I was in town for business and fortuitiously they happened to be playing while I was there.
I was on the floor about 20 feet from the stage on Gowan's side. The HOB holds about 1800 people and it was packed. At $60 a pop, someone made some nice change.
We were treated to the full 2 hour show and the band was very energetic. Chuck came out for the last 5 or so songs.
Here is the setlist as I recall:
Blue Collar Man
Grand Illusion
Lorelei
One with Everything
Lady
Too Much Time
Walrus
Snow Blind
Cyclomedley
Boat on the River
Find the Cost of Freedom
Can't Find My Way Home
Crystal Ball
Fooling Yourself
Miss America
Come Sail Away
I Don't Need No Doctor
One Way Out
Renegade
My only disappointment with the evening is that this is the exact same set I saw them play in Indiana last November on the final date of their "1999" tour. I would have thought that with 3 months off they might have had time to mix it up a little bit and possibly add some new songs. After reading that Gowan performed Salty Dog in one of his solo shows I hoped that it might be added. But it was not to be.
I realize I am in the minority as one who typically sees them perform more than once a year. But for me it is starting to get a little stale.
Techie stuff:
The wall of amps was missing. Perhaps because they were on a relatively small stage. But I think they may be going for a new look. I didn't get a good look at it. But there were a lot of electronic gizmos with blinking lights behind Gowan that I have never seen before. Jy was playing his red Kramer most of the night. But he did switch to a black one at one point. Tommy played what looked like a blue PRS and his white hollow-bodied Les Paul. He pulled out the Mandolin for Boat on the River. Ricky was playing a variety of Fender Jazz basses and switched to a couple of rather interesting guitars when Chuck was on stage. They all pulled out their sea foam green guitars for One with Everything and they all played accoustics at one time or another.
The crowd was really into it and the HOB is a nice venue with a lot of good vantage points if you don't mind standing all night.
