DJ Odd in the (Picture) House…
Todd Rundgren – The Picture House, Edinburgh, June 7th 2013
“Windows 8! Piece of shit!”
That colourful and interesting description of Microsoft’s latest operating system came a third of the way through the show and from the mouth of DJ Odd (aka Todd Rundgren), confirming what had been hinted at when Rundgren’s band mates Jesse Gress and Prairie Prince gesticulated off-stage at the top of the show...
It wasn't just DJ Odd in the house; there were Gremlins, too.
The shows problems did bring some humour and a human touch to proceedings however, otherwise lost in intentionally limited crowd-to-artist interaction and a no-break-between-songs set.
Todd Rundgren’s 2013 world tour is based around his latest release, State; an album of songs arranged and performed in predominately electro-pop or synth/dance-beat styles.
The saving grace in that worrying prospect is they are all Rundgren creations (not so much electronica as Toddtronica), meaning they are always worth a listen.
The show started and ended in superb fashion, the main set opening with the atmospheric ‘Imagination’ and closing with the spacious and ethereal ‘Sir Reality’ (the songs open and close State and are the strongest tracks on the album).
Todd Rundgren was also in fine voice throughout the show and sound was solid, particularly the guitars which cut cleanly through the mix, especially on the solos from Jesse Gress and occasionally Rundgren.
But with a three-piece band – Todd Rundgren on a raised dais front and centre, Prairie Prince (electronic drums) and Jesse Gress (guitars, effects pedals) either side – there were always going to be a lot of sounds, synth effects and tempos controlled and triggered, DJ like, from Todd’s Windows 8 touch-screen console.
Typically, there had been no glitches the night before at Glasgow but Edinburgh certainly got the more interesting show because of them.
And one had nothing to do with computer software – just human exuberance through too much dancing.
During the quirky ‘Collide-A-Scope’ DJ Odd was in full dancing swing, which soon had his DJ shades swinging off his face and disappearing into what he thought was the crowd, but actually fell behind him.
Cue the inevitable shouts of "it's behind you!"
Clearly needing the glasses to read the lyric sheet for the song (the only number where he needed at-a-glance assistance due the lyrically ever changing emotive states) it was ironic an artist with a known gift of the gab was reduced to ad-libbing (badly) and ducking lines until Singring’s Glass Shades were found.
The Windows glitch mentioned at the top of the review came, fortunately, just as ‘Secret Society’ (the soul-pop gem from Utopia’s POV album and a great fit for the theme of the show) was being brought to an end.
And then brought every programmed element to a complete shutdown.
While the becalmed DJ bemoaned “the worst invention in the history of mankind!” and rebooted the system (I could swear he hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete) Jesse Gress played an impromptu but cool version of ‘Lucky Guy’ (which, disappointingly, very few of the Picture House crowd sang along to).
Normal operating system procedures were restored shortly thereafter and mid set highlights included ‘Future’ from Liars (‘Truth’ from the same album also featured, both great fits for the show) and ‘Prime Time.’
The latter is Todd Rundgren’s dance-pop take of the popular number by The Tubes, originally covered for his (Re)Production album.
Rundgren’s version of the relatively unknown ‘Nothing to Lose’ (by Hunter aka Dragon) also featured and came over very well indeed.
Unfortunately the heavy synth wash cover of ‘Personality Crisis’ by the New York Dolls was lost in the DJ shuffle and the club-dance vibe of ‘Angry Bird’ and the GaGa-esque ‘Party Liquor’ sat uncomfortably with the majority of the audience, myself included.
A number of the State shows have been notable for the sight of audience members leaving early, something Todd Rundgren has commented on and confirmed he has absolutely no problem with.
But then having taken his fans along more roads and through more doors than most artists, one of those doors was bound to be marked Nearest Exit.
But those departing early are, more times than not, casual Todd fans or rock fans checking out a name they are probably not overly familiar with.
The long-time Todd fan knows what to expect – the unexpected – and usually stays for the Last Ride (which didn’t feature in any electronic or synthesised form, I have to report).
I wasn’t aware of anyone sneaking out early at this official State visit; everyone was present to witness the closing brace of ‘World Wide Epiphany’ and the aforementioned ‘Sir Reality’ before Rundgren and Windows 8 returned for a solo encore and the electro-dance pop trio of ‘Can We Still Be Friends,’
‘I Saw The Light’ and ‘Hello It’s Me.’
But even at the end his best mate from Microsoft had the last electro-rhythmic laugh, sticking on a repeating rhythmic groove at the outro of ‘Hello It’s Me.’
When a repetitive and firm touch-screen finger tapping failed to remedy the issue, a well placed smack of a fist sorted it out and upped the tempo. It also got one of the biggest cheers of the night.
Should have stuck to your iMac, Todd.
Ross Muir
June 2013
Todd Rundgren – The Picture House, Edinburgh, June 7th 2013
“Windows 8! Piece of shit!”
That colourful and interesting description of Microsoft’s latest operating system came a third of the way through the show and from the mouth of DJ Odd (aka Todd Rundgren), confirming what had been hinted at when Rundgren’s band mates Jesse Gress and Prairie Prince gesticulated off-stage at the top of the show...
It wasn't just DJ Odd in the house; there were Gremlins, too.
The shows problems did bring some humour and a human touch to proceedings however, otherwise lost in intentionally limited crowd-to-artist interaction and a no-break-between-songs set.
Todd Rundgren’s 2013 world tour is based around his latest release, State; an album of songs arranged and performed in predominately electro-pop or synth/dance-beat styles.
The saving grace in that worrying prospect is they are all Rundgren creations (not so much electronica as Toddtronica), meaning they are always worth a listen.
The show started and ended in superb fashion, the main set opening with the atmospheric ‘Imagination’ and closing with the spacious and ethereal ‘Sir Reality’ (the songs open and close State and are the strongest tracks on the album).
Todd Rundgren was also in fine voice throughout the show and sound was solid, particularly the guitars which cut cleanly through the mix, especially on the solos from Jesse Gress and occasionally Rundgren.
But with a three-piece band – Todd Rundgren on a raised dais front and centre, Prairie Prince (electronic drums) and Jesse Gress (guitars, effects pedals) either side – there were always going to be a lot of sounds, synth effects and tempos controlled and triggered, DJ like, from Todd’s Windows 8 touch-screen console.
Typically, there had been no glitches the night before at Glasgow but Edinburgh certainly got the more interesting show because of them.
And one had nothing to do with computer software – just human exuberance through too much dancing.
During the quirky ‘Collide-A-Scope’ DJ Odd was in full dancing swing, which soon had his DJ shades swinging off his face and disappearing into what he thought was the crowd, but actually fell behind him.
Cue the inevitable shouts of "it's behind you!"
Clearly needing the glasses to read the lyric sheet for the song (the only number where he needed at-a-glance assistance due the lyrically ever changing emotive states) it was ironic an artist with a known gift of the gab was reduced to ad-libbing (badly) and ducking lines until Singring’s Glass Shades were found.
The Windows glitch mentioned at the top of the review came, fortunately, just as ‘Secret Society’ (the soul-pop gem from Utopia’s POV album and a great fit for the theme of the show) was being brought to an end.
And then brought every programmed element to a complete shutdown.
While the becalmed DJ bemoaned “the worst invention in the history of mankind!” and rebooted the system (I could swear he hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete) Jesse Gress played an impromptu but cool version of ‘Lucky Guy’ (which, disappointingly, very few of the Picture House crowd sang along to).
Normal operating system procedures were restored shortly thereafter and mid set highlights included ‘Future’ from Liars (‘Truth’ from the same album also featured, both great fits for the show) and ‘Prime Time.’
The latter is Todd Rundgren’s dance-pop take of the popular number by The Tubes, originally covered for his (Re)Production album.
Rundgren’s version of the relatively unknown ‘Nothing to Lose’ (by Hunter aka Dragon) also featured and came over very well indeed.
Unfortunately the heavy synth wash cover of ‘Personality Crisis’ by the New York Dolls was lost in the DJ shuffle and the club-dance vibe of ‘Angry Bird’ and the GaGa-esque ‘Party Liquor’ sat uncomfortably with the majority of the audience, myself included.
A number of the State shows have been notable for the sight of audience members leaving early, something Todd Rundgren has commented on and confirmed he has absolutely no problem with.
But then having taken his fans along more roads and through more doors than most artists, one of those doors was bound to be marked Nearest Exit.
But those departing early are, more times than not, casual Todd fans or rock fans checking out a name they are probably not overly familiar with.
The long-time Todd fan knows what to expect – the unexpected – and usually stays for the Last Ride (which didn’t feature in any electronic or synthesised form, I have to report).
I wasn’t aware of anyone sneaking out early at this official State visit; everyone was present to witness the closing brace of ‘World Wide Epiphany’ and the aforementioned ‘Sir Reality’ before Rundgren and Windows 8 returned for a solo encore and the electro-dance pop trio of ‘Can We Still Be Friends,’
‘I Saw The Light’ and ‘Hello It’s Me.’
But even at the end his best mate from Microsoft had the last electro-rhythmic laugh, sticking on a repeating rhythmic groove at the outro of ‘Hello It’s Me.’
When a repetitive and firm touch-screen finger tapping failed to remedy the issue, a well placed smack of a fist sorted it out and upped the tempo. It also got one of the biggest cheers of the night.
Should have stuck to your iMac, Todd.
Ross Muir
June 2013
