By Curtis Ross
The Tampa Tribune
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Steely Dan’s return to touring has been a mixed blessing, at least around here. The band’s meticulously constructed jazz-pop needs more intimacy and better acoustics than can be provided by an outdoor amphitheater or a hockey arena.
Small wonder, then, that Steely Dan’s Monday night show at Ruth Eckerd Hall sold out almost immediately when tickets went on sale in March. A second performance, which is tonight, was quickly added.
It was an opportunity to see the duo — Walter Becker and Donald Fagen — and its crack backing musicians in a venue in which every note could shine through.
Many if not most numbers were extended to allow for plenty of solo space, beginning with opener “Time Out of Mind,” which saw Becker and Fagen trading licks on guitar and melodica, respectively.
Becker and Jon Herington made for a wonderful guitar duo. Becker’s thin, piercing runs contrasted with Herington’s fat-toned leads. Herington’s solos on “Peg” and “Aja” in particular were things of awe-inspiring beauty.
It was hardly a greatest hits show – “Deacon Blues,” which got the most shout-outs from the crowd (at least on my row) wasn’t in the set. And some in the audience seemed to get restive when the title track from 2000’s Two Against Nature was followed by another from the same album, “Janie Runaway.”
But the selection made sense, especially when followed by “Hey Nineteen,” like “Janie” one of Fagen’s odes to girls of questionable morals.
Some older numbers appeared in new form. Becker sang an all but unrecognizable “Monkey in Your Soul” (from 1974’s Pretzel Logic) while “Dirty Work” was shared by backing vocalists Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery and Cindy Mizelle.
“The Caves of Altamira” was a pleasant surprise although “Bad Sneakers” made one long to hear its Katy Lied companion, “Doctor Wu,” as well.
“Josie,” “Aja” and “Kid Charlemagne” made for a thrilling climax before the encore, which included Countdown to Ecstasy favorites.
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