Todd Rundgren...Key Club and Coach House

Mom & I went to the Hollywood show @ the Key Club on West Sunset Strip. I thought Jo would hate it but we stood center stage 2nd row and had a ball. Read on for Dad's adventures the following evening...

Set List (both nights):

Love In Action
Walls Came Down
Black Maria
Open My Eyes
Lunatic Fringe
I Saw The Light
Mad
Afraid
Mercenary
Gun
Courage
Weakness
Strike
Pissin
Today
Bardo
Mountaintop
Panic
Manup
_ _ _ _

Couldn't I Just Tell You
Just One Victory

Observations (Key Club):
* Small but energetic crowd.
* Morgansterns played a nice 7 song acoustic set and a fair bit of the crowd up front were there to see them.
* Minor sound / technical issues throughout (like that's something new at a Todd gig)!
* Jessie is a beast and really carried the set.
* Prairie Prince good as always, seemed disinterested throughout and absolutely no interaction with new bass player Rachel Haden.
* Rachel Haden was better than expected (although I had low expectations after reading previous posts).
* Matt Bolten, O.K., not much to say other than the keyboard part / intro to "Today" was taped while he played rhythm?
* Other than "Love In Action" same group of older material from the last few tours.
* "Lunatic Fringe", I don't get it...well played but really what's the point?
* New material was better than expected, best songs for me were: "Bardo", "Courage" & "Mad".
* "The Wheel" was on the set-list and not played.
* Todd said the new album was complete and would be released "electronically" soon, not sure what that means for releasing an actual CD with liner notes, etc.
* Would have been nice to have had CD's to buy at the show (like Liars).
* Todd came on at 10:10 and the encore ended promptly at midnight.
* Souvenirs = lame (Todd made some comment about it not being the last time he'd ask us to but some cheap shit from China) pretty funny actually!
* All in all a good evening of music, thanks to Todd (60 and still going strong)!!!!

Observations (Coach House):

* I showed up the night of the show without a ticket thinking it was festival seating only to walk into a clone of the C&W Bar from the Blues Brothers movie. The place is row after row of picnic tables with round bar stools surrounding and no "dance floor" in front of the stage.

* This "Billy Bob" who could have passed for Charlie Daniels twin brother (complete with cowboy hat) is seating folks.

* I lucked into a side table seven seats back from the stage and met three guys from San Diego and a couple from OC. As we looked around the room we noticed several rooms overlooking the stage from the second floor, one of which was empty. One of the "trouble-makers" from San Diego approaches Billy Bob and inquires as to how one procures such accommodations. He returns to our table and says for ten bucks a piece the six of us can have the VIP room - SOLD!

* The VIP room happens to be across the hall from the bands dressing room and the rest is history.

* The back-up band was a 3 piece from Wales called Freeman with an LP coming out soon (they weren't bad). My new found friend the trouble-maker befriends them (never underestimate the power of buying a young man a beer) and they squeeze into our VIP room for the Todd set.

* We got to met Todd and the band before and after the show which was pretty cool because we slipped in with the "paying" meet and greet guests.

* The new material was much better the second time around and being in an air conditioned VIP room didn't hurt the atmosphere either.

* So it comes time for the encore and the band leaves stage goes up the steps and are standing in the hall when I took my shot...I stuck my head out the door and kindly asked Todd for "The Wheel", and he kindly looked me in the eyes and said "No way!"....priceless I tell you....he laughed at me, oh well you can't blame a guy for trying.

This will be the last Blog entry until we return from our vacation in Europe...until then Love, Peace & Harmony to all!!!!