A Wizard, a True Star and a tour de force, this is the wild and wonderful TR at his creative peak. This memorable TV appearance was just a sampling of the unbelievable live shows he and Utopia performed in the 70s and 80s. Todd is a remarkable artist, a musical genius with no fear in the studio, on stage and in front of the camera, one of the best musicians of his generation.

I was working as an electrician in nineteen eighty four and one of the guys I worked with collected records. Todd rundgren's utopia was one that I bought and was hooked ever since. This is hands down his best work! This record was part of our tripping music repetuar.

I remember every note, every word.....Todd changed my musical life in the 70's!

Wow! Don Kirshner! I remember staying up to see this show and all the talent presented. So cool!

A colorful chapter of Prog that time has largely forgotten. So great to rediscover it here thanks to Todd and Don Kirshner. Happy to say I met and spoke with Todd a few decades later at the Nixon Library of all places.

I'm back in 1973...never never land. Thank you TODD for all the music and memories.

A genius. Soundtrack to my 70’s teen years. His music holds up.

My first live Todd show was 3/28/74 and included Roger Powell. Thank you so much for bringing it all back!!!

Excellent restored piece of early Todd Rundgren and Utopia’s history captured on the televised series-Don Kirchner’s Rock Concert. I remember seeing the original TV show which introduced me to the world of Todd, almost 50 years ago after hearing “Hello It’s Me”, playing constantly on the radio. I finally got to see the fascinating person behind that sweet voice❣️👍💜⭐️🔺

Never was lucky enough to see Todd in concert. Love his work. I would place him in the musical genius category. He can, and has done it all.

The first time I saw him was this Utopia band. All the early guys. I still have the triangle program with all the members inside with short bios. That show was over 3 hours long! Those were the good old days! ♥️ 🎶City in my head Utopia Heaven in my body Utopia 🎵

I saw this when it was broadcasted the first time, and fell in love with him forever when he sat down on the stage and sang Never Never Land. I had to wait til 1980 to see him in person, at the Greek in Berkeley.

Great footage! amazing! Todd is a true wizard, and an a brilliant musician, thanks for posting this rare show!

Saw Todd in Youngstown Ohio August 1, 1978 with his band Utopia. I was 18 and had graduated high school in June. What a great time to be 18 years old. Van Halen and the Cars were born around this time. A lot of good music during the 1970s. Glad I was there.

Fucking brilliant! When i saw him, once was in Central Park where he did piano songs, then jammed out with John mclaughlin. With a huge firewok display. Twice was in a big venue doing the Utopia stuff. The drummer had 3 rows of drums and used all of them. The synth players all had their own place on stage and it was madness. During the theme song jam, Todd had a hand held synth, and was battling against the other synths like a war. It was fucking incredible. Probably the most intelligent show I ever saw.

I also watched this show on TV. It made me very interested in Todd. Then I saw Utopia live in 1976. Kasims very first show. And that was it. 50+ shows later and friendships with Todd, Kas, Willie.

More then amazing singer/songwriter/composer/bandleader/guitarist/ etc. So glad, to hear and see(!) the Utopia songs at last. Music ahead of it’s time… I realize when I look and hear back (like Hot Rats). But…he made also those wonderful love songs and heavy metal songs and… YT tells me there is this show Live at the Chigago Theater, Utopia’s reunion, nine months ago

Thank you so much for this. This is the Todd I fell in love with in 1972.

Boy it’s so hard to find footage of them playing Utopia Theme and Ikon, this is fantastic!

Totally blown away. Amazing musicianship!!!

I had only known of Hello Its Me and I Saw the Light. When I saw this I knew that I needed to buy that first Utopia album. I put it on order at the local record store. Wore out the grooves and still love it till this day.

“A Wizard, A True Star”

A+ thanks for delivering this great piece of TR's Utopia history!

Ah, we were all so young, and full of fire then... thank you for posting this!

he had a vision and went with it a true master of the art . . . . ....

In 1973 we only had 2 music programmes on TV in the UK and they were not like this! Todd and a streamlined version of Utopia appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1974 but there was no live audience. What I would have given to see this in 1973 when I had just discovered Todd. Thank you for sharing.

What a gem this is. Damn right Historic Film. Thank you Todd Rundgren.

Finally!!! I so remember this and have been very sad at only grainy videos shared. Wish they’d release this and SO many classic shows from this and Midnight Special while we can still enjoy them. Don’t know how you did it, but THANK YOU! ☮️🎶🙏💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

It's refreshing to see a concert where no one is holding up a phone .... lol.

The first I ever saw Todd. I was struck. I was stuck. Thanks forever for uploading this.

GREAT performance of a GREAT song from one of my all-time favorite albums! RIP Moogie Klingman!

This is FANTASTIC! No fear what-so-ever!

73! Year of Pin-Ups, Images, Alladin Sane, AND Billion Dollar Babies. The Runt was the soul of it all.

Afyter all these years. No slow motion shots of audience members. Thank the lord

Effin, blow me away performance! First time I saw Todd in concert was around this same time.Fan for life!

I wish I were there🎵

Todd at his best!! He was one of the two artists who kept me sane during my angsty teenage years in the 70s. Got to see him in concert several times during the 70s and 80s.

I don't know what the truth of it is but I was told these Don kirschner rock concerts weren't preserved and that's why they haven't been readily available. I'm so glad to see that this particular episode or at least this part of it is still around. I don't think I ever missed Don kirshner's back in the day. More than once I would cut a date short in order to be home by 11:30 when it aired

The annoying "Historic" title mark is at least appropriate. Seems so ahead of it's time, the subdued crowd I'm sure wasn't ready for Utopia Is Here. How this even got on TV was a miracle. To see the original band in cleaned up video is a real treat, Thanks!

I have waited for years to see the whole version of this.😂 thank you!

I saw Utopia in 1975 at the IU Auditorium (3100 seats) in Bloomington. The acoustics in that place are absolute perfection. What a performance. Everyone used to talk about Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson, but Moogy KIingman played circles around those guys.

Todd is one of the coolest people on the planet. Here's a true story: I was at one of Todd's shows and was fortunate to find myself super close to the stage. He was making a couple of jokes and everyone was laughing, except me. For whatever reason, I wasn't finding anything funny. Todd looked down from the stage and made eye contact. He kept eye contact with me, joke after joke and I wasn't laughing. I wasn't angry or anything, it just wasn't funny to me. He was getting more and more obscure with the humor until he finally said something that broke through and I laughed really f'n hard. He smiled and continued with the set. I'm nothing special, just some guy in the audience and yet, he made it a point to have everyone there to continue to be part of the whole vibe.

Yep remember it all….seems like yesterday ❤️❤️

My fond memories of Rundgren's music go back to the late sixites, when our sister left for college the oldest brother took charge of her albums and stuff and that was the first time hearing the first LP by Nazz, he wouldn't let any of us young kids in his room but I would sit outside his window on the patio to listen to a lot of great sounds that you did not hear on the AM radio. Open My Eyes, Back of Your Mind - mindblowing to a fifth grader.

A Wizard, A True Dork...

I have not thought about this album and pulled it out of vault and away we go. A bit of prog from Todd is a uniter of society and music just might save the planet yet. Prog is grace grace is prog

Something anything a classic album 1972 Todd rundgren 👍🥁🥁 bearsville records

Graham Central Station stole the show that night. Insane energy and performance...

@14:46 (KZfaq time) that synthesizer sequencing brought tears. This is my all time number 1 favorite song for me. If I’m in a comma someday play this in my ear. (Number 2 is Heart of the Sunrise by Yes)

The green hair rocked!

Great to see this is good quality!

This was it for me.

Wow!! Thank you for posting this. Love it- Awesome!

Amazing!

HOOAH !!!!!!!!!!

'We've all got armadillos in our trousers'. David Saint Nibbins.

The original Utopia lineup

Thanks so much, love this

Interesting singing to a backing track and no live band, not saying it’s bad, just different - the the band comes in. I think I actually seen this show when it was on TV back in 73

Amazing footage and recording of some great tracks👍

I want to go back!

Nice to see the original lineup. Very hard to find.

one of the best star seeds trying to get a message thru tod infinity chapter 8

Remember watching this on ABC, GrR and band rocked, green hair and all!

I saw this show and I saw Todd Rundgren at a club that didn't hold 100 people. Saw Wishbone Ash 3 times. Once with Trapeze.

bowie, rundgren, kraftwerk ,roxy music.

the music will guide you there feel it see it through potential break through with guidance and understanding of what is awareness of consciousness tod infinity chapter 8

Love this! Sooo much better than the grainy, nearly black and white, horrible sounding version!

With 3 keyboards THIS WAS THEE BEST ITERATION OF UTOPIA Music was diverse - complex and dense and challenging I just wish that this Complete band would have made more than just that first album …… because it was all killer & no filler It was Todd Rundgren’s version of Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention

❤ HS Class of 1975

Historic!

Thx this was the show I saw in Tampa? The hello people were with him

To all the guitarists on KZfaq showing us Kid Charlamane solos, do this one. The film editors decided to show the crowd. 😮

That's Clapton's Cream era SG!

I’ve always said, Rundgren and Zappa were theeee greatest pop/rock musicians prior to Eddie Van Halen.

back in the day i knew him for a keyboard player this is some crazy cool music

Much better quality than the crappy bootleg I have!

Saw this concert in the 1974 in Detroit, Pine Knob. He recorded part of it. Noticed he's playing Eric Clapton's guitar in the video.

just trying to find my way back home tod infinity

This was his best run in my opinion... Something/Anything, Wizard, Utopia big band, Todd LP. That's not to denigrate any of his catalog before or after.

He's always put on a great show.

This was too cool for television.

Thank you💙

Wow- no click track or auto tune. How did they even play??? He’s throwing some Bowie and Zappa influences out here.

I'm sorry but the 70s were the best still had a little hippie vibe but 70 and still don't know what the fuck 🌞😎

25:00 Here Todd Rundgren is being more Steely Dan than Steely Dan itself.

12:00 Here Todd Rundgren is being more Frank Zappa than Zappa himself.

He looks naked. A wizard a true 🌟 star⭐️🌟

Todd looks “happy to see us” if you catch my drift

Back when bands had a Sound and a Point

Soundtrack then AND now.

My Philly homeboy at his peak. He could do anything from Philly soul to rock to Utopia prog. Upper Darby high school like Tina Fey.

Todd Rundgren the fairy prince 🤴

Just clicked to Heavy Metal Kids and surprised it's a backing track he's singing to. Others too.

I am certain this is ABC's IN CONCERT that aired at 12:30 am on Friday nights...not Don Kirschners Rock Concert. I saw both of the original airings in 1974.

What is this? I remember seeing this on TV. I was bummed to see Todd looking like that! Forgot that he was singing to a tape.Things got better when the band came on .Synths have come a long since then.

I never could get in to his music except for maybe one song!

i watched this broadcast.

And yet they arrested Mr MOJO risen??

Todd Rundgren is more David Bowie than Bowie himself!