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(from scrapbook 3, page 33)

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GOOD TIMES GUARANTEED

"WHEN QUO were asked where they wanted to kick off the tour, they said here 'cause you're the best audience in the world." The place the stage announcer was referring to was the Bristol Colston Hall and the audience were definitely rather enthusiastic.

I knew it was going to be a good night when the support band Montrose took the stage. This band are heavy there are no two ways about it. It's their brash confidence that makes them instantly appealing. They know they're stars and it's not often you get a support band so upfront, but then again it's not often they've got the music to back themselves up.

The band do need a lot of tightening up and developing but it's there. They are fronted by their namesake Ronnie Montrose who can sure squeeze juice from his guitar. The riffs are simple and memorable but those are the requirements of rock and roll songs today. They're good musicians and the material they played which is to be featured on their next album sounds very promising indeed.

Other numbers they played included "Bad Motor Scooter", "Rock The Nation" and "Space Station No. 5" which was the encore featuring some weird effects from a gadget attached to Ronnie's aluminium guitar. All in all it was a very professional set and I won't be surprised if they're headlining next time round.

What can one say about Quo? They're a guaranteed good time band. The audience were on their feet before the band stepped on to the stage. The group casually strolled on to the stage and launched into "Rock Me Baby" with Alan Lancaster providing raunchy vocals. "Someone's Learning" followed with a jam that culminated into a fiery climax.

There wasn't much of a reaction from the audience when Rossi announced that were going they to play some material from their new album. "C'mon," he screamed, "you were like this last time we played here and told you we was gonna play some stuff from 'Hello'." But everything was rectified after they played "Backwater Junction" which sounded as if it still needs a bit more wearing in.

The crowd accepted the new material and the band calmed down the atmosphere with a fine version of "Claudie" which verges on to country and western. One noticeable omission was their single "Break The Rules" which has already entered the charts on advance orders. "Johnny B. Goode" proved to be the congenial encore and the audience still wanted more.

- PETE MAKOWSKI

Image caption: STATUS QUOS what can you say?