It's late and I'm banging away on my review of Tom Waits' Friday show at the Plaza, his first ever in El Paso, during which he was "honored" (it was a ruse) with a key to the city, presented by none other than city councilwoman and mayor pro-tem Susie Byrd, who said she didn't know until today exactly what she'd be doing.
More on that in the review I'm working on.
The band lineup was slightly different than originally announced since Waits' longtime bassist Larry Taylor had to tend personal business. He was replaced by acoustic jazz bassist Sean Ford-Young. The rest of the band: Omar Torrez on guitar, Patrick Warren on keys, Vincent Henry on horns and Casey Waits (Tom's son) on drums.
In the meantime, here's the setlist, which is radically different from the first two shows in Phoenix June 17-18 and included several obscurites from '90s theater and movie soundtracks he worked on. I've listed the album or project from which each song came in parentheses after the song's title.
1. Lucinda (Orphans)
2. Way Down in the Hole (Franks Wild Years)
3. Falling Down (Big Time)
4. Chocolate Jesus (Mule Variations)
5. Singapore (Rain Dogs), tour debut
6. Fannin Street (Orphans), tour debut
7. Get Behind the Mule (Mule Variations)
8. Trampled Rose (Real Gone)
9. Metropolitan Glide (Real Gone)
10. The Other Side of the World (Night on Earth soundtrack), tour debut
11. God's Away on Busines (Blood Money version)
12. Hoist That Rag (Real Gone), with Sullivan Waits on congas
key to the city
piano section
13. Lucky Day (Black Rider soundtrack), tour debut
14. House Where Nobody Lives (Mule Variations), tour debut
15. Lost in the Harbour (Alice soundtrack)
band return
16. Lie to Me (Orphans)
17. Goin' Out West (Bone Machine)
18. Jesus Gonna Be Here w/band intros (Bone Machine)
encore
19. Make it Rain (Real Gone)
20. Dirt in the Ground
I enjoyed your review and appreciate your diligence with the set list. I'm looking forward to the Mobile show. I was attempting to bone up and refresh myself on songs Waits might be playing. It seems his entire catalog is in play so I'll just plan on sitting back and relaxing to the night.
Posted by: BillyBlastoff | June 25, 2008 at 03:56 PM
Just got in from Birmingham and I'm still blown away.
Thanks for setlist. I've not finished mine yet because I have a few things to look up. I really love that his setlists are so varied.
Posted by: Tara | July 04, 2008 at 04:50 AM
Thanks mate. seeing his show i Paris next Thursday - and reading this sends shivers down my spine...
Posted by: Ola Nordmann | July 16, 2008 at 04:34 AM