Thomas Hardye

Focus played the County Town of Dorset - Dorchester- on a fresh, but dry, Saturday Night in November, and it was absolutely stupendous! Thijs van Leer came onto the stage, followed by his bandmates, to a rapturous applause. He promptly sat down at his Hammond organ, and belted out their first hit ‘House of the King’, and from then on, it was 100% quality classics. ‘Focus 1’ made way for the magnificent, multi-sectioned ‘Eruption’, Thijs excelling on harmonies and scatting, with his stellar cohorts each a virtuoso on their respective instruments. Pierre van der Linden on drums - a giant for a little guy, ever present since virtually the beginning; Menno Gootjes on guitar, making it sing and scream, and hitting all the poignant notes pitch perfect; Udo Pannekeet on an unusually shaped bass guitar, who provided the structure and resonance to the whole sound. I have seen Focus on many occasions in my 50 year love affair, but none was as good as this; local to me, a ticket price that was so palatable, a venue with great seating and vista - heaven! After a short interval, the band came back with ‘Round Goes The Gossip’, a lovely jazz/pop hybrid of the 1972 double album ‘Focus 3’. They proceeded with Harem Scarem, Focus III, plus a beautiful piece dedicated to the bells in Strasbourg Cathedral, in which each band member came into its own. Of course they played riveting versions if their biggest hits ‘Sylvia’ and ‘Hocus Pocus’, before finishing off with another eponymously-named tune. Thijs went on to state that we, the audience ‘was the fifth band member’, and he was touched by the venue, ambience and reception. Please catch them in tour, you will not be disappointed! ’

What a great band! Top musicians, brilliant music!a band I've followed since 1970!

Fantastic show..If you think no one can match Kate's vocal range , think again. Amazing singer and lovely personality to go with . The band was also excellent and the choice of songs was great . Highly recommended show.

Lovely show with an excellent tribute band. Really good vocals and musicians. Just a shame some of my favourite tracks weren't played.