Phillip Phillips Back On The Road

Phillip Phillips is back on the road after a break over the Christmas holidays and the uncertainty created by the recent news announcing his desire to break from his label, 19 Entertainment.

Proving that making great music is, and has always been, his priority, Phillip played two incredibly energetic shows in Orillia and Windsor, Canada, despite reportedly being sick with a cold and having an injured finger. Phillip was, of course, joined by his amazing band, regulars Joel Behrman on trumpet and trombone, Jason Thomas on drums, and Bobby Sparks on organ and keys. Two new additions, Nate Mercereau on guitar and Brandon K. Brown on bass, completed the band’s line-up. They all got rave reviews from the lucky fans in the audience.

Phillip is next scheduled to join Irish band The Script for three dates in South Africa, his first ever visit there. Check out the dates and details here.

Also, check out some amazing footage from the Orillia show and beatiful fan photos from Windsor, below!

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Video by Casino Rama Orillia.
Photo credits: Elvan McMillen and Erika Houser.
Featured photo: Elvan McMillen.

Phillip Phillips At The Ryman

Phillip Phillips made a stop at the historic Ryman Auditorium, in Nashville, Tennesee, as part of his extensive Behind The Light fall tour. Built in 1891, the Ryman is an U.S. National Historic Landmark and one of the homes of the Grand Ole Opry. A country and bluegrass music institution, the Ryman was the home of the Johnny Cash show and has seen innumerable country stars, and musicians from every possible genre, grace its stage.

Is no surprise then that anticipation for this show was high, not only among fans, but Phillip and the band. Though there were no new additions to the set list or new songs played that night, Phillip made sure to make his show at the Ryman an unforgettable one. He accomplished this when he invited pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph, from the Robert Randolph & the Family Band, to join him on stage during “Fly” to recreate his killer solo from the album. To say it was epically delivered would be an understatement.

The lucky audience was also able to enjoy the addition of the brilliant Dave Eggar on cello, back with Phillip after missing the northwest leg of the tour, and Mark Lettieri on guitar, covering for Errol Cooney (currently on tour with Stevie Wonder). Of course the rest of Phillip’s band, Joel Behrman on trumpet and trombone, JJ Smith on bass, Bobby Sparks on keys and Jason Thomas on drums, all helped Phillip to play one of his most powerful and intense sets yet. Phillip honored the venue with his passion and skill and demonstrated that he completely belonged on that legendary stage.

Check out the set list, as well as some cool fan photos and videos from the night, below!

Set list:
Lead On
Get Up Get Down
Trigger
Raging Fire
Man on the Moon
Unpack Your Heart
Tell Me a Story
Gone Gone Gone
Thicket
Moving Out (Billy Joel cover)
Fly (with Robert Randolph)
—-
Fool For You
Home





Erika H. Photo Elvan M. Photo Elvan M. Photo Lili Vaught Photo

Photos by Erika H, Elvan McM and Tiffany.
Setlist by @Phillips_Tweets.

Phillip Phillips Makes Dreams Come True in Everett

Some dreams do come true. Last Tuesday in Everett, WA, it was my turn to check the “see Phillip Phillips in first row” box next to my list of concert dreams. And it could not have been on better night since I got to share my excitement with an adoring crowd and some very faithful fans, some even coming from all across Washington State.

Fans, including me, started to line up since early in the afternoon for the chance to see Phillip and his band from as close as possible. We were rewarded with a signature Phillip Phillips set that was full of live favourites, rare tracks from Behind The Light and many surprises in between. And after playing hundreds of shows–20 or so already on this tour–Phillip has really mastered the art of set dynamics.

The show started with a bang with “Get Up Get Down,” followed immediately by “Lead On,” both songs featuring such funky, delirious jams that even the professional photographers in front of us couldn’t help but to start dancing. Next was “Fly,” a massive rocker that was performed with such intensity and skill that it could have been enough to close the show and send us home. I was laughing uncontrollably at this point, I just could not believe what I was hearing and seeing. Because it’s one thing to hear this music live, but another even more incredible to see it being made right in front of your eyes. I was particularly impressed by JJ Smith on bass, maybe because it was the first time I actually could see him play. But everybody was so impressive: Errol Cooney on guitar, Bobby Sparks on keys, Jason Thomas on drums and Joel Behrman on trumpet and trombone, and of course Phillip, who plays effortlessly and leads his band into ever higher levels of playing each time.

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After slowing down just a beat with “Raging Fire,” Phillip gave us the first real treat of the night when, in a total change of pace and style, he launched into a cool, super smooth rendition of the jazz influenced “FACE.” This song and its stripped down arrangement allowed Phillip’s beautiful warm voice to shine and the great lyrics of the song to come alive. Also incredible was trombone player Joel Behrman, who infused the song with a loose, New Orleans jazz flavour that was simply delicious. The move from those intense songs to “FACE” was the perfect example of how Phillip is as effective delivering the huge jams as he is in telling us a story with his lyrics.

There is also an energy to Phillip that is both youthful (and very much his age), but also very wise, which may help to explain his wide ranging fan base. At Everett I saw everything from young girls attending their first ever concert, to older fans coming back to live music after many years, to concert veterans coming back for seconds and thirds. The element of surprise may be what keeps bringing them all back. This was evident this time when Phillip, in another stand out moment, started playing an unknown cover (to me) that was chills-inducing from the first note (it turned out to be Alice in Chains’ “Rooster”). This impromptu cover just showed once again his amazing ability to mix and re-arrange songs as he pleases, and to bring a little bit of the unexpected to each one of his shows.

Though I can’t possibly pick any favourite songs from what was played that night, special mention must go to new single “Unpack Your Heart,” a sweet song in the album that simply shines live, my all-time favourite “Man on the Moon” with its epic, head banging outro, “Thicket,” with a wonderful jam lead by Sparks on keys, and the insanely good “Lollipop” mashup that served to close the set and left fans screaming and stomping their feet for more. When Phillip came back after a couple of minutes and quietly started the first notes of “My Boy,” we knew we were one of the lucky crowds. Tears came to my eyes immediately and I can safely say that mine were not the only ones. It was not only incredibly moving and deep, but perfectly delivered musically as well.

Phillip closed his show with “Home,” but not before he had some fun with the now famous ultra-sexy intro. And if Phillip has probably sung “Home” more times that he can count, he sure didn’t show it, making us sing along with him numerous times and getting so emotional in the process that it was truly moving and powerful to see. “I hope you enjoy yourselves with us, and we will enjoy ourselves with you,” Phillip had said earlier in the night, “That way we can make something beautiful.” We did enjoy ourselves Phillip, immensely. And it was, it was all so very beautiful.

Phillip’s fall tour across the US continues until December. Check out all the dates here.
And check out some cool photos and videos, including one featuring the full audio from the show, below!







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Photos and videos by Sebastian Lavigna.
Audio slide show by Lea P.
Check out the full set list here.

Phillip Phillips’ Perfect Summer Night In Vancouver

There is a reason why Phillip Phillips fans are travelling far and wide to see his shows: they just keep getting better and one is never enough. But this time Vancouver fans didn’t have to go very far as Phillip came back for the second time in just a few months to play the opening show of the PNE’s Summer Night Concerts series.

Casual fair goers and fans started to gather at the PNE’s West Jet Amphitheatre early in the evening to wait for Phillip, who made his way to the stage just after 8:00 pm. There was no opening band, so the fans quickly got what they came to hear, a full 1 hour 40 minutes set that included songs from both his albums and some of his most famous covers.

“Let’s dance and have a good time!” Phillip told the crowd as he unassumingly took the stage, the sun still shining behind him. He then launched into “Searchlight,” the opening track from his new album Behind The Light and then into the energetic “Get Up Get Down,” two of his most upbeats songs. But as the evening turned into night, Phillip took us to a few darker and deeper places as well, and we were just as happy to follow him there too.

It’s a well known fact by now that Phillip has assembled an insanely talented band, and that his shows are as much about beautiful storytelling as they are about pure and simple jamming. That was on full display at the PNE show. To single out any instrument would be almost unfair, but last night both Bobby Sparks on keys and organ and Errol Cooney on guitar really elevated songs to special new places. Particular mention goes to “Trigger,” which was incredibly moving with delicate touches from Cooney and lush dramatic effects from Sparks. The best part was perhaps a new cool and intense jam at the end of the song; this is after all what some fans are coming back for, show after show. The incredible Jason Thomas on drums, JJ Smith on bass and Joel Behrman on trumpet and trombone completed the band, each shining at many different times during the show. Through it all was Phillip with his boundless energy and electricity, which never detracts from his impeccable delivery and authentic emotion. He is a true captivating and magical performer.

Phillip played the hits (“Raging Fire,” “Gone Gone Gone”) as well as his new “official” single “Unpack Your Heart” (“whatever that means” he told us with a laugh), the incendiary “Fly,” and my all-time favourite “Man On The Moon.” In between songs, new quiet and atmospheric intros or outros kept us guessing and falling deeper into the night’s spell. And in a repeat of last time’s most magical moment, the Vancouver crowd once again lit up with hundreds of lights to accompany the beautiful lyrics of “Tell Me A Story,” which Phillip made even more special by adding some lines from “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”

As if all of this wasn’t enough, Phillip closed his set with his “Lollipop” mash up, a virtuoso blending of covers by Lil’ Wayne, Led Zeppelin, Eminem and DJ Khaled that drove fans into a true frenzy of pure musical bliss. By the time he came back for his encore with the haunting “A Fool’s Dance,” there is no doubt that Phillip had the crowd on the palm of his hand. Of course, he closed the show with “Home” and led us to sing along with him for one last time. We wished we could have kept singing all night long.

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Check out some photos and videos from the show, as well as some pics of Phillip’s cool Meet & Greet earlier that day.

Set List
Searchlight
Get Up Get Down
Lead On
Raging Fire
Fly
Man On The Moon
Gone Gone Gone
Unpack Your Heart
Tell Me A Story
Trigger>>>
Where We Came From
Lollipop

A Fool’s Dance
Home





PP Meet & Greet Vancouver 4 PP Meet & Greet Vancouver 5

Thank you Claudia, Janet, Melissa and Linda.
Featured photo by Joanne.