Memory:Jan Jakobi
Gentle Giant played on 28 september 1977 in Eindhoven in the "stadsschouwburg." It was a great show as usual, and it included the following gimmick. In the middle of the concert, they played a unknown tune that existed of a load of noise and non-symphonic cacaphony. The people in the audience looked at each other surprised because this was completely different from the beautiful songs we were used to hearing from GG. At the end of this piece, the drummer came to the microphone and said: "This was our latest punk hit, or should I say punk-shit." The audience then cheered and understood that it was a joke by the band ridiculing this bad new trend in music.
Another concert (21 May 1976 in Breda) was a festival with Gentle Giant topping the bill. As GG was about to start, the stage was completely dark and you heard the sound of the glass breaking ("The Runaway") over the soundsystem. Apparently just before the music started, the members of the band jumped up, and when they were 3 feet from the ground, the lights went on. The effect was as if they had fallen from the sky!