CONCERT REVIEW: Renaissance @ Troy Music Hall, 10/27/2022
TROY – Renaissance played the venerable Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Thursday night as part of their “Legacy Tour 2022.” It would prove to be an evening plagued with technical problems, flubs, and band members going MIA.
As the band entered the stage, I noticed lead singer Annie Haslam rather awkwardly clutching the sound monitor/mic pack at her side. The band opened with a classic 70’s Renaissance song “Carpet of the Sun” from their beloved “Ashes are Burning” album and it was immediately apparent that Haslam was uncomfortable.
At 75 her voice, still a beautiful instrument, has lost some of its power and range. Understandably so. But for all her cheerful stage presence and patter, something wasn’t right. After five songs she admitted that she couldn’t hear herself and apologized if she was going out of tune. And truthfully, she was at times. A tech assistant came onstage and worked on the problem for 10 to 15 minutes whilst the band stood around and Annie chatted to the audience. Finally, they launched into the first set closer “Symphony of Light” and Haslam’s vocals were appreciably more confident. Although a more recent composition (from their last studio album recorded in 2013), this song neatly represents the Renaissance sound; richly symphonic, melodic, “prog lite” with Haslam’s multi-octave voice soaring above.
Surprisingly, given this venue’s stellar reputation for acoustics, the sound throughout was, well, not very good. In particular, Frank Pagano’s drums seemed to be miked way too loud, with a heavily reverbed and clunky snare sound obliterating much of the subtlety of his playing. For the most part, the 10-piece “chamber orchestra” lined up behind the band was mixed well, but with two keyboard players already employed, musical director Rave Tesar and Geoffrey Langley, it seemed superfluous at times.
The band returned for their second set after a 20-minute intermission. Well, some of them. A pause. A long pause. Annie and the band members looked around. Acoustic guitarist Mark Lambert ambled on stage after a few minutes. Then there was another pause waiting for bassist Leo Traversa. He emerged sheepishly from the wings, then left again. He wasn’t involved in the first song. Once more, Annie’s bright and winning personality helped smooth the situation, but really, this was totally unprofessional for a band of this vintage.
Things seemed back to normal, and the band kicked into the second set. Curiously the first four numbers were all from Haslam’s solo career and collaborations. Those expecting a set of classic Renaissance would be puzzled. Nothing against the songs in question, but you don’t go to a Rolling Stones gig and expect to see Mick and the boys bust out “Just Another Night.”
The fifth number was a long Renaissance epic, “Day of the Dreamer,” but soon after Haslam’s vocal entrance, it ground to a halt. Claiming a “brain fart” Haslam walked to the side of the stage, regained her composure, and the band started the song over. I have seen this band multiple times, and count myself a fan, but have never seen them so disorganized.
An excellent “Running Hard” did close the show on a high point, Tesar’s bravura piano work in the introduction as exquisite as it had been all night. A devoted, forgiving, yet less-than-capacity crowd cheered them back on and the encore was another surprise. Usually, Renaissance close with their powerful and anthemic “Ashes are Burning,” with its extended coda and heroic guitar solo. This night, however, they chose the charming but slight ballad “I Think of You.”
“Well, that was disappointing” muttered a patron as he pushed past me for the exit.
And it kinda was.
Setlist
- Carpet of the Sun
- Black Flame
- The Sisters
- Ananda (Annie Haslam)
- The Captive Heart
- Symphony of Light
<intermission>
- Blessing in Disguise (Annie Haslam)
- Celestine (Annie Haslam)
- Reaching Out (Intergalactic Touring Band with guest Annie Haslam)
- The Angels Cry (Annie Haslam)
- Day of the Dreamer
- Running Hard
<encore>
- I Think of You
Annie Haslem delivered one of the most painful blowoffs of my career. It was in the late 70s. My wife at the time was in the hospital. My two young boys were at my parents, and I come home to an empty house to wait for her call. This was before there were cell phones. It was one of the longest afternoons of my life. She never called. I never reviewed that band again.