Watch Todd Rundgren’s Utopia Launch Reunion Tour
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia played a 24-song set to launch their reunion tour – with a last-minute lineup change – last night in Pennsylvania.
Keyboardist Gil Assayas was recruited days before rehearsals began, after Ralph Schuckett was forced to bow out because of health issues. You can watch their performances of “Play This Game,” “Hammer in My Heart” and “Just One Victory” below.
The band had initially invited public auditions to fill Schuckett's position, with the warning that applicants “won’t have a lot of time to learn the set,” before Assayas was recommended by one of Rundgren’s sons.
“I wanted to walk into the ocean and not come back,” Rundgren admitted earlier this month. "We were fully committed to this, and there was nobody off the top of my head I thought was gonna be able to just walk in and do what Ralph had been working on for months.”
Last night at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe, Penn., the quartet -- which also includes Kasim Sulton and Willie Wilcox -- appeared in fine and confident form, laughing off the occasional technical issue and delivering tracks from across their 10-album catalog. You can see the set list below.
Rundgren had previously said that their old elaborate stage sets would not be featured on this road trip. “We’re not bringing that stuff, but we’re not bringing nothing, either,” he said.
On the topic of future activities, he noted, “I think what everybody on our side fervently wishes is that this goes well, and that's it for now.”
Todd Rundgren’s Utopia, Penn’s Peak, Jim Thorpe, Penn., 4/18/18
“Utopia Theme”
“Ikon”
“Another Life”
“Freedom Fighters”
“Do Ya”
“The Wheel”
“Back on the Street”
“Something's Coming”
“Monument”
“Communion With the Sun”
“Last of the New Wave Riders”
“Road to Utopia”
“Play This Game”
“Swing to the Right”
“Trapped”
“Set Me Free”
“Love in Action”
“Hammer in My Heart”
“Princess of the Universe”
“I Will Wait”
“Rock Love”
“Love is the Answer”
“One World”
“Just One Victory”