It was bound to happen: Steely Dan plays Vegas

photoshop: steelydan.com

2017 is the year Steely Dan lands in Las Vegas for nine dates in April. Presale starts tomorrow January 17 for American Express card holders, while the rabble can grab their tickets January 20.

Here's the press release:

LAS VEGAS (Jan. 16, 2017) – STEELY DAN's yearly residencies in New York City are now the stuff of legend — and the west coast faithful always had to cross a continent to join in on the multi-night fun.

That's about to change: In 2017, Steely Dan founders Donald Fagen and Walter Becker will play a nine-night Steely Dan residency at the Opaline Theatre at The Venetian ® in Las Vegas, Nevada between April 12 - April 29 (dates below ).

Donald and Walter are again supported by "the best touring band on the stage today": Jon Herington (guitar), Keith Carlock (drums), Freddie Washington (bass), Jim Beard (keyboards), Roger Rosenberg, Walt Weiskopf, Michael Leonhart , Jim Pugh (horns) and Carolyn Leonhart, Cindy Mizelle, and La Tanya Hall (backing vocals). Critics and fans now rightly evoke the legendary Big Bands of a previous era as the only apt comparison for the virtuosity, versatility, and vise-like cohesion of this Steely Dan musical collective.

These master musicians will treat audiences each night to a diverse set of classics, drawn from Steely Dan's extraordinary catalog of infections tunes, bodacious harmonies, irresistible grooves, and, of course, those sleek, subversive lyrics — all decked out in perfect Sin City style: sparkling solo work and blazing musicality sewn up into ensemble arrangements of skintight fit.

American Express® card members can purchase advance tickets beginning Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. PT through Jan. 19 at 10 p.m. PT.  Tickets will go on sale to the public on Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased through ticketmaster.com, The Venetian Box Office, and charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000.  Tickets are subject to applicable service charges, and event time and date are subject to change.

Visit steelydan.com and Steely Dan on Facebook for tour news and updates as they develop.

Will it be heavy on hits? Here's how The Venetian (venetian.com) describes the upcoming shows:

Steely Dan’s nine-night exclusive Las Vegas residency, titled “Reelin’ in the Chips,” will entertain audiences with a “greatest hits” set of diverse selections from the band’s extraordinary catalog. Steely Dan has sold more than 40 million albums and helped define the soundtrack of the '70s with hits such as “Reelin’ in the Years,” “Rikki Don't Lose That Number,” “F.M.,” “Peg,” “Hey Nineteen,” “Deacon Blues,” and “Babylon Sisters.”

UPDATE January 18:

The tickets cost between 60 and 210 dollars. You decide if that's an acceptable price.
Or why not pop on over to sites like stubhub.com who states that "our mission is simple: help fans find fun" where you - as of writing - can pay $101 and up for the very same tickets. :)

Legal Ticket Scalpers.

We'd rather stick with the true and tested "creative" additional costs/fees of the official ticket vendors...

(See you in the beer line. Or maybe not.)