Steely Dan rolled into the Seneca Niagara Casino with their “The Dan Who Knew Too Much” Tour last Friday and it was a special night. The show sold out quickly in anticipation of the Jazz-Rock fusion giants making their 2nd WNY appearance since 2014. Without a new album since 2003, this would be a night for the band to serve up a menu of classic hits.
Kicking off the show with and instrumental “November Afternoon”, the band showed a cohesiveness absent from the previous appearance in this very same venue a couple years ago. As Donald Becker and Walter Becker took the stage for “Black Cow” the crowd roared with their approval. For the next two hours, the fans were treated to an evening full of pure magic. With the first few notes of “Aja”, Fagen led the band through a up tempo version of the modern masterpiece of jazz fusion. “Hey Nineteen” followed, then “Black Friday” and “Time Out of Mind”. With each song, the crowd stomped and clapped their approval, with a sing-a-long on virtually every song.
Becker introduced the band as “the best band we’ve ever had” and judging by the crowd’s applause as each member took a solo, he was right. A string of classic hits that began with “Josie” and ended with “Reelin’ in the Years” closed the set. The musicianship and groove was just sublime.
“Kid Charlemagne” as an encore was the obvious choice. With horns, guitars and keyboards leading the way behind Fagen’s soaring vocals, it was the perfect ending to a perfect night. A smart little version of the theme from “The Untouchables” escorted the boys off the stage as the crowd cried for one more. Steely Dan was untouchable tonight.
Setlist
November Afternoon (Donald Byrd & Brooker Little cover)
Black Cow
Aja
Time Out of Mind
Godwhacker
Show Biz Kids
Dirty Work
Two Against Nature
Daddy Don’t Live in that New York City
Bodhisattva
Joe Tex
Josie
Peg
My Old School
Reelin’ In The Years
Encore:
Kid Charlemagne
The Untouchables
We would like to thank Shaunelle Watson from Scoop Marketing for the credentials to review the show.
