The Ikon
Hammer In My Heart
World Wide Epiphany
Well, I got it totally wrong as I thought this concert was actually inside one of the fiercely air conditioned casinos so I took along my jacket only to discover that it was being held outside in the 80+ degree heat! It was held on the lawn behind the Sunset Station Casino and people could sit where they wanted within certain areas. As I had a VIP seat I sat near the front but after our band had played a few tracks, I noticed that about half the people in the VIP section had left as they were complaining that it was too loud! It sounded okay to me (but perhaps I'm used to loud concerts now) although sometimes there was a slight echo sound produced (most noticeable during Trapped which was effective with Kasim's voice).
The support band was supposed to have been Martha Davies and the Motels but they cancelled so instead we had Epstein's Mother who were an adequate replacement.
Kasim, Todd and Trey came on at 9.00 just as the full moon was raising behind them! Although tonight Todd didn't mention his flu, they only played for ninety minutes. I was very surprised (and disappointed) that they omitted Yer Fast tonight and Todd didn't plug Patronet at all.
During the second verse of I Hate my Frickin ISP there was a flash of temper from Todd! He had one electric fan aimed at him but he indicated a couple of times to the crew that he wanted another one turned to him too (it was hot just sitting there, let alone under all those lights). When they didn't even move, Todd went over and kicked the fan! The good result of this was that it meant that Todd was away from his microphone for the second chorus so Kasim took over singing the lead for a couple of lines which sounded great!
Todd's reoccurring theme during this concert was that he'd been told that they were playing a concert in Las Vegas before the tour started and had only just discovered that in fact they were playing in Henderson (which is about eight miles from Las Vegas)! He decided that in a few years Las Vegas and Henderson would be all one anyway with the rate that these casinos are springing up! He also noticed the big neon sign advertising this concert that proudly announced that Todd Rundgren was a "rock star"! I could see that Kasim actually spent quite a bit of the concert watching the revolving television commercials on the sign!
All the Utopia songs always get a big round of applause (especially Trapped) so it seems that a lot of people remember Todd from that era. Tonight Todd managed not to break any strings although, with the heat, both he and Kasim had to re-tune their guitars at one point. Kasim was wearing a new pair of loose trousers tonight and his second beard of the tour has been shaved off!
Buffalo Grass seemed to go on for ages tonight! At the end Kasim and Trey just sing the chorus (quietly) while Todd plays guitar and they just kept going and going - it was wonderful!
During World Wide Epiphany Kasim tried to throw some guitar pics to a kid in the audience but by then the desert wind had got up so the pics were taken by the wind! He eventually just handed one to the child who came to the front of the stage!
Todd had obvious great delight tonight in shouting out "Henderson" instead of Las Vegas during One World!
