Adam and I walked over to the Wang Theater / Citi Center for the Performing Arts, where we met my Dad, his girlfriend Lisa, and his friend Peter. 
My parents and their friends have been avid Steely Dan fans and concert goers since The Comcast Center was Great Woods, and the New York Rock and Soul Revue toured in '92. I was 8. I'm sure many of you can relate - the tunes that echoed throughout your childhood (or blared loudy through the speakers) are by default your favorites today. You grow to appreciate and are comforted by the familiarity of the music and lyrics. For me that's American rock band Steely Dan. They offer a blend of rock, jazz, funk and R&B music, and songs with a wide range of eccentric lyrics. [A brief history of the band: Steely Dan - co-founded by duo Donald Fagen & Walter Becker rose to popularity in the 1970's, disbanded and remained void from the music world in the 80's, and reunited in the early 90's and have been recording albums (their last album was recorded in 2003) and touring ever since.] I could go on, but keeping in mind I'm one of the few in my generation who's enamored with them, I'll refrain. 
Its become tradition as of the past few summers, that when Steely Dan is in town, either Dad or I will buy tickets. The tradition actually began when on a whim he was driving me from Cape Cod to Boston on the night they just so happend to be playing at the Tweeter Center (yep, this was back in 2006) on the Steelyard "Sugartooth" McDan and The Fab-Originees.com Tour. We scalped tickets in the parking lot and the rest is history. 
Above: Dad & I. Below: Leah & I - both circa Steely Dan's 2009 tour. 
We saw multi-night concerts at The Wang Theater last summer on the Rent Party Tour, which was foucused around special setlist shows. The band would play a classic album in its entirety plus selected favorites. They performed Aja (1977) the first night and Gaucho (1980) the second. This summer, the tour isn't officially Steely Dan, but the combination of Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs. 
Michael McDonald began his carrer with Steely Dan before he became a member of the Doobie Brothers and had a successful solo career. You know his jams - "What a Fool Believes" and "I Keep Forgettin" are pretty memorable (and yes he performed both.) Boz Scaggs, I'll be honest with ya, don't know too much about the man. But he fits right in on stage with the other two favorites. 
Officially deemed The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue, the three infamous vocalists performed together on stage, similar in fashion to how Steely Dan executes a performance - lead guitar and piano solos and harmonies blended with a medely of vocalists and instrumentalists - various saxophone and horn players, and a drummer.
Close up of Michael McDonald is all I got for ya, for now. ;)
I sipped vodka-tonic-splashes of cran while at the edge of my seat in anticipation of Steely Dan songs! Highlights of the show included one of my all time favorites "Reelin in the Years", and in an encore performance a cover of The Beach Boys "Help Me Rhonda" with McDonald on the ukulele. We all had a blast. 
The Wang Theater is an incredible venu with stunning interior. My mediocre shots from the hallway balconies really don't do it justice. 
If you ever get the opportunity - I highly reccomend taking in a concert here. Afterwards we met up with more friends (who were at the show, just in different seats) and all had some drinks at a favorite Theater Discrict spot - Intermission Tavern. Late weeknight. Feelin' it this mornin. But not too bad. Off to grab coffee....
We saw multi-night concerts at The Wang Theater last summer on the Rent Party Tour, which was foucused around special setlist shows. The band would play a classic album in its entirety plus selected favorites. They performed Aja (1977) the first night and Gaucho (1980) the second. This summer, the tour isn't officially Steely Dan, but the combination of Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs. Michael McDonald began his carrer with Steely Dan before he became a member of the Doobie Brothers and had a successful solo career. You know his jams - "What a Fool Believes" and "I Keep Forgettin" are pretty memorable (and yes he performed both.) Boz Scaggs, I'll be honest with ya, don't know too much about the man. But he fits right in on stage with the other two favorites. Officially deemed The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue, the three infamous vocalists performed together on stage, similar in fashion to how Steely Dan executes a performance - lead guitar and piano solos and harmonies blended with a medely of vocalists and instrumentalists - various saxophone and horn players, and a drummer.I got two measley pictures before a large important looking man walked over and reminded me there was no photographs allowed. What? At a concert? I realized it said no cameras on the tickets but a lot of times I take that to mean no video recordings or UTube streaming allowed. "But I didn't use the flash" I boasted. No dice. Last year I was snapping pictures like it was my job so I remarked (in my head) that I could just use those for the blog....
I sipped vodka-tonic-splashes of cran while at the edge of my seat in anticipation of Steely Dan songs! Highlights of the show included one of my all time favorites "Reelin in the Years", and in an encore performance a cover of The Beach Boys "Help Me Rhonda" with McDonald on the ukulele. We all had a blast. The Wang Theater is an incredible venu with stunning interior. My mediocre shots from the hallway balconies really don't do it justice. If you ever get the opportunity - I highly reccomend taking in a concert here. Afterwards we met up with more friends (who were at the show, just in different seats) and all had some drinks at a favorite Theater Discrict spot - Intermission Tavern. Late weeknight. Feelin' it this mornin. But not too bad. Off to grab coffee....
No comments:
Post a Comment