Reviews, opinions of the Ann Arbor Show...

I thought it was EPIC. The setlist as I recall.

I Got a Right (Henry Rollins singing with James, Mike and Scott playing)

Iggy Comes on...

Raw Power/Search/Gimme Danger...Shake Appeal (Epic Stage Invasion)...1970...

Night Theme/Beyond the Law/Open Up and Bleed...

Funhouse/Pretty Face/Dog....

Denis Tek replaces James...

Loose/TV Eye/Dirt/Real Cool Time...

Iggy (and Scott and Kathy (for Ron)) get key to city...

Iggy talks about Ron and does an acoustic tribute song with James...

No Fun (2nd smaller Stage Invasion)...

********************

Does anybody have any pictures? Or Videos? Or Audio recording?

Something that EPIC...Must Be PRESERVED for all-time.

It seems like a lot of good video could be floating around. Hopefully a good audio recording?

Anyway, the setlist was as epic it gets. The set with Denis Tek...where Iggy sang some songs that he hasn't sung since Ronnie left us.

Just EPIC. I hope he comes around again this year.

Here's what I got from the radio.

Rollins, eloquent as ever, esp. re Ron's work on the first album, and emphasising all the eventual and long-deserved recognition.

Space Age Toasters, heavy and hard, raw rough vocal. Great groove, especially on *Down On The Street...

Rollins again, and then Scott speaks, wonderful to hear. God Loves The Stooges!

Slide show with orchestra playing *I Wanna Be Your Dog, *Real Cool Time, *TV Eye, *Dirt, *Loose. Sounds like a heavy trance groove - like a punk Bolero or Carmina Burana or something.

Rollins again.
Re 1st album - 'Minimalist Masterpiece'. Ron is 'Visionary Genius'. It's a 'Perfect Record'. Ron is a 'Serious Blues Player'. 'Pulverising Fuzzed Out Blues Attack.'
Re Fun House - 'Crushing Restraint' ... [Ron:] the master of tone, nuance, feedback, et al.
Re Ron on bass - 'Beautiful lyrical playing - locked in to the rhythm.'
Re the reformation - 'Justice was finally served... He got to see how much he had done. He was not wrong. He was right.'

Rollins sings *I Got A Right with The Stooges.
Then Iggy takes it away -
*Raw Power
*Search and Destroy
Iggy: 'Turn on the lights... nice to see you!'
*Gimme Danger
Iggy calls for a stage invasion. 'I promised I wouldn't do this... I lied! Haha!'
*Shake Appeal.
Sax solo noodling away for ages after the end of the song.
Iggy: 'The amazing Ann Arbor dancers!... ok now you gotta go back...'
*1970.
*Night Theme.
*Beyond the Law
*Funhouse
Iggy: 'Turn on the lights again... this is a blood song. B-L-O-O-D.'
*Open Up and Bleed
*Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell
*I Wanna Be Your Dog
The orchestra join in from here.
*TV Eye
*Loose
*Dirt - with an orchestra! Fucking gorgeous. Unbelievable.
*Real Cool Time - Deniz on guitar.
Iggy: 'I need to thank Ron... he sort of peed this beautiful music all over me.'
*Ron's Tune - shaky beautiful slide acoustic guitar and vocal duet.
Presentation of the key to the city to Iggy, Scott and Kathy (for Ron).
*No Fun - kicking ass....

and suddenly it was over...

I didn't realise Deniz was on for James from Loose. He was amazing. Was James back on for No Fun at the end?

Someone please share the audio recording. Or maybe it'll be available from Ron's Foundation. Either way...
Amazing.

[It's to be re-broadcast on 24th and 28th too]

Deniz was playing on TV Eye, Loose, Dirt, Real Cool Time and maybe No Fun (two guitars?)

Ah ok, I really thought things changed with the orchestra, but it was the change from James to Deniz too? It's gotta be true that Deniz plays much more like Ron did.

Yeah, it was both James an Deniz on No Fun.

James seemed a bit rusty, especially compared with the shows I saw last year.

Man, Watt looked tired. He has just played 40 nights straight (not a joke) with one of his other bands. Sounded great, though!

It was just great. I loved Roliins' spiel. It was very fitting. The slide show was nice, but there weren't any unfamiliar photos or anything. Some childhood photos would have been cool...those are usually real tear-jerkers.

I had a hard time hearing the orchestra when they played along with the band during the encore. Did it sound good on the radio? I GOTTA HEAR THAT RECORDING!!

Today I went on a (self-guided) tour of Stooges-related sites in Ann Arbor. I'll post photos int he next couple of days. Gotta get back to Texas!

Steve

Oh yeah...Both Rock & Watt are sporting beards.

I saw Watt Monday night at his Saint Paul, MN gig. He seemed pretty tired then too. But he played like a bass god, best club gig for me in a few years!

Incredible show from start to finish! I loved every minute of it. I took my girlfriend to see Iggy/Stooges for the first time. She knew they were my favorite but never really got into them much. After the Space Age Toasters and getting up on the stage to dance with Iggy and the band she was going wild for the rest of the show! Great night and a great performance by everyone involved!

With all the cameras there should be an excellent video of this.I hope it has the whole show and not just the Stooges.

It was a great return to their home turf and the audience loved them from beginning to end.
The crowd stood for the entire show, no one sat down for the entire gig.
The Space Age Toasters were just fantastic, they set the stage beautifully and their lead singer held the stage.
Rollin's version of 'I Got A Right' was blistering and when James hit the opening note of 'Raw Power' it was on. Full tilt ass-kicking rock and roll played by true masters. Leave it at that.

Yes the orchestra sounded amazing on the radio. The strings and horns on some songs made them sound like movie themes - like the greatest James Bond themes never written. The strings during the slide show were portentous and epic. That stuff needs to be available on a recording.

I loved the sound of the S.A. Toasters, and the vocal was great - gritty and rough and stripped - no hint of Iggy-style on the sound or phrasing at all. Great job. He owned it.

Surprising to hear Mike Watt looked tired. I thought the bass sounded 100% blistering throughout.

I agree that James sounded a little rusty or whatever, but it was exciting - I like to hear the raw edges - and maybe there were nerves, or for whatever reason... but I like to hear the cracks in the voice or the fingers working on the strings. It's the flaws that reveal the truths (as some philosopher said) and the guitar sound was edgy and precarious. Things sounded like they got into a different groove when Deniz came on.

What a gas.

I beg to differ with all you critics. I was right in front of James for the first 3 songs taking my (permitted) photos. After that, my seat was only a few rows back. James was perfect. Nothing sloppy about his playing. Rock and roll is not exact, never was, never should be.

Everybody was on their game. Iggy was feeding off the energy from the audience like I have not seen him do since 1971. I've seen 6 gigs in the last year and this the best on every level. It was gritty, sweaty, honest, raw and emotional. It does not get better than that!

Natalie wrote:

I beg to differ with all you critics. I was right in front of James for the first 3 songs taking my (permitted) photos. After that, my seat was only a few rows back. James was perfect. Nothing sloppy about his playing. Rock and roll is not exact, never was, never should be.

Everybody was on their game. Iggy was feeding off the energy from the audience like I have not seen him do since 1971. I've seen 6 gigs in the last year and this the best on every level. It was gritty, sweaty, honest, raw and emotional. It does not get better than that!

Can't wait to see the photos!! James sounded fine to me also, as did everyone else (listened on line). I thought that the orchestra parts were really cool and came off really well. I'm waiting for some video of the "Space Age Toasters" and the Iggy/James acoustic song, hopefully they turn up.

Rod, there is a vid of "Ron's Song" on FB already. Although the words were beautiful, this is one time I'd have preferred to just have James and his guitar. Go figure.

Natalie wrote:

I beg to differ with all you critics. I was right in front of James for the first 3 songs taking my (permitted) photos. After that, my seat was only a few rows back. James was perfect. Nothing sloppy about his playing. Rock and roll is not exact, never was, never should be.

No criticism intended! Just an impression - thru headphones, sitting up in the middle of the night on the other side of the world - not ideal conditions for a true impression of a live event. But my impression at the beginning was just that there was a nervy edge to the guitar, a tense sort of feel, nothing sloppy for sure! ... and rusty is the wrong word to use, 'edgy' would be better. Maybe it's hearing the sounds in the dark, as we're used to hearing the records. But when you say 'James was perfect' from the front rows in the theatre, I'll take it as a given, from one who was actually there.

Whoever arranged for the worldwide radio broadcast - thankyou!

Woody, I'd agree with "edgy".

It truly was one of those magic nights when the back of the hair on your neck standing up feels great!

Where can I find this video in better quality?

EDIT:

I thought of someone shooting a camera on the mobile ...but it is an Arbor concert

I have to agree with Natalie, I thought James was on it all night. Deniz played like a man possessed and really had Ron's chops nearly perfect. I was 4 rows from stage on the right so they were right in front of me.

Natalie, you don't happen to be the blond that was wearing the leopard print jacket are you? If so, I was beside you on the stage backed up against the amps trying not to be knocked over!

first batch of some Heather Harris' photos of the Ann Arbor gig here:
http://www.retrokimmer.com/2011/04/retro-kimmer-iggy-and-stooges-in-ann.html
(tv eye)

"Ron's Tune" by Iggy Pop and James Williamson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJnpI-0oG2g&feature=feedlik

From Fadebook. First four songs by the Space Age Toasters

Quote :

Heather Harris
That's Deniz' Tek's digit holding his set list...

From the website of The Ron Asheton Foundation:

'Ron Asheton Tribute Concert update: What an incredible night at the Michigan Theater! Thank you to all who helped make the night such a success. Special thanks to Iggy and the Stooges, Henry Rollins and Space Age Toasters. We raised over $25K for the Foundation.'

No Billy, I was the blond by the steps packing up my camera gear when the stage invasion started. I was almost trampled with the force of the people going on the stage while I was trying to go back to my seat. I had to hold on to the steps or I would have been knocked over. I never do the stage invasion. I run away from Mr. Pop. I learned my lesson early in 1970.

It truly was a magical night. I've posted this on FB but not here so ..............

STOOGE POWER OR NO POWER. ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTE!