Todd Rundgren, Gruene Hall, Gruene, Texas, March 28th 2003.

Review by Derek Moore (Switch to
)
3/30/2003

Gruene Hall is situated in the tiny village of Gruene, founded by a German community in 1878) a few miles outside New Braunsfel, and half an hours drive from San Antonio, Texas.The hall and adjacent restaurant complex overhangs the Guadalupe River. Touted as "The Oldest Dance Hall in Texas", capacity crowd is five hundred, all sold, and according to management, could have been sold several times over. The Rundgren bandwagon out-numbered the locals. The car park boasted plates from Minnesota and Oregon to Guadajara, and California to New York.

After a credible opening by Austin’s Vince Wilkes, the great man walked on stage. A singer, a sound man, a piano, guitar, ukulele and canned music - "with a twist" brought to this hall a very remarkable concert in many aspects It was about communication and it was very powerfully, ‘anti-war’. Throughout this evening, and in every song there was forceful instrumentation and a strong determination in his vocals; a man on a mission.

A quick walk on stage, slunging his guitar, he went straight into Lysastrata. He started as if he felt he was confronting the Lions Den, but mainly, he "preached to the converted". ‘Love of the Common Man’ followed. The highlight of the night brought a very emotional ‘Beloved Infidel.’ He praised the Dixie Chicks for having "spine" and used the excuse of a loud conversation to remark on the standards of ‘some’ people who were raised in Texas, all to loud cheering.

After two standing ovations, and his last song ‘Howdy-All It’s Me’, the singer in the shark-skin suit finally quit; the clock read twenty minutes after midnight. "Mission accomplished", the Great Man had given it his all.

Among the few veteran concert-goers I talked to on the way out, one with forty-one shows under his belt, the unanimous opinion was "the best one yet."

Outstanding in his field.


Other reviews for Miscellaneous Dates 2003
3/28/2003 - Gruene Hall - New Braunfels, TX

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