Budgie prepare for a tour ‘down under’ with a storming performance in Shakespeare country.

Cox’s Yard, Stratford-Upon-Avon, England: Tuesday, 3 November 2009. Pictures by Ray Cordell

Burke Shelley, Steve Williams, Craig Goldy and crew took a few hours out from their hectic schedule, preparing for a major tour of Australia, to play a warm-up gig in Stratford-Upon-Avon. The venue was the town’s fabulous playhouse on the green, Cox’s Yard, across the road from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. It was quite a show!

The band treated the wall-to-wall crowd to a blinding set of Budgie favourites, both old and new, kicking off with ‘Panzer Division Destroyed’ featuring some tasty licks from Craig. Three numbers from the latest studio album ‘You’re All Living in Cuckooland’ were included - ‘Justice’, ‘Dead Mean Don’t Talk’ and ‘Falling’. Highlights were many but, in particular, the ‘In for the Kill’ and ‘Breadfan’ medleys received the loudest applause. During the set, Burke paid tribute to former axemen Tony ‘Parents’ Bourge and John ‘Turn to Stone’ Thomas. Manager and Budgie supremo, Paul Cox mentioned that the release of the next album reissue, ‘Impeckable’, was imminent. Speaking after the show, Steve Williams said the band were very excited about the impending trip ‘down under’. The tour would kick off with shows in Perth and Fremantle before moving onto Melbourne, Sydney and even Cardiff, New South Wales!

Set List:

Panzer Division Destroyed *
Guts **
Dead Men Don’t Talk ***
Melt the Ice Away ****
Justice ***
I Turned to Stone +
Falling ***
Parents ++
Medley: In for the Kill +++ / Crash Course in Brain Surgery +++ / Hot as a Docker’s Armpit ^^
Nude Disintegrating Parachutist Woman **
Zoom Club +++
Napoleon Bonaparte Pts 1 & 2 ^

Encore:
‘Medley’: Breadfan ++ / Whiskey River ^^

* ‘If Swallowed Do Not Induce Vomitting’ EP [1980]
** ‘Budgie’ [1971]
*** ‘You’re All Living in Cuckooland’ [2006]
**** ‘Impeckable’ [1978]
+ ‘Nightflight’ [1981]
++ ‘Never Turn Your back on a Friend’ [1973]
+++ ‘In for the Kill’ [1974]
^ ‘Bandolier’ [1975]
^^ ‘Squawk’ [1972]