jmrunning3 Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Just got this news off www.blabbermouth.net: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=50356 Bassist extraordinaire Billy Sheehan (DAVID LEE ROTH, MR. BIG, TALAS) will be teaming up with Stu Hamm and Jeff Berlin for the BX3 tour beginning in early April. Confirmed dates are as follows: Apr. 12 - Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall Apr. 13 - Chicago, IL - Martyrs Apr. 14 - Ferndale, MI - Magic Bag Apr. 15 - Williamsville, NY - Club Infinity Apr. 17 - Cleveland, OH - Wilbert's Apr. 18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Hard Rock Cafe Apr. 20 - Philadelphia, PA - World Cafe Live Apr. 21 - New York, NY - B.B. King Blues Club & Grill Apr. 22 - Annapolis, MD - Ram's Head Tavern On Stage For more information, go to www.bx3tour.com -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric VB Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Thanks for the reminder! I almost forgot about this . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MvW Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 Thanks for posting this. I just bought a ticket for the April 21st show at B.B. Kings... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 That is a strange trio. All three are great players but it's hard for me to imagine the other two "trading licks" with Jeff Berlin. Jeff is phenomenal live. His soloing has to be seen and heard to be believed. Unlike the others, he doesn't have worked out "signature licks"; the music is just flowing out of him at high speed and it is more musical than any other chopmeister you will ever see. The lineup reminds of a concert I once saw featuring Allan Holdsworth, Albert Lee and Eddie Van Halen. Eddie was not able to keep up with the other two. I wonder who the drummer will be, the website doesn't say. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted March 30, 2006 Author Share Posted March 30, 2006 Please post your comments after you attend the shows. I would love to hear about it! I really wish this tour was coming a little closer to my home. Joe -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihategarybettman Posted March 30, 2006 Share Posted March 30, 2006 I'm a little surprised that Billy Sheehan (and band) isn't coming to his hometown, Buffalo, NY. By the way, my old bassist is Mr. Sheehan's cousin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZZ Thorn Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 It was a dark and stormy night...apparently. It was a beautiful day, but while a parched midwest, stuck in the throes of a five year drought - truly green grass a near-forgotten memory - gladly received a more lightening than rain nighttime storm, the Bx3 tour rolled into Martyrs Restaurant and Pub on the north side of Chicago. I was there. Here's my opinions, forgive me if we do not see eye to eye: They opened with "the Star Spangled Banner," complete with messed-up lyrics courtesy one Billy Sheehan. After shouts of "play ball," Jeff Berlin assumed the spotlight. Backed by a capable guitar and drummer, whose names I don't recall, Jeff, who few actually came to hear, blew like a Korean "masseuse" who isn't in it for the money. He swung like a mother f#)*)#, playing hard bop tunes by Dizzy Gillespie and others. Despite silent protests from yours truly, he embarked on a duet with the drummer of Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven," a song which has no place outside of high school proms, and made it not totally suck. That takes the highest level of talent in my book. Hefty Jeff played a four-string (all 3 bassists played 4 string basses) thru some kind of device which made it sound like a fretless and just swung and swung and swung some more. When he took solos, he played blindingly coherently. The guitarist played truly inspired, and the drummer laid capably in the pocket, understandably not taking many chances or fills, considering he was to back all 3 bass stars. Jeff killed. Jeff went first, even tho he is so much better than the other two bassists on the bill, I imagine because every one came to hear the 'rock stars.' But make no mistake, and don't show up late if you plan to attend this show, Jeff's chops, his walking basslines, his solos, are absolutely killer. Stu Hamm was next. I wouldn't want to follow Jeff Berlin, so I give the charismatic Stu credit. Stu played a set that no doubt pleased the many bassists' girlfriends who were at the show. He slapped and popped and tapped and razzled and dazzled and nearly put me to sleep. His first song was interesting in concept only - a combination of the Beatles "She's so Heavy" and Beethoven, but it was downhill from there. Stu is the kind of guy guitarists must love: He's going to double their lines - he's there to make them look good. This selfless style shouldn't be dismissed easily - he's a consumate professional. He's going to add flash and sizzle and impress those who are easily impressed. I wanted to yell, "Bring back Jeff!" The guitarist did his Steve Vai/ Joe "Satchmo" Satriani impression, the drummer played boring rock beats, and I wished I had cigarettes so I could have taken a smoke break. Still, the crowd, mostly bass players and not numbering more than 150 persons, was very pleased. Stu did the most slapping, tapping and popping out of all 3, none of which I like to hear. So I was on my 5th rum and coke when Billy Sheehan took the stage, still backed by the same guitarist and drummer of course, and to many disposable camera flash bulbs. Maybe it was the booze, but Sheehan really impressed me: he is going to overwhelm you with with chops and energy, energy, energy. And more chops. Chops all the time. He probably was playing off of decades of speed residue in his system. He tapped very little and just wailed on his bass with abandon. He didn't play to the crowd like Stu (who tacked on a 'and many morrrrreeeee' to the end of one his songs) - he ignored the crowd and was lost in the music. And he rocked. Rocked, I say. He covered a song off Jeff Beck's "Blow by Blow," which rocks, and the guitar player, playing very well again, blew it up. Unfortunately, the rum and cokes were adding up and I hit the head during "Shy Boy." Still, I was very impressed with Sheehan - he is not all bs tapping flash, he a bonafide rocker. All 3 bassists took the stage for a final couple songs. Stu slapped out a rhythym while Billy and Jeff traded licks. The final song was, hilariously, Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom," in which the guitar player strapped on a bass cuz, after all, what the hell - one more bass won't ruin things. As they left the stage I shook all their hands. I told Jeff Berlin that he annihilated it, 'you swung it Jeff, you SWUNG it' cuz he did. I chatted with Billy Sheehan for a bit - told him how impressed I was with his energy and devotion to rock. I told him I was there to see Berlin - he said he was too, and was trying to pick up all the licks off him he could - but that he really impressed me. I'm sure I made his year. Nice guy. So, pretty drunk, I strolled around my old neighborhood, jogged a couple blocks down Ravenswood St. (one of the truly great time-savers in Chicago) to wear off some of the booze so I could drive, and made it home in one piece, coming home yet again to the ever-present smell of burning sulfur and dolemite emitted from the steel mills here in Gary, where the only pure steel in America is made, and what truly makes Gary, Indiana, the 'armpit of America.' So, a couple of aspirin and I'm off to bed. I'm really glad they did 3 seperate sets, and not one big two hour set. They played for about 3 hours. http://www.myspace.com/themoustachioed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 Excellent review ZZ! I have to admire Stu for even embarking on a gig where he is publicly going to have his taint punched like a speed bag every night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 How about Vic Wooten, Stanley Clarke, Jeff Berlin, Oteil Burbridge, and Edgar Meyer? Now THAT would be a super-tour... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getz out Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 Originally posted by BenLoy: How about Vic Wooten, Stanley Clarke, Jeff Berlin, Oteil Burbridge, and Edgar Meyer? Now THAT would be a super-tour... You could not pay me to go see that, though. I'd rather chew tin-foil. I would go to see Edgar Meyer solo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 Excellent review! Pretty much what I would walk into that show expecting to see. Berlin is a monster, Stu is a showman, plays with the crowd, and taps/slaps/pops way too much for my liking, Billy is Billy - he is none-more-rock and plays at the speed of light. Originally posted by tnb: I have to admire Stu for even embarking on a gig where he is publicly going to have his taint punched like a speed bag every night. That made me laugh. A lot. Originally posted by BenLoy: How about Vic Wooten, Stanley Clarke, Jeff Berlin, Oteil Burbridge, and Edgar Meyer? Now THAT would be a super-tour... Don't tease me like that. Stanley Clarke, Jeff Berlin, and Richard Bona. That would be my ultimate bass tour. Let's maybe throw some Bakithi Kumalo in there too for good measure. If those four hit the stage together, my head would probably explode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted April 14, 2006 Author Share Posted April 14, 2006 Thanks for the follow-up review ZZ! Being in Oklahoma, we're not likely to see anything like this any time soon, so I'll just have to live vicariously! Thanks so much for an honest review! -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZZ Thorn Posted April 14, 2006 Share Posted April 14, 2006 Thanks guys, and thanks to jmrunning3 for posting about this concert, otherwise I wouldn't have known about it. I remembered: Stu did a solo combination of "She's So Heavy" and Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata." It was interesting, and a real crowd pleaser. He looks just like Sammy Hagar, and has that same 'crowd pleaser' vibe. He introduced the show talking about how much he thought of Berlin and how as a youngster he got his autograph. He's very much an in-the-pocket player - and very good at it - but Berlin and Sheehan are really 'lead' players. I do know one thing: I was no better than the 4th best bass player in the room (probably not tho, LOL, lots of bassists were there). Stanley Clarke is currently on tour somewhere I think - my brother saw him about a week ago in Seattle. He's not coming to Chicago anytime soon unfortunately... and no one comes to Gary. Jeff told some jokes, here was the funniest one: A rock bass player starts dating a gal with a kid. One day, the woman comes home and hears yelling and giggling - the guy is chasing around her kid around the house and yelling at him. "Hey, what's going on," she asked. The rock bass player says, "I caught Junior messing around with my bass. He was turning a tuning peg!" The woman says, "Well that's not that big a deal. Why are you so upset?" The rock bass player replies.... Cuz he won't tell me which one! http://www.myspace.com/themoustachioed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mondoray Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 We never get the chance to see any of this in the uk I saw billy at a bass clinic back in 91 and stu in 95 but you seem to get it all in america. wonder why they never come to see us?" 1977fender telecaster bass . Washburn status, ch guitar 8 string , schecter elite diamond series 5 string. Steinberger xm2 custom.the list goes on.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 wonder why they never come to see us?" Bangers and mash, bubbles and squeak, and Lancashire hotpot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Terrien Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Awesome!! I hope these guys book a show in Los Angeles!! *JAY TERRIEN (BASS, VIOLA, COMPOSITION, MADNESS)* HEAR "ALL THE DOLLS IN THE SAME PLACE" WITH PAT MASTELOTTO AND RONAN CHRIS MURPHY!! FEAR JAY ON MYSPACE! BREAKING NEWS!! AND MUSIC REVIEWS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxofunk Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 JOE - I just saw the announcement that Billy is the clinician for Dfest . - Matt W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 Matt W: Thanks for the heads-up! Are you planning on attending? Anyone from the surrounding area? -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saxofunk Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 This year, no. It's the kind of event I should have planned some vacation time for to take full advantage of the clinics/trade show/etc. I'll keep a better eye on it for next year. - Matt W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 I'm going to keep it in mind. In summer we are normally at the lake from sun-up Saturday to sundown Sunday. But with gas prices being what they are (going to be?), the boat my sit idle and I'll have a free weekend. -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Herrera Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Hi everybody... So, the guitar player is my good buddy and frequent musical partner-in-crime Jude Gold. Just so he isn't continually referred to as "the guitar player" in this thread. Just heard from him. He's having a blast and will likely be doing a feature on the tour in an upcoming BP. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred TBP Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 Just got my tickets for the Philadelphia show this Thursday night. Review to post sometime this weekend. Amazing that I paid $20 to see Jeff alone at the Iridium and for an extra $9 I get to see him again with two other bassmeisters. Can't beat that! Anyone wishing to hook up with yours truly and his recording-engineer buddy should keep your eyes peeled for a guy with a walking cane. That should narrow it down to about 20 people. From there, use your instincts and what you know about me from the Forum. Be seeing you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MvW Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 I have one ticket for this show for Friday, April 21st at BB Kings on 42nd St. I can't attend the show and would be willing to give the ticket to someone on this forum for FREE! I have a 'fast ticket' that I can email directly to that someone. The first one to PM me gets it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred TBP Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 OK, back from Philly and my dental appointment, the novocane is wearing off but my mind is still reeling from last night's BX3 performance. (for those who'd rather not hear me drone on about what was clearly the bass event of the year, my advice is: if you live in NYC, and if isn't essential that you be somewhere else, go down and see them TONIGHT!) First, much praise goes to Jude Gold (Associate Editor of our sister mag Guitar Player) who played very tasteful and appropriate guitar for all 3 bassmeisters. Armed with a pedalboard and a sole Marshall half-stack, he covered "all the basses" and was given quite a few moments to shine from all 3 headliners, not to mention his strapping on one of Stu's basses to join the trio in "Big Bottom" as the encore. GP is so lucky to have him, but I can see him doing a few tours a year. Next, John Mader (drums) is my candidate for MVP in the music circuit. Think Narada Michael Walden and Simon Phillips in their prime. John's not going to have any unbooked dates for the next five years. A drummer this versatile, this full of boundless energy to keep up with this "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and not miss a beat is a force of nature. OK, Jude and John were great, but you didn't come hear to hear about them, did ya? Unannounced, the three enthusiastically walked onstage, grabbed microphones, and said they just felt like moving things up a bit, along with the first of many nods to the Philly crowd. Stu and Jeff played a simply awesome version of "Star Spangled Banner" with Billy singing and keeping his hands in his pockets. So the guys hug and swap some quick one-liners and Stu and Billy walk off and hand the stage over to Jeff Berlin. Perhaps a few of you who will never enter the realm of be-bop may be disappointed. Perhaps I was over-enthusiastic (and a little drunk) when at the end of the night I pronounce Jeff the rightful heir to the legacy Jaco left behind. (sorry, Jeff, you just moved me again... ) Perhaps being the first to go on may make it seem he's opening act material. Simply put, Jeff is the be-bop master of the three, and he proved it again. His version of "Tears In Heaven" was worth the price of admission alone, and I hope someone out there caught that on video. This man is the closest you'll ever get to understanding the focus, raw energy, dexterity and commitment that Jaco exhibited less than 30 years ago IMHO. Stu Hamm is the most personable onstage. Joke of the evening goes to him when he said "show of hands, how many bass players are here tonight?" and, after a suitable pause, said "OK, show of hands again, and how many of you are still living with mom and dad?". Among the memorable moments when he exhibited incredible feats of two handed chord-work (proving you don't need to learn a Chapman stick to do this) and impeccable groove-in-your-face slap patterns there was a Beatles' medly from Abbey Road. Maybe you don't have the time and desire to do this much on bass, but when you see someone pull all this out on a fretted 4-string the way Stu did... it's like seeing a sunrise after a night in Alaska. Billy Sheehan is everything they say he is and more. If the other two were the toreadors and picadores in the arena, then Billy is the matador who delivers the death blow. I remember him performing "Shy Boy" among other classics from the Vai-era, but my mind is still too numb to relate what it was like. Guitarists lacking the taste and skill of Jude Gold should be afraid... yes, they should be very afraid... if they ever chanced to share a stage with Billy. The 3 man encore was both awesome and entertaining. These guys love each other like brothers in arms and they happily edged each other on in successively more technical trade-off riffs. Maybe it was the local stout or maybe there's a point where you see and hear more than your mind is able to logically comprehend, but I went into cognitive shutdown mode by this time. OK, I'm totally out of words and I've barely scratched the surface of what these three men performed last night. I envy and applaud those of you who'll get to see the NYC performance tonight. As for the rest... we'll it ain't over for them just yet. An "unconfirmed" rumor has it that these three friends are clearing their collective schedules for another US road trip in Sept-Oct. For now if it weren't time to catch up on some lost sleep I'd be in NYC tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danthaman Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Any chances of them coming to Europe, you think? Coffee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 What about the Midwest? Certainly they could book a few dates in Chicago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 i missed the show down the street at the magic bag. i feel like a total choad. robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 I don't recall there being any plans for them to go to Europe, but that may have changed. -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmrunning3 Posted June 2, 2006 Author Share Posted June 2, 2006 Originally posted by robb.: i missed the show down the street at the magic bag. i feel like a total choad. robb. I've never heard of "choad" so... From Wikipedia: Speakers of the Hindi, Bengali and Gujarati languages have confirmed that choad is in fact an Indian vernacular word equivalent to f***; it is therefore likely to have entered English slang via the British Raj. I love being a logophile. -- Joe -- "If you think you're too old, then you are." --Lemmy Kilmister "I have not seen a man who is not god already." --Austin Osman Spare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Fred, I really enjoyed your recap of the evening. I wish I could have been there. Thanks for the post....................Rocky "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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