Tony Levin Brings a Piece of the Sun to Pittsburgh
by Martin Curti

Legendary bassist, Tony Levin and his band performed to a full house at Rosebud in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Throughout his career, Levin has shared a stage with the likes of John Lennon, Stevie Nicks and Paul Simon, just to name a few.  He is also an active member of both King Crimson and the Peter Gabriel band.

Levin is currently on tour, however, to promote his latest album, Pieces of the Sun.

The show opened with "Pillar of Fire," a track from Levin's previous album, Waters of Eden.  Joining Levin on stage were former Peter Gabriel bandmates, Jerry Marotta on drums and percussion and Larry Fast on the synthesizers.  Guitarist, Jesse Gress has worked with Todd Rundgren.

Performance highlights included a version of a never before recorded Peter Gabriel composition entitled, "Dog One," and a somber revamping of the classically festive, "Tequila," with Marotta stepping out from behind the drums to play saxophone.

Following a brief intermission, Levin lulled the audience with "l'Abito Della Sposa," a song he co-wrote with Ivano Fossati.  Accompanied by Fast's synthesized accordion, Levin's upright bass and Italian singing transported listeners to another land filled with old world charm.

Other musical treats of the evening included "Ooze," featuring backward guitar playing by Gress and the whole band joining in on the heavy progressive title-track, "Pieces of the Sun."

Levin played tribute to other rock giants with works from Synergy, Genesis and Led Zeppelin.  The band gave a two song encore beginning with King Crimson's "Elephant Talk," and having come full circle, closed with a second track from Waters of Eden, appropriately entitle, "Utopia."