Utopia ’80’s first great show
by Steve Webb, The Knickerbocker News, June 23, 1980
Todd Rundgren celebrated a birthday Sunday at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, where his band Utopia performed over 2 1/2 hours before a crowd of 2,532.
It was a particularly small crowd, hampered by overexposure of Utopia in the Capital District, considering that Sunday’s show ranks as the first great rock concert of the year, easily the most high calibre of the few SPAC has held so far.
The band definitely no longer qualifies as a backing unit for Rundgren, the Bearsville-based producer and recording artist who has provided the pop marketplace with a potpourri of hits since 1971.
John Wilcox delighted the crowd with his thunderous drumming, particularly when he mounted a motorcycle-shaped synthesized trap set specially made for this stage show. Similarly, Roger Powell’s keyboard work carried a large portion of the evening’s music, and bassist Kasim Sulton made some excellent contributions to the more aggressive rock songs in the set.
And this band has always sung well together. All four sing with a harmony that is no longer touched by such units as the Beach Boys or Crosby, Stills and Nash. This was in full flower by the third number, Powell’s lead vocal on “Caravan” that had backup parts by the other three.
The first set was a condensation of Utopia’s Nov. 15 show in the Palace Theater, an ample dose of the latest “Adventures in Utopia” album and vintage live pieces such as “Love in Action” and the tuneful “Love of the Common Man.”
An intermission preceded a heavily electronic set, featuring Wilcox’ drum setup, heavy use of prerecorded tapes and a large screen that offered video graphics throughout the rest of the evening.
They began with solo showcases by each member, led by Powell’s electronic keyboard piece “Emerging Smashdown.” Throughout the evening, he used his self-designed Probe units, which can be handheld and gets a wider variety of effects than similar instruments.
Sulton’s “Love Alone,” a piano-accompanied piece in November, has pre-recorded electronics backing his best ballad voice this time, with storybook-like pictures on the TV screen. Again, it’s totally disarming, leaving one unprepared for Wilcox’ onslaught on “You Make Me Crazy.”
Powell then accompanied Rundgren on a hits medley that showcased Todd’s songwriting and his crooning. He was handed several birthday cards and a road sign saying “Toddsville” during “Wouldn’t Have Made Any Difference, ” before that blended into “Can We Still Be Friends,” then “A Dream Goes on Forever,” and then his biggest hit, “Hello, It’s Me.”
The show then ended with a medley of five early Utopia songs, in which Rundgren played some nice guitar lines, and the vocals were exceptionally tight. These climaxed with the 1974 song, “Utopia.”
Why this group hasn’t built a bigger audience yet is astounding. Utopia gave the crowd a show that was well-crafted, innovative, emotionally moving, and just plain fun. It has struck the balance between Rundgren and the other members, and between creativity and commercialism.
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