John Waite Live at Arrow Rock Festival
Lichtenvoorde/Holland
June 09, 2006

Concert review written by Kevin Scott

There’s not many times in a Scotsman’s life you get to go and see your favourite singer on this side of the pond
(- that's Europe!) - and when I found out way back in January that John Waite was playing the Arrow Rock festival in Eastern Holland this summer - I wasn’t going to miss it for the world.

5 months later, I’m sitting on a plane leaving Edinburgh and heading to Amsterdam for a hectic 3 day jaunt round Holland, which would take me strangely back to Litchenvoorde and Arrow Rock - as I had been there the year before to catch my other favourite singer, Steve Walsh and his band, Kansas hit the open stage.

I was joined on this trip by my long time fellow JW fan mate, Adrian Pounce (from Kent, England – ‘did he mention 1966?’) Adrian and I did the JW Connecticut / New York shows in April 2000, as reviewed in an old Issue of the ‘No Brakes’ fanzine. I met Adrian at Schipol Airport arrival lounge (at the bar – surprise?). The first beer of many!

After an afternoon/evening in the centre of Amsterdam, where we’d hook up with my long time Dutch friends, Jessie Kummer and her husband, Jan Callis and a short overnight stay at the Amstel Bothotel, it would be time to make track for Arrow Rock and John Waite at 10.06 a.m on June 9th, 2006!

A two-hour trip on the Dutch train services would take us to Ruurlo, which was spitting distance (well actually a 25 minute taxi ride) from Litchenvoorde and the almighty Arrow Rock festival.  Before we knew it, the intrepid ‘Three’ were walking through the gates and into the duel venue to rock hard n’ heavy for 11 hours, and partake in a mass of Grolsch tasting throughout the day.

Our intentions were to try and take a good position for ‘Blackfoot’ who were opening the concert, but a sighting of a well known Lancastrian and his band tuning up and sound-checking in the Rock Palace, that...

...makes us walk this way before a tasting of southern boogie. Walking into the covered Rock Palace, it was indeed John and his band doing the monotony of sound check. We all walked to the front, and merged into the diehard JW supporters that were also taking this opportunity to see John attempt to tune his acoustic guitar.

A small offer on Petra’s John Waite ‘waite4you!!!’ website, would alert other JW followers of my arrival at Arrow Rock, which resulted in a multitude of hello’s to various fans that had recognised me for my JW supporting career since 1978. First to introduce himself was the one and only, Wouter Kramer (no relation of Joey in Aerosmith?).  Before I knew, we had discussed the entire career of John, and were getting our pictures taken with a mass of JW fanatics including Babys/Bad English and John Waite devout followers, Tim and Eileen Findlow, from England, Jesus Ruiperez and Eduardo from Spain (Jesus had said ‘He would have walked on water to make it to this show’.)

More introductions followed, and shouts to various members of John’s band results in looks of confusion, due to excess jetlag from the guys on the stage. The band had completed their sound check, and it was time for Blackfoot to hit the stage - so the decision was made that we would return in 20 minutes to guarantee a fine visual experience for John Waite Arrow Rock 2006!

Fours songs into Blackfoot (who were cooking - any band that has a song called ‘Don’t mess with my Queenie, or I’ll mess with your nose’ is alright with me), it was time to walk the walk and do the talk and get front row back inside the Rock Palace.

Our timing was right as we returned, to ensure 1st and 2nd row vantage points. We were back beside Wouter and his wife, Tim and his wife, and the other Dutch, Spanish and European JW fans, as the lighting dimmed, and the intro tape started. Isn’t it time!

The backstage covers slipped to the side to allow John’s band mates to take their positions, with the familiar face of Jimmy Leahy taking exit stage right position (Jimmy had played at Connecticut and the New York shows in 2000) and the new faces of lead guitarist, Anthony (Krizan), Sean Michael Ray on bass, and Billy Wilkes on drums.

Sharply out from the shadows, a familiar figure on the landscape appeared as the 1st chords of The Baby’s classic ‘Back on my feet again’ powered out from every speaker in the house. Indeed, John Waite was alive and kicking and about to rock Holland! The crowd immediately joined in vocally with John and the band blistered though the former ‘Yesterday Heroes’ re-wriiten AOR rock classic. Before you could say ‘Ello, Ello, Ello’, the band has flown into ‘Change’ and people were talking, and saying that they weren’t leaving this show, as it was the ‘Tight as an ant’s chuff’! The missing keyboard player didn’t matter as Anthony and Jimmy were covering any ivory tinkling parts with their guitar parts.

Looking behind me, the Rock Palace (no relation to Crystal Palace?) was jumping, as the third song would motor in with ‘No brakes’ without a gap for us poor punters to draw breath!  This was ‘Keys to your heart’ and it was my cup of tea, a fine Earl grey indeed with just a splash of well-pasteurised cold milk. Again, turning back to the multitude behind us, I clocked 3000 – 4000 fans singing along in fine harmony.

Finally, after 13-15 minutes, John’s band decided to stop and give us a chance to allow our lungs to intake some Oxygen. John was really enjoying this in his long black suit jacket, and pinstriped brown trousers. Then, we were off again, hurtling into hyper-Waite space for the Bad English classic, and worldwide hit ‘When I see you smile’ which needed no introduction as the females screamed and fainted, just like at a ‘Shtumm’ gig in Scotland?? The Crowd’s hands were up in the air, waving and gesturing ‘More’.

Before you could say ‘And if you could see me fly (easyjet)’ the guys had kicked in with John’s last CD’s title track- ‘The Hard way’, which I expected to be top notch. I was not disappointed, as it proved to be a new live classic. The back line of bass and drums of Sean and Billy proved a force to be reckoned with, with guys linked in as tight as a duck’s bottom. Billy small kit was producing a almighty sound and was perfectly in time, and Sean bass playing was as solid as concrete set with steel pins!

The well set up stage and excellent lighting and sound was blowing everyone away, as Billy walloped his snare and floor tom, for the immortal introduction of John’s number 1 classic ‘Missing you’, which probably got the biggest cheer of the day. The crowd again were in full voice with a hint of Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, German, English, American all aided by some sharp and very professional sounding Scottish backing vocals throughout the song.

Before you could say ‘Jesus, are you there?’ (And he was… standing right behind me!) - John and the guys had kicked in with the mighty ‘Isn’t it time’ which was the song that introduced me to John, when I was a mere 11 years old. 27 years later it was sounding as good as ever. Throughout the show there were tons of pictures being taken, including me front centre with my in built camera on my phone. With thousands of flashlights going off, John was able to see the front row and acknowledged us with the quote something like ‘Hi, to all my friends in the front row’.

Up next was a rendezvous with ‘Midnight rendezvous’ as the Jonathan Cain’s 1980 guitar lick was perfect executed by Jimmy and Anthony, as Sean and Billy created the bombastic build up, which would send the crowd into submission - or Ecstasy (extra track on John’s ‘How did I get by without you’ CD single). John and the band were cooking on gas, and the adrenalin was pumping - at this point John clocked the Scottish Flag draped over the front row barrier, with ‘John Waite Scottish Supporters’ on it. Looking two feet above it, John then clocks an old friend, and says through the microphone ‘Hey, Kevin!’

Kevin  with John Waite round 1998