Member Review: Mumford and Sons

BPD member Dragonsbreath checks in:

I couldn't believe how laid back and relaxed these guys were. They (and me) just sat around backstage before the show, had a few brews and talked music. Then about 15 minutes before they were to go ut, they just got up, said "See ya later" and went about doing whatever prep needed doing.

As far as the show was concerned, having wrung every last conceivable drop of touring behind their 2009 debut Sigh No More, M&S sprinkled a few new songs from a planned 2012 studio album into their almost two-hour show that opened with huge cheers before a note of the show-starting Feel The Tide Turning was played before the pleasing Roll Away Your Stone.

The huge sing-along/lovefest continued with a lovely little Celtic lullaby Winter Winds as Ben Lovett and “Country” Winston Marshall played accordion and banjo, respectively. And Mumford soaked up the loud harmonies during the end of White Blank Page, taking out his ear monitors to hear the love.

Given the response to each of the numbers, it might have been difficult for the Mumford and Sons to stay grounded yet they did on the slow-building toe-tapper Below My Feet. Here all four could be seen stomping the stage with lead singer Marcus Mumford (who vocally resembles Dave Matthews) using a kick drum to keep things flowing.

Next, the warm, folksy Nothing Is Written soared with some on the floor arm in arm dancing in circles. And with patio lights dangling from the rafters to illuminate those on the floor for the rousing, uplifting Arcade Fire-ish Little Lion Man, the group was more than capable of pulling off a mammoth kitchen party.

After a short but sweet Dance Dance Dance, the group delved into Awake My Soul as the Canadian maple leaf on Marshall's dobro got much applause and the closing moment stirred the crowd yet again. Even a slight miscue mid-song which had the band chuckling couldn't break the momentum.

Perhaps the only number which didn't quite come off as expected was Broken Crown, a somewhat darker, moodier tune the audience never settled into. What they did cozy up to instantly was a jazz-tinged, swinging Dust Bowl Dance which concluded the 90-minute set.

Thanks BPD, this was a great night.

Glad you enjoyed it. If you've been sitting on the fence about becoming a member, now's a great time with 2012 right around the corner. A one year subscription is only $49. Sign up today.

Setlist: Anthrax

Our thanks to BPD member ThrasherTrasher for the following:

Earth on Hell
Fight 'Em Till You Can't
Caught in a Mosh
Madhouse
Antisocial
(Trust cover)
I'm Alive
The Devil You Know
Indians
In the End
Only

Encore:

Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.)
Metal Thrashing Mad
Refuse/Resist(Intro)
(Sepultura cover)
I Am The Law

Here Come the 2012 Tours: First Up, Brad Paisley

After recently wrapping his highly successful 2011 tour Brad Paisley has announced his tour for next year – “The Camobunga! 2012 World Tour”. The tour kicks-off Jan. 12 in Grand Rapids, MI with special guests The Band Perry and Scotty McCreery.

Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year and Grand Ole Opry member Brad Paisley is a consummate singer, songwriter, guitarist and entertainer, which has earned him three GRAMMYs, 14 Country Music Association Awards and 14 Academy of Country Music Awards. He has placed 20 singles at the top of the charts, the latest a duet with Carrie Underwood, “Remind Me.” Paisley’s current album,This Is Country Music, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart and is Paisley’s sixth consecutive studio album to debut as the nation’s country best-seller.

Here are the complete dates and venues:

Thu 01/12/12 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena

Fri 01/13/12 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center

Sat 01/14/12 Saint Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center

Thu 01/19/12 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center

Fri 01/20/12 Wichita, KS Intrust Bank Arena

Sat 01/21/12 Denver, CO Pepsi Center

Thu 01/26/12 Nampa, ID Idaho Center

Fri 01/27/12 Salt Lake City, UT Maverik Center

Sat 01/28/12 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Events Center

Thu 02/09/12 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena

Fri 02/10/12 Eugene, OR Matthew Knight Arena

Sat 02/11/12 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome

Thu 02/16/12 Lubbock, TX United Spirit Arena

Fri 02/17/12 Las Cruces, NM Pan American Center

Thu 02/23/12 Madison, WI Alliant Energy Center Mem. Coliseum

Fri 02/24/12 Moline, IL I Wireless Center

Sat 02/25/12 Springfield, MO JQH Arena

Thu 03/01/12 Baltimore, MD 1st Mariner Arena

Fri 03/02/12 Knoxville, TN Thompson-Boling Arena

Passes for Brad's shows are always in high demand, so if you wanna get backstage, make your requests today.

Setlist: Neil Young

BPD member Swampdogg sends in this recent setlist report:

Don't Cry No Tears
I've Been Waiting For You
Love And Only Love
Piece of Crap
Goin' Home
When I Hold You in My Arms
Quit (Don't Say You Love Me)
From Hank To Hendrix
Don't Let It Bring You Down
Pocahontas
After The Gold Rush
Standing In The Light Of Love
Gateway of Love
Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)
Sedan Delivery
Like a Hurricane

Encore:

Rockin' in the Free World
Powderfinger

Member Review: Kings of Leon

BPD subscriber xxxbaker writes:

The big question on everyone’s minds was how would lead singer-guitarist Caleb Followill look and sound?

The answer is that the rest appears to have at least done Caleb’s voice some good even if he looked a little shaggy with facial hair and appeared, along with the rest of the group, pretty tentative for most of the night.

The southern-fried garage rockers kicked off their hour-and-40-minute performance with Radioactive from their 2010 album Come Around Sundown but it was as if a lot of the joy had left the group.

They seemed to keep their energy contained within themselves instead of sharing it with each other or the audience.

The first flub of the night came about six songs in when they started, then stopped, then restarted the normally anthemic Fans for reasons that weren’t clear.

The crowd was forgiving, however, gamely singing along on the next new song, Back Down South, as the two video screens on either side of the stripped down stage showed waving fields of wheat and back roads, before joining in on the old favourite Milk which was followed by another slow-tempoed number Arizona.

Slowly, the band started to find their footing with Slow Night, So Long, Molly’s Chambers and Closer as the large three-paneled video screens behind them finally came to life but they never really set the place on fire until the top of the first hour with On Call and Knocked Up, which both prompted crowd clap and singalongs.

Then it was time for the mother of them all - Sex On Fire - which closed the set before a five minute break leading into the lively encore of The Bucket, the anthemic Use Somebody and Black Thumbnail which ended the evening punctuated by fireworks and firebursts.

I would say that the show was C+. Maybe they need more time off, I don't know. They were cordial backstage to me but it felt that fans were more of a bother than anything else to them right now.

A Tour Unlike Any Other, Ever

Kid Rock has announced a tour unlike anything ever done before. He's assembled a team of Detroit titans to show support for other cities in need, and to show that Detroit, while experiencing it's own difficulties still has the power to unite to help others around the country. Kid Rock, in association with this powerhouse group of local Detroit business people, will donate money to local charities, causes and individuals via the Kid Rock Foundation, all along every stop of his underplay club tour. Radio station partners in each tour market will help determine those individuals and organizations in need.

Kid Rock came up with the idea for this tour to coincide with the launch of his new single "Care," from his critically acclaimed platinum-selling 2010 album "Born Free." Says Kid Rock, "The song says 'the least that I can do is Care' - and I want to put my money where my mouth is. Everyone knows that Detroit is hurting. But I want to show that even though we don't have a lot on our own plate, it doesn't mean the people of my hometown don't have compassion to share with others all over the country. At the end of the day we're all Detroit, we're one country, one family".

Kid Rock will be backed by the Twisted Brown Trucker Band, his constant companions for many years on the road.

11/10 Center Stage - Atlanta, GA
11/12 The Amphitheater at the Wharf - Orange Beach, AL (rescheduled show) *
11/13 Citrus Bowl - Orlando, FL (Orlando Calling Festival) *
11/16 Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD
11/19 Beacon Theatre - New York, NY
11/20 Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY
11/22 Egyptian Room - Indianapolis, IN
11/23 Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
11/26 House of Blues - Chicago - Chicago, IL
11/29 Midland Theatre - Kansas City, MO
12/01 Fillmore Auditorium - Denver, CO
12/03 The Great Saltair - Magna, UT
12/04 Knitting Factory - Boise, ID
12/06 Knitting Factory - Spokane, WA
12/09 Fantasy Springs Special Events Center - Indio, CA *

* - not part of club tour

Small venues always equals limited passes. Make your requests early.

Member Review: Tedeschi Trucks Band

BPD member Gonzo Sal writes:

The husband and wife team called the Tedeschi Trucks Band has created an 11 piece band including a 3-piece horn section, dual drummers and a revolving organ. Guitar virtuoso Derek Trucks' effortless slide cries complemented Susan Tedeschi's fiery vocals creating a wonderful fusion of sounds pulling from all genres of music. They kept a constant flow of uplifting songs about love and joy that kept the crowd dancing throughout the performance.

The group started the show with a song off of the new album called "Bound for Glory" an uplifting organ driven jam tune owned by Tedeschi's soulful howl. This was a song with a purpose and every band member seemed to know it. Truck's slide was wicked yet controlled which is a signature of his eclectic guitar work. Every note on every solo he played found an absolute home as none of the solos were overplayed.

Tedeschi's vocal power also flourished in the song "Until You Remember" A song of humanity and burning love turned cold. The vocals created a passionate strength that had you easily relating to the emotions. Those feelings were later channeled through Truck's beautiful yet melancholy slide solo.

One of the highlights of the night was the performance of "Midnight in Harlem" a moody introspective ballad written by vocalist Mike Mattison. The seductive slide work on this song resembled the warm sound of an electrified sitar which gave it an eastern Indian feel yet it had urban R&B vocals. This was a gem of a tune that showcased the bands ability of seamless musical communication on an acute level.

Another standout moment of the night was when the band dusted off a Sly and the Family Stone song "I Want To Take You Higher" while Tedeschi traded guitar licks with her husband. The double drummers even shared extended solos between sets. It was very clear to me that The Tedeschi Trucks Band was comprised of All-Star musicians.

The truth about the Tedeschi Trucks performance was that it had a jam band feel yet the lyrical content within the songs was equally important. The majority of the music was written by members within the band which only made the music more enjoyable. I got the feeling that each song was a story being told that those musicians actually experienced.

Backstage, Derek and Susan chatted with me in a very relaxed atmosphere for about ten minutes before going onstage. I stayed in the back and watched the show from there. It was a first for me and was an awesome experience.

Thanks, BPD!

You're most welcome, Gonzo Sal; glad you had a great time.

That's the way we do it, providing awesome backstage experiences for our subscribers. Want in? Sign up now.

Adele scraps US Tour

Adele has been forced to cancel her upcoming 10 city sold-out tour of the U.S. due to a hemorrhage into her vocal chord. Vocal chord issues forced the British singer to postpone dates earlier this year as well. Adele has just wrapped up touring around the UK and was preparing to kick off her US tour on October 7 in Atlantic City, NJ when her illness reappeared. She has been advised by doctors that she’ll need an extended rest period in order to begin to recuperate properly.

She writes:

Guys, im heartbroken and worried to tell you that yet again im experiencing problems with my voice. its ridiculous i know! i cant believe it myself. i follow all the advice im given and stick to regimes, rules and practices to the best of my ability but it seems to simply not be enough. i want you to know the full story about my voice troubles so bare with me in this long blog. i first started having trouble with my voice back in january, it was weakened by a bout of flu from december and never got its complete strength back before i started my UK and European promotional tour, so it just got weaker and weaker until it eventually “broke” as i say. i didnt realise at the time, cause id never had anything wrong with my voice, ever. but id also never sung as much as i was at the time it went. i was diagnosed with laryngitis and ordered to rest intensely for 10 days, and i recovered and went on to do a show in london and a month long promo tour in the U.S and also the brit awards without any hiccups. the whole time i stuck to a strict regime of numerous diets, steaming, vocal rest and vocal warm ups. which is very necessary but insanely grim. After a bit of time off I embarked on my european and UK tours at the end of march and finished at the end of april and everything seemed fine.

in may i went on tour in the U.S, i was in minneapolis which was about half way through the tour. i made a skype call in the morning on the day of the show and during it my voice suddenly switched off like a light! it was literally as if someone pulled a curtain over my throat. i knew something was wrong and panicked but convinced myself id be fine. i got to soundcheck and knew immediately i couldnt perform and with doctors advice cancelled the show. i was mortified and distraught but stubbornly insisted we go to denver for the following day, i did the show even though in the back of mind i knew it wasnt the right thing to do. and during it i felt, what i can only describe as something ripping in my throat. but adrenalin kicked in and i was too embarrassed to not finish the show. I was sent to LA to rest and get another opinion. this time i was diagnosed with a hemorrhage. which is like a black eye on the vocal chord, it was incredibly tender and dangerous if i was to continue to sing through it. i was ordered to rest, so i flew home and did for a month. then slowly i started fulfilling my commitments. i did a show in london at the itunes festival and then went on to complete the first leg of the rescheduled US shows and perform at the VMAS which were all a blinding success.

however when i got home and prepared to start my UK tour in september i developed a respiratory and chest infection which had nothing to do with any of my voice problems from before but still forced me to cancel 6 shows and a performance at the mercury awards. i was stuffed full of antibiotics, had some time to rest and in the end managed to do 9 shows of the 15. After them and once back home my voice yet again went. mid conversation and it just switched off! i have a hemorrhage again and it is paramount that i rest and therefore wont be able to come and do these already rescheduled U.S shows which are due to start this friday in atlantic city.

the fact is i have never been able to fully recover from any of the problems that ive had and then continue to rest even once im recovered, because of my touring commitments. ive been offered the chance to not tour at all to save anything like this from happening again, but i simply hate letting you down. although now im having to let you down once again through no fault of my own really. if i continue to pick up everything before i have properly conquered these problems and nipped them in the bud. i will be totally and utterly fucked. singing is literally my life, its my hobbie, my love, my freedom and now my job. I have absolutely no choice but to recuperate properly and fully, or i risk damaging my voice forever. i have great confidence in believing you know how much this upsets me, how seriously i take it and how truly devastated and annoyed i am by this. wanting to do something so bad and not being able to is the most frustrating thing as im sure you know! my voice is weak and i need to build it back up. I’m gonna be starting up vocal rehab as soon as, and start building my over all stamina in my voice, body and mind. i will be back and im gonna smash the ball out the park once im touring again. i apologise from the bottom of my heart, sincerely i do. i know its not only disappointing because of the show, but its plane tickets, hotel bookings, birthdays, anniversaries and time wasted. but please have faith in me that this is the only thing i can do to make sure i can always sing and always make music for you to the best of my ability. truly yours and yours only forever, adele xx

Refunds to all members for backstage passes purchased will be processed this week.