A condensed version of the earlier Live: Over Here and Over There -- 75/76 two-CD set,
By Tonight takes nine songs recorded live in the U.K. (Aylesbury and Leeds) during 1976, then backtracks to the band's 1975 U.S. tour, with three songs recorded in Cleveland and Los Angeles. Of course, this is the abbreviated
Mott that clung together following the departure of
Ian Hunter in late 1974, so evidence of the band's earlier incarnation is largely confined to the medleys -- "All the Way from Memphis," "Rock & Roll Queen," and "Sweet Jane" are all parceled up within, although bassist Overend Watts' "Born Late 58" does give the past a good crack of the whip. The rest of the set is drawn from the new-look band's own repertoire, and it rocks a lot harder, and more enjoyably, than history tends to remember -- even if Nigel Benjamin's wailing can get a little wearing at times. One might also question the sleeve's insistence that the aforementioned Mr. Watts wrote "Love Me Two Times" -- presumably
the Doors might have something to say about that. But it's a good, rocking version regardless, with
Morgan Fisher laying down an organ line that bleeds beautifully into
Ray Majors' guitar solo (nearly nine minutes long as well). So it's not classic
Mott the Hoople, but it's a good, rip-roaring live show regardless. And maybe listeners can now admit that history got it wrong. ~ Dave Thompson