Melkweg Review by Ernst (thanx a lot), setlist by MikeC

Set list: Moonshine Up The Dosage All I Wanna Do (Is Be With You) From The Floorboards Up Strange Town 7 & 3 Is The Strikers Name Trees Let It Be Me No Tears To Cry Shout To The Top!! Pieces Of A Dream Broken Stones Wild Wood Wake Up The Nation Dust & Rocks Fast Car/Slow Traffic Start! Come On/Let’s Go
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Black River Find The Torch, Burn The Plans Art School The Changing Man
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Out Of The Sinking Scrape Away

Just a quick note of a bizar 1st tour gig by mr Weller in Amsterdam. Bizar in having gotten the experiment of the album poured over us in full swing live too.

(Thanx a lot to Korvingr)

He nearly played each song from the new album in the first half of the quite short show in Weller land (90 minutes at the most) and a couple in the the second half of the show. A odd choice to play so many songs from one album, he hasn't done that at any time in his career I think. But I guess that's why he apoligized for it being the first night, it was clear they were on a search to the right balance. According to me he didn't have that the first half of the show, second part of the show was much better, but still surprised by some of the choices. He could've left Let it be me (cover) and Dust'n'rocks of the setlist and put some of the stronger material that was in line with the new album such as some songs from the last two albums (I counted 1 song from 22 dreams, and 2 from as is now).



But also nice suprises. First we got Strange Town and Start, that was nice, then Shout to the top, but I've heard better incarnations in the past than this one. The big surprises though came nearly at the end of the gig and in the encore; suddenly I heard two songs that I would never have expected to be pulled out after (nearly or more than) 30 years. Cause we got

ART SCHOOL and
SCRAPE AWAY

Yes lady and gently people, he actually ended the show with the latter, Art School was a duet with Andy Crofts, and I think he is even responsible for pursuading Weller to pull that one out.

As a friend of mine said, who doesn't know the new album and it's first Weller show (while it was my 26th if i've got the number right), first half not too great (too many unknown songs/songs that didn't work that well live) but the second part made it right he gave it 7+. I agree, it was a very odd show, but unique in a different way, really curious how the setlist will evolve, for instance tonight, the second night at the melkweg. Whill he change the whole thing around and play a far better working setlist?!



Time will tell, hope to read some of your reviews tomorrow and after that on the rest of tour shows!

(With these awesome new lyrics, according to MikeC, the infinite knowledge pit, "Lights his bollocks on a candle stick!!)

Cheers,
Ernst
Netherlands