Ed Kowalczyk Fall US "Alive" Tour, September-October 2010 Options

[SJN1279]

Announcing the first leg of Ed Kowalczyk's ALIVE Tour 2010

Thu-Sep-16 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of the Living Arts
Fri-Sep-17 Lancaster, PA The Chameleon
Sat-Sep-18 Washington, DC HFStival 2010
Sun-Sep-19 Pittsburgh, PA Altar Bar
Tue-Sep-21 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
Wed-Sep-22 Cincinnati, OH 20th Century Theatre
Thu-Sep-23 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
Fri-Sep-24 Flint, MI The Machine Shop
Sat-Sep-25 St. Louis, MO The Old Rock House
Tue-Sep-28 Charlotte, NC Amos' Southend
Wed-Sep-29 Richmond, VA Canal Room
Thu-Sep-30 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Fri-Oct-1 Bridgeport, CT Klein Theater
Sat-Oct-2 Boston, MA Royale

Tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, July 23rd.

If you are an EK Society of Friends member (the Ed Kowalczyk Fan Club), you will receive a separate e-mail with a link to an exclusive 48-hour presale!

www.edkowalczyk.com

[SJN1279]

Review for NYC show:

http://www.hybridmagazine.com/music/1010/edkowalczyk.shtml

For over fifteen years, the band LIVE was a powerhouse - they dominated the '90s pop/rock charts with numerous hits, building a loyal fanbase while selling millions of albums worldwide. Frontman Ed Kowalczyk led the way for the group, an energetic rocker full of passion and vigor on stage, with a voice all his own. Unfortunately for Live, the towel has been thrown in, and they've called it quits. Nevertheless, lead singer Ed Kowalczyk has decided to carry on, touring the country in promotion of his first solo album, Alive.

There's a decent crowd at Bowery Ballroom tonight, twenty and thirty-somethings waiting for Kowalczyk to make his way to the stage. His new backing band comes out first, starting the show off with a heavy drumbeat and fancy bass line. When Ed finally steps on stage the venue erupts. A mix of old and new are played, with Alive songs like "Zion," "Drive," and "Drink (Everlasting Love)", the last of which was co-written by American Idol-alum, Chris Daughtry. Surprisingly (or maybe not so?), Kowalczyk's new band performs almost every one of Live's hits, from "I Alone" to "Dolphin's Cry", and finds a great balance within the 18-song setlist by doing so.

The almost two decades since Kowalczyk first broke on the scene haven't affected him at all. His enthusiasm and talent are just as obvious as they were when Throwing Copper was released, and he sings with a seductive intensity, engaging the crowd and keeping the energy high. The only downside was that his band sometimes seemed to disappear behind him, and it would've been nice to see them be a bigger part of the night.

Ed briefly spoke of his partnership with the Christian humanitarian organization, World Vision, which dedicates their time to tackling the causes of poverty and helping children and their families around the world. He talked about his daughters and handed some World Vision pamphlets to those up close, then got back to the show, where he ended the night with a beautiful version of "Lightning Crashes" and "(We All Want To) Dance With You."

It's clear Kowalcyk is looking forward. He's put his Live days behind him, but doesn't hide from his past. His new Alive songs are reminiscent of the old hits, yes, but they're impressive and work on the road, where Ed Kowalczyk never fails to impress.

-Sarah Coulter