Joe forgot a lyric or two, and seemed a bit under the weather, coughing once or twice, but put on a great show anyway.
This tour is Todd at his best. . . completely focused and in communion with the audience. Every song was performed, not just played. The "Pretending To Care" encore was as perfect as it can be, with Joe's piano and Ethel accompanying an emotionally heart-wrenching performance. Chills and shivers.
Todd made a big deal out of how big, clean and impressive the Foxwoods facility is. Having played several times at Mohegan Sun a few miles away, he wasn't prepared for what he seemed to feel was a higher level of experience. The performance space, in particular, seemed to impress him, as well it should have. Todd also commented on the experience of touring with a string quartet, using the "higher culture" as his excuse for performing a nearly flawless "Hello, It's Me."
The sound system seemed a bit shrill on vocals where I was sitting (row Q, stage right, about 29 rows from the stage and probably 25 feet above it). It may have sounded better nearer the mix position, but I've seen another review that also mentions this problem, so maybe not.
Don't miss this show. It's a set of masterful performances by artists at the peak of their capabilities.
