The Shadows Live in Rotterdam: 40 years ago

[iefje]

Today it's exactly forty years ago that The Shadows played the last concert of their Spring 1980 tour, at De Doelen Theatre in Rotterdam. As most of the fans here will know, it was professionally filmed and recorded for a television special. The 25-minute special included eight of the 28 numbers from the two hour show performed that night. Since a couple of years, clips have been available via YouTube. It's one of my favourite Shadows concerts and I still wish it will be issued on DVD and/or Blu-Ray with surround sound, as it was recorded on multi-track.

Did any of the fans here attend this concert?

[Iain Purdon]

I for one didn’t know that.
Is that the tour with George Ford on bass guitar?

[iefje]

Yes, George Ford was on bass guitar and he did a very good job. His bass lines are quite similar to those of Alan Jones.

[Gatwick1946]

Excellant vocals and good sound quality.

I believe the set list would have been based around that used on the 1979 British Tour, which started with The Dome, Brighton on 1st September and finished at the Gaumont, Southampton on 29th September. I saw the show at Fairfield Hall, Croydon on 2nd or 3rd Sept.

I had only seen George Ford when the Shadows put in a mimed appearance on Top of The Pops; nice to see his take on "Nivram".

Kindest regards,
Christopher

[P.G.M.G.]

Ivo,
I have attended not the concert on April 2nd but in March 1980 in The Hague. It was the frist time I have seen the Shadows live.
It was a wonderful experience, a fabulous concert. The Shadows did perform several numbers form the 'String of Hits' album.

Best wishes,
Peter

[bor64]

I was there, and the next one in the same venue.
That was the change of address tour with Alan Jones.
Mind you the spring one that was filmed for Veronica TV, Hank was sick as a dog,with a infection.
If you look closely his upper-jaw is swollen.
I've seen the whole concert raw footage on a DVD years ago ...

Cheers Rob