New was followed by no less than eight old favourites from three albums including GUTTERFLOWER, DIZZY UP THE GIRL and LET LOVE IN. The fans responded to ‘Big Machine’, ‘Slide’, ‘Dizzy’, ‘Here Is Gone’ and ‘Smash’ with unbridled enthusiasm, and I could see the band members smiles broaden more with each song. I last saw the band in 2008 (again in Liverpool) when the band and especially Takac wwere as animated as hell. This time is was more disciplined and better with Takac actually contributing at least four lead vocals of high quality. Rzeznik was also a tad more serious although at one point he comically commented on the heavy bass sounds emenating from the smaller venue below. So, not a lot of chat but twenty-odd songs performed as well as I can remember by this band, and an audience who gave as much as they got.

One of the measures of a gig’s quality is whether when I arrive home I play the act’s record immediately. On this night as soon as I arrived home I put THE GREATEST HITS VOL 1: THE SINGLES into my CD player and started with the song that lifted the roof off the venue, ‘Iris.’ I then played ‘Broadway’  which completed the encore and the show. This had everything: superb peformances, brilliant audience reaction, and a masterpiece of a set-ist including songs from no less than 6 albums. Even the less-than-perfect sound quality became insignificant as this sublime live band took the place apart, brick by beautiful brick. But, for me,  the most interesting thing was how the band made this supreme show look so effortless, easy and natural.

Set-List

Sweetest Lie
Big Machine
Slide
Dizzy
Here Is Gone
Second Time
Smash
Can’t Let It Go
Black Balloon
Home
Betterdays
Stay With You
Now I Hear
Tucked Away
Name
Let Love In
As I Am
Iris
—————-
Not Broken
Broadway

More Show Images Here:

http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/gallery/?album=3171&gallery=1710