REVEIW: Todd Rundgren, live at Hammersmith Apollo, 06/02/10
Todd Rundgren
Support:Todd Rundgren's Johnson
Tonight, almost 40 years after the release of A Wizard, A True Star, Todd Rundgren fans from all over the world descend upon London's historic Hammersmith Apollo to once again bask in one of rock music's greatest forgotten heroes. Well, maybe not forgotten. Unappreciated.
For you see, Todd is everywhere. He is in the plucky pop-nerd-electro of Hot Chip. He is also in the Euro-dance floor fillers of French duo Daft Punk. He is in early Hall & Oates records, New York Dolls albums, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, Bad Religion, Patti Smith, Meat Loaf, he is in modern music. And yet, he couldn't get arrested in the UK. He never even troubled the top 20. Not that he was rolling in number one's in the US anyway. But still, regardless of how many hit singles he inexplicably did not have, Todd remains very popular. In the UK in particular, he seems to command an almost cult like love among his fans; tonight many come in wizard hats, have feathers pinned to their jackets to imitate his infamous early 70's stage outfits,*they scream for him, dance for him, buy all the merchendise they can. Todd Rundgren is the God in this world of odd balls, of grey haired men that most likely serenaded their wives with Little River Band classics. Todd is God.
The support act, Todd Rundgren's Johnson, feature Todd, his guitarist, bassist and drummer (all of whom are amazing) reworking the songs of Robert Johnson. The band together so seamlessly, so easily, so rockingly (not a word, but such was my enjoyment of this I can't think of a better description!) that I alomst forget that I'm here to see AWATS in its entirety. Rundgren regualrly just stops songs, either because of a mistake or because he simply doesn't want to continue. Weirdly, the feeling of the unexpected, of not knowing what Rundgren is going to do next, is sort of enjoyable. The audience know what they're here for, an album played in it's entirety, so by adding an element of surprise, Rundgren adds an exciting edge to the evening. It's also worth noting however, that his guitar playing skills are still as exciting as ever, and his command of the audience, his stage presence and sense of humour are still intact. In fact, such is his confidence, Todd teases the audience by almost starting a song, deciding it's not right, starting it again, still not working and then launching face first into a blistering blues jam. He even finds the time to make bawdy jokes to the audience "Thank you for accepting my Johnson. Only a couple more inches to go..." and for a moment you forget that this is the gawkiest, always-teenage Todd Rundgren. He's even cooler.
But then it's on to the main show. The setlist is slightly different from the album, the order slightly skewed. But it's all brilliant, all controlled and Rundgren knows what he's doing. He appears after the War of the Worlds-eqse opening to International Feel dressed in a space suit, and it's the way the light hits a disco ball, the way the lights search the crowd, the loudness of the band, the passion of Todd's voice - it comes together and is mind blowing. All at once everyone is up, straining to see, and a feeling of warmth, of amazement overcomes the audience. For a split second after the song is over the crowd is dumbstruck. Then they erupt into loud, whistling cheers. The theatricality, the set, the light show, it's all magical. And it doesn't end, Todd jumps from a self-depricating, hilarious monologue during You Don't Have to Camp Around in which he rues his feathery eyebrows and costumes of old, to the serious, heart wrenching Runt-like Sometimes I Don't Know What to Feel. He wears a fun fat suit, deflates it and somehow glides from frothy to melancholly. And not only that, his voice has such a clarity, a tone, that it sounds better than it's ever done. Rundgren still manages to sound like the quintessential all- American teen, but here he is, singing loudly that eyes that have seen/will know what I mean and you are powerless to resist, because you believe every word.
Perhaps the best perfomance of the night is saved for the splendid medly of I'm So Proud/Ooh Baby Baby/La La Means I Love You/Cool Jerk where Rundgren stretches his vocal chords, gets people dancing, plays a face-melting solo, and somehow mangages to come across as both wise and naive in the space of 9 minutes. He appears in an orange suit, an obvious reference to the R'n'B singers of the late 60's and 70's and makes the covers better in the than the originals. He, a gawky eternal-kid from Philly, who once claimed that he "had no soul" out doing The Miracles, The Delfonics, The Capitols at their own game.
There are screams of delight as Rundrgen takes to the stage in his old feather costume, a favorite of his during the Something/Anything period, and he's everywhere, accepting small plastic wands form besotted fans and taking them with him, incorporating them into his show. He even takes time from Hungry For Love to throw sweets into the crowd (he is dressed as a chef, complete with crazy 'tache) and it is at these points where you can't get enough.
It is during the seminal Just One Victory that Mrs. Rundgren comes on to sing backing vocals, and now that everyone feels the emotion. Somehow, the show has progressed from mind blowing to Earth shattering, and the emotion in the Apollo swells and grows - it starts to feel inexplicbly important, tender, signifigant. As he sings the last lines of Just One Victory, a song about being united and making a stand, the whirwind comes to a head and you all of a sudden realise that this may be the greatest gig you'll ever see
Throughout there is a dawning realisation that this show, here and now, is classic. Something that by all rights should be saved from the wilderness of music in years to come, but knowing Todd's luck, it probably won't be.
And that suits this audience just fine.
*THE feathery get up to end all feathery get ups. I've got one ordered. http://ladystarlightnyc.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/toddrundgren071203_toddrundgren.jpg
SETLIST to be found here: http://toddrundgrenarena.blogspot.com/2009/09/live-awats-set-list.html