Steely Dan - NIA, Birmingham
Jun. 30th, 2009 10:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
unclechristoLast night we went to see Steely Dan at the NIA Birmingham - hadn't been there before was surpised - it held 13,000. Not been to a big gig before in many years (Barry White).
There was a treat for support band - a Dutch jazz quartet - quite 70s styled but arty jazz. Ton Roos Quartet - defo up my street.
Steely Dan themselves were fine, slick, funky as you might imagine - very clever arrangements - 13 piece band - 4 piece horn section, 2 guitars, 2 keys, bass & drums. After a while it did get a bit samey perhaps - they didn't really play with the dynamics - they never really brought it down - were either full on, or off. Coulda done with a few more gears tempo-wise as well - things sticking around the same tempo.
And no Ricky Don'tLoose That Number??, and a heavily disguised slowed Reeling In The Years (without the famous twin guitar riff!!). I personally think if you don't tour much you should play your big hits.
All good fun tho, Donald Fagan reminding me of a latter day Ray Charles.
Birmingham is so different these days - exit NIA Arena, onto canal walks and little footbridges across canals to area full of restaurants with outdoor tables. We had a quick Chinese noodle soup b4 heading home.
There was a treat for support band - a Dutch jazz quartet - quite 70s styled but arty jazz. Ton Roos Quartet - defo up my street.
Steely Dan themselves were fine, slick, funky as you might imagine - very clever arrangements - 13 piece band - 4 piece horn section, 2 guitars, 2 keys, bass & drums. After a while it did get a bit samey perhaps - they didn't really play with the dynamics - they never really brought it down - were either full on, or off. Coulda done with a few more gears tempo-wise as well - things sticking around the same tempo.
And no Ricky Don'tLoose That Number??, and a heavily disguised slowed Reeling In The Years (without the famous twin guitar riff!!). I personally think if you don't tour much you should play your big hits.
All good fun tho, Donald Fagan reminding me of a latter day Ray Charles.
Birmingham is so different these days - exit NIA Arena, onto canal walks and little footbridges across canals to area full of restaurants with outdoor tables. We had a quick Chinese noodle soup b4 heading home.
Re: Steely Dan
Date: 2009-06-30 11:51 am (UTC)I saw them there two years ago and this time - well it just lacked some sparkle and we headed home inexplicably disappointed by a brilliant band