Day-after review of the 4 December 1969 De Montfort Hall homecoming — rich Chapman-stage-gymnastics detail and a surprise Ric Grech final-number appearance:
”THE prophets came home last night. And they were honoured. Family (Roger Chapman, John Whitney, John Palmer, Rob Townsend and John Weider) brought with them some of the most interesting and inventive music to be heard at the De Montfort Hall for a long time. It was the fruit of experience, hard work and originality. The audience pleaded for more. Two of the five who started out from Leicester have left: Jim King to his musical studies and Ric Grech to Blind Faith.”
”Final number / But Ric walked into the hall last night unexpectedly and joined Family for a final number. Drummer Rob Townsend takes music to be labelled. But at risk of incurring his wrath here goes: Family music refuses to be tied down. It is an expression of ideas which vary during any one number through the influences of jazz, basic rock country and western and/or blues. At no time last night did it ever come down strongly as Blind Faith.”
”Replacement / Family has found a valuable replacement for Jim King in John ‘Polly’ Palmer, who came from Eclection. He used the vibes to produce refreshing smooth, solos, encouraging light and shade in Rob Townsend’s drumming. When Rob Townsend gave up drumming to leave them inventing he didn’t seem to know what was happening. I didn’t either.”
”Family Entertainment has left favour of any one influence, it touched each. The reason may well lie in the fact that all Family music is written by Family. Most mobile of the Family men besides Townsend was lead singer Roger Chapman. While Chapman remains relatively still the arms explore the stage; the hands crash together, point at the audience, the roof and mind imaginary shapes before the hands grab a microphone stand and hurl it.”
”Large supply / Not for nothing does Roger Chapman carry a large supply of new tambourines. Guitarist John Whitney’s cool professionalism invited respect. The final number with Ric Grech lost points for professionalism. Ric played amplified violin. Ex-Animal John Weider played amplified violin. Ric played phrases, John played phrases, but at times their inventiveness overreached itself.”
Signed J.M. Primary source on Ric Grech’s unannounced return to the stage post-Blind Faith for the final number — a significant Mk III→Mk IV coda performance.