Big Big train North america

[3LockBox]

A lot of PE members lament the public's poor tastes in music or the lack of desire for new music but how is anyone outside prog circles supposed to have ever heard of a band like BBT in America? England maybe. Besides, the band's niche is a style of music that never really caught on here. Comparing BBT to Genesis' more pastoral mid-70s period will draw blank stares among most people.

I'd love it if BBT could successfully tour the US but even an act like Steven Wilson/Porcupine Three, who has been around since the late '90s, doesn't fill large venues and rarely plays the outer reaches of the US unless it's on a freaking Tuesday.

[boilk]

We should be happy that any band that we like, plays any day of the week. Touring is hard and getting harder, for a variety of reasons.

neil

[LASERCD]

All things considered I think the US BBT tour is doing very well.

Consider this is a band that is fiercely independent. They could have easily been signed by a number of labels but passed. They treat the US as a secondary (maybe even tertiary) market. No promotion of the band's releases here and their distribution network here consists of three dealers (me, Steve, and Greg) plus CD Baby which is getting out of the retail market.

Until recent years the band rarely, if ever, played live.

Yet despite all of the above, BBT sells a shockingly large amount of physical units here.

[aith01]

All things considered I think the US BBT tour is doing very well.

Consider this is a band that is fiercely independent. They could have easily been signed by a number of labels but passed. They treat the US as a secondary (maybe even tertiary) market. No promotion of the band's releases here and their distribution network here consists of three dealers (me, Steve, and Greg) plus CD Baby which is getting out of the retail market.

Until recent years the band rarely, if ever, played live.

Yet despite all of the above, BBT sells a shockingly large amount of physical units here.

Very interesting, I didn't know any of that. Thanks for the insights.

[moecurlythanu]

Fort Wayne? Is there anywhere besides Facebook where the full tour is listed?

[rickawakeman]

Their website has all the dates.
Please also see the thread on the Montréal show (sigh)

[carlmarx38]

Fort Wayne? Is there anywhere besides Facebook where the full tour is listed?

Fingers crossed that the show doesn't get cancelled....got mine on day of sale, $48 out the door. Am also a fan of Robert Berry who opens the show, and is playing a really great set for fans of his work with Emerson, Palmer, Howe, et.al.

[moecurlythanu]

What an odd tour. Ft. Wayne is about 2 hours away. I'm not going to buy in advance, but I may attend that one.

[SteveSly]

What an odd tour. Ft. Wayne is about 2 hours away. I'm not going to buy in advance, but I may attend that one.

I don’t find it that odd. This tour is reality for prog bands at their level these days. ROSfest is the anchor gig that is most likely paying for their airfare to get over here and back. The New Jersey shows are sponsored by the NJ Proghouse gang. The Ft Wayne show is at the place where Nick D'Virgillio works.

BBT are not a band that can do a club tour in the U.S. because they cannot draw enough, especially given the size of the band . As with most bands at their level, the festival date brings them here, and then they try to schedule a few extra gigs around it, typically organized by the usual suspects in the U.S. prog world, which is smaller than I think many people here realize.

[Firth]

What an odd tour. Ft. Wayne is about 2 hours away. I'm not going to buy in advance, but I may attend that one.

Not odd if you consider that the venue is Sweetwater Pavillion, associated with Sweetwater the internet musical equipment retailer which is where Nick DiVirgilio drummer for BBT works. Check out NDVs videos from Sweetwater. Bought my tickets there during the presale as a Passenger or BBT FB page fan.

[Firth]

Not odd if you consider that the venue is Sweetwater Pavillion, associated with Sweetwater the internet musical equipment retailer which is where Nick DiVirgilio drummer for BBT works. Check out NDVs videos from Sweetwater. Bought my tickets there during the presale as a Passenger or BBT FB page fan.

https://www.sweetwaterpavilion.com/events/

[NewEARS]

Rick, you won't believe this:

- Very Special Show Announcement -
Academy of Music - Northampton MA
in conjunction with NewEARS Presents

BIG BIG TRAIN & IZZ
Only New England Appearance
Friday May 15th @ 7PM

Go to newears.org or aomtheatre.com for ticket link.

[rickawakeman]

Holy $&@&$!

Unreal! Thanks for the info!
Was at the Academy last night for Hackett. Coming west Al?

[NogbadTheBad]

I may well come out west for this.

[rickawakeman]

Hopefully we will now be seeing BBT in Montreal on 5/12 and then back at home on Friday the 15th!

Can’t thank you enough Uncle Al!

[PixelDelirium]

Postponed:

https://www.loudersound.com/news/big...stpone-us-tour

[Sunlight Caller]

Sad but inevitable news, hopefully the tour will happen in the future.

Perhaps even more sad is the news that Dave Gregory is quitting the band, his guitar mastery was one of the reasons I found my way to their music, I know he isn’t a writer, but he added a certain something special to their sound and will be missed.

[aith01]

Perhaps even more sad is the news that Dave Gregory is quitting the band, his guitar mastery was one of the reasons I found my way to their music, I know he isn’t a writer, but he added a certain something special to their sound and will be missed.

What? That's terrible.

[lazland]

What? That's terrible.

Appalling news. I love his work.

[polmico]

Bad news all around. I wonder if Rikard’s role will expand.

[Firth]

Our heart goes out to everyone who is suffering because of the worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. The impact of the pandemic is being felt in so many areas of society and, of course, the music and entertainment industry is no exception.

POSTPONEMENT OF 2020 TOUR OF NORTH AMERICA

We are very sorry to confirm the postponement of the band’s shows in the United States and Canada which were due to take place in May.

Greg Spawton: “Like all artists with tours planned for the coming months, we have been monitoring events carefully and with great concern regarding this global health issue. Sadly, six weeks before most of the band and crew were due to fly to the United States, and following discussions with our tour and business management, it is apparent that postponement is now the only prudent course of action. The health and safety of audiences, crew and band must always come first.”

Postponement has proved unavoidable in light of the current travel bans to the USA, the UK Foreign Office advising against all but essential travel to the States and the recommendation last weekend from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that no gatherings with 50 people or more should be held over the next eight weeks. As a consequence, Rosfest (which was to be the band’s first show of the tour) has been cancelled and other venues and promoters have understandably been unable to guarantee that shows will proceed.

Nick D’Virgilio: “We are hugely disappointed to be forced to postpone these shows,” comments. We will be re-arranging our North American tour dates, but co-ordinating the schedules of a 12 piece band isn’t totally simple.”

The re-arranged dates in the US and Canada are expected to take place in 2021. As the band may play different venues in some cases, ticket holders should now contact their point of sale for concert ticket refunds. The shows affected are as below and all venues are aware:

· Saturday 9 May – Rosfest, Opera House, Sarasota, Florida, USA

· Monday 11 May – Opera House, Toronto, Canada

· Tuesday 12 May – Corona Theatre, Montreal, Canada

· Wednesday 13 May - Théâtre de la Cité Universitaire, Quebec City, Canada

· Friday 15 May – Academy Of Music, Northampton, Massachusetts, USA

· Sunday 17 May - Brook Arts Center, Bound Brook, New Jersey, USA

· Monday 18 May - Brook Arts Center, Bound Brook, New Jersey, USA

· Saturday 23 May – Sweetwater Performance Pavilion, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA







FREE MEMBERSHIP OF THE PASSENGERS CLUB

We are offering North America tour ticket holders a free three-month membership of the band’s digital fan service called The Passengers Club. The Passengers Club contains exclusive material including unreleased demos with commentaries, behind the scenes videos, photo galleries and blogs.

Details can be found at www.thepassengersclub.com of how North American tour ticket holders can obtain free membership.

Existing members of the Club will have their memberships extended free of charge by three months.



EUROPEAN TOUR 2020

We are currently planning on the basis that the band’s UK and European shows in July 2020 will go ahead. The European tour dates are as follows:

· Thursday 16 July – Friars, Aylesbury, UK *

· Saturday 18 July - Ramblin’ Man Festival, Kent, UK (headlining Prog in the Park stage)

· Monday 20 July – Stadstheater, Zoetermeer, The Netherlands **

· Tuesday 21 July – Lichtburg, Essen, Germany **

· Thursday 23 July – Konzerthaus, Karlsruhe, Germany **

· Friday 24 July – Phenomenon, Fontaneto D'Agogna, Italy **

* Supported by Lazuli

** Supported by Robert Berry’s 3.2



Tickets for the UK and European shows are on sale now (with ticket links at www.bigbigtrain.com/live). Any change to this schedule due to coronavirus will be advised as necessary.

Whilst we believe and hope that the July tour will happen, we do now have time in our calendar due to the postponement of the North American tour. Therefore, a planned period of writing for the next studio album (scheduled to be released in 2021) will be brought forward. We will also be bringing forward completion of work on The Underfall Yard 10th anniversary re-issue and the 2019 tour Blu-Ray (filmed at the Hackney Empire show).



DAVE GREGORY DEPARTS BIG BIG TRAIN

Dave Gregory has decided to step down from Big Big Train. This decision is not connected to the current pandemic.

“This has not been an easy decision for me, but after careful consideration I have concluded that I would prefer not to tour internationally with Big Big Train,” Dave comments. “I am proud of the role I have played within Big Big Train and have enjoyed the last decade with the band immensely. I look forward to remaining associated with Big Big Train in the future.”

David Longdon: “While we’re very sorry that Dave has reached this decision, with Big Big Train’s plans for playing live becoming increasingly ambitious, we entirely respect his decision. We have enormous gratitude for his contribution to the band’s rise over the last decade plus. Dave remains a great friend of the band and indeed we have spoken with him about making a few live guest appearances at UK shows. I’m also delighted that he has played guitar on a track on my forthcoming album with Judy Dyble.”

On Dave Gregory’s recommendation, American guitarist Randy McStine will perform live with Big Big Train at this year’s shows. Randy has previously released an album with Big Big Train drummer Nick D’Virgilio and The Flower Kings/Steve Hackett bassist Jonas Reingold as The Fringe and has played live extensively with Nick over the years.

“It is truly an honour to be considered by Dave and the band as a suitable choice to step in for these shows,” Randy says. “I first became aware of Big Big Train on their Gathering Speed record, so it’s exciting for me to play a part in their evolving story.”



Nick Shilton

Manager

Big Big Train

[fiberman]

This is indeed an unfortunate turn of events, as is just about everything right at the moment. Congrats to Randy McStine to get this opportunity, I've seen him a few times and I am always impressed. Some good news for a really nice guy

[rickawakeman]

Not unexpected of course but still disappointing as we had tix for both Montreal and Northampton.

Saw Randy open for Flying Colors and in another world would be seeing him tonight opening for Brand X. Sigh.

[moecurlythanu]

I'm glad I didn't buy a ticket yet, although I planned to attend the Ft. Wayne show. I hope a rescheduled tour takes place, but...I'm not going to hold my breath.

Sad that Dave Gregory quit, and the reason was international touring.

David Longdon is making an album with Judy Dyble? That's effin' awesome!

[Interstellar]

It's sad to see Dave Gregory go. His contributions to the albums of the last decade are incredibly tasteful.
But the band seems to have become a solid unit now, so I'm not too worried about this.
Best wishes to them for touring in those challenging times though.