Ian Anderson Thick as a Brick/TAAB2 Concert

I attended Ian Anderson's concert in London last night, and thoroughly enjoyed it. He played Thick as a Brick before the interval, then TAAB2 after.

The audience was overwhelmingly male, middle aged, middle class and white, which I suppose reflects the demographic of the Tull fans . Some scenes at the bar were very amusing: "No, you first!" "No, really, you!" "Oh, thanks very much!". At 52, I was half a decade below the average age of the attendees.

The performance of TAAB was excellent; the sound system in use worked extremely well in the venue. Anderson's voice is largely gone...he chants more that sings. For some of the segments in TAAB Ryan O'Donnell took the place of Anderson on lead vocal, to good effect. O'Donnell does a good imitation of Anderson's voice when it was in its prime. Anderson spends a lot of time on the flute, to excellent effect.

The backing band was excellent: Extensive keyboards, guitar, bass and percussion. The band did an excellent job of replicating what was originally a fairly complex studio recording.

Following the interval Anderson performed TAAB2 (at least I assumed it was TAAB2: I haven't heard the new album, and I didn't recognize any of it). Parts of it were quite lyrical, the musicianship was excellent, and clearly Anderson's writing new material that is better suited to his now-limited vocal range.

I enjoyed the show, despite being disappointed that he didn't throw in a few Tull hits (I was not alone that opinion among attendees), and suggest that fans of the original TAAB would do well to catch the tour.

 

Repeating; just posted this review today on this thread...
http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=275572&page=22
Ian Anderson, Hammersmith Apollo
Flute-wielding prog-rocker is still proudly living in the past
by Russ Coffey Saturday, 28 April 2012
http://www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/ian-anderson-hammersmith-apollo
This may be the Thick as a Brick 2 tour, but it’s also the 44th year of Ian Anderson’s performing career, mainly as Jethro Tull's front man. In that role he's variously been a bluesman, a rocker and a folkie. But when it came to Tull’s 1972 Thick as a Brick, Anderson dubbed it a "progressive rock satire". Tongue-in-cheek as it might have been, it was also 100 percent prog. Yet, like much of Tull’s back catalogue, it continues to influence a new generation. The question the crowd at Hammersmith were asking last night was this: at 64, could Anderson still pull it off?

The answer in part is given by the new album. Here Anderson muses on the fate of child-prodigy fictional "author" of TaaB, Gerald Bostock. As much as anything, Anderson simply used the 40th anniversary of TaaB to give him an excuse to write and perform another Tull-style record. And yet, without the help of his old conspirators, the singer-cum-flautist ended up with something many felt sounded a little soft. Still, there are almost as many who feel that the original only showed its true classic colours, live. Could the same be so for its successor? Boldly, last night, Anderson played the two back to back.

As in the Seventies, plentiful gooning around was present from the get-go. A video of Anderson as Bostock’s therapist started the evening. Thereafter sections were “interrupted” by mobile phone calls and at one point, audience members were invited up to take part in a proctology exam cum prostate-awareness skit. But although Anderson loves to monkey about, he’d actually originally introduced humour into these shows to stop earnest fans trying to take the piece too seriously.

Now, however, it seems to demand a little more veneration. Performed to the ageing-rocker faithful at the Apollo, it felt like a period piece of musical theatre, with overblown instrumental passages only adding to the sense of drama. The biggest change was the presence of actor Ryan O’Donnell on stage, dressed as the “young master” and helping Anderson out with half of TaaB’s difficult vocals. O’Donnell’s impression of Anderson’s younger voice was so uncanny that, until he appeared from behind a curtain to join the main man in his trademark one-legged flamingo pose (see main image), most had assumed the second voice they’d been hearing was from a tape.

And relieved of full singing duties, a svelte Anderson clad in a bandana and waistcoat stalked the stage punctuating Florian Ophale’s virtuoso guitar lines with gypsy-jazz flute motifs. At various points he strapped a dwarf acoustic guitar to himself, and performed the famous title-theme section with his cracked minstrel voice full of pathos.

The sound created by Anderson’s new band really puts a coat of polish on the old album. It was thicker and more evocative than anything you could imagine from a Jethro Tull line-up today. And that’s how they succeeded in lifting the much slighter TaaB 2 such that it now felt like an extension of the first. On record the music seems dated, the lyrics positively antique. But in context and with a harder sound it made considerably more sense. Even Anderson singing “Barren Madge prepares hot dinner/ Fray Bentos pie: always a winner,” only seemed slightly preposterous.

For almost two hours Anderson led a rip-roaring celebration of one of the most defiantly unfashionable phenomena in modern music. No one cared that even the new material still looked back 40 years. Anderson has been looking backwards all his life. At the age of 21 he sung about “Living in the Past". And now, 43 years later, he’s still defying the lyrics of his album Too Old to Rock’n’Roll, Too Young to Die.

 

Review: Ian Anderson, St David’s Hall, Cardiff
Chris Sutcliffe, South Wales Echo May 9 2012
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbi...erson-st-david-s-hall-cardiff-91466-30927495/
THE performance of an entire album is a welcome recent trend in live rock shows.
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With his latest project, former Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson has undertaken an ambitious feat, presenting live not just one but two complete albums – Thick As A Brick and Thick As A Brick Part 2.

Supported by a group of superb musicians, stage-craft gained from 40 years of gigging, and skilled technicians, he has accomplished the job with aplomb.

Fronting a tight four-piece band, Anderson played his trademark flute and a small acoustic guitar.
Click here to find out more!

Lithe and agile, the lion’s mane hair absent and beard now trimmed, he prowled the stage.

A fifth band member, the Welsh College of Music and Drama-trained Ryan O’Donnell, inter-played with Anderson.

He also shared lead vocals and with mime and props lent the songs a theatrical interpretation.

Centre stage a large screen streamed visual references to the lyrics throughout the show.

The mock-local newspaper that adorned the LP cover of Thick as a Brick was seen on screen as a website.

Further reflecting modern technology, Anderson answered a call to his mobile phone mid-set from violinist Anna Phoebe.

And via Skype she appeared, playing the said instrument on screen, making it a part of the performance.

Behind her appeared a wet-suited, goggled frogman, a figure that enigmatically recurred on screen all evening.

The concert was an expertly crafted and performed realisation of two musically and lyrically complex albums. Recorded 40 years apart, taken together they melded into one complete work.

The 2012 sequel speculates on the possible life paths that the protagonist of the first album Gerald Bostock might have pursued: the what-ifs, maybes and might-have-beens; the triumphs, tragedies, smiles and tears of a life.

At the end of a two-hour show the players took their bows to a fully appreciative crowd and exited the stage to the voice of Louis Armstrong’s classic serenade Wonderful World.

4 out of 5

 

I hope this comes to Atlanta. I've seen Ian/Tull twice in the last three years and both times found the show superb. My soon to be 21 year old son often says that of all the shows he's attended Tull remains his favorite.

 

Sept. 27 Atlanta Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

http://www.j-tull.com/tourdates/index.html
North America

SEPT
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OCT
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Long Beach Performing Arts center presale for theater member 2nd March
public TBD
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NOV
1 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater get tickets
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4 Akron, OH Akron Civic Theatre get tickets

 

I saw this concert with my son last night and concur with all that is said above.

The show has remained the same as described above, possibly with the only exception being the playing of "Locomotive Breath" as the only encore, much appreciated by the full house at the performing arts center here in Orlando.

I must say that Ryan O'Donnell filled and accompanied Ian as well as using his talents throughout the show.

The guy who sat next to me had seen "Thick as a Brick" originally and said that he's seen Tull at least 12 times. He hadn't read any reviews so I informed him of what I had read, and this show is much like the original concert, with the obvious exception of the original musicians of Jethro Tull not being present. The presentation was perfect for a performing arts center, and was outstanding. All the bits and video on the screen behind the band were as described by our British members.

Seeing this on a Saturday night enhanced my enjoyment of the show/concert, knowing that I wouldn't have to be at work early in the morning. Again, as suggested above, if you enjoy Jethro Tull and/or Ian Anderson, don't pass on this if you can. You'll have a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

 

IA plays TAAB - 2012
http://jethrotull.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=tour&thread=1627&page=35#31316
http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/cros...cert_review_miami_beach_september_18_2012.php

Concert Review
Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson Gets Thick as a Brick at the Fillmore Miami Beach, September 18
By Lee Zimmerman Wed., Sep. 19 2012

Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson Fillmore Miami Beach Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Better Than: Jethro Tull? Hmm ... There's reason to consider.

Ian Anderson's decision to revisit Jethro Tull's most elaborate opus (and no, we're not talking Aqualung) certainly took some fans by surprise, if for no other reason that the move seems somewhat belated. After all, the album he's gone back to -- Thick As A Brick -- is now 40 years old, an ancient relic by modern music standards. The fact that he's not only opted to take it out on the road, but to match it with a sequel -- all sans Jethro Tull, no less -- is reason to give longtime fans pause.


Nevertheless, at this stage in Anderson's career, any sudden burst of creative motivation is welcome, especially considering the fact that the Tull brand has been all but retired and soldiers on mainly through reissues and the occasional archival concert recording. So it seems all too fitting that Anderson would take it upon himself to tour -- classic album in hand and new band in tow -- and weave the entire narrative together. In so doing, it becomes not only a credit to his prowess but to his perseverance as well.

There is precedent, of course. Roger Waters' decision to perform his masterpiece, The Wall, as a theatrical extravaganza was certainly a step forward when it came to merging theatrical spectacle and authentic rock 'n' roll. Likewise, the Who's recent retooling of their own classic, Quadrophrenia takes place this fall. Yet for Anderson, reviving Thick As A Brick would seem the greater challenge, not only because the work dates back much further, but also because he had to create an entirely new work in order to bring it to fruition.

There are other risks involved as well. For one thing, the sequel is largely unfamiliar to Anderson's audiences, and it accounts for the entire second half of the show. For another, the original work worked as a whole, but when it came to breeding classic songs, it mostly came up short. Likewise, Anderson made it clear in his recent interview with New Times that fans ought not expect any other Tull standbys -- no "Aqualung," "Cross-Eyed Mary," "Living in the Past," "Bouree" et. al -- which raises the stakes even higher. And of course there's no Tull per se, except to emphasize this is "Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson" on the marquee.

Yes, there's a high bar and one could only hope Anderson was up to scaling it. Fortunately, last night's performance proved there was no need to worry. Reconfigured for the stage, Thick As A Brick remains as impressive as ever, its intricate passages, recurring refrains, pomp and power all still intact. The fact that Anderson and his excellent backing band -- bassist David Goodier, drummer Scott Hammond, guitarist Florian Opahle -- are able to pull it off so well speaks volumes, not only about the album's staying power but also about its ability to still lend itself to live performance. There are the obvious concessions -- screen projections, occasional videos, some spoken narration and a central non-musician, Ryan O'Donnell -- who acts as mime, additional vocalist and general foil for Anderson himself. O'Donnell's presence gives the performance its theatrical emphasis, although the band's posing and posturing suggests its precise choreography regardless.

Nominally, the story still centers on Gerald Bostock, a fictitious boy poet who was credited with writing the original lyrics, although Anderson has conceded that the original Thick As A Brick was actually conceived as a spoof of the bombastic concept albums that were all the rage back in the late '60s and early'70s. Its sequel, TAAB 2 revisits the young Bostock 40 years later and allegedly follows his progress into middle age, while commenting on many of the mores that intrude on his -- and our -- existence today. Performed live, and bowing to the occasional theatrical trappings, it remains grandly ambitious, but the central story of Bostock seems lost in all its intricacy. Likewise, although the newer album actually bests the original in terms of musical intrigue, the plot still remains muddled while providing only the thinnest thread of continuity.

Nevertheless, Anderson and company do the music justice, weaving their way through the various musical interludes, time changes and melodic themes with exacting and meticulous execution. Anderson himself remains an ideal front man, a reservoir of nonstop energy, exaggerated expression and incredible dexterity. At age 65, he attempts to famously balance less on one leg now, but he still manages to mesmerize, and considering that the show clocks in at two and a half hours, intermission included, his staying power is all the more impressive indeed.

It ought to be noted that the concert was also demanding on the audience's attention, given its scarcity of familiar material and the fact it's largely an instrumental offering, Consequently, a rambunctious encore of "Locomotive Breath," the sole song to break the conceptual mold, proved ample reward for any diehard devotees with sentimental ties to Tull. Yet considering the effort already expended, it almost seemed redundant. Thick As A Brick gave all the weight needed.

Critic's Notebook

Personal Bias: Being a big Tull fan from back in the day, I felt a bit conflicted. A Tull classic performed sans Tull? Inevitably, the absence of any other charter members proved a moot point.

The Crowd: Mostly those who probably first heard Thick As A Brick when it was originally released.

By the way: Anderson is as animated as ever. At the age where many people opt for a pension, he shows no signs of slowing down.

Follow Crossfade on Facebook and Twitter @Crossfade_SFL.

 

I'll be going this sunday to the Newark , NJ show and I am very excited to check this out. I still need to pick up TAAB2 so I think I'll do that today.

 

Seeing him tonight at the Beacon in NY. Can't wait.

 

Thuimbs up on the show I saw. To me. TAB 2 was the real payoff-- It's a very strong piece of work, quite poignant at times, and well suited to Anderson's current voice (proof that he CAN sing when he stays within his range). TAB 1 was more an appetizer...It wasn't the elaborate version (with stretched-out sections and theatrics) that Tull performed, more a straight version of the album, with too many vocals from the other guy (who made me flash back to seeing "Pippin" on Broadway). The band was great, drummer in fact was exceptional, and I much preferred this keyboardist to the last couple that Tull had. The guitar player was as good as a guitarist who isn't Martin Barre could possibly be for this material.

 

Ian Anderson's 'Thick as a Brick 2' review - October 7, 2012
By: Carla Ives
http://www.examiner.com/review/ian-anderson-s-thick-as-a-brick-2-review
As the anticipation built towards show time at the Circus Maximus Theater in Caesars Atlantic City for "Thick as a Brick 2" on Oct. 6, men started appearing on stage in overcoats and hats with large brooms. Unbeknownst to the audience at that moment, it was the band.

One by one, they unmasked, as it were, and a background video screen opened up with an invisible Gerald Bostock arriving at his psychiatrist's office as he's told that his prescription dosage has been adjusted. He then gets to see his doctor, Ian Anderson in a white coat and wig. At the cue of "Tell me all about it," the band struck the familiar opening strains of "Thick as a Brick," Ian Anderson appeared on stage and something wonderful began.
View slideshow: "Thick as a Brick 2" Touring Band

The original "Thick as a Brick" was one 45-minute track. This stage version was played almost straight through. There was a quick break in the action for Anderson to make some rather quirky announcements about older men having their prostates checked yearly.

"Thick as a Brick" was highlighted throughout with videos illustrating, at times, what was going on with the music and, at other times, fun things like rabbits. (Jethro Tull fans will get this.)

At the end of "Thick as a Brick," the back video screen flashed the word "BRICK" on the last word of the song as the audience cheered. The band took a 20-minute intermission.

"Thick as a Brick 2" started with a mocked-up YouTube video of Anderson dressed as a country gent and showing off his St. Cleve estate. His country gent character then introduced "Thick as a Brick 2" from the video screen.

"Thick as a Brick 2" was performed in individual cuts. The entire performance, like the original "Thick as a Brick," was very theatrical, more like a musical stage play than a concert. At the end of "Thick as a Brick 2," "BRICK 2" appeared on the video screen to complement the first part and let you know that, sadly, it was the end.

"Thick as a Brick 2" has a definite Jethro Tull feel to it, but there's more to it. That more is the musical genius of Ian Anderson and even more of his incredible flute. The touring band, composed of musicians who are virtuosos in their own right, is superb. The music is magical and the whole thing works together to create a spectacular treat for the ears, as well as the eyes.

"Thick as a Brick 2" is a little bit different from the original and earlier Jethro Tull shows in that Ian Anderson shares the singing and more strenuous stage antics with a brilliant young singer-actor, Ryan O'Donnell, who shadows him as a younger version of Anderson/Gerald Bostock.

The "Thick as a Brick 2" Touring Band is comprised of:

Ian Anderson – Vocals, Flute, Guitar
David Goodier – Bass
Scott Hammond – Drums
Ryan O'Donnell – Vocals
John O'Hara – Keyboards
Florian Ophale – Lead Guitar

After a long and vocal standing ovation, the musicians came back out and brought down the house once again with a brilliant version of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath."

The entire concert was a winner from beginning to end, with the mostly older crowd not wanting to leave. It skillfully merged the old with the new and left you longing for "Thick as a Brick 3."

IA plays TAAB - 2012
http://jethrotull.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=tour&thread=1627&page=38#31687

You put your bet on number one and it comes up every time.

 

Ian Anderson: Theatrical Music
Posted: 10/15/2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hank-bordowitz/ian-anderson_b_1954784.html

Ian Anderson knows his audience. Near the end of act one of his current "Plays Thick as a Brick 1 & 2" tour, which I saw at The New Jersey Performing Arts Center on October 7, one of the band members starts to do a weather report which somehow morphs into a trope on prostate health and turns into a very strange and funny bit of business. This adds some levity to this remarkable show, which marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the original "Thick as a Brick" and the one-year anniversary of its second coming.

While many in the 50+ audience are probably familiar with the song "Thick as a Brick," heard once or twice a week on most classic rock stations -- the only kind many boomers listen to, as old habits die hard -- many may have never checked out the album because there was no song listing. Indeed, the "song" is actually an excerpt of a solid 45-minute piece of music. The "Thick as a Brick" most people know is actually pretty much an overture. The rest of the album uses the hallmarks of the Jethro Tull sound at the time: Anderson's picaresque musing on childhood and the unfairness of the adult world that most children enter, set to music that mixes a rock aesthetic with elements of baroque, jazz, and Celtic folk -- after all, Anderson's main instrument is the flute. It fuses the lyricism of Mozart with the bombast of Wagner and the instrumentation of the Kinks. Little wonder some labeled the album "progressive."

Now, to those who care enough to give it any thought, progressive rock is regarded as being a bit soggy in the middle for the most part, trying too hard to show the prowess of the players and the competence of the composer. It often leaves the audience out of the picture. Anderson is far too much of a showman for that, and even at 65 (or so), he is leaping gnomishly about the stage.
This is not a rock show, per se, at least not the main event. The playing is so precise and composed that even the videos -- obviously not live feeds -- are synced. It is a marvel of classic rock excess, but even more so of amazingly solid and polished musicianship that "feels" without being sloppy about it. Face it fans, when was the last time you heard a good drum solo -- melodic, terse, tense and dramatic? Or rock musicians trading fours like the jazz guys? Or even theatricality that is not done for the sake of being theatrical, but in service of the music? This show has that.

Especially in the first act, the dramatic effect is heightened by Ryan O'Donnell, Anderson's own Mini-me. The gamin-like O'Donnell sounds very similar to Anderson before the latter's voice aged and deepened. Occasionally it is hard to discern which one is singing. But in terms of "Thick as a Brick," their dialogues are impressive. O'Donnell is Anderson's doppelganger and alter ego on stage.

But there are other comical and theatrical elements as well.The show starts on that note with a bunch of guys in trench coats cleaning up the state to the sounds of Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band on the sound system. One by one, they take off their coats and either get behind or pick up instruments. There are video vignettes that break up the musical tension as well: Anderson meeting the young Gerald Bostock -- the hypothetical author of the lyrics to the original TAAB -- in the facade of a psychiatrist; Anderson in other guise taking us through a tour of a decaying English manor house; the aforementioned prostate sketch.

What makes the show special, even unique, is the level of fastidious exactitude, from the lighting (which is extraordinary) to the staging, to the band itself. The musicians are not outdone by the technicians. They make the evening work, impeccably playing the intricate instrumental arrangements and occasionally engaging in taut -- if simple -- choreography. A couple of people seated close to me had seen the show a couple of nights earlier at the Beacon Theater in New York. They said that it was note for note the same show.

So when the encore came, the band trotted out "Locomotive Breath" in a very loose, loud, 15-minute, raucous rock and roll rendition, full of improvised solos and off-the-top-of-the-head arrangements. With none of the musical tension that informed the previous two hours, it felt like the band needed it more than the audience. Perhaps they did.


Follow Hank Bordowitz on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hankai

 

This is a neat moment, but I'm pretty certain it's a video and she doesn't Skype in every night.

 

I hadn't planned on going to this, mainly over disappointment in Ian's apparent disbanding of Tull. However Tull07, who had contacted me through this cite about doing some tape transfers, had a friend with a family emergency, and all of a sudden a front row seat came available.

I'm certainly glad I went, and agree with the comments above about the concert. The thrill of seeing it that close was unforgetable.

I still have trouble with Anderson's decision to do this with his touring band instead of Tull, given that Florian Ophale seems to (either by choice or at Ian's directive) do everything in his power to look and sound like a youthful Martin.

I took a handful of photos, and will try to post some later this week. Tull07 took tons, and got to meet the band, so maybe I can convince him to jump into the fray.

 

One more week till his show here in Salt Lake. I can't wait!

 

I better get tickets for the show in Akron Nov 4! Did not know he was playing in town.

 

I saw the show in Denver on Tuesday night and loved it. It was a dream come true to hear a lot of the lesser known sections of the original played live. And the new one sounded fabulous! The musicianship was top notch and the performance of Locomotive Breath for the encore was a stunning show of their talent. The only weak spot for me was the younger singer and I guess some of the theatrics did nothing for me, but the music was outstanding and I felt fortunate to get to hear this music performed so well.

K

 

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I was at the Salt Lake City show. It was an excellent performance, and the crowd loved it.

As an aside, I was staying at the hotel across the street from Abravanel Hall, and I just happened to be in the lobby using a computer when I heard a very familiar bass-baritone voice with an english accent coming from the front desk area. I turned around to see Ian and his wife checking in. I didn't want to disturb them, so I just sat there watching with a stupid fanboy grin on my face.

 

I would seriously love to go see this but I'm afraid if I did, I'd be disappointed by his voice. I don't want to go pay big bucks to hear an old Ian try to pretend he still has it.

However, I bet the actual show itself is phenomenal from what I'm hearing.

 

I'm going to Houston Saturday to catch the show. I know all too well about Ian's voice. It's been almost 5 years since I've seen him perform live. Looking forward to the show.

 

I saw the show in Dallas (Grand Prarie) at the Nokia Verizon Theater last night.

It was not a full house. The Upper Balcony was draped off (by design). The lower balcony and floor were about 4/5's full.

We were about 25 rows back, in the center.

The TAAB I was okay.

The TAAB II was louder and, more enjoyable than TAAB I, performance wise.

The "Locomotive Breath" encore was louder still, and, the most enjoyable part of the evening.

The young man singing some, of Ian's parts (whilst he's flouting...) was good, and Ian's singing is also enjoyable.

I saw TAAB on it's original tour back in the day (when some new band warmed up for Tull, some California back up band called "The Eagles"....)

But no warm up band last night, and that was good !

So maybe it was just me, but I really thought they increased the volume for TAAB II, and then, even louder for the encore.

I just wish that TAAB I could have been at the same volume as TAAB II.

I certainly remember TAAB from the 70's as being LOUD, and, that was a GOOD thing !

All in all, I did not get $75.00 worth of entertainment, but I'm gald I went anyway. The people-watching was quite fun !!

Personally, I would have wanted Tull to perform "Kissing Willie" for a 1st encore, with the lovely "Locomotive Breath" as the 2nd encore.

There as a very nice tour book for sale. All t-shirt purchases come with a baseball style cap.

 

I'm enjoying TAAB 'playing in my head' pretty constantly all day today.

A nice result of the after glow of the concert

 

The show last night in Houston - VERY GOOD. Ian was smart to get somebody to do the higher parts vocal wise. The band - boy...he can sure find some good musicians. Two and a half hour show with a 20 minute break between TAAB/TAAB2. Outside of the video screen, a no frills stage. Volume for both sets at the Verizon Center(Bayou Music Center) was uniform, not many changes at all.

TAAB/2 will be in my head all week - and that's a GREAT THING!

 

Glad to hear the reviews are good. I am going to what appears to be the last stop on the tour Nov 4 in Akron, OH.

Back in the day I was a huge Tull fan having seen a Benefit tour, TAAB tour and 2 Passion Play tours. The Benefit and TAAB shows remain among my all time favorites! Sadly I lost interest in Tull over the years execept for Benefit and an occasional TAAB. The anticipation for this show is renewing my passion for Tull.

Rick G