Roy Harper 26/4/1980

I have seen Roy Harper a lot over the decades starting in 1968 in Hyde Park as a stoned support act, through to a 2005 gig at Newark. I couldn't get to his tours over the last few years for one reason or another but maybe it is better to remember him as the fierce, angry younger man. Actually he probably is still fierce and angry even though he is in his late 70s by now. This gig at Surrey University in 1980 saw him pretty much as his peak belting out most of his new album (The Unknown Soldier) and as usual some gems from the back catalogue. Chief among those for me was 'Hallucinating Light' which always came across brilliantly live. Other Harper classics played on this gig were 'One of those days in England', 'Old Cricketer' and 'One Man Rock and Roll Band'. The rest of the gig was mostly the new album which includes some pretty good tracks as well. Of course there was the usual banter from Roy - there always is.