Steely Dan brought a big show to Starlight last night

Classic Rock Summer is a series wherein we attempt to see as many classic-rock concerts coming through the Kansas City area as possible. From May through September, we will immerse ourselves in the music of our parents, from yacht rock to oldies to hair metal.

Steely Dan

Starlight Theatre

Thursday, June 23

Given the heat this past week, it’s unsurprising that a light, cool breeze and tons of grooves had a nearly sold-out Starlight dancing throughout Steely Dan’s set last night. It was as though the weekend had kicked off early for the crowd, which skewed decidedly older than previous Classic Rock Summer shows. Steely Dan is quite certainty something that appeals to my parents’ generation.

That’s not to pigeonhole the Dan as oldster music. If anything, its music has always been so wide-ranging and advanced that you wonder why it hasn’t been more prominently referenced by modern acts who fuse jazz, funk and rock. An “Aja” cover is ripe for the taking by the likes of BadBadNotGood. And the younger-skewing minority of last night’s crowd danced harder than their elders did, which bodes well for the future reception of Steely Dan’s music.

On the music front (staging isn’t why you see Steely Dan), holy shit did Donald Fagen and Walter Becker and their band deliver. The four-piece horn section, three backup singers and core rhythm unit made every song rock-solid across a two-hour set packed with jams.

Classics such as “Aja” were rendered faithfully, but it seemed more like Steely Dan wanted to take these songs out for a walk and let them find their way back. Still, the music was never pushed too excess. The point was the groove, and it was present all night. “Peg” sounded more robust than on album, and the Starlight set featured the first appearance on this tour of the excellent radio anthem “FM,” which was introduced without fanfare but which met with roaring approval when those opening notes came out of the PA.

Fagan’s voice remains a little limited, but the backup ladies could absolutely wail, and their dance movies lent the affair a bit more energy than it might otherwise have had. The guys didn’t move much, but the crowd more than made up for it.

Steely Dan set

November Afternoon (Donald Byrd-Booker Little cover)

Black Cow

Aja

Hey Nineteen

Black Friday

Your Gold Teeth

Kid Charlemagne

Time Out of Mind

Razor Boy

Bodhisattva

Daddy Don’t Live in That New York City No More

FM

I Want To (Do Everything for You) (Joe Tex cover)

Josie

Peg

My Old School

Reelin’ in the Years 

Encore:

Pretzel Logic

The Untouchables (Nelson Riddle cover)

Of the members of Traffic I’ve seen this summer, Steve Winwood had the deeper set but the weaker voice, at least at first. It took him a little to get warmed up — opening song “I’m a Man” was notably a little restricted in range — but once he stepped from behind the keys and strapped on a guitar for “Can’t Find My Way Home,” things got much better. Folks gave him a standing ovation midset for that one, which is damned impressive at 7:30 on a Thursday.

Most of the set featured a primarily seated audience, but the chair dancing was impressive. I expected a bigger response for “Higher Love,” honestly, but that restricted range came back into play, and without its every piercing note, the song wasn’t quite big enough. Winwood’s version of “Mr. Fantasy” wasn’t as bluesy as Dave Mason’s when he opened for Journey a few weeks back, but it felt richer. A boss version of “Gimme Some Lovin'” ended the set on a much stronger note.

Steve Winwood set

I’m a Man (Spencer Davis Group song)

Pearly Queen (Traffic song)

At Times We Do Forget

Can’t Find My Way Home (Blind Faith)

Them Changes (Band of Gypsys cover)

Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Traffic)

Higher Love

Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic)

Gimme Some Lovin’ (Spencer Davis Group)