GAMING
COURIER-POST, Thursday, October 4, 2012 1S
courierpostonline.com
DESTINATIONS & DIVERSIONS
COURIER-POST
COURIERPOSTONLINE.COM/GAMING
IAN ANDERSON LAYS IT ON ‘THICK’ Legendary rocker revisits opus Saturday
Ian Anderson is Jethro Tull. They are interchangeable. One and the same. And the Scottishborn Brit cheerfully acknowledges it. “I write the songs. I’m the producer. I do the arrangements and I’m the lead singer,” Anderson said in a phone interview from Richmond, Va. But appearing as Jethro Tull comes with certain expectations not evident when performing as Ian Anderson. “When I perform as Jethro Tull, I do the best of Jethro Tull,” he said. “But if it’s a Christmas concert or a string quartet, I’m more l ikely to (use) my own name. That’s also why we released our current album “Thick as a Brick 2” under my name and not Jethro Tull. We do not want audiences confused.” At Caesars Saturday night, the concertgoers will clearly be entertained. Anderson and his band will perform “Thick as a Brick,” staged and arranged note for note in the same order as the 1972 album. After an intermission, Anderson will do the same for “Thick as a Brick 2.” “Thick as a Brick 2” — subtitled “Whatever Happened to Gerald Bostock?” — is a mind-provoking piece of music that focuses on Bostock, the fictional boygenius author of the original album, only 40 years later. The work presents five divergent, hypothetical l ife stories for Bostock. “There will be lots of audiovi-
sual stuff. We try and make it a theatrical music production rather than a rock concert.” That doesn’t mean Anderson and his band won’t improvise during the instrumental breaks. Anderson said his decision to follow an album released in 1972 runs contrary to the way music is doled out today. “People like to snack on music and not enjoy a big meal. So I’ll see if I get booed and jeered off stage or entertain people for two-and-a-half hours.” Can fans expect to hear material outside of the two “Brick” albums? Maybe “Locomotive Breath” or “Aqualung”? That depends. Anderson doesn’t care much for encores on this tour. “Maybe I am being pompous and arrogant. But when we finish, I think it’s time to go home. I’m not anxious for an encore,” he said. But if the mood is right and the audience is “feasting upon us,” he might well treat them to such an encore. Anderson is not amazed he’s still around after more than 40 years. “I was amazed after the first two or three years. I was inclined to believe there was a short life span as a professional musician. After 10 years, I realized this is a job for life as long as you do not do anything stupid.”
IF YOU GO Ian Anderson performs Saturday at the Circus Maximus Theater in Caesars Atlantic City, 2100 Pacific Ave. Show time is 9 p.m. Tickets are $75 to $105 and can be purchased at the Caesars box office, all Ticketmaster locations, Ticketmaster.com or (800) 736-1420.
Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson performs under his own name for Saturday’s show at Circus Maximus. PHOTO PROVIDED
THE RESIDENCY CONTINUES
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3
DOORS OPEN AT 9PM
FOR BOTTLE SERVICE, CABANA & TABLE RESERVATIONS,
CALL 609.441.5585 Purchase tickets at wantickets.com
ThePoolAfterDark.com 21+ with valid ID required to enter. We accept US-issued Driver’s Licenses, Military State IDs and passports. Dress to impress. Nightclub attire is required to enter and is enforced at all times. Management reserves the right to refuse admission. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. ©2012, Caesars License Company, LLC. CP-0010488230