These notes come directly from Bill Rooney – manager for Chick Corea for more than ten years and official road warrior.
Tour starts fortuitously with sky cap being hugely honored to be checking Chick's bags in. Then we meet a couple in high enthusiasms telling Chick that they are big fans and will be seeing 2 maybe 3 shows on this upcoming tour and wishing RTF good luck! Nice to feel so welcomed.
Morning flight into Austin TX – finds us in a perfect place for launching the tour. Great atmosphere, creative climate, beautiful, and hot! Almost 100 degrees in May! A hot start for a hot tour.
Run into Stanley and Al at airport. Stanley flew from London direct from gigging there.
On to the rehearsal room - our second home for a while - band meets crew handshakes, good to see you's and with very little ceremony: boom! It gets musical and the group is right on it. RTF sounding better than ever and really working hard to get the music just right. The rehearsals last only 4 days to prepare before the first show and this music isn't easy to play. You know RTF wants to give their first audience their money's worth.
Checking into the gear bag: Stanley's set up looks like the old Grand Funk Railroad! Its arena sized! Lenny got a brand new custom drum set made of the same color (baby blue) as his original (think any fans will notice?)
The real problem of the day is figuring out how we're going to fit all this gear into our busses and trucks! This is the most exciting tour yet and also the loudest!
Crew is first rate – here's the people behind the stage, setting it up just right for the band and getting dug in for a world-wide trek:
Bernie Kirsh (FOH) – with Chick since the 70's and has engineered most of Chick's records.
Denny Jagard (monitors) – Most recently with Prince
Travis Rogers – Stanley's bass man and like Stanley he too has too switch between electric and acoustic and make it all good through that massive setup (and it's turned up to 11 no less)
Ethan Weber – fresh from (ladies and gentlemen) The Stones!
Andy Brauer – one world's top guitar techs – just look at his website:
AndyBrauer.com Gary Grimm – Drum tech extraordinaire with Clapton, Eagles, and many others
Zero Nylin – Tour manager for McCoy Tyner, Lionel Richie, George Benson and more
Terry Cooley – Production manager for Beyoncé etc.
This RTF caravan is 20 people (with merchandise peeps and other techs), 3 busses, and two trucks. Big wheels keep on turnin' – and we're doing it all for you.
RTF's first day was a 14 hour marathon of rehearsal, tech tweaking and local (also hot) tex mex food. Here's a peek at what the likely show looks like to start the tour:
First Set Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy
Beyond the Seventh Galaxy
Dayride
Sorceress
Song to the Pharaoh Kings
Second Set Vulcan Worlds
No Mystery
The Romantic Warrior
Duel of the Jester & the Tyrant
possible encore (if you all want and clap loudly): Medieval Overture
Speaking of tunes, Chick has written a new one that will be ready soon called: Galaxy 32 Star 4.
We couldn't be more excited, from the guys tearing it up on the stage all the way to the folks selling you T-shirts. This is as much fun for us as it is for you. Except maybe the loading the truck part.
Please come back often for updates along the concert trail plus some exclusive pix, perhaps a video or two and maybe a little howdy from the guys.
