The Rolling Stones and their fans spent the night together closer than ever, Sunday at KeyArena.
Not since they played the old Center Arena 40 years ago have the Stones gotten as physically close to their fans here. Ingenious staging, with walkways that almost touched the seating areas, featured a long, wide section that detached itself, moved through the middle of the crowd and landed in the middle of the arena floor. The novel setup brought Mick Jagger and company within touching range of hundreds of concertgoers.
A huge video screen gave everyone a good view of the action onstage.
Opening with "Start Me Up," the timeless rock band played a generous selection of their biggest hits, some surprises and a few songs off the new "A Bigger Bang" album, which paled in comparison to the classics.
The set built slowly, with "Shattered," "She's So Cold," "Tumbling Dice," "Ruby Tuesday," "Bitch" and others, all delivered strongly but straightforwardly.
Then, about an hour into the set, after Jagger did some of his finest singing in "Night Time Is The Right Time," a tribute to Ray Charles, and guitarist Keith Richards sang the deservedly obscure and aptly named "The Worst" and the new, equally weak "Infamy," the show took off.
On the detached stage, they started with "Miss You" and rocked "Get Off of My Cloud" and "Honky Tonk Women."With the satellite stage joined backwith the mainstage, Jagger donned a black coat and hat for a defanged "Sympathy for the Devil" that was more fun than menacing. The "black girl" in "Brown Sugar" — with the audience providing the song's "wooos" — became variously "young man" and "young woman." "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," with Jagger the most animated of the night, was a whip-crack ending to the main set.
The first encore opened with "You Can't Always Get What You Want," which became a giant singalong, followed by a confetti-drenched "Jumpin Jack Flash," which ended the show.
Jagger looked as thin as ever but more muscular. Richards seemed revitalized, less gray and wrinkly than before. Graying Charlie Watts was as perfect on drums, as always. The youngster in the band, Ron Wood, was overshadowed, as always.
They were aided by two additional musicians, four background singers and a four-piece horn section.
Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe, known as Frank Ferranno growing up here in Seattle, may have been referring to a 1975 Coliseum concert when he said he couldn't get into a Stones show here when he was young because he had "a pocketful of joints."
"Tonight I got a pocketful of joints, and there ain't nothin' they can do about it!" he gloated.
The bad-boy band of the 1980s opened with a blistering hourlong set marked by pillars of fire — ignited to Tommy Lee's drumbeats — a dwarf in a monster costume and three leggy strippers.
Introduced as "The Masters of Disaster," they blasted off with "Shout At The Devil." Lead singer Vince Neil, in black and white leather, roamed the big stage. Black-clad Mick Mars, in a top hat with a skull and crossbones, long black coat and Frankenstein boots, moved little but was impressive on guitar.
Neil let loose a blue streak of expletives when a motorcycle sound effect malfunctioned during "Girls Girls Girls," but the rest of the set, including extended versions of "Dr. Feelgood" and "Same Ol Situation," went smoothly.

Lead singer Dave Gahan sang about "A Pain That I'm Used To" and other melancholy themes. But Depeche Mode's concert Wednesday night at KeyArena was clearly a joy to the near-capacity crowd.The hugely successful 1980s British synth-pop band, currently on it's "Playing the Angel" tour -- the band's first since the 2001 "Exciter" album -- thrilled fans with more than two hours of classics, as well as such new songs as "John the Revelator," "Precious" and "Damaged People." The crowd was on its feet most of the night, and many danced in the aisles.
The sprawling crowd rocked to the band's sinewy dance tunes and swayed back and forth to the more romantic songs in the colorful set featuring spectacular lighting, "space pod" keyboard platforms and a satellite-shaped globe that flashed such words as "Love," "Sex," "Vice," "Pain" and "Angel."
The show was a technical marvel that featured spectacular lighting, dramatic video screens mounted askew and riveting sound that kept concertgoers enthralled.Gahan, tatooed and bare-chested except for a black vest, strutted wildly about the stage, dancing with the microphone stand like a randy sailor. Gahan looked as though he had hardly aged in the 20-some years since the group's debut.
Guitarist and group leader Martin Gore wore a weird, winged bird headdress that gave him a freakish appearance. Keyboardist Andy Fletcher, manning one of the space-pod keyboards, was the most normal-looking of the core trio.All were dressed in black.
The generous show, preceeded by an opening set by the Raveonettes, featured 16 songs, as well as two encores featuring nearly a half dozen more -- including such classics at "Somebody," "Just Can't Get Enough," "Never Let Me Down Again" and "Goodnight Lovers."
"Personal Jesus," a song that even Johnny Cash found compelling enough to record, turned into a powerful singalong, with concertgoers chanting "Reach out, touch faith."
Among the songs that fueled excitement were "Enjoy the Silence," "Policy of Truth" and "Walking in My Shoes."

Bauhaus tour notes

I was fortunate enough to catch Bauhaus when they came through Seattle at the Paramount on October 21st, 2005. And I have to say, these guys really put on a show. They seem to just get better as time goes on. Their musicianship was in top form. Bauhaus music is dark and complex, it's true night music. They played all of the tunes I wanted to here except for I was kind of wanting to here "Ziggy Stardust" for some reason. I know it's a cover, but I love thier version. They played a suprise for me which was "Rosegarden, Funeral of Sores". Man, I never expected to hear them play that, it was truly amazing to hear it live.

It looks as though their tour dates in California have been going through a lot of changes for December. Here are some details.
The postponed November 2nd San Diego show at 4&B will be rescheduled to December 13th.
Two more shows have been added - Anaheim, CA and San Diego, CA: San Diego at Copley Hall December 12th, Anaheim at The Grove December 9th.
Sadly they had to cancel the Sayreville, NJ show. Reasons unknown.

If you live somewhere that Bauhaus is playing on this tour, I would highly recomend their show. Bauhaus pioneered the post-punk scene and were a huge influence on many eighties to present groups.
The complete list of remaining America and Mexico shows is as follows:

11/24 Atlanta, GA, The Tabernacle
11/25 Orlando, FL, House of Blues
11/26 Pampano Beach, FL, Club Cinema
11/29 Guadalajara, MX, Teatro Diana
11/30 Mexico City, MX, Palacio de los Deportes
12/09 Anaheim, CA, The Grove
12/10 Ventura, CA, Ventura Theatre
12/12 San Diego, CA, Copley Hall
12/13 San Diego, CA, 4th & B

Try and catch Bauhaus before they head on the European leg of their tour, it could be a very long time before they come back.

Cheers!