Zappa.com

I am excited about tonight but disappoint my bro KU will not attend...

Have fun, Plook! I’m still excited for you and for the VIP goodies you are going to bring me next weekend.

You'll definitely like the tour program! (edit: I forgot that I bought the tour program. Well, change the words "tour program" to "Kaleidoscope" or "poster" if you like those, hahaha)

I started to think that I'd go through my Utopia pix, then quickly realized there's way too many to do on lunch. So, I decided to choose one that we don't see as many of, KS on guitar!

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Don't Be Stupid Unless You Want To

OMG I feel like a High School girl going to see Justin Bieber I'm so excited!!!...

My turn. First Utopia show for me!

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Re-posted from Plook on Tour...

So the meet and greet was really cool I got the band to sign a shirt I bought for KU to him...

The person who was running the meet and greet experience was Todd's wife a very nice lady who shared several stories with us which was extremely interesting and humorous...

Towards the end of the introduction she said we will be unable to do the video because the venue lacked the infrastructure to mount the equipment, this statement resulted in an audible gasp from the attendee's and whispers about that being the "whole thing" or one of the main reasons they were in for this package...I know nothing about this detail and KU will need to explain this...

Also because the site lacked said infrastructure the video/LED screen was also out which Todd mentioned upfront and apologized for, someone made a logistical error...

The music was awesome straight up band in front of a curtain and it was great, H-dog was amazed at Todd's guitar skills (he shredded all night) and said he thought he was better than Steve Via...

Kasim was amazing on vocals and killed on bass, I would venture to call it lead bass...

Willie Wilcox is just an incredibly strong drummer and takes the beat to a thundering level...

Gil has mad skills and reproduced most of the keyboard sections faithfully, while occasionally doing his thing and it was all good...

I asked if they would sign KU's shirt to him and Todd had Willie put the "To Dean" on the shirt, when Gil signed I said "we have your rookie card" which elicited a laugh from the band lead by Todd and all within ear shot...

I took a moment to tell Todd that I had to thank him, he asked "for what?" I told him I had my first date with my wife of 35 years who passed four years ago on May 22 1978 at the Roxy (he knew the date he began to smile widely as I said it) which was 40 years ago two weeks ago and it was the Back to The Bars show, he said "cool", I said "you sealed the deal for me because she was out of my league"...and he said "now that's awesome, I like hearing stories like that"...

We all shock hands, I thanked them for everything...they are all great, straight shooting, nice men...a very good experience, thank you so much KU...

I would have loved to see that!

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You're probably wondering why I'm here
(not that it makes a heck of a lot of a difference to ya)

You know how that old carpet in those theaters does...

Excellent!

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"...I'm absolutely a Libertarian on MANY issues..." ~ Frank Zappa, Rochester, NY, March 11, 1988

What a fantastic show last night in Riverside.

My view was great, but the sound could have been a little better.
Todd played two of those new guitars. Blue then red.
The crowd was so into it. Especially in the second set with lots of ladies dancing in the aisles.
Security intervened a bit.

TR before One World:

"OK security. Time to let the old men have their fun!"

We all joined in and packed the aisles up front.

I'll be getting the Dvd.

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From Toddstock:

Todd is planning to have another "Question-and-Answer" session at TS7.0! You can join in the fun if you act NOW!

Got any questions for TR that I should submit?

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Don't Be Stupid Unless You Want To

Toddstock is less than a week away. TR shows, interviews, jamz, Songwriting class with Kaz, Guitar workshop with Jesse Gress, Painting with Prairie Prince... gonna be awesome

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Don't Be Stupid Unless You Want To

UTOPIA Riverside 2018 pics and review.







Sorry to see this tour come to an end. It seemed like the band was just hitting its stride. The performance was loose and the fans were into it. Overall a really nice final show.

-Rick Laurenzo tr forum

photos by coleslough

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Celebrating David Bowie

10/7&8/2018 - Eldborg Hall, Reykjavik, Iceland

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Toddstock was friggin awesome! I have tons of pix to go through, but here are are few things...

I got to perform on Beatles Night... sang Backup Vocals for a Jesse Gress version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Sang Lead and played Guitar with a rhythm section from TR Tribute Band Secret Society on I Will. Sang Lead on Helter Skelter. Went to a Kas songwriting class (mostly Kas telling his story). Attended a Jesse Gress Guitar clinic. Hung out with Prairie Prince and a ton of cool TR fans.
Of course the finale of the week was TR performing. Weather sucked all week, so it ended up being held inside a tent rather than on the big stage, but that turned it into a cool private club vibe. Band was TR, Kas, Prairie, Jesse, Bobby Strickland, Greg Hawkes and Kyle and Richard Shallbetter (The Shalbetter Twins). The Shallbetter Twins performed their own set Wed night. Just their 2 voices and a laptop. Stuff like Born to Synthesize, way cool. Here's the Unpredictable setlist:

RU Ready to Rock
Black and White
There Goes My Inspiration
Friday
Big Weekend
Love of the Common Man
Rise
Chance for Us
Family Values
The Walls Came Down
Lysistrata
Cliche
Endless Prairie
Hash Pipe
Ooh Baby Baby (Multiple False Starts, never completed)
I Want You
Let's Do This
Fire (Arthur Brown)
Love in Action
Secret Society
One World
A Dream Goes on Forever

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Don't Be Stupid Unless You Want To

^Very cool.

TR unpred. - Wed. Nov. 21st, Coach House, SanJuanCap.

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The Unpredictable Tour hits Napa November 18th. I haven’t seen a full listing of all the west coast shows yet.

Todd’s been touring like a mad man the last five years or so.

Rut Roh

Also Monterey 11/16.

I got my tickets for July 28th in Rhode Island
3 Saturdays away\My first TR show
Stoked!!!!

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I aint gonna squash it, and you don't need to wash it...

Awesome Nick, can't say how it will be they say it's unpredictable...

I'm game.
Covers
Improve
Deep cuts
Pupet show ... bring it on.

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I aint gonna squash it, and you don't need to wash it...

The word is that TR played Camarillo Brillo last night in Pennsylvania!

edit: Listening now!

He messed with the lyrics more than a bit, but its fun. Gonna hafta check this out on something other than a cell-phone.

Another edit: I can't find a setlist yet, but he also performed The Beatles' I Want You (She's So Heavy)

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Don't Be Stupid Unless You Want To

he played Salisbury MA last nite, I cant find a set list anywhere.
He's in Maine tonight.
RI Saturday, I have never memorized a set list or written down songs before, so i wont be much help.
If Camirillo Brillo is played, i will record it and upload for everyone, im pessimistic however.
I'll remember most noteworthy material. I have been recording less and less latley.
I dont wanna be "that guy" staring at a tiny screen 12" infront of my face while a show is going on.
Although i usually hold my recording device shoulder level and dont look at what im recording, but that makes for a video with scattered focus.
I usually get sub par audio too (not terrible however).

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I aint gonna squash it, and you don't need to wash it...