Music

Five thoughts: Ian Anderson at the Pearl (September 19)

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Ian Anderson and his band, performing September 19 at the Pearl.
Photo: Edison Graff

1. The last time I caught Ian Anderson in Las Vegas (July 2013 at the Smith Center) I called the live presentation of his latest concept album, Thick as a Brick 2, a “full-on revelation.” Friday night’s show-opening performance of its follow-up, Homo Erraticus, wasn’t nearly as satisfying—largely because its storyline and the accompanying videos came off rather muddled and confusing—but again, the longtime Jethro Tull leader proved that he has a lot left to offer besides nostalgia for his old band.

2. On to that nostalgia. Anderson shrewdly truncated Erraticus slightly and ended his first set with two classic numbers: his interpretation of Johanna Sebastian Bach’s “Bourée” (off 1969 album Stand Up) and a considerable chunk of 1972 single-song record Thick as a Brick. As when Anderson played Thick as a Brick in totality here last year, stage actor Ryan O’Donnell handled some of the trickier vocals, while the 67-year-old Anderson focused on his flute work.

3. The night’s second set found the six men onstage delving further into Tull history, with a mostly well-chosen batch of favorites and slightly deeper cuts. Among the hits: non-album singles “Living in the Past” (1969), “Sweet Dream” (1969) and “Teacher” (1970), the title track to 1976’s Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die and, predictably, “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath” off 1971 favorite Aqualung, which ended the show. More unexpected were “With You There to Help Me,” the sublime opener to 1970’s Benefit, and “Critique Oblique,” a segment from 1973 concept album A Passion Play. Anderson also played “Farm on the Freeway” from 1987’s Crest of a Knave, best known as the album that beat out Metallica’s …And Justice for All for that year’s heavy metal Grammy.

4. As with any large-catalog act, Anderson’s live Tull selections are second-guessed wherever he performs, so I’ll play, too. I would have liked to hear something off 1975’s Minstrel in the Gallery (“Cold Wind to Valhalla”?), and 1978’s Heavy Horses is too good to ignore altogether. And instead of the title track from 1977’s Songs From the Wood, which felt somewhat spiritless in its current incarnation, “Hunting Girl” from that album would seem like a more inspired choice.

5. Having watched more than 20 shows inside the Pearl, I covered my first from the balcony section on Friday. I can report sound up there to be quite satisfactory, and the dual video screens flanking the stage made for a pleasant experience all around. Depending on prices, I might even recommend it over farther-back seats in the area below.

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