From the first time as a 15 year old back in '83 to last Thursday taking my 13 year old daughter to her first rock gig. I think the phrase is WTF!?
Anyway. It was brilliant to hear the Love album played as it was originally made, surprisingly melodic with phsycadelic grooves a go go. During the arena rock star phase of the band, a lot of the Love tracks were power chorded and bludgeoned into oblivion and lost some of there subtler qualities, so to have it back as it was in '85 was refreshing.
Astbury's voice was on good form throughout the Love set and Billy looked great with his gleaming Grestch and played a note perfect set. His guitar work outs during Love and Phoenix were reminders of what a great player he is. I laughed when Astbury took the piss out of the crowd for looking like a bunch of bankers and we should grow our hair and be punk rockers. I trust he was joking, we can't all be LA rock stars with a Jim Morrison fixation - that's his job.
As for the greatest hits section - dropping Rise and DLR for a few Dreamtime tracks would have been better suited to a UK audience. We were the ones who put them into the charts back in '84/'85, not the Yanks, and some recognition of that would have made for a perfect set.
Calls for Resurrection Joe were answered by "You've gotta be fucking joking" by Astbury. No we fucking ain't.
Wild Flower and Sun King were highlights of the second half and I left the gig drenched in other peoples sweat with ears ringing in good fashion. Mission accomplished.
Is this going to be the last tour? I'd go and see them do Electric - maybe next year?