Following the success of their long-awaited 2009 reunion, British rock giants
Mott the Hoople made a second go of it in 2013 with handful of shows that dug a bit deeper into their back catalog than the first time around. Of the five U.K. dates, it was the Manchester show that yielded the best results, culminating in the two-disc concert album/DVD
Live 2013. The classic lineup remains intact here minus
Dale "Buffin" Griffin, who is replaced by
Pretenders drummer
Martin Chambers, and they blow through a 20-song set that sounds surprisingly vigorous. Acknowledges classics like "Hymn for the Dudes," "Honaloochie Boogie," and "All the Way from Memphis" are peppered throughout a program that also pays homage to revered album cuts like "The Moon Upstairs" and "Walkin' with a Mountain." Bassist
Overend Watts takes over lead vocals from
Ian Hunter on a spirited version of "Born Late '58," and longtime
Mott admirer
Joe Elliott joins the group for the finale, which includes the immortal
Bowie-penned "All the Young Dudes" and the epic closer "Saturday Gigs." If
Live 2013 ends up being the band's closing statement, it's a strong one.