Boston/Kim Mitchell Live In Thunder Bay(2008)

From The Boston Website: “The tour will kick off June 06, 2008 in Thunder Bay, Ontario.” 

I was going to post this at a later time but Mikey Ladano asked for it …Here it is Mikey!

So Boston starts there 2008 Summer Tour in Thunder Bay!

Whut??

The powers that be were bringing Boston/Kim Mitchell and Eddie Money right into my backyard!

I’m there folks as Boston especially with the first three albums(the Debut/Don’t Look Back and Third Stage) were all mega sellers as well to hear with my own ears Mastermind Tom Scholz play those huge ramped up Boston Power Chords live.

Add Tom to my list of hearing the greats live! Boom Done!

So this tour marks the debut of singer Tommy DeCarlo whom Boston rescued  from Home Depot (Tommy’s job) and plunked him on stage to sing the Late Great Brad Delps vocals. Micheal Sweet (Stryper) was also added to the band to compliment  DeCarlo vocally and play guitar as well. The last time I seen Boston Guitarist Gary Phil play live was when Gary was slinging 6 string for Sam Hagar back in 1984 and here’s Gary in Boston since something like 1986 when Sam bolted to those wacky Dutch Bros who call themselves Van Halen.

I still recall people griping about the ticket price being $75! Seriously? Even though this show took place in 2008 for $75 it’s Boston for Fucks Sake! Than again people complained about paying $50 to see R.E.M  in Tbay back in 2003….Seriously People?!

This show took place outside down by our Waterfront so come show  day Friday June 6th. We had rain, a ton of rain. When I woke up that morning it was raining hard and after I checked my  basement to make sure we weren’t flooded my second thought was “No way is there gonna be a show tonight!” My wife Sue who along with 4 of our friends were going with us seconded that statement  saying there was no way at 630 am with the rain pounding down/the sky black that in any way shape or form would the show be a go.

Even at 11 am it was still pouring but by early afternoon it stopped the sky kinda broke (though it remained cloudy) the winds picked up. As you can see by the video of Peace Of Mind that I posted you can see the trees blowing in the background…..

Anyways word on the street was the show was still a go! So at show time due to the stage and grounds being drenched and everything being pushed back in time Eddie Money was axed from the bill. I heard two versions of why Eddie didn’t play …

One was he graciously stepped aside and let the Great Kim Mitchell play his set due to everything being pushed back by the rain….

Second was that the Money Man was all pickled up back at the hotel and was no where ready to perform….

Who knows but I like the second story …more Rock like!

Kim Mitchell came out and was playing by the time we got there and it was to the front of the stage stat where Kim assaulted my hearing with his tunes. Still recall Battle Scar pounding my ear lobes. From what I recall as well Akimbo had his set cut as well due to the crummy weather….

Time For…..

Tom Scholz appears and does his intro to Rock N Roll Band  and were off! Here’s Boston with ton of gear and the on Tom’s side of the stage his trusty ol Hammond..

The Tunes Heard That Night…

Rock & Roll Band
Peace of Mind
Long Time Segue
Cool the Engines
Don’t Look Back
More Than a Feeling
Feelin’ Satisfied
Something About You
Amanda
The Launch
Walk On
Get Organ-ized
Walk On (Some More)
Don’t Be Afraid
To Be a Man
Hitch a Ride
Foreplay / Long Time
Smokin’

Encore:
I Had a Good Time
Party

Yup that’s Greatest Hits Set List if I ever seen one!

It was real cool to hear Scholz play live as his  Guitar tone sounds exactly the same as it does in the studio! You can hear that Tom Sound at the end of the Peace Of Mind clip with those big booming power chords! Too bad the sound is kinda mucky but that is due to the winds but props to the person who filmed this.

There’s a few other clips from Boston’s Tbay show  More Than A Feeling (9 minutes long)is posted on Tubes Of You as is Amanda(no offence to anyone but I cannot handle that track)…

Course a ton from the first three albums are played with some dabbling in the later day Boston albums. Something About You & Feelin Satisfied were knocked out as well and you could say are my two favourite Boston tracks ever!

Boston was great and if they ever roll through town again I would definitely check them out but of course I heard rumblings that there was some prima donna behaviour goings on with some of the Boston entourage and who knows it may be bullshit but at the time of the show it didn’t matter as at least they showed up…..

Advertisement