OWBS York/Stroudsburg PA/Morristown NJ, October 22-24 Options

[crazy1]

I just have to post this because of what they call Selling The Drama!!!!

Live's Kowalczyk, a York native, flies solo at Strand
Local fans watch York native Ed Kowalczyk spread his wings during an acoustic concert Thursday at the Strand.
By ERIN McCRACKEN
Daily Record/Sunday News
Updated: 10/23/2009 06:34:40 AM EDT


Ed Kowalczyk, York native and member of the rock band Live, performs an acoustic set Thursday night at the Strand Theatre in York. (DAILY RECORD / SUNDAY NEWS -- KATE PENN)Ed Kowalczyk, Art Alexakis and Leigh Nash stood onstage naked at the Strand Theatre Thursday night.
All of the musicians were fully clothed in black pants and shirts, but they performed without their backing bands, sound systems and all other rock star trappings.

Kowalczyk only carried two white guitar cases onstage for his short sound check at 7:15 p.m.

"It all sounds great," he told the guys behind the soundboard after playing the opening chords of "Turn My Head." "Let's open these doors."

A few hundred fans waited to take their seats in the Strand lobby. Some came from right around the corner -- where Kowalczyk grew up. But others, including Jason Sadlek and Lonnie Ward, traveled further.

The Pittsburgh natives said they saw Live, Ed Kowalczyk's band, in the mid-'90s. They drove almost four hours Thursday to hear Kowalczyk and Alexakis share the stories behind their songs.

"We grew up listening to these guys," Ward said.

Ian Logan, 16, of Hershey was a Live fan since he was in a crib.

He and his dad, Todd, wore Live T-shirts, but stopped at the merchandise table to buy another one before the show.

Todd Logan, 52, said he's seen Live about six times. He keeps his ticket stubs in a drawer at home.

"It's tradition," Todd Logan said.

But Thursday night wasn't a traditional Live concert. Kowalczyk, who hasn't played in York in five years, organized the "Open Wings-Broken Strings" tour after playing a gig with Alexakis a few months ago. The idea


was for the artists to strip down their sound. He chose to unveil his new sound in York.
That acoustic formula has worked at the Strand, marketing manager Gary Taylor said. Bryan Adams' April 2 acoustic show sold out.

There were still some open seats at the Strand on Thursday, but the three artists bared it all to a mostly full house.

Both Nash and Alexakis broke the cardinal rule of the entertainment business and openly talked about their ages.

Nash said she's a 33-year-old once-divorced devoted mother of one who writes songs that people might not recognize.

Alexakis told the crowd he's 47, has been married four times, is raising a stubborn teenager and can't sing that well.

Kowalczyk openly shared on his blog that he's 38.

"This is probably my 10th gig on this stage," he told his hometown fans Thursday between "Forever" and "Scarred Like That." He added that he's only gotten paid for a few of them since some of them were with his school choir.

The crowd chuckled and cheered during each candid monologue. Kowalczyk might have even inspired a few young musicians in the crowd.

Sophia Nicholson, 7, who just started taking piano lessons, attended her first concert Thursday night.

Her parents, Deb and Geoff, of York, who have been Live fans since "Throwing Cooper," were excited to see Kowalczyk again.

"It's been a while," Geoff Nicholson said.

emccracken@ydr.com; 771-2051


About the artists
Ed Kowalczyk -- formed the band Public Affection in 1984 in York with his middle school friends Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlheimer and Chad Gracey. The group signed a record deal in 1990 and became Live in 1991. They toured the world, made the cover of Rolling Stone in 1996 and made eight full-length albums. Kowalczyk is now pursuing solo projects.

Art Alexakis -- grew up in Los Angeles and formed the band Everclear with Craig Montoya and drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1992 in Portland. They signed with Capitol Records in 1994. Their 1995 album "Sparkle & Fade" went platinum. Their 1997 effort "So Much For The Afterglow" was nominated for a Grammy. The band's gone through lineup changes, but it recently released an acoustic album.

Leigh Nash -- grew up on Texas, where she met guitarist/songwriter Matt Slocum. They formed Sixpence None the Richer and scored hits with their songs "Kiss Me," "There She Goes," and "Breathe Your Name." The band took a hiatus in 2004 and Nash released a solo record, "Blue on Blue," in 2006. Sixpence None the Richer regrouped in 2008.


Last time
May 28, 2004: York-native rockers Live -- Ed Kowalczyk, Chad Taylor, Patrick Dahlheimer and Chad Gracey -- perform a special 20th-anniversary show at the Strand Theatre in York. The band's first show in York County in a dozen years sold out in less than a day.

Sept. 11, 2004: Live performs at the York Fair.


What's nextFriday: Open Wings-Broken Strings hits the stage at 7:30 p.m. at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg

Saturday: Open Wings-Broken Strings plays the Community Theatre at Mayo Center for the Performing Arts in Morristown, N.J.

Spring 2010: Ed Kowalczyk plans to release a solo album.


On the web
Read an interview with Ed Kowalczyk: www.flipsidepa.com/musicdirectory
Visit Kowalczyk's Web site: www.eddieklive.com
http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_13622799

[zmanpga]

welcome to SHITTOWN ED!!

[SJN1279]

Video of Ed playing the Distance in York last night:

http://www.yorkblog.com/flipside/2009/10/t...ial-102309.html

[OutToDry]

Video of Ed playing the Distance in York last night:

http://www.yorkblog.com/flipside/2009/10/t...ial-102309.html

Ed sounds good, but it's certainly weird hearing that song without the rest of the boys backing it up.

[brett]

I'll have to show my mom this video. She used to live on Philadelphia St.

[zmanpga]

http://twitpic.com/mmksz

[zmanpga]

real good show!!...pain lies on the riverside was my fav ... :kicking:Leigh Nash was awesome as usual ....Art was cool and told some great stories/married 4 times ...Ed was havin fun gettin all funky with The Distance ...got to tell him your worried about him and what the heck is goin on with the band..he said...PEACE ALL. ...

This post has been edited by zmanpga: Oct 23 2009, 11:33 pm

[SJN1279]

real good show!!...pain lies on the riverside was my fav ... :kicking:Leigh Nash was awesome as usual ....Art was cool and told some great stories/married 4 times ...Ed was havin fun gettin all funky with The Distance ...got to tell him your worried about him and what the heck is goin on with the band..he said...PEACE ALL. ...

Did he play any new songs?

[SJN1279]

Did he play any new songs?

Crazy1 (Barb) was in Stroudsburg and told me that the only new song that Ed played was Zion. She also said that the show was awesome.....I'll let her write a review when she returns.

[zmanpga]

This post has been edited by zmanpga: Oct 24 2009, 5:22 am

[zmanpga]

[zmanpga]

EDDIEK hiding the new pendent....here we discuss YOU GUYS



This post has been edited by zmanpga: Oct 24 2009, 5:26 am

[zmanpga]

heres my review;

Leigh Nash(8:00 to 8:45)...she walked out and looked scared, she said she was nervous...she talked alot about her life in the last 5 years, baby, divorce..and she sang her hits...her boyfriend who plays for AUTOBAHN played guitar for her....I like her alot...she is a very cool woman with a great voice and shows ALOT of emotion when she chats and sings..you just fall in love with who she is...I saw her @ Musikfest in 2005 when she opened for Jars of Clay..6 Pence none the richer..has a new album coming out soon...great job Leigh!Standing ovation

Art Alexakis(9:05 to 9:45)... I never really got into Everclear until recently....Art is a good dude who discussed his 3 divorces and his 2 daughters and how the song "Santa Monica" payed for those divorces...he played his hits also and was pretty layed back....47 and still rockin! ...they also EVERCLEAR are starting to tour...

Ed Kowalczyk(10:05 to 11:05)...songs I remember no order; Heaven-Pain lies on the riverside-mirror song-overcome-lightning crashes-zion-the distance-bob dylan cover-I alone-..ah shit...I can never remember...EDDIE was very calm and smiling most of the night....his little drummer girl was good also...he talked about his upcoming album and thats about it....back stage he was very chatty with everyone and ALL 3 even went out front and signed stuff for the crowd....

They played 'no songs" together....

I was surprised on how "supportive" the crowd was as this is "my" hometown and well..it is the "POCONOS"...but everyone was into it!! GREAT JOB CROWD!
show started @ 8..ended @ 11:10...all in all...very, very good!

This post has been edited by zmanpga: Oct 24 2009, 7:53 am

[dangum]

Thanks for the pics and review. Sounds like it was a good night!

[+Ed+]

WHat does his pendant look like?