The Waterboys - Live at the BBC

So occassionally life it gets in the way and this blog goes dead for a while. But I'm back now. I've added the promised FLAC links to the Bob Dylan post, and by way of apology I now present one of the best things you'll hear all  year.

The Waterboys are an amazing band, with a sound that has changed quite a lot over the years. This pulls together their various sessions for the BBC, all in fantastic sound quality. The set mixes some of their well known hits, with lesser known tracks, some well chosen covers. For hardcore fans it's interesting to hear early versions of some tracks that went on to have quite different lyrics (check out This is the Sea). More casual fans should listen to some of their 'Big Music' - Don't Bang the Drum, Medicine Bow, Be My Enemy and This is the Sea.

They've just announced a new album and world tour. Last time they came their Hamer Hall show didn't sell that well, but hopefully that doesn't put them off from coming back and playing a slightly smaller venue.

The Three Day Man
I Will Not Follow
A Girl Called Johnny
All the Things She Gave Me
Savage Earth Heart
A Pagan Place
License to Kill
Red Army Blues
Passenger
Ways of Men
Trumpets
Old England
Sweet Thing
Medicine Bow
Born to be Together
Higher in Time
Spirit/When the Ship Comes In
Don't Bang the Drum
Medicine Bow
A Pagan Place
In Search of a Rose
Sharon's Tune
When Will We Be Married
And a Bang on the Ear
Something That is Gone
Glastonbury Song
When Ye Go Away
Open
Figherman's Blues
Vampire Man
Bring 'Em All In
Lonesome Old Wind

https://mega.co.nz/#F!QJF2AJxR!HvTUiFfPlnpJpBQvLhtxPQ

The Waterboys - 30 January 2013, Hamer Hall

The Waterboys are one of those unfortunate bands who have produced a range of really great music, but are associated in the public’s mind with one song (admittedly a great song). Anyone that went to this show simply to hear that song should consider themselves pretty lucky, because they stumbled into a really great performance of songs covering the entire career of the band. Going in I was a bit worried that the reformed version of the band might be a sloppy money grab, but the band was tight and there was clearly a good relationship between them. I wasn’t too familiar with a lot of the material played, but even so the majority of it was really great songs, really well played. There were a couple of moments that dragged, but the majority of the show was electric.

The recording quality of this is pretty good. Even with a not particularly good seat the acoustics of the venue are really great (except maybe in the first couple of rows based on the David Byrne and St Vincent show).

A final note – at the end of the show Mike Scott says he’s hoping to be back within a year or so. This might just be one of those things that people say, but I’m thinking they’d be a perfect act for Harvest, taking a similar slot to Mike Patton last year (fourth on the main stage). I doubt it will happen, but I think it’d be a great fit.

Don’t Bang the Drum

All the Things She Gave Me

When Ye Go Away

A Girl Called Johnny

The Girl in the Swing

White Birds

Song of Wandering Aengus

The Thrill is Gone

Mad as the Mist and Snow

The Raggle Taggle Gypsy

Glastonbury Song/Bright Lights, Big City

She Tried to Hold Me

The Whole of the Moon

Rags

The Pan Within

Purple Rain [yes, the Prince song]

Be My Enemy

At the Hop

A Man is in Love

Fisherman’s Blues

http://www.mediafire.com/?vczg2ho8jbw8x