Breakfast In Spain - Roger Hodgson and Supertramp website

Roger Hodgson in Newport Beach (Los Angeles), September 16, 2012

Text and photos: Miguel Angel Candela

En español a continuación 

Again I crossed the water and I saw Roger and other old american friends. Lucky man, I've been enjoying two fantastic concerts in Los Angeles and San Diego, both outdoor, nice weather, sunny days.

This first concert in Los Angeles meant the return of Roger with the band after few weeks of band's rest (while Roger performed several solo concerts with Aaron in Europe). Roger mentioned that during the show. Besides Roger was just arrived from Germany, suffering the "jet lag" and he was joking about that ;-)

For the drummer and bassist meant playing near his home, and for Roger too since he lives in California. He felt very happy at "home" and was joking a lot during the whole evening. Even he dedicated the song "Lady" to a big fan Lisa Doxrude who came from Wisconsin. Very friendly and relaxed atmosphere, like staying with family!

The show was part of the Newport beach Taste of food and drink, a party on the streets, downtown Newport Beach (Los Angeles), a fairly elitist and glamorous zone, but the ticket was very affordable, thanks to the sponsors. So for a few dollars one can spend the day walking around with good food and drink (samples from the best restaurants, wineries and cocktail lounges in the area) and several concerts, including Roger's show that closed the day, on Sunday.

Luckily all the old American friends and I had front row spot and we could enjoy the magic, singing, dancing, huging all together, few inches from Aaron, who was having a great time with our party, especially during the last songs ;-)
as he told us later. We send you a big hug Aaron!

The stage concept was similar to the last show with band I've attended in Albi (France) this summer, but much smaller and more simple lights system, but similar stage distribution and decoration and also similar repertoire . So you can check my chronicle  from that concert to know more about the details of the show and the band on this tour 2012, to have a complete information.

Just to point out some little news, compared to the show in France:

- Roger sang the song "London", who likes playing when in America, due to maybe his irony about his homesickness. Before the song he explained, while smiling, that he wrote that song many years ago and ..... that was another times ..... hehe

- For the first time on tour I can see Roger playing the song "Sister Moonshine" complete! This is one of his big hits, which they always play until the middle of the song and then a suddenly ending. But they have "polished" and performed the whole song, including the final part with flute and vocals, which stretches quite on this live version. AWESOME.
And I was able to comment this point  with Roger after show. I wondered how they could practice it during the tour and Roger told me that they make some try and rehearsals during some of the soundchecks. It is certainly welcome, They don't stop working or even improve during the tour. Good job !

- During the song "Rossie had everything planned" keyboardist Kevin sat on the Grand Piano while Roger played guitar (and the rest of the band playing also, of course, including the accordion solo by Aaron playing melodica) sounded fantastic with the help of the Grand piano (in other concerts Kevin played it from its own keyboard using a piano sound)
It was a fantastic evening, and some of the friends, and new ones, we met at the show in S. Diego two days later.
S.Diego was a different show in a different environment, I refer you to the chronicle.

Below you will find the thoughts from my californian friend Peter, with more details about the evening.
MAC 

SET LIST / REPERTORIO

ROGER HODGSON en Newport Beach (Los Angeles) 16 Septiembre 2012

De nuevo he cruzado el charco y he visto a Roger y a otros viejos amigos americanos. He podido disfrutar de dos fantásticos conciertos, en Los Angeles y en San diego, ambos al aire libre con una temperatura perfecta, en dias soleados.

Este primer concierto en Los Angeles significaba la vuelta de Roger con la banda tras unas semanas de descanso de los músicos (mientras Roger hacía varios conciertos en solitario con Aaron en Europa). Cosa que mencionó durante el concierto. Además Roger recién llegado de Alemania aún arrastraba el "jet lag" (el cambio horario) y también bromeó sobre eso ;-)

Para el batería y el bajista significaba tocar cerca de su casa, y para Roger que se siente californiano también. Se encontraba muy a gusto en "su casa" y bromeó bastante durante toda la velada. Incluso dedicó el tema "Lady" a una gran fan Lisa Doxrude que había venido desde Wisconsin. Ambiente muy agradable y distendido, como estar en familia !

El  show estaba integrado en una muestra de comida y bebida al aire libre en el centro de Newport Beach (Los Angeles), una zona bastante elitista y glamurosa, pero el precio era muy económico al estar esponsorizado, así que por unos pocos dolares uno puede pasar el dia paseando por allí con buena comida y bebida (muestras de los mejores restaurantes, vinerías y coctelerías de la zona) y varios conciertos, incluido el de Roger que cerraba el dia, domingo por cierto.

A nivel escénico el show era similar al ultimo que asistí en Albi (Francia) éste verano, aunque mucho mas pequeño y más sencillo a nivel de luces, pero similar en cuanto a concepto de distribución en el escenario y decoración y también en cuanto al repertorio. Así que podéis recordar mi crónica  de aquel concierto en cuanto a los detalles del show,  la banda y repertorio, para tener una idea completa.

Como cosas a resaltar en cuanto a novedades con respecto al show en Francia:

- Interpretó el tema "London", que le gusta interpretar cuando está en America, por su ironia de que echa de menos su Inglaterra natal. Antes de la canción ya bromeó con que la compuso hace muchos años y que eran otros tiempos.... jeje

- Por primera vez en sus giras Roger ha tocado el  tema "Sister moonshine" entero !!! uno de sus grandes temas, que hasta ahora siempre solía tocar hasta la mitad, ya lo han pulido y lo han tocado entero, incluida la parte final con la flauta y los coros, que se alarga bastante en directo. IMPRESIONANTE !!!.
Y así mismo se lo pude decir a Roger tras el concierto. Me preguntaba cómo han podido ensayar eso durante la gira y Roger me comentó que en algunas de las pruebas de sonido sacan tiempo para esas cosas. Desde luego es de agradecer, no paran de trabajar ni mejorar incluso durante la propia gira.

- Durante el tema "Rossie had everything planned" el teclista Kevin se sentó en el Grand Piano mientras Roger la interpretaba a la guitarra ( y el resto de la banda tocando también, claro, incluido el acordeón que hace Aaron con la melódica) Sonó fantástica con la ayuda del piano (en otros conciertos Kevin la interpreta desde su propio teclado con sonido de piano)

Fué una velada fantástica, y alguno de los amigos y otros nuevos volvimos a encontrarnos en el show de S. Diego dos dias después.
Fué un show diferente, en un ambiente diferente, os remito a dicha crónica.

Os dejo a continuación con las reflexiones de mi amigo californiano Peter, con más detalles sobre la velada.

MAC

 Photo: Aaron y David

Photo: Bryan on drums

Photos: with David Carpenter (bass player) and Howard (sound)

Tour 2012 is still ongoing, but some dates for 2013 are already confirmed by Roger. Read more

La gira 2012 está aún en marcha, pero ya están confirmadas las primeras fechas para la gira 2013. Ver fechas

Reflection by Peter Rimel

What man leaves one of the world’s most popular bands at its commercial height to raise his kids for 17 years?  Such a man certainly has his priorities in order, and that man, Mr. Roger Hodgson, is the genius that was the legendary singer/songwriter/composer of the band Supertramp.  I was fortunate enough to have seen his two recent shows in Southern California at the Taste of Newport in Newport Beach, California, and at Humphreys By the Bay near San Diego, California.
 
The Breakfast in America tour is winding down for 2012.  It is Roger Hodgson’s first United States tour in 30+ years.  The Taste of Newport show was a déjà vu for me, for Roger’s last show (I still cling to the ticket stub from that show) with the famed band Supertramp was in 1983 at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Irvine, California, just miles away from the Taste of Newport site.  The real question is, was the 2012 Roger Hodgson the same as the 1979 Roger Hodgson, who was then singing the very same songs for the first time?  The answer, happily is NO!  Roger’s voice is BETTER than it ever was when he was with Supertramp. With all due respect, the 2012 band is tighter than was Supertramp in its heyday.   The songs, the true soundtrack of our lives, have really held up as the singing crowds enthusiastically showed.  I closed my eyes for a moment during the show and went back to 1979, for Roger’s voice is THAT GOOD.  His current band lineup includes Aaron Macdonald, an absolute up and coming star, on backing vocals, sax, keyboards, and a number of other instruments.  A ton of credit should be given, also, to Roger’s sound man, Howard Heckers.
 
Roger opened with his 1979 anthem, Take the Long Way Home, off the immensely popular Breakfast in America album.  He then went on to play many of his Supertramp classics such as School, Dreamer, the Logical Song, and the song everyone wants to hear, Give a Little Bit.  Anyone watching tv these days will see the commercial with Roger singing Give a Little Bit with a children’s choir.  Everyone sang and danced for 2 hours, forgetting about the bad economy and the pathetically boring "I am -----, and I approved this message” commercials in this election year.
 
But Roger is so much more than just his Supertramp songs.  He played several solo tunes, including Rosie had Everything Planned (actually from Supertramp’s second album), In Jeopardy, and Death and a Zoo.  The latter, a song from Roger’s most recent studio album, Open the Door, asks the question, "If you were a wild animal and should be caught, would you prefer death or life in a zoo?”   In a VintageRock.com interview after the Newport show, Roger stated that he loves playing his songs as much or more today than he ever did.  Judging by the crowd, that love showed through with flying colors.
 
At Humphreys, Roger actually dedicated a song to a young fan, Heather Wise, who turned 18 that day.  Clearly, Roger cares about his fans more than ever, reaching out to each and every fan as though that fan were the only person to whom he was singing.  He even welcomed the fans up to the stage for his encores, much to the chagrin of the security.
 
Roger’s career may be unorthodox and unique.  He admits as much.  However, he clearly took a book from the Chairman of the Board and did it "His way”.  And His way continues to delight millions of fans throughout the world.
 
Do NOT miss Roger Hodgson in concert.  I rarely guarantee anything, but I guarantee, with confidence, anyone’s happiness who purchases a ticket to Roger Hodgson.

Photo: Howard, Peter and MAC