Steely Dan, Ryman, August. Do I go?

[guroo270]

This is a tough one. I really, really like Steely Dan. One of my favorites if not my favorite band. I listen to Gaucho and Aja at least 5 times on the turntable every week. Probably gonna be going by myself because almost no one I knows likes them as much as I do. Ever hear of someone just going it alone looking for an unsold scalped ticket cheap once it starts? I'm not a big concert guy, clearly.

Tickets are kindofa lot. $300 ish. $200 to start, but the Ryman has a bunch of pillars so vision can blow balls. Do I bite the bullet? Also, I have work at 3 AM Saturday. So there's that, too.

[dark_star]

I saw Steely Dan 6 or 7 years ago on their "everything must go" tour. I think that's their weakest album, but aside from that it was totally awesome. Incredible musicianship, especially if they're still touring with Jon Herrington. One of my top five concerts for sure.

That being said, I didn't pay anything like that. But all the same- you gotta do it! You won't regret it. They're getting to that "drop off" age anyway so you never know how many more chances you'll get...

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[Moeghoul]

I saw them on the same tour (alone, for pretty much the same reason), if you love the music, you'll dig the show.

[Tap]

don't go = you're dumb

[guroo270]

I don't need to not go to be considered dumb. Just putting that out there, but ya, I know. What do you guys think about the going without a ticket hoping someone couldn't make it and their buddy is trying to unload a said ticket? Think it'd go for more or less in your experiences?

[Moeghoul]

No idea, I got my ticket 5 years ago, it was under 100. Mighta been $60 or 80$ for a decent middle of the herd seat.

[guroo270]

Well, looks like I have a bit of time to decide, but I'm sure they're gonna sell out, but not playing until August. See? Told you I could be dumb even if I end up going.

[iceman]

Well it's your favoritest band in the world, and tickets are on sale, man up: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1B...7B?brand=ryman

It's two nights btw, Aug 1 & 2 http://www.steelydan.com

[mud]

I'm not a huge fan but a friend of mine scored tickets through work and invited me along. They are really good live, better than I expected and if they are your favorite band you should probably just go.

[DeathVan]

It's no Dire Straits...
-If I were you I'd just stay at home and watch reruns of the Big Bang Theory


Donald Fagen Defends Steely Dan To Friends



NEW YORK—While having drinks with friends at a local bar Monday, Donald Fagen, 60, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and cofounder of the multiplatinum-selling American rock band Steely Dan, was once again forced to defend his appreciation for the multiplatinum-selling American rock band Steely Dan.

"Look, I understand. It's an acquired taste," Fagen said after putting his group's 1978 hit "Deacon Blues" on the bar's jukebox. "I wasn't that into it at first, either. But when you really listen to the unbelievable production values and the wry, perfectly crafted lyrics—it's just great art, okay? You should definitely give 'the Dan' a shot."

Fagen went on to cite additional evidence in defense of his admiration for the music, including the disparate jazz, R&B;, and blues influences that pervade the band's music, and the ultraclean sound that became the group's hallmark.

"No one attained that level of perfection in the studio," Fagen said. "Do you know how many guitar players tried and failed to nail the solo on the song 'Peg'? Six. Six professional session guitar players. That's commitment to a vision, if you ask me."

"Not to mention almost ruining Michael McDonald's voice just to get the background vocals on that track," Fagen added.


The 'Dans seminal debut comes highly recommended by Fagen
Though Fagen remained effusive about Steely Dan throughout the debate, he did eventually concede that the song "True Companion" from the Heavy Metal soundtrack was "really gay." He was quick to point out, however, that the track was not technically a Steely Dan composition, but rather a Donald Fagen solo project.

"No way you'd be saying this crap if you'd seen Steely Dan play live as many times as I have," Fagen reportedly told his companions after purchasing them a second round of drinks. "Plus [Steely Dan cofounder] Walter Becker is a super nice guy."

In an attempt to enlighten his friends and possibly pique their curiosity to the point where they would accept his standing offer to burn them copies of Steely Dan's 1974 album Pretzel Logic, Fagen went so far as to bring up some of the more esoteric trivia pertaining to the group.

"Everybody knows that Steely Dan is named after a dildo, but were you aware that Chevy Chase played drums when the band was called the Leather Canary?" said Fagen, referring to his formative musical years at Bard College in upstate New York. "Of course, that was way before he went on to Saturday Night Live fame."

Even after his acquaintances roundly dismissed Steely Dan as "pussy music," Fagen vehemently maintained that the band has contributed significantly to the rock and roll genre, and described his and Becker's unorthodox instrumentation choices and song arrangements as "bold."

"God forbid someone take a chance by having more than three chord changes in a song," Fagen said. "You can't just write it all off as 'shitty jazz fusion' because there are a few horns in the band. And what about 'Bodhisattva' and 'Show Biz Kids' on Countdown To Ecstasy? Don't sit there and tell me that those tunes don't rock."

Though Fagen remains loyal to Steely Dan and more or less has reverence for the band's entire catalog, he said that he is the first to admit the shortcomings of the music.

"No one knows better than I do that this stuff can get extremely self-indulgent," Fagen said. "And, yes, I realize that all the preciousness and apparent awe at its own cleverness can be a little too much to stomach sometimes. Hell, some of Gaucho is even too goddamned smooth for me."

"It's no Dire Straits, I'll give you that," Fagen added.

[mud]

It's no Dire Straits...
-If I were you I'd just stay at home and watch reruns of the Big Bang Theory


Donald Fagen Defends Steely Dan To Friends



.

Those teeth don't lie.
TGR dentistry of peace.

[ICEHOCEY77]

$300? That's almost rolling stones level. forget that.

[biggins]

Steely Dan at the Ryman is must. You must go. Spend the money.

[bigAK]

What do you guys think about the going without a ticket hoping someone couldn't make it and their buddy is trying to unload a said ticket? Think it'd go for more or less in your experiences?

Total crapshoot. I've scored free tickets to shows that I thought would be impossible to get into and paid a small surcharge for tickets on the street when they were being offered for way below face on craigslist the day of. It takes a bit of work (the social part asking every person you can find isn't for everyone) but sometimes it pays off. Likewise, I've gotten rid of extras from free to face (never above) depending on my circumstances at the time. Lots of luck involved - right time, place, people, that sort of thing.

I really dig the ryman so I'd probably go see just about anything there as long as it wasn't a traveling tijuana donkey show...

[MMP]

Fuck the money. Earn more. Live.

[stuckathuntermtn]

"Steely Dan gargles my balls."

[Tippster]

I'm thinking of going to see them at Pier 6 Pavilion in Murdermore this summer.

[dark_star]

It's no Dire Straits...
-If I were you I'd just stay at home and watch reruns of the Big Bang Theory


Donald Fagen Defends Steely Dan To Friends



NEW YORK—While having drinks with friends at a local bar Monday, Donald Fagen, 60, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and cofounder of the multiplatinum-selling American rock band Steely Dan, was once again forced to defend his appreciation for the multiplatinum-selling American rock band Steely Dan.

"Look, I understand. It's an acquired taste," Fagen said after putting his group's 1978 hit "Deacon Blues" on the bar's jukebox. "I wasn't that into it at first, either. But when you really listen to the unbelievable production values and the wry, perfectly crafted lyrics—it's just great art, okay? You should definitely give 'the Dan' a shot."

Fagen went on to cite additional evidence in defense of his admiration for the music, including the disparate jazz, R&B;, and blues influences that pervade the band's music, and the ultraclean sound that became the group's hallmark.

"No one attained that level of perfection in the studio," Fagen said. "Do you know how many guitar players tried and failed to nail the solo on the song 'Peg'? Six. Six professional session guitar players. That's commitment to a vision, if you ask me."

"Not to mention almost ruining Michael McDonald's voice just to get the background vocals on that track," Fagen added.


The 'Dans seminal debut comes highly recommended by Fagen
Though Fagen remained effusive about Steely Dan throughout the debate, he did eventually concede that the song "True Companion" from the Heavy Metal soundtrack was "really gay." He was quick to point out, however, that the track was not technically a Steely Dan composition, but rather a Donald Fagen solo project.

"No way you'd be saying this crap if you'd seen Steely Dan play live as many times as I have," Fagen reportedly told his companions after purchasing them a second round of drinks. "Plus [Steely Dan cofounder] Walter Becker is a super nice guy."

In an attempt to enlighten his friends and possibly pique their curiosity to the point where they would accept his standing offer to burn them copies of Steely Dan's 1974 album Pretzel Logic, Fagen went so far as to bring up some of the more esoteric trivia pertaining to the group.

"Everybody knows that Steely Dan is named after a dildo, but were you aware that Chevy Chase played drums when the band was called the Leather Canary?" said Fagen, referring to his formative musical years at Bard College in upstate New York. "Of course, that was way before he went on to Saturday Night Live fame."

Even after his acquaintances roundly dismissed Steely Dan as "pussy music," Fagen vehemently maintained that the band has contributed significantly to the rock and roll genre, and described his and Becker's unorthodox instrumentation choices and song arrangements as "bold."

"God forbid someone take a chance by having more than three chord changes in a song," Fagen said. "You can't just write it all off as 'shitty jazz fusion' because there are a few horns in the band. And what about 'Bodhisattva' and 'Show Biz Kids' on Countdown To Ecstasy? Don't sit there and tell me that those tunes don't rock."

Though Fagen remains loyal to Steely Dan and more or less has reverence for the band's entire catalog, he said that he is the first to admit the shortcomings of the music.

"No one knows better than I do that this stuff can get extremely self-indulgent," Fagen said. "And, yes, I realize that all the preciousness and apparent awe at its own cleverness can be a little too much to stomach sometimes. Hell, some of Gaucho is even too goddamned smooth for me."

"It's no Dire Straits, I'll give you that," Fagen added.

This is hilarious. Laughing out loud on the train.

Anyone check out Fagen's solo album "morph the cat?" Title track is groovy as hell. Definitely worth a listen. I'd love to own it on vinyl if I could track it down.

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[iceman]

huh. From the wiki: "...Chase played drums with the college band The Leather Canary, headed by school friends Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Chase has called the group "a bad jazz band"; Becker and Fagen later founded the successful group Steely Dan."

I did not know that.

[MMP]

Becker and Fagen later founded the successful group Steely Dan."

I did not know that.

it's true, they did

[guroo270]

Compromising and had a girl buy me tickets to go see them in Birmingham. She's making me get the hotel, so I guess I'm still learning. I'll be there on the 27th. Can't wait.

[Tap]

you only live once, guroo. early wake up be damned, my guess is you'll stoked and flying high for long after the show. enjoy and bring back a concert report

[dark_star]

The Cuervo Gold...

The fine Columbian...

Make tonight a wonderful thing

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[Ski to Be]

Saw them a few weeks ago in Seattle. Just great live.

[irul&ublo]

Compromising and had a girl buy me tickets to go see them in Birmingham. She's making me get the hotel, so I guess I'm still learning. I'll be there on the 27th. Can't wait.

We need naked pics of the girl to know whether you made the right decision.