The little show that could...

...happened in Berlin last night, which is funny considering that saying describes how I feel about the city of Berlin itself (with city in place of show, of course).

Berlin is old, almost disgustingly so. Graffiti, bad smells, and trash are everpresent, but there is such life here. There is a heartbeat that's propels people like blood into the streets. It's a wound trying to still heal. There is so long to go--the only REALLY nice area (in my opinion) being that adjacent to the Reichstag and Gate of Brandenburg. But it's trying, and definitely gets an A for effort.

Last night's show gets an A as well, for "Apollo's Frock" (played only for the second time EVER)and more importantly an "M" for "Muhammad My Friend" a song that has not been played in its entirety since 1998. It would have just been a B or C if the rest of the set--which moved from shitty to mediocre to pretty good--had been left to stand on its own. The performance was stellar throughout, don't get me wrong; "Little Amsterdam" and "Barons of Suburbia" from this show are the strongest I've ever seen them and "Amber" and "Cars" are always nice.

But let's face it. It takes a LOT to reconcile two of the first three songs being "Leather" and "Cloud on my Tongue."

Thankfully, "Muhammad" and "Apollo" were MORE than reconciliation.

Set list:

Original Sinsuality
Little Amsterdam
Leather
Cloud on my Tongue
Yes, Anastasia
Barons of Suburbia
Rattlesnakes

Wrapped Around Your Finger
Famous Blue Raincoat

Cars and Guitars
Mr. Zebra-->Marianne
Amber Waves
Muhammad My Friend
The Beekeeper

Apollo's Frock
Toast

Not the Red Baron
Sweet the Sting

Berlin is definitely not my favorite city in the world, and last night's set was definitely not my favorite, but there are little jewels here that make it more than just OK.

R