Utopia

Tonight I saw Todd Rundgren's Utopia in concert at The Wiltern. If you saw my post on FB a couple of hours ago, then you know my reaction.

What's that? You say that it's the same review I give to every concert?

Well, that may be true, although you needn't be so blunt as to point it out to me. Good grief.

Would you rather I forced myself to make a speech about a show that rendered me as mute as Sally Hawkins? Of course you wouldn't, and you also are liking how I was able to wedge in a reference to "Shape Of Water", the subject of last night's blog, so all is well now. Argument over.  :)

But I really was left speechless, honest, and that happens with regularity these days, when I am seeing bands and musicians who have decades of live performance under their belts. It's weird, though, because some bands do not get better with age (and I will mention no names), but then others get so good that my larynx stops working after I see them.

You already know that Todd Rundgren is no mere musical genius, but one of the great artists in the history of rock n' roll. For me, he is one of my Top Ten. He can do it all : write, sing, play guitar like a you know what, lead a band. He is one of the top record producers of all time. Gee whiz, you know? The guy is a Musical Titan.

I discovered Todd at 13 years of age, when he was still primarily a solo artist. But then, in 1974, he formed Utopia, the progressive rock band he wanted to use to showcase his virtuoso musical abilities. He was only 26 at the time, and had already put out two of the greatest records ever made, "Todd" and "A Wizard A True Star". But those were solo records. Utopia was gonna be a band.

The self-titled debut came out in '74, and it was American Progressive Rock on the level of the great Prog bands from England. Later on, as the lineup was boiled down to a four piece, Utopia shortened the songs and added Todd's pop sensibilities into the mix, but retained the original progressive basis.

In this incarnation, which featured Kasim Sulton on Bass, Roger Powell on Keys and Willie Wilcox on Drums, the band made eight albums. I was only on board for the first three, because by the early 80s, Van Halen and Rush had taken over my life (and Judas Priest, and Rainbow, and Motorhead....et al).

But also, after "Adventures In Utopia", their last classic album in 1979, the final 5 releases from the band were not as good as the perfection of the first four. Maybe now if I went back and listened to them.....for the record, in the 2018 version of Utopia, Roger Powell has been replaced by the keyboardist/singer Gil Assayas, who is an A Plus in every respect.

But at any rate, I mean : listen folks. You have got to be joking me.

Todd Rundgren is about to turn 70 in three weeks. He has been doing this for 50 years!

He has put out a couple dozen albums, solo and with Utopia, at least 6 of them classic, many very good, and on down the line. If you just count single songs that are great, he's got a million.

Utopia played about 20 of 'em tonight, maybe a few more. They played for 2 1/2 hours (20 minutes intermission). The show started at 7:10 pm, which was weird because who ever heard of a concert starting that early? I was lucky to get there on time. But I did get there, and I had an awesome seat - front row balcony, right in the center.

Todd is 70, and he has the energy of a 35 year old, and the power of Todd. Grimsley was not speechless, he had a one word review : "Unreal".

The two-set concert combined the complex progressive rock from the debut album and "RA", their masterpiece, with the pop-prog of their most popular albums. Those songs featured three and four part harmonies that were as good as anything this side of the Beach Boys, but different and more powerful.

The first set was very loud, and in fact one of the loudest concerts I've heard since Iron Maiden. Weird, huh? I guess because of all that sound, of all the instruments playing such heavily detailed music, and then all the vocals too. It was a tidal wave of sound.

The second set was refined a little bit, toned down just a touch in volume. That was the pop set, with all the perfect vocals.

I am blown completely off the map, and I don't know what to say about all of these 70 year old performers.

I think it's because we are all part of the Wonder Bread Generation. I don't know what else to say.

In the past, 70 year olds were either dead or they looked like Fred Mertz from "I Love Lucy".

Now they play 2 1/2 hour shows and leave you speechless.

See you in the morning.   xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxxo  :):)