Todd Rundgren’s “Damned If I Do Tour” Is a Lesson in Musicianship at Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, Florida
Renowned musician, producer, and visionary Todd Rundgren brought his “Damned If I Do Tour” to Clearwater for a two-night gig at the Capitol Theatre. Sorry Todd, but the diehard fans are lucky that you are damned if you do. Bringing 60 years of much more than an Elpee’s worth of tunes, from Nazz to Utopia to various incarnations of Todd over the years, this show takes fans on a journey of rock, prog, acoustic music, covers, and of course Todd’s radio hits.
A Two-Night Treat for Todd Fans
I attended the Friday night show, and the fans were abuzz talking about the prior Thursday night’s show and how great it was. I knew I was in for a treat, but just not how much. I did not look at a setlist from this tour, and I am glad I did not, which made for some awesome surprises.
You never quite know what you will get with Todd shows, with his vast catalog and the covers he might decide to play. In this show, he is a rocker, crooner, conductor, Philly soul singer, comedian, and guitarist extraordinaire. His band brings the best in musicians with longtime bass player Kasim Sulton, The Tubes’ Prairie Prince on drums, Bobby Strickland on the horn section, Bruce McDaniel on guitar, and Gil Assayas on keyboards.
Longtime readers may remember when Todd Rundgren came to Clearwater and Kasim Sulton talked with The Suncoast Post, and this return visit carried that same sense of musicianship and loyal fan energy.
Fans Get Into the Show
These shows have the fans getting involved in a unique way. For Todd’s hit “Bang On The Drum All Day,” there has been a contest for each show for a fan to go on stage with Todd and the band to play a set of drums. It is big fun for the fan, the audience, and Todd.
There is a brilliant acoustic set with the band leaving their usual stage spots to come closer to the audience and make it a more intimate part of the show. Todd brought us back to his Philly soul roots by performing songs by Smokey Robinson and the great Marvin Gaye. At 78, Rundgren looks and sounds as good as ever with a many-decades-long career.
Rock, Soul, and Utopia
The rock part of the show included some of Todd’s best guitar riffs from the 1978 “Black and White” and my personal favorite from the 1972 iconic classic album “Something/Anything?” with the kick-ass tune “Black Maria.” His tribute to The Call’s late Michael Been on “The Walls Came Down” is cool because he was asked by The Call to re-record the song with them since they knew Todd occasionally played it.
Of course, there is no TR rock show without honoring Utopia, which brings the audience to their feet with “One World” to close the show. The evening also sits nicely alongside previous Suncoast Post coverage of Todd Rundgren’s Me/We Tour at the Capitol Theatre.
The Encore
Okay, for those who need the hits, they come at the encore and of course the biggest song of Todd’s career, “Hello It’s Me.” But for the Toddheads, we know there is so much more than that beautiful greatest hit, which is just the cherry on top of a musical career that is eclectic, intelligent, individual, and brilliant. If you really want to look at the setlist before you go to a show, you can find it online.
Related Stories
- Todd Rundgren Brings His Me/We Tour to the Capitol Theatre in Clearwater
- Todd Rundgren Comes to Clearwater and Kasim Sulton Talks to The Suncoast Post
- Todd Rundgren’s Individualist Tour Slays at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Pete
Vicky Sullivan Photos for The Suncoast Post