Frontman Wayne Hussey brought The Mission — featuring original members Simon Hinkler and Craig Adams, plus new drummer Mike Kelly — to the O2 Academy in Bristol, England, on Monday night for the first performance on the reunited band’s 25th anniversary tour, which hits the U.K. and Europe through early November.
The band, which split after a 2008 farewell tour, played a 16-song set, opening with 1988 single “Beyond the Pale” and touching on its best-known work (“Wasteland,” “Butterfly on a Wheel,” “Tower of Strength,” “Deliverance”), plus early tracks (“Blood Brother,” “Naked and Savage,” “The Crystal Ocean,” “Wake”). Below, you can see the full setlist and copious video highlights.
The Mission’s tour resumes Friday night in Portugal. See full dates here.
Setlist: The Mission, O2 Academy, Bristol, UK, 10/10/11
1. “Beyond the Pale”
2. “Serpents Kiss”
3. “Over the Hills”
4. “Naked and Savage”
5. “Into the Blue”
6. “Severina”
7. “Butterfly on a Wheel”
8. “Grip of Disease”
9. “Wake RSV”
10. “Wasteland”
11. “Crystal Ocean”
12. “Deliverance”
13. “Like a Hurricane”
14. “Tower of Strength”
15. “Blood Brother”
16. “1969”
Video: The Mission, “Dambusters” intro and band entry
Video: The Mission, “Beyond the Pale”
Video: The Mission, “Naked and Savage”
Video: The Mission, “Severina”
Video: The Mission, “Butterfly on a Wheel”
Video: The Mission, “Grip of Disease,” “Wake (RSV),” “Wasteland”
Video: The Mission, “Like a Hurricane” and “Tower of Strength”
Video: The Mission, “Blood Brother”
Video: The Mission, “1969”
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Video: The Mission rehearses ‘Beyond the Pale’ for 25th anniversary reunion tour
- The Mission’s Wayne Hussey covers Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, David Bowie on new CD
- The Mission announces 2nd U.K. show, 10 European concerts for 25th anniversary
- Milestones: Wayne Hussey is 53 today; watch The Mission live in 1990
- The Mission taps Fields of the Nephilim, Gene Loves Jezebel for reunion concert
- The Mission reissuing ’90s albums ‘Neverland,’ ‘Blue’ next month with bonus tracks
- The Mission to reunite for 25th anniversary concert in London next October
I really hope they come to the US for a tour. The (almost) original line up is great and it makes it even better that they are playing mostly early Mission tracks.
One of the best rock bands of the 80s/90s. Timeless stuff. :)
Really happy about this. I really hope they add a U.S. leg to the tour. Old men acting spooky is the new black.
Why have I never heard of these guys before? I should have since I am 38 and was clearly in the Depeche Mode era. lol They sound a lot like U2. “Thumbs up!”