also interested to know what happen..disappointed that I wasn't able to go there too..

The night opened with TRs Johnson. A run thru with the band (Jesse Gresse, Praire Prince and Kasim Sulton) of 10 Robert Johnson songs including Crossroads. A little mundane, the crowd did not like it and a little under rehearsed. Good musicianship but apart from Todds voice to make it different say from Clapton these blues classics could have been played by anyone.

The main event was classily done. very slick and emotional. Costumes changed for virtually every song. Larger band, Ralph Schuckett (Utopia), Greg Hawkes (Cars) Bobby Strickland (Tubes/TR) Michelle R and the afore mentioned.

The set was almost a straight run thru of the album with a few songs Sunset Blvd and Le Feel moved toward the end. The encore was a mass crowd sing a long of Just One Victory.

I could go on but....it was fantastic. There were so many highlights Todd voice elastic as ever, what a range particularly on the soul medley (Proud, lala, etc) and some fierce guitar playing on Is it My Name. Todds acting on Zen Archer and You Dont have to Camp Around.

Fantastic.

up in the balcony and arrived in good time to see the excruciatingly named Todd Rundgren's Johnson. The set lived down to its name. Who in this day and age wants to see aged musos noodling through twelve bar blues? I retreated to the bar after two songs.

Expectations sufficiently lowered I was pretty amazed at how Todd and the band pulled off the main event. It was really exciting and moving. Todd's voice is still in good shape, the costume changes were fun and the music really has stood the test of time. And, yes, Just One Victory was a huge catharsis. If he does it again, get yourself a ticket.

Not often the GLW doesn't join me at a gig but, not being a huge TR fan, she urged me to go on my own. Then the Transatlantic Sessions band booked into the Festival Hall on the same night and I'd have killed to go to both but settled for a front row seat for her and a catch-up afterwards.
I agree with all of the above with regards to the first set. Last year in the US he reformed Utopia for the support slot and I was just aching to hear 'Trapped' and 'Love is the Answer' again but TR's famous contrariness rules. Great to hear him play guitar but the songs were standard pub band fare. The main event was stunning, lovely, emotional and life affirmimg. AWATS was my first exposure to 'Ooh Baby, Baby' and it led me to the gorgeous original which MrsB and I danced to at our wedding. 'I don't want to tie you down' was beautiful, TR's voice just floating through the room. The reprise of 'International Feel' had tears stinging the back of my eyes but there was nothing I could do once 'Just One Victory' kicked in. Hours and hours lying on my bed listening to the album and marvelling at the voice, the guitar, the humour, the sheer scale of the album when I was young have just embedded those songs in my blood. Wonderful night. Oh, and btw, the GLW says the Trans Sessions was stunning. I'm so pleased!

enjoyed reading that

...except to say how thrilling was the show. Well, the AWATS part, anyway. Oh, for a Utopia reunion instead of the plodding, 12-bar bollo to which we were subjected for all of two-and-a-half songs. To hear them play Second Nature, You Make Me Crazy and I Just Want to Touch You would have been... Oof.

Todd's voice is in wonderful shape, as is his typically delicate-yet-muscular guitar-playing. Listening to him play those riffs and solos in person really gave credence to the theory that here was the seed of Prince's chops.

I'd never seen the post-gig USB thing before. £20 for a stick in a Todd-branded box containing the whole show, collected at the door on the way out. Haven't played it yet, but will report back when I do.

Always good to experience these evenings with D Green and what a pleasure it was to meet Dr Pill, who had me laughing like a drain within minutes. That Sandy Denny line will get trotted out for years to come. Brilliant, life-affirming stuff.

Next stop Pat Metheny and his Orchestrion at Barbican on Wednesday.

A micro-meetup with two blokes I met off the internet, Massive members to a man, in The Dove was amusing. Good to meet the above mentioned D.G & p.c.
TR's Johnson: Blues rock is not to my taste but if any further evidence is needed of Todd waving his freak flag high is needed here it is.
AWATS: In tears for International Feel/Never Never Land. This music is so closely tied to a precise time and place and and to certain absent friends that I, for one, found it difficult to maintain an even strain.
A little theatrical at times but very good all round. The band played this demanding music well and looked to be enjoying themselves.
And, hey HJH fact fans, TR seemed to be playing The Quiet One's The Fool decorated Gibson SG. Yowsah.

I'm glad it was emotional for you, as it would have been for me too. I'm intrigued by the USB idea - I hope it's not just the Johnson stuff on there!

Oh, and sorry to say this, but the SG with The Fool designs on it is not the original. Todd sold that some years ago. Don't know who has it now.

'Prince's chops'

Damn.

Yes, he was playing a version of the Fool Gibson, but it is a copy. The original Todd sold at silent auction in 2000, probably to fund part of one of his regular forays in to technological folly. It made $150,000. The buyer then sold it on a few years later, reportedly realising $500,000.

I'd have given anything to be there (well not quite anything, obviously, as I didn't go) but reading about JOV at the end almost made me blart just sat here reading it.

I'd pretty much given up on hearing Todd ever do that live until he toured Arena last year. Even after having to stand through the whole of that album from start to finish (not quite the treat TR explained he was giving us), closing the set with JOV still had me blubbing. I used to lie in bed with my radio under the pillow listening to Kid Jensen play AWATS on Radio Luxembourg. Truly one of the greats. (Todd, not Kid Jensen, you understand)

Thanks to one Mick10N, here is the Hammersmith rendition of Just One Victory:

Overall, the same story for me - the Johnson set was indulgent, dull and under-rehearsed (was it 4 or 5 false starts to "Sweet Home Chicago"?), a classic example of the band having more fun than the audience (who were being very vocal in the circle.)

But Todd & the band more than made up for it with AWATS - the purist in me is aggrieved that he changed the track sequencing, but I have to admit it made for a better live experience. The costumes and stage set were endearingly low-tech, and Todd's voice was in great form, especially the soul medley and "I Don't Want To Tie You Down". The crowd definitely left on a high - hearing such a great album in a new context brought it to life all over again...

PS Thanks to Dr Pill for the pub invite - as you'll have noticed I couldn't make it, but I appreciated you making contact, it's my round next time!

I believe Todd's label in the States, Hi Fi Recordings, owns the rights to the Robert Johnson songs and encourages other artists on its rosta to perform and record his songs under their policy of cross-fertilisation of material. Hence the forthcoming Johnson recordings by Todd.

As far as moving one of the songs from its original place on the album is concerned, Todd pretty much said in one of his BBC interviews last week that the order in the show would have been the order on the album if it hadn't been for the restriction of a two sided LP, ie if it had been continuous, the new placement of the first and last songs better encapsulates the whole piece.

At least we saw Todd letting rip on his banjo whereas we could have some 3rd rate support act and I think the pub band feel was deliberate. Stripped right down, standing close together and just going for it. We don't get to see Todd much these days so I was just pleased to see him, he could have played with a washboard ensemble and I'd have been happy. Easily pleased, I know.
PS check out Todd on Live from Daryl's house if you can. Well worth a watch.

when he has such a great back catalogue, that he refuses to give the audience what they want. He did it on the Liars tour, when he hadn't played in the UK for at least 10 years, so most people in the audience would have wanted to hear the hits. So what does he do? In the middle of the set they play this long drawn out medley of Peter Gunn and something else of similar ilk, I can't remember now. But I do remember it was awful and I felt insulted. And since I wasn't there on Saturday, and didn't go to the Arena shows, that is last I saw of him. I'll not lose faith though.

I know one of the reasons I have loved Todd and his music for so long is that you never know what to expect. He could be sitting back now at his age and playing his greatest hits live but he is still pushing the boundaries, and if this makes us feel a bit let down sometimes then I'll take it. Rather that then churning out track after track of the same old thing, like Springsteen. What next, reggae? Bring it on.

there's a very good interview by Rob Birnie on Planet Rock's website from last Saturday, I 'hijacked' it (but it needs a bit of editing for ads and Meatloaf) if anyone misses it

http://www.planetrock.com/

then click 'Listen Again'

click Saturday, scroll down to 'Planet Rock Specials' at 18:00-18:59

there's a very good interview with Rob Birnie on Planet Rock's website from last Saturday, I 'hijacked' it (but it needs a bit of editing for ads and Meatloaf) if anyone misses it

http://www.planetrock.com/

then click 'Listen Again'

click Saturday, scroll down to 'Planet Rock Specials' at 18:00-18:59

Oops, sorry

The Wild Wild East Monthly: The Amsterdam Diary - http://eepurl.com/id28