The 16-song set list is a great one - essentially the Strangers In the Night set, minus only a couple of songs, but with four brand new ones added, along with a killer track from 2002's Sharks. Their 1979 live album Strangers in the Night is regarded by many as one of the best live rock sets of all time, with Schenker and Mogg both at the height of their performing powers. The band has carried on in one form or another since then, highlighted by a 1995 reunion of the classic UFO line-up of Mogg, Schenker, Way, Raymond, and Parker, which resulted in the release of the excellent Walk On Water album.
The new You Are Here material holds up quite admirably next to the classic stuff, and they don't waste much time introducing it to the exuberant German crowd. After kicking things off with the Force It classic "Mother Mary", they follow up with the brand new "When Daylight Goes To Town". This one has a sort of mid-70's, AC/DC kind of vibe going on, and if you had any doubts whether Moore was up to the task, they are immediately laid to rest - his guitar sounded monstrous. I was more concerned with how Mogg's vocals were still holding up, but I can assure you that, aside from losing a bit of his highest range, his pipes are as powerful as ever.
Mogg has the annoying habit of announcing the title of every song before it begins. I can see pointing out the new songs, but not every damn song they play. "This next piece is off of the Force It album, and it is something called 'Let It Roll'" came next, and featured a stunningly melodic, and bluesy solo from Moore. For some of the more acoustic-based songs, like "I'm A Loser", Moore plays the parts on an actual acoustic guitar, that is mounted on a guitar stand so that he can leave his electric strapped on for a quick transition. How refreshing is that in the day when most rock guitarists just pipe their electric through an acoustic guitar simulator, as if it is just another effect in their arsenal. I don't think John Petrucci could play an acoustic guitar if he has a gun to his head. There is something about the look and sound of a real acoustic guitar being played that cannot be replaced by technology. Heaven help us if every drummer were to go with an electronic drum kit.
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