On a cold mid-November Tuesday night on November 14th, 2023, we went to Kulttuuritalo to attend the third Finnish show of JETHRO TULL‘s tour. The British band, led by Ian Anderson, had been in the US just a few weeks ago and performed in Turku and Tampere over the past two days. These shows were intended to replace the ones canceled last year due to the bankruptcy of RH-Entertainment. Luckily, Loud’n’Live took up the baton and made this happen.
In front of a nearly full hall (this venue can get really crowded, to be honest), and after an audio and visual notice strictly prohibiting the use of cameras, phones, or recording devices at least until the encore, the eclectic Ian Anderson and the rest of the guys took the stage amidst the welcoming applause of the audience, opening with “Cross-Eyed Mary.”
The night’s set was split into two parts, each roughly one hour long (something that became clear to most only later when the frontman announced the upcoming break). Between matching visuals for each song, the occasional blinding lights, and a surprisingly sharp Ian Anderson strolling and jumping around like a seasoned leprechaun playing his flute, one of the highlights of the first half was certainly “Heavy Horses,” with part of the audience heard singing along. There was also room for a new song – “Wolf Unchained” – from the latest record “RökFlöte,” as well as the band’s take on Bach‘s “Burrée in E Minor,” which concluded this part of the set.
It was quite chaotic to exit the concert hall when everyone attempted to leave simultaneously. Despite the rush, people managed to do so in an orderly fashion, avoiding pushing and shoving. What the front man of the band said earlier was indeed true: most people did, in fact, wait for the 15-minute intermission to use the toilets, which can become extremely crowded in this venue.
The queues were so long that some people were still returning when the second half of the show began with “Farm On The Freeway.” Anderson seemed to defy aging during the performance with his signature moves, being the most active of the bunch, while David Goodier (bass) and the young Joe Parrish on guitar occasionally took the spotlight for brief moments. Another new song, “Navigators,” followed suit before the atmosphere turned much darker with the duo “Mrs Tibbets” and “Dark Ages.” It was at this point that we began to realize the show was inevitably nearing its end, culminating in the medley that introduced the über-classic “Aqualung” in an extended version, leaving ample room for an acoustic extravaganza. Once again, the audience – as had happened many times throughout the night – started applauding the band. Just as everything turned dark and the screen signaled that it was okay to take photos, the guys came back on stage to play the only encore of the night: “Locomotive Breath.”
Sneaking away just moments before the end of the show was a brilliant idea, given the long queues not only to leave the hall but also at the cloakroom and/or the restrooms for those in need.
For a band that’s been around for more than half a century, or at least one man has, the gig went pretty well, making it definitely worthwhile to come here mid-week for two hours of progressive folk rock. Many generations could be spotted in the crowd, from early fans to younger enthusiasts, all brought together by their passion for these unique compositions that hold a special place in the hearts of many. Long live Ian Anderson and his JETHRO TULL!
Written by Marco Manzi
Setlist
Set 1
- Cross-Eyed Mary
- With You There to Help Me
- We Used to Know
- Heavy Horses
- Sweet Dream
- Holly Herald
- Wolf Unchained
- Mine Is the Mountain
- Bourrée in E minor (Johann Sebastian Bach cover)
Set 2
- Farm on the Freeway
- The Navigators
- Warm Sporran
- Mrs Tibbets
- Dark Ages
- Aquadiddley
- Aqualung
Encore
- Locomotive Breath
