as well as a musical experience. In one of Vanilla Fudge's biggest hits "Shotgun" Carmine did a drum solo - it was awesome! He is without doubt the best drummer I have ever seen in a live performance.

The guitarist Vince Martell was also very virtuous - he played the wildest solos with an unbelievable confidence. In a great song called Season Of The Witch he went down from the scene and played a really cool solo while walking around in the audience (which by the way mostly consisted of 40+ year males). This was really amazing to see and hear - I won't forget that experience in a long while!

The four did a great show throughout the whole concert. Bill Pascali played very skillfully on an old organ, and he was very entertaining doing so. The organ was very heavy, and once in a while Bill would fake that the organ was tipping over. It had however been secured with a couple of hinges, so there was no danger at any time. Bill literally crawled all over the organ during the concert - very amusing indeed.

The substitute bass guitar player Pete Bremy certainly didn't look like any kind of substitute! He played on a 6 stringed bass guitar, and did a very good job.

So who did the vocals? They all did more or less. It was mostly Vince and Bill who sang, but Carmine did a single song "Do you think I'm sexy" (as if he hadn't got enough to do controlling those spinning drum sticks). They also played their maybe biggest hit "You keep me hangin'" on and an N'Sync cover number called "Tearin' up my heart".(it was, needless to say, spiced up with The Fudge's heavy sound). I haven't mentioned all the songs they played, but they were all very good.

Technically this is my best rock concert ever - I have never before seen such competent musicians in a live show. It is very paradoxical that the band isn't more known than it is. I really hope that this review can help other people discover the great Vanilla Fudge, just as I discovered them in Randers. Had I known all the songs before the concert I would have rated it 10/10 without hesitation.

Concert rating: 9.5/10

Complete Set List
Good Good Livin'
Take Me For a Little While
Ain't That Peculiar
People Get Ready
Shotgun (with drum solo)
Tearin' Up My Heart
Do You Think I'm Sexy
Season Of The Witch
You Keep Me Hangin' On
You Can't Do That













(All pictures were taken by Soren Spangenberg og Pete Kines)
Written by Anders
Tuesday, August 20, 2002



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RevelationZ Comments


Comment by Pete (Anonymous) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002
Carmine is not only proficient with his hands and voice, he is the meanest and most proficient double bass drum virutoso to walk the planet.


Comment by Pete (Anonymous) - Wednesday, August 21, 2002
Carmine is not only proficient with his hands and voice, he is the meanest and most proficient double bass drum virtuoso to walk the planet.


Comment by Anders (Anonymous) - Saturday, August 24, 2002
Bill corrected me, that the organ wasn't secured with hinges. Apparently he lifted the 320 pounds B3 organ with one leg!


Comment by Soeren (Anonymous) - Saturday, August 24, 2002
Vanilla Fudge is the best band I ever heard since I heard Break Song from the album Near The Beginning from 1969. Vince told me in Randers here in Denmark, that he has the same opinion. Break Song is recorded live, and all of te members make a great solo. Carmine is the best drummer I ever heard. There is only one drummer I would compare, John Bonham from Led Zeppelin, but Carmine is number one for me. Good artickel Anders, I am glad you are better to english than I am.
Soeren


Comment by Bill Pasacali (Anonymous) - Monday, August 12, 2002
Hello Anders; I just want to thank you for the wonderful page you have here on Vanilla Fudge. I hope to see you towards the first quarter of 2003. It should be with Tim Bogert this time and should be fun, although we will miss Pete.
Please keep in touch and I will let you know axactly when we will return.. Peace, Bill
PS- Say hi to dad for us!


Comment by Fan (Anonymous) - Tuesday, February 25, 2003
My brother, a Mr. know it all in the music business, says that the 'road' legends (sex, drugs & rock'n roll) of Vanilla Fudge far outweigh anything from any bands from the 60's, including Led Zeppelin.

I'll be seeing my older brother later this week, and let him know about the video.


P


Comment by Ian Walker (Anonymous) - Monday, March 19, 2007
Hi - having bought all the early Vanilla Fudge albums after having seen them in London back in 1968 (?) when they supported The Who, I'm now wondwering if there are any DVDs available of concerts. Please inform me on :-
ianwalker48@hotmail.com

cheers to all fudge fans of all varieties







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