The trip:
Bad traffic leaving Toronto. No problem crossing the
border. The female customs agent asked
who we were seeing at the Tralf. I said "Todd
Rundgren". She said "oh cool" and waived us through.
Our Seats:
We get VIP passes from Patronet and score first row
comfyseats in the VIP section! There were a total of
8 of us in the section. SWEET!
The Crowd:
Mostly 40-somethings and older, like you'd expect. I
hear the conversations and there are a lot of obvious
long-time fans. I sit next to a kid who's there with
his father who is a fan.
The Show:
Overall, very good. I don't do set lists, but there
were no surprises.
Highlights: - The band is TIGHT. The light show is neat. - I love Prairie's drumming -- it's impeccable. He looks like everyone's Uncle Ed. - Good to see Kas. He looks a little bored. I wish there was more of him in the show. - Todd's in good humour and good voice. - For me, I loved Todd solo on the guitar -- both Beloved Infidel (with flubs) and Lunatic Fringe are excellent. I know I might be the only one who likes Lunatic Fringe, but it might be the fact that the song is so well known to me from Tom Cochrane and Red Rider. Buffalo Grass and I Hate My Frickin ISP are fantastic. Ditto Truth, Soul Brother and Sweet. He throws in Flaw tonight. It's great to hear Just One Victory again. The crowd eats it up.
Lowlights:
- It's WAY too loud (why does it have to be so
loud???).
- Songs I could live without: Born To
Synthesize (jazzy WAT version -- it goes on way too
long), Feel It (my least favourite song from Second
Wind), God Said
- Songs I would have liked from other shows on this
tour: Love Science.
- In fact, the show drags a little in the second half
and becomes too "jazzy" for my liking.
- I actually miss the between song banter - it's one
of Todd's charming characteristics.
Other stuff:
- Kas has technical problems at the start of IHMFISP.
Todd starts the song (Kas says "go on without me to
him"), but Todd stops it a few bars in and says "it's
no good without bass". Todd keeps playing the opening
riff while the techs work out the problem. Kas sneaks
up behind Todd and grabs him by the waist and starts
feeling up his chest. Todd squirms and makes a funny
face. It's obvious the two have a rapport that comes
from playing together for so long.
- Todd mentions that it's been a good day since "son
number two was drafted today. I don't know how you
guys feel about Kansas City???" (Randy is drafted by
the baseball K.C. Royals)
- During Hello It's Me, Todd goes into a rap about
"reconnecting" with friends, says it's been a long
time since he was here, points to one tall guy and
says "like that tall goofy looking guy - I know him!".
- Some dopey chick is talking on her cell phone half
the time. Then I see her holding it up so someone on
the other end can listen.
