2010: BOC still on tour forever!!
Have you got anything to contribute to this page? Reviews, missing gig support band/venue information, ticket stubs, posters, handbills etc etc - if so, let me .
Since this show was at a state fair, I naturally assumed it would be outdoors and general admission, and waited until the day of show to purchase my ticket. What a surprise to find out it was taking place in a small auditorium on the fairgrounds, and the tickets were for assigned seats - and without even realizing it, I ended up with a fourth-row, center-seat ticket! I had a great view, and had never stayed seated so long for any BOC show.
I think most of the crowd were probably expecting a lame oldies act, and many rude people were still chatting thru the first couple of songs. But before long, the band had won over the crowd in a big way, and many were cheering wildly by the end of the show.
I had never heard them play "The Vigil" before and was blown away - definitely one of their best later songs, full of great guitar parts and vocal harmonies. I was slightly disappointed not to hear anything from Secret Treaties, and out of two or three dozen times seeing BOC live, this was the first time I didn't hear "Cities On Flame".
But this was a great BOC show! This current line-up of the band totally screams out for a live CD and DVD. I really enjoy A Long Day's Night, and even though that line-up had Allen Lanier to make it 3/5 of the original band, the group now is truly a monster of energy, finesse and excitement, even at only 2/5 of the original members. Long Live BOC!
PS. There was no opening act or following act. Also, BOC will be playing the Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando, FL on 3/25/10, and I'll be there for sure!
Set List:
Shooting shark, Bucks Boogie and The Vigil may not be in perfect order but I believe the song list is complete.
This gig was at the Sevens Lounge in the new Casino Queen... opened just 6 months ago. Cool club - only seats 150 people, and the tiny stage was elevated above a semi-circular shaped bar. Small tables filled the rest of the room - pretty art deco decor.
We sat at the bar, right in front of Eric's mic. The boys looked dapper in their white and black "casino" dress - Richie in his leather pants!
The crowd was really into the show the entire night - singing the lyrics, and Eric was rather chatty... asking about the super bowl, doing a lot of intro talk, etc.
He changed up Black Blade for Cities on the set list, I'm guessing because the crowd was so into it. The only glitch was Buck broke a string on the Cheeseburger right after Shooting Shark, and had to switch up guitars.
Started again and had to switch back once more for another broken string, but Aaron got it up and running in time for Last Days. Aaron was having a hell of a time maneuvering back and forth on the tiny stage!
They played for 1 hour and 45 minutes... sweet! Richie, Jules, and Rudy came out into the club after and we hung out with them for a while.
It was just an all around terrific night!
Here's a link to some of my photos from the gig:
This was actually in the other Las Vegas - tiny Las Vegas, New Mexico! It was a blast in a small, historic campus theater.
We drove from California to Las Vegas, New Mexico to see the guys. We stayed in the plaza hotel where the band stayed, and got to say hi to them all as they arrived on the university shuttle. I even got shake Buck's hand. Richie was just a few rooms down the hall from us. My wife wore the more cowbell shirt, while I wore the I got a fever, and the prescription is more cowbell shirt. My 5 year old son and 9 year old daughter both wore Godzilla shirts.
The show was opened by a very good cover band that played a killer Stevie Ray Vaughn cover as well as a heavy Barracuda cover from Heart. The setlist as best I remember is as follows:
It was an hour and 15 minute set per the program, and was accurate time-wise.
Eric gave a guitar pick to my son, and we had made a poster for Richie that showed him slaying the "Evil Dragon" with his guitar. He smiled when he read it from the front row.
Later at the hotel, Richie saw my wife at the computer and gave her a pick for my son, and commented on her more cowbell shirt, and said she wore it well. My wife was flattered. :)
I missed one of the 5 or so picks thrown by Buck, and I'm so bummed. I have all of the band's picks but Buck's.
Next up April in Upland California, and Pac Amp in July.
Opening band was Foghat (at least the current version).
Biggest news was that Eric Bloom was absent. Buck said he was down with a cold.
Show was obviously geared towards Buck vocal pieces. Castellano did good cover up/fill in work to accommodate the missing instrumentation.
Set list:
Castellano did vocals on Hot Rails.
Solo sections on Godzilla from Radino and Sarzo along with some Quiet Riot nods with a bit from "Come on feel the Noise".
Highlight was "Last Days" Castellano did a great job with the first solo like A. Lanier used to do, with Buck taking over and raising the bar with second solo.
Surprised though with the relatively small amp stack set up.
I went to this BOC show as well!I drove from Salt Lake City, UTAH which is about a 2 hour drive from Wendover to see the mighty BOC play, I can't miss these guys if I can help it!
It was a sold out show at the concert hall and the opening band was FOGHAT and they really sounded great with alot of energy which I was surprised on how I really liked them this time, Ive seen them 2 other times open for BOC, but this one was by far the best Foghat show ive seen. The Sound was great in concert hall so I was really looking forward to Blue Oyster Cult's set with this kind of sound.
Then the BOC intro started and the crowd was very excited to see the mighty BOC, everyone was on stage but Eric, they announced the band and the mic cut out, so it was already off to a rocky start.
The sound wasn't as good as Foghats which was very disappointing and Bucks guitar was really low, I really think they need to fire their sound guy as the last few boc gigs Ive seen they've had sound problems!!
After a few songs the crowd was just not into the show, it seemed to me I think we were all wondering where Eric Bloom was!
Finally after the song Buck's Boogie Buck annouced the band and told us that Eric was out with a cold!!I must say that Buck did step up as he could but still it was hard to feel in for Eric and It was funny to hear Buck talk so much at a BOC show! LOL!
I still think the show was pretty good even with no Eric but Im a HUGE BOC fan, I do really dig Rudy Sarzo in the band, He brings a ton of enery to the band and is always fun to watch on stage!!
Well,the setlist was a little short as buck just sung his songs and the ones Eric sings they left out from the set. The funny thing was after Reaper Buck told the crowd they were already over time and a bunch of people started leaving thinking it was over, and about 3 minutes later they came out for an encore and played Hot Rails To Hell with Richie Castellano singing which is always fun to hear!
Anyways, not the best BOC show Ive seen but you can't always have the perfect show plus it's never going to be the best without one of the main frontmen of all time, "Eric Bloom"...
Danny covered fine. Place was way-packed. I could hear some slight differences in some of the keyboard parts, but if I hadn't known I would not have guessed it was someone else - sounded basically the same.
On gtr Danny played well on R&B in the guitar duel part, but did not play a solo in TCTLDOM ala Richie or Allen Lanier. Richie brings some real intensity to the stage show which was missed. Was funny watching Danny watch Rudy.
I thought the band was great w/ Danny, but as a musician Rudy is on another level. Danny watched not with envy, but definitely with interest.
All in all, musically, if you just heard the show without knowing you would probably not guess it was a different line-up.
Set List:
How did Danny do on guitar? Check out Mike's clip below...
Setlist for March 6, 2010
Saw the 10pm show at B.B. King's, the band's regular New York club. Usual line-up.
Set list:
No encore. Eric made the point that their "time was up." B.B. King's scheduled a hiphop event immediately following the show, therefore only a nine song setlist.
Nobody expected a long show considering it was the second performance of the night. With the short setlist, Eric's role appeared limited. He was solo only on The Red And Black and Black Blade, and he didn't talk much to the audience.
Musically, they sounded better than the last time I saw them at B.B. King's. Buck's vocals were better than I remembered and Rudy is a great addition.
b.b kings 10 pm:
Big fan of B.O.C seen em 4 times in england over the last few years, but this sucked.
First off, in Europe B.O.C, like lots of american classic rock bands have a big following and play large clubs. Sadly in america they are reduced to playing "rib fest" style events, but i was expecting something cool for this hometown show.
b.b kings is the opposite of rock and roll. people sitting eating there dinner and talking, while what was one of Americas great bands plays in the background. People stand up to apluade the band and are told to sit down again. A far cry from the lazers, dry ice and joints of there 70's heyday.
Performance wise. b.o.c are lazey. they may be great musicians but theres no effort or sense of enjoyment coming from the stage. I cant stress this point enough, 11 songs is not good value for 45 bucks. A short predictable set list, that doesnt even touch on many of the bands best albums.
no encore as "this place has a strict deadline". Pull the other one, they said exactly the same thing in Manchester last year (leaving a very pissed off capacity crowd). How about dropping the drum and bass solos and going on a bit earlier? maybe give your audience value for money? Na - take the money and run.
Early Show (7:30):
Let me begin by stating it was an incredibly stupid idea to drive to Times Square from Westchester on Friday night as the NYC metro area was impacted by a Nor'Easter. I'd say it ranks right up there with hopping on the LIRR some 30 odd years ago to see them play at Nassau Coliseum (on a double bill with Rush) during an ice storm on Friday the 13th. It's the nature of being a fan, and when it comes to BOC, I plead guilty.
That said, it has been at least 25 years since I last saw them perform, a few blocks away at Bond's on Broadway in the early 80s. On second thought, perhaps it was L'Amours in Brooklyn. Regardless, on with the show:
The Band:
Eric Bloom: Lead Vocals/Stun Guitar/Keys/Imaginary Cowbell
Buck Dharma: Lead Guitar/Lead Vocals
Richie Castellano: Guitar/Keys/Lead Vocals (HRTH)
Rudy Sarzo: Bass/Vocals
Jules Radino: Drums/Cowbell
Straight from the audience to the stage, Danny Miranda on guitar for Reaper.
The Set List:
Impressions:
While it was no surprise to learn the first show sold out (600 seats), it was bit of a shock that everyone actually showed up. To my ears, the band is less of the faceless democracy it once was, with Buck front and center on lead vocals for almost the entire set in addition to his lead guitar work.
Eric was definitely appreciating the opportunity to interact with the hometown crowd, including a large contingent of close friends and fellow NY Met fans.
After the first few minutes of TRTB, my initial impression was that this latest lineup was just as capable as the original and sounding much like they did at the SWU shows I had witnessed at The Bottom Line, Hammerhead's and My Fathers' Place.
The set ran approximately an hour and 15 minutes. I felt the set list could have been expanded by one or two picks from the last two studio albums or by adding a deep cut or two from the first three albums at the expense of tightening up the solos.
What has always separated BOC from their peers is the quality of their songwriting, and it's a shame so much of their catalogue is no longer performed live. Someone in the audience shouted they should "...play it all" in reference to their first album. Great idea. I could easily imagine the band playing their first three albums in their entirety in front of the hometown crowd on successive nights in NYC. Perhaps even invite some of their former collaborators along for the ride - Joe, Albert, Allan and guests. Patti Smith, anyone?
Back to the future, the new additions (to me) are terrific. Sarzo adds a nice dose of energy to go with his aggressive style of playing, complimenting the confident and economical drumming of Radino. Most impressive was Richie Castellano, who adds a distinct dimension to the band by interplaying a robust lead guitar as a counterpoint to Buck on a number of songs.
As it turns out, I bought my first guitar, an imitation Les Paul Starbust, from his Dad at the family's music shop on Ft. Hamilton Parkway in Brooklyn, NY.
That memory, and creating a new one, was well worth the price of admission.
Went to the show last night at the Hard Rock 3-25-10. This was my 32nd time seeing BOC, and they sounded great.
The place was packed wall to wall. When they came out on stage you could see the look in Eric's eyes as he pulled down his glasses he seemed really surprised to see a full house on a Thurs night.
He only sang on two songs, but he sounded great. I think since its been a couple of weeks since there last show this gave him some time to rest.
They were super tight and full of energy. It was a great show. I think deep down all us true fans know the end is near. I would love to see Richie and Jules take the reigns in a couple of years it keep it going. They do a fantastic job.
The set list was:
Saw BOC last night at Ventura theater. Set list
This was the first time I've heard the Vigil, and it was outstanding!!! There was several interesting bits in this show.
They had a great spooky keyboard intro to Black Blade that I've never heard before!
The Ventura Theater now has the front 1/3 of the floor space blocked off with table for dinner. Eric commented on it because it looked empty up front, and all of the dieheard fans like us were forced to stay 50 feet back against a rail, or go to the balcony. He said he didn't remember it being like this in the past, and preferred the old setup. It was clear he was none too pleased, nor were we.
Eric told a whitty joke about Sarah Palin that got a twilight zone type of guitar reaction from Richie that was funny. The crowd reacted kind of stunned. I heard a few cheers, and a couple of boo's but mostly quiet. He also spoke about California legalizing pot while introducing the last days of May.
Rudy's monster bass intro was different. The Quiet Riot, Whitesnake, and Ozzy tunes were all different ones. It was the pre-solo riff to Cum on feel the noise. It was Here I Go Again from Whitesnake. I'm pretty sure it was Bark at The Moon from Ozzy.
We got to meet all 5 guys afterward & they autographed my cowbell!!! I had to convince Eric I wouldn't sell it on Ebay. After I told him we drove from California to New Mexico in February to see them, he knew I was going to keep it. It's going in my display case today!!! Jules gave my 5 year old son 2 drumsticks, and he's been amazed all day. :)
The opening band, I've had the displeasure of seeing now Twice. They played Agoura Hills last year. They are called the Feisty Piranhas. Someone needs to tell them to turn their freakin' amps down. They are so loud that any small amount of musical talent they have gets destroyed in a blender of loudness that sounds like a trash compactor that's jammed.
Also, they screw around like kids the entire time they're on stage blabbing to each other, all speaking on the mic at the same time so you can't understand anything they say. They look like they're in their 40's but act like they are 12. They invite all of their friends on stage, and it's so unprofessional.
The worst part is the mom and dad that dance like idiots in the aisles by themselves as if these guys are going to be famous. I'm so embarassed for them. They've bankrolled a custom-painted trailer to move their gear, and it's clearly a case of kids of rich parents trying to buy fame.
Well the boys were back in Ventura County. I need to say that the Ventura Theater has lost its luster over the years and now it is just a c**p hole. It smells of piss and vomit, the drinks way over priced and generally not a great place to see a show unless it is a punk band.
10th time seeing BOC, first time I saw the band was on the Black and Blue Tour.
BOC did a fine job of getting us into the show but we could not get closer then 20 feet unless you had a wristband or knew the security, it was really lame. It was a bunch of fools in front of the stage dancing and yelling it up, us, the fans were 20 feet back and did our best to give back to the show, but in the end there was a huge hole left in the crowd as these fools danced and drank their wine.
Highpoint: Shooting Shark. Oh my god. I have never been so impressed by a band live. They took their time and really played. Again this is why BOC, even in a lame theater can connect with the fans. It was, beautiful.
Low point: Dont Fear The Reaper. Enough with the cow bell bull s**t, we remember when the song was, what it was, Don't Fear the Reaper. They phoned the song in. Do extend solo's, no real work, just 4 minutes then off.
The boys are coming back to play an outdoor festival in Reseda this summer, its in a park. Lets hope the faithful return and see them.
BTW... If anyone from the band reads this: Play the Canyon Club and drop Feisty Piranha. Have a puppet show open or, add $25.00 to the ticket and play a longer set. Play an album in its entirety, whatever, but get rid of Feisty Piranha. They are not even good in a Punk way, they do suck.
Once again another fun concert! Although, a sad one for me also. I'm a huge fan and go to as many shows as possible. this one was the last B.O.C. concert I'll get to see with my best friend, and a huge fan also. Russ Jones Passed away just three days after we saw the boys. he will also be on tour forever. The shows will never be the same without him.
By the way, the show was great as usual. Richie Castelano is a great addition to this band! Jules and Rudy were great also. Outdoors in Stockton.
The weather was perfect and it was packed. Buck and Eric were in great spirits, and recognized us as usual.
Rest in peace Russ, my brother. I'm sure you will be with us at the next show.
Sunday night brought back Blue Oyster Cult to Slims nightclub in San Francisco. They have been coming to this venue for close to twenty years in a row! This 500 seat venue was about 95% full and BOC did not disappoint. Opening up with Golden Age of Leather shocked many in the audience, but a great pleasant surprise!
The set list as follows: GA of Leather, ODd, burning for u, vigil, black blade, harvest moon, last days of may, Godzilla, reaper, encore: Hot rails to hell.
I noticed many teenagers in the crowd! The demographics of the concert were amazing, people ranging in age from 80 to 13. Most of my friends were in agreement that Harvest Moon and Vigil took best song award. With Hot rails to hell getting many votes.
I also brought two BOC Virgins, one a notable guitarist with the Stroke 9 band... he is now a certified BOC fan, and the other one said he is "Now a better person."
The sound was amazing. it seems that BOC has slowed the pace a little bit and you could hear every note perfectly and the lyrics were like someone telling you a bed time story. Clear, articulate, and rising above the music.
Bucks voice is strong and Mr. Bloom sounded awesome. He was also very talkative with the crowd. The supporting cast Rudy, Ritchie and Jules were flawless... Rudy's playing on the Vigil took it to another level!
Cant wait for there return. How many more times are left? These quys are the best at what they do and that is rock!! From speed metal(hot rails to hell) to rock... nobody does it better.
Is it safe to say that BOC is the best live band in the world? The answer is "YES."
I can never underestimate how fortunate it is to be a BOC heavy in the Bay Area these days. Always an annual appearance at Slims in the New Year, and occasionally a Summer gig in Santa Cruz down the coast.
They say the West is nice this time of year and Sunday was one of those idyllic days of high temp beach weather. So I hiked to the beach near the Golden Gate Bridge, listened to the Giants (baseball) game on the radio and soaked in the sun in anticipation of the nights gig.
I live in close proximity to the venue and can walk there in 20 minutes. Very cool as I have in the past taken planes, trains to catch a set. One of the rare bands I travel to see.
The moon was bright and bold and as I got nearer started to feel the excitement. When I arrived, the opening band was at it. So I stood on the curb outside the door until they were off the stage. A contingent of BOC crazies were milling about of all ages. Lots of younger fans which makes me proud and plenty of us "mature" die hards.
Suddenly a car pulls up directly in front of me, a sedan from which Ritchie emerges. The driver then lept out and it was Don Buck himself at the wheel. How appripo.
This was a show of firsts for me after 30 plus years: Buck wore faded blue jeans he probably wears around the house on Sundays and no COF in the setlist; ok by me. the unusual, to say the least, choice of opener was also a portent of the gig to come.
Alas, no ETI (my all time fave).
So it was with another evening with the Cult. I was so close in the Buck Zone (sometimes a dangerous place to be) that I could see the cracks in the finish of the battered Cheeseburger and read the time on Bucks watch.
Can't wait until next year... or this Summer should the Old Gods return.
We saw BOC last night and it was awesome as usual! I finally got a pick from Buck Dharma and so did my daughter!!! We're so happy.
I must say this about KLOS's Mark & Brian DJ's that showed up as an opener. They are a couple of disgusting pigs that never grew up. They're pushing 60, and think they are teenagers. They had what was clearly an adult sexually explicit diatribe that was horrible because we had to cover my kid's ears. No warning in advance, and really caught us off guard. I did not go to a BOC concert to see a women flatulate on stage from her vagina, or see a beauty contest where every contestant was asked personal sexual history questions.
Set list:
Only BOC could make such a horrible start to an event with morons like Mark & Brian still be a great night!
No opening band, but there was an interminable event put on by local disc jockeys "Mark and Brian" before the boys took the stage.
Other bands on the bill:
6-Speed Overdrive (local band)
Georgia Satellites
Setlist:
I am pretty sure that songs are correct, but I'm not quite sure about the order. The Red and The Black was definitely first and the encore is correct.
Here's a setlist from last night's show:
Set list for may 29 2010 at Sam Houston Racepark. It was a little unusual. Buck had a real raspy sounding sore throat, so maybe they changed it up. I was very happy with their solid performance,though. They have never disappointed me. B.O.C. puts out a vibe that they enjoy what they do and for a fan that's what I like to see.
Here is the set list:
I am almost 99 percent positive this is the setlist, but see if anyone collaberates...
I was at the Blue Oyster Cult show in Houston Saturday, May 29th at Sam Houston Race Park and kept a written setlist.
Just letting you know that the gentleman who was "almost 99 percent positive" has a good memory. My setlist is the same.
I wrote down the Foghat setlist for that concert:
I was front row at Rib America in St. Louis, standing in the heat and passing thunderstorm! Foghat was delayed about an hour due to the storm, but put on a really good show. As is customary, Jules stepped in and joined on drums at the end of Slow Ride. Very cool.
BOC rocked St. Louis as usual! Aaron wasn't there to do their intro, so that was weird. The only bummer was Buck's voice - still noticably hoarse from the Houston show. So the set list was definitely geared toward Eric for a change.
Richie did a great job of stepping in on vocals on Burnin' and Last Days. It was cute, I saw he had jotted down the first couple words of each verse of Last Days and had Andrew tape them down just in case. And he just about forgot to come back in on vocals after the guitar solos! (Buck gave him the eye...)
Rudy brought out his new bass solo, still a tribute to his former bands, but a nice change-up. All in all, a terrific show once again!
Here's a link to some of my photos from the gig:
I was at the St. Louis show on the last day of May 2010. Michele's review was spot on. Richie assisted with vocals and did a good job masking Bucks throat issues.
Richie sang lead on Hot Rails, but from where I was standing Buck and Eric were still lead vocals on their respective tunes.
Foghat had a ton of Marshall amps and their sound was very audible. BOC used minimal gear yet still sounded crisp and thick. It was a good mix in the middle.
I wasn't at this show, but there is a recording up on Dime. Setlist:
According to the show notes, the show was cut short due to a thunder storm. Last Days of May was cut from the planned setlist.
I was at this show in Sioux Falls Sd Last Thur nite, and It was a great show, although a little short. There was a thunderstorm threat, but We didn't even get a drop of rain, and the storm clouds and lighting passed JUST to the south east of us. (thank the heavens!)
Your set list is correct, except after "reaper" the band DID do two Encores: "Cities on Flame" and "Hot Rails To Hell".
Set List:
1 Hr 25 Min.
Rudy Sarzo - Bass on Shooting Shark, highlight of the show! No "Vigil" or "Golden age of Leather", or "ILUVTNIGHT" as played previously on this tour, but the standout and my favorite from 84 - Shooting Shark was worth the trip, Rudy, and Donald's vocals were just excellent! Replacing Saxophone, some groovy interplay between Eric and the new Keyboardist.
I look forward to a live 40th Anniversary DVD from this band line-up!
Missed Astronomy, but maybe next time! Best Live Show of 2010!
BOC Setlist from Skagit Valley Casino (2 shows) tonight (actually, last night now):
First Show:
(NO ENCORE)
Second Show:
Buck, Eric, Jules, Richie, and Rudy
Set lists for both shows:
Show 1
NO ENCORE
Show 2
I had requested of Eric to hear something they don't play often, and I suppose my request was granted one way or another with "Teen Archer," a song I've only seen performed one other time. Out of the 19 songs they played during the night, 14 were unique, the remaining 5 (Burnin', Boogie, LDOM, Zilla, Repear) were repeats from the first 14. 14 songs for a night ain't bad in 2010, that's for sure.
What I found really odd is Eric only sang 3 songs (not counting his dual lead vocal w/Buck on the Godzillas) the entire night. Quite frankly, Eric is sounding the best he has in years and it's puzzling why he's not taking advantage of this to belt out some old favorites.
Speaking of sounding great, it boggles my mind that this band continues to up the ante year in and year out. I know I say it every year, but there really is something magic that happens when this band comes to the Pacific Northwest. See my (and other's) review of the show at Emerald Queen on Oct 24, 2009. I can easily cite that as the best BOC show I've witnessed in the past decade, but tonight's outing came damn close. This lineup is just phenomenal.
I was right in front of the stack at stage left, second row, for both shows and despite it being LOUD, the sound was also crystal clear. The Pacific Showroom is a rather small venue compared to the typical auditoriums BOC plays in this area, but that makes for a much more intimate setting. Acoustics are great. They played a double header in the same venue back in 2008, and I remember thinking the same thing that time around.
I can't end this mini review without mentioning Richie Castellano, a guy who is constantly upping his game and continually bringing something new to the group's sound, a facet I've noticed since he switched from bass to guitar/keys in 2006. His solos rival some of Buck's best work.
I've been saying since, like, 2004 that we're lucky these guys are blessing us with another year of shows. If you'd have told me at that time they'd still be playing in 2010 I'd have laughed in your face. I hear they've already booked a show or two into 2011. Here's to another decade of BOC!
I drove for 5 hours to see both shows taking my son on his 23rd birthday. The band just keeps getting better and the never disappoint. There were only about 25 people that saw both shows.
I was lucky enough to get the bands set list from both shows. They added The Vigil to the first show, and pulled Black Blade. The Encore for the second show was Cities on Flame. I will be seeing them again in July in Lincoln City Oregon
Show 1: 7:00 PM
Show 2: 9:30 PM
BOC played an intense set Saturday night in the very accommodating South Shore Room at Harrah's Lake Tahoe.
Eric was a bit under the weather for this show, so he only sang the show opener The Red & The Black and his bit of 'Zilla towards the end of the set.
He did however do all the introductions and some banter with the audience, but could also be seen coughing sometimes during songs. Get well soon, Eric!
The band even made an on the fly song switch, as the set list taped to Buck's monitor showed Black Blade to be played, but was dropped in favor of The Vigil. Thanks for the Set list, Buck... The song list to the right is exactly what they performed.
So we were treated to mostly Buck's vocal expertise tonight and he was in fine form vocally and of course as always, fantastic on the Cheeseberger.
Rudy as usual, was displaying great energy, prowling all areas of the stage and tearing it up on bass.
Jules seemed to have arrived late, as we spotted him with his go bag heading backstage about 10 minutes before Showtime, but played strong all night.
Ritchie played a tasty guitar solo during Last Days and also had good energy throughout the show.
The audience was into the show as well, with the band receiving several standing O's throughout the night.
Buck really made one young man's night. Right after the encore of Hot Rails, He came over to the edge of the stage and signed this kid's CD copy of "Fire of Unknown Origin" and handed him his pick... He had to be 10 years old. Way cool. And so it goes without saying (but I will anyway), a very Enchanted Evening was enjoyed by all.
Setlist from Craig, Colorado (June 19).
Another surreal concert with BOC headlining the annual Wittle the Wood concert in Craig, NE Colorado. A scorching hot day with the band taking the small stage at about 5.45 in the afternoon in front of a fairly large local crowd.
Before starting, they had to wait for the announcement of the prizes for the Chainsaw Wood Sculpture competition (!) with a character called Bongo Love taking the main prize.
Accepting the award, Bongo launched into a Rasta-type song and dance, with Jules quick to take the initiative by providing the beat for Bongo's short routine.
The set started-off fairly laid back and didn't really take off until the later stages of Shooting Shark. A blistering version of ME262 followed which set the tone for a strong end to the gig. Black Blade was dropped from the set listing (for ME262) and Cities on Flame was the encore.
About an 80-90 minute concert despite only playing 10 songs. The local organizers decided to print some t-shirts so there's a few slime green shirts in circulation in the Craig area with BOC on the back at the top of a list of performers.
Here's the link to the website for the local newspaper.
Schedule for "M&I Classic Rock Stage":
12:00: Brass Bell Student Battle of Band Winner
14:00: The Tallan Noble Latz Band
16:30: Bad Medicine
18:30: Metal Men
21:00: Blue Oyster Cult
30 June 2010 Set list:
Most Ive been able to gather online so far, no fan reports - songs in this article, dont know if any missed:
I have the setlist and review for the July 3rd show at Baytown, Texas. Written setlist:
Now the review: This was an awesome show. The weather cooled off after a rain in the afternoon.
B.O.C. was on their game with their playing and singing. I think this lineup (I've seen them several times with this lineup) works really well together.
One other thing that was cool, about 3 hours before the show they did a sound check and played Harvest Moon and Black Blade,so we got a bonus, how cool was that!!!! Anyway I can't wait to see them again when they come back to the Houston area.
The opening act was a local band called Madigan. Dave Madigan is the leader of the band, I think, and a really great guitarist.
Just discovered your site and thought you might want this link to a recent BOC article here in Texas:
Another great show at Ribfest... and, as Redcap says... Man, do they love this pace! Knoch Park is a huge, wide open spot for a festival, and it all was extremely well organized I thought. The weather wasn't bad- the rain shower held off until right after the show (and I mean RIGHT after!)
They all seemed in a very good mood, despite half their gear not showing up on the flight. It wouldn't have been so bad, except for the fact that they couldn't play The Vigil without it (Eric called it out loud, and Buck just shook his head and said NO!).
We got a good set I thought, hadn't heard Harvest Moon or Golden Age in several shows. Eric was very chatty with the crowd all night. It was funny- right after the opener, Eric calls to Richie to play a little "Desparado" on the keys in honor of Desparado "The official ribs of Blue Oyster Cult".
A great show on a great holiday!!
Here's a link to my pictures:
Setlist:
The Oyster Boys can still bring it. Rudy Sarzo is a great addition to the band bringing lots of energy and movement all over the stage. He holds down a mean bass line too.
The Paddock area was packed when the band took the stage and ripped right into 2 of my favorite songs from the first 2 albums.
At first the sound mix was a bit off and you couldn't really hear the vocals and the overall sound was pretty muddy, but it could have been because I was off to the side of the stage. As I moved around to the front it was much improved.
Was kind of disappointed they didn't play "Astronomy" which is my favorite BOC song of all time but "Last Days of May" is right up there and they jammed this song harder than I remember from the earlier days. Richie's soloing was simply awe inspiring! This song was clearly the highlight of the show.
Love Bucks new look, the beard and longer hair makes him look much younger and edgier. Would still love to see him come out in his white suit of days past.
It's been about 5 years since I've seen them and it's great to see that they can still bring it and rock with the best of them.
Setlist:
We went to San Diego fair to see BOC. It was awesome as usual. The other review is incorrect about the set list. Song 2 was Teen Archer. They actually tricked everyone by announcing Before The Kiss, and then said they were going to do something different, and played Teen Archer. It was most excellent and triumphant! They also didn't play Golden Age Of Leather. It was The Vigil. I'm 100% sure about this set list.
This may be somebody BS'ing but I actually think I met someone connected to the band in the front row. He Claimed to have written the last track from the debut album called "Redeemed". I looked it up today, and there is someone named Harry Farcas in the credits. The story he told me was that he roadied, and took care of the house that BOC lived in.
http://www.blueoystercult.com/Studio/SWbios.html tells the story about him as "A one-time amateur roadie for the band, Harry Farcas was also a folky-style guitarist, and helped write "Redeemed." Farcas is now an iridologist in Southern California."
Makes sense that he'd be at a San Diego show. I'm sure there's lots of interesting stories about the band he could tell.
Setlist:
I was at the Blackbeard Pirate gig. The band never sounded better. The guys were smoking hot. The stage was set up facing down a narrow street in the old business district. All of us long time fans were there early to be at the front of the stage. Harvest Moon was played at the sound check.
I have looked at your set list but these are my recollections and hopefully someone else might help confirm:
Red and Black definitely started things. I think that the second song was OD'ed because the band continued with that high energy beat. I was surprised to hear Bucks Boogie early so I have that at number 3 followed by Shark and Black Blade.
Burning was definitely later so I have that at number 6. And I was disappointed that they did not play Last Days. The band did a Rudy Sarzo medley of sorts (riffs of Quiet Riot/Whitesnake/Ozzy)followed by an energetic bass solo. Then came Godzilla and Reaper. Hot Rails was the encore.
The band played a solid hour and a half. The crowd was enthusiastic. I saw a few fellow BOC tee shirts in the crowd and even an Eric Bloom shirt (and a Bill Nelson shirt-any BeBop fans out there?)
Despite the beers we'd consumed beforehand, I can assure you that each song on the above setlist was entered into the Blackberry as it was played, though I couldn't tell you all the songs they played snippets from during the Rudy Sarzo IntroMedley.
Eric sang very little - It was mostly a Buck night. Ritchie sang on Hot Rails. The obligatory Intro preceded Reaper.
Another item of note is that Chik-Filet (a US fast food chain), just before the show, distributed a few hundred miniature cow-bells...
Setlist:
This was a free show with Foghat on the Enfield, CT town green. We showed up at 7:15 and Foghat was already on stage when they were scheduled for 7:30. They put on a nice show and covered all of their biggest hits. When their fans left, I was able to just walk up to center stage on the barrier.
Unfortunately, I could barely hear the vocals since their were no monitors facing me and the PAs were hanging off the sides of the stage facing straight back into the crowd. I thought about moving back in the crowd to catch the vocals but I was having too much fun and the show was over before I had a chance.
After Burning for You, Eric made a criss-cross motion with his arms in front of each band member, which I understood to mean cross Shooting Shark off the setlist (oh well, at least I got to hear The Vigil for the first time).
Despite the short setlist, they played for the good part of two hours, with extended jams on almost all of the songs.
Richie Castellano was excellent on guitar, had a few solos of his own, and really put on a show during Last Days. I miss the MK I solo from OYFOOYK but Ritchie and Buck were smoking hot on on this one.
The crowd was great. It was a sea of people as far as I could see behind me but there was little shoving and no fighting for once. With no vocals from the Oyster Boys, I could hear tons of voices in the crowd singing along on Burning For You, Godzilla, and Reaper.
I really like the current lineup and the band played with more energy and enthusiasm than I have seen in 29 years. My wife got to experience what I have seen and felt for years of being front and center on the barrier.
After the show she says, "Oh my God, its like he's looking me right in the eye, nodding his head and smiling, like he's saying, 'hi I'm glad your enjoying the show'" Nicely done!
Eric did a nice job with the show review. I do need to add that they played Harvest Moon after Burnin' For You.
HUGE crowd. Probably 5,000+ people in attendance.
Here is the set list for the BOC concert 15 July 2010 in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the Club Regent Casino:
I found these apparently official photos through the casino website:
Word on the street is the show got rained out midway through. The band were forced off the stage by torrential rains after LDOM.
Setlist:
I saw Blue Oyster Cult again last night. They are paired with Foghat.
BOC opened the show and Foghat closed. Both bands were great. They will reverse it tonight, and I will be there again.
A short set list that was still awesome. The band was tight and they played with a lot of energy. You can tell that his band enjoys what they are doing. I also picked up the set list after the show, I now have 6.
Now, here's the list.
Here is the set list from last night:
(NO ENCORE)...
They shared the bill with Foghat, and were first up. Unfortunately, the show seemed to lack energy, and the sound was not quite right. It sounded like Woody kept adjusting and trying different things, and by the time they got to DFTR it was ok, but they did not seem real happy. It was dissapointing that there was no encore.
Anyway, I am going to go again tonight, and will be writing a full review of both nights...
Here is the set:
Tonight was leaps and bounds better than last night, IMHO. I must mention that Castellano completely owned the title of guitar god last night. This man is absolutely incredible on guitar. Fast, precise, full of intensity... blew me away.
BOC had second billing tonight, but, yet again, no encore. I guess when Eric starts waving, they really are leaving the stage, and do not return. I was looking forward to Hot Rails, or anything else. I don't like DFTR as a finish.
Overall, much better show tonight, a lot more energy, and some good energy coming from the stage.
In case anyone else was wondering, the echoey Buck piece usually played before DFTR is often referred to as "Buck's Noodle". When asked, Buck himself calls it "Intro to Reaper"...
I agree with the other poster, Eatbliss, This show had a lot more energy.
I had hoped for an Encore of either Cities on Flame, or Hot Rails to Hell. I was also hoping for a few more songs.
It is not often that you get to see 2 guitar gods on one stage, Richie and Buck were great. We met Richie and Jules after the show and thanked them for a great performance.
I took my 16 year old and his friend because I wanted to show them real rock, with passion.
Costa Mesa:
I think that's it. Short Set. Eric Apologized and said thats all the time they were given. Some is better then None.
A packed arena show it was. Sunday night we were ready to have our ears melted. A Foghat tribute band of the same name (only 1 original member, the bassist) opened, and played 6 songs. They were solid, but nowhere the calibur of BOC. I wish it had only been BOC. The highlight of the opening show was watching Bobby Rondinelli (BOC's old drummer) play with the Foghat tribute.
BOC started heavy as usual with Red and Black. We stood up in the pit the entire track. Burnin was 2nd, and got the entire crowd lathered up even more. Buck's Boogie was smokin' hot tonight. The sound was great at Pac Amp even up close to the stage. The band's energy was very good tonight. Eric was rather chipper with his banter to the crowd. Last Days of May was next, and featured a scorching guitar solo by Richie. One of the finest I've seen him do.
Zilla was next with the Rudy bass solo & Jules drum solo. Jules kicked ass tonight. A tom heavy solo with lots of big rock quads. They closed with Reaper, and it was only a 6 song set, but very exciting nonetheless. Orange County is strict on noise after 10PM, and the band was done at 10PM. There was no encore which left everybody kinda bummed. We're going to see them at the concert on the green in 3 weeks, so this was a good bit of foreplay.
Richie talked to us and my daughter, and he is absolutely one of the nicest guys in music period. I must say that there are some really obnoxious people in Orange County. There was one guy that kept blabbing at Richie without even letting him talk. He said Richie would have to remember him next year as if it were a contract or something. As if....
We also got to talk to one of the regular roadies, and he is also a great guy. He's got blonde spiked hair. He gives set lists to my kids, and they put them in their rooms. He asked if we were going to the Mid-State Fair the following day, and we wanted to so bad. Work obligations darn it. I would like to know his name if possible, and put him on my facebook friends. If anyone knows him, tell him thanks.
Just a few comments about the show. The band sound checked with Summer of Love and Harvest Moon. I thought both sets were very well played and overall my dad and I had a great time at this show (my fourth), except for a few things (listed below).
That's enough of the negativity, though, the show kicked ass and the crowd was full of energy! They loved every song, and went wild during Last Days! The noise was deafening where I was sitting, and I don't just mean the monitors! Great stuff!
Not the best show I've ever seen, pretty generic sets, but it was still great and the drunk at least provided some entertainment. And oddly enough... the same drunk was soon spotted at the Aerosmith concert by my friend later on in the evening, even after being taken away by the Sheriff. I guess drunks always find a way!
I was at the BOC show in Frederick, MD on 8/1/10. Here is the set list:
Went to the show last night in Tampa august 7th - Aerosmith headlined.
BOC set was:
No encore. Bass and drum solo in Godzilla.
Wow, this venue sure treated BOC like crap as Aerosmith's opening band. I was far away from the stage, in the center area on the open-air lawn section of the amphitheatre grounds, amidst a throng of people on a hot and muggy evening -- almost as far from the stage as you can get, but I knew this venue uses giant video screens to show close-up shots of its musical acts, so I knew I'd be able to see BOC just fine.
There were also many sets of speakers poised towards the lawn area, so I figured the sound should be fine too. What a disappointment! When BOC took the stage shortly after 7:30 and launched into "The Red and The Black", the sound quality was so poor and the volume so low that 90% of the people around me didn't even stop talking, or even turn their heads to look towards the stage!
And they never used the giant video screens nor the extra banks of speakers during BOC's set, so if you weren't right in front of the stage, there was not a lot to enjoy. But BOC was up on stage obviously playing their hearts out, especially Buck as he continues at the top of his game, cranking out sharp chords and weaving guitar magic for those fortunate few who could actually hear him properly.
They only played the six songs already listed here, and after only 49 minutes they were gone. Their big songs generated a little bit of crowd enthusiasm but not much, but I'm sure the stifling weather also contributed to the sedated mood of the crowd.
Actually, this venue screwed Aerosmith too as far as the lousy sound system, with their sound being only slightly clearer but just as low as BOC's, and all those extra speakers still going unused.
But Aerosmith played for over 2 hours and got the royal treatment on the giant video screens with many great close-up shots, so for BOC this obviously wasn't any kind of co-headlining arrangement like they've had with Foghat recently.
I still recall the show at the UCF Arena on 10/2/08 when Foghat played for over 90 minutes as BOC's opening act! Maybe BOC will get to do something similar when they open for Foghat on 8/21/10 at Silver Springs - hopefully a much, much better concert experience for this long-time BOC fan.....
It rained, but I was close enough to the stage to stay dry... very short show; abbreviated versions of Godzilla, DFTR (no noodle)....just about exactly an hour...maybe shy of that.
A good show considering how short the set-list was... Styx followed and pleased the crowd.
I wasn't at this show, but here's the setlist from someone who was (posted over at EB's board, looks like it's identical to the following night in CA):
I don't curse much, but ho-ly SHIT.
I've only been able to get out and see the band 5 times now, but I believe this free outdoor show in the heat really took the cake by far. Not only were the boys absolutely on fire, but it was a nice, long 100 minute show with a setlist that really showcased Buck's ability to the crowd of almost 10,000 people. Not to mention, I was really close to the stage again.
Before I get to the show, I still have a few complaints to get out of the way.
Now the show...
Setlist with comments
All in all, great, great night, best I've ever seen the band as of now. Got me psyched for the Fresno show in October. I think the crowd walked away at least impressed. It's always nice to see the boys play a free show to thousands. Who knows how many people are new fans now? I can't say, but I'm sure there's at least a few more after last night.
The setlist you have is accurate.
Here is my review. I have to agree with the other gentleman that posted, the crowd was a bunch of local weirdos since it was a free show. There was a lame old guy in a kilt that was responsible for throwing stuff at those of us who wanted to stand up. I drove nearly 2 hours to see BOC, and know they don't want to see their fans sitting in the grass. He kept telling me to sit down, to which I replied shut up multiple times. Here's a clue for people like him. It's a rock concert. If you are too old to stand up, get a front row spot next time, or stay the fuck home. The security was pretty uptight too, but considering the lamos in their town, I can see why. There was also a plastic chain seperating the stage area from the first group of fans. There was an island of 20 feet between us, and that sucked.
Even Eric said on one of the songs "stand the fuck up!"
So Woodland hills locals, you can suck it!
On Shooting Shark, Richie did an extra long solo that was very tasty even though they got lost for a spell it didn't matter.
On Godzilla, Rudy's solo was different. He put in some string bends that were intense! He must be lifting weights!
The guys had a lot of energy even though it was hot as hell. They ad-libbed a long time before the show, and that was really fun to watch. They did several improptu jam sessions that were cool.
Last days of may was exceptionally good, and Richie's volume swells were lightning speed. Bucks double-picking was like a machine gun attack.
Great show.
Yeah -- the locals were pretty territorial, since most of them come out every Sunday for the free shows and stake out their territory before noon. Opening act was nothing original, all band members played it pretty safe, and Allison, the leader, had some pretty serious pitch issues.
What I wanted to add was that around 5:15 PM, we were treated to a complete version of 'This Ain't The Summer Of Love' for a sound check. It was a nice treat and set a good pace for a free Sunday evening show. After the soundcheck, Buck hung around soloing around the stage for another 15 minutes. Very nice.
I just thought you might want to read my review of the concert that Blue Oyster Cult performed on August 15th, 2010. It includes the complete set list. Here is the link:
Enjoy. By the way, you may include a link to my article on your site, and you may copy and paste the set list and put it on your site, but you may not just copy and paste the entire article onto your site.
Setlist:
Outdoor venue (Arcadia Creek Festival Site), with lineup number 1:
Eric Bloom
Buck Dharma
Richie Castellano
Rudy Sarzo
Jules Radino
Warm up acts:
Spankin' Daddy [ Site Link ]
Back in Black (an ACDC Tribute Band) [ Site Link ]
Sponsor: Wright for Kids, local non-profit charity for the prevention of child abuse
Festival Name : Rock for Kids [ Site Link ]
The show began with a recorded medley of BOC tunes through the ages. That might have been my favorite part of the show.
Here is a short review of the Kalamazoo show that I posted on the Progressiveears forum:
Saw Blue Oyster Cult outdoors at the Arcadia Festival site in Kalamazoo MI Friday night. The last time I saw them was 3 years ago at the same venue with the same lineup as they currently have. I've seen BOC more than a dozen times over the years and they still put on a great show.
The set list was ok, although I would have liked to have heard something off of "Cultasaurus", "Heaven Forbid" or another track from "Fire Of Unknown Origin" in place of some of the old stand by's.
Buck was great on guitar especially on "Last Days Of May", and Richie got in some nice guitar work as well on "Shooting Shark". Eric Bloom's voice is showing a bit of wear and is not as powerful as it used to be, but he still sounded good for the most part. Buck's voice has held up very well.
Rudy Sarzo did little snippets from his extensive history during his bass feature which went over well with the crowd. Of course the hits were played and even though I have heard "Godzilla" and "Reaper" a thousand times, "Godzilla" is still great in a live environment and "Reaper" is simply one of the all time greatest rock songs ever written IMO.
My only complaint was the sound mix was kind of uneven. Buck's guitar seemed to be a bit buried all night to my ears which took a bit away from some of his more soaring solos. They had a good size crowd with a sizable age range from old guys like me to young kids. My friend's 18 year old daughter went and loved it.
All in all another solid BOC show. For guys at the advanced age that they are, the band can still put on a great rock n roll show.
Set List:
This was my 100th show and I wanted it to be a road trip since they're on the road forever, and so am I!...
Here goes:
The gig was in a downtown commons area and was easy access all the way...
I talked to Woody just before BOC came on and told him it was my 100th show and he shook my hand and smiled, told me they were doing a radio interview right after the gig, so we got back on the road home shortly after a quick chat with Richie!
Great nite, as the band played well and sounded great too!...
Looking back, I guess us old diehards get a bit sentimental (definitely mental) about our dedication to this stellar band when we reach a milestone of such... but to me it just felt right to drive 220+ miles to get that buzz that means so much to my psyche...
My daughter, Jen, was at my side as she's a diehard too and we had a great night...
Got home about 4:30 a.m., another BOC adventure!
This was a very good BOC show, despite some strange circumstances and occurrences, and despite the fact that it wasn't a full performance - they played for 69 minutes, being the opener for Foghat.
It was an outdoor venue, with a huge stage made to look like the front of an old southern mansion with very tall white columns on either side - and with some dark storm clouds swirling in the background, it provided a kind of spooky Gothic ambience that was perfect for a BOC show. In the midst of the wide grassy area in front of the stage there was a small separate VIP section right up front, where my girlfriend and I were seated in small plastic chairs about 10 rows from the stage, so we had a very good view. Apparently it had rained all day so that the ground was soaking wet and dotted with areas of standing water, but by showtime the rain had stopped, and the very slight drizzle that started up near the end of the show was not a problem.
BOC was due to start at 7:00, but the sound crew seemed to be having endless problems with their set-up or else just got a late start, so it was almost 7:25 before they hit the stage with yet another killer rendition of "The Red and The Black" to start things off. I thought the sound system was excellent - nice and poundingly loud, but also crisp and clear with great highs and lows. Better yet, Buck's guitar was right in front of the sound mix and sounded fantastic -- which certainly hasn't always been the case over the years, where too often the sound mix had him way too low.
Speaking of sound systems - amazingly, about a full minute or two into "Before The Kiss", the entire sound system shut down completely, to everyone's astonishment. After about 2 or 3 minutes of frenzied activity by the sound crew, the sound was back and just as excellent as before, and the band found a way to re-start the song more or less at the point where the sound had cut out. I can't recall anything like that happening at any BOC show I've ever seen.
Also, the lighting for the concert was bizarre - there was only immobile lighting directly above the stage, and no movable spotlights or anything, so that every time someone stepped up to the front edge of the stage for a solo or to connect with the crowd, they also stepped into complete darkness! Very odd to see only the silhouette of Buck or Richie as they stepped forward to deliver their powerful, amazing solos - only when they were playing towards the back of the stage could I watch their hands.
I was disappointed that it wasn't a longer show - I was hoping BOC would get a little bit of "payback" for what happened at UCF Arena in Orlando on 10/2/08 when Foghat, who was opening for BOC that night, started late AND played for over 90 minutes, with the result that BOC only played about an hour that night. On this night, I don't know if it was the late start or what, but time constraints were definitely a factor in the show. After "Godzilla" finished, instead of the "Buck's Noodle" extended guitar intro to "Reaper" that has been their recent practice, Buck merely walked up to his mike and said something like "hey, now, don't fear that reaper", and went right into the song, which was their last of the evening - as it was ending, Eric said, "that's all we have time for, thanks, and good night", and sure enough, there was no encore.
Once again, the current line-up of BOC really puts on a great show - and really needs to be commemorated with a live DVD and CD. The crowd clearly loved them and clamored for more. I hope that next time I see them, it's for a full-length show with a few surprise numbers thrown in. But who am I to complain - I've gotten to see them half a dozen times in just the last few months! Long live BOC!
Here's the set list:
No encore...
I was at this show. The above review by Dave was quite accurate, so I won't rehash it and bore everyone. This was my second BOC show and I went with my wife. Silver Springs got to a point where they were bringing in some great rock acts. Black Oak Arkansas, 38 Special, Loverboy, Styx, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Kansas, Night Ranger and Whitesnake just to name a few. Now it is a State Park and the concerts have dried up. The trade off is that as a State Park it's better maintained, in my opinion. But I sure do miss the concerts and the beer sold in the yard long glasses!
We had season passes which got you in for free to see these shows. The atmosphere that night did remind me of the cover of On Your Feet or On Your Knees.
Great show, but kind of short. Power failure was unexpected, but they handled it like pros. Was nice to get a date night with my wife to see the show since this was her first BOC show.
On to the next one, 02-21-2018 in Mt. Dora, Florida!
red and black---before the kiss---burnin for you---shootin' shark----buck's boogie---last days of may---godzilla---reaper---cities.''
old member on keys. 90's era (tom zvoncheck). some good some bad, perhaps a little slow. the police forced everyone to sit down. no standing. last days keyboard solos are a little trippy, with both guys playin.
Nice show. I really liked the keyboard work on The last days of May. I have seen this group 5 times and it was sad to see a group that has played for 100,000+ playing at the Zucchini Festival. Can anyone say, where is the puppet show?
From purely a musicianship standpoint, this was the best show I've seen Blue Öyster Cult play, but the set list left a lot to be desired, as I'm getting sick of hearing the same songs over and over.
Obviously if you see a BÖC show you know you're going to hear the big three Ð Reaper, Godzilla, and Burnin' for You (which I don't have a problem with) Ð but, I would like to see them mix their shows up.
Hardcore fans like my dad and I will travel quite a distance to see them and we aren't the only ones, so you would think they would be willing to play more songs from their backlog of albums. They have plenty of songs that would be great for a live show and have proven to be in the past Ð Astronomy, Mirrors, E.T.I., Fire of Unknown Origin, Stairway to the Stars, Monsters, Take Me Away, Joan Crawford, Career of Evil, Subhuman, etc.
I've seen them live four times, and at every show, they've played Shooting Shark, The Red and the Black, Last Days of May, and Buck's Boogie. If they don't play those four, then they try to mix it up by playing others I've heard live already, such as Cities on Flame, Hot Rails to Hell. Come on guys, you know there are hardcore fans in the audience and they want to hear different songs!
However, with that said, the show was amazing! As usual, I enjoyed every song BOC threw at us. I can't deny how enjoyable it is to see one of my favorite bands in person, even if the songs are the same. The 1,000+ crowd was very enthusiastic and loved the show as much as I did.
There was even one moment during the show where my dad put his fists up against his face along with a big grin, Buck was looking at him and replied back by doing the same exact thing! That's something we won't soon forget. We even got Rudy Sarzo to smile at us when we waved at him. That was really cool.
Another highlight for me was hearing "Before the Kiss, A Redcap". I haven't heard that in the four times I've previously seen them and my dad hadn't either and he's seen them at least 10 times, ranging from the 1980s to the present. I'm still waiting to hear them play "The Vigil", "Dominance and SubmissionÖ, and "Flaming Telepaths", though. Maybe at the next show.
The current line-up is prime for a live album or concert DVD, especially with the short clips of songs the band does to announce to the audience the various groups bassist Rudy Sarzo has been in, such as "Metal Health" for Quiet Riot, "Crazy Train" for Ozzy Osbourne", and "Holy Diver" for Dio.
Original members Eric Bloom and Buck Dharma, I believe, are in their prime. We have their previous concert DVDs and I must say that their playing and audience interaction is even better than what we've seen before. It's absolutely perfect for a new DVD.
I've uploaded quite a few pictures from the gig on my Flickr account:
This was for me the most disappointing Blue Oyster Cult show I have ever been to. It's not the fault of the band, but the organization putting on the Zucchini Festival.
They had employed an extremely inadequate PA system on their throw up stage aimed to the outfield of the park grounds of the festival, so that people to the pack side of the crowd had to struggle to hear what the band was playing.
Sitting just to the right behind the front of house control boards, I can visibly see the engineers at the audio boards struggling to push the system enough to give all the audience a chance to enjoy the show.
On the one positive note, I was very pleased at the surprise of having "Last Days of May" included in the set. It did appear those closer to the stage seemed to enjoy a lot more than the we did toward the back of the field.
Sadly, this was not an enormous field, and shouldn't been that hard to fill the performance area with the sound.
I returned two years later to another show at the festival, they had put together a much better system including speakers hung from the stage structure, allowing the sound to radiate across the field.
Too bad they couldn't have done this with BOC in the house. At least it was a free show at a free admission festival. All the expense I had was my food.
Shoreline Setlist 8/29/10 (approx 55 minutes):
HOW DARE THEY ONLY GIVE THEM 55 MINUTES!!
Khincert is the name of this concert event that takes place on a yearly basis. Greg Kihn is a local DJ on KFOX classic rock station and host a morning show in San Jose. He does a great job as a morning personality and in the past eight years he has hosted concerts with Boston, Bad Company, Jefferson Starship to name a few. Besides a rock show music personality, Khin was quite popular with his band in the early 80's... with sales in the millions. Songs like "The breakup song", "Got lucky" broke him into the mainstream and a darling of early MTV.
This years event was held at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA, about 20 miles south of the San Francisco airport. This years line up was the Greg Kihn band, Blue Oyster Cult and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Greg Kihn put on a very good show, the guys has immense personality, looks a lot like Don Johnson and is coolness is reflected through his playing. His son plays lead guitar and was exceptional. A cross between Joe Satrianni and Carlos Santana.
Next up was the mighty BOC and they did not disappoint. In front of approx 20,000 packed fans they put on a show that reminded everybody that these guys belong on the big stage. The crowd went crazy to every song with many people standing and applauding. The sound was amazing and the oyster boys took no prisoners. They were cutting up the stage and having the time of there lives.
Opening up with the Red and the Black, B for U, last days of May, Cities on flame, Godzilla, reaper, hot rails for the encore. The fan appreciation reached to the end of the grass field in the back with much stomping of feet and enthusiastic clapping. If you did not know better, you would think BOC was the closing act! The Oyster boys were enjoying the appreciation and the crowd was loving the music... in my 50 live performances of seeing BOC, I have never seen so much love for the band.
Skynyrd put on an amazing show as well, but in the end BOC proved that they can measure up to any band on the planet! Skynyrd and BOC made it a great concert evening! Long Live the south, long live BOC! Thank you Greg Kihn!
Set List For September 3rd, 2010 Memphis, TN:
Opening with The Red & The Black, BOC delivered a show that was outstanding. The sound was excellent and the weather was perfect.
One of the highlights of the night was Last Days Of May extended to approximately ten minutes with beautiful guitar soloing from Buck, and Richie, who played a blistering solo that captivated the crowd.
A tribute to Rudy was acknowledged with short pieces of songs from his days with Quiet Riot, Ozzy, Whitesnake, and Dio, followed by a very impressive bass solo.
Jules was very tight on drums and featured toward the end of the show with a nice solo. Eric also was excellent with good vocals, guitar, and keyboards.
I was hoping to hear some songs from Secret Treaties. Flaming Telepaths and Astronomy would have been a bonus, however they were incredible with the set they performed.
This show popped up on Dime... Here's the setlist:
Just saw BOC an hour ago and it was an incredible blast from my past! Everyone sounded very tight and really put on a great show!
The Woodstock Fair has been really pulling in some great entertainment the past 5-6 years and this was no exception. Tomorrow the 4 day fair wraps up it's 150th anniversary celebration with Dennis DeYoung playing the music of Styx of coarse.
Here is the set list from Indianapolis Rib Fest 9-6-2010
The band were late in arriving at the venue so the 6:30pm start time became 7:20pm. Eric mentioned that they has some problems flying into Indianapolis earlier that day and thanked the crowd for waiting and said "we just arrived and are ready to rock". Normally that is a good sign as a band many times trying to make up for a delay usually plays a bit longer or with more enthusiasm.
BOC brought the energy but were a victim of what was either their inability to schedule a later flight out or a hard curfew and were forced cut their set way short playing only 7 songs and 55 minutes. Very unfortunate as they were the headliners and following a strong set by Foghat the crowd was ready to rock longer.
It was a really warm afternoon in Indianapolis and I was melting sitting out in the sun during Foghat's 90 minute set. With the delay BOC had the advantage of a setting sun and cooler temperatures plus the ability to use the stage lighting as darkness began to descend. I thought to myself everything seems to be falling into place for this to be a really special show.
It seemed odd to me that after the 4th song, a fantastic LDOM with Richie and Buck trading blistering leads, they began the intro to "Godzilla" and then played "Don't Fear The Reaper". WTF? Were they going to get the hits out of way and finish with a string of more deep LP cuts? I know that would never happen but the thought did cross my mind.
When Eric waved and said goodnight, I was still somewhat stunned. They played "Hot Rails" for an encore and they were done. I checked my watch and it was 8:15! Oh well. Most in the crowd seemed ok with the short set (they were here for the hits and were probably worn out from a day of sun, beer, and ribs) but I for one was a bit disappointed.
I can't deny that they did rock hard for 55 minutes but I had been looking forward to this show for months and with the band closing the Ribfest I expected more.
Maybe next time. Damn airlines.
"Johnson County Old Settlers"
Olathe Public Library Parking Lot
Olathe, Kansas
September 11, 2001
Attendance: 1,500 (approximate)
FRAN COSMO
Mick Brooks (guitar/vocal), Anthony Cosmo (guitar/vocal), Fran Cosmo (guitar/vocal), Rusty Foulke (guitar/keyboard/vocal), Bernie Garcio (bass/vocal), Tom Moonan (drum)
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT
Eric Bloom (guitar/keyboard/vocal), Richie Castellano (guitar/keyboard/vocal), Jules Radino (drum), Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser (guitar/vocal), Rudy Sarzo (bass/vocal)
Olathe, Kansas holds a 3 day carnival in the center of old downtown every year. The stage was built and chairs/bleachers were set up in the main library parking lot. Attendance was in the neighborhood of three to four thousand people. Show lasted appx. 1 hr. 15 mins.
Caught the show Sat nite out in Olathe. Set was short (about an hour and 15 minutes) but the band had their A game going and the sound was rock solid (a big problem at a couple of other recent Kansas City area gigs they've played.)
Very good show, well received by the crowd, with highlights being "Bucks Boogie" and "Last Days of May". Even "Shooting Shark" - a song I've previously dismissed as a bit of pop fluff - managed to work up a pretty good groove. The band played an encore - "Hot Rails to Hell" - which is something I've not seen them do recently.
And the opener (Fran Cosmo and band) did a great job on some old Boston material. Perfect weather, solid performances; a very enjoyable evening.
Here is the set list for 9/17 in Phoenix, AZ. It was a disappointingly short show as they opened for Foghat.
Performance was great, set list was too short. Left after BOC.
Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix Arizona 17/09/2010 Set List (set limited to 1 hour):
Was at this show
Short set list... **was amazed BOC opened for Foghat...
Saw this same line up in 81... so a bit of nostalgia...
Concert: 1/2 full venue... BOC decent, still have the chops... but a kinda lame show... monitor kept cutting out for the Bass player or his bass amp..one of the two
Foghat... came on... wow... seen better bar bands... left as did droves of other people... Slide guitar player stared at his guitar the whole time... I stared at my watch...
As above average BOC fans we elected to travel 450 miles to northern Indiana for business the day before from St. Louis leaving at around 4 am. Having gotten that all out of the way we again drove southeast around 300 miles to Lawrenceburg Indiana which is approx. 25 miles from Cincinnati. The venue was a 3 day "fall fest" which brought in various musical groups playing each of the 3 days. Thursday night were 3 local bands, Friday night was the rock/roll night with Saturday being country night which was more what the local inhabitants and fans appeared to be geared for - Lorrie Morgan and Joe Diffie.
The city of Lawrenceburg who has done this event for around 10 years really knows how to put on a show. With Hollywood Casino just a short walking distance to the north, was very convienent for those who could afford the night. Considering the casino also was a major sponsor with deep pockets gave us an indication this would possibly not be a short nor a lame show. The nearby streets were filled with rides, food, drink and what ever you normally see.
The midway I would say ran 200+ yards. This would not include the vendors in the courtyard near the stage area or downtown businesses who took advantage of the event.
We arrived at around 4 pm to the casino hotel and freshened up and wet down the horses with some down right nasty but infamous highly potent homemade cherry wine.
At 4:55 pm I off the cuff made the setlist that we expected which with rain in the forecast for mid day and late afternoon - we expected a somewhat average one hour plus show.
We trekked off on foot at around 6 pm expecting to hear the first group as we walked - silence is not golden. A heavy uniformed police presence was evident setting the tone for the crowd to keep itself in check, in addition the city had brought out all it's employed labor right down to the dogcatcher having a event shirt on.
The uniformed ran about 50+ in the short 100 yard strip near the stage and included undercovers whom we seemed to have perked their interest since I was dressed business while the wife had her new Harley Davidson gear on. We stood right of the estimated 80 x 40 stage which was loaded with gear for all three bands.
At about 6:45 pm Foghat was escorted in SUV's with a mc escort. While they trailered up we mingled with locals and hirehands who I must say were sociable people. Foghat came out a little late and played till around 9 pm when BOC was to go on. WOW.. no BOC seen yet !!!!!!!
Within seconds an entourage of two SUV's and mc escort quickly came in - those guys were late in from the nearby Greater Cincinnati airport. Having 6 days off an coming in from NY, I am sure the delayed departure time played into it. Stagehands from both Foghat and BOC along with locals quickly got the boys ready within 35 + min. No soundchecks from the band , maybe they were done earlier in the day.
Aaron moved around and worked the guitars and maybe drums/toms to Steve at the FOH moniter who I must say is a legend in the business as well as being super talented in sound equipment. These guys are a big big reason behind the scenes that make the band as good as the are. First you need talent, then you need excellent sound and you need fans who know when they see something special in a group and we are talking guitar wizardry to the likes of any one's name you elect to choose. Drums/toms too Jules !!! Read on.
The setlist was played exactly as it is listed, the guys started cranking it out at around 9.40 pm. Most songs lasted around 10 min. with deep and I mean very deep renditions of displaying talents to the point I just don't know how to describe except to say- you had to see and hear it to believe what you saw. Buck was clean, loud and on fire with his Dharma guitar- at times I felt like I was watching the group at it's pinnacle of it's 39 years of life as BOC.
FOH moniter got had a brief unexpected hic-cup in I believe the kiss/redcap but quickly got it cleaned up and sailed cleanly afterwards which was no fault of theirs. We stood 15 feet behind the FOH and about 100 feet from center stage. What a great way to watch and hear the entire event. First time ever - I suggest it to be experienced.
The guys breezed through the standard show of the first four songs when they threw me a curve- The Vigil. We didn't think we'd hear it but as soon as it started- your mouth dropped. This is quickly becoming a BOC fan live favorite since it a easy great beat to jump onto ( if you're not on your feet, I suggest you go get a physical check up asap). They ripped and it just blew your mind showcasing everyone's talents. It's great to start a song with a beat/rhythm - pound away from it for 10 min and then drift back into the beat in which you started with. A few other BOC songs do the same which left me as the listener in shock and awe.
Buck's boogie was off the chart - clean-crisp and as better done as I have seen it 15 feet away from stage in a super small venue. LDOM was at least 14 min. long and again growing to be another live fan favorite. Zilla was short but gave Rudy a chance to really show up how talented he is and continues to display as a guitartist. We got a taste of his past bands but when the OZZY chords flew- the crowd loved it. His bass guitar solo was by far a memory we will never forget - the best I have ever seen and a wonder any nearby fire alarms were not tripped.
Jules tore it up with a downright ridiculous drum solo that would make you feel that it just maybe was the "best ever seen". Eric worked the crowd as usual with his way of words, played extremely well on both keyboards and his Gibson. I fear he'll go the way of Allen Lanier shortly - let's hope not. Maybe we caught him tired or just in a laid back mood - I hope he can hold up till the band folds which I doubt will ever happen.
Richie... ohh yes... I see Richie's talents growing yearly from just being a downright great guitarist, vocalist and keyboardist to running with the rest of the band members level and complimnenting the other members of the group. Richie came out near stage afterwards seeing friends and greeting a few fans. Hopefully, he really gasped the compliments of how well the band did that night. In my words- "they left a large deep smoldering crater for the city to fill in".
The band played its heart out to around 4500-5000 people who attended this free concert with 1,000 coming in at around 800-930 pm which should tell you something. A funny thing was watching the crowd react to the band- 75-80 % were there because it was free and probably a portion didn't have a clue or had enough money to buy a vowel. We watched a couple in their late 70's or so finally pack it up after shooting shark. Must have owned horses because we think they were sleeping with their eyes open, stoned or in a some kind of trance...
Another guy say about age 50 and well fed as sleeping in his folding chair. This was a 50% venue folding chair event with about 100 + die hard appreciate fans just right and left of the stage who stood the entire event. The hill near the levee was fenced off to allow beer tent sales and those say 1000 + who sat in the grass watching. Indiana state law appears to segregate patrons in all age events. It appeared that Eric kept waving at a group he knew was there enjoying the clear moonlight sky weather.
In closing, my scores for the event: 10 on sponsorship, 10, City of Lawrenceburg 9.5 (I don't care or like to be Q&A'd or explain to undercovers who need to disguise themselves better who I am) dahhhh,....., 10 event planner - co-ordinater Marie Edwards and the mayor who rolled out the red carpet, weather 10, FOH 10 +++ and of course the band a 10 +++++++ who can only be described as the local DJ announced them:
Welcome the AMAZING BLUE OYSTER CULT which even after this event, left these avid listeners worn out, overwhelmed and ready for bed afterwards. We definitely got our money's worth which was a hotel, car rental, gas food and misc. - all the locals had to do is take the long way home.
Adding DIvine Wind to the set list- it's a song that trust me, showcases Buck's writing and singing - a rhythm/beat that is easy to follow and is your next live crowd fan favorite like the Vigil.
Too bad being so close to Cincinnati the band did not pull in more appreciative fans. Their loss. With the Reds in post season baseball and out of town we hope Lorrie Morgan and Diffie tripped your trigger the following night. We had more than gotten our money's worth. We saw the Amazing Blue Oyster Cult at it's best.
Ever since last seeing BÖC perform only two short weeks ago in Obetz, Ohio, I was pumped for the Lawrenceburg, Indiana show! Since the Obetz show, I have been getting my friend Jeff into the band, and like anyone with good musical taste, he quickly fell in love with the band's music.
First, sending him the obvious choice: "Reaper", followed by some of my favorites: "Flaming Telepaths", "Take Me Away" and "The Vigil". We invited him to come see the show with us and the plans were set. I was very excited for him. He had heard the CD versions of several of their songs and crappy-quality YouTube life performances, but now he was going to hear the way all people should hear the Cult: live and in person.
From us in Richmond, Lawrenceburg was around an hour and a half so there was enough time to get Jeff further into BÖC's amazing music by playing Dad's custom greatest hits compilations. The CD began with some true fan classics in order from album to album, such as "She's as Beautiful as a Foot", "Redeemed", "O.D'd on Life Itself", "Golden Age of Leather" and so on.
We left around 2:00 after a relaxing lunch and got there around 4:00. After we got ourselves parked in the garage and got out of the car, we heard a familiar tune from the stage, a short walk away: "Harvest Moon". We first thought it was from the local radio station Ð that's how good it sounded Ð but that's BÖC for you.
We saw Eric and Buck on stage warming up, so we headed towards the stage as quickly as we could, with two lawn chairs on our backs. Once we were situated around 10 rows from the stage, the band eventually stopped and Eric tested the mic's during the warm-up. It was during this time that Eric looked towards Dad's fist pump recognition and said "That's right, Duuude", one of his highlights from the show (We're easily entertained, aren't we?).
Not long after Eric's interaction with my Dad, we heard Buck play the guitar interlude in "The Vigil": "I'm no poet but I can't be fooled / The lies don't count, the whispers do / I hear the whispers on the wind / They say the Earth has fallen due." We were pumped: there was a pretty high likelihood they were going to do "Vigil", one of our ALL TIME favorite songs.
Blue Stone Ivory, a Cincinnati-based covers/tribute band, performed as the warm-up act instead of the scheduled Chuck Taylor and took the stage around 6:15, after a short delay. A very talented and entertaining band, their range of covers included Chicago, Average White Band, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and a few others.
An hour and a half later, the classic rock name Foghat took the stage. Despite there being only one original member in the band (Roger Earl, the drummer), they rocked. They performed a variety of classics, such as "Fool for the City", "Drivin' Wheel", and "Slow Ride".
Around a half hour later, BÖC took the stage and we were ecstatic to see that Richie was back with the band, who was attending to family matters during the Obetz show. No offense to Tommy Zvoncheck (who is a definitely a unique part of BÖC history himself), but we missed Ritchie's onstage energy and prowess.
After the band was ready, they began with the normal opener: "The Red and the Black". I think "This Ain't the Summer of Love" or "E.T.I." would be a much better opener. Anyway, as usual, it sounded amazing, with Eric, Buck, and Ritchie playing tightly together during the solos, reminiscent of the "5 Guitars" performances in the 1970s.
Next up was "Before the Kiss, a Redcap". This was my 5th time seeing BÖC and only the second time seeing this song. Rudy's bass playing sounded on equal to Joe's especially during this song. Immediately following it were two more Buck numbers: "Burnin' for You" and "Shooting Shark". Of course, Buck sounds fantastic, but I've heard "Burnin'" so many times that all performances of it sound the same.
On the other hand, "Shooting Shark" sounded incredible and very different. Every time I hear it, I like it even more, hearing things that I haven't heard before. One thing I love about the live performances of "Shooting Shark" is that it sounds more like the band did in the 70s and less like the 1980s synthesizer sound of the studio version. Another thing I must mention is Rudy's bass playing, he definitely mimics Randy Jackson's style perfectly, if not even better.
Still at his keyboard position for "Shooting Shark", Eric announced to the crowd: On a night like this, you may see things like what this song is about. After he said this, we thought perhaps he was talking about "Godzilla" or maybe "Take Me Away", but no. He continued on: "We're going to a song from our "Mirrors" album: "The Vigil" We were amazed and very happy - finally, we were going to hear it!
Ever since first discovering the song between my first and second show, I had wanted to hear it live and I was going to tonight. The night couldn't get much better, although it did Ð the band definitely played "Vigil" the way I wanted them to. They performed the complex song seemingly effortlessly, in similar BÖC fashion, with improvised solos while staying original to the studio recording.
The set continued with "Buck's Boogie". It sounded great, just as it has every time I've heard it. "Last Days of May" was next. The above estimation of "at least 14 minutes" for this performance is probably right. The band is great at transitioning from the wild guitar solos back into the "Last Days of May" riff. I love that about them.
A great performance of "Godzilla" went straight into a short guitar showcase before "Reaper". I love watching Buck's face light up as he hears the crowd cheer to the famous "Reaper" riff. "Hot Rails to Hell" was the encore, a common choice for the band.
Although the band played practically the same set-list as the other four times we've seen them, the show was great and I was very grateful Jeff was able to see them. The entire experience of seeing BÖC again was well worth the hour and a half trip from Richmond.
I'm looking forward to the next time we see them. We can cross "The Vigil" off the checklist, now let's hear "Flaming Telepaths" or "Golden Age of Leather".
Here is a link to my BOC pictures from this show:
This concert was my first live introduction to the Cult. My friend had played some of their songs for me and I thought they were pretty good, so I was definitely excited for the concert.
After two fairly good opening acts (Blue Stone Ivory and Foghat), BOC graced the stage, and I must say it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The first two songs were a blur--I was so excited, and I remember thinking Burnin' For You and Shooting Shark were great too.
Then came the real treat..."The Vigil". This song was the favorite of the ones my friend had shared with me, but on the car ride up there, he told me that he had never seen this song performed, and his dad said he hadn't seen it performed since 1981. So, naturally when Bloom announced it, I couldn't help but be excited.
My excitement was only strengthened when my friend's dad patted me on the shoulder and said, "You're our good luck charm!". "The Vigil" was definitely a highlight for me! I also remember thinking "Godzilla" sounded great live, and the encore, "Hot Rails to Hell", sung by Richie Castellano was also a treat.
In short, my first live experience with BOC was a memorable one, and one that I still haven't and hope I never forget.
Apparently the plane was late and the band's set was cut to 40 minutes.
NO ENCORE
Here's what Blue Oyster Cult played at the South Plains Fair in Lubbock:
Set list:
Fantastic, as always. Outstanding playing from everyone involved, especially Castellanos (Dharma and Sarzo are a given).
BOC played a "Blitz" set in a private show in a ballroom for a group of Agents, Promoters and Talent buyers for Fair Boards and Casinos, etc on Tuesday... Jon Rogers was in for Rudy due to Rudy having to do press for his new TV show...
It was part of a 3 day conference with bands playing on the stage more or less constantly over the length of the showcase... Tuesday was Paradise Artist's day - every band got 20 min. BOC was followed by Foghat, and then Cherie Currie...
They played one of these things in 76 WITH lasers... and got the only standing ovation and encore ever seen there...
A small room maybe 120 people.
Buck, Eric and Rudy signed for fans after the show. I got my guitar signed and they were quite personable!
I have photos of them signing my guitar and pictures and audio from the show.
Being my first BOC concert since 1981, I wasn't sure what to expect from the band. The Colonial theater is an old 1920's renovated theater seating about 700. Last night was a sell out.
A mixed crowd of old rockers and teenagers were present. We were able to get down into the 2, 3, and 4th rows. That was the place to be.
The band was tight and the sound was clear and well mixed.
The surprise of the night was "I Love the Night". Eric explained that this request came that day via E-mail.
After the show, Richie came out to the corner of the stage, signed autographs, gave out stage play lists, and interacted well with some very overwhelmed teenagers, my sons and friends included.
What a great night, what a great band!
The Setlist
I can't remember where The Vigil was in the list so here's my best guess:
The Setting
The Wolf's Den is a small venue at the Mohegan Sun Casino that seats 400-500 people but it is open to the surrounding casino and many more watched from the adjacent bar and aisles. The seating frankly sucked. We arrived two hours before the free show and were escorted past hundreds of prime seats and seated in a corner almost behind the stage.
The whole main floor was reserved for high-rollers, who were still wandering in 20 minutes into the show. Some of the banquettes on the floor had fixed high back seats facing away from the stage, so I guess it could have been worse.
A bunch of friends of the band were treated equally bad and shoved in the same corner, but Eric, Ritchie and Rudy made sure to spend a lot of time hanging around the side of the stage.
The place boasts a state of the art sound system, but we could barely hear the guitars unless there were no vocals. They kept the volume way down.
The Show
Speaking of vocals, the set was ultra heavy on Buck, with Eric singing only The Red and The Black and Godzilla. I suspect that three nights in a row is too much for Eric to handle these days, though he sounded better tonight on his two songs than he did in Enfield on July 10th. The band sounded great and tight, despite the bad sound system.
Tonight was a real treat for me. In all my years of seeing them play arenas, roadhouses and even a bowling alley, I never heard them play I Love the Night, which is one of my favorites and should have gotten airplay back in the day. It was always on the PA in their arena days as they turned up the lights and sent us home but never live.
Here's the kicker: Buck added new lyrics, at least one new verse if not two. I didn't catch all the words because I was so stunned. I'd like to know what they were if anybody can tell me where to find them.
I also heard Shooting Shark, I think for the first time. I don't even remember hearing it on TRBN tour.
I heard The Vigil for the second time in as many shows and I can't understand why it hasn't been a concert staple until now. Every head in the place was bobbing, every foot was stomping, half the place is playing air bass or drums. The house was rocking.
Ritchie and Buck were blistering hot on TCTLDOM as usual. I love the mournful wailing solo from OYFOOYK but seeing the boys tear it up like that is a nice consolation.
Eric dedicated DFTR to John Lennon to wrap up the show. They came back out and Ritchie did a fantastic job singing Hot Rails to Hell as the single encore. I never like it when Eric sings one of Albert or Joe's songs because he makes them his own. Ritchie didn't stray too far from Joe's live performance.
All in all, one of the best sets that I have ever seen, albeit short compared to their arena days.
October 9, 2010: Wolf Den, Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville CT setlist:
Notes about the show:
Here are links to d-load my recording of the show on Rapidshare, included are the 2 setlist songs, quality is very, very good to excellent:
This is the October 10 setlist:
BLACK BLADE!!!!! Great show, great sound, and people were invited to an after-show party at the Marriott in Keene, where Buck and Jules both hung out, talked to fans and signed stuff. Very nice.
The Luke Mulholland Band opened...
No gigs in November...
No gigs in December...