David Elfick reviews the Melbourne concert
A NEW STYLE OF ROCK CONCERT - AND AUDIENCE

A new type of Australian rock scene was born when in four hectic days of last week Free, Manfred Mann, Deep Purple and Pirana smashed rock attendance records in a four-State Australian tour.

The tour opened to capacity houses in Perth and Adelaide, reaching Melbourne on Saturday night. An estimated five thousand people were turned away from the Melbourne Festival Hall. The groups sensing that this tour was without precedent in Australia played four inspired sets in Melbourne, extending the finishing time from the projected 11 p.m. to well after 1.00 a.m. Tour organisers announced that a further Melbourne concert would be held that evening to satisfy the many disappointed fans who couldn't get tickets.

Meanwhile the groups grabbed a few hours sleep and flew the 600 miles to Sidney for their open-air show at the Randwick racecourse.

Pirana opened the event with music that set the tone of all group's performances. Relying heavily on driving rhythmic material they got the huge sprawling crowd together and ended to a standing ovation.
Manfred Mann Chapter III followed. Manfred had brought a four-piece group with him featuring australian Mick Rogers on vocals and guitar and Manfred with his organ, mellotron vc3 and other sophisticated electronic gadgetry. Manfred was both electronic musician and magician, casting spells over his equipment and having it answer with a stunning variety of sounds. He finished his set with a super radical "Mighty Quinn" and the second standing ovation of the day. Again volume and rhythm created the atmosphere for the group's sound.

For fifteen minutes the crowd watched the stage as roadies piled Marshall amp tops on the Lenard speaker boxes, and put the drum kit into position. Then from around the racecourse track came a rented luminous green Ford Transit with Free inside. Their set was outstanding, despite the problems with the lead guitar amp in the opening numbers. They finished with their big number "All Right Now", Paul Rodgers flinging his mike stand into the wings on the final defiant note.

Now that it's over you think about why you go to a rock concert. You go because the group has made good records or they come from overseas and you probably won't see them again or you are just curious because others dig their music and so you would be like to get into it. You go and as the big overseas acts begin playing you get really excited because you know that this performance is special because you will probably never witness it again.

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