Ian Anderson Brings Jethro Tull To The Grand Theater At Foxwoods!


by John A. Wilcox (photos too!)



Everybody knows at least a few Jethro Tull songs. Aqualung, Locomotive Breath, Living In The Past, Thick As A Brick, Bungle In The Jungle, Steel Monkey, The Whistler - the list goes on and on. Every corner of the Earth has resonated with Tull music. Hardcore fans know every song from every album. They cherish their vinyl copy of A Passion Play complete with the humorous playbill (I speak from experience!). Ian Anderson is currently on the road bringing Tull to both the hardcore and the casual listener. I spoke on the phone with Ian recently about the show: It's up to me to choose material that I feel will broadly appeal perhaps to the non-dedicated and knowledgeable fan. Just someone who's a casual fan. You want to make sure you fulfil some of their needs and perhaps their expectations. At the same time you have to remember that there are a few people who have probably been to every show, or every show at that venue or in that city. For them you want to try and make sure you play a few things they may not have heard you play before or at least for a long time. It's a delicate balancing act.



2012 saw Anderson perform Thick As A Brick 1 & 2. In 2014 he mounted a multimedia show for Homo Erraticus. 2015/16 saw Jethro Tull: The Rock Opera. 2017 sees an all-new show. Anderson: Essentially it is a best of Jethro Tull show and it embodies a couple of songs that are from more recent times as well as a broad selection across the years. I think enhanced by the use of video. Given a little bit more pizzazz in the visual references. Perhaps that keeps people amused in a way that maybe they would not so readily be if we just ambled onto stage clad in tee shirts and blue denims. It's safe to say you'll never see Anderson put on a drab show. It's just not genetically feasible!



The show is an audio/video spectacular that will surely overload your senses! Anderson again: It's written down in our shorthand on various documents that go out to the band and crew. It's described as "video hybrid show" because it is culling various elements from concert tours where we used some special guests and various bits and pieces but with a few songs that we didn't play back then. Loosely I would describe it as a best of Jethro Tull show. Next year it's a 50th anniversary tour. The band supporting Ian Anderson are as tight and as versatile as it gets. Anderson: They come from different musical backgrounds. I guess it was true in many of the other variations of the 33 members of Jethro Tull after the last 49 and a bit years. They were usually more from a rock music background. These days I suppose it helps having people who perhaps have come to it from studying classical music as in the case of our keyboard player John O'Hara. From jazz in the case of our bass player David Goodier and our drummer Scott Hammond; and Florian Opahle who began with classical guitar lessons and then morphed into electric stuff. He's probably the one who is closest to a rock musician. The show promises to be one that will have everyone shouting for more. Stop sitting on that park bench and get to the Grand Theater!



Ian Anderson
Saturday, November 4, 8 PM
Grand Theater At Foxwoods
350 Trolley Line Boulevard
Mashantucket, CT 06338
800-200-2882
www.foxwoods.com

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