STRAY CATS Paris Zénith Sept 4th 2008

Stray Cats are playing the Zénith for their farewell tour ( so they say ) . Once again prices are silly , up to 65 euros . It's 80 % full up but it's a " small zénith " so there are around 3500 rockers tonight .
The evening started badly as i had trouble getting my tix so i've missed the first 2 songs as the band started at 9 pm sharp .
As always with rockers , they are trying to play the tough guys maybe to impress their ugly girlfriend, so don't push any of them or they would give you their meanest look.
On stage things are getting ok even if it seems that the band is playing in slow motion .
Where's their anger they're on auto-pilot.

Slim Jim Phantom is on the left with his traditionnal drum kit , Lee Rocker on the right and Brian Setzer dead center. They alternate their Hits with more obscure songs ( " sweet Gene Vincent" a cover of Ian Dury ). The audience is relax, maybe too much ( but not for long ) and on stage things are going smoothly, way too smoothly...
Should it be like this at a Stray Cats gig ?
What's missing on stage the audience will give it but not the right way ...
Unfortunately 75 min into the gig after playing the first encore ( already ? ) " I fought the law" some stupid fucker threw what appears to be a knife on stage ,Brian has warned people not to throw any shit on stage earlier, the whole band decided to leave the stage for good .
What a shame that their last show in Paris ended up like this.
They fought the law and the law won , tonight they fought Paris and Paris won


Here's the official statement on Brian setzer's website :

"A regrettable note from the road:
During last night's Stray Cats performance in Paris, France, what
appeared to be a switchblade knife was thrown onstage late in the show. Brian was struck in the hand by the object. Although he was quite shaken but not seriously injured by this act of complete stupidity, he tried to carry on and complete all of the songs that the Cats had intended to perform. This incident and the fear that the next item thrown may have seriously injured himself, Slim Jim Phantom or Lee Rocker made continuing the show impossible.

Because of the dangerous actions of 1 spectator, the sold-out crowd was robbed of a full program. 5999 people came out to have fun and celebrate the last Stray Cats show in Paris and 1 nutter tarnished what could have been an incredible memory for all who filled the Zenith. Thankfully, Brian's hand was only bruised and at last report, he will be fine. Had that blade taken another path, we may have been reporting a much different situation. Thankfully we are not."

Go Cat Go !!!
SETLIST: ( Courtesy of http://www.straycats.com/ )
RUMBLE IN BRIGHTON
7 NIGHTS TO ROCK
DOUBLE TALKIN’ BABY
SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH MY RADIO
CRY BABY
LUST N’ LOVE
STRAY CAT STRUT
RUNAWAY BOYS
SEXY + 17
GENE & EDDIE
GINA
SWEET GENE VINCENT
BLAST OFF
BRING IT BACK AGAIN
FISHNET STOCKINGS
ROCK THIS TOWN
-------------------------
I FOUGHT THE LAW

Check Patrice Guino 's picture to illustrate Paris' gig on the official brian setzer's website : http://www.briansetzer.com/CATSEURO2008/paris.html

On Sept 5th Keziah Jones is playing a show ( before the one tomorow in the tube ) @ The Centre Pompidou in Paris for a radio show . Free entrance first come first serve . Show start 7:15 pm .

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