Mike + The Mechanics: Tour start with new setlist

Surprising additions and changes in the live-set in Kiel

It was raining a lot in Kiel today, when Mike + The Mechanics came on stage at 9.15pm to play their first gig of the 2012 Tour in the frame of the "Kieler Woche" in Kiel, Germany. The gig was for free and it obviously was the perfect kick-off for the tour - apart from the weather.

The crowd saw a relaxed band, which presented quite a few surprising additions and changes in the new setlist. These songs were played:

live A Beggar On A Beach Of Gold
Get Up
Try To Save Me
Another Cup Of Coffee
Throwing It All Away (Genesis)
Silent Running
This Generation (Roachford)
I Get The Feeling *
The Way You Look At Me
Cuddly Toy (Roachford)
Word Of Mouth
Follow You Follow Me (Genesis)
I Can't Dance (Genesis)
The Living Years
Over My Shoulder
All I Need Is A Miracle

* sung by both, Tim and Andrew

The show was played without the "Encore-game" at the end, so without a break. It was a 100 minutes set. Some notes from the show:

Roachford announced a Mechanics song called Something In The Way, which appeared to be The Way You Look At Me, a very unique and surprising choice. From the new album, The Road, only Try To Save Me was played. During Follow You Follow Me, Tim Howar sang "the night is wet, but you are here" and it wasn't the only reference to the rain. Also, Roachford has put some German words into his speeches between songs. Again, two Roachford songs were played, Cuddly Toy and This Generation, which replaced Only To Be With You from last year's setlist. Silent Running finally returned to the Setlist (it wasn't played last year) and I Get The Feeling may be the biggest surprise of all. Also, a third Genesis song was added with Throwing It All Away, while Follow You Follow Me, I can't Dance and The Living Years came towards the end, and Over My Shoulder plus All I Need Is A Miracle closed the show, that was broadcasted via internet (videostream).

Some may hope that the band will play further tracks (or different tracks) during the "normal" shows, but this has not been confirmed yet. In any case - The Mechanics are back and despite a few playing mistakes (which are not so unusual during the first date of the tour), they are as good as ever.

The tour will continue with gigs mainly in the UK and Germany and will last until late August.

Links:

Instant news on Facebook: Genesis-News
Hit The Road Tour 2012: Dates & Tickets
Tour Report 2011