The Dean Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Here is my overly long review of last night's Steely Dan concert at the St Augustine Amphitheater, which is about a mile down the road from my place, on St Augustine Beach. It's basically a cut and past job from the post I made on a SD forum, last night. I'll try to edit out the stuff that makes no sense, out of the context of that forum...but if you see something odd, that's probably the reason. Also, since it is very long, I will break it into two, or three, parts: Setlist: Band opens with Teenie's Blues (without Don, Walt and the Girls) Time out of mind Bodhisattva Show biz kids Bad sneakers Two against nature Black Friday Aja Don't take me alive Hey 19 Parker's band - Girls sing the lead Pretzel logic Daddy don't live in that NYC no more - Walt takes a turn on vocals Gaucho Love is Like an Itchin in my heart - Girls sing this Supremes' song, and Walt introduces the band. Josie Do it again Kid Charlemagne Encore Peg My old school Outro (without Don, Walt and the Girls) Last Tango in Paris (Gato Barbieri tune) OK, back from the show. Glad to see the setlist has already been posted, so I will take a little time, and flesh things out, a bit. Excuse any spelling and grammatical errors, please. I'm still a little buzzed, and very tired. For those who are into the Cliff Notes version, here's the bottom line: Despite several gaffes, early sound issues and a major scheduling problem, this concert had more energy than any Dan concert I have seen to date. The crowd was insane, but they were not without their issues, either. Let's start from the top. My ticket (and everything I read about the concert) says the show started at 8 PM. We entered the amphitheater at 7:55, and Sam Yahel was well underway. In fact, I think I got to hear two songs, before they ended. During one, I was getting the beverages and finding my seat. I admit that pissed me off, a bit. Why would they start the concert earlier than the time printed on the tickets? I like Sam Yahel and was looking forward to hearing him, again. Well, I have nothing to say about Sam's group, as I heard almost nothing. Of course, that made the late-arrivers (who probably planned to miss the opening act) very late, and people were still talking and being seated while the Dan was playing. Just an inexcusable scheduling failure by the venue. My seat was on the floor (small uncomfortable seats, too close together) 6th row, dead center. Tennie's Blues is a great jazz tune, performed very ably by the band (sans Don, Walt and the gals). Beard got to show his talent, and the band seemed tightly loose. Things looked good. Time Out of Mind: Don's melodica sounded great, tonight. Better than I have ever heard him/it sound. There were the typical early sound issues. More seriously though, Walter seemed to be having some guitar issues. I don't think he was happy with the blue ax, and he wasn't loud enough in the mix. He played on, and with vigor, mind you, but it was clearly an issue. By now, the crowd was seated, and they were VERY into the show. Screaming almost too much...but how can you complain about the open and obvious joy of a Dan-starved crowd? It became clear to me that many in the crowd have been waiting for many years for SD to play in North Florida. But, they sang along with almost every song. Interestingly, they were on key, and actually didn't sound half bad, but it came at the price of some listening pleasure later in the concert. Also, I had the two most obnoxious people sitting next to me. When the guy wasn't singing, he was talking (very loudly) to his date, who cackled and screamed back to him the entire night. They never shut the !@#$ up. He actually had a conversation, or two, on his cell phone, during the show. The rudeness of some people is astonishing. Anyway, back to the show... Bodhisattva: Outstanding. Sound is getting better, but Walt's guitar remains an issue, it seems. Jon sound great, but as usual, he is too low in the mix, for my tastes. Jon was a monster all night, fast and tasteful, all solos very purposeful. Show Biz Kids: Best version yet, IMO. The intro was sensational (I know because I wrote that down, and now I don't remember the details). Fagen was in great voice for this tune, and all night, for the most part. The girls were the best I have ever hear them. I guess three-girls (with Catherine Russell) really does make a difference. I'm sorry I every doubted it. Walt changes his guitar. I think it was due to the issues, and not merely a normal change, but I could be wrong. This took care of some issues, but it still wasn't totally corrected. Bad Sneakers. Good version. Maybe not quite as good as the one other time I saw this live, but excellent, to be sure. It seemed to be slowed down by a fraction of a beat. And Don sang the verses in a rushed manner. The fast over slow really worked well, I thought. 2vN: I can't believe people don't like this live. The song is pure energy, and is a wild and challenging cacophony of sound. This crowd simply LOVED it. Walt has his blue guitar back, and now all is well, on the sound front...for the most part. Black Friday: It was outstanding. Best live version I have heard, and by a large margin. The girls were simply outstanding. I could say that for every song, but I made a note of it on BF, so it must have been extra super-good. The woman who wrote the clueless review and took shots at the girls should be ashamed of herself*. It ain't Steely Dan without the babe choir. * this refers to this review: http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/tampacall...th-eckerd-hall/ ...more in Part 2...
The Dean Posted June 19, 2009 Author Posted June 19, 2009 Part 2... Where was I? Oh, yes... Aja: I love Aja whenever I get a chance to hear it, especially live. Tonight was no exception. But I have heard them do this better, in past years. Still great, but Keith wasn't at his very best tonight, IMO. Terrific to be sure, but maybe he was pacing himself due to the heat and humidity. (It had to be very hot, onstage.) We will revisit this issue in a bit. Don't Take Me Alive: Jon smoked on this one. Don struggled a little, but really went for it. I think this was the only time all night he strained to hit notes. Great song for a great hot night, and the crowd continued to be very loud, singing along, standing, dancing, etc. Hey Nineteen: I think Don missed a line/verse on an earlier song, but nothing as blatant as this. The crowd was singing along LOUDLY (and in tune/on key). After the first line, Don says to the crowd "You know the words", then immediately blew the next line. He laughed, covered his fave, and cowered below his keyboard. It was actually very funny. The band kept playing, and Don joined in on the next verse. The crowd was so loud (hooting and hollering) that I could barely hear Walt's cheesy story. My friends, who have never seen SD live, had no idea what he was saying. I got much of it, because i know the shtick. Parker's Band: Sensational. The girls really belt this one out, and it's perfect live. The horns were great all night, but as was noted by a previous poster (from an earlier show on this tour) their solos seemed shorter, and more focused, than in past tours. Pugh didn't hit one sour note, all night. Pretty rare for a T-Bone player, IMO. Pretzel Logic. As good as they can do this song, I think. Walt tore through possibly the greatest solo I have ever heard him play. Daddy Don't Live in That NYC No More: Walt's voice is fine for this one. He even camped it up a bit, with voice inflections and hand gestures. They were very loose, and seemed very pumped by this raucous crowd. Walt played another awesome solo. Maybe he was trying to make up for the earlier guitar issues. Gaucho: Don sings. I liked Walt's version (last year), but this was much better. Jim Beard sounded good on this one, too. Love is Like an Itching in My Heart/Band Intros: Better than last year, I think. Really smokin', and everyone hitting on all cylinders. Girls are simply amazing. They were made to sing this song. This year, the brief solos after Walt introduces each player were ultra-short. I was a little bit disappointed by how stingy they were with the solos. Carlock's was so short, and uninspiring, Walt said something like "That wasn't satisfying at all. I think I am going to re-introduce him and try that again." He did. KC gave a better effort, but it was more pounding, and less nimble than I expect from this great drummer. Don't get me wrong, he was still terrific, just not on his A game tonight, IMO. Josie: Outstanding piano intro from Beard...really sweet. On first verse, Don's mic is out, so no vocals until they switch the mic, while band continued to play. Another terrific Walt solo. Do It Again: Another best version live, for me. Great pace. The return of "Going to Los Wages", for a small portion of the song. From now until the end of the show, you had to stand to see. People were dancing in the aisles and up near the stage. I turned to look at the crowd on several occasions and it was clear they were completely into this show. Kid C: Encores: Peg and My Old School: They hit these old standbys out of the park. Great energy, smokin' solos, especially by Jon. Beard filled nicely, particularly in My Old School. Unfortunately, as the crowd was singing along (loudly) it wasn't easy to hear some of the fun Don was having with his phrasing, and some different melodies he was singing, as the crowd sang the standard version. Still Don seemed determined to sing louder to get through, and eventually some seemed to catch on, that he was worth listening to. Outro: Last Tango in Paris: Great song to close with, IMO. Crowd still standing and cheering. I almost thought there was a chance for a return, they were that loud, and nobody was leaving. Alas, there is a pretty strict time curfew on the beach, I think. The Amphitheater is in a residential neighborhood, and borders on a State Park, with camping. Again, great show, great energy, some of the best performances I have seen on several songs. Weird technical difficulties, and gaffes, and an unruly but appreciative crowd.
Steely Dan Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Awwww man! Don't take me alive is one of my favorite tunes!! I thought it was too rock and roll for them to play anymore. Sounds like a great show.
JLO Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Got my tickets to the Gaucho and Royal Scam nights for their 4 night run at Gibson Amptiheatre in August. May go to the Internet Request night if I get an idea of what they might play. My wishlist would include Dr. Wu, Any World That Im Welcome To, Dallas, My Rival, Midnight Cruiser, and True Companion. Thanks for the review.
BuffaloBill Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Thanks for the notes - it has been nearly 20 years since I have seen Steely dan in concert. Glad to know that he still has "it."
The Dean Posted June 19, 2009 Author Posted June 19, 2009 Got my tickets to the Gaucho and Royal Scam nights for their 4 night run at Gibson Amptiheatre in August. May go to the Internet Request night if I get an idea of what they might play. My wishlist would include Dr. Wu, Any World That Im Welcome To, Dallas, My Rival, Midnight Cruiser, and True Companion. Thanks for the review. I would LOVE to see the Royal Scam (and may have an opportunity to, but that is looking bleaker by the day). Honestly, I'd like to see any of the full-album shows. As for the request night, many songs aren't on the list. You can see the list here: http://www.msg.com/steelydan/ They have also made it pretty clear, they will use their veto power if they don't like the way a song sounds, even if it was picked by the fans: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A64zAvIFzvk Dr. Wu is the real wild card. Don doesn't want to play it, and has said so. But why put it on the list if you have no intention of playing it?
cåblelady Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Here is my overly long review of last night's Steely Dan concert at the St Augustine You lucky bum!
The Dean Posted June 19, 2009 Author Posted June 19, 2009 Glad to know that he still has "it." Which one's Pink?
BuffaloBill Posted June 19, 2009 Posted June 19, 2009 Which one's Pink? My error - Fagen and Becker = they still have it
The Dean Posted June 20, 2009 Author Posted June 20, 2009 My error - Fagen and Becker = they still have it No problem, I was just yankin your chain. I figured it was a typo, actually. But it reminded me of this incident, yesterday. I stopped at my favorite cigar store (it's my neighborhood hang-out, of sorts) on the afternoon of the concert. The owner asked me about the show that night, and this really horrid woman who frequents the place asked, "What Concert?". "Steely Dan" I replied. " I LOVE him"...and then she continued to blather about how she had all his albums. I said, "I'm surprised you aren't going, seeing as you are such a big fan", or words to that effect. ...and on my way out, I turned and asked her, "Which one is Pink, anyway?". And then I walked out of the store.
bdelma Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Here is my overly long review of last night's Steely Dan concert at the St Augustine Amphitheater, which is about a mile down the road from my place, on St Augustine Beach. It's basically a cut and past job from the post I made on a SD forum, last night. I'll try to edit out the stuff that makes no sense, out of the context of that forum...but if you see something odd, that's probably the reason. Also, since it is very long, I will break it into two, or three, parts: Setlist: OK, back from the show. Glad to see the setlist has already been posted, so I will take a little time, and flesh things out, a bit. Excuse any spelling and grammatical errors, please. I'm still a little buzzed, and very tired. For those who are into the Cliff Notes version, here's the bottom line: Despite several gaffes, early sound issues and a major scheduling problem, this concert had more energy than any Dan concert I have seen to date. The crowd was insane, but they were not without their issues, either. Let's start from the top. My ticket (and everything I read about the concert) says the show started at 8 PM. We entered the amphitheater at 7:55, and Sam Yahel was well underway. In fact, I think I got to hear two songs, before they ended. During one, I was getting the beverages and finding my seat. I admit that pissed me off, a bit. Why would they start the concert earlier than the time printed on the tickets? I like Sam Yahel and was looking forward to hearing him, again. Well, I have nothing to say about Sam's group, as I heard almost nothing. Of course, that made the late-arrivers (who probably planned to miss the opening act) very late, and people were still talking and being seated while the Dan was playing. Just an inexcusable scheduling failure by the venue. My seat was on the floor (small uncomfortable seats, too close together) 6th row, dead center. Tennie's Blues is a great jazz tune, performed very ably by the band (sans Don, Walt and the gals). Beard got to show his talent, and the band seemed tightly loose. Things looked good. Time Out of Mind: Don's melodica sounded great, tonight. Better than I have ever heard him/it sound. There were the typical early sound issues. More seriously though, Walter seemed to be having some guitar issues. I don't think he was happy with the blue ax, and he wasn't loud enough in the mix. He played on, and with vigor, mind you, but it was clearly an issue. By now, the crowd was seated, and they were VERY into the show. Screaming almost too much...but how can you complain about the open and obvious joy of a Dan-starved crowd? It became clear to me that many in the crowd have been waiting for many years for SD to play in North Florida. But, they sang along with almost every song. Interestingly, they were on key, and actually didn't sound half bad, but it came at the price of some listening pleasure later in the concert. Also, I had the two most obnoxious people sitting next to me. When the guy wasn't singing, he was talking (very loudly) to his date, who cackled and screamed back to him the entire night. They never shut the !@#$ up. He actually had a conversation, or two, on his cell phone, during the show. The rudeness of some people is astonishing. Anyway, back to the show... Bodhisattva: Outstanding. Sound is getting better, but Walt's guitar remains an issue, it seems. Jon sound great, but as usual, he is too low in the mix, for my tastes. Jon was a monster all night, fast and tasteful, all solos very purposeful. Show Biz Kids: Best version yet, IMO. The intro was sensational (I know because I wrote that down, and now I don't remember the details). Fagen was in great voice for this tune, and all night, for the most part. The girls were the best I have ever hear them. I guess three-girls (with Catherine Russell) really does make a difference. I'm sorry I every doubted it. Walt changes his guitar. I think it was due to the issues, and not merely a normal change, but I could be wrong. This took care of some issues, but it still wasn't totally corrected. Bad Sneakers. Good version. Maybe not quite as good as the one other time I saw this live, but excellent, to be sure. It seemed to be slowed down by a fraction of a beat. And Don sang the verses in a rushed manner. The fast over slow really worked well, I thought. 2vN: I can't believe people don't like this live. The song is pure energy, and is a wild and challenging cacophony of sound. This crowd simply LOVED it. Walt has his blue guitar back, and now all is well, on the sound front...for the most part. Black Friday: It was outstanding. Best live version I have heard, and by a large margin. The girls were simply outstanding. I could say that for every song, but I made a note of it on BF, so it must have been extra super-good. The woman who wrote the clueless review and took shots at the girls should be ashamed of herself*. It ain't Steely Dan without the babe choir. * this refers to this review: http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/tampacall...th-eckerd-hall/ ...more in Part 2... Jeff the skunk Baxter and Denny Diaz on tour with them?
Guest dog14787 Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 Here is my overly long review of last night's Steely Dan concert at the St Augustine Amphitheater, which is about a mile down the road from my place, on St Augustine Beach. It's basically a cut and past job from the post I made on a SD forum, last night. I'll try to edit out the stuff that makes no sense, out of the context of that forum...but if you see something odd, that's probably the reason. Also, since it is very long, I will break it into two, or three, parts: Setlist: OK, back from the show. Glad to see the setlist has already been posted, so I will take a little time, and flesh things out, a bit. Excuse any spelling and grammatical errors, please. I'm still a little buzzed, and very tired. For those who are into the Cliff Notes version, here's the bottom line: Despite several gaffes, early sound issues and a major scheduling problem, this concert had more energy than any Dan concert I have seen to date. The crowd was insane, but they were not without their issues, either. Let's start from the top. My ticket (and everything I read about the concert) says the show started at 8 PM. We entered the amphitheater at 7:55, and Sam Yahel was well underway. In fact, I think I got to hear two songs, before they ended. During one, I was getting the beverages and finding my seat. I admit that pissed me off, a bit. Why would they start the concert earlier than the time printed on the tickets? I like Sam Yahel and was looking forward to hearing him, again. Well, I have nothing to say about Sam's group, as I heard almost nothing. Of course, that made the late-arrivers (who probably planned to miss the opening act) very late, and people were still talking and being seated while the Dan was playing. Just an inexcusable scheduling failure by the venue. My seat was on the floor (small uncomfortable seats, too close together) 6th row, dead center. Tennie's Blues is a great jazz tune, performed very ably by the band (sans Don, Walt and the gals). Beard got to show his talent, and the band seemed tightly loose. Things looked good. Time Out of Mind: Don's melodica sounded great, tonight. Better than I have ever heard him/it sound. There were the typical early sound issues. More seriously though, Walter seemed to be having some guitar issues. I don't think he was happy with the blue ax, and he wasn't loud enough in the mix. He played on, and with vigor, mind you, but it was clearly an issue. By now, the crowd was seated, and they were VERY into the show. Screaming almost too much...but how can you complain about the open and obvious joy of a Dan-starved crowd? It became clear to me that many in the crowd have been waiting for many years for SD to play in North Florida. But, they sang along with almost every song. Interestingly, they were on key, and actually didn't sound half bad, but it came at the price of some listening pleasure later in the concert. Also, I had the two most obnoxious people sitting next to me. When the guy wasn't singing, he was talking (very loudly) to his date, who cackled and screamed back to him the entire night. They never shut the !@#$ up. He actually had a conversation, or two, on his cell phone, during the show. The rudeness of some people is astonishing. Anyway, back to the show... Bodhisattva: Outstanding. Sound is getting better, but Walt's guitar remains an issue, it seems. Jon sound great, but as usual, he is too low in the mix, for my tastes. Jon was a monster all night, fast and tasteful, all solos very purposeful. Show Biz Kids: Best version yet, IMO. The intro was sensational (I know because I wrote that down, and now I don't remember the details). Fagen was in great voice for this tune, and all night, for the most part. The girls were the best I have ever hear them. I guess three-girls (with Catherine Russell) really does make a difference. I'm sorry I every doubted it. Walt changes his guitar. I think it was due to the issues, and not merely a normal change, but I could be wrong. This took care of some issues, but it still wasn't totally corrected. Bad Sneakers. Good version. Maybe not quite as good as the one other time I saw this live, but excellent, to be sure. It seemed to be slowed down by a fraction of a beat. And Don sang the verses in a rushed manner. The fast over slow really worked well, I thought. 2vN: I can't believe people don't like this live. The song is pure energy, and is a wild and challenging cacophony of sound. This crowd simply LOVED it. Walt has his blue guitar back, and now all is well, on the sound front...for the most part. Black Friday: It was outstanding. Best live version I have heard, and by a large margin. The girls were simply outstanding. I could say that for every song, but I made a note of it on BF, so it must have been extra super-good. The woman who wrote the clueless review and took shots at the girls should be ashamed of herself*. It ain't Steely Dan without the babe choir. * this refers to this review: http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/tampacall...th-eckerd-hall/ ...more in Part 2... Lucky Bum Dude I can't believe you live on my favorite beach, what a beach bum, now you really pissed me off
The Dean Posted June 20, 2009 Author Posted June 20, 2009 Jeff the skunk Baxter and Denny Diaz on tour with them? I wish Dias was still around. He may be one of the great underrated guitarists of our time. I always thought it was Skunk, or one of the hired guitar aces playing the outrageous solos of the early albums...and often it was. But, I have discovered Dias played some of my favorite Dan licks. Denny is a computer programmer, for the most part, although he does the very occasional jazz gig, I think. Skunk is a military consultant, who regularly works for the Department of Defense.
bdelma Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 I used to listed to the Dan all the time favorite album was Countdown to Estacy.
Rico Posted June 20, 2009 Posted June 20, 2009 My seat was on the floor (small uncomfortable seats, too close together) 6th row, dead center. Here you go
The Dean Posted June 20, 2009 Author Posted June 20, 2009 Here you go You got that right. The guys on either side of me were even bigger (fatter) than I am . Between the three of us, it wasn't pretty.
The Dean Posted July 9, 2009 Author Posted July 9, 2009 Just an FYI to you Dan fans: On July 14 at 8 p.m., MSG will air "Steely Dan: Rent Party '09," a special showing group members Walter Becker and Donald Fagen preparing for their summer tour. Fuse will air the show at 10.
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