Thursday's show

MOTT THE HOOPLE SETLIST

Jupiter
Hymn for the Dudes
Rock N Roll Queen
Sweet Jane
One of the Boys
Sucker
The Moon Upstairs





Acoustic portion
The Original Mixed Up Kid
I Wish I Was Your Mother

Ready for Love
Born Late '58
Ballad of Mott the Hoople
Sweet Angeline
Walkin with a Mountain/Jumpin Jack Flash
Like a Rolling Stone
The Journey
Golden Age of Rock N Roll
Honaloochie Boogie
All the Way from Memphis

Encore I (with Buffin)
Roll Away the Stone
All the Young Dudes
Keep a Knockin

Encore II
The Saturday Gigs

They played for a little over two hours. Buffin came out only for the three songs on the first encore. They had a second drum kit set up for him. He needed assistance. It was moving to see Martin Chambers help Buffin onto the drum chair and off, and lead applause for him. Buffin did bang away on his kit and kept a rhythm, but someone was crouched behind him in case of accident. It still was good to see him. Wonder if he'll come out tonight?

They had a chorus line of five backing vocalists on some songs. They were Ian's kids Jesse and Tracey, Mick Ralphs' son (is it Stan?), Stan Tippins with cowboy hat, and a woman I did not know. A sixth choruser joined them on ATYD -- Joe Elliott. He also came to the front and sang a verse (yeah, I know -- Joe Elliott got stage time and Morgan and Ariel didn't). Joe wore a T-shirt with the name of MMA fighter Randy Couture.

Mick had a goldish, spotted jacket, which he soon took off and went with a white shirt and black pants, Ian the same topped by a black jacket. Verden had a maroon T-shirt. He's rail-thin. Pete had on a multi-colored sweater that made him look like he was off to ski the Alps after these shows, and with all the money they're making, he could. The only concession to glam of anyone was Pete wearing white shoes.

The front line, Mick, Ian and Pete, looked really relaxed and into it. They clearly were enjoying it. Mick and Pete came to the edge of the stage several times. Pete came all the way across the stage once. I did not really see Verden interacting with the others, but I was on the other side of the stage. They lined up Mick left, Ian center, then Pete and Verden with Martin in back. Ian had keys all the way to the left and played them on maybe four songs.




The band smoked on the rockers, I mean smoked. The Moon Upstairs was off-the-hook good and a highlight for me as I'd never heard it live before. If you'd closed your eyes you'd never guess these were performers aged 65 and up. Angeline and Memphis were also highlights for me, though I hear them all the time with Ian's band. Mick's solo on Honaloochie Boogie was amazing -- made the song a lot different from the novelty song Ian has made it out to be in recent years. It was great.

They came forward on stools for a two-song acoustic set with Martin on bongos.

Finish of The Saturday Gigs saw Mick, Ian, Pete and Verden come to the front and lead the fans in singing "Goodbye, goodbye!" a capella, and they walked off with this as the backdrop. They teased another song but this was it.

Everyone I talked to was really satisfied, and overall so was I. You can go on about setlists, but I'd really rather hear "No Wheels to Ride" than "Sweet Jane," NWTR being a group composition that would bolster the representation of the earlier albums.



Oh I got a drumstick -- off the floor after it had struck my seatmate Platform Boots in the face. Yes, I offered it to him -- twice! But he was kind enough to let me bring it back to the U.S. Thanks Toni! Martin had broken it at the end of The Moon Upstairs and I guess heaved it. Martin should be an Olympic javelin-tosser.