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TORONTO -- At 64-years-old, celebrated songwriter and film composer Randy Newman has been in the game for a while. And he doesn't need a reminder, thank you very much, because he's quite aware of it.
On Saturday night, he dropped numerous references to aging during his two-hour performance at Convocation Hall, on the University of Toronto's St. George campus.
"It's good to be here ... I don't remember where I am," he joked to the crowd, which was mostly filled with baby boomers.
After nearly five decades of writing music -- including his compositions for films like Toy Story and Meet the Parents -- Newman recently released Harps and Angels, a ten-song disc filled with original songs about America and, of course, aging.
He brought many of his new tunes -- including the hilariously political A Few Words in Defense of Our Country -- to Con Hall, where he seemed very much at home. It was only his second Toronto performance in over two decades -- he played the venue previously in 2006 -- and he appeared very self-aware.
His "old man" shtick received many laughs, as he forgot piano chords and inserted awkward pauses during between-song banter. Before launching into I'm Dead (But I Don't Know it), he acknowledged that musicians don't always get better with age.
"Nobody's retiring from rock 'n' roll," he said, commenting on the amount of '60s-era bands that are still on the road. "Stages across the world are clogged with grey-haired people."
He then encouraged audience members to sing along with the song's refrain, and their eagerness -- especially at the line, "he's dead, he's dead!" -- took the performer aback.
"Jesus, you don't have to be that enthusiastic," he said with a smile. "You gave me a chill."
At one point, the stage lights silhouetted Newman and emphasized his frail figure. He hunched over the piano and began playing the chords for I Love L.A., looking much different than his appearance in the 1983 music video, where he cruised through California with his arm around a redhead.
During the set, his voice wandered out of tune at times, and during A Piece of the Pie, his voice cracked so much that it felt painful. Still, you got the impression that it was all part of the joke.
Indeed, it's remarkable how a show with only one man and a piano can be so versatile. Newman shot at the audience from all angles, simultaneously delivering punch lines, providing political commentary and stirring strong emotions. For example, his performance of I Miss You started with a joke, but finished with feeling.
"This is a love song that I wrote for my first wife...while married to my second," he said. Audience members snickered and then quieted down as the performer worked his way through the sad tune, soaking everything with stillness and letting the melody float through the century-old building.
Unfortunately, Newman lost some momentum after the intermission, suffering a multiple-song lull before kick-starting things again with Rednecks and Louisiana 1927. He eventually closed the show with I Think It's Going to Rain Today, and thanked the crowd for their standing ovation.
He's aged a bit, but the old guy can still give the people what they want.
Sun Rating: 3.5 out of 5