Date: Fri 03-Sep-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Jethro-Tull-Anderson-Oakdale

Full Text:

CONCERT REVIEW: A Blast From The Past, And A Move Into The Future

(with photo)

BY SHANNON HICKS

WALLINGFORD -- Jethro Tull performed a concert at the SNET Oakdale Theatre

last weekend that reportedly brought in an SRO crowd. Even the majority of the

venue's suites were filled with guests on August 29 when the band pulled into

town for one of the first shows to support its latest release, J-Tull Dot Com

.

Yes, this is the band with that guy with the flute, not to mention the

controversial Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. The band is indeed still

around. Just don't address the band's lead singer as Jethro. Don't even try to

be polite and call him Mr Tull; he still wouldn't be very happy.

Jethro Tull -- formed over 30 years ago, and today comprising founder Ian

Anderson (who also plays flute, does lead vocals and plays guitar, mandolin,

bouzouki and harmonica), acoustic and electric guitarist Martin Barre,

keyboardist Andrew Giddings, bass player Jonathan Noyce, and

drummer/percussionist Doane Perry -- is the band's name, not the name of a

band member.

The band's current tour is a grand celebration of old and new. Sunday

evening's concert opened with the relatively-new song "Steel Monkey," from

1987's Crest of A Knave , and there were the obligatory offerings from the new

album, including "Dot Com" and "Spiral," but an interesting toss into the mix

of 17 or so songs played was the inclusion of at least four songs from the

band's second album, which dates back to 1969.

Rather than focus on the new material or even the classics like "Aqualung" and

"Living in the Past" (both of which were included as a medley work for the

encore), the band pulled quite a few older pieces out of its treasure trove of

material. The August 29 concert included performances of "Bourree," which is

the band's take on a composition written by J.S. Bach over 300 years ago, as

well as "Jeffery Goes To Leicester Square," "Fat Man" and "For A Thousand

Mothers," all from the Stand Up album, the band's second release.

On the other hand, Mr Anderson -- looking quite a bit like an overgrown pirate

in his black leather boots, vest and do-rag/bandana atop his head -- did

surrender to modern times when he spoke of the band's latest "album," but then

corrected himself and said "CD," as well as lamenting the loss of album

"sides" -- "it's all one long run now, isn't it?" he asked the audience.

Don't be fooled, though. Mr Anderson knows exactly what he's talking about

when he refers to the band's new release and "that Internet thing." Jethro

Tull has one of the better Web sites in the music world. The band updates its

journal entries regularly from the road, and the entries are enjoyably

well-written.

The band may be getting up there in years, but its performances continue to

prove otherwise. While every step, facial gesture and interaction between band

members is probably choreographed right down to the reactions to a large furry

bunny that shows up on stage, Jethro Tull remains an energetic and enjoyable

band to see in concert.

Sunday's concert proved to be a wonderful mix of new meets old.