Nearly twenty years after Jethro Tull’s inception, only Ian Anderson remained from the original lineup of bassist Glen Cornick, guitarist Mick Abrahams, and drummer Clive Bunker. This recording, done for the King Biscuit Flower Hour, was captured long after the band stopped manufacturing their original FM radio hits, and Ian Anderson himself appears on stage as a living caricature of…entire summary
Ian Anderson - vocals, flute, guitar
Martin Barre - guitar, mandolin
Doan Perry - drums
Dave Pegg - bass, mandolin, vocals
Peter-John Vetesse - keyboards, vocals
Nearly twenty years after Jethro Tull’s inception, only Ian Anderson remained from the original lineup of bassist Glen Cornick, guitarist Mick Abrahams, and drummer Clive Bunker. This recording, done for the King Biscuit Flower Hour, was captured long after the band stopped manufacturing their original FM radio hits, and Ian Anderson himself appears on stage as a living caricature of the vile man who appears on the cover of Aqualung. The musicianship at this extensive concert is exceptional and even as late as 1984, Tull had lost none of their ability to make great music, even if the live show is considerably more subdued.
Recorded on the Under Wraps album tour, Anderson and company provide an even-paced evening that bridges their new material and the commercial breakthrough hits that made Jethro Tull one of the biggest bands of the 1970s. It was during this period that Anderson became more and more interested in traditional Celtic music. He would often blend Celtic and Middle Eastern percussion elements, a style he developed initially with "Fat Man," an early hit for the band. Some of Tull’s stronger material came from this mid-‘80s period, which is apparent during the show, where the band was surprisingly ignored on contemporary radio play lists (though they still ruled on classic rock stations). They deliver a handful of instrumental jazz pieces demonstrating Anderson’s ability on flute as well as his obvious influence by flute icon, Herbie Mann.
In the end, it remains the classic Tull radio hits that get the crowd worked into an enthusiastic state. "Thick As A Brick” early in the show gets them up and going, and the triple threat encore of "Locomotive Breath,” "Too Old To Rock ‘N’ Roll, Too Young To Die,” and "Aqualung,” brings down the house.
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