Jethro Tull

19th April 2026

Perth Concert Hall

I have found, as long as you temper your expectations, a Jethro Tull gig (even with Ian Anderson's voice long having gone the way of The Flying Dutchman) can still be an evening well spent.  The songs remain wonderful, the musicianship first class and Anderson remains as witty and as personable a host as ever he did.

The Covid lockdown appeared to spark in Anderson a creative Jump Start, and last year's Curious Ruminant album was the band's third in four years.  Quite an out-spurt, give Jethro Tull's last collection of all new material was released way back in 1999.

And it was good to see Anderson enjoyed sufficient confidence in the quality of these latecomers, to present us with four tunes from these albums:

The Navigators - a real thumping toe-tapper, driven along by Ian's flute, but which could perhaps benefited from fewer time signature changes.  The vocals were fine here, Ian singing lyrics which seem to be about some god of the seas who, whilst keeping their own feet on dry land, has protected seafarers down through the ages.

Curious Ruminant - this was one of the high points of the set, with Ian pondering the meaning of Life, the Universe and Everything, over a guitar and flute heavy composition, which would not have sounded out of place on Crest of a Knave.

The Zealot Gene - I was less taken with this one.  Too many stop/starts during the music.  And I cannot imagine what Anderson was thinking when he penned the lines:

"Half of us are in the apple

Half of us are in the pie

All of us are in the pudding" 

Over Jerusalem - A bit of a duffer this one, with Anderson's voice really letting him down here.  His flute work almost saved the day, but not quite.  

Most of the rest of the set were the usual suspects from those early Seventies albums, although I think this was the first time I had heard Beggar's Farm performed live.  

And I was delighted Budapest - perhaps the band's finest post Seventies tune - was given an airing.  The lyrics have perhaps not worn well with time, but musically it is chust sublime.

I have to say, though, if I never hear Locomotive Breath again in my life, it will be too soon.  

Set list

Some Day the Sun Won't Shine for You
Beggar's Farm
A Song for Jeffrey
Thick as a Brick
Mother Goose
Songs From the Wood
The Navigators
Fat Man
Curious Ruminant
Living in the Past
Bourrée

                                                                    Interval

My God
The Zealot Gene
The Donkey and the Drum
Over Jerusalem
Budapest

Aqualung

Encore
Locomotive Breath