BY JILL POOLE “There’s a war on... did ya hear?” Todd Rundgren asked the audience Wednesday night at the Carolina Theatre of Durham. A...
BY JILL POOLE
“There’s a war on... did ya hear?” Todd Rundgren asked the audience Wednesday night at the Carolina Theatre of Durham. After briefly talking about how expensive life has become, he thanked the audience for spending their discretionary income on his show, then launched into “Evrybody” with enthusiastic audience participation. The first set included the Utopia song “Secret Society” and “Open My Eyes” by Nazz. “Sing It, Shout It” was a crowd favorite.
Bobby Strickland (and his horns) danced energetically through the whole set with Kasim Sultan crossing behind to join in on “Woman’s World.” It’s not every band that announces their intermission with “thanks, we’ll be right back after a quick pee break,” but I suspect many in the crowd appreciated that opportunity as well.
The second set opened with the band seated, and several acoustic songs. “Cliche,” “Tiny Demons,” and a plaintively beautiful “I Don’t Want to Tie You Down.” No one sounds like Todd Rundgren, and no one can inhabit a sad song like he does. As “Soul Brother” was ending each band member took a solo turn and we saw the rapport and the respect this band has for each other.
“Honest Work” was next and one of the highlights of the set. Rundgren began the song a cappella and alone at center stage, then Kasim Sultan added his harmony. At the last verse, Bruce McDaniel joined for a beautiful three-part harmony finish. “Bang the Drum All Day” was next and the tone shifted to humor as Rundgren introduced the winner of the band’s guest drummer contest which benefits Rundgren’s Spirit of Harmony Foundation. Jonathon Woods was the night’s winner, and he performed so well Rundgren asked “hey you wanna go on the road with us?”
Say yes, Jonathon, say yes. This band has FUN.
The second set ended with a raucous cover of the The Call’s “The Walls Came Down” and the Utopia song “One World.” As the band left the stage, the crowd stood and kept standing and clapping until the band returned for the encore.
No single-song encore for this band - they played “Can We Still Be Friends,” “Hello, It’s Me” and ended our night with “Sweeter Memories.”
If Todd Rundgren lives to be 100, he may still be playing live. And I mean that in the best way; rarely do you see a band that just seems to love playing together as much as this one. Bassist Kasim Sultan and drummer Prairie Prince (remember The Tubes?) have been touring with Rundgren for years, and the Damned If I Do tour includes Gil Assayas on keyboards, Bruce McDaniel on guitar, and horn player Bobby Strickland.
This show was 150 minutes of fun. I’d say our discretionary income was well spent, Mr. Rundgren.
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- JILL POOLE
It’s Christmas. I think I was 7. And there’s an album with my presents. The Everly Brothers Greatest Hits. I was hooked - I still have that record and a few more. On my 16th birthday, I got a job just to buy a real stereo, and more records. I still have all that “vinyl” as we call it today, and my 1977 Advent speakers connect to a Sonos system now.
When I was younger I had a love-hate relationship with live shows but it’s all love now. And I always watched the photographers in the pit. (And tried to take the perfect shot myself on an increasingly capable iphone) But for the last few years I’ve had an actual camera again and it’s so much better.
I want people who couldn’t BE there, who couldn’t get up to the stage - I want them to see what I saw - to feel what I felt.
You can’t hear a photograph, but sometimes... if it’s a good shot - it’s almost as if you could.
Read Jill's posts here.
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