Jesus, Mary and Joseph! How can Todd Rundgren not already be in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame? They should be begging. Such a superpower. OK, I love the Zombies, and I love them very much.. 'She's Not There' and 'Time of the Season' were awesome..... but this!!!... More FANS voted for Todd, but Cleveland nixed him for the lower scoring Zombies instead. OK, that's right... Todd ain't losing sleep over it, and doesn't much care. Thanks Todd and Utopia, for shining some light onto those odd 70's, and saving us from disco. Big love and kudos.
The cornerstone of the album and show is Singring and the Glass Guitar, which comprises solos by each band member battling the elements: water (drums), wind (bass), fire (keyboards), and earth (guitar). At the pinnacle of the live show, Rundgren played the final guitar solo while repeatedly climbing and flipping off the pyramid. Todd's Veleno Ankh guitar was was cool & Powell's solo and voice are so awesome!
I saw this in 1977 at the McFarland Auditorium in Dallas, Texas. I still can't believe the gymnastics of Todd flipping off of the pyramid, while sustaining a note, thanks for posting this- now my friends know I wasn't making it up.
1977. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Todd and Utopia at the University of Texas at Arlington. Never been the same since. A Wizard and a very clever man who has always advocated positive changes and has never shied away from confrontation. Simply put, a man with a heart and courage to stick to his principles. I admire that.
I saw this show in Columbus Ohio 1975? We were driving to the show in a Rambler watching the road go by through the holes in the floor, for 60 miles and we picked up a hitch hiker, and where was he going???, to the same show! Lucky him!
Two Utopia tours in 1977, Buffalo NY, RA and Oops Wrong Planet. It was so good. RA in particular, one of the best shows I've every seen. It was well....Utopia.
My brother went to the show in Chicago. That night it was broadcasted on the radio. I remember walking home from school the next day and hearing music I had never heard before blasting from my house. As I got closer a feeling came over me. This was what I had been waiting for my whole life. This was the music that moved me like no other. From that point on my life changed for the better. I had to be a musician. I had to be part of this game. I had to try to reach a level where I could move someone the way that concert moved me. I’ve listened to it countless times. In two weeks I’ll be at my 31st rundgren show because of it. Todd is god and utopia was the soundtrack of my life.
I can't remember the year but in Chicago, 1970s I saw Utopia perform this concert! It started with Utopia in black T-shirts and jeans then they went back stage, the curtains opened to the pyramid!! It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Todd Is God!!!!! At least the guy behind us kept yelling and, of coarse we had to agree!!
You are correct sir. I saw this production live at Memphis’ Ellis Auditorium late April, 1977. I saw a lot of concerts in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and I’d put this one top three.
Ok amigos...this is gonna be long winded, lol. 1st concert i saw was todd @ mcmorron auditorium port huron, michigan 1974 (i was 12 and me mum bought me my ticket and let me venture out all on me own, i walked the short distance to and from the concert and got home late on a school night)...i was floored...i knew nothing about the band, just heard there was a "rock concert" in town and i wanted to go...me mum bought me the ticket and said "go see a "rockconcert"!!! I've been a todd fan ever since and realized his true genius shortly after that 1st "rockconcert". Seen todd a 2nd time in 1977 @ pine knob music theater (now know as D.T.E music theater, clarkston, michigan...i was 15 and again me mum bought my ticket and let me go w/some older H/S friends, 1 of whom had his folks car for the night)...again i was floored, really really floored and got home really really late (as the show was an hour drive away from "poho", michigan)...now on to how this ra live presentation "rockconcert" thingy hit me!!! Never before nor never since have i ever seen anything so impressive and perfect in my life...and i've seen all the greats and all the production shows. alice, bowie, kiss, e.l.p, the clash, the tubes, the black crowes, the who, the peppers, dream theater, rush, U2, gNr, metallica, and countless others...seeing the stones 4 Xs was magical...but todd & his crew were hands down the best i've ever seen... And i was there!...my mom got me 6th row/center seat...the friends i was with had lawn tix and 1 by 1 they all offered to trade me weed 4 tik swap, i said "nope"...lol. and then the band came on and turned it on!!...totally electrifying rock...this shit had it all, theater/glam/production/metal/lights/power/backing fx/bass/gtr/drums/keysNvox, earth/air/fire/water...something i didn't notice then nor understand (the earth/air/fire/water thing), but it is a thing i understand now and the thing that made it real then...MAGIC!!! and not to mention...PURE FREAKIN' TALENT!!! Thanks so much 4 posting this epic masterpiece...this is truly rock music transformed into art that could only be created by "a wizard a true star"!!! And lastly...ty mom!!!
Saw in Rome some years ago. He played a solo concert with an orrible green Babzic guitar but he did it very well! Next to me were 4 young boys and when one of them told " this man is not so bad" i told him: you don't know to be in front of one of rock legends!!!
Was lucky enough to see this live on the RA tour at the legendary Glasgow Apollo Theatre. Brilliant show from start to finish & an honour to be in the same building as the legend that is Todd Rundgren.
The Brady is a cool venue. I drove there from Memphis to see Jeff Beck in 2019. Had a couple of great days in Tulsa. I also saw this very RA show in Memphis in ‘77.
YOU wouldn't believe it, how exciting this was. I can only say if YOU would have SEEN THIS LIVE, You too would have said to yourself, "WOW, THAT WAS CRAZY COOL!"
thanks...takes me back..saw a half dozen shows during this tour...wistfully, it was a micro-dot charged era and it hooked me for life on Todd's music. ...best thing: he's still performing!
Thanks so much for putting this up here Jeff. I have been listening to the RA album a bunch over the last couple of weeks - I saw this show a couple times back in the day. Really appreciate being able to re-live it here and share it with my kids!
I saw this concert in 1976 or 77 in Saginaw Michigan when I was a young kid still in highschool. Freaky for 49 years ago, it was actually mind blowing at the time✨
I went to this concert in Buffalo NY 1976. Because they advertised it would be an incredible show on TV. Ticket was like $8 so I went. This part was amazing! I was never a Rundgren fan but I went to 80+ concerts and this still till today was incomparable. So glad youtube has this!
I was there, but it wasn’t at the Aud. I think it was at Shea’s. It was a smaller venue. He played the Aud the following year doing the OPPS WRONG PLANET tour. I got a comment in the Buffalo News (now just the News). That show was truly electric!
an incredible song from an awesome album... only ever saw utopia once at zepplins kenbworth in 1979 ...really glad I saw these fantastic musicians live
I saw Utopia do this show at the Fox Theater in St. Louis! Loved seeing Todd's Onc Guitar, and the climb to the the top of the pyramid. The Sphinx I recall had some blue lasers. There was also a really cool music film that ran before the show, featuring songs like "The Magic Dragon" - would be great to see it again.
Seen this show at Winterland!! and yup he climbed that pyramid!while playing guitar,,,reminded me when I saw Grin and Nils Lofgren did somersaults off a small trampoline while playing guitar!
So very '70's.so very proggy, so very epic. I last saw this on the Bearsville Records film on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977. So glad someone finally uploaded it. Thank you.
He was only 20 when Utopia formed, and Todd had reservations due to Kasim’s youth and inexperience. He’d never been on the road, never even been on a plane. Todd’s concerns dissipated pretty quickly.
Funny story about this show, it was filmed on outside on Bearsville's property in Bearsville NY, Foghat performed on the big stage as well as Utopia. Rundgrenradio Doug showed this video to Todd last year and Todd said he remembered feeling queasy that night and after he did the flip off the pyramid he had to run back stage to throw up! Once he did that he felt much better.....
I wonder if Todd will try this stunt again on the upcoming Utopia tour. Will be there to watch, but one thing is pretty much guaranteed...it will be one of the better concerts to see this year.
Thank you so much for this, had heard so much about the performance, as wonderful as I imagined, love most of Todds/Utopias output, don't understand why they weren't huge, he is an icon, so hugely talented in so many areas, I so hope that full concert footage of that era will eventually be released but until then it's a brilliant start, just off to bang on a drum with Winston Smith and some new age riders, nailed it!
The holy grail would actually be the full uncut RA show, but through the years of wishing, this is the best I've seen.... Hard to explain what that show was like to people that didnt see it... this helped
Jeff Dishman Actually Jeff, Todd is hard to explain period. People associate him with several hit songs and have NO CONCEPT WHATSOEVER, of what he has done in such an amazing career. So varied, so talented. Met him several times. He is EXTREMELY NICE. After a show at Stephen's Talk House, in Amagansett, L. I., NY(March or April of 2003), he sat in a white van parked outside and talked to anyone who wanted to talk to him. Discussion ranged from music to how his son was doing in Minor League BB. Put on no airs, was in no rush to get to NYC, just the kind of guy you would want to have a beer with a a local bar. He is, without doubt, THE MOST UNDER APPRECIATED MUSICAL GENIUS of the last 50+ years. Thanks for the upload. Be Well!
+Jeff Dishman They did the RA show at Knebworth Festival (1976 Knebworth Fair) when The Rolling Stones headlined. Between the Stones and the now near-legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd perfornmance (which included the definitive live version of "Free Bird") I guess Todd & Utopia got rather lost in the mix. But given how ubiquitous the Lynyrd Skynyrd footage is I would think there must be some film around of the RA show - in which Todd utilised not just the pyramid, but also a small trampoline in a very energetic set!
I don't know what it is, but I've always felt a strange connection with Todd ( on a musicianship level ). Update ... After just making that same comment to my wife her knee jerk response was ... " Well dear, you're both just a little odd ". I'll accept that. Sounds pretty spot on.
OMG, my very first rock concert, Toledo Ohio 1977. I was expecting Hello it's me! I think I was in shock. Blows me away to see this again, totally blew me away then.
300 yards: If that show in Toledo was the October '77 show at the Toledo Sports Arena, I was there, too. Opened with the four in white T-shirts and black jeans, rocking out in front of a simple black curtain. Heavy set, no doubt. Then they took an intermission and when the curtains parted ... there was the Sphinx, the pyramid and-- I was instantly changed teen.
saw todd about 2-1/2 years ago in grass valley, ca--two miles from where i lived--global tour--excellent--i first discover todd on red vinyl--nazz-nazz!
I saw this show at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium ( I think no longer there) in 1977. Fantastic show and drove home completely bewildered by what I had witnessed. I’ve seen Todd dozens of times but this show was downright amazing. The next year he did 7 nights at the Roxy on Sunset and I saw most of those 14 shows, but the SM show topped them all. What a great band that version of Utopia was! All 4 excellent musicians and singers. It’s also important to note that Roger’s handheld keyboard was semi revolutionary for the time. It was plugged into a huge rack off to the side of the stage.
Love the mystery that shows up when no one expects it....... that takes you away... to dream... the fantasy....... waiting for you..... to live.........that no one else has.......
Although this footage appears in the Bearsville Picnic documentary I'm not entirely convinced it was actually shot there. I remember seeing this show at Oxford Polytechnic ( UK) on 25th Jan 1977 I watched the BBC Outside Broadcast Unit setting up in the afternoon and remember asking one of the crew why they were filming. He told me it was for The Old Grey Whistle Test - although it has never appeared in any subsequent broadcasts. (The audio does however feature as part of the recently released CD box set 'Todd Rundgren at the BBC') Ialso recognise the stage size and layout which looks identicle to the one at Oxford Poly. Most curious !
It looks like Todd is making that climb without a safety harness or net, and his guitar is still tethered to the amp (this was before wireless amplification was invented). Today's performers have it so easy.
When i saw this show, they had a Chinese dragon being slayed by Rogers laser while wailing. And that unbelievable climb up the mountain. Thats guts. Till now words wouldn't do it. His fall seemed smoother than this time. Also before breaking the glass guitar, Rundgren warned to be careful. Clearly had an issue smashing it before. Epic show!
Saw this live in Buffalo and thought it was the most awesome show ever in existence. Now, it seems a bit pretentious but gotta hand it to Todd for knowing how to mess with the heads of his audience.
What a wild stage design! I don’t know if I would have had the guts much less balance to climb up that pyramid, though-much less while playing a guitar!
saw him bristol colston hall around the time of singring he had a guitar made of ice smashed it to release the spirit.the place was half empty.Good gig.
a thousand thank you's for posting this! I saw this live and never thought I'd see it again, being as how every thing seen in this was destroyed in the warehouse fire...including so much of the Utopia video footage :(
Saw Todd & Utopia at Florida State University '77 - small audience, we were about 30 ft. from the stage. Pretty impressive when the 'Hiroshima' flash-bang went off. I have a copy of the original release vinyl album, awesome mix/master as all of Todd's works. I also have a vinyl of his first album, 'Runt'.
The thumbnail looks kind of like guitar hero, and I got incredibly excited by thinking they might have added this to the game or something. Then I realized that they only add the really, really popular stuff to big name games like that, and made myself kind of sad. I mean, imagine playing a song like Singring in guitar hero or rock band. That would rad, dad.
How the hell did he do the pyramid climb show after show without breaking his neck? Pity the sound is so muffled and video quality compromised, but the essence is there. Kick ass.
I think I heard Todd during an interview state that most of the footage for the RA concerts were lost due to a fire where a lot of archived film was stored. Damn Shame.
WOW I didn't know this was uploaded! Really the entire online TR community has been searching for footage of this show. This is the same footage used during the montage at the beginning the official Utopia: A Retrospective DVD. (Though the music playing is 'Overture/Communion With the Sun', the have clips taken from this part. May I ask, how/where did you acquire this (though obviously from a BBC broadcast)? The proposed theory is that a lot of footage (along with Todd's pictured Veleno Ankh guitar and Kasim's bass) got lost in the 1985 warehouse fire.
By the way, got to shake Todd and Kasim's hand outside the backstage door as girls were flashing their boobs at the band members as they were loading into their limosine. It's a longer story, but I won't get into it.
The Rochester Institute of Technology (Performing Arts) will premier an Augmented Reality dance piece entitled “Singring and the Glass Guitar” from April 28 to 30, 2023.....which will uniquely tell the story of the brave adventurers.
I see from another comment it was 1977, maybe Todd played the remote Saginaw, because of the Simon and Garfunkel song 'All gone to look for America' It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw etc... We hitched up from Detroit from memory.
Too young to have witnessed this live, the caption reminding me that it's the viewing copy, and not the "my bra and panties jettisoned toward Todd at the 9:56" copy, promoted a sublimation of my more tactile expressions of gratitude toward musical genius. Incendiary post Dishman. ty!
I saw Todd in Mpls when he did the pyramid thing, he dropped off the top just perfectly, I remember him falling forward as he played and then spiking the landing. It was the coolest thing I ever saw on stage, I was around twenty. OSHA would never allow this kind of freedom again.
World Series of Rock at the old stadium in Cleveland….that’s where I saw the Ra tour….Arrowsmith were supposed to headline the show but had to cancel….Todd headlined and it was brilliant.
Our keyboard player just got a Korg Kronos, I remember back in the day when the key's this guy was playing were pretty much top of the line and today would be a toy. lol
![Todd Rundgren & Utopia • “Singring & The Glass Guitar” (Epic Version w/extended solos) • 1977 [RITY]](/img/n.gif)
Jesus, Mary and Joseph! How can Todd Rundgren not already be in the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame? They should be begging. Such a superpower. OK, I love the Zombies, and I love them very much.. 'She's Not There' and 'Time of the Season' were awesome..... but this!!!... More FANS voted for Todd, but Cleveland nixed him for the lower scoring Zombies instead. OK, that's right... Todd ain't losing sleep over it, and doesn't much care. Thanks Todd and Utopia, for shining some light onto those odd 70's, and saving us from disco. Big love and kudos.
The cornerstone of the album and show is Singring and the Glass Guitar,
which comprises solos by each band member battling the elements: water
(drums), wind (bass), fire (keyboards), and earth (guitar). At the
pinnacle of the live show, Rundgren played the final guitar solo while
repeatedly climbing and flipping off the pyramid.
Todd's Veleno Ankh guitar was was cool &
Powell's solo and voice are so awesome!
I saw this in 1977 at the McFarland Auditorium in Dallas, Texas. I still can't believe the gymnastics of Todd flipping off of the pyramid, while sustaining a note, thanks for posting this- now my friends know I wasn't making it up.
1977. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Todd and Utopia at the University of Texas at Arlington. Never been the same since. A Wizard and a very clever man who has always advocated positive changes and has never shied away from confrontation. Simply put, a man with a heart and courage to stick to his principles. I admire that.
I saw the show from this tour. Later in the tour it was said that he fell off the pyramid.
Good god. Kas is a hell of a singer!
Wish he had more songs of this type in this era. It's hard to come by his 70s stuff
probably the best pure voice of the band.
Kazzy is the best!!
I saw this show in Columbus Ohio 1975? We were driving to the show in a Rambler watching the road go by through the holes in the floor, for 60 miles and we picked up a hitch hiker, and where was he going???, to the same show! Lucky him!
WILDLY underappreciated..then and now.
What a massive talent (individually and collectively).
Two Utopia tours in 1977, Buffalo NY, RA and Oops Wrong Planet. It was so good. RA in particular, one of the best shows I've every seen. It was well....Utopia.
I was there, Century Theater I think. Agree, the most vivid show I'd ever seen
I couldn't believe it by when an older friend introduced me to this song. Simply genius. Just saw Todd and Kasim in Dallas a week ago today.
My brother went to the show in Chicago. That night it was broadcasted on the radio. I remember walking home from school the next day and hearing music I had never heard before blasting from my house. As I got closer a feeling came over me. This was what I had been waiting for my whole life. This was the music that moved me like no other. From that point on my life changed for the better. I had to be a musician. I had to be part of this game. I had to try to reach a level where I could move someone the way that concert moved me. I’ve listened to it countless times. In two weeks I’ll be at my 31st rundgren show because of it. Todd is god and utopia was the soundtrack of my life.
I had gone to Chicago show as well!
It was such a big deal!
It was such a big deal, his guitar playing up there with Peter Framptons at the time.
Think bigger Jesus is God...
@@terriqueen3315 Todd is God
I can't remember the year but in Chicago, 1970s I saw Utopia perform this concert! It started with Utopia in black T-shirts and jeans then they went back stage, the curtains opened to the pyramid!! It was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Todd Is God!!!!! At least the guy behind us kept yelling and, of coarse we had to agree!!
Probably 1977, because that's when the "Ra" album came out.
You are correct sir. I saw this production live at Memphis’ Ellis Auditorium late April, 1977. I saw a lot of concerts in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and I’d put this one top three.
1977 with the combo oops wrong planet set
Best show I've ever seen (this one) and I've seen Todd Dozens of times. (YES, GENESIS) all the greats - but this show wins hands down.
This show is my top 5 ...I have seen over 150 shows ...zep. Rush all the great band ...it was that GOOD
Have to agree - saw the show at Radio City Music Hall in NYC on a perfect night - it was flawless.
Saw it outdoors at night, at the old Cleveland Munical Stadium on the big lake, it was amazing.
Love Todd Rundgren....and Utopia. So much talent and harmony it’s unreal. My favorite!
I saw this tour. One of my 70's rock star high points. Todd was quite the entertainer then. What a show. LOVED IT!
Ok amigos...this is gonna be long winded, lol. 1st concert i saw was todd @ mcmorron auditorium port huron, michigan 1974 (i was 12 and me mum bought me my ticket and let me venture out all on me own, i walked the short distance to and from the concert and got home late on a school night)...i was floored...i knew nothing about the band, just heard there was a "rock concert" in town and i wanted to go...me mum bought me the ticket and said "go see a "rockconcert"!!!
I've been a todd fan ever since and realized his true genius shortly after that 1st "rockconcert".
Seen todd a 2nd time in 1977 @ pine knob music theater (now know as D.T.E music theater, clarkston, michigan...i was 15 and again me mum bought my ticket and let me go w/some older H/S friends, 1 of whom had his folks car for the night)...again i was floored, really really floored and got home really really late (as the show was an hour drive away from "poho", michigan)...now on to how this ra live presentation "rockconcert" thingy hit me!!!
Never before nor never since have i ever seen anything so impressive and perfect in my life...and i've seen all the greats and all the production shows. alice, bowie, kiss, e.l.p, the clash, the tubes, the black crowes, the who, the peppers, dream theater, rush, U2, gNr, metallica, and countless others...seeing the stones 4 Xs was magical...but todd & his crew were hands down the best i've ever seen...
And i was there!...my mom got me 6th row/center seat...the friends i was with had lawn tix and 1 by 1 they all offered to trade me weed 4 tik swap, i said "nope"...lol. and then the band came on and turned it on!!...totally electrifying rock...this shit had it all, theater/glam/production/metal/lights/power/backing fx/bass/gtr/drums/keysNvox, earth/air/fire/water...something i didn't notice then nor understand (the earth/air/fire/water thing), but it is a thing i understand now and the thing that made it real then...MAGIC!!! and not to mention...PURE FREAKIN' TALENT!!!
Thanks so much 4 posting this epic masterpiece...this is truly rock music transformed into art that could only be created by "a wizard a true star"!!!
And lastly...ty mom!!!
Wow... Nice Story... I feel ya Brother.. And cheers to your Mum for being a great parent
Coolest mom !
He was quite the climbing athlete - what he did there would have been difficult and scary even without the guitar playing.
Saw this show in Norman Oklahoma in mid 70s, it was a great live performance.
some of the stories they tell about this tour are exactly what you'd expect and absolutely hilarious
Saw in Rome some years ago. He played a solo concert with an orrible green Babzic guitar but he did it very well! Next to me were 4 young boys and when one of them told " this man is not so bad" i told him: you don't know to be in front of one of rock legends!!!
Was lucky enough to see this live on the RA tour at the legendary Glasgow Apollo Theatre. Brilliant show from start to finish & an honour to be in the same building as the legend that is Todd Rundgren.
I also saw the Ra tour in Springfield,Ma at the civic center, blew all of us away. One of the greatest concerts I’ve ever seen.
Watch this show in Tallahasee Florida around 1977. It was amazing.
God, I wish I was there. To be a student at FSU in the late 70s and see the Ra tour. I’d give my left nut for that experience!
Saw this tour at the Brady Theatre in Tulsa, OK. Was completely stunned after the show. Everything was spot on. It was magical.
The Brady is a cool venue. I drove there from Memphis to see Jeff Beck in 2019. Had a couple of great days in Tulsa.
I also saw this very RA show in Memphis in ‘77.
Bought the 8-track when it was released. Lots of partying with friends with this one blaring away. Oh how I miss those days.
YOU wouldn't believe it, how exciting this was. I can only say if YOU would have SEEN THIS LIVE, You too would have said to yourself, "WOW, THAT WAS CRAZY COOL!"
Totally agree.. You had to see it to believe it.
agree 100%!!
thanks...takes me back..saw a half dozen shows during this tour...wistfully, it was a micro-dot charged era and it hooked me for life on Todd's music. ...best thing: he's still performing!
Soundtrack for my youth......many, many a show.
Thank you, Todd
Thanks so much for putting this up here Jeff. I have been listening to the RA album a bunch over the last couple of weeks - I saw this show a couple times back in the day. Really appreciate being able to re-live it here and share it with my kids!
I saw this concert in 1976 or 77 in Saginaw Michigan when I was a young kid still in highschool. Freaky for 49 years ago, it was actually mind blowing at the time✨
I was there too!!
Lucky enough to see this tour at the Civic Theater in Akron, Ohio. A performance I will never forget.
Was there also didn't he play two nights in a row and tickets were like 5 apiece many many years ago
I wondered how he would do this in concert,.now i know! What a performance!
I went to this concert in Buffalo NY 1976. Because they advertised it would be an incredible show on TV. Ticket was like $8 so I went. This part was amazing! I was never a Rundgren fan but I went to 80+ concerts and this still till today was incomparable. So glad youtube has this!
Was it at the Memorial Auditorium? I had been to quite a few concerts there beginning about 77 or 78.
I was there, but it wasn’t at the Aud. I think it was at Shea’s. It was a smaller venue.
He played the Aud the following year doing the OPPS WRONG PLANET tour. I got a comment in the Buffalo News (now just the News). That show was truly electric!
I still have the Program from the Show.
an incredible song from an awesome album... only ever saw utopia once at zepplins kenbworth in 1979 ...really glad I saw these fantastic musicians live
I saw Utopia do this show at the Fox Theater in St. Louis! Loved seeing Todd's Onc Guitar, and the climb to the the top of the pyramid. The Sphinx I recall had some blue lasers. There was also a really cool music film that ran before the show, featuring songs like "The Magic Dragon" - would be great to see it again.
That's "Ankh", not Onc. It's the Egyptian symbol for enduring life.
Seen this show at Winterland!! and yup he climbed that pyramid!while playing guitar,,,reminded me when I saw Grin and Nils Lofgren did somersaults off a small trampoline while playing guitar!
This is such a clear video for the time back then. Never saw this one Thanks.
I love TR since Something Anything through the thick and the thins...but this sort of show is one of the reasons punk happened.
So very '70's.so very proggy, so very epic.
I last saw this on the Bearsville Records film on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977. So glad someone finally uploaded it. Thank you.
I saw this tour twice the first time I think it was New Years Eve 1977/1978. He was always so ahead of his time.
I saw him do this in Binghamton, NY back in the day and I was truly amazed!
Saw this in Utica
I saw this in 1976 or 1977 at the FSU stadium. Todd's ank guitar was custom made for him. The highlight was when he smashed the glass guitar.
Kasim Sulton (on bass) was 22 when Ra came out... What a talent.
And he still looks like he's 22 today!
He was only 20 when Utopia formed, and Todd had reservations due to Kasim’s youth and inexperience. He’d never been on the road, never even been on a plane. Todd’s concerns dissipated pretty quickly.
My sister saw him and Utopia do this in concert way back when and she kept talking about how the glass guitar was ice...we love Todd still!
Funny story about this show, it was filmed on outside on Bearsville's property in Bearsville NY, Foghat performed on the big stage as well as Utopia. Rundgrenradio Doug showed this video to Todd last year and Todd said he remembered feeling queasy that night and after he did the flip off the pyramid he had to run back stage to throw up! Once he did that he felt much better.....
I wonder if Todd will try this stunt again on the upcoming Utopia tour. Will be there to watch, but one thing is pretty much guaranteed...it will be one of the better concerts to see this year.
Of the13 Utopia concerts I’ve attended the “RA” tour was the one I missed. This makes up for it, thsnks.
Thank you so much for this, had heard so much about the performance, as wonderful as I imagined, love most of Todds/Utopias output, don't understand why they weren't huge, he is an icon, so hugely talented in so many areas, I so hope that full concert footage of that era will eventually be released but until then it's a brilliant start, just off to bang on a drum with Winston Smith and some new age riders, nailed it!
+Richard Barlow Todd and Utopia weren't huge because they always followed the voice inside their heads rather than the tide of popular opinion
I saw the show at Exeter University. It would have been in 1977 too, I guess. Total entertainment!
WTF??? this is the holy grail of todd videos. thanks so much for posting.. these shows changed my life.
The holy grail would actually be the full uncut RA show, but through the years of wishing, this is the best I've seen.... Hard to explain what that show was like to people that didnt see it... this helped
Jeff Dishman Actually Jeff, Todd is hard to explain period. People associate him with several hit songs and have NO CONCEPT WHATSOEVER, of what he has done in such an amazing career. So varied, so talented. Met him several times. He is EXTREMELY NICE. After a show at Stephen's Talk House, in Amagansett, L. I., NY(March or April of 2003), he sat in a white van parked outside and talked to anyone who wanted to talk to him. Discussion ranged from music to how his son was doing in Minor League BB. Put on no airs, was in no rush to get to NYC, just the kind of guy you would want to have a beer with a a local bar. He is, without doubt, THE MOST UNDER APPRECIATED MUSICAL GENIUS of the last 50+ years. Thanks for the upload. Be Well!
+Jeff Dishman They did the RA show at Knebworth Festival (1976 Knebworth Fair) when The Rolling Stones headlined. Between the Stones and the now near-legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd perfornmance (which included the definitive live version of "Free Bird") I guess Todd & Utopia got rather lost in the mix. But given how ubiquitous the Lynyrd Skynyrd footage is I would think there must be some film around of the RA show - in which Todd utilised not just the pyramid, but also a small trampoline in a very energetic set!
+NoneOfYour Beeswax
No pyramid at that show www.ukrockfestivals.com/Kneb-76-utopia-1-roger.jpg
does anybody know if all that footage still exists? Must do - hope a "DVD" or something comes out
I don't know what it is, but I've always felt a strange connection with Todd ( on a musicianship level ). Update ... After just making that same comment to my wife her knee jerk response was ... " Well dear, you're both just a little odd ". I'll accept that. Sounds pretty spot on.
You remind me of my sister when we were growing up... She calligraphed "TODD is the meaning of the verb to love" and hung it on her door.
No health and safety back in the 70s 😄
OMG, my very first rock concert, Toledo Ohio 1977. I was expecting Hello it's me! I think I was in shock. Blows me away to see this again, totally blew me away then.
300 yards: If that show in Toledo was the October '77 show at the Toledo Sports Arena, I was there, too. Opened with the four in white T-shirts and black jeans, rocking out in front of a simple black curtain. Heavy set, no doubt. Then they took an intermission and when the curtains parted ... there was the Sphinx, the pyramid and-- I was instantly changed teen.
@@jflinn2010 haha YES! that's the one! That image and the sound is forever burned in my mind!
@@jflinn2010 wait a minute....lol...I think we rode up together!!!!! from Findlay???
@@3000yards -- Yes! Who is this?? Wow!
@@jflinn2010Hi!!! Haha!!Bingo! I'll message you on facebook!
saw todd about 2-1/2 years ago in grass valley, ca--two miles from where i lived--global tour--excellent--i first discover todd on red vinyl--nazz-nazz!
I saw this show at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium ( I think no longer there) in 1977. Fantastic show and drove home completely bewildered by what I had witnessed. I’ve seen Todd dozens of times but this show was downright amazing. The next year he did 7 nights at the Roxy on Sunset and I saw most of those 14 shows, but the SM show topped them all. What a great band that version of Utopia was! All 4 excellent musicians and singers.
It’s also important to note that Roger’s handheld keyboard was semi revolutionary for the time. It was plugged into a huge rack off to the side of the stage.
Love the mystery that shows up when no one expects it....... that takes you away... to dream... the fantasy....... waiting for you..... to live.........that no one else has.......
Todd is 65 years old today! He was born June 22, 1948.
First time I heard this I was 12...now I'm 52...still Love...O Yeah...
Robin Bussemaker 17 and 58 and I still love it too
Saw this show as a student at Penn State in Rec Hall. When he tumbled from the top of the pyramid, we all lost our shite! Became a lifelong fan
Although this footage appears in the Bearsville Picnic documentary I'm not entirely convinced it was actually shot there.
I remember seeing this show at Oxford Polytechnic ( UK) on 25th Jan 1977
I watched the BBC Outside Broadcast Unit setting up in the afternoon and remember asking one of the crew why they were filming. He told me it was for The Old Grey Whistle Test - although it has never appeared in any subsequent broadcasts.
(The audio does however feature as part of the recently released CD box set 'Todd Rundgren at the BBC')
Ialso recognise the stage size and layout which looks identicle to the one at Oxford Poly.
Most curious !
It looks like Todd is making that climb without a safety harness or net, and his guitar is still tethered to the amp (this was before wireless amplification was invented). Today's performers have it so easy.
Actually, wireless systems had been around for a couple of years by the time RA came out in 1977, but they were crazy expensive.
@@davestarns Yeah and they needed the money for the set design!
I saw this show at fsu homecoming in 1978 in the freezing cold. Seeing the pyramid climb was worth it.
When i saw this show, they had a Chinese dragon being slayed by Rogers laser while wailing.
And that unbelievable climb up the mountain. Thats guts. Till now words wouldn't do it. His fall seemed smoother than this time. Also before breaking the glass guitar, Rundgren warned to be careful. Clearly had an issue smashing it before.
Epic show!
Thanks so much for posting this. Wow, the memories! Best live performance ever!
I saw this show in Houston. It blew me away. I still tell people about it.
Saw this live in Buffalo and thought it was the most awesome show ever in existence.
Now, it seems a bit pretentious but gotta hand it to Todd for knowing how to mess with the heads of his audience.
I saw this show at the Civic Theater in Akron, Ohio.
What a wild stage design! I don’t know if I would have had the guts much less balance to climb up that pyramid, though-much less while playing a guitar!
saw him bristol colston hall around the time of singring he had a guitar made of ice smashed it to release the spirit.the place was half empty.Good gig.
a thousand thank you's for posting this! I saw this live and never thought I'd see it again, being as how every thing seen in this was destroyed in the warehouse fire...including so much of the Utopia video footage :(
I saw this show in Sacramento, blown away. Thanks for sharing. !!!!
Unless you saw this live it really doesn't translate on vinyl/cd. I'm ok with it
Saw Todd & Utopia at Florida State University '77 - small audience, we were about 30 ft. from the stage. Pretty impressive when the 'Hiroshima' flash-bang went off.
I have a copy of the original release vinyl album, awesome mix/master as all of Todd's works. I also have a vinyl of his first album, 'Runt'.
The thumbnail looks kind of like guitar hero, and I got incredibly excited by thinking they might have added this to the game or something. Then I realized that they only add the really, really popular stuff to big name games like that, and made myself kind of sad. I mean, imagine playing a song like Singring in guitar hero or rock band. That would rad, dad.
How the hell did he do the pyramid climb show after show without breaking his neck? Pity the sound is so muffled and video quality compromised, but the essence is there. Kick ass.
Saw this concert at the Tower Theater in Passaic. I was 17 years old
I think I heard Todd during an interview state that most of the footage for the RA concerts were lost due to a fire where a lot of archived film was stored. Damn Shame.
wow that was crazy,did he do that every show
WOW I didn't know this was uploaded! Really the entire online TR community has been searching for footage of this show. This is the same footage used during the montage at the beginning the official Utopia: A Retrospective DVD. (Though the music playing is 'Overture/Communion With the Sun', the have clips taken from this part. May I ask, how/where did you acquire this (though obviously from a BBC broadcast)? The proposed theory is that a lot of footage (along with Todd's pictured Veleno Ankh guitar and Kasim's bass) got lost in the 1985 warehouse fire.
HOLY CRAP !!! I saw this tour at the Fox Theater in St. Louis. Thank so much for the upload.
By the way, got to shake Todd and Kasim's hand outside the backstage door as girls were flashing their boobs at the band members as they were loading into their limosine. It's a longer story, but I won't get into it.
Beginning words," I'm feeling like Doctor Who", only in a Todd Rundgren video.
The Rochester Institute of Technology (Performing Arts) will premier an Augmented Reality dance piece entitled “Singring and the Glass Guitar” from April 28 to 30, 2023.....which will uniquely tell the story of the brave adventurers.
Todd has been with me all my life. A God and master
is he your co-pilot?
Stunning concert
How was the water not mixing with the mic voltage and shocking the piss out of Willie ???
Effin' fabulous!!!
rejoice....blessed...
I see from another comment it was 1977, maybe Todd played the remote Saginaw, because of the Simon and Garfunkel song 'All gone to look for America' It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw etc... We hitched up from Detroit from memory.
saw this show twice in Michigan.....78-79ish. Met Kaz, Todd and Roger
RA bless you forever for posting this!
Todd is going to the stars!
i may have said this b4...a wizzard a true star. :)
The Icon freak parade that was my favorite.
with limited movement up there and getting caught up in his guitar solo, how he managed not to slip!! and thank god Todd didn't!!
Too young to have witnessed this live, the caption reminding me that it's the viewing copy, and not the "my bra and panties jettisoned toward Todd at the 9:56" copy, promoted a sublimation of my more tactile expressions of gratitude toward musical genius. Incendiary post Dishman. ty!
I saw Todd in Mpls when he did the pyramid thing, he dropped off the top just perfectly, I remember him falling forward as he played and then spiking the landing.
It was the coolest thing I ever saw on stage, I was around twenty.
OSHA would never allow this kind of freedom again.
My wife and I saw this show in Royal Oak (I think that's where it was) Michigan, back in the day
Ted They played at Royal Oak a few times but this show they did at Pine Knob.
Exactly! Pine Knob! I was there. Such a show. I did see him with Utopia at Royal Oak a few times a few years after this tour!
it was at pine knob ted...i was there. was a great show...b.t.w, how have you been?
TODD IS SO COOOL!!!!!!!!!
Do you think he has a big one?
World Series of Rock at the old stadium in Cleveland….that’s where I saw the Ra tour….Arrowsmith were supposed to headline the show but had to cancel….Todd headlined and it was brilliant.
Our keyboard player just got a Korg Kronos, I remember back in the day when the key's this guy was playing were pretty much top of the line and today would be a toy. lol
OMG....I was thinking the exact same thing thing: Spinal Tap!!!!! That being said, I do have to give him props for being a very talented musician.
Saw this tour at Lansing Civic Center near MSU
Thanks so much for sharing this.. so very much appreciated ♥
Todd came on my show in dec 2017! wusb.fm NY - WAXX TRAXX TO THE MAXX!!!!!!!