TWO YEARS AGO TODAY – Taylor Hicks in Spartansburg, SC
June 29, 2009
“Red, White and Boom” by Taylorbug
The concert was wonderful and Taylor wanted to play right up until time for the fireworks. He was very skinny because it was late in the summer and those soul aerobics had done their job. He was so chatty and sweet and accessible after the show, more so than I have ever experienced before or since. He had no security and he came out drinking sweet tea and eating a barbeque sandwich. He just visited, talking about food and where to eat breakfast. I had brought my 6 year old grandson and 3 year old granddaughter. Taylor squatted down and listened to them with his arm around them. He autographed a Hello Kitty doll for Aly, my granddaughter. He saw me wearing the Modern Whomp hat and he said, “You want me to sign that for you?” Duh, Sure. So he signed it while I was wearing it. We talked some about Whomp . I got a hug and a handshake. It was just so informal and it was an up close encounter with a sweet, caring guy. Those really are his true colors.
video by Taylorbug
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY – Taylor Hicks at Six Flags, GA
June 28, 2009
“See – I’m With You” by Robin4T
You might think the thunderstorm that brought an abrupt end to this concert after only 8 ½ songs surely ruined the evening for the fans. But as someone who survived that soaking, I don’t think so. Looking back, I actually treasure the whole crazy memory and can’t really think about it without laughing out loud.
Of course I do realize that being present for this playful, unexpected rendition of Somehow has a great deal to do with my happy memory of the evening. Somehow had long been my favorite of Taylor’s early originals, but I had not seen him perform it live before. It was the 8th song of the set and the rain had just begun to fall. Although the stage had a covering that kept the band relatively dry (until things got brutal), the audience was completely unprotected. And nobody was prepared for rain, as we were in the midst of the worst draught in decades and there was no rain in the forecast. But rain it did. And Taylor’s spontaneous and light-hearted response to that whole circumstance was among the most genuinely charming displays I’ve ever witnessed.
So it was worth having a wet camera. And it was worth being soaked to the skin in a white linen blouse and fearing lightning would strike me and having everything in my purse soaked and having my watch stop from being wet. It was even worth having people look at me like I was a freak when I stopped for gas a few miles down the road (where there had been NO rain) and got out to pump gas, dripping all over the pavement and looking as if I had just gone swimming in my clothes. Yep. It was worth all of that.
video by Robin4T
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY – Taylor Hicks in Norfolk, VA
June 27, 2009
“NOT Son of a Carpenter” at the Norva
Video by Julz14too
“The Runaround” by Diane
Taylor appeared on stage in his faded Ray LaM T-shirt and torn jeans. He said the band had traveled all over the country and they were exhausted, but they were going to try and give us a good show. And did they ever! The entire band must have dug deep and found energy that blew the roof off the House of Blues! The most remarkable thing about this concert came at the end of “The Runaround,” when Taylor pulled a fan, Chelena, out of the audience to sing with him on stage. What resulted that evening has to be the greatest gift Taylor Hicks ever gave a fan.
Video by Skeeter
“Don’t Let Me Down” – by Denv
For the second show at this casino, Taylor sang “Don’t Let Me Down” with the red guitar adding a terrific sax solo by Brian Gallagher.
video by Denv
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY – Taylor Hicks in Council Bluffs, IA
June 20, 2009
“Long Distance Love” by Denv
The two shows in Council Bluffs were among my favorites. They were in a very intimate setting. The crowd was receptive and enthusiastic and Taylor was unusually chatty. At the encore, Taylor brought out the stool and mesmerized the audience with Long Distance Love and The Fall. During LDL, the audience listened quietly and intently. Taylor’s rendition was amazing, beautiful and touching and grabbed the audience’s attention immediately.
Video by Denv
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY – Taylor Hicks in Hyannis, MA
June 17, 2009
“Hold On To Your Love – Part II” by Diane
This was the second concert in Cape Cod. This day, Taylor sang HOTYL again. At the Hyannis concert, we saw the band members showcased prominently. Josh Smith and Felix Pollard got an opportunity to positively shine in this performance! Notice how Taylor sings “Lonely Avenue” to Josh’s guitar! I love the band dynamics in this video.
Hearing the sound check earlier that day, we were treated to “Levon.” The set list included “Levon” as the encore. Unfortunately, at the end of the concert, Taylor announced that his bass player was becoming sick from the rotating stage and they needed to cut the concert a little short. We still have the treat of hearing “Levon” in concert someday!
Video and photo by Diane
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY – Taylor Hicks plays Cohasset, MA
June 16, 2009
“Does Massachusetts Have the Blues?” by LindaT
“Hold On to Your Love” in Cohasset is quite simply one of the most brilliant performances of the summer tour. Taylor has a unique gift as a live performer of opening himself, crossing fearlessly over an unseen line of vulnerability in order to be moved by something larger than he. Van Morrison, one of Taylor’s musical heroes, also disappears into the music during a live performance, but in doing so, often disappears into himself as well, leaving the audience to fend for themselves. Taylor allows himself to be moved but with an open quality that invites us along for the journey.
Hold On to Your Love in Cohasset, then, is the epitome of Taylor being possessed, owned, shaken to the core by the music, and then passing that gift along to us. Listen especially for scatting, and for tags of “The Banana Boat Song”, “The Tide is High”, “Graceland”, “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”, “You Can’t Trust Your Neighbor”, and “Lonely Avenue”. Humor, radiance, joy, intensity – it’s all there. Let yourself go and enjoy the ride!
Video and photo by Diane
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY – Taylor Hicks at Big Flats, NY
June 15, 2009
“Hot Fun in the Summertime” – by KEB
The first of a number of outdoor festival stops, Taylor kicked kicked off his summer tour of 2007 in Big Flats New York.
It seemed like only a few days before I was standing in the fog of Seattle and here I was among the beer and barbecue in upstate New York.
I started the evening with a meet and greet. Mr. Hicks was charming as usual and as we were speaking, I noticed that Bill Will had taken my camera and was busy snapping a few self portraits. Taylor and I both laughed at the intensity of Bill’s picture taking.
During the show Taylor remarked how the scenery of Big Flats reminded him of home in Alabama, so he was loving the whole vibe. The concert itself was amazing, but then again I never get tired of seeing him perform live.
Photo by Harp, Video by dg90001
“Opening Night at the Brooks Atkinson Theater” – by Diane
We were so excited to be able to be at Taylor’s Opening Night on Broadway for Grease. We didn’t know what to expect! Friends of mine who work at the theater got us good house seats and took Karen and I backstage. We saw the car “Greased Lightning” hanging in the air above us.
When the ice cream cone opened and Taylor appeared in his sparkly black suit, it was so much fun! He delighted the entire theater with his comedy, harmonica playing and great vocals. We went to Planet Hollywood afterwards for the handprint ceremony with Candy and DeeDee. That was the last time I saw Dee, but I like to think she is in heaven thinking of the fabulous night when Taylor glittered on Broadway for the first time.
Video and photos by Diane
