Roger Hodgson

THERE are few vocalists instantly recognisable from the first few bars of a song but Roger Hodgson is certainly one of that unique band.

The singer/songwriter of Seventies and Eighties band Supertramp, his voice is as unmistakable as the distinct keyboard sound of their early hits.

The mainstay of a band selling more than 60 million records worldwide, Hodgson quit to lead a more spiritual existence.

Having not toured the UK since 1983, he could be forgiven for being a little rusty, but that was not the case as he worked his way effortlessly through his former band’s wonderful back catalogue along with a few of his solo efforts.

Playing mostly solo, support was provided by the excellent Aaron MacDonald on sax and backing vocals who complemented Hodgson perfectly, most notably on superb renditions of The Logical Song and Breakfast in America.

Hodgson looked genuinely touched by the reception he had from a very enthusiastic crowd on his opening night and responded with stunning versions of Dreamer, Give A Little Bit and Sister Moonshine.

Having taken more than 20 years to get him on the road in the UK, hopefully this welcome will ensure a swift return.

- South Wales Echo

By Karl McLaughlin

Supertramp legend Roger Hodgson fulfilled, in his words, a lifetime ambition to travel down to Tenerife and he did not disappoint the 5000 fans who turned up to see him perform.

Despite the language bagier separating him from the vast majority (virtually all except for a small but noisy British contingent)Hodgsonendeared himself to the audience -made up largely of people in their late-40s and 50s, although the occasional fresh-faced new recruit to his music was spotted - and gave the lie to the oft-repeated criticism that singers who still cling on to their past, particularly if from 30 years ago or more, are to be avoided like the plague.

Nobody would argüe that the fans who packed the impressive indoor Santiago Martín stadium between Santa Cruz and La Laguna were delving into their ' memories for the night and were prepared to pay 30 euros for the privilege. But Hodgson demonstrated from the wood go that he is not a man of the past in terms of voice or stage 'savoir faire'. The highest compliment he can be (and was) paid is that he probably sounds better live today than in the recordinq studio more than a generation ago. - Tenerife News

By Jeff Miers NEWS POP MUSIC CRITIC
Updated: 05/26/07 6:46 AM
Nearly 40 years ago, Roger Hodgson and Rick Davies cofounded Supertramp.
The group’s sound — a poetic blend of Beatles-based harmonic complexity, the grandiosity of the best progressive rock, and an intellectual and spirited strain of pop — spawned several of the finest rock albums of the 1970s, and became a cornerstone in the musical educations of a generation of listeners.
Hodgson’s songs have aged incredibly well, the compositional sophistication, incisive and intelligent lyrics and bountiful soulfulness sounding perhaps even more powerful in an age when very few songwriters set their standards so high. Like his songs, Hodgson remains a real life force in person, his beaming intensity and cleareyed generosity as both musician and host bearing the indelible marking of a light still burning brightly.
On Friday, Hodgson, — with only saxophonist and harmony vocalist Aaron MacDonald for company — held a full house inside the Avalon Ballroom in the palm of his hand for two hours. During the show, he was far from stingy with his bestknown songs and generous with new compositions, as well.
This was not a casual crowd assembled here. These were longtime fans of Supertramp and Hodgson, and what appeared to be a healthy portion of 20-somethings who might’ve nicked “Crime of the Century” and “Breakfast in America” from their parents’ collections.
The evening was incredibly emotional, both onstage and out front, where several members of the audience seated near me wept openly during such yearning-laced bits of musical poetry as “Lord Is It Mine” and “Hide in Your Shell.” This might sound corny, but it certainly wasn’t — Hodgson’s songs boast airy melodies that are easy to love, but he digs deep and hits hard, marrying melody to lyric like few other writers this side of McCartney and Lennon.
Dressed in a flowing white shirt and black slacks, Hodgson looked pretty much the same as he appeared 30 years ago, when he strode onstage to a standing ovation, sat down at the electric piano, and sounded the opening left-hand chords heralding “Take the Long Way Home.” Immediately, it was apparent that time has done nothing to weather Hodgson’s voice, a high tenor able to reach for [and fully grasp] incredibly elevated notes with grace.
Grabbing one of two mouthwatering [for the guitarists in the audience, anyway] Guild 12- string acoustics, Hodgson led the crowd through a spirited “Give a Little Bit,” one of the tunes that deservedly earned the man his reputation as a writer of incredibly uplifting songs that are simultaneously musically adventurous.
“Lovers in the Wind,” from “In the Eye of the Storm,” Hodgson’s first solo album after leaving Supertramp in the early 1980s, was an elegant ballad performed at the grand piano. “Hide in Your Shell,” from Supertramp’s “Crime of the Century” album, found MacDonald spraying gorgeous tenor sax lines around Hodgson’s vocal, which was spot-on. The early tune “Rosie Had Everything Planned” featured some textural melodica playing from Mac- Donald. Another newer piece, “Along Came Mary,” boasted a haunting Celtic melody, and MacDonald underscored it as he switched between tin whistle and soprano sax. This was one of the set’s high points.
Another — not surprisingly — was “The Logical Song,” the pop song equivalent of James Joyce’s “A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.” It came as a shock when Hodgson revealed that he wrote this tune while still in high school, trapped in an all-male boarding school he described as oppressive at best.
Hodgson’s set was absolutely flawless, but more importantly, it was inspiring. His is clearly a generous spirit, one that serves his prodigious talent well.
Concert Review
Roger Hodgson
Friday night in Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls, Ont. Another performance at 9 p. m. tonight.
jmiers@buffnews.com <mailto:jmiers@buffnews.com>
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- Buffalo News