Taylor Hicks ~~ Showdown at High Noon!

Taylor Hicks always brings it!

From a cold Florida last week to a colder Wisconsin next week, he would do well to bring the heavy velvet jacket and add a cashmere scarf!

What we know he will bring is extraordinary talent to the acoustic stage at High Noon Saloon.

In late 2007, Taylor promised a string of acoustic concerts. Historically, the acoustic stage featured music raw and bare—just the singer and his music without wires and little or no backup. Performers like Elvis, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Jon Bon Jovi and many others presented new versions of their hits without trappings or large production elements. It was the backlash to the big metallic techo sounds of the 1980s that had become band staples.

The concept was brought front and center when MTV launched “Unplugged” performances by rock singers, primarily known for playing electric amplified instruments . Fans wanted to see if rock entertainers could stand up to a stripped away version of their hits. The first ones to perform on the series were Jethro Tull, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Samborie.

Eric Clapton recorded an Unplugged performance in 1992 that was both widely praised and criticized for heavily reworking many of his famous songs so they would work in an acoustic context, some to the point of almost unrecognizability. Clapton's Unplugged album went on to become the bestselling unplugged album in the U.S., with sales of 10 million. He won a grammy for Song of the Year with “Tears in Heaven” from this album.

MTV Unplugged website describes the re-emergence of the concept with today’s most successful stars who are, “…taking the stage and peeling away the trappings of their music to reveal the essence at its core. From established heavy-hitters like Korn to rising stars like R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo and the sexy, soulful Joss Stone, Unplugged remains the hallmark of intimate, exclusive concert performances that can't be seen anywhere else.”

We had a glimpse of Taylor on the acoustic stage during his 2007 Solo Tour when he would occassionally sit on a stool with only a guitar and sing an encore, such as “My Home’s in Alabama,” “Here Comes the Sun,” and “Louisiana.”

The “acoustic” Taylor music should not be confused with sleepy, slow tunes. Taylor is as intense in this kind of show as when he is moving all other the stage with a full band all plugged in for a show like WorkPlay. He has two or three other musicians for backup, and he really does sit on a stool. It is the “intimate, exclusive concert performances that can’t be seen anywhere else.”

At a time when music industry bloggers are saying the biggest stars are doing “autotuned” concerts—lip syncing on stage with perfect tracks of their music going out to fans who think they are seeing their stars real on stage—it is transparently true that Taylor Hicks is real in concert and doesn’t need any “fixing.” It is real music with its flaws, but rich with heart and soul.

Taylor Hicks brings real music, and that is enough.

He brings it to The High Noon Saloon in Madison, WI, Friday, December 11, at 8:00 p.m.

For more information visit: http://www.taylorhicks.com/

We’re bringing the PalTalk chatcert team to share the music showdown! Join New Found Freedom, Season of the Soul, The Official Soul Patrol and The Taylor Hicks Community for Taylor at The High Noon Saloon. Visit these boards for more information on how you can enjoy the acoustic concert from Madison on your computer. It’s the new wave of cellcerts! Don’t miss Taylor at The High Noon, wherever you are!

Sources: http://www.mtvunplugged.com/ Portions of this blog were written for and first published in Taylorsezine, The Soul Connection.

Photo courtesty of Gypsee from the acoustic concert at The Magic Bag in Detroit, MI.

Taylor Hicks~~on the acoustic stage...hold on to your heart!

It is another surprise from Taylor Hicks when we are no longer caught off guard by surprises.

Taylor Hicks disconnects the cords, turns down the amps, and strips away the gloss when he performs an acoustic concert at the Magic Bag in Ferndale, Michigan, June 22nd. Joining him will be old band mate, Brian Less, on keyboards and current Music Director of the Shadow Tour concerts, Josh Smith on guitar. With Taylor on guitar and harmonica, that’s a formidable band on any stage.

Acoustic shows gained popularity in the 90s when MTV Unplugged featured artists performing their music without the high production values and amplified instruments. It was often not new music, but their hits presented in a bare bones rendition. Fans wanted to know if the music of singers like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton would stand up without all of the electronic frills. For many of music’s legends, it did. Eric Clapton’s Unplugged album in 1992 sold 10 million and he won a grammy for “Tears in Heaven” from that album.

We’ve seen an unplugged Taylor Hicks before. The first I was privileged to enjoy was in 2007 in Birmingham where he came back for the encore and sang the heart-rending “Birmingham” and “My Home’s in Alabama.” Another stirring moment was in New Orleans that year when he sang “Louisiana.” At Millersville he sat on the stool and sang “Here Comes the Sun.” These are rare times for the Taylor motion machine that wears a soaked jacket after the third or fourth song. Yet, the man and his guitar on a dark stage with the sound of pure Taylor voice are no less captivating. You are taken away by music in its purest sense.

Ferndale has a memorable evening coming. Taylor has said that he may sing “Maybe You Should” –a moment for which many of us have waited. Could we also hear “Indiscriminate Act of Kindness,” or completely new music on the set list? Has Taylor been planning this all along? Saving these acoustic gems for a change up in the intimate club shows that he says he prefers. He has always said, “The best is yet to come.” And it just keeps coming…and changing!

Is The Magic Bag a “magic bag of tricks” for Taylor—a new vibe for a show that already packs the house and brings it down. On this night in Ferndale, you can expect that Taylor Hicks will have that house in the palm of his hand.

If you go to this one, take your heart in hand. You will need to hold on to it.

Thanks to RagsQueen for the photo from The Triple Door, Seattle. Used with permission. Please do not repost.