DON'T BLAME IT ON THE BOSSA-NOVA; RUNDGREN IS AT EASE WITH THIS STYLE by: Bob Pierce Coming off of the adrenalin rush of interviewing Rundgren, I didn't seem to mind the hour-long traffic jam to get into the Chicago City Limits. Nor did I mind the below-freezing temperatures or the threat of snow - I was heading for the Tropics. More accurately, I was headed to The Vic Theatre to see Rundgren perform in support of his "bossa-nova greatest-hits" collection, With A Twist. And though I am not very versed in his music - many of the songs I didn't recognize - I found the show to be an incredible experience.This is more than a rock show - this is theatre. About ten minutes before the music began, a crew of waiters began to prepare the on-stage bar for the show - including the seating of patrons. When the band took the stage for the first of their three "sets", they immediately whipped into a great version of "Caravan" - though I wish I could have heard Jesse Grees' guitar a little more. Rundgren took the stage and immediately kicked into a Carribean version of "I Saw The Light," which felt right at home with its new rhythm. Rundgren sounded like and looked like he was right at home with his newly-adopted musical style, and he has rarely sounded better. Songs like "Influenza," "Zen Archer" and "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" were incredible. Rundgren often interacted with the crowd, even joking about why there were so many "tourists" from Chicago in the audience. It's not often I see an artist so comfortable on stage like Rundgren was - and he played the role to a "T", including indulging in a Gibson (or two) and savoring the onions. For the uninitiated like myself, it seemed natural to hear songs like "Can We Still Be Friends" in this vein. The two songs which impressed me were the cover of Utopia's "Love Is The Answer" and "I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby," the latter of which had more of the soul sound that the song is known for. "Love Is The Answer" sounded incredible - many might forget that England Dan & John Ford Coley didn't write this one, they just took it farther on the charts. A few songs didn't seem to take to the bossa-nova style. Opening the second set dressed as a native complete with face paint, Rundgren showed off his rapping skills on "The Individualist" - a great song, but one which is its own style of its own. Likewise, the version of "Hello, It's Me" was transformed into a love-fest track that would have made Barry White green with envy. And there were times that Rundgren broke from the mold, indulging in a bit of jazz in the third set on "Born To Synthesize," allowing Grees and keyboardist John Ferenzik a chance to shine. Bassist Kasim Sulton provided a solid backbeat for the show, and Prairie Prince's drums were sharper than many other drummers I've heard in almost 15 years of going to concerts. Rundgren did steal the show with a solo version of "Love Of The Common Man" that brought the house down. Of course, there were sure to be a few disappointments for the fans - someone behind me was dying to hear "We Gotta Get You A Woman," and I would have been interested to hear what Rundgren would have done to "Band The Drum All Day." But these were minor points that didn't ruin the show for me at all. For a first-time attendee, the "Tiki Palace" tour was one hell of an introduction to Rundgren - though near the end of the show it became very difficult to hear Rundgren's vocals. (The Vic, a theatre I've not been particularly fond of over the years, did have great sound for most of the evening.) Long-time fans who might have been concerned about this new twist in Rundgren's musical voyage should not be concerned. Buy a ticket and some plastic leis, order a Mai Tai from the bar and allow yourself to be carried to the tropics by Rundgren. Easily the best show I've seen all year. This is more than a rock show - this is theatre. About ten minutes before the music began, a crew of waiters began to prepare the on-stage bar for the show - including the seating of patrons. When the band took the stage for the first of their three "sets", they immediately whipped into a great version of "Caravan" - though I wish I could have heard Jesse Grees' guitar a little more. Rundgren took the stage and immediately kicked into a Carribean version of "I Saw The Light," which felt right at home with its new rhythm. Rundgren sounded like and looked like he was right at home with his newly-adopted musical style, and he has rarely sounded better. Songs like "Influenza," "Zen Archer" and "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" were incredible. Rundgren often interacted with the crowd, even joking about why there were so many "tourists" from Chicago in the audience. It's not often I see an artist so comfortable on stage like Rundgren was - and he played the role to a "T", including indulging in a Gibson (or two) and savoring the onions. For the uninitiated like myself, it seemed natural to hear songs like "Can We Still Be Friends" in this vein. The two songs which impressed me were the cover of Utopia's "Love Is The Answer" and "I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby," the latter of which had more of the soul sound that the song is known for. "Love Is The Answer" sounded incredible - many might forget that England Dan & John Ford Coley didn't write this one, they just took it farther on the charts. A few songs didn't seem to take to the bossa-nova style. Opening the second set dressed as a native complete with face paint, Rundgren showed off his rapping skills on "The Individualist" - a great song, but one which is its own style of its own. Likewise, the version of "Hello, It's Me" was transformed into a love-fest track that would have made Barry White green with envy. And there were times that Rundgren broke from the mold, indulging in a bit of jazz in the third set on "Born To Synthesize," allowing Grees and keyboardist John Ferenzik a chance to shine. Bassist Kasim Sulton provided a solid backbeat for the show, and Prairie Prince's drums were sharper than many other drummers I've heard in almost 15 years of going to concerts. Rundgren did steal the show with a solo version of "Love Of The Common Man" that brought the house down. Of course, there were sure to be a few disappointments for the fans - someone behind me was dying to hear "We Gotta Get You A Woman," and I would have been interested to hear what Rundgren would have done to "Band The Drum All Day." But these were minor points that didn't ruin the show for me at all. For a first-time attendee, the "Tiki Palace" tour was one hell of an introduction to Rundgren - though near the end of the show it became very difficult to hear Rundgren's vocals. (The Vic, a theatre I've not been particularly fond of over the years, did have great sound for most of the evening.) Long-time fans who might have been concerned about this new twist in Rundgren's musical voyage should not be concerned. Buy a ticket and some plastic leis, order a Mai Tai from the bar and allow yourself to be carried to the tropics by Rundgren. Easily the best show I've seen all year.
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