Bo Diddley & Hiram Bullock in Basel 2001

Bo Diddley European Tour 2001

07.11.01 - Tilburg, Holland - 013
09.11.01 - Basel, Switzerland - Messe Basel
10.11.01 - Thessaloniki, Greece - Supernova
11.11.01 - London, England - The Astoria
12.11.01 - Liverpool, England - Cavern Club

Hiram Bullock European Tour 2001

07.11.01 - Vienna, Austria - Reigen
08.11.01 - Maribor, Slovenia - Satchmo
09.11.01 - Basel, Switzerland - Messe Basel
10.11.01 - Minden, Germany - Jazzclub Minden
12.11.01 - Prague, Czech Republic - Lucerna Music Bar
13.11.01 - Moscow, Russia - Le Club
14.11.01 - Moscow, Russia - Le Club
15.11.01 - Moscow, Russia - Le Club
16.11.01 - Moscow, Russia - Le Club
17.11.01 - Moscow, Russia - Le Club
21.11.01 - Gilwice, Poland - Teatr Muzyczny
22.11.01 - Swidnica, Poland - Club Bolko
23.11.01 - Gorzow Wlkp, Poland - Club Pod Filarami
24.11.01 - Bogatynia, Poland - Club Energetyk
25.11.01 - Warsaw, Poland - Club Hybrydy
26.11.01 - Warsaw, Poland - Club Hybrydy
28.11.01 - Poznan, Poland - Club Blue Note
30.11.01 - Katowice, Poland - Club Marholt
01.12.01 - Kalisz, Poland - Centrum Kultury
02.12.01 - Warsaw, Poland - Natolinski Osrodek Kultury
03.12.01 - Warsaw, Poland - Club Remont
04.12.01 - Warsaw, Poland - Club Remont

Sound Check

Hiram Bullock

Bo Diddley

Concert Reviews

About 4000 people attented the Rock'n'Roots evening during the Avo Session Festival 
in Basel, Switzerland. Probably 75 % of the tickets were sold. The show was taped by a 
Swiss TV Station named SF DRS and will be broadcasted on August 31th 2002. There 
were two big video screens beside the stage where we could see the performers very closely.

Anyway, support act Hiram Bullock started at 8 PM, did a great show and played for 90 minutes. 
Then he told us he has to go cause of Mr. Bo Diddley coming up.

After a 30 minute break, Bo Diddley and The Debby Hastings Band entered the stage and opened 
with the famous Bo Diddley beat. His stage moves were very slow but he looked ultra cool. 
And to be honest, I never saw him jump on stage or things like that on the old videos. 
It's just his style. Then he played, played and played... he just didn't stop. And here is the big 
difference. While other performers stop after 40 some minutes which is fixed in their contract, 
Bo just doesn't seem to care. He is still a musician and not a business man. He did fantastic 
solos on both drums and keyboard additionally to his crazy guitar sounds. During the two hours, 
he played Rock'n'Roll, Blues, Reggae and Rap and there was even an encore.

Set List

Introduction
Bo Diddley
I'm A Man
Can I Walk You Home
Crackin' Up
Bo Diddley's A Bad Seed
Roadrunner
That Mule
Who Do You Love
Unknown Song
Drums Solo
Keyboard Solo
Rap Improvisation
Hey Bo Diddley
Diddley Daddy

---

And 50 years were as nothing

AVO SESSION: BO DIDDLEY ROUSES THE AUDIENCE WITH HIS 2-HOUR APPEARANCE

Three dotted eighths, a sixteenth, an eighth and then a quarter note: this is the rhythm Bo Diddley 
has stamped on rock'n'roll since the mid-1950s, one that famous bands like the Rolling Stones 
later copied. And it is still this rhythm that the now 73 year-old "primary rocker" together with a 
convincing Hiram Bullock roused his audience in the opening program of the AVO Session. 
For what seemed like minutes, the drummer beat it on the snare drum. Then bass led in, followed 
by the Hammond, the rhythm guitar and then Bo Diddley himself. Rolling ever on, minute after minute, 
the beat began to work its primeval hypnotic effect, taking the whole hall with it. It was magic, timeless. 
And it always moved on one harmony - real one-note blues.

Three dotted eighths, a sixteenth, an eighth and then a quarter note - and 50 years are as nothing. Then 
Bo Diddley's square guitar begins to howl. It sounds strage, unrecognizable, just like it did back in the 
fifties, when the young man from Mississippi was one of the first ever to work with effects and distortions 
on the guitar. Suddenly his vocal starts, with a deep, full blues voice, overriding everything its carrying power. 
What an entrance.

Bo Diddley may be 73, but he didn't show the slightest sign of slowing down, and continued with the same 
intensity. "I'm A Man", one of his hits from the 50s, had a fresh and new-sounding effect. Diddley made an 
impressive appearance, without any gimmicks, and the band gave him very good support. Then he played a 
couple of mid-tempo numbers, during which he talked a lot with the people in the front rows, from which 
fortunately the seats had been removed. He stirred them up, urged them to dance and to sing along. And they did. 
Bo Diddley gave lots of solos, continually pressing the buttons of his specially made guitar to achieve the unusual 
effects. He even added a couple of rap pieces (!) and did a solo with felt socks on the drummer's floor drum.

After taking it easier for a stretch in the middle part, Bo Diddley moved into high gear for the finale. He invited 
everybody to the party, played a classic rock'n'roll number, said, "I feel good this evening, very good!" and gave an 
super extra chorus of "Who Do You Love".

After more than two hours the very strong concert finally came to an end with the classic "Hey Bo Diddley". Yeah, 
with three dotted eighths, a sixteenth, an eighth and then a quarter note.


By Marko Lehtinen, translated by John O'Brien

Basler Zeitung of November 12, 2001