Live Club

Setlist:

Whip That Ghost (Song For A Bro’)
Starmelt/Lovelight
Quick Fix
This Is Your Captain
Lucifer (Bringer Of Light)
Upstairs/Downstairs
Like Chrome
Core Memory Corrupt
Sinful, Wind-borne
A Pacific Sonata
Balthazaar
Stanley (Tonight’s The Night)
Theme De Yo-Yo
Barleycorn >
Hey, Jane
Mountain
———————-
Fools Gold

Notes:
– approx 2h 20m

Francesco

That was probably my un-trippiest MP concert ever. No epics at all, only a few jams. I mean, the old hits were fun (especially Sinful and Starmelt, Hey Jane felt strangely flat) but I wouldn’t want Motorpsycho to turn into a nostalgia act. The best moments for me were the songs from the amazing new album (especially Balthazaar), but it left me wishing for more.
But don’t mind me, I’m probably just displeased that I got, once again, to suffer through both the only two songs in their entire live catalog which I actively dislike.

Hello psychonauts.
Few words about yesterday evening concert in Trezzo. First of all, every time I see MP onstage, I feel fine. I’m thinking about it since I’ve seen them getting old sine the middle 90’ and I feel like a subtle intangible connection between my personal life and this band. I have always a big smile in my face for every single minute they are onstage.

According to my taste, last night was not a top concert (at least considering the Milano area saga since 1997). Not among the worst but not at stellar as some others.

The setlist was a sort of a mixed bag. I’d like more focused setlist, if it’s a rocking show, go for it, if it’s psych, jam out. Yesterday every two songs the atmosphere shifted. Song of a bro was a perfect start for warming up and setting the volume, Starmelt a nice singalong hit warming the crow and Paranoid…hem, sorry, Quick Fix a good and short rocking one. This is your captain was one of the best tunes from the latest albums but not stellar in live rendition. The first hit was Lucifer, a true surprise live, one of the strongest and most enjoyable song in the setlist. Not jamming but (hopefully) switching the intensity of the concert. Unlucky the lost momentum with Up/Dow and Like Chrome, one of the lamest song in the catalogue. Good versions of CMC and Sinful but soon after another shift with the first part of Pacific Sonata shutting down a little the atmosphere but starting the best moment of the show with the very nice second part. Balthazaar was one of the hits even if I’ve got maybe too high expectations on this (I enjoyed more Lucifer from the last album). A solid Stanley and a very interesting and powerful rendition of Theme De Yo-Yo. Barleycorn was nothing to write home about driving to Hey Jane that was quite lame considering how nice and tight could be this gem. The main act was closed by the good old Mountain, one of the few moments of heavy rock of the entire set. Fools gold was the best song of the set. I’ve listened to it many times but it’s always an emotional hit with crystal beautiful vocal rendition and incredibly nice sound.

The set was sub average in length (around 2h15’) and it looked a bit more like a festival setlist than a proper tour one. I’ve got the idea that this kind of shift toward short songs and the avoiding of the more complex psych out ones is due to Olaf. He’s done the job (I’m impressed how many songs he has learned for this tour) but maybe a little bit too straight and faint comparing with the monsters we have seen in the MP history.

The venue (that is very large) was surprisingly filled. I’m not 100% sure but I’ve got the feeling of a sharp increase in audience presence since the last time they’ve played here in 2022, quite surprizing.

Good luck to Francesco and all the guys that are travelling around Europe, you’re the best!
Riccardo

Yeah there were definitely many more people than the last couple times in Trezzo. I’m happy for them and I hope the fantastic new album has earned them some new fans, but this also probably means they’ll stick to the Live Club, which is my least favourite of all the venues they played in recent years in or near Milan (Bloom, Magnolia, Santeria). Obviously it’s also the biggest.

@Darmok

Which two?

@elNibi
Some serious personal opinions in there, but agree on Lucifer being a total live banger. Great song and great album opener, but live, it really delivers, especially for a song that has no space out jams involved.

I’m also surprised, pleasantly, about the crowd size, being bigger than expected on this tour, probably showing that the new album is quite well received.

The sequencing of this specific setlist is quite confusing for sure. Still quite the long show. More than 2h is always a win.

@The Other Anders

Upstairs and Sonata.

Darmok.

Ok, Darmok. Then you are in trouble! Both of them pretty frequently played live. I understand Sonata, although I have grown to love it. Upstairs I didn’t get it at first, but it has grown on me and 25 years on I love it. Wonder if that will happen to Like Chrome too? I mean, even The Slow Phaseout is OK’ish today. Used to drive me insane.

Well for me it’s just the opposite, the more I hear them live the more I hate them haha. Yeah I know they play those often, but non *that* often, 3 and 5 times until now this year, only once together… I can tolerate one, not both (same thing happened in Trezzo in 2017, but at least then it was The Tower tour so I knew Sonata would be in there).
I really don’t understand why Upstairs is so much more “valued” than other songs from that period they never play anymore. After hearing it 4 times I’d love to get even The Slow Phaseout instead of it. :D