Photograph by Assunta Opahle
Formed in England in 1967, Jethro Tull has since amassed an immense body of work that’s caused it to headline myriad festivals and play arenas and stadiums all over the world. Led by the boundless energy of Ian Anderson, the group released 11 Gold and 5 Platinum-plus records and also won a Grammy award for their 1987 opus, “Crest of A Knave.”
Tull’s ever-evolving sound, which blends blues, progressive rock, folk, jazz, classical and Celtic tones, has won fans over with its over-the-top arrangements that change with each successive album release. The band’s highly regarded 1972 outing, “Thick as A Brick,” featured only two tracks (divided into Part 1 and Part 2) clocking in at 22 minutes and 21 minutes, respectively.
“RökFlöte” is the group’s 23rd record. It just recently came out on progressive rock-leaning label, Inside Out Music. The album’s 12-tracks are based on Norse mythology and find Anderson further exploring the rock flute, a.k.a. the RökFlöte. The song collection comes on the heels of Tull’s 2022 release ‘The Zealot Gene.’
Today, bandleader Anderson is the only original member of Jethro Tull that’s left, but this is not necessarily a bad thing: The flute virtuoso will be joined by longtime bassist David Goodier, veteran pianist and organist John O’Hara, and new (er) additions drummer Scott Hammond and guitarist and mandolin player, Joe Parrish-James.
As luck would have it, Lincoln was included on the band’s limited-run US tour which started on August 18th in Highland Park, Ilinois and will inevitably wrap up on November 4 in Albany, NY. Tickets start at $54.95 and top out at $114.95 and can be purchased at www.thundervalleycasino.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts promptly at 8 p.m. This is a 21-and0over only performance. The Venue is located inside Thunder Valley Casino at 1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln.
(SN&R)