|
Detroit, MI Hoedown May 2004
Ahhhh this show was so great because it was a last minute add in between Shania shows. The show was outside and it was a chilly day for a show, but totally worth it. The only thing I didn't like about this show was the stage set-up. You really can't get close to the stage, so that means no pics and I really hate having no pics. Also, a big part of an Emerson Drive show is the guys' interaction with each other and the fans. And from that distance, there was definitely no fan interaction and very difficult to see the guys' interaction with each other. Oh well, the show was still great. The guys sounded amazing in this semi-accoustic show. I have to say that Danick was absolutely wonderful. His parts were so different with the accoustic guitar and I absolutely loved it. It was great to hear again some of the stuff from the upcoming album and of course most of my old favorites. I missed hearing How Lucky, but since the show was only an hour, I guess I can't expect to hear every song. ;-) It was great to see the crowd really get into the guys and this crowd was huge!!! The audience was a little slow to get into it at first as Brad tried to get them to sing the chorus to FIM and I was beginning to think we were the only people who had ever heard the song. Guess he figured they weren't going to sing, so he stopped the song and launched into Sweet Child. Boy, did they get into that. After that, it was back to FIM and this time the audience took the hint and participated. lol It was great to see 10,000 people singing along. I was worried about how Devil would be received since this crowd had already heard it twice this weekend and once it was from Charlie Daniels himself, but when the guys launched into, the crowd loved it!! Of course, we all know that even Charlie cannot saw on his fiddle like David can. ;-) As a side note, I just wanted to say that there were quite a few opening acts and one of them really impressed me. If you haven't seen Rushlow perform, you should definitely make the effort. They seem to have alot of the same energy that the guys have. You can tell they have great chemistry with each other and alot of fun on stage. I was especially impressed with their lead guitarist's performance. Check them out if you get a chance!
Cattle Annie's, Lynchburg VA, March 2004
Wow, it's been so long since I've seen an Emerson Drive show and boy was I excited for this one! I knew this would be my last opportunity to catch the boys before they head out on tour with Shania. Since the show was in a bar, I knew it was going to be awesome. In general, bar shows are better than just your ordinary show and this one was no exception to the bar rule. It was nice to see the guys again and catch up on the last few months, as well as to see Gerry back out on the road and to meet the very sweet new road manager, Mark. Ok, well onto the show.... First of all, let me just say that in the last couple of years I really cannot remember seeing a show that did not start off with Hollywood Kiss. I'm so used to it that I'm ready to sing along, only this night I would have been singing the wrong words since Hollywood Kiss has been taken out of the set. Instead, Coming Home was the first song of an amazing set! It was so great to hear some new songs that I had only previously heard in soundcheck and was now hearing in a full blown performance. Now, it's been awhile so I hope I remember all of the songs. The new songs were What If, My Girl, I'll Die Trying and November. Let me just say that I was completely blown away!!!! WOW!!! I had at least heard all of them except for I'll Die Trying and that one is just absolutely amazing. Of course, I think everything they do is amazing, but this song, is just, well there are really no words to describe it. It just IS. Along with all of those new songs, we got to hear my absolute favorite ED songs, How Lucky, which I hope they never remove from the set, and Waitin On Me. The accoustic portion of the set has changed and that makes me a little sad, b/c I loved the whole sitting on the stools for the Streets Have No Names and Silver Wings. I'm glad that they are still in the set tho. Those boys kick ass on Silver Wings. Every time they do it, I wish the song was 10 minutes long instead of 3 because I just love it so much. We also got to hear FIM, ISBS, Only God, Fishin, Last One Standing, Forever Young, Fiddle in the Band and of course the incomparable Devil. ;-) I had previously heard that they were now covering the Rod Stewart hit Forever Young and was uncertain how I was going to feel about that b/c I'm not really a Rod fan, so I don't really care for the song and it just didn't feel like and ED song to me, but ..........I was so wrong! The song was great. The guys really made it seem like their song. I felt like I had never heard it before. Rod?? Rod who?? lol Anyway, the entire set was amazing from start to finish. It was definitley a show worth traveling to, but then they all are, aren't they? Now, as I stare at my Colin Farrell calendar, I realize I have 3 months before I see my favorite guys again. But on a brighter note, it's only 10 1/2 long weeks before the best album of the year hits store shelves!!!
Athens, GA Nov 2003 review by Erin
We went to a concert in Athens,
Georgia on Nov. 20th at the University of Ga, and I
thought I'd send a review, because Brad screwed up and
it was REALLY funny!! So here goes! (I tend to be a
bit long winded, so edit as you feel necessary!)
Well, it was our last show of the year, and we were
excited, but also kinda sad... No more ED for 3
months! We drove for 2 and 1/2 hours to get there, and
got there at about 4... No one else was there yet, so
we decided to go get some food and come back. We got
back around 5:30, and still no one was there, so we
went to the student center where a really nice guy let
us play pool for a little while even though it is
supposed to be students only. We went back downstairs
around 6:30, and a few fans that had never seen the
boys had shown up. So we hung out with them and told
them all about how wonderful the guys are until the
doors opened at 7:30. There were only about 100-150
people there, but you could just feel the energy in
the room... You know how it is with a bunch of us
college kids! Right at 8 the guys came on stage. Of
course they opened with Hollywood Kiss, and then
played Fishin' in the Dark, a few more songs, and then
the acoustic set. After the acoustic set, everyone
gets ready to play the new single, LOS (switches
guitars, gears up.. you know how it is!). Well, while
everyone is getting ready, Brad does a little talk
about being on tour with Shania... He then introduces
Only God, which of course throws everyone off.. Danick
has the wrong guitar, and it's not what they were
expecting. So after Only God, the rest of the guys are
wondering what song they are gonna do next.. which
guitar to get, etc. The confused looks on their faces
were priceless! They finally get straightened out a
few songs later and get back on track. The crowd just
erupted when the guys started playing Devil. They did
an encore of Fiddle in the Band and FIM. Afterward
they did the autograph and picture thing, but couldn't
hang out because they had to get on the road since
they had to be in Houston the next night to kick off
the next part of the Shania tour. Awesome end to an
awesome year of concerts.... And our new friends are
now loyal, dedicated fans after only one show!!!
Charlotte, NC November 7, 2003
Ok, here goes the last review of the year. I can't believe another year has flown by already! I wasn't planning on going to this show until the night before. I realized that I would not see the guys again until March and it had already been about 6 weeks since I saw them last, so I realized I HAD to go. lol This show was at Coyote Joe's, a pretty cool country bar. For the last show of the year, I am so glad it was at a bar. Those are almost always better than just any ordinary show. The crowd is drunk, therefore more hyper. ;-) And the guys have even more energy than normal. It was a long drive and I was a little worried we wouldn't make it in time since we didn't arrive in Charlotte until after 8 and then we had to get ready and drive another 15 minutes to the club. There was a very good local band opening up and then Little Big Town came on. I am neither a fan nor a non-fan of LBT, but I thought they did a pretty good job. I missed most of their set while waiting to go back for meet and greet, but what I saw, I liked. Then, finally, it was time for the boys to take the stage. This night I got to hear Last One Standing for the first time live. I wasn't sure what to expect since I had already heard it was going to be the next single instead of Waitin' On Me. So I guess I already had ideas that I might not like it. Not that it wasn't a great song, but I really really love WOM and to know that LOS was going out as the next single instead, made me have really really high expectations for it. I couldn't imagine it would be better than WOM. Which, of course, it wasn't. lol Actually, I loved it, but I still love WOM more. Ok, onto the rest of the set: Hollywood Kiss, Fishin', Fall Into Me, Coming Home, Silver Wings, Streets Have No Names, Light of Day, Only God, Looking Over My Shoulder, Sweet Child, How Lucky, Devil and Sleeping. Then it was Fiddle in the Band and a second rendition of Fall Into Me for and encore. Another great show and a great end to a great Emerson Drive year. The only bad thing about this show was that my camera battery died and we didn't have time to stop for another one, so I don't have any pics of this show.:-(
Louisville, KY Sept 20
Well, I wasn't at all sure I was going to make it to this show. After last night's show, I got home at about 4:30 in the morning. I had just enough time to shower before my ride to KY got there at 5AM. But for a good show, I can go without my sleep. lol This show took place at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. This would be my first time to Six Flags and it was a really cool park. Dale and Danick seemed to think so too when they went to ride all the rides. We caught site of them just as they were getting on a bungee ride. WOW, that was a scary looking thing and my stomach was lurching just watching them. lol They seemed to like it tho. Well after that ride, it was time to head back to the theatre and get ready for the big show. It was of course a great show, but unfortunately not a very big turnout. :-( The theatre was normally used for Batman performances so the backdrop was very cool. During Devil, Dave ran off of the stage and disappeared backstage. After a minute, he came out on this upstairs platform and did a little dance. Oh yeah, he played the fiddle too. After all that is what he's there for. lol Did I mention, he danced???? LOL Anyway, it was another great performance by the guys.
Jackson, OH Sept 19
Well, we got some friends to go see the guys for the second time at this show. It was truly a fun time. We got there early, of course, to get a good spot in front of the stage. We met some other ED fanatics that were there even earlier than we were to get good seats. Since we had many hours to kill, we decided to walk through the town and see what they had. Well, we happened to spot ED on the front page of the local newspaper!!! That was pretty cool seeing their smiling faces sticking out of the newspaper box. lol The day turned out to be much nicer than expected and we were lucky to get no rain!! This was a very tiny town and I have come to realize that little towns love Emerson Drive. Every time we go to see them in a small town, it seems like the whole town turns out and this night was no exception! The guys gave this small town a big time show. They played all of the songs that I have come to call the standards. And the crowd really loved Brad's Reasons We Aren't Superstars story. lol But, I think this little town did think ED were superstars....and so do I. ;-)
Dansville, NY Aug 29
Wow, what a great day for a show. The weather was beautiful although a bit windy. This show was at the Festival of Balloons. It was really cool to get to watch all of the hot air balloons going up at the same time behind the stage. Well, anyway, onto the review. The guys had family there and that's always a good thing, cuz you can count on them giving it everything they've got. Not that they don't always give it their all, but I think knowing that family is there makes them really want to look and sound good. Well the guys got there late.....surprisingly. lol Anyway, since they were late, we were able to catch soundcheck and as you know getting to watch soundcheck is like two shows in one! This was a pretty quick soundcheck but still fun to watch. Finally it was show time. The guys started off with Hollywood Kiss then Fishin' and Fall Into Me. Next up is the song I hope will be the next single, Waitin On Me. I fell in love with that the first time I heard it done in soundcheck and now am anxiously waiting to hear it being played on the radio. If you haven't heard it yet, you are missing out on possibly the best ED song yet. If you ask me anyway. lol Next up was another song from the upcoming album, Coming Home. Another wonderful song. Then it was time for the accoustic set. That was Silver Wings and Streets Have No Name. The first time I saw the guys it was an accoustic set, so I really love this. I wish they would add maybe one more song to that part of the set and let Brad get out his guitar and play for us. Hmmm maybe someday. Anyway, next it was onto It's All About You. I didn't think that Brad was going to be able to sing to anyone this time since there was a barricade between the stage and the audience, but I should have known Brad would find a way over it. lol He always finds a way to sing to someone. Then it was Only God and How Lucky. Ok, I have always loved to hear them do How Lucky live, but now I love it even more, because I know at the end they are all going to jam with their instruments. That is definitely a highlight of the show. They are all amazing and this little jam session lets them all prove it. Then it's onto Sweet Child which is a great cover song for them. Brad sounded particularly amazing during this song at this show. Then it was onto Devil, which I'm sure you all know from reading these reviews, that is a personal favorite of mine. ;-) And then finally it was time for Sleeping. I had hoped the guys would do an encore since their families were there, but since Sawyer Brown was coming up next, there just wasn't time. I got to see Sawyer Brown for the first time and was amazed at the similarities between SB and ED. I could totally see Sawyer Brown as the way ED will be in another 20 years.
Saline Community Fair, Ann Arbor, MI September 2, 2003
Review By Renee
I went to the Emerson Drive concert at the Saline Community Fair on September 2, 2003. It was the best concert I ever went to! They started with Hollywood Kiss, I knew the concert was amazing then. Brad looked amazingly hot and his dancing was awesome. I stood up to take a picture, and since everyone was sitting down, I was noticeable, and Brad looked right at me and stopped dancing and posed so I could take a picture of him. It was so awesome. Also, for the rest of the concert, he made a lot of eye contact with the audience, including me and my friends. Then they sang Fishing in the Dark which I recently found out they are doing a cover of that on their new cd. Their third song, Fall Into Me, everyone automatically stood up and started going crazy. Everyone was singing along and dancing and it was great. Everything after that is kind of a blur, it was so great I cant remember specific details. I know they sang every song off of their cd except for I See Heaven and Say My Name. They also did many cover songs including Sweet Child Of Mine and If You Wanna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band). They also sang a song off of their new album which, in Brads words, will be out very soon. During Its All About You, Brad went down and danced with this girl, and was like Its all about her! What a lucky girl! At one point, they all came on stools and sat in the front and sang a few songs there, but I cant remember which ones. During the part that Brad left the stage, and Danick and David were playing in the front, Danick threw his guitar pick into the audience and I was watching David, who was doing a little dance, so I didnt see it, but all of a sudden it hit my dad in the face and my sister started going crazy. Then Brad came up and they went into Devil Went Down To Georgia but I didnt really hear the beginning since I was still freaking out about the guitar pick. Its very cool, it's brownish and says Emerson Drive on it. David went to the back in the bleachers and started playing back there. At the end of the concert, they left but came back and Brad said Do you want one more song? Well sorry, we can only do two! And they sang Fiddle In The Band except they changed Texas to Michigan, and Fall Into Me again. It was great. Afterwords, a DJ from W4 country came on the stage and said they were doing autographs at the merchandise table so everyone freaked out and ran over there. I got my cd cover signed, I brought it just in case. David and my sister were talking about violins, since she plays too. Did you know he played classical for 15 years before he moved to country? Thats what he told her. To all the guys, I said You are my favorite band! or It was a great concert! or something like that. But to Brad, my favorite, I told him my story, I used to hate country music, but one day I heard Fall Into Me and I realized how great country is, now thats all I listen to! He thought that was cool. He said, " Really? Thats great! Thanks for buying our CD it means a lot to us." It was the best night of my life and the concert was so great were making the four hour drive to Warsaw, Indiana to see them next month! They sounded better in person than on their CD, which is rare these days. Brad looked more gorgeous in person, although you may find that hard to believe considering how great looking he is already!
Portage Co Fair, Randolph OH-Aug 24, 2003
Well after a really really really long time, the guys have finally come back to where we live. It's been a year and a half since they were here last. It was really exciting for us not to have to drive to another state just to see them. LOL This trip was just across town and we have been waiting a long time for a show that close. This show also marked our second anniversary of seeing the guys for the first time!! :-) This show was exciting for us because we had friends and family here to see the guys and we really wanted to know what they thought. These are the people that for two years have been hearing how outstanding this band is and they were finally going to either see that for themselves (which is what we were hoping) or they were going to think we were even crazier for driving miles and miles to see them. Although, they aren't ready for a road trip to see the guys just yet, they all seemed to be enjoying themselves and told us that the guys sounded pretty good. That's good enough for us..... for now. We think in time they will become just as addicted as we are. lol Well anyway, onto the actual review for the show... The first thing we heard is the revving engine that has come to be pretty exciting, since we know the guys are on their way. They start off playing Hollywood Kiss. I don't think a show would be the same if Hollywood Kiss were not the first song I heard. lol Then it was onto Fishin and Fall Into Me. Next up was my favorite new song, Waitin On Me. I can't wait for that to become a single. That is presuming it will be a single. I loved the song from the first time I heard it and I love it even more every time. It's a great song and very fun to see the guys do it live. Then came Looking Over My Shoulder and another new one, Coming Home. Then, it was time for the accoustic set. I love this because it gives everyone a chance to come up front and really be seen. It is sometimes hard to see Mike and Dale because they are so far back on the stage and hidden by their instruments and this set brings them up front. I think that Brad's voice shines on Silver Wings. He sounds absolutely amazing on this one. I wish Brad would play a guitar during this little segment. That's the only thing that I think would make it any better. Ok, next it's onto It's All About You, Light of Day, Only God, How Lucky I Am and then the instrumental solo. Man, can these guys get any better??? I could watch them all play their instruments all night. They just never cease to amaze me. Next up was Sweet Child and then Devil. During Devil, Dave ran way out into the grandstand and all the way up, up, up to the very top and just sawed away. The crowd went nuts for this. Then it was time for the show to end with ISBS. Pat and Dave thought it would be fun to come down off of the stage and play to the audience during that one. That was very cool and of course the audience loved it! Well unfortunately there was no encore for this show, but the guys did stay and sign autographs for everyone after the show.
Sandusky Fair August 23 2003
Review by Chelsea Fox
I have always liked Emerson Drive but when I saw them in concert I'm lovin them! They were so full of emergy on that stage and it was so much fun. They got the audience involved in their songs almost every time. Even the songs people didn't know they go involved. My little brother who went with me used to hate country music, but when he went to this concert and saw Emerson Drive. He was like "OMG! THEY'RE AWESOME! THEY PLAY GUITARS!!!" And he really loved it when they sang "The Devil Went Down To Georgia". I did too because David Pichette got down from the stage and was running through the crowd. He climbed up onto this stand thing by the grandstand where I was sitting and started playing his fiddle there. Then he was dancing like crazy and girls were grabbing their cameras (inculding me) and screaming. It was so awesome! They were so funny too! Their three reasons why they think they are not country superstars just cracked me up! Especially the one about Shaina Twian. That was hilerious! I NEVER had so much fun at that concert. I even think Trick Pony's concert was a bit too crazy and not as fun as Emerson Drive'spart of the concert. Emerson Drive was just AWESOME! Here's the concert in one word. Thebestthingtoseeifyoureallylovecountrymusicandemersondriveisthehottestthingincountrymusicbesideskennychensey!
Douglas, WY Aug. 13, 2003 State Fair
Review by Dani Byer
We got to see Emerson Drive at the Wyoming State Fair. This show was AWESOME! We had backstage passes and got to go backstage to meet the band. The guys are really nice. We shook their hands, and got pictures with them. I was suprised to see that they got a new tour bus. I think the hardest part of the show was sitting through the opening act, just waiting for the band to come on. The first song they sang was Hollywood Kiss. We had to stay in our seats during this song, which wasn't too bad because we had front row seats. After this song Brad invited anyone who wanted to go down in front of the stage to come on down. Fall Into Me was next. I liked the part during "I Should Be Sleeping" when Brad sang to the different girls in front of the stage. I thought it was so funny when Brad told the "3 Reasons We Aren't Country Superstars Yet." I liked all the different duets and solos the band played. Some other songs they sang were "Only God", "Light of Day"," Looking Over My Shoulder"," I See Heaven","It's All About You"," Fishin' In the Dark"," Sweet Child", "The Devil Went Down to Georgia"," You Gotta Have A Fiddle in the Band" and lots of others. During the concert they told everybody to sing, and if you didn't know the words to move your mouth and make it look like you were singing. Barely anybody knew about the encore, so when the band left the stage a lot of people left. We stayed down front and moved closer to the stage. Then Brad came out and said " You guys want us to do one more song? Well, we can only do two." They sang Fall Into Me again. During Fall Into Me Brad jumped off the stage and walked over to me. I thought he was going to sing to me, but instead he put the microphone in my face and I got to sing! It was sooo awesome! The last song they did was "You Gotta Have A Fiddle In the Band." Later in the song Brad exchanged Texas for Douglas. After the show the guys were really nice and stayed and signed autographs. There was a long line. I can't wait to see them again. Emerson Drive is awesome, and if you ever get the chance to meet them or see them in concert you will have a BLAST!! Emerson Drive Rocks!
Indianapolis, IN Aug 7, 03
Well after last night's show, we went out to look at the place where supposedly the Mothman was, so it was a pretty late night. That means, very little sleep for us. Nothing unusual, when it comes to ED. lol We got to the IN state fair and met up with our wonderful friends who drove up there and slept to get good seats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was great to watch the guys horsing around during soundcheck and to get the chance to hear the new album stuff that isn't in the set yet. :-) They played mostly the same set as the night before. They had many fans there who used to go see the guys alot when they were the house band at a bar in Indy. I'm sure that made them very energized! Dave ran out into the audience and way way up to the bleachers during Devil. I love that he does this, but I fear for his safety. LOL The guys were in a great hurry this night since they had quite a long drive ahead of them to Nebraska, but the stayed and signed autographs until everyone that wanted one had one. It is great that they do this even when they don't have time. Until next time.....
Point Pleasant, WV Aug 6, 2003
Well this was an interesting show. It took place where the Mothman Prophecies took place....... The guys had alot of fans there. And they seemed to be getting alot of energy from that. Most especially, Patrick. He seemed to have more energy than I have ever seen from him. lol The guys have changed their entire set already. This is happening alot more often and I am loving it. The first thing we hear before the guys come out is a revving engine. What a way to get the crowd revved up right away. Not that this crowd wasn't already revved up. lol So they start off with Hollywood Kiss, and then switched it up and played Fishin. lol Talk about confusing. lol Wating On Me has been added to the set. I absolutley love this song. Out of all of the new songs I have heard, I think this is my favorite. :-) They also played Silver Wings and The Streets Have No Name, It's All About You, Only God, Fall Into Me, How Lucky, Coming Home, Devil and Sleeping. I think I forgot some, but you get the general idea. lol Of course the guys did another rendition of Fall Into Me for an encore. The fans loved it and the guys! And that's pretty much it for another show.
Lowville, NY July 18, 2003
What a great day for a show! The weather was absolutely beautiful. The crowd was really large for this show. As we watched Patrick, who had gotten there way before anyone else, soundcheck his bass, we also watched the staff of the fair bring out extra chairs because they had sold more tickets than the chairs that they had put out. It's always great to see something like that. It's amazing to watch the crowds grow from show to show. This was a long set, which is always good. Some of the guys had their families there, and therefore wanted to do the best show. Which of course they did! They played Only God, Fall Into Me, Coming Home, Fishin', It's All About You, Hollywood Kiss, Looking Over My Shoulder, Light of Day, How Lucky I Am, Sweet Child, Say My Name, Silver Wings, The Streets Have No Name, Devil and Sleeping. Then for an encore, they came back out and played Fiddle In The Band and another rendition of Fall Into Me. It was great to see Light of Day and Say My Name, which they haven't played recently at the shows we have been to. During Devil, Dave jumped off the stage and ran way way way up into the grandstand to play. The crowd loved it! If you have seen the guys recently you know that, Brad asks someone if they would like to learn to play the fiddle. Then they bring someone up there, who will hold the bow, while Dave just saws away. We have had the pleasure of seeing this a few times now and this particular show was just absolutely OUTSTANDING!!!!! When they did their accoustic part of the show, they all sat on stools and played and it was just very cool. I really think they sound amazing during this little part of the show and you can hear Danick and Dale's voices more than ever. This was another great show and the crowd loved the guys. The autograph line after the show was possibly the longest line I have ever seen for them. I think just about every person in attendance wanted to meet them! The guy who books entertainment for the show came over to us afterwards and told us that he enjoyed the show so much and that it was such a great crowd that he was going to try to have them back next year! That's the way it works when you see these guys. You automatically want to see them again!
Louisville, KY 6/29/03
Well we didn't think we were going to come to this show, but when we realized it was "almost" on the way home, we knew we had to do it. lol Lucky for us we had lots of people saving us seats since we didn't get there til 1 hour before show time. We made it just in time to catch soundcheck!! The crowd seemed to be pretty into the guys which is always a good thing. This was kind of a weird show because it was at a horse racing track and the show had to be stopped a couple of times for the races. But the guys were full of energy so the little breaks didn't really matter much. They still put on an awesome show. The set was pretty much the same as the night before, except they didn't play It's All About You. During Devil, David jumped up on some speakers and the crowd really went nuts! This man gets crazier every time I see him and I am loving it!!!! After the second break, the guys came back out to do their solo instrumental which the crowd also really loved. This has definitely become my favorite new thing they are doing. Brad introduced the guys from backstage and then waited.....and waited for Dale to introduce him, which never came. lol Finally, I guess he got the hint that he was being paid back and just laughed and came up on the stage. lol As always, it was another incredible show.
Clarence MO, 6/28/03
Well this had to be the hottest day of the year! But it was a beautiful sunny day and great for a show. We got there early and got to catch soundcheck. Can I just say it was AMAZING!!!!!! We got to hear some new stuff which was just great and we got to hear Danick doing some solo singing. And, for those of you who haven't really heard Danick singing, you are missing out. He has a fabulous voice. We have been lucky enough to catch him singing by himself before, but this day, he sounded better than I have ever heard him. Well the guys went off to get ready, so we walked around the town. The smallest town I have ever been to. It took us less than 5 minutes. lol But it was a cute little town. Then we ran into Chel. She finally made it. lol We all just hung out til show time. Tonight we were in for a treat, cuz we got to see two shows!!! Two shows are always better than one. ;-) I knew that they had a new set, so I was pumped. They started off with Hollywood Kiss, followed by Looking Over My Shoulder and then Fall Into Me. Even tho the set started off with the same three songs, they all were a little different. They had come up with a little different arrangement, so they all sounded different than I have ever heard before. Then they played a couple of songs from their upcoming album: Fishin in the Dark and Coming Home. I love that song more every time I hear it. Next up was a little accoustic set. Pat and David went to the back of the stage and Dale came up front to play guitar. They played Silver Wings and sounded absolutely fabulous. Dale and Danick together on the background harmonies really made this song for me. Then they played Where the Streets Have No Name. For this one, Mike got to join in and played just a little bit, while he was standing up. Very very cool. This definitely gives the audience a chance to see Mike without symbols in front of his face. Next up was It's All About You and Only God then How Lucky.
When they did How Lucky I Am, I was expecting them to introduce the band, but the song ended very abruptly and the band was not introduced. I was sad for just a second until they launched into this amazing instrumental set, where each member was introduced. Brad left the stage and the rest of the guys just rocked. This was wonderful. David and Pat start off trying to outdo each other, then Dale joins in, then Danick and finally Mike. From offstage Brad introduced all of the band members and then came back up singing Sweet Child in which Dale introduced him. During Devil, David jumped off the stage and ran into the audience sawing away on his fiddle. The audience loved it! And of course, last but not least, they played ISBS.
The second show was pretty much like the first, but even more high energy. The audience swarmed the stage for the second show and I think that made the guys' energy levels rise. lol There were some little children sitting on the edge of the stage and Danick and David were both playing to them. It was very cute. Then Brad went over and sat down next to a little girl and took her hat off of her head and put it on his own. She didn't seem to like that very well and had to take it back. lol Then during the accoustic set, Pat wanted to try something a little different and brought Chel up onto the stage to dance with him, while the others were playing. Very very funny. lol When the guys all got done with their instrumental, Brad "forgot" to introduce them. lol But Dale, being the bigger man still introduced "Brad the prankster". This was definitely a show that was worth the drive to get there. The guys give it their all every single time, and I never walk away disappointed.
Saginaw, MI June 21, 2003
Review by Allie Belill
My name is Allie and my review is from my Emerson Drive concert in Michigan on June 21, 2002. There had been 2 acts before Emerson Drive that performed because it was a free concert put on by a local Country radio station. The acts before Emerson Drive were older and no one was really into their music but once Emerson Drive hit the stage most of the people shot up out of their seats. They had so much energy that it was contagious!! It was VERY hot outside and people around me, including me, where tired and hot but once the guys came out the energy just slapped us in the face!! Brad was all around the stage bouncing back and fourth singing and waving to people. I have been to many concerts but none of which a band has ever interacted so much with theie fans. For insteance, Brad jumped off of the stage a couple of times to shake fans hands. During the concert a girl had to get wheeled off on a stretcher and he was right out there waiting for her to come and he sang to her as she was wheeled by. Also, during a song David jumped off of the stage and ran out into the middle of the croud and sang to people. No other group that I know of would have just jumped right out into the croud and danced with their fans. There was always something to look forward to next and the guys always had smiles on their faces and were always interacting with eachother and the fans. After the show, Emerson Drive took the time to go down a long line of people and they signed autographs. I got to meet all of the members and they were more than happy to take pictures with me. Emerson Drive is definitely the nicest set of guys that I have ever met and they put on the best show ever!!
Fan Fair 2003 Well, since we were lucky enough to see the guys quite a bit during FF week, I will just roll it all into one little review! FF started off nice since the first thing we did was go check out the guys' booth and get the chance to say Hi. It had been awhile since we saw them last, so we had to make sure everyone was there and healthy. lol And we got the chance to meet David for the first time. He is a total sweetheart and we wish him lots of luck with ED.
Well then it was off to the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game. That was a total blast. It was so much fun watching all of the celebrities cheat at baseball. lol Dale got to be the catcher for a bit and got to bat two times. Brad got to bat once. I really would have loved to see him play a little more, but it was exciting to see him hit a HOME RUN his only time up to bat!!!!!!!!! WooooHooooo!!!! Way to go Brad!! :-)
Next we were off to the Wildhorse Saloon for a late show. This was a great show with labelmate Jimmy Wayne opening for them. After Jimmy and another opening act, the guys took the stage. This would be our first time seeing David's performance. I was a little nervous about seeing a new fiddle player, but he blew me away. David is extremely talented and I know he will only get better when he is more comfortable with the band and the music. The atmosphere at the Wildhorse is great. The crowd really gets into it and they seemed to be loving the guys. They played Hollywood Kiss, Looking Over My Shoulder, Say My Name, Fall Into Me, Only God, Devil, Sweet Child, How Lucky I Am, their newest song Coming Home and of course I Should Be Sleeping among others. It was a great end to a great day.
The next day, we were up bright and early for the guys first Fan Club party. This was really nice. The guys did meet and greet with everyone who wanted to get pictures and autographs. It took much longer than expected but it was exciting to see so many people there to meet the guys. Next up was a little Q&A session which was pretty funny. Then to top the party off, the guys did an acoustic version of Coming Home. Unfortunately that's all the time there was, but overall it was a great party and alot of fun. It was fun catching up with many other fans that we have met from previous shows and meeting new fans as well. The guys have alot of great fans and it was fun hanging out with so many of them at the party.
After the party, we headed down to the Riverfront so we could get a good spot for the show later that afternoon. We got there and it was beautiful out and we thought it was going to be a perfect day for a show. Man were we wrong. lol Soon after we got there, the skies opened up and drowned everyone. But nobody seemed to mind. Everyone just put on ponchos and got out umbrellas and settled in to wait. We were a little worried that the show might get canceled, but thankfully the guys went on right on time.....for once. lol They did a wonderful job, and the crowd didn't even seem to notice the downpour that just wouldn't stop. They were only alotted 30 minutes for this show, but as always it was an amazing show. Even tho they were getting wet, they gave it their all for the crowd. To showcase David's talents, Brad invited someone up onto the stage to help out. She held David's bow while he played his fiddle on it. Very interesting indeed. lol And that's it for yet another show.
Saturday, we went to the convention center and after checking out all the booths, came back to hang out at the best booth. :-) It was fun watching the guys interact with the fans and see the reaction of people who had never met the guys before. They had an extremely long line for the entire day. It makes me really proud to see how far they have come. Seeing how many fans waited in line to meet them, makes me realize how big they have become. I don't know if they realize it or not, but they don't act like they are phased by all of the attention they are getting. They all just act like the hams that I have come to know and love. lol When the convention center closed, the guys were being led away and couldn't stop signing autographs for some people who weren't fortunate enough to make it through the line. They really go out of their way to make the fans happy.
Next up, what I had been anticipating all week, the Grand Ole Opry!!! It was definitely a highlight to see the guys perform on the Opry. To think of all of the amazing performers who have been on that stage in the past and then to see my favorite guys on there was just fabulous. The guys did Fall Into Me and Only God for both Opry shows. Seeing the guys on the Opry made a nice end to a fun filled week.
Now, I'm really looking forward to FF 2004!!
Mt. Clemens, Michigan April 27, 2003 Well this was our last chance to see the guys before FF so even tho we knew it would be a late night for us we had to do it. We finally made it after getting stuck in a traffic jam and getting lost....again. We have horrible luck with the freeway system in Michigan. But we finally made it to the venue just as the bus was coming around the block. There were TWO opening acts for this show. Fortunately both were pretty good. But still when the guys took the stage we were definitely ready for them. The crowd was on their feet from the beginning and it looked to me like it was a full house. They were definitely enjoying the show and it seems that the more the crowd gets into it, the more energetic the guys get. I could tell Brad was definitely feeling better this night than he had the previous day. The set was the same songs that we are used to with of course the new song added in. It was great to hear that one again. I guess in the absence of the crazy man Pat, Brad and Danick decided to be the crazy ones. And crazy is a good thing here. lol Brad jumped off of the stage and ran out into the audience singing with the crowd and Danick jumped up on the speaker to jam. And it seems Pat B was having a little too much fun. He was being his usual self, jumping all around and broke his platform sending his bass to the floor. This was another show where the crowd was not going to leave without and encore. And they let the guys know it by screaming "Encore" until they came back out. Our last show for awhile was definitely a good one. And even tho we had a drive and didn't get home til 4:30AM, it was well worth the loss of sleep to get to enjoy a great performance. Lima, OH April 26, 2003 Well bright and early we had to arrive at the Lima Mall to wait for the guys. You know, you really gotta get their early to get good seats. Fortunately for us, some of our friends had already arrived and had seats waiting for us. :-) This day there were 3 sets so we knew it had to be a great day! So we chatted and waited for the guys to arrive for soundcheck which to our surprise never happened. These guys LOVE to soundcheck it seems and usually do for an extended period of time, so when about 30 minutes before the show they still weren't there we became a little worried. Now we know that they are often late, but usually not so late that they don't even get to soundcheck. So finally after waiting and waiting, we see the zebra pull up. It was a great relief to see that the bus had made it to yet another show and to see that the guys had arrived safely. This show was kind of strange because instead of Patrick, someone else started setting up in his spot. We later found out that Sid was gonna be filling in for Pat for the week. It's really interesting to see the guys do Devil without Patrick, but it was still great. All of the sets for this day were acoustic sets. That was great for me, because as much as I love the "plugged in" sets, I absolutely love acoustic sets. I haven't see the guys do one of those since the first time I saw them so long ago. They sounded great even tho Brad was a bit under the weather. And during this show, we were really able to hear Dale's vocals and he sounded great. This show was great because we got to hear some new music. They played a couple songs from their new album. The first one was Fishin in the Dark which they have redone and do and amazing job of. And the second one was a completely new song called You're Like Coming Home which was written by Jeremy Stover who also wrote Fall Into Me. The harmonies on this song were amazing. After seeing three shows and hearing the new song three times, I am absolutely in love with it. lol The guys closed out the show with ISBS to a great crowd response. April 11, 2003 Cincinatti, OH Well this show was a bit unexpected for us. We had heard about it awhile ago and planned on going, but then a few weeks before the show we found out that it was for radio winners only. :-( Well since we live 4 hours away, we were unable to listen to the station to win. But with a little help from our friends we managed to get in. :-) We got to the venue early just as the band had finished soundcheck and were taken inside for our passes and picked out prime seats!! There was a local band opening for them and as any ED fan knows, opening bands are just torture when you are waiting for the guys to take the stage. Finally after about 90 minutes from the opener, the guys were ready to take the stage. They opened with Hollywood Kiss to get the crowd going and played all of the usuals from their album. They also played I'll Be, Sweet Child, Fishin in the Dark and Devil, among others. During Devil, Patrick ran across the room and jumped up onto the bar to play his fiddle. I swear the man is fearless and continues to amaze me. The crowd loved it and loved them. They would not let them leave without doing and encore....or two.... or three. lol This was the longest set I have ever seen and the guys seemed like they could have played all night. Unfortunately for us, they had an early gig the next day. As always, this was a great show. This could have possibly been the best show I have ever seen. I know I always say that, but I guess every show to me is just somehow better than any other. Until the next best show....... Lancaster, PA March 29, 2003
Ok, well, we got to the venue about two hours before show time. It was a yucky day to be waiting outside, but if you want good seats that's what you gotta do. lol We were lucky enough to hear some of the soundcheck from outside which made the wait a litte more bearable. Well finally they opened the door and everybody swarmed inside only to find that the first 10 rows were blocked off!!!! What a total disappointment that was. How unbelievable that we stood outside for 2 hours only to find ourselves in the 12th row. That is probably the worst seats we have ever had. But anyway, aside from that the guys rocked!! They came out playing Hollywood Kiss moved onto Looking Over My Shoulder and then Fall Into Me. The crowd absolutely loves this one. Since they were the opening act for this show, their set was cut incredibly short. They did however play, Say My Name, Fishin in the Dark, Only God, How Lucky I Am, Sweet Child, Devil and ISBS. They changed their arrangement on How Lucky I Am and it was AMAZING!!!!!!! I cannot wait to hear that again. Since this was our first show with Dale, it was great to see his solo and experience his talent. During Devil, Brad did his "on your feet" spiel to really get the crowd riled up. This too, was different since Chris usually does alot of the vocals on this song, but it was great anyway. Even tho this was a short set, it was worth the drive just to hear them. They all sounded amazing as they always do. Until the next show.....
Coudersport, PA March 2, 2003
Wow, this show was a long time in the waiting. First we drove to Coudersport back in November only to find out that Brad was sick and there would be no show. :-( But fortunately, Brad was ok this time and ready to give a great show. After arriving at the venue at 4:00 and watching soundcheck for about 45 minutes, we had many hours to kill before the show. We decided to check out the town and that took about 15 minutes. lol Nice town, but very small and not much to do on a Sunday afternoon. That made for an even longer wait. This show had an opening act and then finally at about 8, Emerson Drive took the stage. The set was the same as the night before and the crowd thoroughly enjoyed it. Again, when they began Fall Into Me, the crowd just went nuts. This song has made quite an impact. The crowd was very lively and wanted to stand up and be rowdy, but unfortunatly at this venue, they frowned on that and kept making us sit down. That didn't work out too well, when Brad wanted to get the crowd on their feet. The band sounded amazing as always and were really giving it their all. I am amazed at how well they play together every time I see them. They all just seem to feed off of each other and that definitely makes for a fantastic show. But, then I would not expect anything less than fantastic from the six of them!!
WVU Parkersburg, West Virginia, March 1, 2002
Well this was a long awaited show for us. This would be the first show we had the opportunity to see since before the guys went on break. This was an unusually long wait for us. lol There were two shows back to back which is always a good thing. The more EDrive the better! The guys were performing to a sold-out crowd!!! It makes me really proud to see how far they have come in the past year. But, anyway, on to the review. They started out with Hollywood Kiss to liven up the crowd. Moved onto Looking Over My Shoulder and then to the song that really got the crowd going, the #3 single, Fall Into Me. As soon as they began this one, the crowd started screaming and just going crazy for the guys. I think everyone who was not already extremely hooked, became hooked at that moment. They continued playing the usual suspects, Say My Name, It's All About You, Only God, Light of Day and what has become my favorite live ED song, How Lucky I Am. I just cannot get enough of this song. I love to see each member shine on their solo during this song. This particular night, Pat was having sound problems and when he tried to introduce Brad, he had no mic. The crowd thought that was pretty funny. lol They played a few more songs and Brad got everyone on their feet, on their feet, on their feet!! lol They closed out this show with I Should Be Sleeping to a great round of applause. The crowd wanted more and hoped for an encore, but with a second show to follow their just wasn't time. The second show, was basically the same. Tho, no two ED shows are really the same. Each experience is different than the last.
Rockin R St. Robert, MO December 6, 2002
Day two of our little journey. lol Some may think we are crazy, but we are just dedicated and looking to have fun. This was a long way from home, but Chellee talked us into it and boy are we glad that she did. We got to the club at around 8 and found Chel at the merchandise table and then found our table. Well this was a weird setup for a bar and we didn't think that we were gonna get good seats. We were only two rows back, but the dance floor was in front of the seats. But thankfully after about two songs, people made their way to the dance floor, so we were able to get close and get some pictures. It took this crowd awhile to warm up, but by the end, they were all loving the guys. The set list was the same as the night before, so I won't go into all of that this time. It must be pick on Pat B week, cuz when they did The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You, Brad picked on Pat again. Of course, he said noone liked what he was wearing the day before and asked what we all thought of his shirt. Pat B pretty much always looks good! lol Those guys are so amazing that I have a hard time deciding where to look, cuz they all seem to be doing something crazy all the time. Someone from the audience gave Pat B a cowboy hat and he was just strutting big time after that. He looked adorable and was dancing all over the stage and jumping around like crazy. All of the girls were loving this. Well, I don't blame them, cute guy, cowboy hat, dancing...... lol Anyway, this was all during Devil and Pat A was on the dance floor playing and Pat B was pretending to be singing into Pat A's mic. Way to get a crowd revved up! That night we got an extra special treat. The guys did TWO songs for an encore. lol We got to hear Fiddle In The Band and Drift Away!!! Finally, finally, finally, we got to hear Drift Away. lol It has been a long time since we have heard that one and it was great to hear the guys do it again. I think that their harmonies really shine during this song. Brad did the standard guys competing against the girls and the guys won it. :-( But I think Brad cheats. lol This was our last show of the year and I gotta say the guys went out with a BANG!! Looking forward to next year now. If you still have not seen the guys, make it a point in the new year to see them. You will definitely have a good time.
Coyote's Louisville, KY December 5, 2002
After a long drive to the club and waiting for seemed like forever, ED finally came out on stage at about 10 PM. Well we staked out our place on the dance floor about 15 minutes before show time. Had to have that premium picture taking spot!! Finally the guys came out and began with Hollywood Kiss, of course! The guys were totally revved up for the show. They were so energetic. They played Looking Over My Shoulder, Fall Into Me, Say My Name, It's All About You, Light Of Day, Only God, How Lucky I Am and ISBS. They also covered Fishin in the Dark, which I just absolutely love!! They played, I'll Be, which has worked it's way towards the top of my list of favorite cover songs. Brad's voice just blows me away every single time he does this one. Brad decided to pick on Pat B during The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me Is You. Pat B is so funny. He just goes along with anything. lol Well here comes the really fun part of the show. During Devil, Pat A decided to run across the bar and jump on the mechanical bull, while still playing the fiddle!!!!! The man's talent and fearlessness simply amaze me. It seems he comes up with a crazier stunt at every show. Well the crowd would not let the guys get away w/o doing an encore, so they came back out and played Fiddle In The Band. Of course, I love that one! lol They always get a good crowd reaction to that one too. Well it was a long set and a great show, but unfortuntately that was the end. At least for another day.
Grande Prairie, Alberta Canada November 27, 2002
Review by Crystal Brown
It was a hero's welcome home. After sitting through the opening act the crowd of 1600 + was very obviously restless. Then the lights went out and the guys were on stage opening up with Passionate, Desperate Love. You could so tell they were nervous and so to show thier support,everyone was on their feet cheering them on. They sang a few songs from the new album - including Its All About You - which Brad went offstage and sang to his mom *awwww aint he sweet?!* It was also Pat's brothers 18th birthday so he got pulled up onstage and we all sang Happy Birthday to him. Of course they played The Devil Goes Down to Georgia - and no matter how many THOUSANDS of times I've watched them perform this - it gets better and better. Pat got tired of playing his fiddle onstage so through the crowd he went, over the side boards and up into the stands. I don't know where he gets the energy! Brad did acknowledge the fact that our other "hometown boy" wasn't onstage with them *Jeff* and introduced us to Patrick - in his totally styling clothes. I guess some lady in Calgary the night before said the shirt was the ugliest thing she'd ever seen!! Unreal!! SO as they were getting ready to do Bryan Adam's The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me, Brad asked the crowd what looked good on Patrick - and I think every woman in the audience said "ME!!" Brad starting bugging a family friend saying " hey your husband is right next to you and so is your daughter and your telling another man this!! This is a family show you know!" Haha! Everyone thought it was funny. Then to my sheer joy, Brad pulled up a stool and sang a medley of songs they had done when they were still 12 Gauge........and even songs that they had done when they were 16 practicing in the lunch room at school. It brought back so many memories - for us and them. Sadly the show was over not long after, and with thunderous applause the guys came back for an encore - and sang us 2 songs. It was an amazing show, and an even better homecoming.
Cattle Annie's Lynchburg, Virginia November 9. 2002
It has been a really long time since our last show, but we finally got to see the guys again. After driving to Pennsylvania last weekend to find the show had been cancelled, we were really nervous about this trip. We called Cattle Annie's to make sure the show was still on, but we were still nervous about it. Well, after 9 hours in a car, we finally found our hotel, got ready and headed out to the club only to find no zebra! Both of us, with little nervous butterflies in our stomachs, walked into the club and instantly see Danick and Pat A doing soundcheck. Whew!!! We were finally there and they were there too. What a relief!! Well, we got seated and watched soundcheck and then visited with some other people at the bar, while the guys got ready to take the stage. Finally after 6 long weeks with no shows, the guys come out and begin singing!!! WOW!!! That is all I can say. They were simply amazing. If possible, they got even better in the last six weeks. I would have never been able to guess that Brad had just been sick the previous week. He was spectacular. It seems they were all rejuvenated and very very energetic. Chris could not stop dancing behind his keyboard and Pat B was just all over the place jamming. Pat A has really gotten comfortable with his mandolin now and was moving around the stage as he played it this time. The crowd loved Danick, as usual, and he obviously loved them too, cuz he was certainly giving it his all. They started off with Hollywood Kiss and played a full set including Fall Into Me, Looking Over My Shoulder, Only God, Light of Day, Everything You Want, I'll Be, Fishin in the Dark, Sweet Child of Mine, Devil and of course ISBS among others. It was really nice to see the crowd get into the guys. A lady that was standing beside me who was only there to see Blake Shelton started asking me about "that guy that plays all those instruments. He is so talented." LOL I was only too happy to tell her about "that guy" Patrick A. She was amazed that he can play so many instruments and be all over the stage as well. Then during How Lucky I Am, when Pat B did his bass solo, there was a guy who was really getting into it and talking about how great of a bass player he is. We agree. It is so great to see the guys getting more and more popular. After every show they get more fans. We love that people are seeing what we have know for more than a year now.
Coshocton, OH September 30, 2002
This was a great night for a show. The weather was beautiful and the crowd was large! We watched the guys do soundcheck for awhile and got to hear a small snippet of Stone Angel. Since they don't perform that one anymore, those little soundcheck snippets are worth a million bucks to me. They also did How Lucky I Am and Looking Over My Shoulder for soundcheck. It was like a mini concert. LOL Patrick A got a new mandolin, so it was fun to get to see him practice with that. After all of that, the guys left to get ready for showtime. They started off with Hollywood Kiss, of course, and played Say My Name, Fall Into Me, Looking Over My Shoulder, How Lucky I Am, It's All About You, Only God and I Should Be Sleeping. When they play How Lucky I Am, Pat B just rocks the house. I will never get enough of hearing him on this tune. It is hard to believe, because he is so good, but he gets better every time. They also covered, Devil Went Down To Georgia, I'll Be, Sweet Child Of Mine, Fishin' In The Dark and Everything You Want. For an encore they did Fiddle in the Band and everyone rushed the stage. The guys shook hands with those at the front of the stage that wanted to and then signed autographs for everyone. This was one of the best ED shows I have been to in the past month. It was nice to get to see them do a full set after seeing them do short shows for awhile. I am already looking forward to seeing them again. Unfortunately I have to wait an entire month before the next show.
Montpelier, OH September 14, 2002
The guys were very tired from having done a show in the blazing heat earlier in the day and then driving 3 hours to get to this show. Of course, you would never be able to tell from their performance. This was a rather short show, due to them having a show in Washington the following day. They started off with Hollywood Kiss and played Fall Into Me, Only God, It's All About You, Looking Over My Shoulder and I Should Be Sleeping among others. They also covered Fishin In The Dark and Devil Went Down To Georgia. This is still my favorite cover song. I am continually amazed at how awesome they all sound on this song. And it is a song that gets the crowd rowdy. Brad urged everyone to their feet for this one. I had a friend with me seeing the guys for the first time and she was amazed at the performance of these 6 young men. She wants to see another show! That is a great sign. But then I cannot understand why anyone would not want to see these award winning artists perform often!! LOL
Berea, OH September 14, 2002
Here is a review done by the local paper about this show:
Past Jams have featured artists - the Dixie Chicks, Kenny Chesney and Phil Vassar, to name a few - who are just about to break out. History may have repeated itself Saturday with the Canadian sextet Emerson Drive. Fronted by frenetic singer Brad Mates, they bring a nice sense of vivacity to the scene, especially when fiddler Pat Allingham gets involved. His play on "Devil Went Down to Georgia" was nothing short of fantastic. The band's current hit is "I Should Be Sleeping," off it's debut album. There will be more.
This review is courtesy of the Cleveland Plain Dealer
Kenton, OH September 4, 2002
This was another great night for an outdoor show. It was held a a little fair. Apparently small towns love Emerson Drive! There were alot of fans at this show. It is great to see more and more fans at each show. The guys started off with the usual Hollywood Kiss. The crowd ran from their chairs to the front of the stage which seemed to please the band. :-) The sound system was not a great one tho. :-( Unfortunately there were echos. But the guys put on a stellar performance anyway. They gave it everything they had. Patrick B was rocking. I am loving his performance more and more at every show. When they do How Lucky I Am, Patrick B is simply amazing. His solo is definitely a highlight to the show. I always look forward to hearing him. The guys played I Should Be Sleeping as their finale and left the stage. But of course, that is never enough and the crowd would not let them leave without an encore!! Of course, the guys were happy to oblige to the delight of the fans.
Phillipi, WV Aug 31, 2002
This was a great day for a show. The weather was beautiful and the crowd was plentiful. There were 2 shows back to back on this day. Both were great. The guys started the show with Hollywood Kiss to get the crowd going early. They played their favorites from the album and a few cover tunes as well. The guys seemed to be in a fun mood this night. During Say My Name, Patrick A started tripping over his own "two left feet". Brad was making up his own jokes and loving them!!! LOL When they did The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me is You, Brad decided to pick on a poor unsuspecting older lady in the front row! She was a little shocked and didn't really get him at first. But once she realized he was joking with her, she got into it. Of course being the ham that he is, when they did It's All About You, Brad jumped off of the stage that was about 5 feet off the ground and found someone in the audience to sing to. Of course they finished the set with I Should Be Sleeping to a great reaction from the crowd.
Harrisburg, PA August 10, 2002
Well, this was an interesting show. Heather flew down to Ohio from Illinois to go to this show and then we all drove down to PA. It was a long drive, but in the end it is always worth it! After a long wait for the guys, they finally showed up about 1 and 1/2 hours after the show was due to start. Unfortunately circumstances that were beyond their control prevented them from making it there on time and they are totally forgiven. lol It seemed that the longer we waited for them to get there, the more people showed up, so I guess there was a plus side to them running late. I always love to see alot of people at their shows. We were more than a little shocked to see a guy walking up onto the stage and setting up his bass and we had not caught site of Jeff yet. We weren't sure what was going on or who this person was. We figured that Jeff was sick and the show must go on, so we just enjoyed the show and didn't give it too much thought. The guys had to set up their equipment and tune up and that left little time for the show since the sound people had to leave The show was short but awesome as always. Even after the rough day the guys had, they still gave it their all. From the start of Hollywood Kiss all the way to the end of I Should Be Sleeping, the guys were rocking. They made the best of the limited time they had and gave the crowd what they came there for. We found out after the show that Jeff decided to leave the band to pursue his songwriting. After following the band for more than a year, we are both very sad to see Jeff go, but we support his decision to do what is best for him. The new bass player, Patrick Bourque, did a wonderful job. I think he is a nice addition to the band and complements them well.
Springfield, OH July 20, 2002
The crowd was small, but that did not stop the guys from giving an amazing performance. During soundcheck the guys seemed to be really tired, having been on the road for the last week and not getting much rest. As always, once the show started, you could not tell. They gave it 110%. There were two shows back to back, so the sets were short and therefore they didn't get to sing as many songs as they usually do, but they did add a new song to the set. It seems these guys are always learning new material and this time it was Kenny Rogers' The Gambler. They gave it their all for a little more than an hour, when they took a short break and signed autographs for anyone that wanted them. They then came back out for the second set of the night. This time more people had come to see the show. The show was in a tent and people stopped along the outside of the tent to check out the entertainment. It was nice to see many people decide that it was worth staying for and soon there were lines and lines of people watching the performance. When the band sang "The Only Thing That Looks Good On Me", Brad picked on Jeff this time. It was nice to see Jeff's fun side on the stage during this performance! Every time I see a show, I always think, it cannot get any better than this. But somehow each E-Drive experience is better than the last.
Cortland, OH July 2002
Here is our first official review for the site. We got to see the guys play at the Trumbull County Fair. As always the show was wonderful. The crowd was small, but they seemed to be enjoying the show. The guys played most of the songs off of the album and of course plenty of cover tunes. Mike got a new bongo drum, so it was fun to get the chance to see him play that. He came to the front of the stage and played for two songs. It was very nice to see him without a set of drums hiding him. The crowd loved it and Mike seemed to love the attention as well! It seems that each show, they are adding a new song to the set list, which is so cool. Every show is different than the one before. The guys played for a little bit more than an hour and when they left the stage, everybody was screaming!! Noone wanted the show to be over. Mike was the first to come out onto the stage. And a voice from the beyond asked if we would like to hear the drummer do a solo, which was met with screams!! Soon the rest of the band came back onto the stage and played for two more songs. After the show, the guys signed autographs and many people waited in line to get them. We can see that the guys are gaining new fans with every show. And hopefully album sales as well. Although we cannot imagine why everyone in the world does not already have their CD. LOL
.
If you would like to do a review for the site, please feel free to email us at:
|  |
|
Check back for reviews on these shows that we will be attending. We will try to have the reviews posted within a few days of each show.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
