Rundgren Radio Doug and Mel hosted a small gathering at Mel's place the night before. Jesse and Kaz came. We all had a fantabulous time, to say the least, with lots of food, drinks, coffee, and of course, the infamous "Phallus of Dallas" cake (which we saved to give to Todd after the concert.)
Kudos to RR for putting these shows together and promoting Todd. I know it takes a lot of work and sacrifice and headaches. But the results speak for themselves. And quite loudly too.
If you're a long-time Todd fan who chose to skip the Johnson tour because you don't like the blues or whatever your reason might be, you've really missed out on a freakin' killer show. If you'd have liked to see this show but couldn't, I highly recommend getting the PPV, or at the least track down some HD videos on Youtube (they're out there). Not quite the same as hearing it live, obviously, but it'll be the next best thing to being there.
The Trees show was also fun on another level. The venue was intimate and cool, the stage not too big. People could mingle and walk about. The sound was well mixed. Everyone seemed relaxed and having a blast. Quite a few young people and first-timers, a good sign. One fan even brought her 9-month old son (he was well protected with headphones, of course.)
On this night Todd and band were in a great mood and perfect form. The delivery was precise and searing. The setlist, as everyone knows by now, is mouth-watering. Bleeding was absolutely my favorite. And by the time Boogies came on folks on the floor were on their feet dancing. A beautiful sight on a beautiful night.
Onward to Akron!
