WaterboysFans - Review

THE WATERBOYS, WASHINGTON DC, US
20TH MARCH 2001
REVIEW BY TED WICK

Americans - Let the reviews begin!

All in all a great show.  My wife and I had a great time (gotta be worth a
few points).  Let me say first that the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club kicked
ass.  Good rock 'n roll with solid riffs.

I've only seen the boys once before, ten years ago.  And this was the first
time with Steve.  Mike promised at the beginning that we would hear songs
from all eras, which we did.  The only disappointment was with Steve's
sound - I never heard his electric mandolin, and it wasn't until the show
was a few songs old before you could hear his fiddle, but after a brief
pause this was fixed.  Plus we had to leave during the first encore (Don't
Bang the Drum) in order to catch the subway home.  At the time we left they
had been playing for an hour and 50 minutes.  Mike really sounded great, his
voice was strong and clear, along with his guitar.   Here is the setlist:

Let it Happen
Charlatan's Lament
Strange Boat
Dumbing Down the World
We Will not be Lovers
Fisherman's Blues
Glastonbury Song
All the Things She Gave Me
Is She Conscious?
Return of Pan/The Pan Within
When ye go Away
Bring 'Em All In
Crown
Medicine Bow
Savage Earth Heart
Don't Bang the Drum (1st encore)
??? (had to split)

Even though the band was rocking out the whole night, my favorite part of
the show was the acoustic set leading into Crown.  Mike played a great
version of When ye go Away with Steve's fiddle coming through loud and clear
and Richard on the keys.  Mike put everything into BEAI, and then strapped
on the electric for Crown.  Crown is a fucking masterpiece - recorded and
live.

It was great to hear a lot of my favorites, especially We Will not be Lovers
and Savage Earth Heart.