Fun With Setlists: AC/DC

Despite the fact that my body is teeming with snotty disease, I'm still pretty pumped about seeing AC/DC's Brian Johnson and Cliff Williams -- plus special guests Robin Zander and Eddie Money -- tonight at Ruth Eckerd Hall. I've never seen AC/DC before, and although this all-star charity gig for the John Entwistle Foundation isn't the same thing, it's close enough for me to bliss out for a few hours.

There's also a chance I'lll get to meet Brian and the boys backstage -- just another perk of knowing Steve Spears, who'll be sweating next to me at the show. We interviewed Brian Johnson the other day, but I didn't get a chance to give him my dream setlist. So here it is, starting with those tinnitus-inducing cannons...

INTRO
For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)
Sink the Pink
Problem Child
Girls Got Rhythm
I Put the Finger on You
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Shake a Leg
If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
Shoot to Thrill
Money Talks
Shake Your Foundations
T.N.T.
Back in Black
Thunderstruck
ENCORE
Hell's Bells
You Shook Me All Night Long
Highway to Hell

Genesis: Overrated/Underrated?

Genesis, the post-Peter Gabriel prog-pop trio, recently announced a reunion tour. I'm digging that idea. Back in my youth, I was a pretty big fan of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks; I must have played the Abacab album on my sh---y 1979 Toyota Tercel tape player 200 times. (Oh yeah, I was a total babe magnet.)

I was never into The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway version of Genesis; nor did I follow the trio into their I Can't Dance phase, which was damning to their legacy. But there's some great stuff in the middle, especially 1983's self-titled album, which had Mama, Home by the Sea, the incredibly rockin' Just a Job to Do and Illegal Alien (come on, you know you love Illegal Alien). That output was highly UNDERRATED, I say. The band takes hits for Phil Collins' descent into wussydom, I think. They get slapped with a soulless, corporate tag. And yes, their videos were pretty white-guy dorky. But man, Genesis had a ton of great hits and album cuts, and yet I feel the rock history books will not remember them too kindly.

So what's your call? Genesis -- Underrated or Overrated?

While you ponder, here's my dream setlist for Genesis' upcoming tour...

OPENING LIGHT SHOW/MUCH THUMPING OF DRUMS/KEYBOARD WASHES
Turn It On Again
Just a Job to Do
Keep It Dark
Me and Sarah Jane
Invisible Touch
Misunderstanding
Man on the Corner
Follow You, Follow Me
Abacab BLENDS INTO Land of Confusion
TONY BANKS KEYBOARD FANTASIA
Illegal Alien
Home by the Sea
Paperlate
No Reply At All
ENCORE
Mama
Throwing It All Away
That's All

The Police Are Coming!

THIS JUST IN! According to the Police's official website (oh, and Ticketmaster), Sting & Co. are coming to Tampa's St. Pete Times Forum Wed. July 11. Tickets go on sale March 10. 

To be brutally honest, I'm a bit tired of the Police, who recently reunited after decades apart. I hear them every day. Much like the actual authorities, I can't escape them. That said, their version of Roxanne was relatively fresh on the Grammy Awards. And Sting is too much of a vainglorious freak NOT to sing a couple of his solo hits, which could spice things up a bit.

So here goes, a possible Police setlist (with two Sting solo goodies)...

[Lights dim/Creepy opening music/Sting's disembodied wail]
Synchronicity II
Spirits in the Material World
Walking in Your Footsteps
De Doo Doo Doo, De Da Da Da
Can't Stand Losing You
So Lonely
Murder by Numbers
Fortress Around Your Heart
We'll Be Together
Demolition Man
Invisible Sun
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Don't Stand So Close to Me
Wrapped Around Your Finger
King of Pain
ENCORE
Roxanne
Every Breath You Take
Message in a Bottle

Will Dave Sing Sammy's Songs?

I heard Hot for Teacher on the way to work and started wondering: If Van Halen gets their sh-- together and tours with David Lee Roth this summer, will the '80s party boys play any of the Van Hagar catalogue? When Sammy toured with the band, he played a few DLR-era cuts, including Panama and Jump. But Hagar is more reasonable, more secure. I really can't hear Roth half-assedly trying to croon Dreams or Poundcake, and I'm not sure I want to. Whattaya think? Will Dave sing Sammy songs?

I also started fantasizing about a setlist. Here's what I envision...

Intro -- Eddie/Alex guitar-drums vamp
Runnin' With the Devil
Unchained
Jamie's Cryin'
Drop Dead Legs
Mean Street
Alex Drum Solo (leads into...)
Everybody Wants Some!!!
Dance the Night Away
I'll Wait
Beautiful Girls
Hear About It Later
I'm the One
Wolfgang Van Halen Bass Shenanigans (leads into...)
Eddie Van Halen Guitar Theatrics/Eruption (leads into...)
You Really Got Me
...And the Cradle Will Rock
Ain't Talkin' Bout Love
Panama
ENCORE
Jump
Hot for Teacher
Happy Trails