STEELY DAN CONCERT 2018


I know most of the audience for the STEELY DAN concert at the Shea’s Performing Arts Center collect Social Security and have weak bladders, but the constant flow of people streaming up and down the aisle during this sold-out performance was very annoying!

The STEELY DAN Band sounded great! The Danettes (backup singers) soloed on “Dirty Work” and earned a standing ovation. Donald Fagen was less chatty than he was at last year’s concert–which is a Good Thing. I was hoping this concert would include two of my favorite STEELY DAN songs–“Deacon Blues” and “FM–but I was disappointed. Maybe next year…

For the Buffalo News review of the concert, just click here. Do you have a favorite STEELY DAN song? GRADE: A
SET LIST:
Hallelujah Time
Bodhisattva
Hey Nineteen
Black Friday
Aja
Black Cow
Time Out of Mind
Kid Charlemagne
Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
Babylon Sisters
Dirty Work
The Goodbye Look (Donald Fagen song)
Peg
Keep That Same Old Feeling (The Crusaders cover) (with band introductions)
Josie
My Old School

Encore:
Reelin’ in the Years
A Man Ain’t Supposed to Cry (Joe Williams cover)

20 thoughts on “STEELY DAN CONCERT 2018

    1. george Post author

      Steve, Jeff Meyerson told me that sometimes fans can vote for songs they want to hear at selected concerts. “Showbiz Kids” and “Deacon Blues” and “FM” would get my votes.

      Reply
  1. Deb

    Probably TIME OUT OF MIND, but I like so many of their songs, it would be a hard choice. I also love a couple of the songs Donald Fagan did as a solo artist, THE NEW FRONTIER and I.G.Y. (aka, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD THIS WOULD BE)—which Howard Jones did a wonderful cover of and now everyone thinks he did the original!

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Deb, “Time Out of Mind” sounded great at the concert! I love Donald Fagen’s “I.G.Y.” but he hasn’t played it in the two STEELY DAN concerts I’ve attended. The Howard Jones version is great!

      Reply
  2. Jeff Meyerson

    We’re seeing them (the Aja concert) on Thursday at the Beacon. This year’s run is nine concerts, from the 17th to the 30th. One year we did go to the Request concert. When you bought your ticket, you got an email with a list of songs. I think you got to vote for 20, and you could add any not listed. George’s favorites were definitely on my list that year. Since “Deacon Blues” (my favorite) was on AJA, I am looking forward to hearing it.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, I’d be tempted to attend a Request concert just to hear what the audience voted for. I wonder how long Donald Fagen will tour with THE STEELY DAN Band and the Danettes.

      Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, one of our best friends is Peggy O’Neal and “Peg” is her favorite STEELY DAN song. I’m little surprised “Deacon Blues” and “FM” are ranked in the 20s! Thanks for link!

      Reply
  3. Jeff Meyerson

    They last did “Show Biz Kids” on October 11 in Baltimore. (We last heard it two years ago at the Beacon.) “Deacon Blues” was last done in June in Utah.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, I’m sure it’s a struggle for Donald Fagen and the STEELY DAN band to design set lists that will satisfy so many audiences.

      Reply
  4. Rick Robinson

    Glad you had a good time, in spite of people streaming up and down the aisles. I wouldn’t dream of doing that! How rude. Steeley Dan is a favorite band, and your set list looks good, though of course there are others I like a lot too. I don’t go to concerts any more, but I do enjoy listening to the albums.

    Reply
  5. Jeff Meyerson

    Favorite song: Deacon Blues.

    The worst for excessive chatting in a concert was Stevie Wonder. It was the closest to 50/50 sing/talk I can ever remember. Santana doesn’t talk as much, but when he gets onto his “spiritual” bit, it’s time for the bathroom. At the other end is Bob Dylan, who doesn’t talk at all.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, I tend to prefer performers who don’t “chat” with the audience. Luther Vandross said, “HI!” and then sang for two hours straight.

      Reply
    1. george Post author

      Bob, “Dirty Work” was originally sung by David Palmer who left STEELY DAN after the first two albums. Donald Fagan reluctantly took over the vocals after that. Palmer sued STEELY DAN in 2014 because he thought he was owed money from streaming services.

      Reply
  6. wolf

    I’m not such a Steely Dan fan really …
    But re people streaming up and down the aisles I remember very well a concert with Steve Winwood in Houston where this also happened – and many of them had a large plastic cup with beer even!
    It really was uncomfortable having to move in your seat to let these guys (some of them rather obese …) pass.
    The open air concert in the natural amphitheater in Austin that followed was much nicer – and I got to see the famous bats under the bridge …
    Nowadays we also don’t go to concerts anymore – those by our favourite musicians are too expensive and/or standing only, when you’re over 70 that’s a no-go.
    But we have our concert DVDs etc …

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Wolf, I can’t believe people would pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket to STEELY DAN and then walk up and down the aisles during the performance! Annoying and insufferable!

      Reply
      1. wolf

        I have an even better story:
        Eric Clapton did an open air concert in Munich where people sat at tables eating, drinking and talking …
        It was an exclusive concert, they had paid a lot but weren’t really interested in the music.
        He got so angry (though he had been handsomely paid …) that he said he wouldn’t return!
        luckily several years after that he changed his mind and gave an open air concert on the “King’s Square” with his old friend Steve Winwood – and we got tickets for that!
        After some time he seemed to be really happy with the reaction of the listeners/fans and talked about his bad experience before and how happy he was with this audience – a bit strange for those who didn’t know the whole story …

      2. george Post author

        Wolf, I went to see Jewel in concert at our local casino a few years ago. Same thing: people walking up and down the aisles while Jewel was singing. Then, when Jewel came out for an encore, dozens of people started to walk out to the slot machines. Jewel said to them, “I promise I won’t take long to sing my song and won’t keep you from your gambling.” No matter, the people rudely continued to exit. Casino audiences suck!

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