Taylor Hicks knows he has a good band behind him. He just didn’t know HOW good until Sunday night when they brought down the house—literally.
As the band’s energy and vibes on “Hold On To Your Love” hit the stratrosphere, the three plexiglass panels around Drummer Leif Bondarenko toppled forward and hit the floor. A stunned audience saw Taylor’s shiny red guitar knocked over and buried, but breathed relief as the plexis just missed Taylor who was front stage at the mic.
Brian Less laughed, but the band played on and never missed a beat. As if freed from his cage, Drummer Leif continued his “I-can-drum-my-way-out-of-here” solo. An unaware Taylor finished the number, then turned around and stepped back to gawk for a moment. The usually glib but stunned Taylor quipped, “How about this band!!!” An astute fan yelled out, “You brought the house down!”
Mickey, the entertainment icon, had met his match! The mouse had been whomped!
When I remember Epcot, I have to remember the music first. The American Gardens Theatre was packed for every performance. Visitors to Epcot joined the throng of Taylor fans and the American Experience at Epcot took on a whole new meaning!
If someone told Taylor that there were many fans there that would stand in line for one show and then rush out to stand in line for the next show for SIX times, he listened. He made every show different except for appropriately repeating “19” as a tribute to the troops. It always received a standing ovation.
The varied setlist seemed like a thoughtful gift for those returning for six shows in 48 hours.
There was another present—a brand new song on the Sunday night setlist, “Scarlet Begonias,” a Grateful Dead song from 1974.
“She wore scarlet begonias tucked into her curls.”
One fan appropriately reviewed it with: “Scarlet Begonias kicked ass. Well done.” I listened to the Grateful Dead version in the airport on the way home and have to say that Taylor and the band do covers better than the original! But we already knew that, didn’t we—Takin’ It To The Streets, Love the One You’re With…Bulletproof!!!
My favorite musical moment (besides the ever-memorable “Bulletproof” which he introduced by saying he wasn’t going to, but someone offered him $100 to do it. And then, “I’m still THAT guy!”) was a tag of “Running on Empty.” It is a stunning change inside the ever-raucous “Seven Mile Breakdown.” Suddenly, you are taken away from roadhouse honky tonk with the beautiful lyrics of Jackson Browne…
Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields
In sixty-five I was seventeen and running up one-o-one
I don’t know where I’m running now, I’m just running on
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I’m running behind…”
“Gotta do what you can just to keep your love alive
Trying not to confuse it with what you do to survive
In sixty-nine I was twenty-one and I called the road my own
I don’t know when that road turned onto the road I’m on
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I’m running behind
Everyone I know, everywhere I go
People need some reason to believe
I don’t know about anyone but me
If it takes all night, that’ll be all right
If I can get you to smile before I leave
Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
I look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running too
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I’m running behind
Honey you really tempt me
You know the way you look so kind
I’d love to stick around but I’m running behind
You know I don’t even know what I’m hoping to find
Running into the sun but I’m running behind
I was mesmerized. Taylor has called them little “songs within a song.” The tags are another layer of the amazing music that makes up the Taylor Hicks live show. “Running on Empty” would be a great cover—not just a tag.
Taylor also remembered the passing on Sunday of Solomon Burke with a tribute tag of “Cry To Me.” He gave accolades to Rod Stewart as a “mentor” in introducing Sunday night’s closer, “Stay With Me.”
It is always all about the music! And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thank you for the music, Taylor, Brian, Brandon, Leif, Matt, Jeff and Sam!!!
You truly do keep raising the standard for what the live performance is all about. And we are lucky enough to be a part of it.
You brought down the house in more ways than one!
Until the next Epcot… or Workplay…
~~
You didn’t think I was finished, did you?
In Epcot~~Part 2, I’ll share more of my own journey from the promegrante peach punch cocktail on arrival to the Sunday finale with an enormous ice cream cone that would make any ice cream pimpin’ Teen Angel proud! I had a blast!
For the complete setlists from all six shows visit our tour forum at:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/connections/topic/3730129/1/
For more information about “Scarlet Begonias” and The Grateful Dead’s version:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/connections/topic/3730129/2/#new
Quote: “Scarlet Begonias” kicked ass. Well Done.” By WonderSOS via twitter.
Thanks to Mouser for her prompt research on “Scarlet Begonias” and diligent notes during concerts for the setlists.
As the band’s energy and vibes on “Hold On To Your Love” hit the stratrosphere, the three plexiglass panels around Drummer Leif Bondarenko toppled forward and hit the floor. A stunned audience saw Taylor’s shiny red guitar knocked over and buried, but breathed relief as the plexis just missed Taylor who was front stage at the mic.
Brian Less laughed, but the band played on and never missed a beat. As if freed from his cage, Drummer Leif continued his “I-can-drum-my-way-out-of-here” solo. An unaware Taylor finished the number, then turned around and stepped back to gawk for a moment. The usually glib but stunned Taylor quipped, “How about this band!!!” An astute fan yelled out, “You brought the house down!”
Mickey, the entertainment icon, had met his match! The mouse had been whomped!
When I remember Epcot, I have to remember the music first. The American Gardens Theatre was packed for every performance. Visitors to Epcot joined the throng of Taylor fans and the American Experience at Epcot took on a whole new meaning!
If someone told Taylor that there were many fans there that would stand in line for one show and then rush out to stand in line for the next show for SIX times, he listened. He made every show different except for appropriately repeating “19” as a tribute to the troops. It always received a standing ovation.
The varied setlist seemed like a thoughtful gift for those returning for six shows in 48 hours.
There was another present—a brand new song on the Sunday night setlist, “Scarlet Begonias,” a Grateful Dead song from 1974.
“She wore scarlet begonias tucked into her curls.”
One fan appropriately reviewed it with: “Scarlet Begonias kicked ass. Well done.” I listened to the Grateful Dead version in the airport on the way home and have to say that Taylor and the band do covers better than the original! But we already knew that, didn’t we—Takin’ It To The Streets, Love the One You’re With…Bulletproof!!!
My favorite musical moment (besides the ever-memorable “Bulletproof” which he introduced by saying he wasn’t going to, but someone offered him $100 to do it. And then, “I’m still THAT guy!”) was a tag of “Running on Empty.” It is a stunning change inside the ever-raucous “Seven Mile Breakdown.” Suddenly, you are taken away from roadhouse honky tonk with the beautiful lyrics of Jackson Browne…
Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields
In sixty-five I was seventeen and running up one-o-one
I don’t know where I’m running now, I’m just running on
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I’m running behind…”
“Gotta do what you can just to keep your love alive
Trying not to confuse it with what you do to survive
In sixty-nine I was twenty-one and I called the road my own
I don’t know when that road turned onto the road I’m on
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I’m running behind
Everyone I know, everywhere I go
People need some reason to believe
I don’t know about anyone but me
If it takes all night, that’ll be all right
If I can get you to smile before I leave
Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
I look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running too
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I’m running behind
Honey you really tempt me
You know the way you look so kind
I’d love to stick around but I’m running behind
You know I don’t even know what I’m hoping to find
Running into the sun but I’m running behind
I was mesmerized. Taylor has called them little “songs within a song.” The tags are another layer of the amazing music that makes up the Taylor Hicks live show. “Running on Empty” would be a great cover—not just a tag.
Taylor also remembered the passing on Sunday of Solomon Burke with a tribute tag of “Cry To Me.” He gave accolades to Rod Stewart as a “mentor” in introducing Sunday night’s closer, “Stay With Me.”
It is always all about the music! And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thank you for the music, Taylor, Brian, Brandon, Leif, Matt, Jeff and Sam!!!
You truly do keep raising the standard for what the live performance is all about. And we are lucky enough to be a part of it.
You brought down the house in more ways than one!
Until the next Epcot… or Workplay…
~~
You didn’t think I was finished, did you?
In Epcot~~Part 2, I’ll share more of my own journey from the promegrante peach punch cocktail on arrival to the Sunday finale with an enormous ice cream cone that would make any ice cream pimpin’ Teen Angel proud! I had a blast!
For the complete setlists from all six shows visit our tour forum at:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/connections/topic/3730129/1/
For more information about “Scarlet Begonias” and The Grateful Dead’s version:
http://s1.zetaboards.com/connections/topic/3730129/2/#new
Quote: “Scarlet Begonias” kicked ass. Well Done.” By WonderSOS via twitter.
Thanks to Mouser for her prompt research on “Scarlet Begonias” and diligent notes during concerts for the setlists.
Photos from Epcot by San.
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4 comments:
I did think you were done, LOL. It sounds like you watched an amazing set of shows at Epcot. It is wonderful to hear that the shows were well attended.
Thank you for the update on Epcot! Wish I had been there.
This is the kind of recap I love...the music, it's about the music! Thanks for the lyrics to Running on Empty.
Tishlp,
I love to write about the music too. I make no pretense at being a musician or even musically literate. A friend told me when I started this that I didn't have to "know" the music, I could write about my impressions and response to it. Although I've tried to learn all I could, I'm still just sharing my reactions to Taylor and his music. I hope it resounds with others the way it does with me. Running on Empty is beautiful and a song and time I can relate to. I absolutely love it and so hope Taylor will make it a cover and not just a tag.
Thanks Karin and Tish for reading and commmenting! I appreciate it.
San
I totally agree with you -- Running on Empty and Jackson Brown along with other songs Taylor has covered are performed better by Taylor than the original artists. That is an amazing and confusing talent Taylor has that he can not just channel the artist but become one with the artists' voice and vibe.
Thanks for the blog. Good job and I hope to see Taylor at an upcoming event too.
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