interview: planetrock UK

http://www.planetrock.com/showdj.asp?DJID=53135
Birnie's In... Todd Rundgren
Saturday: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Todd Rundgren is in the studio with Rob Birnie this week to talk about his extraordinary career that has included a hugely successful solo career and has seen him become one of the world's most sought after producers>

Rob will also be talking about Todd's recent show in London that saw him perform the seminal album, A Wizard A True Star in full.

VIDEO: LONDON AWATS BY THIERRY

Thierry from France

Never Never Land :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYQg4OOheFw

Hungry for Love :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js2-Us1bHYg

Sometimes i don't know what to feel :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eQv4bPVQ4U

Todd Rundgren’s Johnson :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRzPgqmaOM4

Reviews> batched together for easy viewing

The Independent - Todd AWATS London Gig Review (Feb 10)
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/todd-rundgren-hammersmith-apollo-london-1894261.html

The Guardian – 5-Star Review of Todd's London AWATS Gig (Feb 9)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/09/todd-rundgren-review

The Times – AWATS London Hammersmith Review (Feb 9)
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/live_reviews/article7019470.ece

Simon Jay Price - Todd AWATS London Gig Review (Feb 8)
http://www.photographerdad.com/2010/02/still-theres-more.html

InRocks France - Todd Rundgren: Mission Apollo (Feb 8)
http://ow.ly/155Xn

eSpy Rck - Todd Rundgren London Hammersmith Slide Show (Feb 8)
http://espyrock.com/2010/02/photos-todd-rundgrens-a-wizard-a-true-star-6818/

Daily Telegraph – London AWATS Interview (Feb 8)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopreviews/

Daily Telegraph – Main Todd London gig review with colour photo (Feb 8)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/7188130/Todd-Rundgren-at-the-Hammersmith-Apollo-review.html

The Word Magazine Blog – Comments about AWATS London Gig (Feb 7)
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/a-wizard-a-true-star-so-how-was-it

Funky Gibbons Blog – AWATS London Gig Review (Feb 7)
http://www.funkygibbins.me.uk/?p=2059

Clear Day Nebraska – AWATS London Review (Feb 7)
http://cleardaynebraska.blogspot.com/2010/02/todd-rundgren-triumphs-with-wizard-true.html

The Quietus - Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star – Gig Preview (Feb 5)
http://thequietus.com/articles/03686-news-todd-rundgren-british-premiere-of-a-wizard-a-true-star-february-6-hmv-hammersmith-apollo

Music Radar - Todd Rundgren: On Creating A Wizard, A True Star (Jan 26)
http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/qa-todd-rundgren-on-recreating-a-wizard-a-true-star-234318

Floating TODD... ARTICLE

another article found by bart..
look closely Todd is floating in the air
click on image to see full size

italian review of london AWATS show

google translator version
http://quotidianonet.ilsole24ore.com/spettacoli/musica/2010/02/09/290802-quella_folle_suite_rock_firmata_todd_rundgren.shtml
London, February 9, 2010 - Maybe you remember someone in a brief and unexpected presence of Sanremo. Only l? Last year, in fact, has joined Patty Pravo on the evening of the festival devoted to duets. But if Todd Rundgren Utopia had called the group that made him famous perhaps not c? Was more surprising? much. Surprised however, to the delight of over 3000 spectators all? Hammersmith Apollo, his re-proposal of an album (A Wizard, A True Star) came out in 1973.


One show (the first of only two European dates) to great effect, with six musicians in full frac white and ten CHANGE? Suit for him to 62 years? still in perfect shape. Histrionic one hand, but above all great music, with his talent also highlighted in its activities? Manufacturer (Patti Smith, Meatloaf, Hall & Oates, New York Dolls, The Tubes and many others).


'A Wizard, A True Star' was a breakthrough album all? Time when USC?: It was a long suite that occupied without interruption the two sides of vinyl. Unlike for? other productions of? age (as of Thick as a Brick Jethro Tull), the disc has a continuous range from a musical genre all? else. The experiments with the synthesizer to psychedelia, from musicals to soul, to rock classic. What today can? seem normal, then it was so revolutionary that it seemed odd.


Onstage with Rundgren concert in London on Saturday evening, one of the musicians who participate? all? original album, Ralph Schuckett on keyboards, joined by Greg Hawkes of the Cars who have been entrusted mainly to the sounds of synthesizers. The rhythm section has seen the drummer Prairie Prince, which in turn was part of The Tubes and the Utopia bassist Kasim Sulton.


The group was completed by guitarist Jesse Gress, with Rundgren and especially from Bobby Strickland to woodwinds, keyboards and percussion, a real vice-elf at the side of Todd, but also an exceptional musician who was entrusted with the musical direction. Rundgren is? also cut a further role, to open his concert in a? another guise, that of the blues musician: The Todd Rundgren? s Johnsons (he, Sulton, Gress and Prince) have played half an hour of classics like "Sweet Home Chicago Crossroads to the surprise of an audience came to listen to everyone? else.


Then, when? started A Wizard, A True Star and Todd? presented astronaut suit, viewers were able to see a musician eager to reinterpret himself for 64 minutes yarns costumes spanning his entire career. The giant American rocker? magician dressed in tails, a biker, a child obese, as a eunuch, he used bright tracksuits. In order to do it? has often had to do without his Gibson guitar, but the voice? in excellent shape. Parts of the suites are very new, from International Feel a Rock? N? Roll pussy, from Flamingo to Hungry for Love, until the grand finale Just One Victory. Audience in raptures, but especially A Wizard, A True Star has been the confirmation of a musical genius.

Michele Manzotti

cool cover version of international feel by davey lane and tony featherstone

http://undercover.com.au/News-Story.aspx?id=10293_Davey_Lane_and_Tony_Featherstone_Record_Todd_Rundgren_Tribute

Davey Lane and Tony Featherstone Record Todd Rundgren Tribute
by Paul Cashmere - February 9 2010
photo by Ros O'Gorman

Davey Lane (You Am I, The Pictures) and Tony Featherstone (The Badloves) have recorded a bedroom production of one of their favourite Todd Rundgren songs.
The pair has recorded Todd's 'International Feel' just for a bit of fun.
Davey posted via Facebook "My friend Tony Featherstone and I recorded a cover in me back room of our favorite Todd Rundgren tune. Tony was mercifully spared from the 3am-after-half-a-bottle-of-tequila-mobile-phone video shoot...."
'International Feel' was from Todd Rundgren's 1973 concept album 'A Wizard, A Star'. Rundgren recently decided to tour the complete album after discovering it was being played to a new audience by Hot Chip before their shows.
Have a listen to the Davey Laney and Tony Featherstone bedroom production of 'International Feel' here:

rundgrenradio tonight

Rundgren Radio airs tonight, Tuesday 2/9/2010, beginning at 8:30pm ET! Tonight's show is an AWATS Wrap-Up where we will be discussing all the recent UK and Amsterdam AWATS live shows with fans that attended and airing an interview we did yesterday with Peter Noble. That's not all! We will be playing a "Best of" series of Todd discussing AWATS and AWATS Live from over a dozen interviews we poached online.

www.RundgrenRadio.com

photos and video AWATS Paradiso Amsterdam show >Bart Versteeg

post to me by supper fan and all around great person Bart Versteeg

Todd Rundgren, A Wizard A True Star.
Amsterdam, Paradiso 8th February 2010
Recorded with Panasonic LUMIX DMC-TZ7


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fans review uk awats show

http://ianmarchant.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/a-true-star-a-wizard/


http://www.photographerdad.com/2010/02/still-theres-more.html

photos > credit © John Rahim UK AWATS

credit © John Rahim
CLICK ON IMAGES TO SEE FULL SIZE

Reviews of UK show awats

Daily Telegraph – London AWATS Interview (Feb 8)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopreviews/

Daily Telegraph – Main Todd London gig review with colour photo (Feb 8)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/7188130/Todd-Rundgren-at-the-Hammersmith-Apollo-review.html

The Word Magazine Blog – Comments about AWATS London Gig (Feb 7)
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/a-wizard-a-true-star-so-how-was-it

Funky Gibbons Blog – AWATS London Gig Review (Feb 7)
http://www.funkygibbins.me.uk/?p=2059

Clear Day Nebraska – AWATS London Review (Feb 7)
http://cleardaynebraska.blogspot.com/2010/02/todd-rundgren-triumphs-with-wizard-true.html

The Quietus - Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star – Gig Preview (Feb 5)
http://thequietus.com/articles/03686-news-todd-rundgren-british-premiere-of-a-wizard-a-true-star-february-6-hmv-hammersmith-apollo

issues with the USB stick

Dear customer,

we really do apologize for the problems which occur while trying to download
the encores. For further informations regarding this issue please see the
below mentioned link.

http://concert-online.com/special/todd_rundgren/index.php?lang=en#active

Sorry again and thank you very much for your understanding.

Kind Regards

XXXXX XXXXX


Music Networx AG
Vogelsanger Straße 187
50825 Cologne, Germany

Review > Hammersmith show by the UK's Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/7188130/Todd-Rundgren-at-the-Hammersmith-Apollo-review.html

Todd Rundgren at the Hammersmith Apollo, review
The Todd-heads, at least, were not disappointed by this meticulously planned show. Rating: * * *

By Tim Burrows
Published: 12:50PM GMT 08 Feb 2010

Crowd-pleasing stuff: Todd Rundgren at the Hammersmith Apollo Photo: JOHN RAHIM
Around the time of his 1973 album A Wizard, a True Star, Todd Rundgren was all set for superstardom. He dated the supermodel Bebe Buell, and frequented the New York hangout Max’s Kansas City, where he met the New York Dolls, whose debut album he produced, and Patti Smith, who wrote the album’s sleeve notes.

Yet the outlandish experimentation of AWATS might have been what prevented Rundgren becoming the American Bowie. While not a small fish by any means, Rundgren never hit those heights. Yet today he still commands an obsessive global following of fans, known as “Todd-heads”.

For them he ensured this Hammersmith show, in which the whole of AWATS was played live for the first time since the Seventies, was a meticulously planned affair. His white-tuxedoed six-piece band, didn’t miss a time-signature change. Yet, while the music was as faithful to the LP as possible, the most thought-out aspect of the show was his outfits.

This was crowd-pleasing stuff – Liberace meets Lady Gaga — with Rundgren jogging back and forth to change into sparkling spandex, a yellow tuxedo, or the glittering indigo robe he threw on before performing a quite touching rendition of I Don’t Want to Tie You Down.

AWATS is still a gorgeous fusion of styles that follows its own dream-logic. Yet here its effervescence was squeezed into a rigorous routine that resembled a West End musical.

Rundgren had started the set in a space suit for the cosmic International Feel. For Hungry For Love, he came out sporting a chef’s outfit, throwing sweets into the audience from his apron like a pantomime character. For those who adored the album for its feeling of limitless possibilities, the stream of consciousness had become an irritating fairground ride.

In recent years, the album has become a major influence on groups such as Daft Punk and Hot Chip, and any crate-digging hip-hop DJ worth his salt. As if stood in opposition to such hip appropriation, some Todd-heads had painted their faces and wore jackets covered in DIY messages to their hero.

As the set approached the finale, Rundgren wore his most risqué outfit of the night, a gold dress with a gap to air his small belly. As he span in a circle, his dress pluming furiously as he played a lengthy guitar solo, one Todd-head in the audience, who had danced evangelically throughout, was reaching a transformative state. In Todd they still trust.

Videos> london show AWATS recorded by Thierry from France

upped on youtube by long time fan PRTALL "Thierry from France "

video: Awats hammersmith london 2/6/10

upped on youtube by nickdeaves

Review: review of london show

from fellow bloggers site http://cleardaynebraska.blogspot.com/2010/02/todd-rundgren-triumphs-with-wizard-true.html

Sunday, February 07, 2010
Todd Rundgren triumphs with A Wizard, A True Star at the London Hammersmith Apollo

Todd Rundgren and his all-star band rolled into London last night for what will be remembered as a career defining concert - the British concert premiere of his 1973 epic album "A Wizard, A True Star."

The concert has been highly anticipated for a year now. Rundgren opened the show with a 30 minute set entitled Todd Rundgren's "Johnson." Todd (vocals, guitar), Kasim Sultan (bass), Jesse Gress (guitar) and Prairie Prince (drums)performed their own renditions of bluesman Robert Johnson. An album's worth of material is to follow in the coming months.

I was very sceptical about how Rundgren would pull off re-creating the music from Wizard and how he would keep the audience's attention. But like some outerspace theatrical glam rock, tongue and cheeck rock concert, the minute Todd walked on stage dressed in NASA astronaut's suit, you new this show was going to be on par with David Bowie's famous farewell Ziggy Stardust gig (at the same Hammersmith Apollo venue).

But this was Rundgren's defining moment. There were rock star moments in a rock and roll circus spetacle that was chaotic, fun and emotionally uplifting, and at times, heartfelt and poignant. Wizard was the album that defined a generation, and although it was originally panned by critics when it was released in 1973, it has since been namechecked by tons of young British bands.

Not only did the album combine several music genres and styles, but it also told the rollercoaster story of a psychedelic trip as driven by one of pop's greatest DIY wonders.

The costume changes brought back the theatricality of when rock and roll shows were an event. I don't know if Rundgren did this concsiously, but I haven't witnessed something theatrical like this since David Bowie stunned audiences with his memorable Diamond Dogs tour.

Vocally, Todd sounded impeccable. His Philly soul stylings touched a nerve, particularly when he sang the soul medly I'm So Proud / Ooh Baby Baby / La La Means I Love You / Cool Jerk.

When Bobby Strickland told everyone to get up on their feet during Cool Jerk, suddenly the gig skyrocketed into orbit with Hungry for Love, I Don't Want To Tie You Down, Is It My Name? and the encore One Last Victory.

As the concert drew to a close, the sold out 3,500 strong crowd, stood on their toes with wild applause. Todd Rundgren conquered London. It will be interesting to see what the 'True Star' will do next.

As we left the venue, there was a stall selling the entire concert on USB stick. The USB is available to order online from http://concert-online.com/en/artist/25886/Todd-Rundgren.html

photos Uk show AWATS

Photo Credit: (c) John Rahim
click on images to see larger size




Photo Credit: (c) John Rahim

Video>Todd Rundgren Live. London 06.02.2010....Le Feel Internacionale and just one victory

upped on youtube by mick10n