WORDS AND IMAGES BY WARREN MILLAR
‘The live Music Goes On For Well Over Two Hours Full Of Sounds, Trance And Electro Ambiance Which Is Almost Hallucinatory’
German cult iconic electronic band Tangerine Dream stopped off at Liverpool’s Grand Central Hall on Thursday 10th March 2022 as part of their “From Virgin To Quantum Years” tour.
Formed in1967 by Edgar Froese, the name for the tour comes from their first album “Phaedra” which reached No 15 in the U.K. Charts. “Phaedra” was the first album released by Tangerine Dream with Virgin Records but in fact was their fifth studio album.
Although the line-up has changed and with the sudden death of Edgar Froese in 2015, Froese’s chosen successor Thorsten Quaeschning, alongside Paul Frick and Hoshiko Yamane, continue in the ever-evolving pathway of Tangerine Dream with their latest release “Raum”
It was a surprisingly mild night as we make our way to Liverpool’s Grand Central Hall. I say Mild, its mild compared to the last few nights which have been freezing or below. Having said that we are in Liverpool and one thing you always get in this city is a warm welcome when it comes to music. It is a city of music lovers.
Waiting outside in the line before the doors opened a couple of younger lads walked past and asked, “What’s going on then lar” (Liverpool speak for “What’s happening my dear man”) I tell them it’s a gig and they ask, “Who’s Playing?” I tell them “Its Tangerine Dream” they look puzzled, kids eh!
Once inside the wonderful Grand Central Hall with its Art Nouveau design and beautiful domed ceiling its was noticeable that its 100-year-old pipe organ was lit and proved to be an epic backdrop to what was about to come. The stage was set up with upstanding fluorescent light tubes scattered about and around keyboards and racks of synthesizers all draped in white and even white mike stands.
Tangerine Dream are due on stage at 8pm and just before they arrive on stage, out comes a stagehand placing Tangerine’s on the front of stage some even with faces drawn on them, nice touch.
Spot on 8pm out on stage walk Thorsten Quaeschning, Paul Frick and from the other side of the stage Hoshiko Yamane. Then starts what can only be described as a feast of Krautrock loveliness. Opening the set with “Betrayal (Sorcerer Theme) a track full of layers and warm glows of synth sounds.
With Quaeschning seemingly leading centre stage right below Central Hall’s Organ and the sights of laser beams spreading out all over the venue and Yamane and Frick to the left and right of him, it was a spectacular visual and sound experience.
Hoshiko Yamane was continually moving from her keypad to her electric violin.
Some Stand out tunes were “Dolfin Dance” from the 1986 album “Underwater Sunlight”. “Continuum” from the album “Probe 6-8” and of course the ever popular “Love On A Real Train” from the soundtrack of the film “Risky Business”
The live music goes on for well over two hours full of sounds, Trance and Electro ambiance which is almost hallucinatory. It instantly takes me back to my teen years back in the 70’s when most of my collage friends were into pop mainstream chart crappy music. Not me I was exploring the boundaries of where sounds and music could take me, much like Tangerine Dream were doing back then and still are keeping it alive. Thank you, “Tangerine Dream”,
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Warren is a live music and festival photographer based in Cheshire and covers gigs/festivals mostly in the North West of England. He has been photographing live music for over 10 years and has covered major artists and festivals
