I Saw The Light: Todd Rundgren's Alive & He's Taking Names

At the beginning of On Golden Pond, Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn return to their summer home. It's an annual pilgrimage that is both warm and familiar, as well as cold and dispiriting. As each year passes, everything becomes a little less everything. Lots of dust and some cobwebs, a few more broken frames, both door and picture, and squeaks that come from machines that need oil. The look on Fonda's face when he first turns on the lights seems to ask, "Here again? What's the point?," as he gazes around at the same old furniture and musty books. Yet minutes after their arrival, the sound of the loons wakes them up to realize, they are home again. They fall right in as if they never left.

This describes my relationship with Todd Rundgren. I am now on my 34th year of seeing him in concert. Some years I'd see him 6-8 times. I've flown from NYC to San Francisco to New Orleans and back, with no other purpose than to see the man live. It's something that me and a few friends have done ritually for years, and the older we get, the more we resemble Henry Fonda & Katherine Hepburn. The memories and familiarity always seem to outweigh the cold hard fact that it just isn't the same anymore. But at the Tarrytown Music Hall, once we "turned on the lights," or more accurately, when the lights went down, Todd Rundgren launched into one of the most inspired performances I have seen in years. We were home.

Touring behind his brand new release "Arena," Todd was armed and ready. I've listened to "Arena" a dozen times and each time I've felt differently. I'm mostly disappointed by it's sound and not the content. Rundgren's a legendary producer who has made magic for everyone from Meatloaf and XTC to Patti Smith and the New York Dolls, yet his own records sound slapdash. As one friend so brilliantly put it, "His records sound like the example recordings that come with recording equipment. He seems to be up on all the new gear and gadgets, but it sounds like he keeps them at the factory setting and doesn't tweak them to make them sound like himself. Wasn't he supposed to be The Individualist?"

Last night, with a band that included Rachel Haden on bass, veteran Tubes drummer Prairie Prince and Todd's long time right hand man, Kasim Sulton on keyboards and vocals, the songs from "Arena" exploded with a mightiness that is missing from the studio recordings.

Everything was working during the 100 minute set. The patented Todd harmonies were there, as well as some of Todd's best guitar work since the mid-seventies. "Arena" was played from head to tail, flanked by such faves as "Love In Action," "I Saw The Light," "Couldn't I Just Tell You," and the traditional closer, "Just One Victory," aka the "Utopian National Anthem." It all seemed so right, like the classic shows from Wollman Rink in NYC's Central Park, or the Agora in Cleveland.

I must admit, right on up to showtime, I was questioning just why I'd come back here. The set lists haven't changed much since 1995. Todd has been known to not only phone it in live as of late, but to sometimes just barely give a crap at all. Did I need that from someone I've been so loyal to for so long? The answer is YES! Rundgren is a musician first and a legend for good reason. Take the word of someone who has seen Todd Rundgren live more times than he's visited his mother, if he comes to your town, go say hello and pick up "Arena," while you're at it. This is a show not to be missed.

Comments

[hpunch]

Tood has trick or treated me throughout the years, but I've always opened my door to him nonetheless.
Whether he had a guitar draped across his chest, synthesizers resting beneath his hands, bostonian new wavers tagging along or appearing as familiar initials, I always opened my door and accpepted what he was presenting to me.
I was eager to get my ears on Liars after reading all the pre-release raves, but was disappointed when hearing it for myself. I've been reading some failrly harsh reviews of Arena yet I really I'm really digging it. I've been hearing some effusive praise about his current tour and will be sure to be in the crowd when he comes to my town.

[weetawee]

Thanks for the memory - I was a member of Todd's Broads, an all-girl basketball teams, 25+ years ago, and I still remember his intro of "MVT???"

[katocat]

I have been a fan of Todd's for 20+ years. He is truly an awesome songwriter and talented musician.

Most people know his music but don't even know who he is.

I saw him a few years back, he put on a really creative one man show with his computer.

He will ALWAYS be one of my favorites of all time.

[Jodi Lampert - Huffpost Blogger]

Hello, it's me.

Where do I begin? First of all, I'm sure I was at that '79 concert in Berkeley, as well as a thousand more. I saw a show in Sacramento, once, where Todd showed VIDEOS! Ten years before MTV, and we all sat there, going, "What's with this guy? Movies???"

How Todd is that? What people forget is how entertaining he is. I can remember almost every variation he came up with for Newt Gingrich. He's as funny as a comic, and as politically astute as a Huffington Post reader.

I started laughing as soon as I read your article. There are going to be maybe 100,000 people in the world with this exact response, but it's a big one! I saw both Arena show this year, not the best, but the first one in Hollywood, I was almost sitting onstage. Hello... Todd, it's me...

I saw a woman at my gym once, wearing a Todd Rundgren shirt. It's unusual, so I looked at her and said, "Todd"? And she whispered, "Todd is God"! Ah, if only it were that easy.

Jodi

[Nunziato]

Hey Jodi,

I had received an audio copy of one of the first "Arena" shows, in a brown paper bag, of course. I think it may have been Green Bay. I found it unlistenable. Not the audio quality, but the performance. It was one of those classic Todd moments--broke a string 10 seconds into the opener "Love In Action," forgot lyrics, and my fave, having to start a new song over because a bug flew in his mouth. Classic!

Then, a friend e-mailed his review of the Hollywood show, and raved. I didn't believe him, but Saturday night truly hit the mark. I think he's practicing a lot more.

S

[katocat]

I've seen Todd make some mistakes live too... but I forgive him those moments.

What an amazing amount of music this man has created.

[TR-i]

My only exception is that the sound quality of recorded music is a completely subjective evaluation and should not be considered by readers of said review. People like to hear things a certain way and we will not question whether that is physiological or psychological. Only the pathological let the sound quality interfere with what is supposed to be ethereal.

[RobinSeattle]

I'm sorry, but Rundgren is a bore. I have never understood the whole "Todd is God" thing because I have heard pretty much his entire output and while there are some good songs here and there, I found him largely tedious and self indulgent, especially on the Utopia records.

As a producer, there used to be a joke going around that Todd would make everything he produced sound like him and that often was not a good thing.

But hey, for those who dug his stuff, good for you. It just wasn't my thing even though my taste in music runs the gamut from classical music to jazz (even free jazz) to folk to heavy metal and a heck of a lot in between.

[OnTheCusp]

Anyone who has seen Todd live is a convert. You must have never seen him live, huh?

[tinaismad]

Great article! The cuts I have heard from Arena so far are way cool. Hear some on You Tube. Todd is the greatest all-around rock musician of them all. His musical output has always been relevant, intelligent and literate. He is looking great today and sounding even better. Rock on Forever, Todd!


Obama/Biden '08

[Spender]

One need only listen to some of his earlier work to recognize the man's extraordinary genius.
I highly recommend "Something/Anything" for those who haven't heard his work. "Black Maria" still sends chills down my spine and "Couldn't I Just Tell You", Todd's ode to an unrequited loe, is three minutes of shimmering pop/rock brilliance.
His recorded output has been spotty, as have his live shows but you owe it to yourself to see the amzing man in concert.
Great post, sir.
Thank you for the tribute.

[Lee Stranahan - Huffpost Blogger]

Nice piece, thanks.

I first saw Todd with Utopia in 1979 in Berkley, when I was 13 years old. Since then I've seen him a half dozen times, including my bringing my own son to see Todd a few years ago as his first concert. Because of his experimentation in areas like audio production, videos, and animation Todd is one of my creative heroes and I had the weird experience of hanging around him a little a few years ago. Watching him write computer code I couldn't help thinking "Jeez, and the guy can SING, too!"