The Waterboys pour it on at Humphreys

The Waterboys stormed the stage at Humphreys by the Bay and delivered a high-energy set that encompassed their career. Mike Scott and the band delivered a tight set with highlights throughout the evening. The six-piece band hit its stride by the time they rolled through their first hit single, “A Girl Called Johnny,” and then never let up.

Brother Paul on keys brought explosive energy to the show and violinist Steve Wickham added grace and elegance to every song, while also transfixing the crowd with his solos. The centerpiece of the band, however, is Mike Scott, who gave a riveting performance. He played lead guitar, piano, and sang with the conviction and earnestness one would expect from such a passionate lyricist.

Stunning performances of “We Will Not Be Lovers,” “Medicine Bow,” and the crowd favorite, “Whole of the Moon,” brought the house down. New songs such as “The Girl Who Slept for Scotland,” “I Can See Elvis,” and “The Nearest Thing to Being Hip” off of this year’s Modern Blues showed the band had more than nostalgia on its side. The encore, consisting of Prince’s “Purple Rain” and Waterboys classic “Fisherman’s Blues,” capped off a beautiful night of music by the bay.

• Concert: The Waterboys
• Date: May 14
• Venue: Humphreys by the Bay
• Seats: Row 3, Seat 106