Recorded in 2009, this album is available in multiple different formats, including swirled vinyl and a CD/DVD set etc. As one may be able to work out from the album title, this is a live run through of one of his most controversial albums, at least when it was first released back in 1973. His previous album, ‘Something/Anything/’ had charted well in multiple countries, and spawned some hit singles, but this saw him undertaking far more inventive paths, something which was exacerbated by his experimentation at the time with psychedelic drugs. Many Todd fans now look back on this very favourably indeed, while I have always felt there is some very strong material contained within but others which are not as good, so a rather inconsistent release.
Needless to say, this means that this album contains the same flaws and strengths as the original, but he has surrounded himself with a strong band and there is no doubt that the crowd in Akron, Ohio, had a great time. Mind you, whether they would say the same about this release would be another matter altogether. Todd has released a great many live albums over the years, both under his own name and Utopia, and I have a few different boxed sets so it can be said I am quite a fan, but what has been done with these recordings is quite unforgiveable. The production is great, as is the performance, but whoever messed with this needs to be sacked. I know that in these days of people using Spotify (I don’t) and shuffling albums (I don’t do that either), there are few of us who like to play an album from beginning to end, but surely when it comes to live albums everyone does? Whoever mutilated this album obviously does not, as what has happened is that each track fades out and then back in again, even though this is taken from a single night performance of a complete album. But worse than that, sometimes as it fades back in, we get a few seconds of the previous song again. Did no-one listen to this? Did Todd sign it off?
The end result is an album which in many ways should be a masterpiece, but instead it is an annoyance, and incredibly frustrating. To me this is a great opportunity ruined – I guess it would be okay if I played it on shuffle, but I can’t bring myself to do so. A real shame. 6/10 Kev Rowland
Following his critically-acclaimed album of collaborations, White Knight, released in 2017 on Cleopatra Records, rock legend Todd Rundgren is releasing a new single “Espionage” from his forthcoming album Space Force. In contrast to its futuristic title, Rundgren returns to the days of yesteryear when artists would release several singles first before releasing an “album,” or collection of singles. Thus, Space Force will be released to digital platforms as individual singles, each with its own unique artwork, every 3 or 4 weeks with the entire album coming in early 2021.
First up is a song as adventurous as Space Force suggests, the ambitious collaboration “Espionage” with Muslim hip hop artist Narcy.
“The song is actually an orphan of White Knight. Narcy and I began the colab in the final days of that album and we couldn’t get it finished in time, so in a sense it’s the first song of Space Force.” – Todd Rundgren
Keep an eye out for more Space Force singles including collaborations with Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo and idiosyncratic pop stars Sparks as well as a video for “Espionage.”
In other news, now that the convention has wrapped, Todd’s new re-record of his 1973 anthem “Just One Victory” has been provided to the Democratic National Committee for gratis use by all candidates running for public office this fall, from top of ballot down to dogcatcher .
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rundgren began playing guitar as a teenager, going on to found and front Nazz, the quintessential 60’s psychedelic group. In 1969, he left the band to pursue a solo career, recording his debut offering, Runt. But it was 1972’s seminal Something/Anything?, on which he played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and acted as his own producer, that catapulted Todd into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to unanimously dub him “Rock’s New Wunderkind.” It was followed by such landmark LPs as The Hermit of Mink Hollow and A Wizard, A True Star; evergreen hit singles include “I Saw The Light,” “Hello It’s Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends,” and “Bang The Drum.”
Los Angeles, CA – Todd Rundgren’s cult prog/art rock outfit Utopia released a mere handful of studio albums in several incarnations starting in 1974 before retiring in the early ‘80s. Yet the band has managed to maintain an intensely devout fanbase that enthusiastically flocked to sold out performances when Rundgren revived the act for a national tour in 2018. The seed of that extraordinarily successful reunion lay in a charitable act years earlier when Rundgren’s longtime friend, songwriting partner and founding member of the original Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, Moogy “Mark” Klingman, fell ill. As Klingman’s health deteriorated and his medical bills began to pile up, Todd Rundgren’s Utopia reformed for special benefit engagements to raise money for their dear friend. The result was an astounding coming together in music and a spirit of compassion as former Utopia members, including Mr. Klingman himself, stepped on the stage behind their leader, Todd Rundgren, and gave the fans an incredible concert, one they wouldn’t soon forget.
Now, a new box set collects together both the audio and video of the January 2011 Todd Rundgren’s Utopia reunion show as well as the November show later that year recorded just a few days after Klingman’s passing. The entire box, titled Benefit For Moogy Klingman, is a multi-media treasure trove featuring 4 audio discs and 2 DVDs with special features that include interviews with the band members and a gorgeous booklet with extensive liner notes and photos. The box is set to be released on May 1 courtesy of Purple Pyramid Records, a division of Cleopatra Records, Inc.
Track List: DISC 1: CD Highline Ballroom – New York, NY – January 29, 2011 1. Moogy’s Boogie 2. Never Never Land 3. Crying In The Sunshine 4. Lady Face 5. Dust In The Wind 6. Utopia Theme 7. Freak Parade 8. Another Life 9. The Ikon
DISC 2: CD Highline Ballroom – New York, NY – January 29, 2011 1. Heavy Metal Kids 2. The Wheel 3. Set Me Free 4. Do Ya 5. Last Ride 6. Just One Victory 7. Sons Of 1984 8. (You Got To Have) Friends
DISC 3: CD Peekskill Performing Arts Center – Peekskill, NY – November 18, 2011 1. Utopia Theme 2. Freak Parade 3. Heavy Metal Kids 4. Another Life 5. Something’s Coming 6. The Seven Rays
DISC 4: CD Peekskill Performing Arts Center – Peekskill, NY – November 18, 2011 1. Do Ya 2. The Wheel 3. The Ikon 4. Freedom Fighters 5. Just One Victory
DISC 5: LIVE CONCERT DVD from Highline Ballroom DISC 6: LIVE CONCERT DVD from Peekskill Performing Arts Center
GLASYS new single “People” featuring Todd Rundgren to be released on July 26th
Portland, OR – GLASYS (Gil Assayas) is a pianist, synthesist, producer and vocalist who delivers intricate virtuosic keyboard parts, electronic soundscapes and impassioned vocals in one package that combines his many influences including Electronic music, Alternative Rock, Jazz and Classical music.
Since relocating to the US from Israel three years ago, GLASYS has been endorsed by major gear manufacturers such as Nord Keyboards, 64 Audio, Sequential and Spectrasonics, has developed a large social media presence with over two million total video views, has been featured on the GRAMMY’s website, and has had his song “The Pressure” played at a Portland Trailblazers NBA game. Recently, he was discovered by Hip-Hop giant T-Pain on reddit and the two are now collaborating. GLASYS is also currently touring with legendary 70s-80s band Utopia (led by Todd Rundgren).
GLASYS released his debut EP “The Pressure” in September 2016. His first full-length album “Defective Humanity” was successfully funded on Kickstarter and will be released on August 2nd, 2019. The new single “People” featuring Todd Rundgren will be released on July 25th.
Says GLASYS, “The inspiration for this song is human nature, and more specifically the way we humans are never truly satisfied with what we have and are always chasing something ‘better’ in life, be it success, more money, a new car, a relationship etc. I personally struggle a lot with living in the moment, and the song addresses that struggle.
“Ever since I wrote this song I thought that Todd would be perfect for it, but I wasn’t sure if he’d have the time to collaborate seeing as he’s so busy. I was very pleasantly surprised when I sent him a demo of the song and he replied 5 minutes later saying that he’d love to do it! He ended up recording his parts on tour (on a cruise ship, I believe). I didn’t give him any specific instructions, just told him to add whatever he feels like adding. He recorded some great vocals, new harmonies and an awesome guitar solo that took the song to a new level. I’m extremely grateful for his support and really happy with the results.”
GLASYS forthcoming album “Defective Humanity” (to be released on August 2nd) is self produced and will include his best songs from the past 2-3 years. “I have a pretty active YouTube channel to which I upload improvisations and short musical ideas, so I was able to receive feedback from my viewers and develop their favorite tunes into full tracks. Not all the songs were created that way though, some are extremely personal and have never been heard by anyone, in any form. The album will contain both instrumental and vocal songs.”
GLASYS will also be playing keyboards on the forthcoming Tribute To The Beatles’ White Album tour featuring Micky Dolenz (The Monkees), Todd Rundgren, Christopher Cross, Jason Scheff (Chicago) and Joey Molland (Badfinger)! Musical Director: Joey Curatolo (the musical director of RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles).
Here’s what’s been said about GLASYS:
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. Man. PM me if you wanna work together, bro. This is amazing!” – T-Pain
“A master at the keys, Israel instrumentalist Gil Assayas shares animated vocals with faultless keyboard and synth playing to make jazzy electronic you can’t help but dance to.” – The Deli Portland
“From the first bar of the title track of GLASYS’ debut EP ‘The Pressure,’ it is already clear that Gil Assayas is a musician of rare talent and skill. The Portland based Assayas is possessed of rather intimidating piano chops and assembled an impressive collective of musicians for the project.” – Jonathan Wilson, Northwest Music Scene.
“GLASYS, one of the best new acts to emerge out of Portland in quite some time. The brainchild of producer extraordinaire Gil Assayas, Glasys layers gorgeous keyboards on top of poppy, delicate vocals.” – Marissa Abruzzini, Tour Worthy.
Forthcoming shows: July 27: Jack London Revue, Portland OR August 2nd: Sunset Tavern, Seattle WA August 10th: Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles CA August 13th: Hotel Utah Saloon, San Francisco CA
In celebration of The Beatles 50th Anniversary of the White Album, Flower Power Concerts, Inc presents It Was Fifty Years Ago Today – Tour 2019 – A Tribute To The Beatles’ White Album feat. Christopher Cross, Todd Rundgren, Micky Dolenz (The Monkees), Jason Scheff (Chicago) and Joey Molland (Badfinger)! Musical Director: Joey Curatolo (the musical director of RAIN: A Tribute to The Beatles).
Performing their greatest hits along with songs from The Beatles White Album!
Tour Dates:
Sept 21 – Atlantic City, NJ – Golden Nugget Sept 28 – Akron, OH – Akron Civic Theatre Sept 29 – Danville, KY – Norton Center Oct 1 – St. Charles, IL – Arcadia Theater Oct 2 – Milwaukee, WI – Pabst Theater Oct 5 – Beverly, MA – Cabot Theater Oct 6 – Concord, NH – Capitol Center For The Arts Oct 7 – Orono, ME – Collins Center For The Arts Oct 8 – Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse Oct 10 – Staten Island, NY – St. George Theater Oct 11 – Boston, MA – Berklee PAC Oct 12 – Westbury, NY – Theatre @ Westbury Oct 13 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo PAC Oct 15 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre Oct 17 – Red Bank, NJ – Count Basie Theater Oct 18 – New London, CT – Garde Arts Center Oct 20 – Washington, DC – Warner Theatre (Additional shows to be announced soon!)
Featuring!
Christopher Cross is an American singer-songwriter from San Antonio, Texas. Cross won five Grammy Awards for his eponymous debut album released in 1979. The singles “Sailing” (1980), and “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” (from the 1981 film Arthur) peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. “Sailing” earned three Grammys in 1981, while “Arthur’s Theme” won the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1981 (with co-composers Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen).
Todd Rundgren, born and raised in Philadelphia, began playing guitar as a teenager, going on to found and front Nazz, the quintessential 1960’s psychedelic group. In 1969, he left the band to pursue a solo career, recording his debut offering, Runt. But it was 1972’s seminal Something/Anything?, on which he played all the instruments, sang all the vocal parts, and acted as his own producer, that catapulted Todd into the superstar limelight, prompting the press to unanimously dub him “Rock’s New Wunderkind.” It was followed by such landmark LPs as A Wizard, A True Star and The Hermit of Mink Hollow, as well as such hit singles as “I Saw The Light, “Hello It’s Me,” “Can We Still Be Friends,” and “Bang The Drum.”
Micky Dolenz is an actor, singer, director, producer, writer, radio DJ, inventor, and all-around performer extraordinaire, and stands tall as a paragon of taste and accomplishment in the rough-and-tumble world of show business and entertainment. Micky is best known as a vocalist and drummer of the 1960s pop legends The Monkees. The Monkees not only achieved great success as a TV show, but also as viable recording artists; selling in excess of 65 million units, and achieving worldwide success. Their first four albums – The Monkees (1966); More of The Monkees (1967); Headquarters (1967); and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd.(1967) all reached the number-one position on the charts and launched three number-one singles: “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer” (both with lead vocals by Micky), and “Daydream Believer.” The group’s first five albums also went platinum.
Jason Scheff is the longtime tenor lead vocalist of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted supergroup Chicago. Scheff joined the group in 1985 replacing the iconic vocalist/bass player Peter Cetera going on to be one of the principal songwriters and main contributors throughout Chicago’s career. Scheff’s songwriting, vocals, and musicianship helped create the most successful recording era of Chicago, the 1980s and 1990s. Scheff is also the voice across 4 decades, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, performing all the classic Chicago hits in thousands of concerts, television appearances.
Joey Molland is an English composer and rock guitarist whose recording career spans five decades. He is best known as guitarist, singer and songwriter of classic rock legends Badfinger. Molland is the last surviving member from the band’s classic line-up and is still playing concerts worldwide. He is currently recording a new solo album produced by Mark Hudson.
For more information: Flower Power Concerts, Inc. 853 Broadway – Suite 1120 New York, NY 10003 PH: 1-212-254-5500 flowerpowerconcerts.com
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