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Meat Loaf Review and Set List Wellington New Zealand
26 October 2011
Venue: TSB Arena, Queens Wharf
Opening act: The under rated Luga Boa
Fresh from a stint in Australia where our Peter Pan fan Meat Loaf learnt aussie rules fans just don't fucking get him, Meat Loaf and his band of truly talented players hit Wellington for a one night only show.
Meat is 64 years old and in ill health with a voice that's had better days. And he knows it so he plays with that and makes it a part of his set to good effect with fun humour - his band thus has to carry him a fair way but the Neverland Express is a great ride.
The ever sexy Patti Russo (now at Cougar status) shone brightly as his foil for so many of the vocals - and as when I saw Meat Loaf in the same venue in 1997 (?) the highlight was her efforts during Paradise By The Dashboard Light. For some strange reason I liked it when she kicked Meat Loaf in the nuts.
Generally speaking, fans go to see Meat Loaf play classics from Bat Out of Hell and the odd hit from his comback years in the late 90s. So we got a rocking Bat out of Hell that featured some absolutely dire vocals, an excellent Rock and Roll Dreams and a pretty damn good Two Out Of Three Aint Bad.
Three songs from Hang Cool Teddy Bear were played all in a row to good effect - and as they were recently recorded Meat Loaf's live vocals filled those songs well.
To counter Meat's fragile health, the band plays loud and does plenty of musical interludes to let the big fella rest up a little (kind of reminds of what Axl Rose does these days!) - the violin and piano duel during Aint Bad was a great example and a fine piece of musicianship.
Meat Loaf was brilliant as he played up to the crowd, cracking jokes and rambling through a story about acid and teletubbies which made no sense until the end of the show when we were visited by actual Teletubbies and Alice in Wonderland characters. It only makes sense if you don't want peace on Earth and were actually there.
A fine night out was had by the crowd - their sing-alongs showed it and despite the shortcomings, the mighty Meat Loaf proved once again he is a great showman and entertainer.
Hang Cool, Teddy Bears.
Meat Loaf Wellington Set List:
Hot Patootie/Time Warp (from Rocky Horror Picture Show)
If It Ain't Broke, Break It
Bat Out Of Hell
Peace On Earth
Living On The Outside
Los Angeloser
You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
Acoustic guitar solo (by Paul ‘Full Metal Jacket’ Crook)
Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through
Stand in the Storm
I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
Acoustic guitar solo (Randy ‘Nashville’ Flowers)
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad
Paradise By The Dashboard Light
Set Encore 1
Let it Roll (The Doors cover) / Free Bird instrumental
All Revved Up With No Place To Go
Set List Encore 2:
Mercury Blues
Meat Loaf heads to Tauranga next and then on to Auckland.
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