From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal:
TODD RUNDGREN
8 p.m. Tuesday, Pabst Theater. $35.
Todd Rundgren is the epitome of a musician with a cult following, which can be good, because there's always an attentive and reliable fan base, and bad, because wild-eyed cultists can turn off potential fans.
Still, even the curious might brave the converted to catch this show, not because it has been advertised (sardonically?) as featuring "four decades of hits," but because Rundgren has brought along Jesse Gress, Kasim Sulton, Prairie Prince and John Ferenzik.
All have played with Rundgren: Sulton primarily in Utopia (Rundgren's prog-rock group) and Prince notoriously in the New Cars (the Cars, with Rundgren replacing Ric Ocasek).
They can handle Rundgren's material — from the soft-rock classic "Hello It's Me" to this year's deliberately arty pop album "State" — in ways that might convince the hesitant to believe he's the pioneering genius that his cult claims he is.
— Jon M. Gilbertson
Friday, August 23, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Todd Rundgren Rocks Canalside with Sister Sparrow
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/15210854-todd-rundgren-rocks-canalside
Todd Rundgren Rocks Canalside
Buffalo : NY : USA | Aug 15, 2013 at 10:32 PM PDT
By Sherrill Fulghum
On August 15 Canalside ath te Erie Canal Harbourside in Buffalo got down and loud with some good old fashioned rock and roll when This is Fiction, Sister Sparrow, andTodd Rundgren took the stage.
Buffalo's own This is Fiction got the night of rock started off and played a six song set to a rather small but very enthusiastic crowd. One fan even shouted that he wanted to marry the lead singer Derek's guitar. Derek responded that the guitar was single.
After a break to reset the stage, and a few impatient fans shouting to bring on the band, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds took the stage. Sister Sparrow is a rock band with a female singer, a harmonic player, and a brass section of trumpet, trombone, and baritone saxophone. Among the songs during the 10 song set on the beautiful summer evening was "Make it Rain"; and dedicating the song to all mothers in the crowd Sister Sparrow sang "Mama Knows".
The New York eight piece band began as a family affair with big brother Jackson on the harmonica and cousin Bram holding it down on the drums. But Jackson is much more than just the typical harmonica player, he made that tiny little instrument sound as huge as a Hammond organ - and soudned just like one too.
As Sister Sparrow was ending their set and the sun was getting low in the sky, the area around the stage was as crowded as a street corner at The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. During the break, the crowd was tense with anticipation and ready to explode with excitement as they waited to hear the headlining artist of the week - Todd Rundgren.
Finally the big man took the stage and after working the stage - constantly moving - and performing a couple of songs Rundgren donned a green guitar saying, "yeah, it's a guitar. Guitars are cool".
Soon a stool appeared alongside an instrument case/table with Rundgren telling the crowd that his conctract required a certain amount of sit time - about four songs -; adding that sometimes he even had a snack - holding up a banana. As it turned out when he announced that it was time for his snack, the "banana" was a musical shaker.
Teasing the crowd Rundgren told them that he was going to perform his biggest hit...in Australia which turned out to be "Can We Still Be Friends".
Once his required "sit time" was fulfilled, Rundgren again took to rocking the stage and conducting his four piece band performing a number of his hit songs; but there was one missing from the list...until the encore. Once again teasing the fans Rundgren contenplated as to which song they should perform for the what turned out to be a two song encore. Then everyone heard the big one..."Hello it's Me".
At 65 Rundgren shows no signs of waning, he hasn't lost his voice or musical ability like some rockers of his era. The packed crowd danced, sang, and clapped along and when it all came to an end; they stood and chanted for more when the roadies began to tear down the stage. Reluctantly the fans began to disperse, many hanging around the stage hoping for souvenirs.
Sherrill Fulghum is based in Niagara Falls, New York, United States of America, and is an Anchor for Allvoices.
Todd Rundgren Rocks Canalside
Buffalo : NY : USA | Aug 15, 2013 at 10:32 PM PDT
By Sherrill Fulghum
On August 15 Canalside ath te Erie Canal Harbourside in Buffalo got down and loud with some good old fashioned rock and roll when This is Fiction, Sister Sparrow, andTodd Rundgren took the stage.
Buffalo's own This is Fiction got the night of rock started off and played a six song set to a rather small but very enthusiastic crowd. One fan even shouted that he wanted to marry the lead singer Derek's guitar. Derek responded that the guitar was single.
After a break to reset the stage, and a few impatient fans shouting to bring on the band, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds took the stage. Sister Sparrow is a rock band with a female singer, a harmonic player, and a brass section of trumpet, trombone, and baritone saxophone. Among the songs during the 10 song set on the beautiful summer evening was "Make it Rain"; and dedicating the song to all mothers in the crowd Sister Sparrow sang "Mama Knows".
The New York eight piece band began as a family affair with big brother Jackson on the harmonica and cousin Bram holding it down on the drums. But Jackson is much more than just the typical harmonica player, he made that tiny little instrument sound as huge as a Hammond organ - and soudned just like one too.
As Sister Sparrow was ending their set and the sun was getting low in the sky, the area around the stage was as crowded as a street corner at The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. During the break, the crowd was tense with anticipation and ready to explode with excitement as they waited to hear the headlining artist of the week - Todd Rundgren.
Finally the big man took the stage and after working the stage - constantly moving - and performing a couple of songs Rundgren donned a green guitar saying, "yeah, it's a guitar. Guitars are cool".
Soon a stool appeared alongside an instrument case/table with Rundgren telling the crowd that his conctract required a certain amount of sit time - about four songs -; adding that sometimes he even had a snack - holding up a banana. As it turned out when he announced that it was time for his snack, the "banana" was a musical shaker.
Teasing the crowd Rundgren told them that he was going to perform his biggest hit...in Australia which turned out to be "Can We Still Be Friends".
Once his required "sit time" was fulfilled, Rundgren again took to rocking the stage and conducting his four piece band performing a number of his hit songs; but there was one missing from the list...until the encore. Once again teasing the fans Rundgren contenplated as to which song they should perform for the what turned out to be a two song encore. Then everyone heard the big one..."Hello it's Me".
At 65 Rundgren shows no signs of waning, he hasn't lost his voice or musical ability like some rockers of his era. The packed crowd danced, sang, and clapped along and when it all came to an end; they stood and chanted for more when the roadies began to tear down the stage. Reluctantly the fans began to disperse, many hanging around the stage hoping for souvenirs.
Sherrill Fulghum is based in Niagara Falls, New York, United States of America, and is an Anchor for Allvoices.
Closest Thing to Utopia on Stage
http://niagara-gazette.com/nightandday/x389854669/Closest-thing-to-Utopia-on-stage-Thursday-in-Buffalo
August 15, 2013
Closest thing to Utopia on stage Thursday in Buffalo
By Thom Jennings ngedit@niagara-gazette.com Night & Day
Night & Day — On Oct. 31, 1982, I witnessed a show that changed my life. Todd Rundgren, Kasim Sulton, Roger Powell and Willie Wilcox, collectively known as Utopia. Within a few weeks, a friend of mine who was a local disc jockey for a rock radio station began sharing cassette tapes of the band’s live performances, and soon afterward began what most and my friends called an “odd obsession.”
The advantage of being a Utopia fan is that the band members lead you in many musical directions. Todd’s production work leads you to big names like Grand Funk, Meat Loaf and Cheap Trick. Keyboardist Roger Powell toured with David Bowie and even is mentioned in Pete Townshend’s autobiography. Drummer Willie Wilcox’s resume includes work with Hall and Oates and Stacey Q. Finally, bassist Kasim Sulton, his list includes Joan Jett, Meat Loaf, Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, The New Cars and Blue Oyster Cult.
Utopia last performed together in 1992. Since then Kasim Sulton is the only member of the four piece unit that has worked with Todd Rundgren on a consistent basis. Sulton will be part of Rundgren’s band in Buffalo along with guitarist Jesse Gress, keyboardist John Ferenzik and drummer Prairie Prince.
Both Rundgren and Sulton will be in town Thursday at the free Buffalo Canalside show.
Since his days in Utopia Kasim’s services have been in heavy demand. For this tour he had to decide whether to continue to tour with Blue Oyster Cult or go on the road with Todd.
“The way Blue Oyster Cult books their shows is very different; if they get an offer for a show in a week they may take it. When the Todd tour came along there weren’t many BOC shows booked for the summer so I was caught between a rock and a hard place,” Sulton said during a recent phone interview from his home in the New York City area.
“Todd’s fans are the ones that know me best. My fan base isn’t BOC’s. Then there is the history factor, I’ve known Todd for 37 years. It was a no-brainer and the only thing I had to worry about is if BOC would take me back, and they said that wasn’t a problem.”
Fan of the four-piece Utopia band were recently treated to a couple of surprises. The band was featured prominently on the cover of a recent issue of “Goldmine” magazine, and it included interviews with all the band members. It was one of the few times in recent years Todd has talked extensively about his former band.
“I was pleasantly surprised at how generously he spoke about our history. Unfortunately, Utopia was something that wasn’t going to last forever and everybody had their other interests and other things going on,” Sulton said.
In recent years Todd has uncharacteristically revisited his past, putting on album shows, touring with the progressive rock lineup known as “Todd Rundgren’s Utopia” and even mining deep in his catalogue to play “We Gotta Get You a Woman” during orchestra shows.
The closest fans have come to seeing a four-piece Utopia reunion came in 2009 when Todd surprised fans with an opening set of Utopia songs before his performance of “A Wizard a True Star.” The band featured Rundgren, Sulton, Powell and Prairie Prince.
“As much as I love Prairie, I thought Willie should have been there. Prairie is great but he wasn’t a member of Utopia and I think that is the reason Todd won’t tour with the three of us and call it Utopia. Aside from that, Roger has bad arthritis and can’t play for any extended period of time.”
Many fans speculate that a long-standing rift between Wilcox and Rundgren is the only thing that stands in the way of a full reunion. While a full tour seems unlikely for a number of reasons, a one-off performance or mini-tour may be easier to pull off.
“Never say never, I have talked to Todd about it and I have talked to Willie about it but to be honest I doubt it will happen.”
Todd’s show in Buffalo will feature one song from his Utopia days “Love is the Answer,” which may be the answer to how the band can reunite.
In the meantime, Utopia fans can look forward to hearing new music later this year from Kasim Sulton as he puts the finishing touches on his solo album entitled “3.” The cover will feature a mosaic of fan submitted pictures, including one featuring me and my dog, whose name is Kasim.
Thom Jennings covers the local music scene for Night and Day.
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