Review by Donna Erichsen
Photos by George Bekris
Ian Anderson’s Jethro Tull The Rock Opera is not just another concert. It’s the story of Jethro Tull, an 18th Century agriculturist, as seen through Ian Anderson’s eyes and imagination. The whole concept of a rock opera is not often done, but when pulled off right it’s a night not to be missed.
Ian Anderson has spent decades fluting his way around the stage as one of the most recognizable front men in rock. Who else is instantly associated with standing on one leg, like the Pied Piper of rock, with flute in hand? His opera consists of many songs we are familiar with, mixed with five new songs and narration from the projected video of virtual guests on the back screen to tell the story of Jethro Tull. It was an entertaining mix of the English countryside, fields of grain, and other interesting imagery along with wailing guitar and Anderson owning the stage.
Most of the band members were considerably younger than Anderson’s age of 68, but you didn’t notice the gap as he cavorts about the stage shifting from flute to mandolin and on to harmonica. They played two sets with a short intermission and it was pure energy the entire time. After many years of singing, Anderson’s voice is a bit raspier, but he hasn’t lost his bounce or swagger.
The stage band consisted of John O’Hara on keyboard, Florian Opahle doing particularly well on guitar, Grieg Robinson on bass and Scott Hammond on drums. The virtual guests were Unmur Birna Björnsdóttir playing Jethro Tull’s wife. She added clean and frankly beautiful notes to the production as her voice pierced the theater and took it that next level. The virtual young Jethro Tull was played by Ryan O’Donnell, who has been touring with Anderson for the past three years.
They started off with “Heavy Horses,” followed by “Wind-up.” Then came “Aqualung” with cheers from the crowd for Florian’s guitar playing on that oh-so familiar song. “With You There to Help Me” and “Back To The Family” were next. “Farm on the Freeway” was backed by scenes of farmland being pushed out by loaded freeways clogged with streams of cars. Anderson’s new song “Prosperous Pasture” was followed by the heavy beats of “Fruits Of Frankenfield.” He ended set one with the well-known, folkish “Songs From the Wood.”
For the second set, the band resumed the opera with “And the World Feeds Me” and “Living In The Past,” which is always well received. Next came “Jack-in-the-Green” and “The Witch’s Promise.” The set continued with “Weathercock” and “Stick, Twist, Bust,” a new song. Anderson and the band followed with “Cheap Day Return,” “A New Day Yesterday” and “The Turnstile Gate,” another new tune.
It only took the first few notes from John O’Hara on the keyboard for the audience to know “Locomotive Breath” was coming down the track, and many rose from their seats singing along to the steady, pounding beat with “no way to slow down.”
The final song and encore of the evening was “Requiem and Fugue.” Well done and very entertaining night. If you get a chance to take it in don’t hesitate, even if you have seen Anderson perform many times. This rock opera rounds out a long career wonderfully.
