TICKETS TORN IN HALF: Two Nights of TODD RUNDGREN-Two Years Apart.(1973/1975)

TICKETS TORN IN HALF: Two Nights of TODD-Two Years Apart.(1973/1975)

August 25,1973:TODD RUNDGREN-SONS OF 1984@ Wollman Rink in Central Park: We had our blood test for our marriage license in the morning then got on the train with my brother and his date for a free afternoon show (for a limited audience) to assist as a chorus in the recording of a new TODD tune entitled “ SONS OF 1984”  which would be on TODD’S next album. Upon arrival to Wollman Rink, an outdoor venue, we received the lyric sheet, and after an explanation rom the choral master (TODD) we rehearsed our part a few times and  then Todd recorded a few takes.He explained how we”the last coast” would be coming out of one speaker and a soon to be recorded part from the west coast would be designated to the other speaker. After playback and upon approval from TODD well… Then TODD and the band gave us a show, some of the hits and the heavies.I took some amazing photos, actually  used by CREEM magazine despite Lisa Robinson and a few other gems trying to block my angles. BeBe posed gracefully and was as gorgeous as can bebe.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF August 25,1975: TODD RUNDGREN/ UTOPIA@ Wollman Rink in Central Park “ANOTHER LIVE” was  recorded. This is two years to the date, in the same spot, since we recorded SONS OF 1984 with Todd.So here we are again, on another TODD (live) album. Again,the musicians who make up UTOPIA are his band.These guys are a bit different from previous incarnations of TODD line ups. Since 1968 I have seen Todd with Nazz, The Hello People, Runt, with Tony and Hunt Sales and others, sometimes aided by Hall and Oates, et al.But tonight was quite different, musicianship at the forefront. However, I got quite lost in some of the songs, particularly THE WHEEL which went on forever and made no point to me.TODD introduced “Do Ya” as “the MOVE covered “Open My Eyes” so we are returning the favor”.

(Wiki)•Todd Rundgren – guitar, vocals, production

•Mark “Moogy” Klingman – keyboards, vocals, harmonica, glockenspiel, Korg synthesizer

•Ralph Schuckett – keyboards, vocals, organ, clavinet, accordion

•John Siegler – bass guitar, vocals

•Roger Powell – Moog synthesizer, trumpet, vocals

•John “Willie” Wilcox – drums

•David lasley (background vocals)

•Arnold McCuller (background vocals)

•Phillip Ballou (background vocals)

From: thevinyldistrict.com:(Graded On A Curve):Todd Rundgren’s Utopia (later shortened to just Utopia) surprised me in several regards. First, I thought Todd was the synthesizer freak in the band. Wrong. Mark “Moogy” Klingman and Roger Powell played the Korg synthesizer and the Moog synthesizer, respectively, along with tons of other instruments. Rundgren played guitar and sang, while Ralph Schuckett played all manner of keyboards in addition to bass. John Siegler played bass and cello, and John “Willie” Wilcox played drums. Second, I was glad to discover (how could I have forgotten?) that Utopia covers The Move’s great rocker “Do Ya,” written by later ELO stalwart Jeff Lynne.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:August 11,2013-TODD RUNDGREN @Westbury Music Fair.

 

TICKETS TORN IN HALF:August 11,2013-TODD RUNDGREN @Westbury Music Fair. Two of my buddies had tickets for the show. They told me where they were seated, so I went on-line and bought the one next to them.Surprise.(Thanks to setlist.com for the list)

Real Man

Love of the Common Man

Buffalo Grass

Kind Hearted Woman Blues
(Robert Johnson cover)

Determination

Lucky Guy

Can We Still Be Friends

Espresso (All Jacked Up)

Love Is the Answer
(Utopia song)

It Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference

Lost Horizon

Flaw

Soul Brother

I’m So Proud
(The Impressions cover)

Ooo Baby Baby
(The Miracles cover)

I Want You
(Marvin Gaye cover)

Hawking

I Saw the Light

Courage

Drive

Couldn’t I Just Tell You

Hello It’s Me

A Dream Goes on Forever

TICKETS TORN IN HALF JULY13, 1974: ERIC CLAPTON/ ROSS @ MSG (TODD RUNDGREN on encore)

TICKETS TORN IN HALF JULY13, 1974: ERIC CLAPTON/ ROSS @ MSG (TODD RUNDGREN on encore) ERIC Clapton in recovery from a 3 year heroin addiction offers a new lp (released that week) and a single I SHOT THE SHERIFF which had some airplay. Most of the audience was again (as with BLIND FAITH) unfamiliar with his “newer” stuff so this could be scary. His new band included bassist Carl Radle from THE DOMINOS, DB& F, Dick Sims -keys and Jamie Oldaker-drums friends of Radle’s from TULSA COUNTRY CONNECTION with George Terry an unknown on guitar, and YVONNE ELLIMAN from the cast of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR added to enrich the vocals. They opened with EASY NOW from Clapton’s solo piece of 1970, followed by LET IT GROW, CAN’T FIND MY WASY HOME, LET IT RAIN, KEY TO THE HIGHWAY, BADGE, LITTLE WING, before hitting a new tune MAINLINE FLORIDA. Then they offered TELL THE TRUTH,BLUES POWER,HAVE YOU EVER LOVED A WOMAN,LITTLE QUEENIE, WILLIE AND THE HAND JIVE, GET READY, CROSSROADS, LAYLA, and PRESENCE OF THE LORD. Whew, it was good to have him back.

Note on ERIC CLAPTON: My first recollection of the guitarist ERIC CLAPTON occurred when I was about 14 (circa 1966) after he left THE YARDBIRDS. In one magazine or another I read about this guitarist nicknamed GOD who left the YARDBIRDS to join JOHN MAYALL, a name I never heard. I knew of THE YARDBIRDS from some singles and TV appearances. So I sought out this CLAPTON guy, even bought the BLUESBREAKERS “Beano” album and later found FIVE LIVE YARDBIRDS. The BLUESBREAKERS was not my cup of tea at that moment but the LIVE thing was. Then CREAM arrives with me picking up ANYONE FOR TENNIS (45) but not the first lp. DISRAELI GEARS hits the charts and its on my turntable constantly, followed by WHEELS OF FIRE. This guy is good.

TICKETS TORN IN HALF JULY 3, 1976: Todd Rundgren

 

 

TICKETS TORN IN HALF JULY 3, 1976: Todd Rundgren  (4th time) (UTOPIA) / CHEECH AND CHONG/HALL AND OATES @ Central Park. It was the day before, actually late afternoon before the BIG EVENT, The Bi-Centennial, 1776-1976, the 200th Birthday of our independence and we were celebrating in style. NYC was an epicenter for the event. Huge flags draped across the access bridges to Manhattan. The LI RailRoad was extending hours and trains. People were attired in the Red, White, and Blue, and some on the uptown subway were dressed like UNCLE SAM, one guy even wearing stilts. The harbors were filled with tall ships and naval vessels. Uniforms abound.  So our event was TODD RUNDGREN, a family favorite since 1968 with NAZZ and now Todd was doing his UTOPIA stuff full time now as well as producing HALL and OATES at the same time so H&O stepped in with UTOPIA for a few numbers. The band closed (encore) with THE MOVE’S “Do Ya”. Speaking of numbers ,CHEECH AND CHONG did a full comedy routine which had us in hysterics.All for $2.00

ON THE SHELF: SMALL TOWN TALK- BOB DYLAN,THE BAND, VAN MORRISON, JANIS JOPLIN, JIMI HENDRIX AND FRIENDS IN THE WILD YEARS OF WOODSTOCK by Barney Hoskyns, DaCapo Press

ON THE SHELF: SMALL TOWN TALK- BOB DYLAN,THE BAND, VAN MORRISON, JANIS JOPLIN, JIMI HENDRIX AND FRIENDS IN THE WILD YEARS OF WOODSTOCK by Barney Hoskyns, DaCapo Press

Yesterday’s post was JUDAS! so I thought this a decent follow up to the exploits of one, Robert Zimmerman.

“There’s a veil of secrecy around all this stuff,” the folk singer Artie Traum told me when I first visited Woodstock in the summer of 1991. “And for no particular reason, because there’s really nothing to hide. I don’t think there are any skeletons that aren’t already public. But one of the whole things that Dylan started was ‘Don’t talk to anybody.” (preface)

This book is small town name dropping at its best. ALBERT GROSSMAN being the star attraction, arriving as his way to escape the hustle and bustle that he brought upon himself,a way to escape those that despised him, he settles on a spread in upstate New York, BEARSVILLE, and consequently an entire army of like minded folks (pun intended) arrive a few years later, BOB DYLAN being the most famous.

They are all here in and around WOODSTOCK , the small town as the title suggest, some only visited, while others settled or “escaped” from drugs, money, spouses, or just for the serenity of what the surrounding had to offer.

MY LITTLE KNOWN FUN FACT THAT I LOVE: Gate Of Horn co-owner LES BROWN who with ALBERT GROOMSMAN opened that Chicago club in 1956:“Les Brown loathed him so much that, after Grossman’s death, he made a special trip to urinate on his grave” (p32)

IN THE HOUSE: June 8, 1972-TODD RUNDGREN AND THE HELLO PEOPLE @ CARNEGIE HALL

IN THE HOUSE June 8, 1972-TODD RUNDGREN AND THE HELLO PEOPLE @ CARNEGIE HALL  School had ended and I was finalizing all my duties as Managing Editor of the college newspaper and just happened to check my mailbox one last time before heading home. In my cubby was an envelope from BEARSVILLE RECORDS addressed to me. Seems that all my talk on my college radio program about seeing NAZZ in 68 followed with the constant playing of the TODD RUNDGREN RADIO SHOW promo disc that Bearsville issued had paid off. Inside I found two comp tickets to see TODD RUNDGREN with THE HELLO PEOPLE at Carnegie Hall.

THE HELLO PEOPLE, hard to describe their sound but easy to describe their look…they were dressed as mimes, white face and all, not speaking a word to the audience between songs while acting out routines. Geez. Then TODD took over and rocked the joint. BUZZY LINHART who was seated next to me was called to the stage to join in on the festivities. Overall, a great night of RUNDGREN music.