Review & Photos by Joe Schaeffer
UFO brought their Last Orders – 50th Anniversary Tour to town. The event is marking both the band’s five decades together and their final set of gigs together. Anniversary and farewell tours are common place these days in the world of classic rock, so it only made sense for UFO to blend the two
Long gone are the band’s legendary guitarists, Michael Schenker and his replacement Paul Chapman, as well as bassist Pete Way. Longtime keyboardist Paul Raymond passed away on April 13, 2019, leaving only vocalist Phil Mogg and drummer Andy Parker from the classic UFO lineup of the late 70s. The glue holding together the current lineup consists of guitarist Vinnie Moore and bassist Rob DeLuca. Keyboardist Neil Carter was brought in to replace the late Paul Raymond.
Phil Mogg has always been a consummate showman. He still possesses of one of the most unique voices in rock and roll. Most singers wish they can hit all the notes like him, and all while being 71 years old.
Although never mentioned very often in the same breath of the major stadium rock bands, UFO have had a presence in rock scene longer than most of those contemporaries. While they are accurately recognized for Schenker’s virtuoso guitar work, it must also be remembered that UFO gave us a loaded barrel of iconic classic rock songs.
This tour is not only about celebrating the classics like “Lights Out,” “Only You Can Rock Me,” “Love To Love” and “Too Hot To Handle,” among others, it’s about securing a legacy that few bands have achieved. With the addition of new material like “Burn The House Down,” “Venus,” and “Run Boy Run,” the band’s set maintains the highest standard fans have come to expect and appreciate.
“Doctor Doctor” and “Shoot Shoot’ brought the evening to a triumphant close. One hundred minutes just doesn’t seem to scratch the surface of their powerhouse catalog.
It’s reasonable to say that UFO’s show was certainly one of the most gratifying I have witnessed. In what could be “Lights Out” for Phil Mogg’s occupancy after this tour, it goes without saying that the impact of the musical legacy that he has left behind will undoubtedly live on forever.
