UFO in the USA - November 2004

Chuck Harrell was at the first of the November shows, in New Orleans

Just wanted to check in and tell you about the show last night. It was fantastic. The band put on a great show, even though the venue wasn't full. They played their full set as far I could tell, including Shoot Shoot. I thought every band member put on a first rate performance. A couple of notes: While all solos were very good, the solo on This Kids was outstanding; Barry sang background on When Daylight Comes to Town instead of Jason (one verse anyway because his Mike was working well); Barry actually seemed to be imitating Pete's moves (if anybody really ever could). His bass playing was stellar as usual. Phil was very strong. He made me realize that he is the main man (other than Pete) in the band. I thought they pulled off the UFO songs better than MSG. Also, it was obvious that Paul Raymond makes a big difference.

All in all an awesome show. I'm so glad they made they way here. I was checking my ticket stubs and the last time they made it to New Orleans was in 1981 when they played the warehouse and believe it or not they were opening for a band called Point Blank. Really missed Pete up on stage, but the music didn't suffer (just the attitude a little). I feel lucky though that I will see them again on Saturday.


And on Saturday, Chuck followed the band to San Antonio

Concert in San Antonio was great. They played about 45 minutes. Good song selection. They stole the show from Tesla and Scorpions. It was nice to see them on a bigger stage. It gives you a different perspective. I talked to Frank (Angel's singer) the night before and he had some nice things to say about Paul Raymond.

Richard Lelie, from Austin TX was at the Austin show

I attended the mis-named 'Austin's Own Rock Fest' last Friday. It is mis-named because the same exact show was to happen in San Antonio the following night. It featured bands such as The Keith Emerson Band, some band called UFO, Tesla, and the Scorpions.

The first band to play, The Keith Emerson Band, was interesting. The sound was ok, but I had not ever heard any of their music, except for the weak renditions of a few songs from Emerson/Lake/Palmer of 70's era/fame.

The second band was this 'UFO'... Why do I put it that way? Austin radio does not give this band any respect at all. I NEVER hear any UFO tunes. Example: At 5:30 pm, the night of the show, Phil is interviewed by a dj from KLBJ, the local hard 'rock-n-roll' station. The interviewer did not even know that Schenker was not in the band! He had to ask: 'who is this Vinnie you mention?'. Phil was as delightful as ever during the interview. At the end of the alleged 'interview', Phil announced that the band would be playing for 40 minutes !!! I was shocked.

So, to the show.... They open with 'This Kids'. The sound is great. They follow with 'Too Hot to Handle'. Vinnie, note for note. Jason, pounding away. Phil, sounding and really looking good. Next is 'Daylight Comes to Town'. Again, they all sound great. On to 'Only You Can Rock Me', in which Vinnie plays the openning riffs EXACTLY as Michael does. The guitar solo is right on, too. I am pretty sure this is followed by 'Love to Love'. Barry Sparks is impressive on this one. So is Jason, and Vinnie is again: note for note! I am pretty sure the next tune was 'Lights Out'. Vinnie, Vinnie, Vinnie!!! AGAIN: note for note! ...and Phil is strong as ever. Then....the FINAL song: 'Shoot Shoot'. Vinnie sure knows how to do those 'classics'. Phil's voice is better than it ever has been. Jason simply ROCKS. Barry Sparks is a great Pete Way substitute. Paul Raymond does his job quietly, but effectively. At this point is where my disappointment sets in. Only SEVEN songs! I waited nine years to hear seven songs! I spoke to a handful of people at the show, and they were all equally dismayed.

Tesla was pretty good. I had never seen them before. They played all the songs that I hear on the radio.... did them pretty well.

The Scorpions rocked. I've seen them twice before, and they were as good as ever. Rudolf Schenker appears to be all 'show'. He sounds good when he has solo's, like on Coast to Coast. But he seems to be all 'flash'. Matthias Jabs is a player. His sound is great.

One other disappointmet: the t-shirts. They were leftovers! The only size they had was XXL!...for $25! No way. I am somewhere between an XL and L. I can't believe that there were no more shirts printed up for us. That was very disappointing.

It was awesome to see the band perform, but seeing only seven tunes really makes me want to see them again. Like, maybe this weekend! All things considered, I am thrilled that they are still a band, and that I DID get to see them, and they really seem happy on stage. I guess that that is what is really important, and I do appreciate it.

Take care!

Dirk Krause was at the LA House Of Blues on 15th November

Opening band "Starwood" sounded like Faster Pussycat... Raw, very straight-forward LA punk rock - 80's style. Their songs were all up-tempo and did well to get the crowd into it early - a lot of people were already up front, so after a few beers I had to go stake my claim on floor space. Starwood did well to "set the table" for UFO.

The energy spilled over into UFO's set and they didn't disappoint. It's been almost 10 years since I've seen the band and they definitely seemed refreshed and enthusiastic. Phil Mogg's voice was strong for the entire set and he made some comment about my Fosters Can being "Aussie Piss" so opted for Heineken himself... Nice kilt at the end of the show with Jumbo Safety Pin to make sure everything is wrapped-up! Everyone in the band was solid; Paul Raymond seemed to be enjoying himself and Jason Bonham was simply pounding. Special credit must go out to Barry Sparks as he was spot-on with his playing and managed to incorporate some of Pete's spirit (I also made sure to wear my "Waysted" t-shirt for representation) - Full Credit to Barry for the Thunderbird and Stage Antics! I think Vinnie Moore also played flawlessly and definitely adds to the camaraderie and fresh spirit of the band. His acoustic guitar was great in the mix, even more so than the Lead at times. Make no mistake, UFO is a solid band in 2004 and it was great to hear the old stuff alongside the new tunes. I was already expecting "Daylight", "Wild Ones" and "Baby Blue", so it was the inclusion of "Mr Freeze" that pumped the most; Vinnie's lead on that track shreds!

My best guess - remembrance of the setlist is as follows which mirrors some of the earlier reports - it might not be in exact order but I think these are all the songs they played:

01. Midnight Train
02. Mother Mary
03. When Daylight Goes To Town
04. Let It Roll
05. I'm A Loser
06. This Kids
07. Wild Ones
08. Fighting Man
09. Only You Can Rock Me
10. Baby Blue
11. Mr. Freeze
12. Love To Love
13. Too Hot To Handle
14. Lights Out
15. Rock Bottom
16. Doctor Doctor
17. Shoot Shoot

Based on some of the previous reviews, I am not adding much more here - simply pointing-out the fact that UFO is still consistently rocking on this Tour and I loved it - unfortunately, they did not have any new t-shirts designed that listed venues on the 2nd half of the Tour! (I got a hat instead).

Which brings me to the dilemma - it was unbelievable how many people were still expecting Michael Schenker to be there. Standing at the bar, half an hour before Showtime, they were completely surprised when we informed them and their response: "You're Shittin' Me?!" Oh Well, keep-up with the times, right? It was a great show and I'd be going again tonight in Anaheim - if it weren't for this rehearsal with The Taz Taylor Band I must attend, ha!

Rob Stanard of LIGHTS OUT was also at the HoB on 15th November

Here's Ron Hubbard's report from the Anaheim House of Blues

Went to the show last night at the House of Blues in Anaheim. Jeff Kollman Band opened up with an introduction from Phil Mogg himself. They played for about an hour and included Jerusalem from Chocolate Box and Clap Hands from Sign of 4. UFO came on around 10. The set list is the same as everyone else has been reporting. They rocked! The bottom line is UFO is Phil Mogg and a badass guitar player, whomever that might be. In this case Vinnie Moore should have this job as long as he wants it. He can do the Schenker stuff to a T and when it calls for it adds a lot of spice of his own without ruining the feel of the song. Love to Love was off the charts! The new stuff came across much better live in my opinion. Instead of Midnight Train and Fighting Man why not a couple from Walk on Water? WOW is far and away the best of the second incarnation of Schenker. The boys played great, seemed to really enjoy themselves, and played with the energy and enthusiasm that hard core fans expect. Good to have you back!


James Greenberg was also at the Anaheim House of Blues

I am proud to say that I was at the UFO House of Blue's show on the left coast - Downtown Disney in Anaheim So. Cal. My grill is in the picture on Vinnie's site from the UFO link. Anyway, the show was awesome and the band was real tight musicwise. Jason Bonham is probably the best drummer I have ever seen. I have never watched someone make a statement with such hard force other then hearing Anysley Dunbar on the previous two UFO C/D's and the Mogg Way C/D. By far, the pounding just went through everyone who was within 10-feet of the stage. Jason definitely was the engine that powered the band.

Barry Sparks was great. Some of his antics were similar to what Pete Way does on stage. I have seen Barry with Cosmoquad at the Baked Potato in Studio City, CA and he is a strong deep strummer. He did not miss a note the whole night. He would literally prop the bass on his knee vertically and show the fans note by note his talents. He knew every song as though he was in the band as long as Pete has been. A geat stand-in, at a time of need for the band to tour the USA. I think this was an honor for Barry.

What can you say about Paul Raymond? From the old days through, MSG with Gary Barden and the late Cozy Powell, to "pinky knees" and now playing once again; he looked very happy and was enjoying himself the whole night. Paul is the backing sole of the band that provides the mindful atmosphere of when and where a song takes place in time. I don't know where I enjoy him the best, either on the boards or on the guitar, but it doesn't matter. He is a professional and it shows.

Vinnie Moore, well this was my first time to see him live. He is the perfect fit to the band along with Jason. Some thought that Jeff Kollman should have replaced Michael, but you know - Vinnie will go down as one of the most prolific metal leads of the modern era. His solos on the old stuff were suberb. His signature notes on the new stuff was tremendous. However, if was odd to hear some different notes on Rock Bottom, but with the traditional beat and rhythm - the song was almost perfect. This band can go farther in its musical character with Vinnie leading the chords. Excellent!!!

And finally, Phil. Probably one of the most steadfast lead singers of the arena rock era, and the most underrated as well. This is Phil's band and not Michael's as some always believed. Phil is the heart and soul of UFO, and the band - both past and present is aware of that. Phil was perfect on vocals - crisp, clean and clear. Phil and the band were taken back by the interaction between them and the crowd. Singing every note, Phil would just stick the microphone with the stand into the crowd and we all took the lead. In fact, Phil was very pleased with the communication of the crowd with the band between songs that he would actually speak with us and laugh and tell jokes for minutes before the band went into another song. He seemed very humble and appreciated the response. Phil is truly a class act.

Some of the best songs of the night were: Mr. Freeze, Baby Blue, Fighting Man, Lights Out, Only You Can Rock Me, I'm A Loser, and Too Hot To Handle. The only song they did not play from the old version of SITN was Out in the Street. They also played The Wild One, and opened with Midnight Train. The total number of encores for the night was three. During the encores, Phil was dressed in his trademark kilt, which the fans got a real kick out of.

The band played for a little over two hours, and was loud. The crowd had a blast!!! Everyone missed Pete, but based upon the upbeat and positive reviews I have read about in other US cities, the band needs to come back and tour again soon. This is a new beginning for UFO, therefore I hope they can capitalize on their new success and happiness and get the accolades they truly deserve.

James Greenberg - Santa Clarita, CA



John Andrews was at Austin TX and also at San Antonio

UFO.....Austin,TX opening for Scorpions and Tesla

Me and my lifelong UFO friend, John Adams, had the best seats in the arena... right next to the stage in front of Phil Mogg. We got the UFO chant going and the band opened with Mother Mary. I felt so proud for Phil... he almost had a grin on his face when he heard the roar of the crowd. Daylight Goes To Town was next. I knew it was going to be a short set when they went into Only You Can Rock Me and Too Hot to Handle.
Phil kept looking down at the Scorpions setlist and he made a comment about it. He said something about a song called Bad Boys (Bad Boys Running Wild). He made a comment about remembering Austin for the naked people at Barton Creek. Love to Love was next followed by Lights Out. Their manager motioned to them that they were short on time so they closed with Shoot Shoot....... the setlist had Rock Bottom written on it
but because of time they did not play it. The sound in Austin was not up to UFO standards... Vinnie and Phil were both turned down way too low... But it was still a great show... During Tesla's set Brian Wheat (bass) kept pointing at John's UFO shirt... Rudolph Schenker did the same thing during the Scorpions set. I went to sleep feeling great about the show and looking forward to San Antonio

UFO...San Antonio

During the afternoon we ran into Rudolph Schenker on the Riverwalk and he remembered John from the crowd the night before with his UFO shirt! We got to meet Phil Mogg before they went on stage... He was much more relaxed than in Austin... must have been the alcohol!
The set list was the same except they played Rock Bottom instead of Shoot Shoot. The sound was great (Phil introduced me to Martin the sound guy after the show and they said he was not able to get to all his controls in Austin... thus the sound problems.) During the show Phil was drinking on stage and made a motion like he was going to moon the crowd... an obvious reference to the incident 20 years ago that landed him in a Texas jail and caused the VISA problems earlier this year. The whole band was much better in San Antonio than they were in Austin. I got to talk to Phil for several minutes after the show (seemed like hours) it was the greatest moment in my 25+ years of attending shows. Phil deserves stardom... he is such a class act. He mentioned the DVD that they are planning on recording. I told him about the support that UFO gets on Eddie Trunk's XM radio show and that brought a smile to his face... I got to meet my idol so it was a great rock and roll weekend.
John Andrews

Ken was at The Pound

After seeing UFO both nights in So. California I knew way ahead of time that two shows in my home town would not be enough. Plans were made to fly up and see UFO in San Francisco, a great place to visit and to see my favorite rocknrollers. I had never heard of The Pound and I was attending the show with my friend who goes to shows frequently in his home town of SF. After delayed flights and staying in a hotel room in the city but only to find out there was a hotel strike at our hotel. We grab a cab to head to the show, the cab driver had no idea where The Pound was so I told him Pier 96, he did a double take and said Hunter's point (not a friendly area), he said good luck finding a cab back. We arrived @ the Pound in plenty of time and frankly I was a bit disappointed in the venue @ first, it was a bit of a dive. I would have rather seen my band playing the likes of the legendary Fillmore, a place I feel they deserve and would suit them better.
UFO was simply marvelous, from my accounts it was better then 95'. Yea I know there was no Schenker but I had seen Schenker just months before and quite frankly Vinnie Moore is just a better guitar player @ this point in his career. The band was solid and seem to gel very well. Phil's voice really stole the show, Love to Love, Baby Blue, This Kids and especially I'm a Loser really were shiners for my favorite singer of all time. The show was exactly the same as the LA shows and that was fine by me. Phil was making his usual smart remarks in between songs and after Mother Mary quipped "I feel like I am getting a contact high as the front row fill with the friendly smoke of the past.
The supporting cast was phenomenal in all their spots; solos by Vinnie Moore on Rock Bottom, Love to Love, Let it Roll were awesome. I only hope it's not too long before I see them again on an American stage.

Ken Babayan

Brad Snell was also at The Pound

We know there's never been anything easy about this band. I flew from Hawaii to Florida (my family's home) back in May and the gigs were cancelled. I flew to San Francisco for the show at The Pound. The Pound is a dive in the worst part of town where even the cabbies don't know about. To their credit they are also the only place in SF committed to Hard Rock/Metal. A true R&R crowd inside, it was full, and the opening act, The Ruffians, were great. I had'nt seen UFO since 1983,and although I knew they were going to be good, I thought they might have a tough act to follow. It was quite evident from the opening notes and Phil's amazing fitness that finally, UFO has found an identity that is fun, professional, no BS, and sounding better than they ever have. The other lineups have all been great,and there's no denying Schenker's profound influence, but the energy is now (even the new album). Phil could be setting the standard for battle tested frontmen and newcomers alike. The voice, timing, confidence, and fitness, is refreshing. Paul has made his mark as an essential presence, Vinnie is absolutely the best guitarist the band could have in this stage of their career, Jason Bonham... the band could have reached superstardom long ago if he had been drumming for them... POWER... Barry Sparks did more than his share of amazing musicianship and showmanship to keep the engine roaring... The bottom line is... keep it going... make more albums... come back to the states... play in better venues (The Grand in SF is now getting similar acts). The music is far better than other Rock bands who have had greater success... Time for the rock community (fans, bands, promoters,and industry types) to take notice of this great force in music..

ALOHA... BRAD SNELL

Axeslinger took some photos at The Pound on 19th November
Click on each photo for the larger image
more photos from Axeslinger HERE... Axe was aiming for some up-nose shots and he got perilously close at times.

Ben Nichols was at Santa Cruz

The boys rocked Surf City with a solid set of new releases and the 'ole standards! A packed house rocked in a "green" haze to When Daylight Goes to Town and Mr. Freeze and went crazy as a kilt-wearing Phil Mogg nailed down the vocals and Vinnie Moore shredding the lead breaks. The rhythm led by the FULL sounds of Jason Bonham was as tight as could be. No Pete Way, but they rocked incessantly! 2 hours+ of UFO bliss! The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, California.


Toni Jeffrey was also at Santa Cruz

When I saw the announcement for the Santa Cruz UFO show, I immediately purchased tickets, although a small part of me was wondering if they were simply going to be a nostalgia act. The fact that only two of the original members would be appearing was also a concern.

Wow, was I ever wrong!!!!! Quite simply, they blew the roof off the Catalyst, and Phil Mogg's voice sounded as great as it always has! Jason Bonham is an amazing drummer, and the other band members just rocked nonstop.

It was great to hear some of the old favorites, such as Shoot Shoot, Doctor Doctor, and Love to Love. It was also cool to see that they are still making new music rather than simply cashing in on their past success.

I saw UFO, MSG, and the Scorpions many, many times in the past; of course, back then it was in huge venues. It was an awesome experience to see UFO once again, but in such an intimate setting. And in six more days, the SCORPIONS are coming to town! I am in rock and roll heaven.

It was great to read everyone else's reviews, too. I'm glad to have found this site.

Toni Jeffrey