Date: Sat, 10 Aug 1996 18:48:05 -0500
From: mckay james j <jjmckay@uiuc.edu>
Subject: SPOILER: Whatta Couple Nights--IL and WI Shows
A REVIEW IN ONE OF THE CHICAGO SUNDAY PAPERS was not on target
but
they had a great comment about Friday's show which stuck out in
my head:
"(Friday night) ...Steely Dan was better live than on their
albums..."
Now that comment is arguable...but, hey, given the absolute
perfection
of their albums and that it *is indeed* arguable says a hell of
a lot!
We've had Steely Dan on albums for all of these years and it's
been the
cat's tu nooky to the say the least. But this live scene--it's
something
else. I've seen the future, baby--it is *murderously hot* live
Dandom.
I must say that I'm still coming down from the high of last
weekend's shows
so it's taken a while to get these thoughts down. So if you haven't
attended
the shows yet, plan a period of decompression.
Aside from the *incredible* performances last Friday and Saturday,
there were
the equally *incredible* fans of Dandom as well. Both the shows
and
the fans contributed to the most fantastic weekend ever.
As you know, Dan Rinehart, Lucky Henry, and myself hosted a
DuoDANVENTION
for both shows with special guest Maggi McCoy. Quite a few of
you have
met Maggi on the past few year's tours. Maggi is a Great Grandmother
from
St. Louis who 'whip almost anybody in the area of Danspeak and
jazzspeak.
The evening began at Gambone's, just up the street from The
New World Music
Theatre. A good dozen folks showed up including Jim, Jeff, Hank,
Dan, Suzanne,
The Buckinghams (the folks live up the street from me and we've
never met!).
The burritos were as big our heads and the anticipation of the
shows
were even bigger. Maggi was the guiding spirit of our Dandemonous
thoughts.
It's one thing to read about people but it's a whole other dimension
to meet
other fans--just like it was finally seeing the Dan live after
all those years
just seeing an occasional picture in the album artwork.
We made a bee line for the show.
A word about the T-shirts and souveniers. Some folks kvetch
about the
$25 price. The price is totally worth it. Most tour shirts feature
the recent album cover slapped on the front and the tour dates
slapped
on the back. These beefy tees were *designed* with us fans in
mind
featuring artwork inspired by our favorite songs. Can't think
of
the last show I'd been to where attention like that was paid.
(For a t-shirt preview, check out D.C.'s fine web page at
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~cioffi/eviva/dagoods/dagoodsindex.html)
We were immensely fortunate to have seats in the fifth row...and
by
incredible coincidence we were near Digest Contributors Dan and
Suzanne
Rinehart and "Honest Lawyer" and his squeeze. Meeting
Dan folks from the
Internet is a real priveledge to say the least. It was great
to meet folks
after chatting on the Digest after the past two-three years.
The show began with "Do It Again" and continued with
a similar set list
as some of the more recent shows. The band was incredibly hot
and tight
throughout both Friday and Saturday's shows. They were searing!
The
horns really stuck out in my mind on this one as did Krantz's
solo.
After this we heard gems like "Bad Sneakers," Everyone's
Gone To The
Movies," and of course "Josie." This early into
the show, everyone
in our area was already going nuts. A lot of it had to do with
the
incredible energy the band exuded. The solos By Wayne and Walter
on
"Bad Sneakers" and "Josie" bested the album.
Both masters are incredible to
watch play and I was totally taken by their mannerisms while they
played.
"Jack of Speed" was played with a great lead vocal
by Walter. This
was a song I latched onto within seconds of its start. Some songs
you gotta give a few listens before you catch it. This one was
an
instantaneous hit. I see it as a Number 1 on the Charts (in the
event such
things actually matter for us Dan fans.) Infectious groove and
great
lyrics. Walter's voice was the perfect brush to paint the
character portrait of "Jack of Speed." Can't wait for
the album to be
out to say the least.
I've always found "Green Earrings" to be one the
funniest Dan songs and in
part it is due to the fact that the original is Disco played better
than
Disco deserves to be played. The version on Friday night was
true
to that satirical spirit with it's masterful execution.
"Any Major Dude" was great to hear--sweet solos--and
one of the songs that
seduced me into a lover of the Dan's work. I was so glad to hear
it live. I had heard "Greenflower" in 1992 and it was
a pleasure
to hear aagin. What I love best about this song is that Donald
and company
do this incredible tension between restraint and urgency.
It's the tempo that grabs me. Incredible! "Rikki" was
a surprise for me
on this tour as DF has always said that it was not one of his
favs.
The 1996 version is a bit reworked and, admittedly, it took a
little getting
used to. I guess in my early days of fandom I played it to death,
inscribing it deeply in my mind. I found the new version to be
a bit
less urgent and a bit more relaxed than the orginal, as if it
could have been
on "Kathy Lied" instead. And I loved "Katy Lied."
By the second night I
was really into it. The horns replaced the album's guitar solo--a
nice twist of that energetic section of the song. Everybody seemed
to
be going on "Peg."
--------------
With regards to this "Hoops!" character on the Steely
Fan Digest, I've gotta
say that "Hoops!" is a spirit based on the collective
joy and karma of Dandom
we all share and contribute to here. Sorta like Santa or something.
Well, that spirit was really present at the shows Friday and
Saturday night.
Several of us digest folks were all together cheering Walter and
Donald
on and waving goofy signs. Especially on Friday night, the crowd
seemed
to "enjoy the insane," as KRK put it earlier this week.
But what
was really flooring was that during the band intros, Walter said
"Hello"
to us, thus essentially acknowledging all of us here on the Internet!!!
Things got even more incredible...during the intermission,
Walter and Donald
decided they wanted to meet us crazy digest folks! (The hardest
part
for me was that we *all* couldn't be there.) Their engineer,
Dave R.,
was extremely cool and kind and escorted us backstage. Maggie
enjoyed
meeting Dave R. almost as much as D & W. We were numb with
excitement!
I was so moved by the experience that I was left speechless
and my voice
even cracked. I haven't even known what to say about it all.
It was like Santa took us to the North Pole. I was especially
happy for Maggi who has been a diehard fan since almost the beginning
of
Steely Dan.
Ever since I have been toungue tied and seized by writer's
block.
Finally a generous soul wrote the following, summing it up best:
...despite their rep and their attitude, they are truly
moved by
their fans and they enjoy finding some small ways to send
out
their appreciation (in appropriate dan-like doses, of course!)
...I think it would be totally appropriate (if not
downright desireable) for you to publicize or at least mention
that link
with the picture (http://pathfinder.com/steelydan/hoopscrowd.html).
Sharing an experience that they wanted you and others to have
is
completely consistent imho with their intent to make some
people
happy and to show that they have noticed and do care about
it all!
...I think everybody would get a kick out of knowing you (and,
by
extension, they) were acknowledged.
So here's to the spirit of Steely Dan and all of Dandom!
---------
After intermission, the second set picked up with "East
St. Louis
Toodleoo" with Walter rousingly playing guitar. Again, I'm
facinated
just watching Walter play. Maggi's hero, Donald, dedicated the
piece to her.
She practically passed out!
"Glamour Profession" featured tasty guitar licks
with Walter and Steve
and was a sensation to hear live for the first time. That song
could
go on and on and I still wouldn't tire of it.
"Waterloo" was a great surprise, and just like "Book
of Liars" it had an extra
dimension live. Afterwards I did a doubletake imagining
what the solo Walter show in San Francisco must have been like.
The guitar solo
smoked. If Walter ever does another solo show, I hope he adds
"Midnite Cruiser" as that ditty was a fresh sounding
pleaser in
it's new 1996 incarnation. "Cash-only Island" was another
new song
I had never heard before; I liked it a lot and am looking forward
to it
being on the new album, although I didn't get into it as quickly
as
"Jack of Speed." I think some folks overlook how fitting
Walter's voice is to the subject matter of the words he is singing.
Someone else called "Black Cow" one of the high points
and I agree. Donald
was in great form and really lead the crowd into this one. The
whole
crowd was grooving by this time and the security was amazingly
tolerant
of the crowd, many of whom were on their feet cheering by this
time.
Donald was great in terms of playing and vocals, but where I saw
the
most growth from the last four years was in his ability to get
around stage and get the crowd going. He was having fun and his
spirit
was incredibly infectious. "Black Cow" is such a well-loved
Dan
song that playing in front of the adoring fans added a whole dimension
not present on the album version. (Not that the album version
isn't perfection!) "Home At Last" and "Kid Charlemagne"
were audience
pleasers in the same way and I think that is why everyone stayed
on their
feet and why everyone kept cheering.
"Don't Take Me Alive" was the first encore--incredible!
I'm sure everyone
was surprised by its inclusion. It was like it was done in appreciation
for serious Dan fans. Krantz was more than perfect for rendering
the searing
guitar licks.
The show closed with everyone's faorite beer-party romp, "My
Old School."
Played perfect to close the perfect party.
Both nights, Maggi, myself and company were speechless on the
way home
and rethinking each evening's shows made it hard even to drive.
It
was like we were intoxicated on Steely Dan.
Saturday night at Alpine was largely a repeat of the prevous
night's
phenomincal performance except I think the Band played even better
and hotter. The second half of the DuoDanvention was a smash
and a great time was had by all who stopped by. One casualty:
A couple
from amongst us here at the digest, The Pellmans, saw their party
tray
fall to the ground off a speaker in the Rinehart Rambler. "Kid
Charlemagne" was being played and the great bass line vibrated
the plates
right off!
At the show, we digest folk went to the front of the venue
and were
entranced. The security seemed a bit tighter Saturday night but
then again we were just so into it, perhaps we made them nervous.
Walter
did his best to support the causes of us dancing fools by asking
the
guards to let us dance. Toward the end we all spontaneously started
moving our arms in this chopping motion Donald does. We were
mesmerized.
If there were any regrets it was that we couldn't have all
800-900
of us there, especially Pete and Cheri, H.B., St.A. and everybody
else.
But it felt like everyone was there in spirit.
What a couple of nights! If you haven't done so yet, I hope
you make the
effort to hit one of the shows next week or in September or ...
you'll
never forget it.