photos by Mark Steinberg
Todd Rundgren at The Egg in Albany, New York June 29, 2025
Todd Rundgren delivered an amazing night of entertainment, bringing his “Still Me (Still We)” tour to the Egg’s Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre in Albany, New York on Sunday, June 29, 2025, performing a variety of music from his deep catalog, including a few songs from his pioneering work with prog-rockers Utopia. It is no secret that Rundgren is an innovative, unique, and unpredictable music artist. Where else can you hear R&B, jazz, soul, acapella, rap, rock, and a sea shanty all in the same night and from the same performer? That is exactly what Rundgren did at his concert at the Egg in Albany. Although he was not big on banter (letting the music do most of the talking for him), he was quite animated, waving his arms, acting out various lines in the songs, and roaming the stage, sometimes with a guitar, other times with just a wireless microphone.
The pre-show atmosphere at the Egg was inviting and friendly. Just before the show, executive director Diane Eber came out and explained that this was the last show before the Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre at the Egg temporarily closes for six months of renovations in order to get a complete makeover. “For those of you who bought drinks, buy another, and it’s okay if you spill it on the carpet,” which patrons found amusing, laughing and clapping their approval before she continued, “Because we will be getting a whole new Egg!” This lively spirit continued as the lights came down.
The band entered with “How About a Little Fanfare?” playing over the PA and lights flashing in the background, and once in their respective places, played “I Think You Know,” with Rundgren ripping a guitar solo at the edge of the stage (where he’d often end up with later solos). Not only was there a dynamic state-of-the-art light show, the sound was sonically extraordinary. It was evident that the band was given a thorough sound check, as every instrument could be heard clearly throughout the night (serious props to longtime front-of-house engineer Greg McGrath and the lighting crew). It was a pleasure to hear Rundgren’s stellar backing band, made up of renowned musicians: Gil Assayas (keys and vocals), Bruce McDaniel (guitar, vocals), Prairie Prince (drums), multi-instrumentalist Bobby Strickland (keys, sax, flute, clarinet, percussion), and Kasim Sulton (bass, vocals), who all conveyed their exceptional talents with each number they played. At one point, baton in hand, Rundgren conducted the band through “Kindness,” which they performed skillfully and precisely, even with its intricate timing, pauses, and changes.
Rundgren was the consummate showman, coaxing the crowd to clap along during “Sweet,” and encouraging them to sing along during other songs, including a medley of his familiar songs in the first encore. He roared out rockers like “Hit Me Like a Train,” “Woman’s World,” “Rock Love,” and “World Wide Epiphany,” and sang soulfully on songs like “Lost Horizon,” “Hawking,” and “Honest Work” (where he came out to sing solo acapella, was joined by Sulton for a verse, and then McDaniel, with the three harmonizing and the two departing, leaving Rundgren finish the song alone). For “Down with the Ship” (where Rundgren blew a toy siren whistle), he wandered the stage in a pirate caricature. For the provocative “Fascist Christ” he scratched his guitar strings and rapped the vocals, then segued into “Give Me That Old Time Religion” (an old spiritual covered by artists like Johnny Cash, Pete Seeger, and Willie Nelson, among others).
After screaming into the mic at the end of “World Wide Epiphany,” Rundgren and the band waved and walked off, returning after uproarious applause from the attentive audience, with Rundgren uttering, “Well, Albany, this was some night. Who would’ve thunk it?” before launching into a medley of his well-known hits “I Saw the Light,” “Can We Still Be Friends” (having everyone singing along with the La la la la part), and finishing with the “Think of me” refrain of “Hello It’s Me,” which many were waiting to hear. After two more tunes, Rundgren provided proper band introductions, with each member receiving serious, appreciative applause for their performances. On the way out, some fans described the show as “magical,” “outstanding,” and “impressive.” The 77-year-old Rundgren certainly proved he still can produce and perform at a professional level, displaying both his vigorous vocal abilities and his guitar playing prowess.
For more tour dates and information: http://www.todd-rundgren.com/tr-tour.html
SETLIST:
How About a Little Fanfare?/ I Think You Know
Secret Society (Utopia)
Weakness
Stood Up
Lost Horizon
Buffalo Grass
Beloved Infidel
Hit Me Like a Train
Wouldn’t You Like to Know
Sweet
Kindness
Woman’s World
Afterlife
Down With the Ship
Honest Work
Rock Love (Utopia)
God Said
Fascist Christ/Give Me That Old Time Religion
Hawking
Worldwide Epiphany
ENCORES:
MEDLEY: I Saw the Light / Can We Still Be Friends / Hello It’s Me
The Last Ride
Fade Away
