BIG BIG TRAIN - THE LIKES OF US MARCH 1st 2024

[rdclark]

Thanks. I'm in the main BBT FB group, but it never comes up in my feed. I forget to read it too. What's the name of the group for the NJ shows?

Hedgerow to the Meadowlands

[rdclark]

I wonder how the Fort Wayne show has managed to sell out? It's not like Indiana is a hotbed of Prog-Rock. I'm assuming some of the audience will be people who work for Cirque, who will be wanting to see what one of their co-workers is getting up to, but I can't imagine that gets them to sold out.

It's like 250 seats, so a sell-out wasn't hard. Also, Indiana is closer to most of the continent than the East Coast is.

[JKL2000]

Hedgerow to the Meadowlands

Thanks! Now I just have to get approved...

[SteveSly]

I wonder how the Fort Wayne show has managed to sell out? It's not like Indiana is a hotbed of Prog-Rock. I'm assuming some of the audience will be people who work for Cirque, who will be wanting to see what one of their co-workers is getting up to, but I can't imagine that gets them to sold out.

There are a lot of prog fans in the Midwest, especially in the Chicago area. I also know several people going to the show from Michigan, so I think the show is drawing people from the surrounding states. I was considering going as we have to pass right through Ft. Wayne on our way to Florida for CTTE, but since it is sold out looks like I am out of luck. Oh well, I will be seeing them on the boat.

[JKL2000]

I wonder how the Fort Wayne show has managed to sell out? It's not like Indiana is a hotbed of Prog-Rock. I'm assuming some of the audience will be people who work for Cirque, who will be wanting to see what one of their co-workers is getting up to, but I can't imagine that gets them to sold out.

Also, it's the band's first-ever show in the US (Is it their first North-American show? Maybe they played in Canada?). Some people might be extra-driven to go for that reason. Possibly.

[Jimmy Giant]

We had tix to see them in Quebec City in May 2020, then, well, you know what happened. Not sure if they had been in CA before but I think that was going to be their first time.
Then we had tix to see them in Scotland. A few months after David passed.
Hoping 3rd times a charm!

[Right_Brained]

I live in the Detroit area and will heading to the Ft. Wayne show with a couple of other prog buddies. It's only a two-hour drive from our neck of the woods. Interestingly, this is the second time I've had tix to see BBT at Sweetwater in Ft. Wayne because the previous show was cancelled during the pandemic.

[nearfest]

I live in the Detroit area and will heading to the Ft. Wayne show with a couple of other prog buddies. It's only a two-hour drive from our neck of the woods. Interestingly, this is the second time I've had tix to see BBT at Sweetwater in Ft. Wayne because the previous show was cancelled during the pandemic.

If any one has two tickets to the Fort Wayne show they can't use, please let me know.

Rob L

[rdclark]

There are a lot of prog fans in the Midwest, especially in the Chicago area. I also know several people going to the show from Michigan, so I think the show is drawing people from the surrounding states. I was considering going as we have to pass right through Ft. Wayne on our way to Florida for CTTE, but since it is sold out looks like I am out of luck. Oh well, I will be seeing them on the boat.

If you were willing to travel from anywhere in North America to see BBT, odds are that Indiana is your closest show. Sure, there are likely fewer prog fans in Montana than in Hoboken, but it's still closer. If BBT can't find 250 fans willing to travel from the entire USA and Canada west of Pennsylvania/New York, they really are in trouble.

I find it mildly amusing how much complaining you hear from European/UK fans about their favorite bands not playing within walking distance of their houses.

[Rufus]

Nice surprise, they are playing a lovely theater in the UK no more than 1/2 hour drive from my house.

[Steve983]

Interviews

[Dok]

[mozo-pg]

It doesn't sound like BBT to my ears but it's lovely.

[10T Records]

It doesn't sound like BBT to my ears but it's lovely.

I agree. And yet it doesn't sound to me like any other band except BBT.

[Sunlight Caller]

It’s another Alberto Brevin composition according to a post by Greg yesterday, so not surprising that it has a different lilt, I think most of us gravitate to Greg’s writing as it is generally towards the epic and the classic prog sensibilities that captured us initially.

Incidentally I took the plunge on European tickets and am off to The Netherlands to see the two Zoetermeer shows in the autumn.

[ChrisXymphonia]

It doesn't sound like BBT to my ears but it's lovely.

Really? To me it is amazing, when it is indeed written by Bravin, how well it slots in with other BBT songs ... it almost sounds it was cut from the same cloth. Arrangement wise all the BBT trademark sounds are there: the lilting piano, the 12 string acoustic guitar, the vocals harmonies, the violin, the brass. The only main difference is that Alberto Bravin has quite a different voice compared to all previous BBT lead vocalists but I think that was a smart move.

[LeFrog]

Really? To me it is amazing, when it is indeed written by Bravin, how well it slots in with other BBT songs ... it almost sounds it was cut from the same cloth. Arrangement wise all the BBT trademark sounds are there: the lilting piano, the 12 string acoustic guitar, the vocals harmonies, the violin, the brass. The only main difference is that Alberto Bravin has quite a different voice compared to all previous BBT lead vocalists but I think that was a smart move.

I remember liking it when I heard it live last September. I didn't remember the wooooh chanting though, which sounds a bit too arena rock to me. I'll probably get used to it by the next couple of listens.

[Le Master]

A beautiful song brought down to the level of modern pop garbage with the "whoa oh whoas." What in the world were they thinking. The song would have been superb otherwise.

[Threemboy]

A beautiful song brought down to the level of modern pop garbage with the "whoa oh whoas." What in the world were they thinking. The song would have been superb otherwise.

Gotta say, I absolutely get your point about the cliche “whoa oh whoas” commonly employed in popular music…but I for one will say I thought they were effective and maybe more importantly not overused.

[Drake]

A beautiful song brought down to the level of modern pop garbage with the "whoa oh whoas." What in the world were they thinking. The song would have been superb otherwise.

I think the whoas is the highlight …

[Le Master]

They're so, so hacky. Just select any lame pop song at random and you can find them.

2:09


3:05


1:29

[Le Master]

They're so, so hacky. Just select any lame pop song at random and you can find them.

1:30


1:40


1:14

[Le Master]

New song

To cut them some slack, this however is one of the best new prog songs I've heard in a while.

[Dan Roth]

Looks like the band has added a trumpet player for the USA dates, per this morning's announcement:

"We are pleased to announce that Cade Gotthardt will be performing with us at all of our shows in the USA and on Cruise To The Edge in March. Cade is a 27-year-old jazz trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer based in Los Angeles, California. Cade regularly plays with countless different groups in various musical styles including popular music, straight-ahead jazz, Latin jazz, Latin pop, Persian pop, R&B, neo-soul, funk, and now progressive rock. Please join us in welcoming Cade to the BBT team!"

[Sunlight Caller]

IIRC they were looking for a guitar playing trumpeter to cover Dave Foster's parts and add a modicum of brass to the stripped-down band. Dave was stood down for this leg to accommodate the needs of the fuller sound. Seems a little unfair on Dave, he missed the last tour because of other commitments, so he hasn't had much chance to cement himself in the live setting. I am sure he willingly acquiesced.