Ultravox - Brilliant tour

Ultravox played the 013 at Tilburg on 12 October 2012. For someone living halfway between Alkmaar and Amsterdam to drive to Tilburg on a Friday night is asking for troubles. There are traffic jams along the route and although the Garmin told me, when leaving, it would take one hour and thirty-five minutes, just after driving a couple of kilometers the time went up to over 2.5 hours. In the end we arrived in time and were at the venue just a couple of minutes before the start of the concert.

Then it turned out that being on the guest list does not mean that you can straight walk in. No, I needed to queue up in front of the pay box. Meanwhile a guy was desperate trying to sell some extra tickets. Since the starting time was coming closer in the end he wanted to give them for free to anyone who want them to have. Nobody reacted so in the end he tore them apart and walkid into the venue. By the time I was checked and finally was able to enter the hall Ultravox had already finished two songs. To be honest I didn't mind because the sound was dramatic. There was a rolling and thundering bass that vibrated through the venue. The synthesizers couldn't be heard or generated high pitches and triggered the sound system. Not only the crowd was wondering why, but also the band seemed uncertain. For example White China sounded like a wall of indefinable sounds and the synthesizer of Billy Currie could not be heard. So we decided to go to the balcony instead of a place close to the stage.

Suddenly with the start of Rise, already the ninth track in the setlist, the sound was clear and well balanced and the party could start. The band also got convinced of the sound and looked much more relaxed. The Voice, in earlier tours the song to end the regular setlist, this time closed the first set, with a short closing drum session. The band went off for a twenty minute break.



It gave us time to have a drink and find a friend we were suppose to meet. It was nearly two years ago since we spoke and saw eachother at the concert of OMD and Simple Minds at the HMH. To be sure to have a good spot for the second set we went in early and got ourselves a place at the center just a couple of meters from the stage. Immediately with the opening of Live it was clear that the second set would be a different cup of tea. A well balanced sound and a band in shape.

The voice of Midge Ure was excellent and very strong. And to be honest the only time he didn't manage it, was during the encore of Dancing With Tears In My Eyes, when he missed one of the high pitches. A funny thing to watch was the dressing code of the band. All wear shirts instead of Midge who was dressed in a suit with tie. After a couple of songs in the second set he took off the jacket.

The starting of Vienna was met with a lot of applause and the crowd went crazy during the violin solo.

Overall the new songs from the Brilliant album fitted rather well in the setlist. With Rise, Lie and Flow being the strongest songs, while encore Contact was accompanied by a animation of a rotating phone in space, ending with a flat where all the lights went out. The band worked to a climax after Vienna. With a bunch of uptempo songs starting with new one Flow they ended the second setlist and returned rather quickly for the two encores.

First Set

 

Brilliant
New Europeans
Mr. X
Reap The Wild Wind
Visions In Blue
Change
White China
Rage In Eden
Rise
Sleepwalk
The Voice

Second Set

 

Live
We Stand Alone
The Thin Wall
Lament
I Remember (Death in the Afternoon)
Lie
Astradyne
Vienna
Flow
One Small Day
Passing Strangers
Love's Great Adventure
All Stood Still
Hymn

 

Encore:

 

Contact
Dancing With Tears In My Eyes