Todd is godd in Akron once again

A once in a lifetime musical event is happening in Akron this weekend. Why we were so lucky to have Todd Rundgren and most of Utopia with us to present for the first time ever A Wizard a True Star (AWATS) in its entirely is not clear. I'd like to think that it was the beauty of the Akron Civic Theatre that lured him here.

Many years ago, when AWATS was first released, Todd's tour stopped at the Civic and I was fortunate to get a really good seat for that event. Highlight of the performance was Todd singing "Neverland" while perched on top of a towering stack of amps.

AWATS is my favorite of all Todd's work. It contains amazing variety, with Todd at his most clever and beautiful in terms of musical composition. From "Da Da Dali" to "Zen Archer" to "Rock and Roll Pussy" -- the music and lyrics captivate without a single let down moment. "Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel" is astounding in its emotional liquidity, the song flows over and under you, and you just don't want it to end, but then the recording morphs into something else and you have to finish it and play it all over again to recapture the feelings and images swirling in your head.

I did play that album endlessly, using it as musical inspiration for countless drawings. This was the album that made me "see" music in a visual way and forever after AWATS, music was integral to my creative process as a visual artist. It wasn't just background sound. Musical notes and the interweaving contrasts and harmonies all began to take on a visual life within my work. AWATS also taught me gobs about color and not just lessons learned from staring at the album cover while listening to the recording for the umpteenth time.























So when I heard that Todd was going to be in Akron for two days, I got online at the start of ticket sales and managed to get a row Z ticket for opening night. Months later, and the performance date was here! It was wonderful arriving at the Civic last night, as the sold-out audience flowed through downtown headed toward the brightly lit marquee. This was the way it used to be and ought to be again! What great concerts used to be held regularly at the Civic! 'Twas there I saw the Kinks for the very first time, as well as Todd and many more greats of the day. Let us hope that more and more artists find their way back here.

Opening for Todd was Utopia! Totally unexpected, and what a soaring run through favorite tunes! "Abandon City," "Back on the Street," "Last of the New Wave Riders," "Libertine," "Hammer in My Heart" -- all made me want to run home and pull out the original albums. Yes, vinyl albums, because I never got these on CD. Some I know I bought on cassette tape and played them until the tapes choked. Guess I'll be doing a big download festival of Utopia tunes later today. Roger Powell and Kasim Sultan sounded as good as ever last night! What a treat!

My pix from the concert are not the greatest, as I don't have professional photo gear, but a few shots came out well enough to give an idea of what the concert was like.

AWATS opening with an International Feel.

















Neverland:

















You Don't Have to Camp Around:




















Onionhead:























Battery running out of juice and I end up with this hallucinatory vision of Todd at the finale:























Let's all sing "Just One Victory" one more time!

Toddstock part 2

I forgot that I had attempted to take some pictures at the Todd Rundgren concert a couple of weeks back. Not very successful, mainly due to the thick crush of the crowd. I had no desire to push my way up front. When I got to the House of Blues and discovered how uncomfortable the standing situation was going to be, I found a spot next to a rail upon which I could lean and didn't want to give that spot up. Unfortunately, the tallest men in the club decided to plant themselves in front of me throughout the evening. Arggh!

Anyway, this dim shot gives you Todd and Rachel at either end with somebody's head in between. I remembered I'd taken this photo upon hearing from a Cleveland music blogger who attended the show but didn't get any pictures. He says he didn't get a photo pass. I'm assuming that's like a press pass that would give him special access for photographic purposes.

His name is Kevin Conley and he's got a lot of great shots of both local and international musicians performing at various NE Ohio venues on his blog, The Music View. Check them out and see how many of the shows you attended. Kinks fans should note there is a very fine shot of Ray Davies doing one of his solo shows at the Odeon.

Toddstock

"60 is the new 30" according to the merchandising accompanying the Todd Rundgren turns 60 tour in support of his new elpee worth of tunes called "Arena." Not available yet anywhere as far as I can tell, but definitely one I'm going to purchase. I did pick up a two dollar button with a lovely green guitar on it as a memento. Didn't buy the blue Toddstock lanyard with plastic water bottle attached. Funny, but still needless plastic.

I looked around for reviews of this show online but so far nothing, so I guess I'll leap into the void here with a few comments. The condensed report is: Todd still god. House of Blues has no soul. It's a chain club, a fast food and liquor join with no personality. Lots of products for sale in the "Company Store." That's what it is called and brings to mind the verse from the old blues folk song 16 Tons

You haul 16 tons and what do you get?
Another day older and deeper in debt.
Singing Jesus don't you call me
Cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store.

If you want to see your favorite musician on tour these days, most likely it will be brought to you by Live Nation, which is fast becoming the all in one music corporation. A spin off from Clear Channel (shudder), Live Nation is sucking up a lot of profits up and down the music food chain.

The show was 40 minutes late in starting, not a good thing when there is very limited seating, and most of the crowd that is standing in front of the stage is not so young any more. Nobody came out to tell us why the show was late. The live human emcee is a thing of the past evidently in the age of Not So Live Nation. Instead we all stood and watched endless loops of promotional videos for Live Nation and House of Blues.

Finally the video vanished, the curtain opened and there was Todd at center mic, his arms bare and more muscular then I've ever seen them. It was guitar front and center night for sure, and Todd made various short very smart remarks throughout. Including that they'd had to go through "the valley of the shadow of death to get here tonight, Cleveland being the light at the end of the dark tunnel."

Then on with the show, beginning with a stunning full-out Love in Action, followed by a few choice greatest pop hit including a very hallucinogenic Black Mariah. Then Todd announced, they'd be going straight through the new album, which they did, barely stopping except here and there to wipe brows and take a sip of water. You can find the track list here. Can't say that he played every single one of them, as they were all new to me and it was difficult understanding the lyrics in such a crappy club with all the talking and carousing going on. One has to wonder why House of Blues for an album full of songs inspired by arena rock of the 80s?

Well, the best thing for me was having a great view of his hands on the guitar and also hearing his voice again -- nothing lost at all -- in fact, he seemed on top of his game. So maybe 60 is the new 30. That would make me 28 and a half. I feel friskier already!

For the curtain call, we got One More Victory, one of my all time favorite concert ending songs. Todd's band Jesse Gress, Prairie Prince, Mat Bolten and Rachel Haden lined up with him for a final traditional curtain call mid-stage, and arms about each other, bowed in unison. A very fitting finale. Go see them -- the tour is just starting.

Todd at House of Blues this Sunday

I'm looking forward to seeing Todd Rundgren again. It's been a while. As I looked through YouTube looking for an appropriate clip, I came across this one of Todd in his pod and I realized -- that was the last time I saw him live.

It was in Cleveland at Gray's Armory. For this tour, Todd's concept took individualism to new heights. In the center of the floor was a complex pod containing all the instruments -- guitars, keyboards, drums, plus various control panels that operated an amazing array of devices. Long metallic arms jutted out from top of the pod, from which were suspended plastic toys and video cameras. AT the press of a button, Todd could lower the cameras into the crowd, enabling people to become video artists as the cameras were feeding live into a bank of monitors circling the top of the pod.

Red and green lights were signals for the crowd to either stay off the outer ledge of the pod or to jump on it and drum along with sticks handed out by our intrepid master musical genius.

Tomorrow, Todd is at the House of Blues in Cleveland. I have no details on his current tour. Having seen him many times over the course of decades, I'm sure the show will be special pod or not!

Here's some great footage of Todd and pod in action in a concert in London:

Saturday Night Rock: Lysistrata

Three day weekend and the weather is just warm enough to get the tomatoes and peppers in, while the flower beds are screaming for zinnias and petunias. Everything needs pruning, weeding, mulching, so this is going to be a busy three days. Nobody reads blogs over holiday work-in-the-garden weekends, do they?

For the late night music crowd, Todd Rundgren does Aristophanes:

Todd is Godd Day

How did two of my favorite rock gods manage to have birthdays back to back? Mind you, I'm not complaining as it is Friday and even more special -- I have FINALLY finished my school obligations. As of noon today, I am on summer break! So time to turn up the volume and break out an alcoholic beverage.

So have a happy one, Todd! Here's a very favorite Todd tune, complete with Todd-created animations and images. It's called "Fascist Christ." Enjoy!

Friday Night Kick Back: Todd Rundgren

How do we love YouTube, let us count the ways! Here's some vintage Todd performing the tune "Bread" with the Hello People, a rock and roll mime band. I saw Todd and the Hello People at Carnegie Hall in 1972.

Enjoy!