1973 International Feel Never Never Land [2:40] I Saw the Light [4:16] Heavy Metal Kids [7:36] Utopia Theme [10:52] When the Shit Hits the Fan/Sunset Blvd. [22:49] The Ikon ("Conquering of the West") [26:33]
A Wizard, a True Star and a tour de force, this is the wild and wonderful TR at his creative peak. This memorable TV appearance was just a sampling of the unbelievable live shows he and Utopia performed in the 70s and 80s. Todd is a remarkable artist, a musical genius with no fear in the studio, on stage and in front of the camera, one of the best musicians of his generation.
Yeah this guy wrote #1 hits and progressive as hell music too, he really was about the most well rounded musician I've ever heard. He could break through any wall or boundary in music. A pure genius.
Fucking brilliant! When i saw him, once was in Central Park where he did piano songs, then jammed out with John mclaughlin. With a huge firewok display. Twice was in a big venue doing the Utopia stuff. The drummer had 3 rows of drums and used all of them. The synth players all had their own place on stage and it was madness. During the theme song jam, Todd had a hand held synth, and was battling against the other synths like a war. It was fucking incredible. Probably the most intelligent show I ever saw.
Saw Todd in Youngstown Ohio August 1, 1978 with his band Utopia. I was 18 and had graduated high school in June. What a great time to be 18 years old. Van Halen and the Cars were born around this time. A lot of good music during the 1970s. Glad I was there.
I was working as an electrician in nineteen eighty four and one of the guys I worked with collected records. Todd rundgren's utopia was one that I bought and was hooked ever since. This is hands down his best work! This record was part of our tripping music repetuar.
The first time I saw him was this Utopia band. All the early guys. I still have the triangle program with all the members inside with short bios. That show was over 3 hours long! Those were the good old days! ♥️ 🎶City in my head Utopia Heaven in my body Utopia 🎵
More then amazing singer/songwriter/composer/bandleader/guitarist/ etc. So glad, to hear and see(!) the Utopia songs at last. Music ahead of it’s time… I realize when I look and hear back (like Hot Rats). But…he made also those wonderful love songs and heavy metal songs and… YT tells me there is this show Live at the Chigago Theater, Utopia’s reunion, nine months ago
I had only known of Hello Its Me and I Saw the Light. When I saw this I knew that I needed to buy that first Utopia album. I put it on order at the local record store. Wore out the grooves and still love it till this day.
For me the first time hearing the first Utopia album, "Todd Rundgren's Utopia," was a stretch. Right off of the "Todd" album which I thought was the pinnacle at the time, he came out with this fusion monster. But not to be outdone by the likes of Frank Zappa, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Earth, Wind and Fire and Return to Forever, Todd kept pace with what was musically possible during those times and he tore it up with the best of them. Then he came out with "Faithful," and his genus traveled towards another dimension. It was great seeing him rocking "The Fool," guitar, it sounded great.
@@maximusindicusoblivious180No matter when you found Todd, it was always a pleasure to start dipping into the catalog. That's probably what dazzled a lot of us as we followed him in real time.
A colorful chapter of Prog that time has largely forgotten. So great to rediscover it here thanks to Todd and Don Kirshner. Happy to say I met and spoke with Todd a few decades later at the Nixon Library of all places.
@@michaelleroi9077 Kevin Ellman on drums; M Frog is the other "synthesizer player"... he didn't really play so much as treat the sound and trigger the tape effect in the middle of the Utopia Theme lol.
@@newradicals333 I can definitely hear M Frog's guitar processing, especially on the middle solo of Utopia Theme (listen with headphones). No idea what he's playing with the two keyboard controllers- I don't think it's audible in the mix.
I also watched this show on TV. It made me very interested in Todd. Then I saw Utopia live in 1976. Kasims very first show. And that was it. 50+ shows later and friendships with Todd, Kas, Willie.
I saw this when it was broadcasted the first time, and fell in love with him forever when he sat down on the stage and sang Never Never Land. I had to wait til 1980 to see him in person, at the Greek in Berkeley.
Excellent restored piece of early Todd Rundgren and Utopia’s history captured on the televised series-Don Kirchner’s Rock Concert. I remember seeing the original TV show which introduced me to the world of Todd, almost 50 years ago after hearing “Hello It’s Me”, playing constantly on the radio. I finally got to see the fascinating person behind that sweet voice❣️👍💜⭐️🔺
I saw Utopia in 1975 at the IU Auditorium (3100 seats) in Bloomington. The acoustics in that place are absolute perfection. What a performance. Everyone used to talk about Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson, but Moogy KIingman played circles around those guys.
In 1973 we only had 2 music programmes on TV in the UK and they were not like this! Todd and a streamlined version of Utopia appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1974 but there was no live audience. What I would have given to see this in 1973 when I had just discovered Todd. Thank you for sharing.
@@lonelybro77 all day but no more combusting Mother Nature…vaping like the ancients did by putting bud on hot rocks inside a closed room. Much better for the body. Look up what the priests did with cannabos within the temple. They vaped, ate, and bathed in the oil before entering the last chamber. Paul Wallis vids talk about that.
Todd at his best!! He was one of the two artists who kept me sane during my angsty teenage years in the 70s. Got to see him in concert several times during the 70s and 80s.
@NickNicometi hey Nick. Think you'll like this...1st concert Nov 1972 Aud....openning act Black Sheep. Headliner Black Sabbath. I was only 15. I think My parents let me go cause my friend was the mayor's son and they went to school with the Mayor in their youth....boy was that an eye opener for a 15 year old...what concert!
@@mrt3959 Awesome share. Thanks, Mr.T! I was 16 and barely remember the show, but I'm sure I had a great time. Sabbath was my intro into hard rock at 15. 👀 Eye-opening, indeed!
Finally!!! I so remember this and have been very sad at only grainy videos shared. Wish they’d release this and SO many classic shows from this and Midnight Special while we can still enjoy them. Don’t know how you did it, but THANK YOU! ☮️🎶🙏💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
I don't know what the truth of it is but I was told these Don kirschner rock concerts weren't preserved and that's why they haven't been readily available. I'm so glad to see that this particular episode or at least this part of it is still around. I don't think I ever missed Don kirshner's back in the day. More than once I would cut a date short in order to be home by 11:30 when it aired
I have the entire episode but cut it down to just the Todd stuff. I imagine much of the Kirshner stuff should be available on the Historic Films site I got this off of.
I have not thought about this album and pulled it out of vault and away we go. A bit of prog from Todd is a uniter of society and music just might save the planet yet. Prog is grace grace is prog
My fond memories of Rundgren's music go back to the late sixites, when our sister left for college the oldest brother took charge of her albums and stuff and that was the first time hearing the first LP by Nazz, he wouldn't let any of us young kids in his room but I would sit outside his window on the patio to listen to a lot of great sounds that you did not hear on the AM radio. Open My Eyes, Back of Your Mind - mindblowing to a fifth grader.
Todd is one of the coolest people on the planet. Here's a true story: I was at one of Todd's shows and was fortunate to find myself super close to the stage. He was making a couple of jokes and everyone was laughing, except me. For whatever reason, I wasn't finding anything funny. Todd looked down from the stage and made eye contact. He kept eye contact with me, joke after joke and I wasn't laughing. I wasn't angry or anything, it just wasn't funny to me. He was getting more and more obscure with the humor until he finally said something that broke through and I laughed really f'n hard. He smiled and continued with the set. I'm nothing special, just some guy in the audience and yet, he made it a point to have everyone there to continue to be part of the whole vibe.
@14:46 (RU-vid time) that synthesizer sequencing brought tears. This is my all time number 1 favorite song for me. If I’m in a comma someday play this in my ear. (Number 2 is Heart of the Sunrise by Yes)
The annoying "Historic" title mark is at least appropriate. Seems so ahead of it's time, the subdued crowd I'm sure wasn't ready for Utopia Is Here. How this even got on TV was a miracle. To see the original band in cleaned up video is a real treat, Thanks!
Interesting singing to a backing track and no live band, not saying it’s bad, just different - the the band comes in. I think I actually seen this show when it was on TV back in 73
Todd was always ahead of his time, I think since he played all the instruments in those tracks he felt that it was okay just to come out and sing in front of them. I know he did real man that way on The midnight special and even pointed out that the music was pre-recorded but the vocals were live I saw him do something similar, I think it was the late '90s and a solo show where he played a backing track on a compact disc and played live on an acoustic guitar and sang
@@josephliptak Yep - that's the SG from Cream era. It's amazing - sounds so different from when Clapton played it. Goes to show - it's all in the hands.....
the music will guide you there feel it see it through potential break through with guidance and understanding of what is awareness of consciousness tod infinity chapter 8
This was his best run in my opinion... Something/Anything, Wizard, Utopia big band, Todd LP. That's not to denigrate any of his catalog before or after.
With 3 keyboards THIS WAS THEE BEST ITERATION OF UTOPIA Music was diverse - complex and dense and challenging I just wish that this Complete band would have made more than just that first album …… because it was all killer & no filler It was Todd Rundgren’s version of Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention
What is this? I remember seeing this on TV. I was bummed to see Todd looking like that! Forgot that he was singing to a tape.Things got better when the band came on .Synths have come a long since then.
I am certain this is ABC's IN CONCERT that aired at 12:30 am on Friday nights...not Don Kirschners Rock Concert. I saw both of the original airings in 1974.
No, ABC In Concert is already on RU-vid. He is wearing the cowboy chaps and does Hello It's Me, A Dream Goes on Forever and then Utopia does Just One Victory. That's actually one I would like to get upgraded as well: Hello It's Me is out there in color but ADGOF and JOV only exist in shitty black and white. I mean, it literally says Don Kirshner's five seconds into the video lol.
