Steely Dan Breaks Out Classic Albums on Current Tour

Aidin Vaziri | 06.17.2009

Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are giving Steely Dan fans what they want on the group’s 28-date Rent Party ’09 tour. Not only is the band taking song requests online, but they’re also playing the group’s classic albums – The Royal Scam, Aja and Gaucho – in their entirety on select nights.

The tour started one week ago in Durham, N.C., and finishes up on Sept. 6, at the MotorCity Casino in Detroit.

Becker tells Billboard.com, “In the current climate of financial desperation, we figured there's no reason why people who are going out and buying tickets to concerts shouldn't get a little extra. We've been sort of thinking about this and talking about this for some years and never got around to doing it. And this seemed like a good time to do it.”

Steely Dan had stopped touring before the aforementioned albums were released, so for many fans this will be the first time they can hear some of the songs live.

In the same interview, the band members said that they currently have no plans to follow-up their last studio album, 2003’s “Everything Must Go,” in the near future, and will not be taping any of the current shows for DVD release.

“It’s be there or be square,” Becker says.

Here are the remaining dates for Steely Dan’s Rent Party ’09 Tour:

June 2009
18 - St. Augustine, Fla. - St. Augustine Amphitheatre
19 - Orange Beach, Ala. - Amphitheater at The Wharf

July 2009
22 - Boston, Mass. - Wang Theatre (Special Setlist: Aja)
24 - Boston, Mass. - Wang Theatre (Special Setlist: Gaucho)
25 - Boston, Mass. - Wang Theatre (Special Setlist: Internet Request Night)
28 - New York, N.Y. - Beacon Theatre (Special Setlist: Aja)
29 - New York, N.Y. - Beacon Theatre (Special Setlist: Gaucho)
31 - New York, N.Y. - Beacon Theatre (Special Setlist: The Royal Scam)

August 2009
1 - New York, N.Y. - Beacon Theatre (Special Setlist: Internet Request Night)
7 - Mashantucket, Conn. - The MGM Grand at Foxwoods
8 - Atlantic City, N.J. - Borgata Event Center
14 - Memphis, Tenn. - Mud Island Amphitheatre
15 - Atlanta, Ga. - Chastain Park Amphitheatre
21 - Universal City, Calif. - Gibson Amphitheater at Universal CityWalk (Special Setlist: Aja)
22 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheater at Universal CityWalk (Special Setlist: Gaucho)
24 - Universal City, Calif. - Gibson Amphitheater at Universal CityWalk (Special Setlist: The Royal Scam)
25 - Universal City, Calif. - Gibson Amphitheater at Universal CityWalk (Special Setlist: Internet Request Night)
28 - Las Vegas, Nev. - Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort
31 - Chicago, Ill. - The Chicago Theatre (Special Setlist: Aja)

September 2009
1 - Chicago, Ill. - The Chicago Theatre (Special Setlist: Gaucho)
3 - Chicago, Ill. - The Chicago Theatre (Special Setlist: The Royal Scam)
4 - Chicago, Ill. - The Chicago Theatre (Special Setlist: Internet Request Night)
6 - Detroit, Mich. - Sound Board Theater at MotorCity Casino