Last night’s Donald Fagen concert was great. It wasn’t the greatest thing ever – but it was great.
The crowd was something else, man. I’d say there was a 15% gentile rate. And a 10% non-corrective lenses rate. Also — as Ann pointed out — nearly every man there wore a dark leather jacket.
The show was short. It was an hour and forty-five of music at the very most. Too short. Way too fucking short. Especially considering the catalogue Mr. Fagen had to choose from. Plus, some of that time was dedicated to Martha Wainwright appearing and singing a (very nice, sure) guitar ballad. Were I the type to get up and stretch my legs, that would have been it. I liked the song, but I wanted to hear Donald Fagen.
Also, and I can’t fault anyone for this, but we happened to be sitting right next to the exit door, on the aisle, so there wasn’t 30 uninterrupted seconds without people zipping by in front of us. Or coming in and then hovering there as they tried to remember where their seats were. And most of them stepped on Ann’s feet during this process. I think this bugged me most since I had spent the night before at Lincoln Center. You know that at Lincoln Center if you’re late, they just lock you the hell out? And they have somebody zipping down the aisle before each set saying “take your seats!” And if you get up to get a drink or whatever, you are out for good? I like that. What’s with all the moving around? Sit the fuck down.
Okay, on to the music. There were moments of absolute fantastic-itudeness. “Brite Nightgown” blew my fuckin’ mind. James Brown never performed anything tighter. They tore the roof off with that and I stand by my statement that if that track was released in 1977 and not 2006 it would be as iconic as “You Should Be Dancin'” by the Bee Gees. “Green Flower Street” was another highlight. The drummer went apeshit and it took a lot of self-censorship not to air-drum. “Home At Last” underwent a subtle-but-nifty re-arrangement that took everyone by surprise. “Home At Last,” “FM,” “Pretzel Logic” and “Third World Man” were the only Steely Dan tunes. Lots of stuff from “The Nightfly,” I think three from the new album, a cover, and “Here At The Western World” totally re-arranged. Nothing from “Kamakiriad” unless I am remembering incorrectly. I would’ve loved to hear “Countermoon” or “Florida Room” or somethin’.
I was happy with the show. The band was smokin’. The backup singers were very sexy (one sexier than the other, I think we all know which one.) I even think Ann had a good time (she only made one “these songs all sound the same” comment) and I got to wear my beret and Dizzy Gillespe sunglasses. Hotcha.
You are correct. Nothing was played from Kamakiriad at that show. And that made the Marthagate incident all the more enraging.