Live at the Chicago Theatre

I'd think they used some studio wizardry to make this sound so good if I hadn't seen the Boston show in person. Unfortunately Todd had the flu at that show so he struggled the whole night with the vocals-- though he rallied impressively by the second set. Kasim's impeccable vocals are captured here, he's lost nothing over the years, and this remids us what an excellent bass player he is to boot. What could have easily been a letdown with insertion of Gil on keys turned out to be a revelation. This was always my favorite version of Utopia with Kaz, Willie and Roger, and while it's heavy on that era they cover it all.

This is an excellently recorded and mixed live Utopia release. The track listing spans UTOPIA's (including material from the previously known as "Todd Rundgren's Utopia" band)45 year recording history and brings back some great memories of shows on Pier 54 and Central Park in NYC. Willie Wilcox's drums are impressive, Kasim's bass is prominent and Todd still can lay it down. It is obvious to the astute listener that the band is well rehearsed and in top form. Kudos to the keyword player, Gil Assayas who stepped in at the last minute to save the day and the tour! While I miss Ralph and Roger, Gil makes me forget their absence. This is a great recording and a bonus to Utopia fans.