Ian Anderson
Manchester Opera House
22nd April, 2012

Performing Jethro Tull’s Thick As A Brick and its 2 sequel, this was a great theatrical production in the classic Tull mould, with no encore. From 7:30 till 10, including a break, the men in brown coats delivered the unmistakable strains of TAAB, finely re-creating the album with all its quirks. The second half was special, though, as the new TAAB 2 was brilliantly played and presented. Not since Gentle Giant have I seen two lead vocalists of such ability and stage presence sharing the spotlight. It was a brave and clever move to employ a gifted young singer to share the limelight so ably occupied for so long by Ian Anderson. An interlude for a “violinist with child” Skype call was an amusing, clever and touching diversion, presaging the revelation of the suited Aqualung character via screened videos. The band were tight throughout and, as a spectacle, this 1972-era prog was a tour de force of high-quality sound and musicality.