The new Big Big Train studio album 'The Likes of Us'
We are delighted to announce the forthcoming release of our new studio album, The Likes Of Us, on 1st March 2024. As well as marking Alberto Bravin’s full recording debut with the band as our lead vocalist, The Likes Of Us will be our first release for InsideOut/Sony.
https://burningshed.com/store/bigbig...m_medium=Owned
Still auto-buy for me, but I’m not the biggest fan of the Common Ground/Welcome to the Planet (and I still think it’s weird that it’s not a double album, but I might be alone in that and it doesn’t matter either).
Fingers crossed for this one. Ordered the media book edition.
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
There was clearly a slight shift in the band's sound on those two albums as well as a change towards more personnal lyrics. I expect the new album to move forward in that direction.Originally Posted by polmico
Let's face it, the band's so-called "classic" era ended with Grand Tour but it's great to see the band continue to evolve, even if part of that is due to unforeseen circumstances.
Not just a Genesis fanboy.
Spawton did an interview a few months ago and expressed some regret regarding those two records - I’m paraphrasing but he conceded there was likely enough material for one solid album.
No doubt the “classic era” has ended but that gave me hope that the quality control regarding the song writing will be tightened up.
That's good to know because I thought there were a number of really weak songs on there, so I tend to play both those albums together while leaving out the dreck. It seemed to me they were searching for something different but didn't quite pull it off.
Sometimes it takes a couple of albums to find a new direction, but I expect them to find it this time around.
I would appreciate a link to the interview that was mentioned, I don't think I heard it.
Not just a Genesis fanboy.
I'm looking forward to it, although I haven't fully digested the previous albums yet (partly because of that slight shift in the band's sound and songwriting).
Recruiting Alberto Bravin as a vocalist is an interesting move. There is so much talent in the current line-up that I'm sure the album will be at least good (and as long as Greg Spawton is here, the spirit carries on).
Some US live dates added now as Gregory says "a teeny-tiny toes-in-the-water kind of Big Big Train US tour, but it's a start as we attempt to build our audience in North America"
https://www.bigbigtrain.com/live/
FRIDAY 1ST MARCH 2024
Sweetwater Performance Theatre, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Saturday 2nd March 2024
Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center, Rutherford, New Jersey
SUNDAY 3RD March 2024
Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center, Rutherford, New Jersey
TUESDAY 5TH March 2024
Regent Theatre, Arlington (Boston), Massachusetts
Friday 8th to Wednesday 13th March 2024 – Cruise To The Edge
Cruise To The Edge
We are delighted to announce four shows in the USA in March 2024. These shows are in addition to the band’s previously announced co-headlining appearances next year on board Cruise To The Edge in March and at the final Night Of The Prog in Germany in July as well as their debut at Cropredy festival in the UK in August.
The band’s two performances at the Rivoli Theater will feature substantially different set lists. Tickets for all shows will go on sale at 10am Eastern US time on Friday 15th December.
For these four shows the band’s line-up will consist of Alberto Bravin (lead vocals), Nick D’Virgilio (drums), Oskar Holldorff (keyboards), Clare Lindley (violin), Rikard Sjöblom (guitars/keyboards) and Gregory Spawton (bass) as well as an additional multi-instrumentalist who will play trumpet, guitar and keyboards.
“In an ideal world Big Big Train would include a full brass section at every show, but financial realities just don’t allow us that luxury currently,” explains Gregory Spawton. “Going forwards we want Big Big Train to play as many shows as possible – meaning that we will be performing some shows with and some without the brass section. We’re keen to retain a brass element in all shows however and therefore Dave Foster has very graciously agreed to sit out our North America shows so that we can bring in a trumpet player, whose name we will be announcing soon.”
"First we conquer Ft. Wayne, then we conquer the world."
It doesn't hurt that their drummer works at Sweetwater in Ft. Wayne and they have a live concert venue.
Yep. I'll be there if it goes off.
Auto buy
No brass section. No Dave Foster (or Maria Barbieri). And of course the roster of missing past members who we might have seen on the Tour That Never Was in 2020.
Nevertheless I will be at both New Jersey shows, God (or Whatever) willing, fully in the present, reveling in the moment and trying not to think about the past. BBT exemplifies the power of musical vision transcending (while still celebrating and elevating) the individual.
"I have not yet begun to procrastinate."
5.1 version ...... nice!
Will grab tix for the Regent tomorrow!
Missed them in Quebec, missed them in Scotland....third times a charm????
JG
"MARKLAR!"
I only made one pass through the new album but I was impressed. Alberto Bravin is quite good.
The forthcoming new album or Ingenious Devices? Alberto is only on one track on the latter, and I didn’t think the upcoming one was out there yet, but perhaps you have an advanced copy? Nonetheless having seen him a few times live with the I can confirm he is very good, and an excellent frontman too.
The forthcoming new album. Only had time to listen through it once but I enjoyed it.
New song
To cut them some slack, this however is one of the best new prog songs I've heard in a while.
I really like the new song. I thought it must be a Greg Spawton composition but apparently the music stems from Alberto Brevin.
It's very good.
I went back and listened to Welcome to the Planet the other day. It's not quite the misfire I thought. The last song isn't for me (and, if I'm being fanboy-ishly pedantic, doesn't sound like BBT--of course, that's not for me to decide) and sort of sours my impression of the album. But the good is very good.
There is a likely a great BBT album somewhere in WttP and Common Ground. I guess I've got time before the new album is released to figure out what that great album is.
I still don't like Grand Tour, though.
I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
Has it even been mentioned here that BBT are doing four US shows in March, prior to CTTE? Indiana, 2x New Jersey, Boston.I believe there are still seats available for all shows, which are being mounted by local promoters on low budgets.
• Friday 1st March 2024 – Sweetwater Performance Theatre, Fort Wayne, Indiana
• Saturday 2nd March 2024 – Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center, Rutherford, New Jersey
• Sunday 3rd March 2024 – Rivoli Theater at The Williams Center, Rutherford, New Jersey
• Tuesday 5th March 2024 – Regent Theatre, Arlington (Boston), Massachusetts
Ticket links for these shows are at www.bigbigtrain.com/live.
I jumped on tix for both NJ shows, which they say will feature substantially different sets each night. As a still-in-mourning ticketholder for The Tour That Never Was in 2020, there's a sense of impending redemption. The personnel are substantially different; there will be no brass section; much of the repertoire has changed. Yet the band remains forward-looking and powerfully creative, and these shows, I believe will both evoke the magic of the past while shining a light into the future. BBT continues to somehow be something special.
"I have not yet begun to procrastinate."
In addition to the sets being different, so are the openers: David Bainbridge on Saturday, and a subset of IZZ on Sunday (which is the show I'll be attending)
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