By David BennunThe Guardian Originally published on Oct. 30, 2017 LONDON — If Bruce Springsteen, in his own wry summation, avoided honest labour by writing about it, then Steely Dan have made a roaring success of narrating failure. Their songs are largely concerned with what you could call Steely Dan Man: a figure out of time, place […]
Tag Archives | Concert reviews
Steely Dan at 3Arena for BluesFest 2017
‘If I could see them again tomorrow night I wouldn’t hesitate – put these bands on your bucket list!’ By Deirdre ConroyIrish Independent Review Originally published on Oct. 29, 2017 DUBLIN, Ireland — The mere stage set up of Steely Dan last night at 3 Arena had the sophistication of a New York jazz club. […]
‘Aja’ stuns at the Beacon Theatre
Originally published on Oct. 19, 2016 By Alex Biese Asbury Park Press NEW YORK — Over the last several years, artists from Bruce Springsteen to Public Enemy have engaged in the lucrative and crowd-pleasing practice of performing their classic albums in concert, to varying degrees of success. But if there’s one act that seems ideally suited […]
Dan Reels in Ears with Slick Jazz-Rock
Originally published on Aug. 27, 2014 By Lynn Saxberg Ottawa Citizen Riding the crest of a renewed interest in their music, jazz-rock pioneers Steely Dan cruised into the National Arts Centre’s Southam Hall on Tuesday (8/26/2014) and delivered a wealth of musical riches to a packed house. The band’s core creative duo, Donald Fagen and […]
Steely Dan Electrifying
Originally published on Aug. 24, 2014 By Liz Braun Toronto Sun For two spectacular hours on Saturday night, Steely Dan brought their unique blend of rock, R&B and jazz to happy fans at the Sony Centre. The band stepped up and tossed off “Black Cow,” “Aja” and “Hey Nineteen” for openers, finally getting people in […]
Veteran Band Puts on Quite a Show
Originally published on Aug. 14, 2014 By Curtis Schieber The Columbus Dispatch COLUMBUS, Ohio — Steely Dan songs are the perfect live pop music vehicle. On record, they are intricately structured on tight, varied rhythms and precise horn arrangements but punctuated by marvelous solo opportunities. Singer Donald Fagen’s melodies are appealing as candy, while his […]
Polished Band is in Fine Form
Originally published on Aug. 9, 2014 By Nancy J. Parisi Buffalo News Niagara Falls, NY — Jazz-rock ensemble Steely Dan, fronted by co-founders/co-creators Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, and with a sterling touring band, played Seneca Events Center on Friday night. The show, a stop on a three-month theater tour (as it’s called in the […]
‘Jamalot Ever After’ in New Orleans
Originally published on July 27, 2014 By Grace Wilson New Orleans Times-Picayune Steely Dan promised an other-worldly experience at the UNO Lakefront Arena on Saturday (July 26) during their “Jamalot Ever After” tour. “As long as the building doesn’t take off, we’ll be in good shape,” said co-pilot Walter Becker. The spaceship-esque Arena stayed grounded, but as the […]
Dan Bring Best Backup Band to Phoenix
By Jason P. Woodbury Special for the Republic PHOENIX — Among the more quixotic artists of the ’70s, songwriters Donald Fagen and Walter Becker blended boho jazz, soul, rock and funk with sneaky, biting lyrics, creating a string of complex, funny epics in the early ’70s. They quit playing shows in 1974, devoting themselves solely to […]
Steely Dan Thrills Phoenix Audience
By Ted Hansen Examiner.com When you’ve made a career of recording albums by surrounding yourself with some of the best musicians around, it only makes sense that when you hit the road to perform, you do the same. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the two evil geniuses behind Steely Dan, stuck to that successful formula for Steely Dan’s […]
