Hi, Everybody! Greetings from the Road!
Joe Cocker and his band flew into Nice, France, on April 2nd to begin rehearsals for "Fire It Up" European Tour 2013.
April 6th was the first of thirty six shows on this first leg that goes through June 6th. After the first show in Nice, we played Brussels and Luxembourg, then sixteen shows in Germany in about three weeks.
In addition, we had the excitement of recording and filming the show in Cologne, two weeks into the German run for a live album and DVD to be released later this year.
Cologne...
It's been a whirlwind start, with eight new songs in the set, old songs to make new, some new gear, new programming, a couple new band members, and a large crew running full stage, sound, lights, catering and management. Six trucks, four buses and away we go!...
Joe is in top form and high spirits. The way he's been singing from the start, he came ready to rock. Whether it be a passionate power or an intimate sweetness, he's always singing from the heart.
To play with him is a blast. For the band, he draws renewed energy out of us each and every night.
Off stage right, gear for video screens...
Load out...
Joe's new album, a November 2012 release in Europe, is already a success. The audiences have been spectacular, with sold out arenas throughout Germany. People have obviously been listening to the new album—I see people in the audience singing along. The tour is rockin&rollin to be a another success for Joe.
Stuttgart's Schleyerhalle soundcheck
Stuttgart's Schleyerhalle just before taking the stage...
Moments before we begin the show...
The band at Soundcheck
With this band and this music, there are no backing tracks, nothing prerecorded, it's all live. (More on that in future updates.) Everything is played and sung in real time. (One exception, some triggered background vocals on one of the new songs.) The songs from the new album had to be broken down and arranged for live performance. Everyone was well prepared and the songs came together quickly. Yet, the music is still evolving as the band continues to make the songs their own.
Herman Jackson and Laura Jane Jones are the new members. They bring serious skills to the fun. (Laura is fourth from right in the photo above, Herman, second from right, Gene Black far right, Oneida James-Rebeccu far left, Jack Bruno on drums in the middle and me there in back with the desk job. Norbert, the sax player took the photo!)
Rock&Roll has its quiet moments too.
Stay tuned for more updates now that we are in the groove. There'll be stories of the different departments that make this whole thing tick and news from the road as it develops. We go into June with this leg, then mid-July into September with the festival run.
Before I left Los Angeles at the end of March, a friend filmed a piano piece I wrote, "Remembering Song" from the album "All The Lost Angels", released last year. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/embed/P0AW9OFop9g (We'll improve the sound in future videos.)
Look for the album on my website, www.milomon.com, as well as iTunes and CDBaby. If you run into me, I'll give you one, but if you dig the music, support our production team at Milomon Studios and CaveWithAView Music by making a purchase and passing it on to your friends. Please help us grow. Thanks!
Feel free to reply with any feedback and comments you may have. Always appreciate your response. Please reply without the original attachments, if possible. Thanks.
I know we are inundated with information these days. If you'd rather not receive these emails, please reply to that effect and you'll be taken off the list pronto.
Wish you all health, happiness and inspiration.
Keep rockin'...
Nick
Nick Milo
(Photos by Norbert Fimpel, Rego Meijer, Angelique Staal and myself)
No comments:
Post a Comment