Steely Dan

Thursday, August 21, at Nokia Theatre, Grand Prairie

While parents have predictably freaked out over the social menace imposed by blues, jazz, secular R&B, rock 'n' roll, heavy metal, rap and techno, they never seemed to bat an eyelash over Steely Dan. In fact, they seemed to dig the band more than anyone. And it's a testament to Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's subtlety that they managed to get away with some of the darkest music ever committed to tape. That the pair scored a string of smash hits that became cultural staples would be shocking and downright subversive if the music weren't so smooth. In their prime, Becker and Fagen had an untouchable knack for disguising complex, challenging jazz as easily digestible pop. And you may never have noticed, but within those ultra-polished jazz-pop grooves lurks a shadow world of drugs, creeping sexual desire, domestic violence and world-weary ennui, which becomes all too believable when you read between the lines. Essentially a nostalgia act now, Steely Dan's underlying gloom helps the music retain a contemporary edge, while Becker and Fagen's monumental body of work will forever stand beside the all-time giants of composition.

 
My Voice Nation Help
0 comments
 

Concert Calendar

  • May
  • Sun
    19
  • Mon
    20
  • Tue
    21
  • Wed
    22
  • Thu
    23
  • Fri
    24
  • Sat
    25
Dallas Event Tickets
©2013 Dallas Observer, LP, All rights reserved.
Browse Voice Nation
  • Voice Places Dallas / Fort Worth

    Voice Places

    Find everything you're looking for in your city

  • Happy Hour App

    Happy Hour App

    Find the best happy hour deals in your city

  • Daily Deals

    Daily Deals

    Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%

  • Best Of

    Best Of...

    Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city