Mike D stops the song and asks the crowd if they saw the same thing he thought he saw. They respond in the positive and he acknowledges that tonight will be one of those nights that will not be forgotten in a hurry. Happily playing 'Lighten up', and finishing the song with a saw box solo, Mario C then gets in on the action (unwittingly) as the band surprise him as one of their cohorts comes on stage with a birthday cake for him. The arena sing 'Happy Birthday' in unison as he lifts his head up from the distinctive instrument.

After 2 hours, the houselights are switched off in a millisecond, plunging the crowd into darkness once again. Half a minute elapses before Mike Myers voice as 'Dr Evil' booms from the sound system, 'Welcome to my underground lair!' and in synchrony, all 3 Beastie Boys are shot up from 3 trapdoors around the stage to a huge dazzling shot of white light bathing the arena whilst 'Intergalactic' is kickstarted by Mixmaster Mike and the crowd roar their approval for the current hit.

Finally, 'Sabotage', closes their encore and set, leaving most in the arena amazed by the Beastie Boys ability to still cut it live, and with such stage presence that you question whether you were at a live gig or a well staged musical. Such showmanship leaves the vast majority satisfied as everyone files out into the balmy, desert evening.

Click to see larger image
'Intergalactic Planetary!'

Links:

- Beastie Boy's site

Other Live Reviews:

- Underworld

- The Verve