Robert Berry 3.2 US Tour Happening Now

[Sean]

Any Robert Berry fans in the house?

There was a thread here recently discussing his new 3.2 album and now he's touring behind it. Reviews have been great so far. It's a full night of prog classics he was involved with. Directly, like the work he did with Keith Emerson in 3 and 3.2. And indirectly, since Robert is well known for many of his prog covers that popped up on several tribute CDs over the years. His radical reworking of "Roundabout" on Forgotten Yesterdays quickly comes to mind.

He's playing in Atlanta on Oct 27th. It's an early show at the Vista Room (starts around 5pm) with local prog act Great Wide Nothing opening the night. My band Story Of A Life follows, and then Robert and his stellar band- Jimmy Keegan - drums (Spock’s Beard), guitarist Paul Keller (Emerson/Palmer), and keyboardist Andrew Colyer (Circuline, Cell15).

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This one is a no brainer for prog fans. Check out the rest of the tour dates on Robert's page- https://www.facebook.com/Robertberrymusic/





Anyone see this tour yet? What didja think?

[awebert]

Saw him in New Hampshire... fantastic gig...

[Mstove]

Looking forward to the Milwaukee show.

[Sean]

Saw him in New Hampshire... fantastic gig...

Awesome! Tell us more!

[jamesmanzi]

I'd tell you that I was excited for the NYC on the 14th, but it was cancelled. Some clips up on the youtube, band sounds great.

Desde la Vida


Karn Evil 9 and Roundabout

[RMcStine]

Any Robert Berry fans in the house?

He's playing in Atlanta on Oct 27th. It's an early show at the Vista Room (starts around 5pm) with local prog act Great Wide Nothing opening the night. My band Story Of A Life follows, and then Robert and his stellar band- Jimmy Keegan - drums (Spock’s Beard), guitarist Paul Keller (Emerson/Palmer), and keyboardist Andrew Colyer (Circuline, Cell15).

Anyone see this tour yet? What didja think?

Have a great gig, Sean! I opened two for them in New Hampshire, and last night in Pennsylvania. The early YouTube clips don't do them justice. I think you'll enjoy it.

[gojikranz]

Very much enjoyed the show we saw here in Pleasanton. My main complaint would be that he is peppering in the classic prog covers which makes sense both as he recorded them for tribute shows and to draw in the more general fan but I wish some more 3 and 3.2 material could be covered.

[SteveSly]

If this were coming closer to me I would check it out, but no shows anywhere near me.

[moecurlythanu]

Are these dates listed anywhere? The Facebook video won't play for me, probably cos I'm not registered with Facebook.

[Man In The Mountain]

Very much enjoyed the show we saw here in Pleasanton. My main complaint would be that he is peppering in the classic prog covers which makes sense both as he recorded them for tribute shows and to draw in the more general fan but I wish some more 3 and 3.2 material could be covered.

Yes. I was excited about the tour, but find myself on the fence because I just prefer he do a majority of 3 and 3.2 material. Otherwise, they sound like an average cover band. I couldn't care less about the covers.

[PixelDelirium]

3.2 is a really cool/neat album. It's totally cliche and derivative of the other 3 material but it's awesome. Robert Berry is just plain a great musician. I wish he'd do more mainstream prog (there's an oxymoron for you).

[GuitarGeek]

Unfortunately, the show is playing Kent, Ohio, and it's the same night as Deep Purple, which I'm already planning on seeing.

[jupiterspace]

I'll be seeing him in Asheville on the 28th!!

[Nearfest2]

Have a great gig, Sean! I opened two for them in New Hampshire, and last night in Pennsylvania. The early YouTube clips don't do them justice. I think you'll enjoy it.

Damn. If I had known about the Kennett Square show, I would have gone. RB's Facebook page doesn't list the venue and the address is truncated. Oh well.

Even the Sellersville show on Sunday isn't listed correctly.

[RMcStine]

Damn. If I had know about the Kennett Square show, I would have gone. RB's Facebook page doesn't list the venue and the address is truncated. Oh well.

Even the Sellersville show on Sunday isn't listed correctly.

Yikes! That is frustrating.

[jamesmanzi]

Are these dates listed anywhere? The Facebook video won't play for me, probably cos I'm not registered with Facebook.

They're on his facebook page, although I don't know if they're being updated - the Iridium show I had tickets for that was cancelled last week is still listed.

https://www.facebook.com/Robertberry...3966167614127/

[moecurlythanu]

Thanks James! I must confess to being unfamiliar with his music, but curiosity may get we to Kent on Wednesday.

[arturs]

Even the Sellersville show on Sunday isn't listed correctly.

I'm in Bethlehem visiting my parents, and I just saw 3.2 listed on the Sellersville site. Awesome! I'm really looking forward to this and I like Brand X a lot too so it couldn't be a better show IMHO.

As for the poster above being forced to choose between Deep Purple and Berry/3.2, I feel for you but work up the courage and sell your Purple tickets! I think Berry's show will be a one-time thing. Purple has been playing more or less the same set for a decade. They'll be around again.

[jamesmanzi]

Thanks James! I must confess to being unfamiliar with his music, but curiosity may get we to Kent on Wednesday.

I think it'll be a worthwhile show if you decide to go. The 3.2 album is great.

[Sean]

Atlanta! Hope to see you at the show tomorrow! Sunday night at The Vista Room.

Great Wide Nothing at 5PM (they really are SOMETHING!)

Story Of A Life at 6PM (my band, playing our blend of instrumental Yacht Prog and other musical avenues)

Robert and his stellar band hit the stage at 8PM!

[arturs]

We only got 45 minutes of Berry and 3.2 at Sellersville but it was an entertaining 45 minutes. That being said he should ditch Watcher of the Skies and Karn Evil and add more songs from 3.2. He's got a darn good album that could probably benefit from some promotion! I hope you get the full show in ATL.

[Sean]

Just wanted to post a note about the Atlanta show. This is a really cool tour and I think it was a chance for Robert to play a lot of music that he probably thought he'd never get to play on stage again. Also, I think it introduced him to a wider audience. I know a lot of the crowd came to see my band (SOAL) and the opener, Great Wide Nothing, and were not sure who Robert was. They surely knew by the end of the night though. His trek down memory lane meets his resume was a fun ride and a cool cross section of classic prog tracks that most everyone has heard (just not like this) and other goodies.

I think what Robert may be remembered for the most is his ability to take a classic like, say, Roundabout, and totally twist it into something fresh. That happened with most of the covers in his set from bands he wasn’t directly in. Others, like Ambrosia’s Life Beyond LA were pretty much like their recorded versions. That tune has been stuck in my head the past few days.

The band was super tight and energetic. You could tell by this point in the tour they were really dialed in. They all were super cool too with no rock star pretense. Spock’s drummer Jimmy Keegan was a riot and a great singer to boot. You should hear his version of Starship’s “Sara”. No, it wasn’t in the set. LOL All four of them were good singers, btw. Lots of cool harmonies,

We had about 100 in attendance. Not bad for a Sunday night! For my band I think this was our best show yet and it was warmly received. The Vista Room is one of the best and classiest venues in Atlanta, with superb sound. I was really stoked to play it. We even unveiled a new epic from our eventual next album and I think it went over great. We did a smokin’ version of The Who’s “Amazing Journey/Sparks” too. Our only cover for the night. 3 out of 5 of us are in a Who tribute that plays all of Tommy so it was pretty much at the ready and always brings down the house.

Opening the night was my friends in Great Wide Nothing. You need to keep an eye on these young men. They are part of the future of the genre and it was great to take in their set of originals, all delivered with a lot of passion and panache. Imagine Dream Theater meets Marillion. They are more than that, by far, but that should get you in the ballpark. A trio with the same instrumentation as ELP had…

Here’s a few pics and Robert’s groovy setlist-

1.
Life Beyond L.A.
(Ambrosia cover)

2.
No One Else To Blame
(Robert Berry song)

3.
Desde La Vida
(3 cover)

4.
Powerful Man
(from the new 3.2 album)
5.
Last Ride Into The Sun
(Robert Berry song)

6.
Minstrel In The Gallery
(Jethro Tull cover)

7.
Roundabout
(Yes cover)

8.
Can't Let Go
(Robert Berry song)

9.
Somebody’s Watching

10.
Talkin' 'Bout
(3 cover)

11.
Deck The Halls – Done in the style of Tom Sawyer from Rush
(The December People cover)

12.
Watcher Of The Skies
(Genesis cover)

Encore:
13.
Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression
(Emerson, Lake & Palmer cover)


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[Sean]

And here's a couple my band Story of a Life and openers Great Wide Nothing. Scroll up ^^ for my review of Berry's set and some pics.

Gotta say, they set all three bands up in layers and peeled them away as the sets unfolded. There were three big prog keys rigs on stage for a bit there. It looked like an ad for KRONOS!

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