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It Bites Back -
Sunday 26th November 2006 - Zoetermeer, Holland
Words: Paul Tippett
Pictures: Heikie
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Zoetermeer's a bizarre place. When I first heard of it, I
pictured it a small, quaint Dutch town, full of gorgeous old
timber-framed houses, beautiful churches possibly a market
square and some cosy, inviting watering holes.
It certainly
isn't how I had imagined it! It's a sprawling modern town which
someone described as the "Milton Keynes of Holland. "
I think the
town planners were probably having a bit of an off day when Zoetermeer was created. Everything seems so disconnected. The
"Central" station, is anything but central, being at least a
mile or two from the town's centre. And though we did actually
find a couple of jolly decent pubs during our stay, I don't
think Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen will be featuring the town as a
“must see” destination in any forthcoming Holiday programmes! |
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But what Zoetermeer does have going
for it is De Boerderij, one of the finest music venues in the whole
of Europe. It's no wonder this strange town has been featured on the
back of so many Tour T-shirts over the years.
And that's exactly why It Bites are here, to perform their first
show in 15 years - a warm-up and dress rehearsal for the much
anticipated UK Tour.
Even from the sound check on Sunday afternoon, you can just sense
that this is going to be a very special gig. The two weeks of
intense rehearsals deep in the Buckinghamshire countryside have
clearly paid off. As the band run through a few numbers, they are
tight and polished and have an extra weapon on their side - volume.
The songs sound huuuge and Bob's new Gold Sparkle drum kit sounds
superb.
With the sound check over Bob, Dick and JB are relaxed, chatty and
clearly looking forward to getting on with the show. John Mitchell
however is quiet and seems pretty nervous as he nurses a large glass
of water. In all honesty, this is probably one of the biggest gigs
of his life and as the new front man of such an iconic and popular
band he must feel he has a lot to prove. And a lot to live up to... |
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The band hits the stage at 9.30 and
JM’s nerves have obviously disappeared. He immediately takes control
and confidently prowls the stage forming an instant connection with
the enthusiastic crowd who are all clearly very, very happy to see
It Bites again after all these years.
It's difficult to write a review and not mention the setlist but I
don't want to give anything away to people who want it to be a
surprise. The Set list is available on the forum though if anyone's
curiosity is getting the better of them...
It's a very well-balanced set featuring a great selection of It
Bite's classic material which goes down an absolute storm. The
audience must have been as busy as the band doing their homework as
they sing along. The set is punctuated with three superb and
beautifully crafted new tracks which are equally well received,
especially Breathe which has got It Bites written all over it. If
there's going to be a single from the new album, this should be it. |
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Even though this is a warm-up
show, the band’s performance is pretty much faultless. Bob and
Dick create a bullet-proof backline.
John Beck proves once again
why he is considered by many of his peers to be one of the best
keyboard players in the business. And John Mitchell turns in one
of the best performances of his life. His vocals are absolutely
spot on and just looking around at the audience you can see that
they are very impressed with his abilities as a guitar player
and a front man.
As the band close the show, it's clear from the audience
reaction that they have had a very good night indeed. And with
big smiles all round, so have the band.
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For anyone going to the shows in Workington,
Rotherham, Glasgow, Birmingham, London or Manchester, you're in
for a real treat. And for anyone thinking about whether or not
to go, I can assure you, cancel that holiday, decline that
wedding invitation or get that babysitter booked!! You really
don't want to miss this band live.
I'm certainly looking forward to another It Bites fix on Friday
in Workington. And despite what I've said about Zoetermeer, if
it's scheduled into the Tour next year, I'm sure I'll be paying
this strange town a visit once again...
Words: Paul Tippett
Photos: Heikie |
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