ACL Live: Jethro Tull by Ian Anderson

[Flint]

What a great few months this has been. I got to see Brian Wilson, the B52s, the Austin Symphony Orchestra, Victor Wooten and Dennis Chambers, Fastball, and several local artists play live here in the live music capital of the world.

Last night I watched Ian Anderson and his band play the music of Jethro Tull, and it was amazing. For a 69 year old man, Ian can still own a stage and play the flute like a Hindi god. The band was very good, though a tad robotic, but the guitar player (some young dude from Switzerland) was brilliant. They rocked a broad range of classic Tull tunes, a few newer songs, and pulled out some deep tracks I had never heard before, such as some baroque piece written by King Henry VIII. It was one hell of a show.

The Moody Theater, where they now film Austin City Limits, is a perfect venue. I was on the mezzanine level and was about 20 feet from the side of the stage where I could clear see everything from the drummers point of view (he sat on the far right of the stage). Pretty cool. The sound was great as well, not too loud, but plenty powerful.

There were strict rules that we could not film or photograph any of the performance, so no pictures. Ian also had a rule that he forbids anyone from whistling at the show - not sure what that's about.

Good times.

 

[hawk52]

Flint, I always wanted to ask you if you being in the Austin area have you ever gone to Austin City Limits shows. I try to watch but it doesn't always work out.

 

[Towen7]

There were strict rules that we could not film or photograph any of the performance, so no pictures.

I understand not wanting to allow a professional photographer to profit from a performer's images but I really do think there should laws against prohibiting individuals from taking pictures to remember a special event.

 

[Flint]

I understand not wanting to allow a professional photographer to profit from a performer's images but I really do think there should laws against prohibiting individuals from taking pictures to remember a special event.

At first I thought this was a dumb rule, but after a few minutes of the show I felt so much more "in the moment" since everyone was sitting and watching. Every little joke and show gimmick was seen and the audience reacted more completely and appropriately. Overall, the experience was much better with no phones or cameras out.

 

[Towen7]

At first I thought this was a dumb rule, but after a few minutes of the show I felt so much more "in the moment" since everyone was sitting and watching. Every little joke and show gimmick was seen and the audience reacted more completely and appropriately. Overall, the experience was much better with no phones or cameras out.

I've never thought of it that way

 

[Flint]

I've never thought of it that way

Yeah, I keep thinking back to the show as I scanned the audience (I could see the entire floor seating from the stage perspective), and it was very invigorating to see everyone, to the last person, staring at the stage, mostly smiling, and reacting to everything that happened. I haven't see that in well over a decade and it made the "shared experience" aspect of going to a show in a theater more engaging and enjoyable. I loved it and now I hope every show I go to has the same rules.

 

[heeman]

From the stage?

Did you drum for them that night?

 

[Flint]

From the stage?

Did you drum for them that night?

I would have been better. The drummer was good, he played the parts "correctly", but he lacked the energy the original recordings and concerts had in spades. He was a "lay down the groove" kind of drummer. I believe most Jethro Tull music calls for "drive the music forward" sort of drumming.

But he did the job well enough, even playing a 10 minute solo that wasn't terrible. Just wish it was more "aggressive".