There are rock shows, and then there are Tubes shows—equal parts musical precision, performance art, satire, and pure theater. When The Tubes rolled into the Kent Stage in November 2023, they didn’t just play a concert—they staged a piece of rock ‘n’ roll absurdity that reminded everyone in attendance why this band has always been impossible to categorize. Nearly five decades after their debut, the San Francisco cult legends proved they can still deliver a night that’s equal parts wild, funny, and weirdly profound.
It was a chilly Saturday night in Kent, and the crowd at the historic Kent Stage—an intimate, 600-seat theater with creaky floors and warm acoustics—buzzed with anticipation. The audience was a mix of longtime fans who’d seen The Tubes in their outrageous 1970s prime and younger converts there to see if all the stories about leather, satire, and fake blood were true.
As the lights dimmed and the band hit the stage, frontman Fee Waybill sauntered out like a ringmaster at the edge of madness. White suit, smirk intact, eyes gleaming—it was immediately clear that age hasn’t dulled his flair for the dramatic. The Tubes have always blurred the line between parody and performance, and at Kent Stage, that line vanished entirely.
Set One: The Rock and The Ridiculous
They opened with “Talk to Ya Later,” one of their most enduring hits and a perfect tone-setter. The crowd was on its feet from the first riff, the band sounding tight and surprisingly heavy. Waybill prowled the front of the stage, microphone in hand, shouting the song’s title line with gleeful defiance. This wasn’t nostalgia—it was a statement that The Tubes still had plenty to say, and they were going to say it loud.
From there, “Turn Me On” slid in with its seductive rhythm and cheeky lyrics, followed by “Sushi Girl,” which turned the theater into a goofy singalong. The Tubes have always been masters of taking something absurd and making it sound like an arena anthem. Guitarist Roger Steen ripped through his solos with a mix of technical finesse and mischief, while Prairie Prince—one of the most underrated drummers of the 1970s art-rock scene—anchored the band with powerful, elastic precision.
“Amnesia” brought a darker groove, its heavy bassline filling the room, and then “Mr. Hate” reminded everyone why The Tubes’ catalog is so distinct. No two songs sound alike, yet everything is unmistakably theirs—satirical rock layered with theatrical storytelling. Waybill delivered “Mr. Hate” like a Broadway villain come to life, pacing the stage, sneering through the verses, his voice still strong and expressive after all these years.
Then came “Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman,” which was pure Tubes lunacy. Waybill emerged in a mock giantess costume, towering wig and all, swinging a fake skyscraper at the crowd while the band churned out a glam-infused rock groove behind him. It was ridiculous. It was campy. It was everything you come to a Tubes show hoping to see.
The mood shifted with “A Matter of Pride,” a track that balances sincerity with wit, showcasing how beneath all the humor, this band has always had a real knack for songwriting. “Power Tools” and “Don’t Want to Wait Anymore” followed, the latter offering a surprisingly tender, melodic breather—a song that could’ve easily fit on classic rock radio if not for the band’s reputation for pushing boundaries.
Their cover of “Trouble” (the old Leiber & Stoller tune) was another highlight of the first set, a swaggering, bluesy detour that let Fee slip into his lounge-lizard persona. Then, to close the set, they unleashed “Mondo Bondage.”
Now, if you’ve never seen “Mondo Bondage” live, it’s one of those moments that defines The Tubes. Waybill appeared in a black leather harness, crawling across the stage, acting out a twisted performance piece that’s part rock number, part social satire, and part old-school shock theater. The crowd ate it up, cheering every exaggerated motion and wild gesture. By the end, the lights flashed red, the guitars screamed, and the audience roared in approval.
Set Two: Theatrics and Thunder
After a brief intermission, the band returned for Set Two with a thunderous drum solo from Prairie Prince that immediately re-energized the room. Prince’s playing has always been at the heart of The Tubes’ sound—precise, colorful, and dynamic—and this solo proved he’s still got every ounce of his rhythmic fire.
“Tip of My Tongue” came next, slick and catchy, with Steen and bassist Rick Anderson locking in tight while Waybill strutted like a man half his age. Then came “Wild Women of Wongo,” which turned the Kent Stage into a pulsing, cartoonish jungle of sound. It was a reminder that The Tubes don’t just play songs—they create little worlds.
“Up From the Deep” took things into more psychedelic territory, swirling and menacing, the band stretching out musically. Then came “Haloes,” one of those underappreciated Tubes gems that blend grandeur and grit. It sounded massive in the small venue, with Roger Steen’s guitar tone filling every inch of space.
And then, of course, came the song—“White Punks on Dope.” The crowd went ballistic the moment the opening chords hit. Waybill, now fully in character as his alter ego Quay Lewd—silver platform boots, huge blond wig, smeared makeup, sunglasses—stumbled onto the stage like a washed-up glam god. His exaggerated movements, the mock rock-star posturing, and that immortal chorus (“Mommy’s alright, Daddy’s alright, they just seem a little weird…”) all hit like a nostalgia bomb and a satire all at once.
It’s easy to forget, amid the humor, how musically sharp this song still sounds. The band has it down to an art: the heavy riff, the perfectly timed backup vocals, the stop-start rhythms, all executed with razor-sharp precision. When Waybill finally collapsed to his knees, spreading his arms like a fallen idol, the place exploded in applause. It was the kind of moment you can only get at a Tubes show—ridiculous, theatrical, but somehow moving too.
The Encore: Nostalgia with a Wink
After the band took their bows and stepped offstage, the audience immediately started chanting for more. They didn’t have to wait long.
The encore began with “She’s a Beauty,” their biggest commercial hit and still a perfect pop-rock song. The synths shimmered, Steen’s guitar sparkled, and Waybill’s voice carried that sly mix of confidence and melancholy that’s always defined the song. The crowd sang every word, and for a few minutes, Kent Stage felt like an arena again.
Then, as a cheeky bookend, they closed the night with a jammed-out reprise of “Talk to Ya Later.” It turned into an extended groove, each member taking a little moment in the spotlight. Fee introduced the band—Steen on guitar, Prince on drums, Anderson on bass, and David Medd on keyboards—each one getting loud cheers. By the time they hit the final chord, the room was pure joy.
Still Wild After All These Years
Walking out of the Kent Stage that night, fans were buzzing—laughing, smiling, swapping stories about past Tubes shows. That’s what this band has always been about: creating an experience that’s as much performance art as it is rock show.
The Tubes aren’t a nostalgia act. Sure, they play the hits, and they lean into their history, but they also still believe in the spectacle. Waybill’s stage personas, the costumes, the satire—it all still works because the band plays it with conviction and skill. They’re in on the joke, but they also care deeply about the craft.
In 2023, watching a group that formed in the early ’70s still give 100% is a rare gift. Fee Waybill, at 73, still moves like he’s playing Madison Square Garden in 1981. His voice has aged well, losing a bit of its sharp edge but gaining warmth and character. Prairie Prince remains a monster behind the kit. Roger Steen’s guitar work is as inventive and underrated as ever. And the chemistry—after all these years—is still real.
What sets The Tubes apart from most legacy acts is their refusal to play it safe. Every show still has that sense of chaos, danger, and tongue-in-cheek absurdity that made them cult heroes in the first place. They’re musical pranksters, but also craftsmen. Their songs are smart, layered, and uniquely their own blend of rock, theater, and cultural critique.
At the Kent Stage, that blend was alive and well. The crowd danced, laughed, and gasped. The band played their hearts out. And as the house lights came up, Fee Waybill gave one last bow, grinning like a man who knows he just gave his audience a night they won’t forget.
After nearly 50 years, The Tubes are still out there proving that rock ‘n’ roll can be funny, fearless, and freaky all at once. And if this show was any indication, they’re not ready to turn down the volume anytime soon.
Setlist
Set 1:
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Talk to Ya Later
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Turn Me On
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Sushi Girl
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Amnesia
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Mr. Hate
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Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman
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A Matter of Pride
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Power Tools
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Don’t Want to Wait Anymore
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Trouble (Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller cover)
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Mondo Bondage
Set 2:
12. Drum Solo
13. Tip of My Tongue
14. Wild Women of Wongo
15. Up From the Deep
16. Haloes
17. White Punks on Dope
Encore:
18. She’s a Beauty
19. Talk to Ya Later / Jam
For those lucky enough to be there, The Tubes’ Kent Stage show wasn’t just a concert—it was a reminder that weird, wild rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well. Fee Waybill and company still deliver the goods with equal parts humor, heart, and absolute chaos—and after all these years, that’s exactly what makes them great.