Photos: Phillip Phillips 2017 Summer Tour

What is that strange magic that makes live music and photography go so well together? Because while live music is ephemeral and forever moving like a flowing river, photography is static and permanent. Perhaps it’s due to photography’s ability to catch a moment, to capture a few magical seconds in a performance and make it last forever so we can go back again and again to feel its spellbinding power.

Phillip Phillips performs at Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York on August 20, 2017. Photo: Danny DeRusso.

Phillip Phillips’ summer tour had many of such moments, with shows at some historic venues such as Bethel Woods, where the Woodstock festival took place, and Austin City Limits Live’s Moody Theater in Austin, TX, home of the highly regarded PBS music special. Phillip wrapped his 2017 tour in Bend, OR on September 19. As a recap, here are just a few of our favourite photos from the summer. Here is hoping for more exciting announcements in the coming months, and of course a new tour to promote his new album. Visit our Galleries page to see more tour photos as well as some great fan photos too!

Shadow Tattoo – Phillip Phillips performs at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT. Photo: Brian Gallo.

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Featured photo by Danny DeRusso.

Phillip Phillips Best of the Tour, August Roundup

It’s getting darker in the evenings, but not in the least cooler as Phillip Phillips hot summer tour continues! And there have been so many stories and musical treats that it’s been hard to keep up.

Here are just a few of the best fans and others videos and audio from the last few weeks, check them out! Also, head out to our photo gallery to see some great photos from the summer tour too!

1. “Miles,” Phillip’s moving and perfect new single, was released on August 11th. Here is an spectacular acoustic recording of the song just a few days before its official release.

2. A fan recorded the entire the show in Syracuse, NY. Watch the whole show, or if you must, go to the last song, the unreleased “My Name” to have your face melted and your mind blown.

3. An awesome fan in Boston also did a cool video montage of his entire show.

4. Our friend Susan recorded the full audio of the VIP Meet and Greet and full band set in Orlando – it’s great!

5. And finally, Phillip and his wife Hannah reminisce about the early days. Great and fun interview.

Phillip’s tour with the Goo Goo Dolls Long Way Home tour continues in Jacksonville, FL tomorrow. Take a look at all the upcoming dates here.

Featured photo by Wendy Podmenik Darugar.
Thank you to Hot 97.5/103.9, Elizabeth, goochick22, Susan, and Mix 104.1 Boston.

The Wait is Almost Over: New Phillip Phillips Single Coming Soon

Though no official announcement has been made yet, Phillip Phillips let it drop casually during a show last week that the new single is coming very soon, as soon as in the next two weeks.

Phillip was answering a question from a fan during a Q&A and indicated that the new single would come as soon as August 11th. Naturally, no mention was made of which song has been chosen as the new single, though Phillip has been incredibly generous in sharing his new music; he has debuted at least seven new songs in the last several months. Of these songs, two stand out as possible picks: the sensual, slow burning “Magnetic” and the funky “Don’t Tell Me,” both frequently played at his shows this and last summer. Of course, it could be neither – highly possible – or a completely different one from the ones he has already shared with us and even a brand new song we haven’t heard before.

Regardless, this is huge news from Phillip, who has struggled behind the scenes in the last three years with a crippling legal battle to gain control over his music and career. Though he has continued to tour extensively, this is the first glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel for the fans – a new single means a new album is coming soon, as well as, we hope, many more happy touring days for Phillip.

Check out the Q&A video below (Bonus: Watch until the end for Phillip’s mindblowing cover of Hall & Oates’ “Maneater”).

Phillip’s tour continues tomorrow in Nashville, TN.
Thank you to Liss for the video.

Phillip Phillips’ Sweet Summer Vibes at the Shoreline Amphitheatre

Phillip Phillips much awaited summer tour got underway last Friday, July 14th at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. Phillip will be touring the entire summer in support of the Goo Goo Dolls Long Way Home Summer Tour 2017.

As it does for most of the dates on the tour, the ticket for the Shoreline show included an option for a VIP Meet & Greet experience. The whole event was superbly organized. After signing in at the VIP sign in area, people who had tickets for the meet and greet were taken to an area backstage where a tent and a small stage had been set up. As we made our way backstage, we could hear Phillip and the band doing the sound check, which only added to everybody’s excitement. Thankfully, we only had to wait a few minutes before Phillip and Dave Eggar, cellist and musician extraordinaire, made their way to the stage and sat in the two chairs that had been placed for them there. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was no official radio sponsor and that Phillip and Dave were basically in charge of how the show and Q&A would unfold.

Phillip Phillips and Dave Eggar play an acoustic show at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. Photo: PhillPhillcom.

A piece of paper had been taped on the floor in front of Phillip’s chair with a selection of questions from fans – we had been asked to submit them prior to the event online. But Phillip ignored the sheet and simply told us if we had any questions and people just went for it asking whatever came to their mind. In true Phillip fashion he soon had us laughing with his funny answers. He also asked us what we wanted them to play to which someone yelled “Man on the Moon” but he couldn’t play it because he didn’t have his capo. After another suggestion which he also couldn’t play – the capo again, I yelled “Miles,” a new unreleased song that I’m in love with, and that’s what they played finally!
Phillip and Dave Eggar have been playing together for the best part of the last five years and doing these type of acoustic shows must be like second nature for them. The whole event was very informal, relaxed and cool as a result. After playing “Gone Gone Gone,” Phillip answered a few more questions and then took the time to take pictures with everybody. I highly recommend getting these tickets if you can afford them, it was a wonderful experience.

Dave Eggar at the VIP experience at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. Photo: Priscilla McRae.

Anybody who has attended a live music event knows that there is no sweeter moment than the second before a show starts, and with the sun shining right on the stage, the warm summer air on our skin and the notes of “Man on the Moon” making their way through the air, that moment on Friday felt like a wonderful dream. It’s no secret that Phillip has faced some difficult times recently and to see him right there on the stage doing what he does best was a beautiful sight for my eyes. As always, it took no time for Phillip and his band to mesmerize us with their energy and musicianship as they did when they launched into the extended outro for “Man on the Moon.”

By now Phillip has enough songs, in addition to an entire catalogue of brilliant covers, to easily put on a two hour plus show. However, being in the opening slot meant that Phillip had to compress his set list to fit 40 minutes, not an easy task for a band that is used to jamming on almost every song. Still, Phillip did a great job mixing many of the hits like “Home,” “Gone Gone Gone” and “Raging Fire,” with his new songs. Of the eight songs he played that night, three were new unreleased ones. All three were also highlights. I don’t know how else to explain it but maybe it’s just that Phillip is feeling these new songs. “Magnetic” was extra sexy, with Phillip taking his time with the lyrics and stretching his vocal range to places we have not heard him go before. New guitarist Jonathan Asperil was really great on it as well, taking over from where the amazing Nate Mercereau left with the song’s guitar solo.

Phillip Phillips and Jonathan Asperil at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. Photo: Rockin Ryan.

I have already mentioned “Miles” as a new favourite and on Friday I had the pleasure of hearing it twice, once acoustically and once full band. On this tour, both Dave Eggar, and trumpet player Joel Behrman are filling in on keyboard. On “Miles,” the addition of these keys was beautiful and made its yearning tone all the more heartbreaking. I am obsessed.

Other amazing moments of the night were a new jam on “Lead On,” lead, appropriately, by bassist Court Leonard, back with Phillip on this tour, and the show closer “Don’t Tell Me.” Debuted by Phillip last summer, “Don’t Tell Me” is a funky number that helped to display Phillip’s great writing ability – it’s a perfect sing along song – as well as his and his band musical talent. I loved the horns by Joel Behrman at the end and just the overall grooviness of the whole song. Finally, I have to mention that Jeff Randall on drums was great, with a clean style that just gave the right touch to each of the songs.

I would dare to say that this is one of the best, most cohesive shows I have heard from Phillip and band: there was just an overall mellower sound, but really intense, sensuous feeling to the entire set. Though I’m sad to see that regular band members were absent this time, this new configuration sounded wonderful.
They say time flies when you are having fun, and it certainly did last Friday. As I clapped along to “Raging Fire” and “Gone Gone Gone” I looked around and saw the many fans that came expressly to see Phillip — a cute mom and daughter duo, a really nice lady sitting next to me who sang along the whole show, a 92 year-old fan whose bucket list wish is for Phillip to release his new album — and I thought, it’s OK, he will be back and we will be back too. As long as Phillip keeps touring and playing music, we will be there, we will keep coming back — for the magic and for the music.

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Phillip’s tour continues on Thursday, July 20th in Fargo, ND. Click here to see all the upcoming dates! And check out some videos from the Shoreline show as well as the full show audio below!

Featured Photo: Rockin Ryan.
YouTube videos by Priscilla MacRae and Vanessa Sutter, Steve Leigh and PhillPhillcom.

Phillip Phillips Confirms New Music is Coming, Adds New Summer Dates to Tour

“No hay día que no llegue” my mom tells me often (no wait is forever, more or less), and so last week, on the first day of summer, Phillip Phillips sent out the tweet that fans all over have been waiting for: the new music is finally coming.

Originally announced for a fall release last year, Phillip’s third album has been delayed several months already. Though he did not provide any other details or possible dates, an article by The Hollywood Reporter published the same day confirmed that Phillip had settled his dispute with 19 Entertainment and one of American Idol’s “primary producers” freeing him from a related lawsuit and the legal complications that have prevented him from officially releasing any new music. I really hope this is the end of this story and that sunnier days are indeed coming for Phillip and his family and team.

The timing of this news could also not be any more perfect as he is about to start his summer tour this coming weekend on July 1st with a couple of newly added shows in Baton Rouge, LA and at Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI.

Phillip has already played a good handful of new songs during shows last summer and this year and we probably can expect him to play those and even some new ones as well as he takes the road. Will the same songs make it to the album? We don’t know. Regardless, we are set to have an awesome summer filled with Phillip’s music and that is just a wonderful gift unto itself.

Check out all the dates here . Many include a Meet & Greet option, so don’t delay, get your tickets now!

Phillip Phillips Plays Early Spring Shows

Phillip Phillips was back on the road this past weekend, playing three shows in Idaho, Nevada and Florida. The were the first few major shows he has played this year while he continues to write and finish songs for his third album, of which a release date has not yet been announced.

Phillip was in great form, and his band featured a mix of new and old members, most notably cellist Dave Eggar, whose presence is always a major treat for fans, and drummer Gorden Campbell.

If you missed Phillip this weekend, do not despair, he will be back on tour this summer with veteran rockers the Goo Goo Dolls. The tour opens in Mountain View, CA on July 14, and runs until September 15, in Woodinville, WA. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

And take a look and some cool fan photos and listen to the full concert audio from the Orlando show below!

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Featured photo: Lea P.