For Donald
We went to see Steely Dan in concert last night at the new Bethel Woods outdoor amphitheater. Bethel Woods is on the site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival, and is an amazing place to see a summer concert.
On the drive over, we struggled a little to come up with a long list of Steely Dan hits. Their sound was definitely distinctive (turns out that Donald Fagen’s voice, backed by jazz instruments and vocals is that distinctive sound), and evocative of radio in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Prompted by the concert itself, we were amazed at how many of the songs were immediately recognizable (eg, My Old School, Hey 19, Cuervo Gold, FM, Aja, Hey It Will Come Back to You), and were fun to listen to live.
With the friends who invited us, we had a chance to meet Donald briefly before the show. He is clearly an amazing musician (keyboardist, composer/aranger, vocalist, band leader) - the musical equivalent of a five-tools baseball player. He was also very gracious and charming in person. He did not really strike me in 2008, however, as the hearth throb type.
That’s why it surprised me a little, as the crowd got more and more spirited, to see a young and attractive woman somehow pull off her panties, and rush the stage to throw them at Donald. It was like a Tom Jones moment, except that security intercepted her and then she chickened out. She was only the most extreme of the impassioned female enthusiasts. Who would have thought it? For Steely Dan?
A fun experience. We will download a bunch of the songs, and sing them for the rest of the summer.