May 22, 1979 review: Supertramp in the Aud

 

How big was Supertramp in 1979? So big that one night in the Aud wasn’t enough. They shoehorned a second date into their schedule in June.

May 22, 1979 

Supertramp Delivers Top-Quality Show

“I think it’s only fair to say,” saxophonist John A. Helliwell says early in the show Monday night, “this is one of Supertramp’s hottest spots in America today.”      

         The sell-out crowd responds with a long, stomping cheer – the kind usually reserved for encores. Supertramp is Number One in the nation, but in Buffalo they’re Number One and then some. They’ve sold out Memorial Auditorium not once, but twice

         The show, which will be repeated here June 7, is a tasteful 2¼ hour tour of Supertramp from their 1974 “Crime of the Century” album to their present success, “Breakfast in America.” The music is impeccable and there’s a light show to match.

         The wildest acclaim, of course, comes for “The Logical Song,” which explores the passage from childhood innocence into adult cynicism – a transition that Supertramp’s late-teen fans can relate to completely:

         “When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful

         A miracle, oh, it was beautiful, magical …

         But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible,

         Logical, responsible, practical …”

         Other high points are the favorites from the new album – the title tune, “Goodbye Stranger” and “Take the Long Way Home” – plus classics like “Bloody Well Right” and “Dreamer.” Film projections highlight the latter stages of the show, depicting a high-speed train ride and an outer space excursion.

         In person, the group’s keyboard orientation becomes overwhelmingly apparent. Virtually every number begins with some sort of precise piano riff that builds into full orchestration reminiscent of the Who and the Moody Blues. Occasionally, they press as many as three keyboards into the sound.

         The primary keyboard players, Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, are rather self-effacing performers, however. They sing and play well and that’s that. Hodgson’s clean, clear tenor is not exploited. Davies does not aggrandize upon his burly, bearded good nature.

         Instead, the flash is provided by Helliwell, who slips into snazzy sunglasses and a shimmery silver jacket, and by the lighting system, which includes two diamond-shaped grids of multicolored floodlights that blink in patterns during the latter stages of the show.

         Like the rest of the set, the sound also is well-balanced. Though the vocals are not always crystal clear, the instruments are. Dougie Thomson’s bass and Bob C. Benberg’s drums are well-miked. A heavy downbeat moves not only the ears, but also the stomach.

         In all, Supertramp’s show is tight, tasteful and satisfying, with a clipped British accent for flavor. If they wanted to, they could come back again and again to sell out the Aud for one show a month. And why not? Buffalo is a Supertramp town.

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IN THE PHOTO: Supertramp in a 1979 record company press photo.

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FOOTNOTE: Supertramp's Breakfast in America tour was endless – 119 dates, beginning in March. Setlist.fm doesn't list the songs they played in the Aud, but two nights later in the Music Hall in Boston, Mass., here's what they did:

School

Bloody Well Right

Ain't Nobody but Me

Hide in Your Shell

Poor Boy

Asylum

A, You're Adorable (The Alphabet Song)

Dreamer

Rudy

Another Man's Woman

Sister Moonshine

Breakfast in America

Take the Long Way Home

The Logical Song

Even in the Quietest Moments

Goodbye Stranger

Home Again

Crime of the Century

The “Breakfast in America” album spawned four hit singles and topped charts around the world. Their November show in the Pavillon de Paris was recorded and released as a live two-record set in 1980.

Right below my review in The News was a story by my colleague Dan Herbeck headlined: “Rock Concert Brings Night of Violence, Drug Abuse.” It began:

         “Security officials at Memorial Auditorium are not exactly looking forward to the second come of the Supertramp rock troupe scheduled for June 7 – not after Monday night.

         “Fifteen young men were arrested in and around the Aud as Monday night’s appearance of the popular rock band was marred by attempted gate-crashing, fighting and drug abuse, police said.

         “And if that wasn’t enough, police said, one young man used scissors to trim the hair of a woman seated in front of him to get a better view of the sold-out concert. …

         “Police identified the would-be barber as Larry J. Denzel, 22, of 165 Thorn Ave., Orchard Park. He was charged with harassment, police said.”