Caught Live: The Orchestra @ The Plug, Sheffield

Believe Me Now ... This was my first Orchestra gig in nearly five years ...

Hello ... Hello ... my old friends ... It's great to see you once again! Believe it or not, this is my first ever formal review of a gig by The Orchestra! Back in 2009, in the aftermath of the tragic death of Kelly Groucutt, the band toured the UK twice in May before ELOBF commenced live reviews. My near five year wait to see the six former members of ELO and ELO Part II deliver their take on the phenomenally successful decade of Electric Light Orchestra hits between 1973 and 1983 was finally ended with an 80 mile trip to The Plug in Sheffield last night, Friday 28th February.

Those years have seen the band adapt and recover from the sad loss of Kelly Groucutt and the departure of Phil Bates with the successful integration of Glen Burtnik and the welcome return of Parthenon Huxley. The result of those enforced personnel changes is a tighter, more cohesive Orchestra, comfortable with itself and able to stamp its own identity powerfully upon its enthusiastic and vociferous fans. This performance was impressive and, coupled with the electric atmosphere generated by the standing audience, ably demonstrated their many talents.

Rocking Rouser: Eric Troyer joins Mik, Glen and Hux up front

The Orchestra are no ELO tribute band. They are on another level altogether. What stood out for me especially was elevation in stage presence of Parthenon Huxley - not only vocally but also with his intricate and classy guitar solos. Fave songs on the night for me were rockers "Showdown"; "Ma Ma Ma Belle" and "Do Ya" as well as the softer "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" and "Strange Magic". ELO anthem "Mr. Blue Sky" - as ever - had the crowd truly rocking and reeling!

Set list [not in performance order]: "Showdown"; "Ma Ma Ma Belle"; "Can't Get It Out Of My Head"; "Evil Woman"; "Strange Magic"; "Do Ya"; "Livin' Thing"; "Rockaria!"; "Telephone Line"; "Mr. Blue Sky"; "Standin' In The Rain"; "Sweet Talkin' Woman"; "Don't Bring Me Down"; "All Over The World"; "Hold On Tight"; "Rock 'n' Roll Is King"

Check out The Orchestra official web site for more information via the link below thus:

The Orchestra [former members of ELO & ELO Part II]

ELO Beatles Forever [ELOBF] recommends The Orchestra [former members of ELO & ELO Part II] to those enlightened folks who enjoy the music of ELO, Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood, The Move, 'Brum Beat', The Idle Race, The Beatles and related artistes.

Until next "Time" in the ELO [and related] Universe ... KJS ... 01-March-2014