Touched By The Hand Of Goth

The last time I saw The Mission was 14 years ago here at The Troc on the Resurection tour,it was only Wayne in the band but I was just happy to be seeing The Mission live.
Despite owing a vinyl copy of their 86 debut album "God's Own Medicine" it was another 15 years b4 i became a full blown "Eskimo"{a nickname Wayne Hussey gave the hardcorp Mission fans back in the day} and in that period I'd collected Mission music on vinyl,cd,Vhs and Dvd as if my life depended on it,I even tracked down a copy of their hard to find book "Names Are For Tombstones Baby"

Since the Resurection tour  there have been three studio albums, a series of final shows in 08 but w/ their 25th anniversary 2 years later alot of "Eskimo's" myself included willed a reunion of anykind....what we couldn't have imagined was 3/4s of the original line up Wayne Hussey,Craig Adams and Simon Hinkler getting back together{not sure what the offical word on drummer Mick Brown non involvement is} but the official word at the start of the year was a tour.....w/ US dates{yea!!!} and a new album.....
After several months of marking the days off my calender Wed Sept 4th arrived and w/ it The Mission's show at The Troc.
The band and their audiance may look alot older and the stetsons are from a bygone era but you know what? the songs sound as good as ever!!!

Opening w/ one of five new songs off the soon to be released "The Brightest Light" Wayne, Craig and Simon and drummer Mike Kelly launched into classic Mission setlist "Beyond The Pale""Serpent's Kiss""Naked & Savage" b4 another new song"The Girl In A Fur Skin Rug",the crowd on hand may have been sparse but made up for it's lack of numbers w/ it's enthusium as Wayne,Craig,Simon and Mike rolled back the years.
"Garden Of Delight""Severina""Butterfly On A Wheel" b4 a cover of Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane" b4 the song that introduced me to them all the way back in 86 "Wasteland"
two more new songs off the soon to be released "The Brightest Light" "Swan Song" and "Drag" b4 another cover"All Along The Watchtower" not a song I'd heard them cover b4.
Talk about leave them wanting more "Deliverence" and "Tower Of Strenght" and the end of their 90 minute 16 song set.

Is this "The Final Chapter"? w/ The Mission you never know,I for one hope not but given the 14 year gap between tours this side of the Atlantic from "Resurrection" to "Brightest Light" it could be....that said we're 3 years shy of a 30th anniversary of "God's Own Medicine" and frankly if I have to get on a plane to London to see that tour I may just have to,long may "The Dance Goes On" one's thing for sure this weekend my live Mission cds will be on heavy rotation on my cd player.....