Todd Rundgren:
3 stars out of 5
UNPREDICTABLE TODD
Todd Rundgren: another unpredictable show Maybe it’s because we – over here in The Netherlands – are used to special TR projects like Extravaganza I and II and the musical Up against it, but I enjoyed this premiere of the Individualist tour as “just another TR gig”, another day (job) at the office. Or maybe it was because of the flu so I had to sit down at the balcony of Paradiso instead of frontally experience the show at one of the standing front rows. The set list was rather good but – maybe I missed the clue – stopped somewhere in 2001. No song from his recent albums of the last 20 years. I was surprised he played some of my favourite songs like Compassion, Drive, Want of a nail and – wow! – Fair warning. And then his voice, always a surprise in which condition it is. Tonight, hum, most of the time not so good and during the concert I thought I was too strict in my opinion or impression. But after watching the whole concert on YouTube I must admit this time I unfortunately was right. Sometimes he dragged his voice throughout a song like for instance in Lost horizon. Despite some minor mistakes his guitar playing was great, especially in the heavy songs like the awesome Black Maria, Drive and Buffalo Grass. The band was good – especially Jesse - and adding Bobby with his flute and saxophone was a good move. It was a bit confusing at the start of Tiny demons he played the effects with his saxophone instead of a guitar player. There was some misunderstanding about the break which people thought it was the end of the show. Resulting in a lot of people leaving the venue. Fortunately I got the message by a diehard fan that it was only an intermission. After the break a lot of interesting pictures where shown during the second set. I closed my eyes often because it distracts from the music itself. If I have to rate.. 3 out of 5 stars. Next year the wizard again will be in The Netherlands with the Siddhartha project. Looking forward to it and I hope he will invite Mathilde Santing again!