As we got to our seats we knew we were going to have a great experience being just four rows from Tom, dead centre. You can’t really beat that. Being able to actually read the setlist on stage (well if I wore my glasses) showed how close we were to this odd and enigmatic man.
This was the final night of the Glitter and Doom tour and Tom didn’t want to leave the stage it seems. He belted on, full of energy for two and a half, nearly three hours, creating mini dust storms as he went. The sound was excellent, his throaty voice was er throaty. The band were simply amazing especially the guy that played the sax (two at the same time). Great guitarist too. Waits also has two of his sons in the band with him.
Tom is great with a crowd, playing and feeding off them and the crowd adored every single thing he did. Half the audience will be trying to buy his style of hat today, no doubt. I won’t go into the music because I only knew half of his songs but I think he pleased everyone with them.
Fantastic organisation too for the gig too. Putting it down as the best gigs I’ve seen this year. Better than Bruce, sorry Bruce. For me it was on a par with Odin’s Ravens’ Magic by Sigur Ros in Paris.
Tonnes of bloggers were there too so I expect we’ll see a good few reviews. Maybe Ciarán will have one too?
Update for pics (shit ones from iPhone):
Tom singing “Down in the hole” for The Wire fans:
Tom singing “Tom Traubert’s Blues”:
Tom singing er something:
Completely agree. It was probably the greatest gig I’ve ever attended. I’d hope to get a review up on Monday. Until then, I’m off to continue my birthday celebrations. 🙂
Best gig I’ve ever been at, for sure and for certain. I was almost pissing myself with excitement before it started, and practically soiling myself with pleasure as it came to an end. Disgusting imagery I know, but it was pretty primal…
I’ve never, ever seen a crowd that appreciative at a gig. Not even close. He was getting standing ovations for taking off his hat fer gawd’s sake!
I feel like a complete bastard for saying so, but I’m going to be disagreeing with a lot of this.
Having said so, I don’t feel too much of a bastard.
Paying €130 for your ticket somehow makes you a little bulletproof, though I don’t know why that happens. Maybe it’s by magic.
Gonna have to train my mind to permanently associate “Tom Waits” with “€130” so that I can avoid living my life in regret.
Have a look here for a couple of snaps:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pandas/sets/72157606495731048/
I was there that night too but got busted taking pictures after getting only one shot off. Fantastic gig.
We are fans of tom waits and leonard cohen for twenty years and more and unfotunately came away very dissapointed from tom on friday night. Not sure if it was the sound system or Toms voice or our hearing but could hardly make out a word he sang except for chorus on most songs. We had a cd of Toms in our car and played it on our way home and the difference in his voice from his latest album is striking. Also felt Tom did not relate that well to his audience. We were also at Leonard Cohen this year and have to say Cohens perfomance and his relationship with his audience was far more enjoyable.
No doubt this was one of the most heartwarming gigs i have ever been to.I had to stop myself from crying,i thought i would never see the great man.
The show was stupendous,set list out of this world and his band were magnificent.
The sound was perfect,i always say you have to be in front of the mixing desk to get great sound and fortunately i was.
The crowd were so responsive and the noise towards the end was ” a cacophony of appreciation”
Magnificent night,i will never forget Blue Valentines,Make it Rain and of course Heart of Saturday..but truth is he could have played anything i was bowled over.
Forever a fan…Glenn
you were lucky to be up front, the sound at the back was very mediocre twards the back, was standing near the front for the end, a whole other experience. i feel a bit cheated paying same price for much much much poorer seats at the back. but i agree absolutely excellent show, waits is a treasure.
Himself would agree 100%. Although I think you might find one of those sons was actually a daughter! 🙂
I have to agree with the nay-sayers. I also saw Mr. Cohen just weeks before the wonderful Mr. Waits and I was in complete awe of his craft and general showmanship. His entire set felt like a warm bubblebath of fine music, but when it came to Tom Waits, who I hold as one of my musical heroes I was disappointed. After paying the severe price of £120, plus air fair from London I was greeted with a tower in my way, garden chairs to sit on, some moron constantly in my ear telling me “how last nights set was amaaaaaaaazing” as though every Waits fan has to play up to being a bit “weird” somehow, come of it we’re all music fans just enjoy it. When the man himself arrived he tried to get everyone to stand up and applaud as though he was re-enacting Renfield but alas I still think a performer needs to perform before he gets my four hand claps so on he went and as previous reviewers have stated I couldn’t understand I single solitary note out of the man’s wonderful mouth, and I KNOW, these songs. On and on he would play more and the gushing crowd (who would cheer if he pissed in their pockets) would cheer like a dog being thrown a bone. I felt like askin g some people whether they knew what song they just heard. Half way threw I left. This was not easy for me to do I can tell you. A hero in my presence but the poor sound quality, the mindless audience and the egotistical manner in which Mr. Waits took to the evening destroyed it for me. That being said though if he tours again I’ll probably so who’s the mindless audience member now? ME!