With nearly four decades of concerts in Cleveland under his guitar strap, Todd Rundgren continued his ongoing and very public love affair with Cleveland last night at the Agora Theatre for the first of two shows. Judging by the reaction of the crowd, one thing was clear: Cleveland continues to love Rundgren as much as he loves Cleveland.
This article appears in Oct 10-16, 2012.
It was a great show! Brought back many great memories of past Todd/Utopia shows. I wish he wouod leave the politics at home as we paid hard earned money to hear music not overt suggestions on who to vote for. The political song fell flat as it should have. Todds voice was great and strong as ever. Great to see Kasim again!! Jesse was phenomenal! Also loved the down and dirty low tech set. Even with some tech difficulties, it was a very fun show!
As soon as I heard Todd Rundgren was playing the Agora in Cleveland, that’s when I knew I had to book a flight from Tulsa to be on the scared grounds. The Saturday night show fabulous! I loved Todd’s political humor and playful spirit. Seeing Kasim Sulton again was wonderful! He is such a talented singer/songwriter and performer. Jesse and Eddie were perfect for “Unpredictability” that is Todd. Still the Wizard, with his star shining brightly!
Thanks for the nice review. Good times at The Agora!
Was great to see Todd and Band again… Last time for a Todd show for me.. he needs to leave his politics at home..
Loved the show, and if Todd want to get political…it’s a free country…at least it use to be.
I feel sorry for those with such a limited existence that they can’t deal with an opposing view.
I think you misunderstood darnell… Its not about sides at all. We paid csh money to hear todd sing and play and to get away from the political ads, political phone calls, and political news among other things. He could have bashed President Obama and I’d still feel dissapointed at being forced to sit through it if I wanted to hear more music…
It just seems sad that Todd would use the stage to promote politics, regardless of what his views are.The concert stage,for many of us,is a sacred place that shouldnt be soiled with filth such as politics.Its like the old comparison of painting a mustache on the Mona Lisa.
There was a time when some of the greatest music ever made was all about politics. The Stones, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Bruce and many more. If you want bland sterile emotionless artists I feel sorry for you as you have lost any sense that rock could be rebellious and/or topical in many ways. I suppose if you saw CSNY play you would be disappointed that they included politics when they sang “Ohio”.
Cheeseburger.,. cheesy is how i describe bob dylan, just because a bunch of stoned hippy liberals fell in love with his nasal bullshit doesnt mean anything political to me. Most of those stoned out 60 radicals woke up.. the rest became teachers… what a shame.. while their unions go broke while giving democratic candidates millions of dollars.. and then the majority of them bitch that they want more money… ok… Bruce Springsteens album born to run is IMHO one of the best albums ever… any political bullshit on that?? but then he becomes an Obammy supporter and an asshole in my eyes… back to the CULT OF PERSONALITY… too many sheep in the world with rose colered glasses on and not a thinking cap… WE do not need a celebrity in the white house.. we need a business man who as MItt state last nite, “ran a company for 25 yrs at a profit, ran a state with a profit and the Olympics.. at a profit… Obamy never had a real job!!! has run our country into the ground.. hasnt performed any of the promises from 2008.. and our generals have come out to tell the story that they didnt tell O about zooming in on Osama until the helicopters were almost at the compound…. because he denied them 3 times previously.. from input of VALERIE JERRETT… who is she.. look it up.. in the mean time… i am in the oil and gas business… and the Government is our worst enemy… same to coal…
OOOh by the way…. Crosby, fkn coke head to the max , who lost everything he ever had, had soo many sores on his body from smoking crack for so long.. is a fine example of some one to follow… too bad, he had such a great voice.. Neil Young.. “this bud’s for you”, who’s album- Living with War, a new CD by Neil Young that includes the song “Let’s Impeach the President.” He posted the entire album on his website last week for free. IS A JACK ASS WHO ISNT AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.. reffering to Bush.. but i think he has realized now that was not a good thing to have done… Go back to Canada…. Graham Nash.. again not an american citizen and Stephen Stills… he has been called an asshole by many in the busines… bottom line.. make enough money to not have to follow someone else’s focus… get your own.. i have..
and I am ashamed to know that Rundgren isnt smart enough to stay away from some huckster like obammy.. i believed in Todd too much and felt much more from his musings… am disgusted with the fact that he isnt educated enough on the facts, to know better…
Of course,when CSNY wrote OHIO,it was easy to see that the whole Vietnam War was a genocide.If Todd wouldve expressed an antiwar sentiment in relation to current events,I wouldnt have been put off.I mightve even been enthralled had he expressed that view.Instead,he levelled what amounted to nothing more than a political cheapshot when Id rather have heard music.He was simultaneously preaching to the choir and to deaf ears,accomplishing nothing more expressing his personal opinion,and being the master of media that he is,surely has better means of expressing his views.Normally,when I encounter someone who gets all religious or political,I can walk away if I dont want to hear it.When I pay $50.00 to hear one of my favorite artists,and they surprise me with it,its a different thing altogether.
I was not at the show. Todd’s music has never done it for me. However, as a huge fan of muisc in general and read a lot about it I am well aware of Todd’s views. He has been saying stuff at shows for a long time. It surprises me that as hardcore fans of his that you all seem to be surprised by his comments. It would be like going to a Nugent show and being shocked when he started on his views. My point still is I like politics in music. Some personal favorites who I thought did it very well are The Clash, Woody Guthrie, Rage Against The Machine and Bob Marley.
Sheeple to the left sheeple to the right…
I’m voting Ron Paul even though it’s a lost vote….Better than giving either of these two dooshbags credence….
Love Todd btw…
Mick, Mitt ran a successful business for 25 years? it is estimated that his “business” has led to 66,000 American jobs being lost to third world countries due to outsourcing. As Newt Gingrich said, this is not the type of businesses that are good for America. They cause harm to America and the American people are opposed to it. It is just that half the country is dumb and vote republican against their own interests mostly out of hate, racism, phony religion that was hijacked from the right, and because NRA tells them to. As for the Olympics in Utah, they were saved because the Feds pumped in tons of cash per Mitts request. So the gov’t saved the Olympics. As for being Governor, he was 47th in job creation and the lowest approval rating of any governor at the time and did not run again because he knew he would lose. Mitt is also the ultimate Chickenhawk like many republicans. He strongly supported the Vietnam War, but he his dad made sure Mitt got to hang out in France while others his age were fighting. Also, Graham Nash and Neil Young are citizens. Republicans suck and Todd R is not afraid to point it out. If you want to hear right wing musicians, you are screwed, they all suck and have no soul and their songs are pointless like all new country music on clearchannel country radio.
and calling Bob Dylan Cheesy? obviously he is way above your head.Stick to pointless garbage like Big n rich and kid rock, and ted nugent, right wing crap. That requires no thinking. Todd is also way above your head.