The Afghan Whigs brought 40 years of swaggering rock to Webster Hall with Mercury Rev (review, setlist, video)

“We used to let this go for 20 minutes at the Pyramid Club,” Greg Dulli told the Webster Hall crowd on Thursday night, halfway through “Son of the South,” noting that back in the day they would let transvestites up on stage to dance while he would “explore my Jim Morrison fantasies.” Dulli then launched into a little bit of The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues” to underline his anecdote.

Webster Hall is just a few blocks away from where the Pyramid Club once stood (it’s now Night Club 101) and this was a night for just a little reminiscing as The Afghan Whigs are currently out on their 40th anniversary tour. Dulli and the band — including OG bassist John Curley, guitarists Christopher Thorn and, multi-instrumentalist Rick G. Nelson, and new drummer Bryan Lee Brown — pulled from nearly their entire catalog (minus their 1988 debut) and were in fine form, all dressed in black, playing against a wall of white amplifiers.

It was an extra special night at Webster Hall as we got an augmented, supercharged lineup of The Afghan Whigs with the addition of Steve Myers, who toured with the band in the late ’90s, on backing vocals and razzle dazzle, as well former guitarist Jon Skibic and Greg Wieczorek on a variety of percussion instruments. Dulli, who turns 61 later this month, was in good spirits though his cantankerous side came out via audience members shooting cellphone video with the light on. He was not having that.

It’s gotta be tough making a setlist with nine albums to choose from, not to mention a couple new ones from what is likely their 10th LP, but it was a very satisfying night of swaggering rock that included “I’m Her Slave,” “My Enemy,” “Matamoros,” “66,” “Demon in the Profile,” “Gentleman,” and more. (Only song for me that was really missed was “Debonaire.”) One thing that struck me was how consistent The Afghan Whigs have been, and their new song “House of I” sounded like classic nuzzled in between “66” and “Oriole,” and it was clear the crowd was into it. The even more recent anthem “Duvateen,” which came late in the set, fit right in as well.

What a rock show. The Afghan Whigs have still got it.

Joining The Afghan Whigs on this tour are Mercury Rev, who have been doing it for nearly as long, and played a very entertaining opening set. Jonathan Donahue was as much a conductor as a frontman, coaxing performances from the band — which includes founding member Grasshopper, phenomenal drummer Joe Magistro, keyboardist/flautist/saxophonist Jesse Chandler and keyboardist Marion Genser — when not firing up the smoke machine with tiny remote attached to his shirt cuff.

The most recent Mercury Rev album, 2024’s Born Horses, had Donahue adopting a talky/whispery vocal style so I wasn’t sure what he would do, but he is still in possession of that weird, wonderful singing voice. Their 50-minute set was also nicely chosen, including four cuts from their magnum opus Deserter’s Songs (but not “Goddess on a Hiway”), and a cover of Traffic’s “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys.”

Check out setlists and video from the Webster Hall show below.

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SETLIST: The Afghan Whigs @ Webster Hall 4/30/2026
Parked Outside
I’m Her Slave
Light as a Feather
What Jail Is Like
66
House of I
Oriole
Going to Town
Matamoros
Gentlemen
Algiers
Catch a Colt
Somethin’ Hot
Please, Baby, Please
Demon in Profile
I Am Fire
My Enemy
Son of the South
Duvateen
Summer’s Kiss
Into the Floor/Milz is Dead

SETLIST: Mercury Rev @ Webster Hall 4/30/2026
The Funny Bird
Tonite It Shows
Butterfly’s Wing
The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
Runaway Raindrop
Ancient Love
Holes
Opus 40
The Dark Is Rising