Todd Rundgren review: Star wows the audience with refusal to act his age

Published on Monday 10 November 2008 09:00

Todd Rundgren ***** Picture House SPORTING the two-tone haircut of an 18-year-old, a pair of uber-cool shades and tight leather trousers, Todd Rundgren displays no intention of ever acting his age.

Stepping onstage to a riotous welcome, he gazed out at the happy throng. "God, I've missed you guys," he exclaimed.

Launching into Love In Action – a classic slice of guitar pop – Rundgren jumped around the stage in various mock rock-god poses to cheers from the crowd. If that wasn't enough, his relentlessly screaming rock vocals outdid even the mighty Roger Daltry in his prime.

Any of this would be impressive for, say, a forty-something, but incredibly, Rundgren celebrated his 60th birthday in June.

With incendiary guitar playing, he rattled through an assortment of old favourites like Black Maria and Open My Eyes and the evergreen I Saw The Light, before playing most of his new album, Arena.

Having been out for a while, most of the audience were at least familiar with the songs, but a few stood out as future gems. Mad, Mercenary and the bluesy Weakness are likely to become de rigueur on tours to come.

Encoring with Lunatic Fringe and the triumphant Just One Victory, Rundgren and the band – which included old Utopia buddy Kasim Sulton, jazz bassist Charlie Haden's daughter, Rachel, and rock drumming veteran Prairie Prince – pounded the crowd with almost two hours of intelligent, pile-driving, old-school rock. There was no room for flowery ballads, which suited this crowd just fine.