By Jon Bream
Danfans heard "Aja" in its entirety to start the show Sunday at Norhrop. In their inimitable cleverness, Steely Dan had backup singer Carolyn Leonhart walk to a turntable and flip over a vinyl LP when it was time for Side 2. Cute.
"Aja" was very good. But the rest of the night was better. (click here for full review). Donald Fagen and company loosened up, emphasizing the danceability in the Dan repertoire. Fagen swallowed too many of his lyrics and too often his voice was too soft in the mix. But the spirit was there. And the band was first-rate without sounding sterile.
Here is the set list (might have missed something while I was busy writing my review):
AJA: Black Cow/ Aja/ Deacon Blues/ Peg/ Home At Last/ I Got the News/ Josie REST: Time Out of Mind/ Bodhisattva/ Daddy Don't Live in That New York City No More (Walter Becker on lead vocals)/ Babylon Sisters/ Hey Nineteen/ Black Friday/ Show Biz Kids/ Dirty Work (sung by 3 backup singers)/ Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart (Supremes)/ Don't Take Me Alive/ My Old School/ Kid Charlemagne ENCORE Reelin in the Years
What song did you want to hear that Steely Dan didn't play?
