Ed solo before opening band: Dead Man, Thumbing My Way (part), You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
Set List: Long Road, Grievance, Corduroy, Save You, Get Right, I Am Mine, Immortality, Given To Fly, Even Flow, Wishlist, Thumbing My Way, You Are, Breakerfall, Not For You, Untitled/MFC, Do The Evolution, Spin The Black Circle;
1st encore: Love Boat Captain, Better Man, Down, Black, Rearviewmirror;
2nd encore: Indifference

Imagine spending the last 2 years collecting a series of bootlegs of shows far far away... you print out the entire tour concert chronology and fuss over setlists, which shows you want etc. you wish, 'if only i could have been at one of these shows!' And now? Now people will fuss over the setlist of the show I got to see! They'll say to their friends, 'gee wheez billy joe, that sure does look like a great show!'

Anyway, on with the review rather than the inane self indulgent banter! We'll go song by song shall we?

Long Road: amazing opener! was expecting release for some reason so it was an awesome surprise and really guided everyone into the right place nicely. and then..

Grievance: fantastic to see a Binaural fav of mine, with Ed just growling it out!

Corduroy: as you can imagine this recieved an unbelievable crowd reaction, with everyone getting outta their seats and going nuts! actually sounded fresh with Ed playing slightly with some of the vocals (thought id be well sick of it after 2000).

Save You: crowd seemed really into it, gonna be a fav from Riot Act, Boom filling things out nicely. classic PJ rocker, once again with Ed sounding on top of it, lost his voice you say? bullshit!!

Get Right: crowd had no idea but I was excited! first played this tour and Mike was all over the solo, spinning in circles for what seemed like ages! Ed seemed a little less aggressive though.

I Am Mine: surprisingly the crowd went nuts when it started. solid tight version with end nailing the lyrics! (which he did all night actually, which is a change from brissy!)

Immortality: couldn't believe they pulled this out! especially so early in the set! Ed said they hadn't played it for a while. great version, with a great jam at the end (jam shorter cause of its place in the set) but Matt still gave those skins a good thrashing!

Given To Fly: hugh crowd reaction! everyone singing along, the song climaxed like nothing else! awe inspiring! Ed threw this shirt over this head during the 'alone in a corridor..' lyric.

Even Flow: I reckon the band still loves churning out a thumping version of this! crowd went crazy when the opening riff kicked in, Mike went crazy in the solo (and I mean CRAZY), then the crowd went crazy again! he he..star jumps all over the place! nice work you rock mongrels you!!

Wishlist: BEST VERSION EVER! Ed nails the lyrics as well as fucking around with the melody. the song starts to drift off into a finish but the band just keeps jamming it out, for another 3 or 4 minutes! Stone and Ed both hook into really gorgeous, smooth, grooving solo's and then Ed sings two line's from the Stone's beast or burden! after which he improv's this cute little dodoodoo thing in falsetto! absolutley amazing!

CAN I JUST SAY AT THIS POINT THAT THE BAND WANTS IT BAD THIS TOUR! THEY ARE EXTREMELY RELAXED, THEYRE JAMMING OUT SONGS, THROWING IN ALL SORTS OF COOL SHIT, EDS PLAYING WITH MELODIES LEFT RIGHT AND CENTRE! THEYRE ALL MOVING AROUND HEAPS! THEY ARE REALLY ENJOYING THEMSELVES!

anyway, on with the show..

Thumbing My Way: gorgeous.. crowd really enjoying it (Bar the few sorry bastards who took it as an excuse for a toilet break..I spurn you and your kin!). this song is so genuine and emotive, I was almost in tears!

You Are: wasn't sure how they would pull this off live, definitely has a whole different sound, less hypnotic and a more discordant rumble! fantastic! Mikes warbling whale song type sounds were just sonically superb!

Breakerfall: back into the rockers! Ed lets out a nasty growl and they rip into a really energetic version of the song. Mike is running around all over the shop! in fact he was back and forth the whole night! immediately after this concludes I hear a familiar drum beat, and what do you know..

Not For You! like the Lukin/Not For You combo! straight into it! fantastic jammed out version with Stone's solo really fucking groovin'!

Untitled: extended version, completely different vocal melody in parts, brilliant! into a solid version of...

MFC: Jeff up the front, and then over with Mike having a few intimate moments (as they were all night!)

Evolution: thumping, short, but thumping! different solo from Stone which was cool!

Spin The Black Circle: can you believe it!? spin as the set closer!! really aggressive nasty version! Ed collapsing onto the speakers in front of him and singing the second chorus rolling around on them! huge and unexpected finish!

Encore break...nervous anticipation...
and then..
Boom walks out carrying a limp Eddie!

LBC: prior to which Ed asks us to wait until he's finished his cigarette, 'the only place in the building where you can smoke without getting a 500 dollar fine'! (huge crowd cheers) he goes on to say that its impossible to quit while Bush is in office! and follows it up by saying that our prime minister (John Howard) is sucking Bush's dick! (huge crowd cheers again).... with our lips! (BOOS!!) anyway, tidy version of LBC, lots of power with oom once again adding another dimension.

Better Man: huge crowd favourite with Ed letting them do a lot of the singing and a repeated refrain. solid version but nothing on Seattle 2000 or Boston 98!

Down: Ed introduces it as a b-side off the latest record, I was really excited to hear this song, and was a faultless version, awesome!

Black: suitably intense with Mike ripping into an amazing solo, filling the room, and crowd really showing their appreciation with hugh roars! crowd sings the dodododo bit at the end. really nice, haunting version.

RVM: closes first encore. band all loving it, lots of movement Ed doing Daltrey swings and stars jumps (which Ed and Mike were doing all night in fact!) during the shortened mid section jam. and then they build up..crowd clapping (in time for a change!)...muted chords turn into all out mayhem.. 'SAW THINGS!!' huge climax! the punk jam finish just gets faster and faster and faster! strobe lights, the whole deal.. FUCKING AMAZING FINISH!

Encore break 2 is painful! will they come out for one more?! and they did!

An absolutely gorgeous version of Indifference finishes an amazing evening! crowd of 12,000 (how tha fuck does Eddie create such intimacy with that many people in the room?!) silently in awe of the band. and to finish it Ed sings 'how much difference does it make?....it makes a difference' (gesturing to the crowd)....

Phew, I'm exhausted after writing the fanview not to mention the show! Hope that wasn't too long and painful but definantly needed to vent my expereince!
thanks for having me!
rock on funkified fruitcakes of pj microcosm!!
cant wait for shows two and three!

cheers,
juan