Yes, Im aware that Steely Dan announced a big tour today. Ill say it again. Because I love their music so freaking music, I cant tolerate the flaccid excuse for a live show they have gradually sunk into over the last 10 or so years, much like an old man into the tub. Ill pass. A few things, with examples from a soundboard recording of the last Steely Dan show I attended, in 2011: -Donald inserts melodica solos into songs like hes unaware that nobody wants to hear him play a melodica solo. Its bizarre, eg, Time Out Of Mind: bigozine2/TRKS7/SDtoronto/SDtoronto106.mp3 -I support the right of any band to end their performance of Hey Nineteen with a long trombone solo. But as an instrument its too gangly and low pitched to provide the necessary pop to get my motor running, and I spend the entire solo thinking, Hmm, he executed that line, which is interesting, considering its a trombone, when Id rather be thinking, Ooh that sounds nice...mmmmm..., but that kind of thinking cant be forced, ya know? bigozine2/TRKS7/SDtoronto/SDtoronto104.mp3 -Reelin In The Years is a beautiful song. I even like the way they arranged it in the 90s when Chris Potter was in the band. One thing it absolutely doesnt need is an ending in which the band just stops mid-groove so the drummer can play a pounding fusion solo, and then the song just ends. WTF?? Why??? bigozine2/TRK/SDtoronto/SDtoronto206.mp3 Yes, all of these reasons, and more, are why I can no longer attend a Steely Dan concert. Theyll do just fine without me, as there are more than enough 60somethings who marvel at the sight of a band with a horn section and dont care that it used to sound much, much better. These issues I have are not circumstantial due to age or lack of resources, or anything like that. They are decisions made in poor taste. I cant believe the guys who would formerly stop at nothing in their quest for perfection in every detail of the sound they were going for, would be so complacent. But anyway, who am I to judge, right? Steely Dan play the Sony Centre in Toronto on August 23rd and 24th.
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:33:43 +0000
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