The Steely Dan Show: Moshing, Crowd Surfing and Drunken Debauchery?
The ‘stars were bright tonight, the air was sweet’ is a nice way to begin to describe the beautiful bayside ambiance surrounding the venue that is Embarcadero Marina Park South in San Diego. It was a bit muggy (more so than usual I was told) but all things considered, the stage, on a peninsula, provided the crowd with a pleasant ocean breeze and as the sun went down was enough to forget your damp shirt and moist brow. A variety of sailboats had gathered around the venue (presumably without paying, freeloaders!) hoping to hear and maybe to catch a glimpse of show. If sound check was any indication, the music emanated quite wonderfully and clearly from the isthmus, indeed then a remarkable treat for those who gathered around the venue. There were about forty or so people standing outside the gate listening to the sound check (I arrived just before Monkey so thanks to ‘Angel’ for filling me in on what I missed). Mr. Becker sounded pretty decent on Monkey but Mr. Fagen appeared to be straining a bit through Black Cow and Cousin Dupree.
Mr. Keith Carlock and the boys started things off with Turtle Talk and segued into the show opener Bodhisattva which of course coincided with Mr. Fagen and Mr. Becker’s stage entrance. The band moved smoothly through the next few numbers. Employing a sense of humor, Mr. Fagan (addressing the multitude of yachts on the bay) remarked, “hello sailor, [pausing momentarily] oh better not say that,” to which the crowd responded with a laugh. When the band went into Hey Nineteen a wave of half-drunken people rushed the stage to dance (which unfortunately was quite annoying as these were the kind of folks who clap on 1 and 3 and coupled with their obvious lack of innate musical time keeping, age and alcohol consumption, made for a scene that badly resembled a wedding reception at 3AM). Although strangely enough, Mr. Fagen seemed pleased as he remarked shortly thereafter, “I like to see some dancing, I like that,” and (to the delight of security) prompted a flooding of more drunken yuppies to the stage. Mr. Fagen stuck with the usual “Aretha Franklin” lyric and the song also again featured the Walt Weiskopf and Roger Rosenberg “argument” (see previous blog posting).
Cousin Dupree was a standout as Mr. Fagen (who strapped on his electric piano) and Mr. Becker extended the tune into a jam, trading guitar and piano licks with one another. They both seemed particularly pleased and to be having a good time. After the song (and when Mr. Fagen returned to his piano) and then (deliberately, for reasons Danfans are sure to know) lifted his Coke into the air and declared, “What a night!” much to the delight of the crowd (Note: I don’t think anyone got the Coke can this time around as soda security seems to have increased over the course of the past few shows). There were some technological guitar problems with Mr. Becker’s setup during Josie, which judging by his laughter Mr. Jon Herrington found quite amusing however Mr. Becker appeared not to share the same emotion. The Any World arrangement was a bit different, it had a sort of reggae feel and the vocal duties were left entirely to Mr. Jeff Young, who did an exceptional job.
Mr. Fagen’s vocals seemed to be unusually strained on Glamour Profession (more so than on any other tune). Perhaps this was brought on in part by his momentarily cerebral lapse of the lyrics, “Outside the stadium, Brut and charisma, for Hoops McCann, Brut and charisma, Poured from the shadow where he stood…”). However, judging by the crowd and their reaction, or rather lack thereof, nobody seemed to take much notice. The band quickly moved into Black Friday and then intermission, whereupon the security detail beefed up their presence in the front to keep would be dancers away from the stage during the second half of the set (their attempts however later proved in vain).
After about twenty minutes or so the band (minus Mr. Fagen and Mr. Becker) returned with The Steely Dan Show. The lyrics were projected onto the screen behind the stage but were not correctly synced with the girls. Also, after a short time the lyrics on the projection screen froze. This could be due to the fact that the band apparently had no plans in projecting the lyrics (e.g. Mr. Becker was overheard during sound check asking if they could project the lyrics during the set). The jam at the end of Green Earrings was real nice to hear and as usual, Mr. Herrington really shined on this number. After Green Earrings, I managed to yell, “Owen Wilson sucks” loud enough for Mr. Fagen and Mr. Becker to hear prompting them both to laughter! (Note: In an effor to keep the gag going, as the publicity is excellent, I think someone should yell this during every show for the remainder of the tour). Strangely, Mr. Fagen remarked before Mr. Becker’s rendition of Monkey In Your Soul that, “the next tune is from our second album, I think.” Perhaps he was testing us? Again, judging by the lack of crowd response to this statement, no one seemed to take notice or even to care for that matter. During the band introductions, Mr. Becker proclaimed, “You want to know what the Steelyard “Sugartooth” McDan and the Fab-Originees.com means? It doesn’t mean a goddamn thing,” which most, including myself found to be quite funny.
When the band kicked into Black Cow it was impossible to stop the wave of people that had already gathered in the aisles but all the while were restrained by security. People began to climb over chairs and to violently push security out of the way which was quite distracting from the show. What the hell is wrong with these people? Surely we cannot blame security as they were outnumbered and simply could not contain/restrain the debauchery exhibited by the crowd. I thought I had just about seen everything until some idiot decided to crowd surf (not once but twice) during Peg and also during My Old School. Moreover, it became so packed up front that people began to push and shove, which resembled a sort of pseudo-geriatric mosh pit! What the hell is going on here? Moshing and crowd surfing a Steely Dan concert?!??!!??! At this time some moron climbed on stage right in front of Mr. Fagen (who apparently found this to be rather amusing and laughed) and waved his arms all around in the air (presumably like he didn’t care). I was sure he was going to stage dive but he was quickly whisked away by security before he had the opportunity. Too bad, it would have been a great show capper!
Despite these significant drawbacks, the performance (aside from Mr. Fagen’s mild vocal straining) and the sound (the minor guitar problems and the military helicopters hovering by every 30 minutes overhead) were both pretty good. The show was great and surely did not disappoint, but due mostly to factors (as noted above) out of the immediate control of the band, I must say that I have heard and seen better Steely Dan performances.
Steelyard “Sugartooth” McDan Tour
San Diego, California July 24, 2006
Turtle Talk
Bodhisattva
Time Out Of Mind
Aja
I've Got The News
Hey Nineteen
Cousin Dupree
Josie
Any World [w/ Jeff Young]
Glamour Profession
Black Friday
INTERMISSION
Steely Dan Show [Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery & Cindy Mizelle]
Green Earrings
Monkey In Your Soul [WB Vocals]
Funk Instrumental>Band Intros>Show Biz Kids
Black Cow
Do It Again
Dirty Work [Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery & Cindy Mizelle]
Peg
Don't Take Me Alive
Kid Charlemagne
ENCORE:
My Old School
FM
SOUNDCHECK
Glamour Profession [Instrumental]
Anyworld
Monkey [Walter Becker]
Blackcow
Showbiz Kids [Chorus only]
Cousin Dupree
Mr. Keith Carlock and the boys started things off with Turtle Talk and segued into the show opener Bodhisattva which of course coincided with Mr. Fagen and Mr. Becker’s stage entrance. The band moved smoothly through the next few numbers. Employing a sense of humor, Mr. Fagan (addressing the multitude of yachts on the bay) remarked, “hello sailor, [pausing momentarily] oh better not say that,” to which the crowd responded with a laugh. When the band went into Hey Nineteen a wave of half-drunken people rushed the stage to dance (which unfortunately was quite annoying as these were the kind of folks who clap on 1 and 3 and coupled with their obvious lack of innate musical time keeping, age and alcohol consumption, made for a scene that badly resembled a wedding reception at 3AM). Although strangely enough, Mr. Fagen seemed pleased as he remarked shortly thereafter, “I like to see some dancing, I like that,” and (to the delight of security) prompted a flooding of more drunken yuppies to the stage. Mr. Fagen stuck with the usual “Aretha Franklin” lyric and the song also again featured the Walt Weiskopf and Roger Rosenberg “argument” (see previous blog posting).
Cousin Dupree was a standout as Mr. Fagen (who strapped on his electric piano) and Mr. Becker extended the tune into a jam, trading guitar and piano licks with one another. They both seemed particularly pleased and to be having a good time. After the song (and when Mr. Fagen returned to his piano) and then (deliberately, for reasons Danfans are sure to know) lifted his Coke into the air and declared, “What a night!” much to the delight of the crowd (Note: I don’t think anyone got the Coke can this time around as soda security seems to have increased over the course of the past few shows). There were some technological guitar problems with Mr. Becker’s setup during Josie, which judging by his laughter Mr. Jon Herrington found quite amusing however Mr. Becker appeared not to share the same emotion. The Any World arrangement was a bit different, it had a sort of reggae feel and the vocal duties were left entirely to Mr. Jeff Young, who did an exceptional job.
Mr. Fagen’s vocals seemed to be unusually strained on Glamour Profession (more so than on any other tune). Perhaps this was brought on in part by his momentarily cerebral lapse of the lyrics, “Outside the stadium, Brut and charisma, for Hoops McCann, Brut and charisma, Poured from the shadow where he stood…”). However, judging by the crowd and their reaction, or rather lack thereof, nobody seemed to take much notice. The band quickly moved into Black Friday and then intermission, whereupon the security detail beefed up their presence in the front to keep would be dancers away from the stage during the second half of the set (their attempts however later proved in vain).
After about twenty minutes or so the band (minus Mr. Fagen and Mr. Becker) returned with The Steely Dan Show. The lyrics were projected onto the screen behind the stage but were not correctly synced with the girls. Also, after a short time the lyrics on the projection screen froze. This could be due to the fact that the band apparently had no plans in projecting the lyrics (e.g. Mr. Becker was overheard during sound check asking if they could project the lyrics during the set). The jam at the end of Green Earrings was real nice to hear and as usual, Mr. Herrington really shined on this number. After Green Earrings, I managed to yell, “Owen Wilson sucks” loud enough for Mr. Fagen and Mr. Becker to hear prompting them both to laughter! (Note: In an effor to keep the gag going, as the publicity is excellent, I think someone should yell this during every show for the remainder of the tour). Strangely, Mr. Fagen remarked before Mr. Becker’s rendition of Monkey In Your Soul that, “the next tune is from our second album, I think.” Perhaps he was testing us? Again, judging by the lack of crowd response to this statement, no one seemed to take notice or even to care for that matter. During the band introductions, Mr. Becker proclaimed, “You want to know what the Steelyard “Sugartooth” McDan and the Fab-Originees.com means? It doesn’t mean a goddamn thing,” which most, including myself found to be quite funny.
When the band kicked into Black Cow it was impossible to stop the wave of people that had already gathered in the aisles but all the while were restrained by security. People began to climb over chairs and to violently push security out of the way which was quite distracting from the show. What the hell is wrong with these people? Surely we cannot blame security as they were outnumbered and simply could not contain/restrain the debauchery exhibited by the crowd. I thought I had just about seen everything until some idiot decided to crowd surf (not once but twice) during Peg and also during My Old School. Moreover, it became so packed up front that people began to push and shove, which resembled a sort of pseudo-geriatric mosh pit! What the hell is going on here? Moshing and crowd surfing a Steely Dan concert?!??!!??! At this time some moron climbed on stage right in front of Mr. Fagen (who apparently found this to be rather amusing and laughed) and waved his arms all around in the air (presumably like he didn’t care). I was sure he was going to stage dive but he was quickly whisked away by security before he had the opportunity. Too bad, it would have been a great show capper!
Despite these significant drawbacks, the performance (aside from Mr. Fagen’s mild vocal straining) and the sound (the minor guitar problems and the military helicopters hovering by every 30 minutes overhead) were both pretty good. The show was great and surely did not disappoint, but due mostly to factors (as noted above) out of the immediate control of the band, I must say that I have heard and seen better Steely Dan performances.
Steelyard “Sugartooth” McDan Tour
San Diego, California July 24, 2006
Turtle Talk
Bodhisattva
Time Out Of Mind
Aja
I've Got The News
Hey Nineteen
Cousin Dupree
Josie
Any World [w/ Jeff Young]
Glamour Profession
Black Friday
INTERMISSION
Steely Dan Show [Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery & Cindy Mizelle]
Green Earrings
Monkey In Your Soul [WB Vocals]
Funk Instrumental>Band Intros>Show Biz Kids
Black Cow
Do It Again
Dirty Work [Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery & Cindy Mizelle]
Peg
Don't Take Me Alive
Kid Charlemagne
ENCORE:
My Old School
FM
SOUNDCHECK
Glamour Profession [Instrumental]
Anyworld
Monkey [Walter Becker]
Blackcow
Showbiz Kids [Chorus only]
Cousin Dupree
posted by sociologyman at 12:11 PM
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