By Christopher David<\/p>\n
Halfway through Todd Rundgren\u2019s performance at the Athenaeum Theater on Tuesday night, he talked about how his interest in synthesizers sometimes caused him to neglect his guitar. \u201cThere it would sit,\u201d he said, \u201cin the corner, beckoning me. And I\u2019d pick it up, and I\u2019d say, I\u2019ll always be there for you, buddy.\u201d Following that reflection on his return to old sounds while exploring the new, the opening crunch of a classic tune from 1975\u2019s Initiation<\/em> filled the hall. The tune? \u201cThe Death of Rock N\u2019 Roll.\u201d<\/p>\n Todd Rundgren\u2014musician, producer, visionary, and now, author\u2014is not an easy guy to pin down.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s to everyone\u2019s benefit, as illustrated in grand fashion during his two-night stand at perhaps the most intimate venue he could have chosen in Chicago. Currently in the middle of a U.S. dual-purpose tour\u2014a career retrospect set that ties in with the release of his memoir The Individualist<\/em>\u2014Rundgren showed off the many facets of his versatile career in a two-hour plus set that gave as much attention to hits as it did to deep cuts, a reminder that even Rundgren\u2019s most recognizable tunes, taken together, defy easy categorization.<\/p>\n Expertly backed by drummer Prairie Prince, guitarist Jesse Gress, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, multi-instrumentalist Bobby Strickland, and Utopia bassist Kasim Sulton, Rundgren spent the evening alternating between strolls back and forth on stage and absolutely shredding his guitar at any available opportunity, most notably on classics like \u201cBlack Maria\u201d and The Nazz\u2019s \u201cOpen My Eyes.\u201d Let me say it again: absolutely shredding, as in schooling the hell out of any metal band this writer has seen in recent memory. As with many great artists, it\u2019s easy sometimes to forget just how multi-talented they are when there are so many musical irons in the fire, but Rundgren put that to bed just a few songs into the show, setting the tone for an exploration of each era in his career that ebbed and flowed in a pitch perfect setlist.<\/p>\n Early in the set, Rundgren mused on his history with production vs. songwriting, noting that he chose both, which led to his decision to pursue more challenging records following his explosive mainstream success after 1972\u2019s Something\/Anything<\/em>. \u201cWhich, I guess,\u201d he smiled, \u201cis the reason we\u2019re all here.\u201d A video screen provided a backdrop (if ever there was a cooler picture than the one with Rundgren\u2019s arms spread in triumph from the gatefold of Something\/Anything<\/em>, I don\u2019t know what it is), and images relevant to certain songs and eras added an extra layer of depth to the performance. (The staggering breadth of his production work alone was highlighted in a gallery of album covers spanning the length of an entire song.)<\/p>\n The second set started with a unique Q&A opportunity for the audience via pre-recorded questions submitted through an iPad in the theater lobby. A novel approach, certainly, though it shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise from an artist who has continually pioneered new technology and media. Over the course of several questions, Rundgren discussed his writing process (\u201cI need absolute solitude if anything is going to happen\u201d), his Spirit of Harmony foundation, a non-profit that focuses on music education and instruments for underprivileged youth, and the concept behind 1981\u2019s Healing. <\/em> In discussing the latter, he wryly commented that he \u201cwanted to explore the idea of whether someone could legitimately be healed through music..and the FDA hasn\u2019t said anything yet.\u201d Throughout the night, Rundgren\u2019s sense of humor was apparent\u2014as though it could be suppressed\u2014and if the main set was a barnburner, the second set kept that momentum going with a blistering version of \u201cBlack & White,\u201d the soaring harmonies of \u201cDrive\u201d (surely one of Rundgren\u2019s most unsung tunes), and a sweetly-delivered version of \u201cFade Away\u201d before the house was fully brought down by a raucous version of \u201cWant of a Nail.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s tough, in the world of rock n\u2019 roll, to defeat the march of time. Some burn out early, some figure out how to make it last longer, but very few have the ability to relish the process of adaptation to new trends, genres, and approaches to songwriting and production the way that Todd Rundgren has in his more than fifty years at the game. Noting his role as a mentor to younger musicians during the Q&A, Rundgren indicated that he relished his role as an \u2018elder statesman\u2019 when it came to his line of work. There isn\u2019t a better one out there.<\/p>\n For more on Todd Rundgren, click here<\/a><\/p>\n