Embodying the spirit of Rock ‘N’ Roll, Iggy Pop showed a ready crowd at The Anthem what a real showman is all about.

The Godfather of Punk doesn’t have to prove anything, but he commanded the stage in DC like he had a mandate from a higher power to show this town how to rock. It’s rare that I see an artist go non-stop, full-tilt, and seemingly burning the wick at the speed of light.

But maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here.

Hitting the stage first on Monday night was UK band, The Molotovs with an energy that had everyone up and clamoring for more. Siblings Mathew and Issey Cartlidge seemed determined to show this audience a thing or two as they prowled the stage.

As Joe and The Shitboys’ raucous “Mr. Nobody” played over the speakers, Iggy Pop’s band – make up of a veritable who’s who of musicians that included Corey D King and Leron Thomas on horns, touring Interpol bassist Brad Truax, son of Death frontman Bobby Hackney Sr, Urian Hackney (Death, The Armed) on drums, Ale Campos on guitar, The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s guitarist, Nick Zinner, and Joan As Police Woman’s Joan Wasser on keys/vocals – took the stage. And charging onto the stage was a vested Iggy Pop, though that vest lasted exactly 30 seconds as in grand fashion he tore off the leather apparel and tossed it.

Hitting the floor with the pizzazz of James Brown, Pop made it clear there would be no stopping the 78 year old legend. Right off the bat, Iggy and his band hit hard with “T.V. Eye,” “Gimme Danger,” “I Got a Right,” and “Raw Power” from Pop’s days in Iggy and the Stooges.

Like a man possessed, Iggy Pop danced across the stage, singing “Raw power, it’s more than soul /
Got a son called rock and roll.” And just as fast as the band was playing Iggy Pop matched that constant groove with his own unbridled energy.

Check out the official video for “The Passenger” by Iggy Pop:

It wasn’t until his signature solo tune, “The Passenger,” that Pop slowed even an iota. “I don’t really know my way around here, somebody pick me up,” he said before that all too familiar guitar rhythm started the song and Pop’s world weary baritone punctuated the hall. But it was the sound of thousands of fans singing “La, la, la, la, la la-la-la” with Iggy Pop, arms extended hold his microphone over the crowd that made the moment.

The bouncing drums of “Lust for Life” with those horns piercing through the staccato guitar chords had Iggy Pop posing and strutting as the song had everyone dancing along.

“I guess it’s time we went on a trip together,” Iggy Pop told the crowd. “We can’t go on a drug trip because my body’s too fragile. We can’t go on a business trip… that’s not the kind of business I’m in. Hey, I know, how ’bout we go on a fucking death trip,” he yelled as the band struck up the classic Stooges song.

In fact, most of the songs played Monday night were old Iggy and The Stooges songs – all the hits like “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and “Search and Destroy” – with a few outstanding exceptions, such as “I’m Bored,” “Funtime,” and “Frenzy” and, possibly my favorite from his last record, Every Loser.

Iggy Pop even played the old Dee Jays tune, “Real Wild Child (Wild One)” ending the set with “Punkrocker,” which he dedicated to Superman as it featured in the closing credits to the new movie, and another Stooges song, “Loose.”

I have to say that having seen so many shows over the years when a show comes around that has me moving toward the stage and singing along, forgetting what’s going on around me, that it’s a great show. And seeing Iggy Pop give it his all, going out into the crowd not just once but several times over the two hour concert, it made me feel good. That everything was going to be okay, even if that feeling was just for one evening.

Iggy Pop has wrapped up his US tour with this show at The Anthem, but here’s to hoping there’s still more in the tank.

The setlist included:

T.V. Eye (The Stooges song)
Raw Power (Iggy and The Stooges song)
I Got a Right (Iggy and The Stooges song)
Gimme Danger (Iggy and The Stooges song)
The Passenger
Lust for Life
Death Trip (Iggy and The Stooges song)
I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges song)
Search and Destroy (Iggy and The Stooges song)
Down on the Street (The Stooges song)
1970 (The Stooges song)
Some Weird Sin
Frenzy
Nightclubbing / L.A. Blues
Modern Day Rip Off
I’m Bored
Real Wild Child (Wild One) (The Dee Jays cover)
Funtime
Punkrocker (Teddybears feat. Iggy Pop song)
Loose (The Stooges song)

Check out more photos of Iggy Pop at The Anthem on September 29, 2025. All photos are copyright David LaMason:

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And here are photos of The Molotovs kicking things off at The Anthem:

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