Out of the 3 gigs I saw on this trip, this was by the flattest which was such a shame as it was Todd’s home town. It was probably because it was the only seated venue but the audience just didn’t seem to get into it and that seemed to transfer itself to the band too. It was very noticeable that Todd didn’t walk around the stage as much as he did in NYC and he seemed to play his guitar even less! It was only after they left the stage for the first time (just before Hello It’s Me) that people actually stood and then after Todd started HIM, they sat again! Thankfully they got up for JOV but by then it was too late!
The other disappointing thing I found was that people were in and out all the show for drinks from the bar. I appreciate that they are out for the evening but I doubt rather that anybody in there was actually dying of thirst and yet some people were in and out throughout all the set. This was probably worse for me as I was sitting on the end of a row but it was bothering me when people in the rows in front of me got up too.
Sadly for Todd’s hometown, this show was far from sold out. The balcony wasn’t used and there were lots of free seats at the back of the hall. One complaint I’ve heard from fans time and time again is that this tour has not been promoted very well which is such a shame considering the music that they are playing. This was the gig where a friend and I (successfully) played TicketMaster at their own game! We booked tickets quite late and we could get two seats together near the back of the hall or two separate tickets closer to the front. By using two browsers, we bought two aisle seats right in front of each other in the 11th and 12th rows!
When I first got in this venue, I thought that I would have a perfect view of Kasim as Todd’s arch wasn’t blocking him at all - brilliant! Unfortunately though, this guy called Todd kept walking across my line of sight!
The stage tonight was far wider than at Webster Hall which spoilt the effect slightly as we could see them walking on and off stage whereas at both NYC and Norfolk, Todd and the band would just seem to appear at the gap between Kasim and Jesse’s pods which was more dramatic. Tonight it looked really funny after Todd had walked on stage as the four band members then walked out and Prairie looked a real picture as he’s a tall guy anyway and that was emphasised with his "Pope" hat!
A few random observations:
Tonight Kasim wore his priest outfit with his hat but he took that off at the beginning of Fascist Christ. Kasim’s "pimp" suit tonight was his bright red (WAT) suit that he wore with a black shirt and a white tie.
Kasim seemed to be having some trouble keeping his black bass in tune as several times during the gig (and sometimes during some songs) he seemed to be re-tuning it.
Born To Synthesise wasn’t quite as long tonight (thankfully as this is the second tour that I’ve seen them play it on and it can go on a bit). Tonight when Kasim “woke” Todd he made the same joke about a (religious) Father and not wanting him to touch him but he used a different name. I don’t think that Kasim even played a bass solo at this gig (certainly if he did then it was way too short for me). As talented as John is, his solo just lasts way too long for me. (Although when John plays his solo, it’s fascinating watching Kasim as he matches him note for note during one part!)
At one point in the concert Todd (who didn’t chit-chat as much as he has on other tours that I’ve seen) mentioned that he didn’t want to be in the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and that if he was inducted then he wouldn’t attend!
During Sweet, a song which Kasim doesn’t play a lot anyway, he played quite a bit of the song with his left hand in his trouser pocket!
Near the end of Just One Victory, Kasim and Jesse obviously both had a little discussion before they both left their pods to join Todd at the front of the stage (Jesse really didn’t need too much persuasion though!). Once again a terrific roar went up by the audience!
Review / Comments by Jennifer Salyer
I really liked the first half better then the second half. Second half was ok and all, but a little too mellow in some spots for me. The priest set is one cool dancing/rocking set, and i wish we couldve gotten up and moved! The audience looked like zombies and i was the one who had less of a clue about the music then they did! Everyone got up at the end but i couldnt then because the tour photog guy was in my space (i was right AT the stage so there wasnt much room alas!).
Kasim wore the red suit.
One thing i noticed, everyone in the second half is still wearing hats but somehow Kasim escapes one for his funky little pimp suit -- hmm, i wonder why?!
Todd's pimp suit pant leg was basically doing a static cling number to his leg when he first came out during the second set, and that amused all who noticed, especially Kasim and the guys onstage. Which, while Todd was singing and not noticing it yet, it led me to check out the other guy's pants, and i saw Todd wasnt the only one having a problem. But that was a silly observation on my part. OK so i REALLY notice more then i should!
Kasim does some great bass riffs and got a solo or two. I dont know if this is mentioned anywhere, but i saw Kasim doesnt just sing backing vocals - on some songs he's singing right along with Todd. But where i was seated, it was kinda hard to make out the backing vocals at times and even harder to hear Kasim sing along with Todd.
Kasim's solo on, i THINK, Born to Synthesize was out of this world, im surprised he doesnt get bloody fingers or something the way he attacked the bass. He really was on fire when he had the chance to be!
Kasim had a whole slew of people there for him. I didnt stop to say hello to anyone, as i was in the midst of a huge crowd that were hytailing it to the door and that was when i saw in the audience faces i knew, but couldnt get over to anyone to say hey! Sorry!
Oh, one song during the Swing set, i dont know the title but it was one that Kasim seemed to play both the piano and the bass, Kasim didnt just do his head bobbing/leg moving to the music sort of thing, that he seems to usually do to songs, he actually REALLY danced for a brief moment!
I mentioned Kasim's red suit but i gotta say i was pretty fascinated by Todd's color choices. He was all in orange, but it was varying oranges and with the jacket on, it was a neat color/visual. His shirt, which could be seen at the cuffs and jacket opening, seemed to be a lighter shiny satin orange, but also, in ways, it seemed to have a neon glow to it. And he had orange snake like skin shoes on too! The first outfit Todd had on, he wears funky platform boots; i mean these soles are more like Herman Munster shoes, theyre REALLY big (hey maybe that's really why Kasim and Jesse dont come down in the first half of the show, they'd look like midgets next to Todd and his giant boots?! kidding!), and he grooved pretty well in them but one time he went backstage during an instrumental spot and he fell and i think he yelled to someone about wires being where they shouldnt be, but that was also his third trip back there too.
Jesse's little goatee/beard thing kept falling off during the first set so eventually it disappeared.
Speaking of Jesse, he and Kasim jumped down for a guitar spot with Todd during one of the encores. The look on Kasim's face when they literally jumped was priceless and so darn cute!
For more reviews of this concert, see TRConnection.com.
Comment from Philadeplphia Inquirer review - "Audience members literally bowed in the aisles of the Tower Theater on Saturday as Rundgren and his elegantly intuitive band (including bassist Kasim Sulton from Rundgren's prog-rock past) leapt through moody music whose impassioned indictments were as clarion clear as Rundgren's guitar solos."
