	In 1976 Uriah Heep played the Jaap Eden Hall during the Return to Fantasy tour. The Hall was sold out and the crowd went crazy by the energetic set and Dave Byron's stageact. That year Holland saw Dave Byron at one of his last gigs with Heep at the Pinkpop festival in June.
click to enlarge

After the departure of Dave Byron and John Wetton, Uriah Heep returned to the Jaap Eden Hall in March 1977. Now with singer John Lawton and Bass player Trevor Bolder. The new album Firefly was well received although the band lost a few fans. This time the hall was half as packed as the year before. Uriah Heep had to fight back for new fans and bring back the old.

Firefly was the first album release without David Byron and John Wetton. John Lawton former leadsinger of Lucifer's friend was recruited as also former Spiders from Mars bassplayer Trevor Bolder. For full details and information about the album go to Jay Pearsons The Music of Uriah Heep site

The bands popularity in Holland was still huge. At this point of Heeps career it was one of the few countries they had a hitsingle. Sympathy entered the charts by the time the band did their Amsterdam gig.

I do remember clearly the song was played on the radio while we were waiting for the band outside the hall.

Two stars for UK single release Wise man		This tour also had one of the best Tour programs Heep ever had: A full color A4 booklet with outstanding live pic's of each member of the band and a detailed bio. I buyed one ofcourse as also a huge poster of the Firefly albumcover . Both items are rare to get, and I would I didn't cut my program into pieces to cover my roomwall's with it:-))
	click to enlarge

Woody Woodmanseys U -boat was the supporting act on this European tour. Woodmansey was a good friend of Trevor Bolder. Both played with The Spiders from Mars the former band of David Bowie with who Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust were recorded. Their set was not very impressive, but their album also became a collectorsitem as it is the only one recorded by this band, produced by Heepproducer Gerry Bron who appaers on the cover drawing .

The Uriah Heep set :

Do you know
Stealin
Look at yourself
Lady in black
The Wizard
July Morning
Firefly
Sympathy
Who needs me
Easy Livin
Encore: Gypsy & Sweet Lorraine

Signed tour program page

It was clear the fans looked a bit shocked when John Lawton hitted the spot with feathers in his ears and eye make up. A complete different look compared to the Byron presentation. Uriah Heep was changed and everyone involved needed some time to get used to the new line up and musical direction. I myself was excited by the new album and had a very good time with the live performance of Who needs me and especially the titletrack. It sounded beautiful to me and still when I listen to the illegal recording I made during the gig I couldn't understand why the song was dropped from the setlist that fast.

click to enlarge

The band was successful in cheering up the crowd, and to be honest they played technically better then a year before. John Lawton had a strong and powerful voice. Though, at that moment there was more of a disappointment kind of feeling because of the fans who were wrong staying away.

This review is not that positive on Heep's concert that night in Amsterdam. Lawton tries to imitate Byron it says, and musically everything is the same as the year before. Ken Hensley is definitely the boss, now Byron is sacked. The supportact U-boat gets some nice lines, their set was surprising.

Louis Rentrop Oktober 10 1999