Steely Dan
October 25th at Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium, San Francisco

An incredibly well-oiled Steely Dan came through town for a three-show stint this past weekend. The Steely Dan orchestra is comprised of four horns, two guitars, two keyboards, bass, drums, and three back-up vocalists, working together like a locomotive hauling a deep catalog of difficult and subversive jazz-rock.

Friday, they played the legendary Aja straight through; Saturday featured a recital of The Royal Scam; and, for the fan who needs a little extra, Sunday was Internet Request Night. The perk was that audience votes nudged the band back toward a few tracks that were left out of recent tours but remain audience favorites: “Any Major Dude Will Tell You”, “Reelin’ in the Years”, and “Rikki Don’t Lose that Number.” “Rikki’s” chords were tweaked with more sustain courtesy of the horn section. The result was a jazzier, more nostalgic take on the radio hit.

Other stand-outs from the show were “Black Cow”, “Do It Again”, and an arrangement of “Dirty Work” that continues to evolve: Guitarist Jon Herington opens up the song with twangy Telecaster finger-picking redolent of some of the Dan’s early folk-inflected tunes, the horns flip a super catchy turnaround, and the solo section is played over a completely new set of chords.

While sound quality in the Nob Hill Masonic Center varies wildly depending on your seat, the music was administered as deftly as any Dan show I’ve seen. Co-founder Walter Becker continues to play guitar more confidently, to the point that now he and hired gun Herington can trade solos, exchanging volleys to a draw. Keyboardist Jim Beard played a piano solo on Saturday that was drowned out by audience requests (one fan asked for “Free Bird”; Donald Fagen told the “asshole” to “go home”); Sunday, Beard’s Gershwin flourishes and barrelhouse rhythm had the crowd clapping along and hollering for more.

Word on the street is that this seaworthy Dan will keep sailing through 2010-11. Keep your ear to the concrete.

Listen: “Do It Again” [at youtube.com]