Wednesday, September 4, 7 p.m.
TaxSlayer Center, 1201 River Drive, Moline IL
Performing from a repertoire dating back nearly half a century, the legendary, Grammy-winning ensemble Steely Dan brings its national tour to Moline's TaxSlayer Center on September 4, the band's unique blend of rock, jazz, pop, R&B and soul inspiring Rolling Stone to call the group “the perfect musical antiheroes for the Seventies.”
Founded in 1972 by core members Walter Becker (guitars, bass, backing vocals) and Donald Fagen (keyboards, lead vocals), Steely Dan enjoyed critical and commercial success starting from the early 1970s. The group's first album, 1972's Can't Buy a Thrill, was a platinum-seller that rose to number 17 on the U.S. Billboard charts and spawned hits singles with “Dot It Again” and “Reelin' in the Years,” while Steely Dan's follow-up LP, 1973's Countdown to Ecstasy, was a gold-selling hit whose singles included “Show Biz Kids” and “My Old School.” In the 1974 release of Pretzel Logic, the musicians debuted what would likely be considered Steely Dan's signature song: the top-five smash “Rikki Don't Lose That Number.” And until the group's disbandment in 1981, Steely Dan continued to record one hugely successful album after another, with 1975's Katy Lied, 1976's The Royal Scam, and 1980's Gaucho all top-15 Billboard hits, and 1977's Aja the outfit's biggest smash ever, rising to number three.
After Becker and Fagen reunited in the 1990s, Steely Dan released its first studio album in 20 years with 2000's Two Against Nature, which went on to in four Grammy Awards including Album of the Year, triumphing over such competitors as Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP and Radiohead's Kid A. The album also earned platinum sales and shot to number six on the Billboard charts, and three years later, Steely Dan enjoyed another top-10 hit with Everything Must Go. Founding member Becker passed away on September 3 of 2017, yet during his years performing with Fagen (currently the band's sole official member), Steely Dan's discography consisted of nine studio albums, one live album, 21 singles, seven U.S. compilation albums, and one live set on DVD. The band has also sold more than 40 million albums worldwide, earned 2001 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was ranked, by VH1, as one of the 100 greatest musical artists of all time.
Steely Dan performs locally at 7 p.m. on September 4, admission is $29.50-99.50, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 or visiting TaxSlayerCenter.com.
