Bearsville State 5/5/13

Come prepared to dance your feet and other body parts off because TR the DJ is in the house. I've know our crowd reluctant to move to the music, content to gaze upon and be entranced by the band, but this is a show suited to a dance hall. Opening night of the State tour, not knowing what to expect, I was very impressed to hear Todd's voice, performance, and arm gesturing skills in top form. Working the kinks out and queuing up the pre-recorded backing tracks from his iPad, however, took it's toll on the night's performance. We TR fans are a forgiving lot, and it's humbling to recognize that pulling off such a technically oriented show requires patience at times. Did Prarie get a chance to learn the material before sitting down at his electro-pad trap set? I wonder. Jesse was totally professional, as usual, even when laughing along with Todd at the frequent "looseness" in the show. We were treated to major, epic renditions of Imagination, Ping Me, and Sir Realty that were sublime, "stately", and powerful. Pulling from the old catalog electronica gems such as No World Order, Secret Society, and Truth were great choices. Several covers were played as well, including Prime Time from the Tubes' Remote Control and a surprising Personality Crisis from the New York Dolls. The light show was really first class with coordinated beams of multicolored light panning across the stage and out into the audience. Bring your goggles. The encore, without spoiling the treat, was certainly With (another kind of) a Twist!