The show - part of the "Ian Anderson Plays the Acoustic Jethro Tull" fall tour of the U.S. and England - featured a wide range of Tull songs from throughout the band's illustrious four decades.
Despite the "acoustic" in the tour's title, this was a very lively show, thanks in no small part to the excellent backing band, as well as Anderson's brilliant acoustic arrangements and impeccable flute work. Anderson's humor was also as sharp as ever; he even referred to Johann Sebastian Bach as an "improvisational son-of-a-b----."
Especially surprising was the setlist's variety, including several songs one would never expect to hear live such as "Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square" from 1969's Stand Up, "Rocks on the Road" from 1991's Catfish Rising and "March the Mad Scientist," an obscure outtake from 1971's Aqualung. Also of note were the Jethro Tull songs that have yet to see official release: "A Change of Horses" and "Tea with the Princess."
Violinist Meena Bhasin and guitarist Florian Opahle provided excellent solo pieces, the latter of who did some of the best flamenco guitar playing I've ever heard.
Eventually, the show ended as most Tull concerts do; with their two most famous songs, "Aqualung" and "Locomotive Breath," both brilliantly rearranged for the tour's setting.
Considering everything I've just said, this was quite possibly the best concert I have seen in my life.