Paul Weller played The Apollo (pics, setlist); Webster Hall's tonight, Music Hall of Williamsburg tomorrow

July 26, 2013

Paul Weller @ The Apollo Theater – 7/25/2013

“Most people my age, their musical life ended in the ’80s,” Weller says. “They stick with what they know. But my tastes are much broader. And I don’t want to stop learning.”

“Sonik Kicks” shows what he studied. The music kaleidoscopes through a swirl of sound, referring to the exploration of ’60s psychedelia without rehashing its cliches. Along with period allusions to Syd Barrett and Traffic, the songs take influence from German oompahs, Jamaican dub, flamenco, jazz and ’70s Kraut-rock.

The absorption of that last influence reflects how Weller picks up his styles. “I read a review of my album (in 2008) ’22 Dreams,’ where the reviewer said it made him think of Neu,” a 1970s German prog band, Weller says.

“I never heard them. So I checked it out and really loved their stuff,” he says. “It’s the same as when I was a kid. You read about things or hear about them on the radio, and get turned on to it.” [NY Daily News]

The eternally cool Paul Weller kicked off his three-night NYC run last night (7/25) at legendary Harlem venue The Apollo. Setlist included The Style Council’s breezy “My Ever Changing Moods,” and a few Jam songs (“That’s Entertainment,” “A Town Called Malice” and “Start!”). Full setlist and pictures from the show are in this post.

Tonight (7/26), Weller plays Webster Hall (tickets) and Saturday (7/27) he’ll hit Music Hall of Williamsburg (sold out). More pics from his Apollo show (including some of opener Matthew Ryan) below…

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Matthew Ryan

Paul Weller

SETLIST: Paul Weller @ The Apollo Theater, 7/25/2013
Sunflower
Wake Up the Nation
From the Floorboards Up
Fast Car/Slow Traffic
Sea Spray
My Ever Changing Moods (The Style Council)
Kling I Klang
The Attic
Going Places
Friday Street
Porcelain Gods
That Dangerous Age
Above the Clouds
Dragonfly
7 & 3 Is the Strikers Name
Peacock Suit
That’s Entertainment (The Jam)
Start! (The Jam)
Whirlpool’s End
The Changingman