NESP Forum

Hotel: Clarion
Project: NESP quilt

Setlist:

Give Me Tonight
Heart and Soul (BEHM tag)
Just to Feel That Way
Medicated Goo (scat tags)
My Friend
Young Turks
The Deal
Gonna Move
Soul Thing (Eastbound and Down)
Heaven Knows (What'd I Say tags) Booty shaking!
The Maze (Warm Love, Want Ads, Let's Get It On)
The Right Place
The Runaround (Big Boss Man tags)
Encore: Long Train Running

At the soundcheck, they practiced Don't Let Me Down and I called my friend Sherry in Missouri and let her listen to her favorite song on her own personal cellcert.


Hi Everyone,

The Big E opened today, September 14 and I would like to think of ways to get the word out that Taylor will be there on the 29th.

If you plan to go to the Big E before the 29th, make sure to talk to everyone about how awesome he is and that his show is going to be free, which is so unbelievable and great! I have made up postcards with the date and time of the show and will be traveling up there this weekend and next to pass them out.

Any other marketing ideas are welcome. I know you guys are good at that!

Karen D'V

The DJ who is going to the Big E w/ us has mentioned this on air. She is a fan of Taylor, but has not yet seen him on tour. I can't wait for you all to meet her. The station plays Taylor Hicks a lot, too!

If she is a fan without ever seeing him live, she will be so much more devoted to Taylor and his music career after the 29th!

I just posted on the Yankee Magazine's forums. Put it in the foliage
forum which gets a lot of readers. I mentioned the Big E and put a plug
in for how great Taylor is, and asked if there were any foliage spots we could visit while we're there for the concert.

I bet we could find other magazines online that have forums that we
could post on. One way to promote even if we're not there ahead of
time.

I also just posted it on Craigslist. People could do that in their area
as well if they have a spare minute....

Try Googling Springfield MA forums-tons will come up. I just put it
on the Mass-Live boards under Local Buzz

Gotta love the internet

Finding a way to slip Taylor ad into a foliage discussion,  I'm impressed,  good going Liz!

We can turn any topic into a Taylor topic can't we?

Well,  actually you could put foliage & Taylor in the same category!  You know,  easy on the eyes & soothing to the soul!

I've been spreading the word at work, but everyone seems to already know about it lol. Everyone's been coming up to me & telling me, knowing what a fan I am. If they only knew how much we have in the works for this event....
I will keep telling everyone around town. I will wear my t-shirts more too in order to strike up a conversation about him & slip in the info about the Big E.

I thought about waiting and letting Karen post this here but I was afraid someone might miss it if I didn't get it posted ASAP. This is an awesome piece, Karen! Thanks so much for getting it done!

Taylor Hicks' fans ready for Big E
Thursday, September 27, 2007
By GEORGE LENKER


Former "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks is known for his dynamic performances, but when the singer plays the Big E this weekend, there will be a group of people who are just as energetic in the audience: The New England Soul Patrol.

As Hicks' official fan club, the Soul Patrol provides a fun and enthusiastic entourage for the singer at every show, but they say it's still Hicks who provides the fire.

"He's the type of performer that can get people on their feet in the first minute of a show," said Karen D'Valentine, public relations coordinator for the New England Soul Patrol. "He plays for an hour and 15 minutes and he does a nonstop show. You have to see it."

Hicks will play the Comcast Arena Stage at the Big E in a free concert Saturday at 8 p.m.

D'Valentine said the New England Soul Patrol will be sharing a birthday celebration with Hicks for the show. The club is marking its one-year anniversary this month, while Hicks' birthday is just around the corner on Oct. 7, when he will turn 31. The club has about 250 members from all across the country, D'Valentine said.

The Birmingham, Ala.-born Hicks was influenced early by the music of Ray Charles, Van Morrison and Sam Cooke. After learning harmonica, he taught himself how to play the guitar at age 19 and embarked on a musical career that took him throughout the southern United States for more than a decade.

During this time he recorded two independent albums, but never caught on nationally. That all changed in 2006, when he captured the hearts of millions of fans and walked away with the "American Idol" title in its fifth season series. This was when his loyal fan base, the Soul Patrol, started becoming a real force.

After his win on "American Idol," Hicks signed a deal with Arista Records, and released his eponymous debut album in December 2006.

D'Valentine has met Hicks on several occasions and said his wild stage demeanor differs somewhat from his off-stage personality.

"He's very soft spoken but he's not quiet - he definitely talks to you," she said. "And he is super nice."

D'Valentine added that she has never done anything like joining a musician's fan club before, but Hicks was so special that she felt compelled to hook up with the Soul Patrol. She went even further by becoming the group's PR person in order to further promote Hicks' career. (For more information on the club, go to newenglandsoulpatrol.org on the Internet.)

"I like other artists but I never did anything like this before," she said. "I just really liked him on 'American Idol' but then when I saw him live it was life-changing. I think his voice is one of the best ever."

Also appearing at the Big E this weekend will be Montgomery Gentry, who will perform at Comcast Arena Stage tomorrow at 8 p.m. This show carries an admission charge of $30. Sarah Buxton opens the show.

Also, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will perform tomorrow and Saturday during the Draft Horse Show sessions at 1 and 6 p.m. and after the 1 p.m. show Sunday in the Coliseum. They will also appear in the Daily Parade at 5 p.m.

Representing a colorful tradition and ceremony, the RCMP has created a show known around the world as the "Musical Ride." The show was developed from a desire to display their riding ability and to entertain the local community.

Performed by a full troop of 32 riders and horses, the ride consists of the execution of a variety of intricate figures and cavalry drills choreographed to music.

For tickets and more information on any of the Big E shows, visit http://www.thebige.com or call (413) 205-5115.



©2008 The Republican
© 2008 MassLive.com All Rights Reserved.