Ian Anderson at Ra'anana, 16.09.2006

First of all, I have to say that I have no idea how to write a review. Therefore I apologise in advance if this review will be unreadable.

Well, Ian Anderson in Ra’anana, “near Tel-Aviv”, as was written in Jethro Tull official site. Almost every town in Israel is near Tel-Aviv… September the 16^th, Saturday. Hot night. Some hundreds (maybe thousands) of visitors, waiting for the magician. One may keep in mind that the last months were not the most pleasant time in this country. Some people from the audience had their relatives hiding in bomb-proof shelters or at the military duty, some were at the shelters or even at the very war themselves… Smiling faces have become rare… Some artists have denied their arrival to Israel. But Ian Anderson has not. He has arrived and has managed to cause to some people to smile and even to feel happy, at least for some two hours… End of lyrical digression. To the show now.

The musicians:

Ian Anderson / flute, acoustic guitar, vocals

John O’Hara / keyboards, accordion

James Duncan / drums, percussion

David Goodier / bass

Keith Morgan / electric guitar

Special guest – Ann Marie Calhoun / violin

Ra’anana Symphonette Orchestra (conducted by John O’Hara)

The show had two parts; some of the pieces’ names were unfamiliar to me, so spelling mistakes are possible.

Part I:

1. Eurology

2. Living In The Past

3. Griminelli’s Lament

4. Life Is A Long Song

5. Blue Grass In The Backwards (Ann Marie Calhoun solo)

6. Wond’ring Aloud

7. Shafeeka’s Tango

8. Moz-Art (Mozart medley)

9. Cheap Day Return

10. Mother Goose

11. Runty (written by Ann Marie Calhoun)

12. Bourée

Part II:

13. King Henry’s Madrigal

14. Thick As A Brick

15. America (by Leonard Bernstein)

16. Pavana

17. Aqualung

18. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

19. My God

20. Budapest

Encore:

21. Locomotive Breath

Since the recent Ian Anderson’s tours are aimed to support his new double CD “Ian Anderson Plays The Orchestral Jethro Tull”, I expected the program of the show to be close to the disc contents. However, surprisingly (for me), almost a half of the first part was different from the corresponding part of the double CD. The second part remained almost the same, plus King Henry’s Madrigal, America and Thick As A Brick.

I never saw Jethro Tull at the stage (unfortunately), therefore I have nothing to compare the present show with. My judgements, hence, are very subjective. We all know Ian has certain problems with singing. He knows that better than anybody else, and this has an effect on the nature of the show – less singing, more playing. There were much playing. Stunning! Awesome!! Incredible!!! Unbelievable!!!! Grandiose!!!!! No doubt Ian Anderson’s musicians know how to play. So do the classically trained Ra’anana Symphonette Orchestra musicians. So does also classically trained violinist guest Ann Marie Calhoun. And Anderson, who, as always, was breathing in his fife, was crying in his fife, was spitting in his fife, was clicking in his fife, was grunting in his fife, was living in his fife… was living through his flute.

An incomparable showman, Ian Anderson held the whole auditory in ceaseless attention, always in motion, full of energy, joking, dancing, falling to his knees in front of Ann Marie while duetting with her (incredible pair – a violin and a flute!), making a show.

The first part was relatively calm, except for Shafeeka’s Tango (as far as I managed to understand, it is a piece written by a Turkish musician), with aforementioned duetting Calhoun – Anderson, and Bourée, involving the great orchestral performance, which ended this part. But the second part was a real explosion. It has begun with King Henry’s Madrigal (great instrumental!), continued with Thick As A Brick, and at that moment there were already some signs of “madness” in the public. Aqualung was changed completely. Before it, Ian Anderson said something like: “See you recognising this one…” Well, I have recognised it. But I already was familiar with this version since I have the double CD. But at the double CD Anderson is saying the same things, and I had recognised Aqualung when I was listening to this version for the first time. Very interesting orchestral arrangement, featuring also much flute playing (remember, there was not flute in the Aqualung (the album) version). Then My God, once again with Anderson virtuosic flute. Then Budapest, with great orchestra plus violin plus flute. When Anderson sang in the coda “Hot night in Budapest” I expected him one time to “slip” and to say “Hot night in Tel-Aviv”. It was not in Tel-Aviv (you know, it was near Tel-Aviv), but it was a hot night… However, it never happened. An encore, Locomotive Breath, was played with standing ovations from the audience. And by right, as it was great performance. The great show by the great artist. By the great ARTIST.