Steely Dan July 28Th, 09

Steely Dan has a sophisticated jazz-rock sound all there own, and over the next week we as New Yorkers have a chance to experience it for ourselves. Playing whole albums in there entirety is one of the best things to happen to rock in a long time. Sonic Youth started this fad and others like Van Morrison and Steely Dan have fallowed. On the night in question Walter Becker and Donald Fagen played Aja, one of the first albums ever to be certified platinum. This was an event. The backing band came out first and jammed. Then the three girl singers came out, one putting the vinyl record on a little 70's turn-table. Berker and Donald swaggered out on stage and played the a-side. Then with just a few words the vinyl was turned over and the b-side was played. Then as if that was not enough they went on to play most of Gaucho. It seemed that they would never leave the stage, playing hits like "Reeling in the Years" and "Do it Again." Who would ever get sick of these smooth groves and complex harmonies. This was just the first night on this long lush stay at the Beacon.