Blue Öyster Cult - The Robin 2 Wolverhampton 8th June 2003
Setlist: Dr Music / Teen Archer / Dance on Stilts / The Vigil / Harvester of Eyes / Burnin’ For You / Buck’s Boogie / Perfect Water / Lips in the Hills / Shooting Shark / Last Days of May / Take Me Away / Golden Age of Leather / Godzilla / Don’t Fear the Reaper // The Subhuman / Dominance and Submission
For me, it was quite fitting that BÖC should start the evening off with Dr Music. The last time I saw this band play live, on the Mirrors tour, in 1979, dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. Then they played Dr Music as the second song of the night, opening with tonight’s closer, Dominance and Submission.
For me, it was quite fitting that BÖC should start the evening off with Dr Music. The last time I saw this band play live, on the Mirrors tour, in 1979, dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. Then they played Dr Music as the second song of the night, opening with tonight’s closer, Dominance and Submission.
Twenty-four years ago, it was a very different band that took to the stage. By the time of Mirrors, BÖC was right at the top of the pile and had become one of the biggest bands on the arena circuit. They were playing large venues, to large crowds and had a stage show to die for. Then they seemed to disappear for the biggest part of two decades, making brief appearances every so often to release a new CD, which generally made little impact on the majority of the world. I had given up any hope of seeing them play these shores ever again.
Then, quite by chance, last year, I came across the tour of some very local clubs. Unfortunately, I was ill and couldn’t make any of the shows. That’s it, I thought. They’ll never come back now. So, imagine my amazement when I discovered that one year on, they’re back again, playing the same circuit of smaller venues.
Personally, the small club circuit is fine with me. After seeing Alice Cooper at the MEN Arena in Manchester, last year, I have vowed never to go to that Godforsaken hellhole ever again - no matter who is playing. I prefer going to see bands at these cosy little places. You get a great view, good sound, and an excellent atmosphere. If you want to hang around afterwards, the chances are you’ll get to meet the band. What more could you ask for? And my photos come out so much better too.
Then, quite by chance, last year, I came across the tour of some very local clubs. Unfortunately, I was ill and couldn’t make any of the shows. That’s it, I thought. They’ll never come back now. So, imagine my amazement when I discovered that one year on, they’re back again, playing the same circuit of smaller venues.
Personally, the small club circuit is fine with me. After seeing Alice Cooper at the MEN Arena in Manchester, last year, I have vowed never to go to that Godforsaken hellhole ever again - no matter who is playing. I prefer going to see bands at these cosy little places. You get a great view, good sound, and an excellent atmosphere. If you want to hang around afterwards, the chances are you’ll get to meet the band. What more could you ask for? And my photos come out so much better too.
I arrived at the Robin, all excited and ready to rock. The car park was full; a good sign - obviously a lot of people had turned up. Whilst trying to find somewhere to park, I narrowly avoided running over some bandanna-bedecked hippy, who was skulking around the band’s bus. I offered a few basic words of deportment advice, flipped him off and laid some rubber down as I continued my search for space, man. Once inside, the venue was indeed packed. I hadn’t been to a Robin 2 gig, with this many people in attendance, for quite some time. I found a nice spot and was quite happy as the band launched into Dr Music. Then, some homunculus, mongoloid tosser comes and stands right in front of me, completely obliterating my view of the stage with his drop-shouldered, sloping-brow-mutant posture. I thought about hitting him over the head with a bottle, but I couldn’t be bothered to go and find a ladder, or a bottle. So, I insinuated myself into a tasty little slot in, what I later discovered was, The Buckzone. From here, surrounded by enthusiastic fans, I had a fantastic view and thoroughly enjoyed the entire set.
Three main band members from the original line-up are part of the current band: Eric Bloom, Allen Lanier and Buck Dharma. The two Bouchard brothers have, these days, been replaced by, firstly, drummer, Bobby Rondinelli, who I saw when he was with Rainbow, and bass player, Danny Miranda (the bandanna-wearing individual I’d almost killed earlier!) who proved to be a very impressive player, indeed. I was glad I’d not turned him into road kill, earlier. Both Bloom and Lanier play keyboards and guitar, and both Bloom and Buck sing, so there was plenty of variety in the music and to the appearance of the band on stage.
Three main band members from the original line-up are part of the current band: Eric Bloom, Allen Lanier and Buck Dharma. The two Bouchard brothers have, these days, been replaced by, firstly, drummer, Bobby Rondinelli, who I saw when he was with Rainbow, and bass player, Danny Miranda (the bandanna-wearing individual I’d almost killed earlier!) who proved to be a very impressive player, indeed. I was glad I’d not turned him into road kill, earlier. Both Bloom and Lanier play keyboards and guitar, and both Bloom and Buck sing, so there was plenty of variety in the music and to the appearance of the band on stage.
As with any bands that have been around for so many years, what they play and what they don’t play is never going to satisfy everyone. They played two of my favourites in Harvester of Eyes and The Last Days of May, neither of which I expected, both of which I was ecstatic to hear. There was Shooting Shark, Burnin’ For You, The Golden Age of Leather and stonking versions of Buck’s Boogie and Godzilla. For the encore came The Subhuman and Dominance and Submission. It’s pretty much about as good as it gets. Oh, I would have liked them to play Hot Rails To Hell, Cities on Flame, ME 262, Joan Crawford, Veteran of a Thousand Psychic Wars, Black Blade, The Marshall Plan, to name just a few. I could go on and on and they would still be on stage now, but let’s just say that the set was well thought out, varied and covered all ages of the band. Furthermore, they played everything with great style and flair and even changed the set based on requests they’d had from fans, earlier. That’s class.
All in all, this was a very high-quality performance, from a superb band, in the intimate confines of a small club. I’m not saying that you couldn’t have found a better gig to go to than this, but why waste your time with haystacks, needles and all that rummaging around? I’ve seen the band twice, almost twenty-five years apart and they played two barnstorming gigs. Considering that this didn’t have the flash of the first time around, I’d be hard-pressed to argue against this having been a better gig, even if the first gig did have the five-guitar jam and Godzilla-head!
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
Sunday 9th June 2003
All in all, this was a very high-quality performance, from a superb band, in the intimate confines of a small club. I’m not saying that you couldn’t have found a better gig to go to than this, but why waste your time with haystacks, needles and all that rummaging around? I’ve seen the band twice, almost twenty-five years apart and they played two barnstorming gigs. Considering that this didn’t have the flash of the first time around, I’d be hard-pressed to argue against this having been a better gig, even if the first gig did have the five-guitar jam and Godzilla-head!
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
Sunday 9th June 2003
About the photos...
You know, it is a funny thing about these photos, because no matter how many times I do them, the thumbnails look furry, as if they need a shave, whereas the full-size pics look fine. I've re-done them twice and I'm not doing them again.
The conditions were not exactly perfect. It was hot, sweaty, packed, I was enjoying the show and kept forgetting that I was supposed to be paying attention, not just getting caught up in it all. I have a responsibility to my following, after all...
I was playing around with taking shots sans flash too, which is tricky if you have shaky hands, like me (probably due to not enough drugs) but, having said that, the one of Danny Mirands is quite pleasing...
The conditions were not exactly perfect. It was hot, sweaty, packed, I was enjoying the show and kept forgetting that I was supposed to be paying attention, not just getting caught up in it all. I have a responsibility to my following, after all...
I was playing around with taking shots sans flash too, which is tricky if you have shaky hands, like me (probably due to not enough drugs) but, having said that, the one of Danny Mirands is quite pleasing...