Date: Friday Feb. 6
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Stage: Main Stage at Convention Center
Artist Website:
http://freaks4live.com/
Promoter’s Note:
As promoter of Lancaster Roots and Blues, I have a long history with the band Live. As the young owner of Chameleon Club, here in Lancaster PA, we hosted a weekly all-ages show on Sunday afternoons. It was a chance to give new bands a place to play and young people a chance to hear what the local scene was putting out. Typically we booked about 3 bands on these nights. In 1989, I booked a band fresh out of high school from York, PA named Public Affection. Typically, after working the ticket booth and admitting the line of kids in for the show I would head up to the office, located just over the stage, to catch up on paperwork. It was not that I don’t love music, it is that most young bands are developing their craft and sound and well, it can make for a long day if I watched them all… When working in the office you could hear muffled music through the walls. Public Affection took the stage. Almost instantaneously their music drew me out of the office to the mezzanine. Once there, I found their sound was so original and so compelling it was clear to me this was something special. I decided then to start placing them in front of good opportunities whenever I could. And thus my relationship with the band began.
Simultaneously, the band was making regular treks to NYC to be seen by A&R types from the major record labels. Their main room in NY was CBGB’s. Owner Hilly Crystal was similarly impressed with the band and he too helped to expose them to the “right” people. I encouraged Peter Freedman, a friend from Lancaster who managed The Ocean Blue on Sire Records, (They were offered their deal right after a show at Chameleon Club by label President Seymour Stein.) to manage Public Affection. About one year later they were offered a deal with Radioactive Records and with that came a name change to Live. Their first video shoot was at Chameleon Club from off their first label release, the Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads) produced Operation Spirit (The Tyranny of Tradition). Funny Story- Live was staying at a hotel in San Francisco and they found themselves hanging out with another young band called Nirvana. They were both being added to MTV that night on a show that introduced new talent. It was a cheap hotel and the only place that had a TV with MTV was in the lobby. Both bands went downstairs to watch their debuts. Operation Spirit and Smells Like Teen Spirit debuted on the same night on the same show while both band watched together. And the rest they say, is history. I am honored that Live is playing the festival. If you have not heard them, here is your chance. They are one of the great rock bands in the world.
Rich Ruoff
Director
Lancaster Roots and Blues
Live’s official biography is below the photo.
The best songs will always define certain time periods. You’ll hear the melodies and instantly be transported back to the moment when you first experienced them. You’ll see the same sights and feel the same feelings as a result. In other words, you’ll get that same sonic bliss.
LIVE’s catalog is filled with songs like those. Among those seminal tunes are mega hits such as “Lightning Crashes”, “I Alone”, “All Over You”, and “Lakini’s Juice”—which remained pillars of the nineties both musically and culturally. Who can forget seeing the music video for “Lighting Crashes” on MTV for the first time—or fiftieth for that matter? We’ve all sung along to “I Alone” at some point too. That’s just a fact.
Meanwhile, “The Dolphin’s Cry” and “Overcome” ushered the group into the 21st century triumphantly. Given anthems such as those, it’s not surprising the outfit sold over 22 million albums worldwide and have become a veritable concert juggernaut. However, LIVE’s got a whole new crop of songs on the horizon for 2013 that carry the same poetry, power, and passion.
The York, Pennsylvania legends burst on to the burgeoning alternative scene in 1991 with their major label debut, Mental Jewelry. The band—lead guitarist Chad Taylor, bassist Patrick Dahlheimer, drummer Chad Gracey, and founding vocalist Ed Kowalczyk—infused heartfelt melodies with raw energy for an inimitable style that stood out from the early nineties pack.
LIVE’s sophomore set, Throwing Copper, solidified their status as bona fide superstars though. After fifty-two weeks it reached #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and eventually surpassed sales of 10 million in merely two years. Rolling Stone and MTV both dubbed the album “One of the 25 Greatest Rock Albums of All-Time”, while tastemakers from Spin to The New York Times lauded it with equal praise.
Upon release, its 1997 follow-up Secret Samadhi immediately shot to #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and eventually went six-times platinum. However, on The Distance to Here in 1999, LIVE turned into an international powerhouse and jumped from arenas into stadiums all over the globe driven by the smash “The Dolphin’s Cry”. V and Birds of Pray followed, continuing to expand their legacy and satiate the rabid and faithful fan base that they had amassed over nearly two decades.
In 2008, the band initiated a hiatus, and Taylor, Gracey, and Dahlheimer founded The Gracious Few alongside Candlebox’s Kevin Martin and Sean Hennesy. The project’s self-titled debut would go on to enjoy critical acclaim as they became a live draw in their own right.
However, LIVE’s influence never dwindled in either the fan’s lives or the founding band mates. 2012 saw them reborn. Taylor, Gracey, and Dahlheimer approached longtime friend Chris Shinn [Unified Theory] about potentially joining the group. After one practice session, the musicians had tapped into the same magic that characterized their early days. The creative process had been galvanized and rebooted, and LIVE re-entered the studio with Shinn behind the mic.
Once again, the band evolve on new material, having recently completed work on their eight studio album enlisting help of original LIVE producer Jerry Harrison [The Talking Heads]. Due to be released in the fall of 2014, the quartet has re-invigorated its sound with effusive energy and massive hooks. The next era of LIVE has just begun, and there will undoubtedly be many more songs to sing along to.
The Way Around is Through is the first single off of Live’s new album, The Turn.
Here is what people are saying about The Turn:
“In total, Live’s The Turn opens many paths, blazing trails that haven’t been seen in over a decade, and the excitement is easily detectable. The old big rock sound is traded out more than once for a more modern, sleek identity. It may sound like a new Live entirely, but that may be the point–it’s a band that sounds like it enjoys music anew.”
–Ty Stalnaker, ALTERNATIVENATION.NET, 11/7/14
“…the members of Live deliver a commendable return to their earlier approach throughout their new studio album, The Turn. Newly appointed lead singer Chris Shinn proves to be a vital addition to the band in terms of reinvigorating the collective’s alternative rock sound from their earlier years…”
–ULTIMATE-GUITAR.COM, 11/4/14
“…there’s a cool, crowd-pleasing assurance to The Turn that’s appealing.”
–Stephen Thomas Erlewine, ALLMUSIC.COM, 10/28/14
“Shinn, sincerely, is a better singer than the former face of the group. He has a ripe fervor that few artists in the rock genre can boast these days. In the beefy and driving ‘Don’t Run to Wait,’ Shinn gnashes the lyrics through his teeth, a beast on the prowl for a killer melody. Taylor spot-checks this animal with a grinding guitar riff. And over on ‘6310 Rodgerton Dr.,’ you can practically feel the vein popping out of Shinn’s neck as he purges over soaring, overdubbed instruments…The Turn won’t dilute the memory of Live’s days with Ed Kowalczyk–but let it be known that Chris Shinn is a worthy torchbearer.
–Melissa Bobbit, ABOUT.COM, 10/28/14
“…Live’s new album is a rock intense drama sure to please…Shinn teaming up with Live is the perfect fit for all…as a music lover, the new album grabs me the way Throwing Copper did in 1994, in my teen years. Songs such as ‘Siren’s Call’ and ‘Don’t Run to Wait’ have that heavier hitting rock sound and intense edges we’ve come to love from Live…the first song to be released from The Turn is ‘The Way Around Is Through’. This song carries a rocking U2-esque sound and Shinn’s vocals are uplifting and commanding. With a dynamic vocal range and soulful voice, Chris Shinn is proving he has what it takes to draw us in and while the change of band members can sometimes have a negative effect, it seems Shinn is a winning fit. The chemistry of Live is flowing again and with the band taking us back to the styles of their seasoned work makes The Turn a highly regarded album in my book.”
–Bonny O’Brian, REVENANTMEDIA.COM, 10/30/14
“Shinn’s vocals add an effortless alt vibe that complements Taylor’s riffs–offering a seamless transition but also allowing the band to explore untravelled avenues…Shinn’s ability to mix up his vocals have added a diversity to the band that was previously missing, as they now possess a singer who can truly control a crowd purely on vocal range. This album is every rock fan’s dream with the versatility of hooking riffs, a tight knit rhythm section and effortless vocals making The Turn a real contender for one of the best albums of the year.”
–Adam Keys, RUSHONROCK.COM, 11/2/14
“I love it, easily the best Live album since throwing copper.”
–Calum Macleod, ALBUMOFTHEYEAR.ORG, 10/31/14
“…The Turn is full of surprises and a brand new energy. The band hits harder and heavier than before, which is a very welcome adjustment.”
–Clay Lancaster, THEFIVE10.COM, 10/27/14