Saw this live in Toledo, Oh, October of 1977. Utopia came out and played 7-8 songs from Oops, Wrong Planet, dressed in just white T-shirts and jeans, then took about a 15-20-min intermission. When the curtains parted, there was the Sphinx, the pyramid, the dry ice/smoke ... the lights went down, and then we heard, "THIS ... is an electrified fairy tale." That was it. I was hooked. Have been to this day.
Like the previous poster, "SpocksBrain", I too was at the New Years
Eve show in Richfield.
Long time Todd fan and that show was incredible. He did the first half of the show with the pyramid and sphinx all hidden with a curtain, running through all his previous hits for what seemed like a couple of hours, then, after midnight, they came out and unveiled the rest of the stage with the pyramid and did Singring and much more, blew me away.
My next door neighbor went to this show when they played in St. Paul and until now I couldn't believe they could pull this song off live!
What we all have to remember is this was 1977 people and to do those kind of harmonies and the endurance of the musicianship to play that long of a song was simply ASTOUNDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hat's off to Todd, so damn clever in his writing ability and superb musicanship.
I just missed the Richfield New Years Eve concert-a friend had an extra ticket for $10, I scraped it together, he'd sold it to his cousin...did get to see Utopia at World Series of Rock in '77, and '78.
We saw Utopia play this on New Years Eve 1978 at the Richfield Colloseum near Cleveland. It was awesome. No midnight countdown, just this long bit. They played til 1:30 AM. Unbelievable, especially considering what hacks today's pop artists are in comparison.
@SpocksBrain425 We're obviously only talking about pop stars, and I doubt you could find any pop stars in the 70s that would be willing to play a long ass jam, just as I can't name any now...which was the point of my post. Now if you want to talk about real music, I can name a number of modern bands, many of whom can stand up to Rundgren musically, that jam for ages. The Mars Volta and Dream Theater are probably my favorite. I saw TMV on New Years 07/08 and they rocked out for about 5 hours.
@SpocksBrain425 "Unbelievable, especially considering what hacks today's pop artists are in comparison." I'd consider that a cheap shot and I was responding. I was suggesting that instead of attacking "kids these days" and their music, that your generation also had some terrible shit. A lot of people think our generation is worthless musically and it's simply not true.
@shiitaco Well sonny, don't come around talking trash on a 70s video if you don't want to hear opinions you might not agree with. A young 20-some friend of mine shared something once from a group called Mars-something, maybe the same one you mentioned. It was interesting, but seemed very derivative. Much of today's music sounds like it could have played in the 70s or 80s. Meanwhile, 30 years before the 70s was the Bib Band era. I'm simply not impressed.
dude the drummers arms must be freaking jello by the end of this... i mean guitaring your only moving your fingers same with bass... and with synthasizer hes using he must be pretty tired lol
kasim sulton, wow! from 1:35-1:44 thats seriously one of the best bass solos ive ever heard!
545t3t4t5 3 months ago
Saw this live in Toledo, Oh, October of 1977. Utopia came out and played 7-8 songs from Oops, Wrong Planet, dressed in just white T-shirts and jeans, then took about a 15-20-min intermission. When the curtains parted, there was the Sphinx, the pyramid, the dry ice/smoke ... the lights went down, and then we heard, "THIS ... is an electrified fairy tale." That was it. I was hooked. Have been to this day.
jflinn210 8 months ago
Crazy Todd and co.
JimmyLeeVanDePutte 9 months ago
this is one of the songs that proves this is truly a band and not just a Todd vehicle.
kenmeyerjr 10 months ago
Keyboard solo needs lasers....
danmist 1 year ago
Wow! RA is still 1 of my favorite Utopia CD's. What a Treat to see these tracks live. Thank you, These guys are Unbelieveable.
bei1016 1 year ago
Like the previous poster, "SpocksBrain", I too was at the New Years
Eve show in Richfield.
Long time Todd fan and that show was incredible. He did the first half of the show with the pyramid and sphinx all hidden with a curtain, running through all his previous hits for what seemed like a couple of hours, then, after midnight, they came out and unveiled the rest of the stage with the pyramid and did Singring and much more, blew me away.
kjlk9153 1 year ago
Kasim was well ahead of his time.
togue777 2 years ago
Thanks soooooo much for posting this!
My next door neighbor went to this show when they played in St. Paul and until now I couldn't believe they could pull this song off live!
What we all have to remember is this was 1977 people and to do those kind of harmonies and the endurance of the musicianship to play that long of a song was simply ASTOUNDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hat's off to Todd, so damn clever in his writing ability and superb musicanship.
Thank you Rundgrenfan you too are AWESOME!
migjp7 2 years ago 3
My eyes swelled with tears during that Synth.
:')
rabbitlovee 2 years ago
I just missed the Richfield New Years Eve concert-a friend had an extra ticket for $10, I scraped it together, he'd sold it to his cousin...did get to see Utopia at World Series of Rock in '77, and '78.
alandhopewell 2 years ago
I got into singring story when I was a teenager, ages ago!! Still fantastic on album, not so good live (sorry)
gekreuzigt91 2 years ago
Who says Kasim can't play bass? He is fucking amazing! Outstanding!
zzzxxyy 2 years ago 2
We saw Utopia play this on New Years Eve 1978 at the Richfield Colloseum near Cleveland. It was awesome. No midnight countdown, just this long bit. They played til 1:30 AM. Unbelievable, especially considering what hacks today's pop artists are in comparison.
SpocksBrain425 3 years ago 4
@SpocksBrain425 your pop stars sucked to
shiitaco 1 year ago
@shiitaco - That's a real intelligent answer. Tell me which of your "artists" today will perform three hours for their fans like ours did.
SpocksBrain425 1 year ago
@SpocksBrain425 We're obviously only talking about pop stars, and I doubt you could find any pop stars in the 70s that would be willing to play a long ass jam, just as I can't name any now...which was the point of my post. Now if you want to talk about real music, I can name a number of modern bands, many of whom can stand up to Rundgren musically, that jam for ages. The Mars Volta and Dream Theater are probably my favorite. I saw TMV on New Years 07/08 and they rocked out for about 5 hours.
shiitaco 1 year ago
@shiitaco never heard of them. And next time, if you have some intelligent point, why not make it instead of taking a cheap shot
SpocksBrain425 1 year ago
@SpocksBrain425 "Unbelievable, especially considering what hacks today's pop artists are in comparison." I'd consider that a cheap shot and I was responding. I was suggesting that instead of attacking "kids these days" and their music, that your generation also had some terrible shit. A lot of people think our generation is worthless musically and it's simply not true.
shiitaco 1 year ago
@shiitaco Well sonny, don't come around talking trash on a 70s video if you don't want to hear opinions you might not agree with. A young 20-some friend of mine shared something once from a group called Mars-something, maybe the same one you mentioned. It was interesting, but seemed very derivative. Much of today's music sounds like it could have played in the 70s or 80s. Meanwhile, 30 years before the 70s was the Bib Band era. I'm simply not impressed.
SpocksBrain425 1 year ago
amazing !!!!!!! great !
matiasygnr 3 years ago
dude the drummers arms must be freaking jello by the end of this... i mean guitaring your only moving your fingers same with bass... and with synthasizer hes using he must be pretty tired lol
karmaofgood 3 years ago
UTOPIA
ffej980 3 years ago
I think this would such an amazing film
calprior 3 years ago
kasim is my idol!!
slugwell 3 years ago
holy crap roger powell kicks ass at the synth.
InfidelAntichristian 3 years ago
Freekin' far out! on 2 part 3 after i reload on me beer supply-gluglug, BRAap!
OceanPyramidTent 4 years ago
Longing to see this and my wish came true.
ZBOP1000 4 years ago 2
Phenomenal!!! Would kill to hear them do that entire thing live!!!
geefunk81 4 years ago
SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHIIITTTTTTT!!!!!!!! i've never heard kasim play bass that well, i still reacon he has got one of the best voices i've ever heard
GibsonL65 4 years ago
Can you say the name of the musiciens please?
Thanks ;)
Frankygenesis 4 years ago
Todd Rundgren
Roger Powell
Kasim Sultan
John Wilcox
johnnyd63 4 years ago
Yea an 18 minute song! Could they do this today? No F way!
profrrm 5 years ago
You must be listening to the wrong kind of music then.
xeraen 3 years ago
And an extended bass solo!
MarxNutz 5 years ago
OMG Analog lives! Powell was (still is) awesome.
siskokidd 5 years ago
Kasim...best bassist ever!
antispamdinista 5 years ago
Treble wow... And now for part 3
rp61 5 years ago
Double Wow!
rym7of9 5 years ago
any todd is good . this is great .saw the show live. there is only one todd
billwintemute 5 years ago
i love roger powell
nienna23 5 years ago
Keyboards!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
An artesan of the electric, and will be looked at in the future (or even now) as such.
Bravissimo!
andreaprodan 5 years ago