IAN ANDERSON Live in Athens (1/10/2016). A small review and the complete setlist.

  A few days ago, Ian Anderson and his band visited Athens for one concert, with the title ‘The Best of Jethro Tull’. I have seen Jethro Tull 4-5 times in the past, but because it was more than 15 years since the last time, I decided to go. Here’s some facts I realized:

  Fact No.1: Ian Anderson cannot sing anymore. Not that he ever had some amazing voice, but it was characteristic at least. But now is gone. He was mostly “telling” the songs than singing them.

  Fact No.2: Despite his age, the guy can rock! The concert lasted for almost 100 minutes, during which he and his band presented some of Jethro Tull’s finest moments, performed really well. The only exception to that was ‘Songs from the Wood’, in which they got “lost” at the start.

  As I wrote before, I have seen Jethro Tull many times in the past, but if I am not mistaken, this was one of the best setlists I have seen. The only exceptions would be the songs ‘Farm on the Freeway’ ‘Banker Bets, Banker Wins’ and ‘Fruits of Frankenfield’. They are not bad songs, but they are definitely not among the band’s best ones. Especially since they didn’t play other wonderful songs of theirs, like Heavy Horses for example.

  I had some nice time in the concert (after I overcame the shock with Anderson’s voice), but this was the last time I saw him live. (That was something I knew beforehand though).

So, in case you are thinking of going to one of his concerts you should first consider the things I wrote.

As for the setlist, here it is:

Living In The Past
Nothing Is Easy
Thick As A Brick
Pastime With Good Company (King Henry’s Madrigal)
Sweet Dream
Mother Goose
Bourée
Banker Bets, Banker Wins
Songs From the Wood
Fruits Of Frankenfield
Dharma For One
Farm On The Freeway
Toccata And Fugue In D Minor
My God
Aqualung 

Encore:
Locomotive Breath