For more information, email
can be sent to Fran
Hart at: bpd@tiac.netThe following is a review of one of the concerts at the Standard Bank Arena and appeared in The Star (South Africa), written by Peter Feldman on October 15, 1996:
On Saturday night it seemed liked the angels had descended from heaven.
There were moments of sheer spiritual upliftment as some of music's most memorable melodies were faithfully reproduced on stage by a group who emphasize quality and professionalism in their perfomance.
The sound, from where I sat, was near perfect and each nuance, each whisper, each sigh could clearly be heard. It was a night to cherish.
David Gates and Bread have not performed together for 18 years. It took the initiative of an expatriate South African, Selwyn Miller, in Los Angeles, to entice the four famous musicians back on stage. And we should all thank him for it.
The music, which trancends generations, touched an emotional chord. There were few dry eyes in the capacity house.
Gates, a charming personality with a calming spiritual force around him, has not lost his touch. With customary Stetson and an elaborately embossed velvet waistcoat, he cuts a quietly confident figure on stage.
His voice is the distinctive sound of Bread. Age and the passing of time have not blunted its quality. He displayed outstanding control on many of the songs, and the effortless manner in which he scaled those high notes sent chills through the body.
Make It With You, the opener, set the tone on an evening of beautiful nostalgia in which writing partner James Griffin and drummer Mike Botts both got to sing. Fans were also allowed a brief peep into the very private world of Bread, and, I daresay, not many are aware of keyboardist Larry Knechtel's vital contribution to Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Gates performed the enchanting Love Is Always 17, with its Country kick, from his solo album, and Mike Botts delivered his own witty diatribe, The Wait.
Everything I Own, Aubrey, Guitar Man and Sweet Surrender were performed with an easy-flowing style, and the sound was further enhanced by the inclusion of bassist Scott Chambers, guitarist Randy Flowers and a 10-piece string section from the Transvaal Philharmonic.
The opening set was Not The Midnight Mass, a delicious five-piece a capella outfit with a naughty sense of fun. The group, whose previous performances have been restricted to small, intimate venues, were equal to the occasion.
It was a stirring set in which they gave Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love an interesting new twist and Georgia On My Mind and You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman took on fresh dimensions.
Bread will give an extra concert at the Standard Bank Arena on Saturday night.
Back to South African Tour Page
Most recent update: Wednesday, March 10, 1999
For more information, email can be sent to Fran
Hart at: bpd@tiac.net