Extremely blown away this morning by what I heard last night.  Only my second time seeing Todd, and the other, 2013 @ The Fillmore in San Francisco, was a huge disappointment, as it was solo Todd singing along with recorded tracks (???).  That's right, NO band!  Last night couldn't have been more of a complete 180 degree turn.  A just INCREDIBLE 5 piece backing Todd, including bass, drums, guitar, keyboards, and a guy who played a variety of wind instruments including sax, clarinet, flute, etc.  I mean, WHAT a band!!  The only musician I can name is Prairie Prince on drums, who was in the original Tubes lineup.  

The variety of styles that Todd tackled was simply mind-boggling.  The expected rock and roll, an extended lovely acoustic set with Todd out front playing an acoustic guitar, even a short foray into classical music, and yeah, his band sounded like an orchestra with the keyboard player using string sounds on his synthesizer and of course the horn player.  Todd even used a conductor's wand during this segment.  Late in the second set, Todd delivered a stunning Soul segment with Smokey Robinson's Ooh Baby Baby and Marvin Gaye's I Want You.  Just lovely, and at 78 years old, Todd's voice has held up remarkably well.  Also late in the second set Todd and two band members did an acapella vocal segment that was just stunningly beautiful.  At some point you began wondering, "Just what can't this guy do?".  I only have three Todd Rundgren records, and one is a "Very Best Of",  but my favorite is 1976's "Faithful", and Todd delved deeply into it with Love Of The Common Man and Cliche.  There was no shortage of hits:  I Saw The Light, Bang The Drum All Day, and the encore was a crowd pleasing Can We Still Be Friends and Hello It's Me followed by a third tune I didn't recognize.  

A one hour first set, only a 10 minute break, then including the encore another one hour 20 minute set which means Todd was onstage for 2 hours 20 minutes.  And I really liked Todd's attitude:  "Everything is more expensive now because we are at war.  And you delved into your discretionary income to be here tonight.  It is appreciated."  That was really sweet, and he thanked the audience again for coming near the end.  A disappointing crowd......there couldn't possibly have been more than 300 or 400 there in a 2,500 seat theatre.  I saw one couple who looked like they were in their 20's.  Other than that, I'm nearly certain there wasn't one person there under 60 years old.  El Paso, you just missed out........

I'm done gushing.  If you have a chance to catch Todd on this tour:  GO GO GO GO........I'm SO glad I did.