At this point in their 30-plus year career, Steely Dan’s Walter Becker and Donald Fagen have taken on the role of bandleaders. They conduct as much as they play. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. During an epic two-plus hour concert last night at a sold-out Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica, they let their stellar 8-piece band do most of the heavy lifting. Sure, Becker still unleashed some terrific guitar licks (especially during “Josie”) and Fagen worked the keyboards all night. But the guys both have stand-ins who pick up most of the load.

This article appears in Jul 24-30, 2013.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.

One reply on “Steely Dan delivers epic concert at Jacobs Pavilion”

  1. The dynamic duo is showing why not all acts from the platinum age of rock need to package themselves into ridiculous oldie’s tours to keep the show on the road.

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