Steely Dan @ A Day On TheGreen

Thu 20th Sep, 2007 in Gig Reviews

Bimbadgen Estate in the Hunter Valley has quite possibly the most comfortable outdoor venue in all of Australia. With either the opportunity to sit in a reserved seat or laze on the lawn and drink superb wine and eat good food while listening to tunes, you have just what the doctor ordered: atmosphere for relaxation and fun.

The Day On The Green event for this September was bound to be a special one. Steely Dan, making their first visit to our shores, were going to guarantee that. Joined by an old Australian favourite, Gangajang, who performed a succinct and groovy set and Kurt Wallingers’ World Party, the warm up to the main act was just gorgeous

Mr. Wallinger is one of the most under rated singer/songwriters on this planet. He and his conglomeration have only released five albums in 20 years but there are so many chestnuts on each release. Pu t The Message In The Box and Sweet Soul Dream were highlights of his short set and I think the fact that the crowd did not respond that enthusiastically had Kurt a bit irked. As a matter of fact, my party was told to sit down by security during the set because we were doing that un-Australian thing of dancing at a gig and I was tall. More on that in a little bit, because as you may know by now, that is my pet peeve about gigs in this country. Just a Ship Of Fools I guess, as Kurt hummed to us from the stage. But honestly, it was good to see a healthy Kurt Wallinger (who had recovered from an aneurysm) singing and strumming to the throngs.

So as the sun set and the crowd awaited Becker and Fagen, we scouted out where we could dance down amongst the expensive seats. After seeing The Pretenders there in February, when the place was rocking, I did not expect the crowd to be as sedate as they were tonight. Maybe too much wine and food earlier in the day? Who knows, but generally, the only folks dancing were near the sides of the stage and part of that crowd was the dozen I was with! Have you heard me complain about this before? If you want to just watch, why not get a DVD and sit on the couch at home? Back to the review….

The band came out first and jazzed the crowd up a wee bit before the two – œstars’ strolled out to a wild ovation. Black Cow, Two Against Nature and Hey 19 were a beautiful trio of songs and I felt at that moment I had gotten my dollars worth. The Heavy Rollers Band, as they are known on this tour, were top notch. Keith Harlock on drums and Jon Herrington on guitar played impeccably and the backing 4 piece horn section and additional vocals of Cindy and Carolyn nailed these Dan tunes right down.

Only having seen Steely Dan once (as a support act for E.L.O. in N.Y.C. believe it or not!) way back in the 70s, I had never realised how accomplished a guitarist Walter Becker is. But with his solos on Black Friday and Aja, I was floored by his abilities. Amongst the set list we also had Home At Last, Dirty Work, Josie and they finished up with Kid Charlemagne to a wild ovation. It was all over too soon. 92 minutes of beauty that will stay with me for a very long time.
Of course as we walked back to our cabin to continue the night, people were disappointed in not hearing their favourites. But that was such a small complaint when the songbook of these two dudes is amazingly large. Yes, I really wanted My Old School! And the person to the right of me insisted they should have played Rikki or Reelin In The Years! And so it goes!

If you have not seen them on this tour and you read this before they leave Australia at the end of September, get on your bad sneakers and hear some magic. This is the first time in Australia, and quite possibly the only time, so make the most of it now why these two shady characters take you into their little world for 90 minutes. Any world that they will take me to is a world I am welcome to be in. I will be there. Just look for the dancing major, dude!