Uncle Phil Mogg and his buddies played the Holmfirth Picturedome last night. I think now I really have seen UFO more times than I’ve had hot dinners……Just about a year since they were last in the region (Leeds O2) touring Seven Deadly (SD) they are welcome back again. No new album though SD is most certainly good enough to tour twice.
After witnessing UFO live so many times since 1977 or so, it becomes harder and harder to write anything new, other than these days how always “on it” they are. You know what you’re going to get (somewhere around 100 minutes of pure entertainment featuring lots of old and new) and where you’re going to get it from (five geezers who are all absolutely going to nail it). And last night that’s exactly what happened.
The ‘Dome was sold out though the great thing being about the place is that there’s no trouble being able to see what’s going on. The band are all on form and from the opening Lights Out through to the double encore of (what else but) Doctor Doctor and Shoot Shoot. The time flashes by as a set is delivered excellently indeed.
Phil’s so good with his quips between songs perhaps he could go a stand-up on his own and give John Bishop a run for his money. Or perhaps make a bid for George Osborne’s job after his mini-rant about the price of beer and the economy. And what can you say about Vinnie Moore other than simply jaw-dropping. The man is so good, so fluid, so effortless. A six-string master-class. As always Mr Raymondo and Mr Parker have it sorted out and Rob De Luca looks right at home now up there.
Don’t recall the full set list but it did include Lights Out, Fight Night, Wonderland, Burn Your House Down, Cherry, Only You Can…..Too Hot To Handle, Helldriver, some more stuff, Love to Love before a storming main set closer of Rock Bottom.
All together awesome stuff and always nothing but a delight seeing the boys do it time and time again.
An otherwise fine evening was rather ruined by the geezer who parked next to me taking some paint off my door handle. Whilst frustrating, I’ve calmed down a bit now I can live with the few quid it’ll cost to have it re-touched though wouldn’t it have been nice if the geezer had the decency to offer to pay for it.
And whilst I’m in grumpy middle-aged man mode………..thanks to the girl sat next to me on the train from Newport this afternoon. Was in the quiet coach though she made an endless stream of ‘phone calls each one starting by telling her fellow conversationalist: “I’m in the quiet coach” then launching in to full jibber-jabber mode.
But back to the point – UFO = awesome.