Todd Rundgren is coming to Louisiana in a big way: Not only is he playing the House of Blues (on June 23) and hosting his Toddstock fan convention at the Nottoway Plantation in White Castle, but he’ll be making a side trip to the Upper 9th Ward on June 19, where he’ll join the Youth Orchestra of the Lower 9th Ward (YOL9W) to celebrate his 65th birthday. Todd and the local musicians will share birthday cake, do some jamming together, and he’ll give a brief talk about his musical history.
Rundgren takes Louisiana.
YOL9W is an after-school program, which runs Monday-Thursday from 3:30 -6:30 p.m. throughout the school year. The program consists of top-notch music instruction, implemented by a diverse staff of professional musicians and college students; opportunities to participate in workshops with guest artists and local musicians; and community relevant performances. Children receive a healthy snack, help with homework, an evening meal, and transportation to those who need it. Currently 42 children from local elementary schools are enrolled in the program at Arise Aademy, KIPP Leadership Primary, and the All Souls Church and Community Center.
Rundgren has done virtually everything in the past 40 years, producing commercial hits and cult classics, playing everything from power pop to progressive epics to the electronica of his latest album State. (Look for an exclusive interview with the man in the June issue of OffBeat). And he’s never failed to involve fans in his various interests and causes. This month he launched a fan campaign to raise money for the YOL9W; as of this week they’d taken in more than $3,000. He’s also invited fans to design a logo for the Orchestra; the winning entry will be unveiled at the event. The after-school music program aims for social change through music; the group has played eight concerts this year and worked onstage with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
As part of the visit, the group will perform at least one of Rundgren’s songs with him. They haven’t announced which one yet, but if you look over his catalog, the possibilities are endless. For instance…if they’re able to master all 30 minutes of “The Ikon,” our hats are off to this crew forever!
