Review and Photos by Fred Kuhlman
Promoter: Danny Zelisko Presents (https://dzplive.com/ )
Venue: Celebrity Theatre (https://celebritytheatre.com/ )
Date: August 18th, 2024
For a lot of people that were not into Progressive (PROG) music in the 70s and 80s, they probably don’t know who Alan Parsons is or his music. But I am positive that many if not everyone has heard Alan’s classic song, “SIRIUS” as the intro for the Chicago Bulls basketball team during the Michael Jordan years (Check it out here on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thealanparsonsproject/video/7224218977155681562 , or YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HYj-uV9NGc ).
Alan has had a long and interesting career as both a Sound Engineer/producer and as a musician. In the early 70s, Alan worked at Abbey Road Studios in London, England. He was lucky enough to help with the recording of the classic Beatles albums, Let It BE and Abbey Road and Pink Floyd’s album, The Dark Side Of The Moon. Alan also created a band called the Alan Parsons Project with his friend Eric Woolfson. Together they created 11 studio albums over a 15-year career, including I Robot, Eye In The Sky and Pyramid.
In 1993 Alan reformed the group and it is now called The Alan Parsons Project Live. Since then, Alan has toured with a number of outstanding musicians playing to millions of fans all around the world. I have seen Alan a number of times and each of his shows has been amazing. The first thing you see when at an Alan Parsons show is that Alan is situated in the back of the stage up on a platform. He is not out front and the center of attention. Alan also does not sing all of his songs, but has other musicians sing them. You will also see numerous synthesizers which are used to produce the unique sound associated with Alan’s music.
As of this review being posted, Alan and his team have completed and released a new box set of his classic Pyramid album, Pyramid, Super Deluxe Box Set. This box set is the first time Alan has ventured into the creation of a Dolby Atmos sound track for an album. Currently it is available at Alan’s website here: https://approject.lnk.to/PyramidAS and Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Alan-Parsons-Project/dp/B0D6WGT2FF?tag=linkfiregen&ie=UTF8&linkCode=as2&ascsubtag=1753beb44c32830dacd03af3e1614cb3&ref=dmm_acq_soc_us_u_lfire_lp_x_1753beb44c32830dacd03af3e1614cb3 .
Alan had back surgery a while ago, so he has to use walking poles to get on stage. However, once he is on stage he sat on his stool and commands the venue. His band is made up of group of amazing musicians. The show consisted of 2 sets with a short intermission. Also due to Alan’s walking issues, they decided to stay on stage after the second set and do the encore songs.
I have been a huge Alan Parsons fan. I was never saw him perform live in the 80s, but I have seen him a number of times in the recent years. I was even lucky enough to see him at a party this summer where he, Alice Cooper and Al Stewart were all on stage together at a party (they were not singing, but telling stories). I did get to talk with him for a few minutes that night and he was very cordial.
Tonight’s show featured a number of Alan’s greatest hits that cover almost all of his albums. They performed so many of my favorites that it is hard for me to call out any single song as the best. However, I surprised when they performed, “La Sagrada Familia” because it was the first time, I had ever heard it live. It also had all of the band including Alan singing. Numerous times the crowd was giving the band standing ovations. At the end of the show, when they were playing “Games People Play” numerous people were singing along. You can see the full setlist below.
I know I am biased on this band, but if you like Progressive Rock music from the 80s then this is a concert to see. You get all of the best from the Alan Parsons Project catalog performed by some spectacular musicians. I highly recommend this concert. You can see if Alan and his band are coming to a location near you on his website.
Social Media sites:
Website: https://alanparsons.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alanparsons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alanparsonsmusic/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/alanparsons
Alan Parsons Live Project Band
Photos © Fred Kuhlman 2024, All Rights Reserved
Setlist:
Set 1:
Standing on Higher Ground (Gaudi)
Don’t Answer Me (Ammonia Avenue)
Psychobabble (Eye in the Sky)
Time (The Turn of a Friendly Card)
Breakdown / The Raven (I Robot / Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe)
I Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You (I Robot)
La Sagrada Familia (Gaudi)
Don’t Let It Show (I Robot)
Set 2:
One Note Symphony (new Alan Parsons song)
Damned If I Do (Eve)
Limelight (Stereotomy)
Can’t Take It With You (Pyramid)
Prime Time (Ammonia Avenue)
Sirius / Eye in the Sky (Eye in the Sky)
Encore: (Stayed on Stage)
(The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether (Tales of Mystery and Imagination: Edgar Allan Poe)
Games People Play (The Turn of a Friendly Card)
