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Congrats!
Congratulations, mmm,
I bet your kids will turn out super smart with all the early exposure to Bruuuce!
Vic
Hey Si,
The site is phenomenal. I guess I’ve been visiting regularly pretty much since you started, and I began actively participating about a year and a half ago.
I wouldn’t change a thing. But since you’re looking for constructive criticism, I guess I’d hit the “More Frequent Updates” button. Specifically, I’d love to see you go back and update some sections of the site that don’t see a lot of traffic.
Similarly to the way you updated the Pen Pics, there are a few places such as Lyrics, Lyric Interpretation and Meet the Band that seem to have stopped about the time of Big Swing Face. It would be good to see BSF, Halcyon Days and Intersections equally represented in those places. That’s really all I can think of! Keep up the great work!
And what the heck’s a ‘kudo’?
Vic
If you think they’ve heard these Bruce standards plenty of times before … you’ve never heard them quite like this!
I honestly didn’t think Bluegrass would be an ideal vehicle for songs like “The Way It Is” or “The End of the Innocence,” but they’ve done something really special with them. Obviously “Mandolin Rain” and “Valley Road” are custom-fit for a Bluegrass environment, but even those songs have been improved upon.
The new material and classic Bluegrass numbers are also great stuff! “Across the Rocky Mountains” and “Come on Out” really grow on you… I can’t wait to hear the whole record!
Vic
My seat was on the opposite side of the floor, also four rows back, GreenFlag.
I had good line-of-sight from Ricky to Bruce and straight back to Sonny. What a great bunch of musicians! I think this record has the potential to really take off and hit the collective consciousness like the “Oh Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack a few years ago. Anybody agree/disagree?
I hope Ricky and Bruce are able to align their schedules to promote the record adequately. After the CMT appearance, Bruce said it would be difficult for them to do very many shows together because of their conflicting schedules.
Does anyone know how the New York show at B.B. King’s went?
Ricky Skaggs and Bruce filmed their episode of CMT’s Crossroads last night at The Factory in Franklin, Tenn., and thanks to a kind benefactor, I had a seat for the show inside a converted iron stove foundry. A CMT person said the crowd was the largest-ever for a taping (700-800?), and the musicianship combo was the best they’d had.
I don’t have a full set list, but the evening went something like this: The Dreaded Spoon, Come On Out With Your Hands Up, The Way It Is, Across the Rocky Mountains (Roscoe Holcomb), Mandolin Rain, End of the Innocence, The Valley Road, Sheep Shell Corn, Super Freak. Skaggs’ “Stubb” and “Little Sadie” might have been in there, too; I think I’m missing one or two.
“Come On Out With Your Hands Up (And Reach for the Sky)” is a “very deep, somewhat spiritual-type song that we could get our teeth into,” Ricky said. Gordon Kennedy was guest artist for that number. John Anderson (of “Swingin'” fame) was guest vocalist on “Super Freak,” which, of course, was a real kick as a bluegrass song!
“Sheep Shell Corn (By the Rattling of His Horn)” brought out the “Holy Ghost,” as Ricky said, in several dancers. “Gulf of Mexico Fishing Boat Blues,” “The Hills of Mexico,” “Crown of Jewels,” “Night On The Town,” and “The Road Not Taken” were also recorded for the album, according to the official site.
The band was Ricky’s Kentucky Thunder. Sonny Emory played drums; he was the only Noisemaker there. I thought Ricky’s 21-year-old fiddle player, Andy Leftwich, was impressive and made many contributions, particularly to “The Way It Is” and “End of the Innocence.”
The show is scheduled to air Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. eastern on CMT. The album is due March 20, says a Billboard magazine article.
Lola
I think we have a winner! Very impressive, Lola!
But, Lola, I nearly gave you some competition. I booked a planned flight to Colorado (about 1,400 miles one-way from here) to coordinate with the time Bruce was making his tour through there; I almost made the drive out to Telluride from Colorado Springs to see him, but I didn’t have time.
Add that to my Louisville, Atlanta, Knoxville and Memphis trips, and I would have given you a run for your money!
Touring
Jonathan,
On the official site’s Guestbook, Bruce has said 2007 was a possibility for a return to England. But his latest entry says something to the effect that he’s “trying to stay closer to home in ’07” — which I find somewhat disconcerting, considering he’s got two records coming out (!).
I hope he does find time to promote these albums and to make a return trip to Chattanooga (with Ricky Skaggs — hint, hint). I’d do whatever I could personally to roll out the red carpet for him!
Vic
Choice Merchandise
I’ve made a few purchases there and never had a problem. They’ve got a phone number up:
919-847-4211 (between the hours of 10am and 6pm, Eastern time)
Good luck!
Vic
Collage
Pretty inventive, Allisa! I’m going to have to up my “request game” to make this new page!
Thanks for putting them up, Bryan. I loved the one printed in the Intersections booklet that said something like, “God has sent me to ask you to play ‘King of the Hill.'”
Grammy nom
I was so happy to hear this news. “Song H” is absolutely worthy of a nomination. I’m really enjoying that beautiful song.
And screw all that “it’s an honor just to be nominated” crap. Bruce deserves another little Golden Gramophone for his trophy room.
I’d hate to see his “batting average” take another drop. He’s up against some good competition, though.Well deserved!
Sticks and Stones
Festivarian,
I don’t have the lyrics in front of me, but the song is, of course, from Bruce’s underappreciated (in my opinion) Big Swing Face record. He’s also playing the cool, moody solo version of the song regularly on the current tour, and that version can be found on the box set. I recommend purchasing both!
Where are you from, by the way? I’ve been meaning to get to the Tennessee Strawberry Festival in Dayton for years!
Vic
live solo equipment
Since I’m ignorant about such things, I’m wondering how this setup works, too. In Louisville, the synthesizer wasn’t even set-up properly when Bruce came out. It was sitting on the floor. But Bruce started the show without it until the equipment guys could get it all connected.
Those first couple of songs were great accoustically, as was the entire show. But I did notice the synth “boost” that came later from the Steinway itself or the combination of the Steinway and the synthesizer. I recall a reviewer making passing mention of this effect, also.
Is this solo setup unique to Bruce? I think it works nicely and makes a nice sound.
solo Bruce
Bruce is at the top of his game and playing a good mix of songs. He’s been featuring some jazz, some of the bluegrassy stuff, and some of the neat, fun songs from his upcoming Broadway show tentatively titled “Rich Bastid.”
He’s taking loads of requests. Some of the ballads he’s cranking out are amazing renditions. Be advised he seems to be expecting a level of decorum not seen at some band shows… see the “Fields or Gray… Interrrupted” thread for more on that.
Vic
Disruption
According to the guy who did the taping, “some jackass yelled ‘Not Fade Away,’ and Bruce left the stage.” There were a bunch of shouted requests after Bruce was already commited to “Shenandoah,” and this guy was apparently the final straw.
And I didn’t even know David Day had made the trip to Richmond.
Intersections & Interruptions
I’ll be selling the official David-Day-brand cease-and-desist order and the Miss Virginia Muzzle at the next Bruce event. 😈
Seriously, guys, I hope you know I don’t think you’re the types of characters we were talking about earlier. You’re just plain characters. This was obviously an unintentional happenstance.
And — dare I say it? — it seems Bruce can be a bit thin-skinned about these things at times.
Re: Talking during fields of gray
tenacjed wrote:It was not two auditorium workers talking during the performance. It was two contributors to this site that were out of their seats and standing in front of the stage chatting it up. I was there, I know who they are, and I know their names.Oooohhhhh …. the plot thickens! Anybody want to ‘fess up?
Interruptions
Unfortunately, a few representatives of the Moronic Minority sometimes find their way into a Bruce show, as was apparently the case in Oyster Bay, Biltmo’, and Spottin’Bug.
I suppose some people must become confused by the manner in which Bruce mixes it up between fast and slow songs, but … surely not. No, they’re just morons. You’re right, Si. Carry on.
I love those crescendos and diminuendos in a show. If I were sitting next to one of these jokers, I’d go ahead and punch the guy out, if I didn’t think it would cause even more of a disturbance.
Vic
Not David Day
Dear Mr. Twining:
I know David Day. I have met David Day. He has been something of a Bruuuuce!!! mentor to me.
That, sir, is no David Day.
And I do not believe that your World Wide Web site should participate in such misrepresentations of character.
That is all. 😉
😆
taping
If it’s coming from Bruce, maybe it’s because he’s already giving away the box set and wants to make sure he recoups the cost of the live show later? Maybe he’s planning a solo live CD for later? Maybe he just happened to play a few venues in a row that are sticklers for not taping?
I don’t know, Will. But frankly, from a financial standpoint, I’m surprised he’s allowed such a liberal taping policy for so long anyway.
Vic
Re: Solo requests
si_twining wrote:Never heard either solo, and as a matter of fact I’ve been bugging Bruce to do “Mirror on the Wall” solo.“Mirror” is such a great song — and so underplayed, in my opinion. I think it should have been a single. It shares some similarities with “Place Under the Sun,” don’t you think? Speaking of which, thanks for making the “Darlin’ Cory>Place Under the Sun” from Knoxville a Daily Dose, Si. I loved the way Bruce and the band made that transition… really cool combo!
Allisa, good luck on your “Another Day” request! Love that song too.
Vic
Solo requests
I asked Bruce in Louisville if he could do either “Mirror on the Wall” or “Another Day” solo, and he apparently did “Mirror” a couple days later in Cleveland (if anybody has a recording of that show, please send it to Si to post as a Dose! Si, do you already have a solo “Mirror”? I’d love to hear it if you do.)
I think somebody else on his official site asked Bruce to do “Another Day” solo, so maybe your request would make it definitive, Allisa.
Thanks, Vic
Floating Island Green?!?
Allisa, you really one-upped me with that golf course! I’m just a bogey golfer; I’m not sure I want to have anything to do with a green that you need a ferry to get to!!! I never knew Idaho is so scenic, though.
I also didn’t know Louisville is such a big golf town. In my defense, molomolomolo, those pictures on the Bear Trace web site don’t do the course justice. It’s a great public course. I wish I had the pull to get you on The Honors or The Farm, two of the best courses in the area, but no such luck.
David: knickers??? You and the late, great Payne Stewart, right? I’d love to play with JV. I think he’s about as bad as I am!
