Beastie Boys end tour in Chicago

Instead of performing "Unite" as listed on the setlist, the band performed "Riot Fight" and "Flute Loop"

For the closing show of their world tour, Beastie Boys delivered a set packed full of goofy banter and stage antics. Mid-show, Adam Yauch questioned how many routines they had done that evening, noting that they might be exceeding the acceptable limit.

Chicago fans got to hear from Captain Michael Diamond about the special honor bestowed to him by the city -- that of the harbor being renamed "Mike D's Harbor." He also spoke of his 110-foot Kingfisher yacht parked in the harbor, where the afterparty would be held.

Captain Diamond shared some of the things he has learned as a member of the yachting community -- one of which is the expression "A captain is only as good as his crew" (a subtle note of appreciation to the tour crew). Adam Horovitz questioned from whom he had learned about yachting.

"Was it Captain Stubbing?" Horovitz asked his friend.

"It was Captain Stubbano," replied Diamond with a smirky smile.

A mention of yachting in the Caribbean by Diamond caused Yauch to begin singing "Caribbean Queen." Yauch's goof on the Billy Ocean song was the beginning of 80's song madness by the band. They dropped lines from popular 80's songs throughout the show. At one point, Horovitz sang lines from Culture Club's "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" When Yauch mentioned Human League, Horovitz couldn't recall which song they sang, which lead Yauch to bust into "Don't You Want Me Baby?" Diamond contributed a line from ZZ Top's "Legs" and attempted to sing something else; however, he was laughing so hard that his words and the song were undistinguishable.

Horovitz addressed the audience several times throughout the evening. He shared a musical technique/trick with the audience: how to end a song if you don't know how to end it. "You just say 'ruffff!!'" he explained. The technique was skillfully employed several times by the Beastie Boys during the show.

When a flip-flop was thrown on stage, Horovitz held up the shoe and lectured the audience about how wrong it was to wear to the show. "It's disrespectful!" he charged the fashion criminal in the audience. Disgusted that his friend was holding nasty footwear, Yauch knocked it out of Horovitz' hand, sending it flying across the stage.

One person who needed no lecture on proper apparel was Mike Diamond. When the band returned to the stage for their encore, Diamond had changed from his smart-looking captain's outfit to a sophisticated silk robe/smoking jacket and matching ascot.

"I'm preparing to retire," he told the audience.

"Retire from working or for the evening?" asked Horovitz.

"For the evening," Diamond assured his bandmate and the audience.

If it wasn't goofy talk that entertained the audience, it was goofy dancing. The Captain was infected with a high-seas dancing disease -- one that was contagious. Horovitz followed the Captain's lead in dance, often mimicking his moves. The disease afflicted Yauch differently. Instead of busting moves, he poised in peculiar praying mantis-style positions across the stage.

The setlist was the only element of the show that was not goofy. It was a very standard setlist with few surprises. "High Plains Drifter," which had been attempted by the band the night before at the Chicago Gala Event, was performed properly. The one song on the setlist that would have been a huge surprise -- "Unite" -- was overruled by Diamond, who instructed his bandmates that they would do "Riot Fight" and "Flute Loop" instead.

The show's one moment of seriousness came before the performance of "Gratitude." Yauch dedicated the song to the tour crew, saying that they were the best crew the band has ever had.

The one-and-only performance oddity was a partial redeux of "Pass the Mic," started by Yauch, toward the end of the show.

"What was that?!" Horovitz inquired.

"I don't know," Yauch replied with embarrassment.

At the show's conclusion, the band thanked the fans for supporting them and following the tour. Horovitz gave indication that the band would not be taking a break. "See you in a year and a half!" he promised.

Photos

Security were nazi-like about photographing the show, not even allowing cameraphone pics. Photos and video of this show may be hard to find.





Videos

MMM intro and Time for Living

Sure Shot

Banter about Mike D's Harbor and Shake Your Rump

Yauch's thank you to the tour crew and Gratitude

B for My Name

Sabrosa

Pass the Mic
"To all my yachtsmen out there...The captain's in the house!" -Mike

Son of Neckbone

Shambala

No Sleep Til Brooklyn

MMM Interlude and Intergalactic (Mike's robe is visible in this video)

Horovitz' words of thanks