Photo Credit: Lynn Goldsmith
Multi-instrumentalist/producer Todd Rundgren will perform a “Milwaukee” show on February 28 as part of a 25-date multi-city virtual concert tour. The Clearly Human Tour (an homage to his 1989 album Nearly Human) consists of 25 geo-targeted online shows beginning February 14 in Buffalo and wrapping up March 22 in Seattle.
Best known for songs “Hello It’s Me,” “I Saw the Light” and “Bang the Drum All Day” (as heard at Lambeau Field after a Packers touchdown), Rundgren began his recording career in 1968 with Philadelphia-based band The Nazz before going solo. He played all the instruments on three sides of 1972’s Something/Anything? double album. He also fronted Utopia, a prog-rock band that morphed into slick pop group. His production credits include The Band, New York Dolls, Badfinger, Grand Funk Railroad and XTC.
The Clearly Human performances will emanate from a Chicago venue—the most convenient time zone to allow for 8 p.m. showtimes in every market. The shows will be “localized” to give both the band and the fans a sense of place including local landmarks that will appear on the video wall and catering for the band and crew that feature dishes associated with each city.
Each show will feature Rundgren and an expanded 10-piece band performing standouts from his 50-year-plus catalog, as well as his entire 1989 classic album Nearly Human, which will also be re-released on CD and colored vinyl. Remote meet-and-greets with Todd will be available at every show.
While the concept of Clearly Human lends itself naturally to our current socially-distanced world, Rundgren conceived of the idea years ago as a solution to the growing challenges of touring amidst climate change and a way to reduce his own carbon footprint. Seeing this as “setting the gold standard” for what he predicts will become a new touring paradigm. It is not the first time he has been out front with a tech-savvy new idea, having designed the first-ever graphics tablet for Apple in 1979.
