Ian Anderson Plays The Acoustic Jethro Tull
Martin Woldson Theater At The Fox – Sunday, November 15th

The Fox Theater – I brag about this place all the time, it’s a beautiful theater, it has amazing acoustics, there is not a bad seat in the house and they book world class talent. Again this was the case for the sold out Ian Anderson plays the acoustic Jethro Tull show Sunday night.

The show had amazing music there were between 4 and 6 musicians performing on stage and every note was perfect. The way Ian Anderson deconstructed Jethro Tull songs into acoustic gems was interesting and fantastic.

From the opening song “Dun Ringill” to “Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of A New Day” to crowd pleasing closers “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath” the set list was all over the board of his career. It was great to hear the Blues and Jazz influence in some of the songs in there striped down form. I loved the show and the fact it wasn’t just a greatest hits album played acoustically. To bad the jackass next to me wasn’t happy with the song selection had to yell play “Thick as a Brick”.

Ian Anderson’s stage presence was like Classical Musician Conductor meets Gogol Bordello where he did not stop moving. He was all over the stage with his strange but entertaining movements while he played the flute. He made the flute cool. There had to be kids at that show that are begging to be in band this week to play the flute just like Ian. 

Ian Anderson’s band has some top notch musicians. I’m sure there are only a hand full of musicians that can keep up with Anderson’s creativity and talent. When they played Aqualung the 5-6 minute build up and before the singing in the song was mind blowing and the fact that they traded off the famous guitar riff in the song between a viola, accordion and acoustic guitar was a great surprise and something I wouldn’t have ever expected. So Cool! The harmonica solo on a blues song to start the 2nd half of the show was just another example of all the different types of music at this concert and how talented Ian Anderson is playing many different instruments. His voice was fantastic and he sounded great. He was in amazing shape for someone in his 60’s. Anderson is NOT too old to rock and roll! Ha I had to reference a song in my story some how.

Anderson’s stories between songs about playing at the Marquee Club where Fleetwood Mac and The Rolling Stones got their start, or how he wrote a song called “Fat Man” about his guitar player and he quit the band the next day and just the history of Jethro Tull and Ian Andersons amazing life in the music business was another great point that made you look forward to the next song just to see what he was going to say about it.

It was a fantastic night of music! The show was more upbeat that any acoustic show in the world. If it comes to your city get a ticket if it’s not already sold out.

Check out more photos from the show here!

Matt@checkitoutmusic.com