Martin Barre Concert Analysis

If you live in the Northeast area of the USA, you could say it has been a rather cool spring. That changed a bit in April, as the Martin Barre Band returned to our shores and electrified the venues where they played. It certainly was the case at the Hanover Theater in Worcester, and as well as the final night of the tour in Salisbury Massachusetts. The other great thing about concerts in general is it brings people together, reuniting with old friends and making new friends. Seeing Martin and the band is certainly like meeting up with old friends, a geniune feeling of mutal admiration. We the fans(or as you say across the pond say "punters")have always admired Martin 's playing for years and Martin truely appreciates his fans that come out to see him and

"Misere" a great instrumental track that Martin recorded in 1995 for "The Meeting" disk, makes a pleasant return into the set list. Still included in this tour set list is the masterful Steven Wilson song Darkest Eyes.

Martin did a great version of Robert Johnson 's Crossroads which he played with a mandolin. Also using the mandolin on "The Jig" which leads into a version of "Hymn 43" which was can be found on Martin 's disk "Away With Words"

He covers his 40plus years tenour with Jethro Tull with some old favorites, dating back to the Mick Abrahams era "Love Story" a bit more bluesy than the original, and A Song For Jeffrey which to this day still really rocks along. Martin 's early resume with Tull is well represented with the A New Day Yesterday, and wonderful version of "Fatman" slightly rearranged. The fan favorites are jammed packed in the set,"Teacher", "Thick As A Brick", and the stellar version of "Minstrel In The