To be honest with you all, this is the first time I've ever typed up a review of Todd-R Gigs. Basically, I'm normally a lurker/hawker of the 'TR Connection Site' although I must admit, it's a good website, with good and honest past reviews, by other posters, with good photographs thrown in for good measure, so keep up the good work everyone & Roger & Co, cool. Anyway, here is my take of both shows/gigs. The said gigs started around 20:20 hours, (8.20pm) & Went on to around 21:40, (9:40pm) roughly one hour and twenty minutes long set, except Edinburgh, which lasted about ten minutes longer, but that was due to the electrical MCB Tripping/Switching it's self off, due to being in overload mode, but I will come back to matter due course, which did changed Todd's mood, from a happy dancing bunny, to a not too happy bunny! both sets, where roughly a twenty one (21) list of songs, in its complete entirety, starting From first to last, & The encore features Todd doing solo which can only be described as an Electronic version of 1) Can We Still Be Friend's 2) I Saw The Light & 3) Hello It's Me The rest of the set list, is basically made up of the whole of the 'State CD List (1-10) Imagination Through to Sir Reality, but not necessarily in that order, in-between said new album, track List, Todd sang three (3) tracks from the (Re) Production album 2011 1) Nothing To Lose 2) Prime Time & 3) Personality Crisis. Todd also sang two (2) songs from the 'Liars' CD/Album 2004 Entitled:-1) Truth & 2) Future & Two (2) songs from the 'No World Order' (NWO) CD/Album 1994 Entitled:-1) No World Order (Title Track) & 2) World Wide Epiphany & Last but not least & For good measure Todd sang 1) Secret Society from the Utopia album/CD entitled 'POV' Back in 1985 As for the two individual shows/gigs, Glasgow's show was more in line with For example Huntingdon Theatre in New York as far as the set list was concerned with a couple of Extra songs thrown in, although I'm only going by what I've seen on the Todd-Pod Arena Edited Show which one can purchase for only $19.99c which includes view on demand (VOD) feature Which one can repeatedly view, for up to a four month's time scale, which is good value for Money I would assume that said viewing pleasure is being provided by 'Rundgren Radio' Anyway & As I was saying, the Glasgow set list was more in line with Huntingdon Theatre In New York (The Big Apple) Edinburgh's set list however, well that was a bit ad-hoc to say the Least, Glasgow's sound volume level was perfect, no ear plugs material. As for Edinburgh Well, the next time that I'm going through to the 'Picture House' in Edinburgh to see Todd Perform, Then I'm definitely taking my ear plugs. This is twice that I've seen Todd perform @ This venue & Man it's loud. I was also @ the Arena Tour 2008 @ the same Venue which was Also far too loud In actual fact I was @ a MSG Gig there back @ the beginning of April 2013 who Also performed @ The Picture House in Edinburgh & We are talking about a five piece Rock Band Here playing full on, with the place rocking, & MSG's sound level was perfect. As for the in-house Picture House sound engineer, what a complete numpty-jerk-douchebag or insert what ever Here, in fact I had to laugh when someone said to me @ the Picture House State Visit Gig After Todd's System had crashed 'Oh it looks like someone will be getting fired' yeah I know, Hopefully, it's the in-house sound Engineer because my ear drums where thumping, I'm not Kidding, it was basically headache tablet material & The said gig was that loud, that it was still Playing in my brain, after I had driven nearly fifty miles back to Glasgow where I live after The Show, It's no joke my heed (head) was thumping. Yeah, as I was saying the Glasgow Show was cool, the sound level was perfect, and the set list was nearly flawless, with maybe A word missing here or their, in one tune! As for the Edinburgh gig, well they need to find An 'In-House Sound Engineer' who is not Corn-Beef, (Deaf) hard of, to non existent hearing! & Also know that said overloaded sound vibrations, can also knock out the electrical miniature circuit breakers, otherwise known as (MCB's) what a complete jerk/prat! & As you can imagine, Todd was not a happy bunny with the said incompetent person as well. Picture this Folks, musically the said gig is motoring along just fine apart from the sound level and just Past the half way point of the song 'Secret Society' bang/crash half of the stage electrical Power goes off while said song is just past the midway point with Todd making some snake Hip moves. Todd snapped, that frigging Engineer, what's the script, and get it sorted man? It briefly popped Todd into a foul mood mode, when while he was trying to get his touch Screen PC back up & Running he quipped @ Jesse his twin brother Guitar player 'well Jesse play something, after all that's what I'm paying you for'? Which Jesse to his credit, duly Obliged, by playing 'Lucky Guy' from the 1978 'Hermit of Mink Hollow Album' while Todd waited for the electrical power, to be fully restored back on the Stage! There was Also another brief intermission in one of the songs just before said electrical power melt Down when while Todd was performing 'Smoke' from 'State 2013' his specs (spectacles) Flew off to his left hand side behind him and he had to change over his specs for a brief Spell but apart from those brief set backs, the Edinburgh gig went down well, & The Audience of around about 1,000 people of mainly my age group, of late forty's and elder, Enjoyed the gig, & Todd said @ the end of the gig, Good Night Edinburgh We Love You. So over the piece Edinburgh show went down fine, apart from a few miss haps here and There, & As I mentioned, the audience where mainly made up of middle age group generation, With about 1,000 people attending said show! As for the Glasgow gig/show in the audience There was quite a few younger generation, like under thirty (30) like two thirds older, & One third younger, in an audience/attendance with the same amount of people as the Edinburgh Show/Gig, around 1,000 people in total the visual effect on stage was like this:-Todd was Set up on a small platform on the stage towards the front of the stage with his touch screen PC to his right hand side & To his left Todd had an Electronic sound adjuster programmer, A bathroom towel, & bottles of water, and an electrical air fan. Wait, it must have been the Electrical air fan which knocked out the electrical MCB in Edinburgh? Na, he had the Exact same set up, as in the ABC Theatre in Glasgow its still snap puppies for the Edinburgh In-House sound Engineer & Looking for a new employment mode (Sorry M8, its P45 Time- & I'm Afraid So, & It's Adios Time For U.) In his/her case, its find another profession 'Day- Job' Man those two words have a familiar sound to it, like 'Day Job' form the NWO CD 1994 Excuse the pun, as I was saying, where was I, yes the visual view sorry folks I was a bit side Tracked there, moving off the beating track! & Behind Todd, on his small platform to his Left hand side behind where he was standing was 'Guitar Foamy' which he occasionally Played on tracks like 'Secret Society' before said electrical melt down & A little bit on 'Sir Reality' Jesse Gress (Todd's Right-Hand Man Guitar Player) who was on Todd's left hand side front stage Like if you where viewing the audience from the stage was in fine form using two Guitars one of Them is his famous Guitar which has written on the back of it & Coloured (Colored) Black 'Hi-Dee' anyway point being Jesse Gress is a very good Guitar player and he has regularly Being performing with Todd since the 'With A Twist Tour' remember that Bose Nova tour folks, Which was in the year of 1996 or even Jesse might have been performing with Todd as far back As 'The Individualist' tour back in 1995 point being Jesse has now being playing lead Guitar for Todd for eighteen (18) years or so & It surely does show & He is a fine Guitar Player in-fact I was along @ the Glasgow Show with a good friend of mine who has also Being playing the Guitar for years and also plays music for a living and writes his own Material he is a big 'Journey Fan' just to see what his impression would be & After all it Was his first Todd Gig, me, well I'm a Todd stocker nearly every time Todd comes to the UK, In fact I've seen Todd perform from 1975 to the present day about twenty (20) times In total, I've seen the following tours 1) Another Live 75 2) Ra Tour 76 & 77 3) Oops Wrong Planet Tour 79 4) Healing Tour 82 5) No World Order Tour 94 6) Liars Tour 2004 7) Arena Tour 2008 & 8) State Visit Tour 2013 Anyway as I was saying this was my good Friend's first ever gig/show & Man he was impressed after the show for the showmanship The performance & The value for money well it's safe to say that I've made a new Todd Fan that's for sure anyway my friend was overall well impressed anyway Jesse was in Fine form & What about Prerry 'Mr Bo Jangles' Prince' or 'Mr Steel Man' Prerry,? He was also in fine form as well, Prerry's small electronic Drum Kit was set up on Todd's Right hand side, of his small platform, towards the front of the Stage, his beat was on Cue & Solid, in-fact in the Edinburgh Gig, Prerry had to inform the In-House OTT Sound Numpty, To turn up the volume of his Electronic Drums due too low a sound level. So in An nut shell, Prerry is the exact same as Jesse, a professional musician who like Jesse , Has been performing with Todd, for the same amount of time span as Jesse, & It don't Half Show, that's for sure. (A Solid Act) & Last but not least, what can I say about Todd-R? Well Folks, Todd-R Is Todd-R, we all know that by now, a truly lovable kind of a Man Who is totally down to Earth. & If anyone, who is reading my first ever feedback doubt This, then just watch the two Roy Firestone Interviews? Which Michelle-R arranged. The Said interviews are on, well Part One is on the 'Todd 74 Remake DVD Gig' & Part Two is on The 'Healing 1980 Remake DVD Gig' & One will see what I'm referring too! Todd, Is certainly down to Earth in more ways than one! He is also an approachable Gentleman, Who also try's to take time out, of his busy and hectic tour schedules, to meet & Greet his Fans, a true Gentleman & A Scholar over all a genuine and honest Man with a cool nature He also likes Animals, particularly Dog's. & You know what everyone says about people who love Creatures/Dogs, well truly they are not bad natured people now are they? No. Yeah, @ this juncture, I would personally like to honestly thank Todd-R & The rest of the Musicians who have performed with Todd-R, over the years gone bye for all those happy & Fond memories, which Todd & Co have given myself over many enjoyable years of Todd's Musical conceptions/projects/adventures, it will certainly live in my long term memory bank That's for sure, & What a journey. Oh wait, that's what my good friend's favourite Group is called. (Journey) I personally think when it comes to Todd's musical projects we will not have to wait Too long for another adventure, wait I feel another pun here (Don't Stop Believing/Journeys Famous Hit) Another Todd-R's musical project, his next new musical journey/adventure, that's for sure. Or as they say, night time always follows day time, as each day passes bye & Thus end's my first Ever feedback script, so until the next time Folks, 'Sir Reality' slangy/cheers, & All the best to you all.
Sincerely, JJM J J J
P.S. Audience Feedback From Both Sets of Audience:-Response, They Both Enjoyed The Show/Gig.
P.P.S. Overall Show Ratings Between Glasgow & Edinburgh (Marks Out of Ten) Based On Showmanship/Performance Level/Sound Checks/ & Overall Presentation
1) Glasgow:-The 02 ABC Theatre Thursday The 6th of June 2013 (Marks 9/10)
2) Edinburgh:-The Picture House Friday The 7th of June 2013 (Marks 7/10)
