{"id":29381,"date":"2018-08-11T09:26:02","date_gmt":"2018-08-11T13:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=29381"},"modified":"2018-08-11T09:26:09","modified_gmt":"2018-08-11T13:26:09","slug":"on-stage-mmmmmmm-bacon-brothers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=29381","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Mmmmmmm, Bacon Brothers"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Bacon Brothers<\/p><\/div>\n

For Kevin Bacon, the thought of going out on an \u201cActors Rock\u201d style music tour with other actors who have bands is not something that would bring a smile to his face.<\/p>\n

Like Kiefer Sutherland, Priyanka Chopra, Hugh Laurie, Juliette Lewis and Jennifer Lopez, Bacon\u2019s main claim to fame is as an actor.<\/p>\n

But, he has also been a serious musician performing with his brother Michael as the Bacon Brothers for almost a quarter-century. Bacon is not an actor with a band or a musician who acts. He is both a musician and an actor and, for him, they are separate careers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would never want to tour with other actors,\u201d said Bacon, during a phone interview last week from a Bacon Brothers tour stop in Annapolis, Maryland.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to be looked at as an actor who also makes music. I\u2019ve worked so long to get rid of that albatross. There is a big difference between making music and acting. It\u2019s more about the importance of making real music than it is about a feeling that actors shouldn\u2019t be playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

On August 11, Bacon (the rocker) and his brother Michael will return to their hometown area for a Bacon Brothers show at the Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The band \u2013 Michael, vocals, guitar and cello; Kevin, vocals, guitar and percussion; Paul Guzzone, bass and backing vocals; Joe Mennonna, keyboards and accordion; Ira Siegel, lead guitar, mandolin and backing vocals; Frank Vilardi, drums \u2013 is touring in support of its brand-new album, \u201cThe Bacon Brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe album dropped on June 1,\u201d said Bacon. \u201cWe had recorded three or four songs and then I wanted to do a video for \u2018Broken Glass.\u2019 We played a gig with G.E. Smith. He liked my song, \u2018I Feel You\u2019 and he said he\u2019d like to produce it. We booked a studio \u2013 Hobo Sound in Weehawken, New Jersey \u2013 for two days. It\u2019s a great studio. G.E. stuck around for the second day and we did four or five songs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smith is the former “Saturday Night Live” music director and guitarist of Hall & Oates.<\/p>\n

With Michael teaching at Lehman College in the Bronx and Kevin spending a lot of time in Los Angeles, time for the brothers to get together to work on songs is a precious commodity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so great to be able to sit around and look at each other,\u201d said Bacon. \u201cWhen we were in the studio, there was a great vibe in the room. Joe Mennonna was there pumping out sounds on his Hammond B-3 and Leslie speakers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen making the album, there were basically three sessions \u2013 four songs at Hobo, five at Lehman. The last song we did \u2013 \u2018The Garden\u2019 \u2013 was done at G.E.\u2019s basement studio in Montclair, New Jersey. We wanted conga drums on the track. The basic structure of the song was percussion.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin and Michael have been making music together since they were kids and performing as a real band since 1995. The Bacon Brothers\u2019 debut album \u201cForosoco\u201d was released in 1997.<\/p>\n

Kevin Bacon is an award-winning actor with 80 films and dozens of television and stage credits to his name, resulting in numerous Emmy and Screen Actors Guild nominations in his resume.<\/p>\n

Older brother Michael initially began making music in Philadelphia before moving to Nashville where his songwriting career blossomed. An Emmy-winning composer, he most recently scored the documentary \u201cThat Way Madness Lies\u201d currently on the festival circuit.<\/p>\n

Other recent works include the audiobook: \u201cYou Don\u2019t Look Your Age\u2026And Other Fairytales\u201d and the\u00a0HBO documentary \u201cUnderfire: The Untold Story of Private First Class Tony Vaccaro.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe grew up in Center City Philadelphia \u2013 21st\u00a0and Locust,\u201d said Bacon. \u201cMike went to Central High and I was at the Parkway Program and then Masterman High.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Michael Bacon said, \u201cThe first songs we wrote were in the late 1960s. Kevin would sing me a melody and I\u2019d do the chords. Gradually, our skills went up.\u201d<\/p>\n

As time went on, Kevin built up his acting resume, but the Bacon Brothers also moved forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had been writing to try to pitch songs to other people or to put the songs in my movies,\u201d said Bacon. \u201cWe did a demonstration tape. A friend invited us to sing at his venue \u2013 the TLA.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was me and Mike on acoustic guitar. After the show, we got invited to do another show. It just evolved from there. It\u2019s really about writing a song and playing it in a band.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two siblings share a singular body of work that\u2019s found them spending more than 20 years of working the road and paying their dues, resulting in eight albums \u2013 \u201cForosoco\u201d (1997), \u201cGetting There\u201d (1999), \u201cCan\u2019t Complain\u201d (2001), \u201cLive: The No Food Jokes Tour\u201d (2003), \u201cWhite Knuckles\u201d (2005), \u201cNew Year\u2019s Day\u201d (2009), \u201cPhiladelphia Road\u201d (2011) \u201c36 Cents\u201d (2014) and \u201cBacon Brothers\u201d (2018).<\/p>\n

Sold-out gigs in New York, LA, Nashville, Chicago and San Francisco followed, as well as a high-profile show opening for The Band at Carnegie Hall and appearing alongside the likes of Shania Twain and Wyclef Jean on the TNT Network\u2019s \u201cThe Gift of Song\u201d special. In eight years of recording and touring, the band has become a top live draw and continues to build momentum.<\/p>\n

According to Michael, \u201cFor us, each CD is a milestone. It\u2019s what we\u2019ve done up to that point in our career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for the Bacon Brothers — https:\/\/youtu.be\/QPuY_Y4QbL8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Keswick Theater will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $39, $49 and $59.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Echo Courts<\/p><\/div>\n

Another interesting show on August 11 will feature Echo Courts. The Carolina-based band — Kelly Fahey, Jean-Luc Swift, Nate Goldsmith, Nick Parascandola — will make a return visit to Philadelphia to headline a show at Johnny Brenda\u2019s (1201 North Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, 215-739-9684, www.johnnybrendas.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe band started in 2014 and we\u2019ve played Philly three times,\u201d said Fahey, during a phone interview last week as the band travelled to a gig in Atlanta, Georgia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis weekend\u2019s show was originally scheduled for Kung Fu Necktie, but it got changed. We\u2019ve never played Johnny Brenda\u2019s before. We\u2019ve heard great things about the club so we\u2019re really looking forward to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though Echo Courts came together in 2014, this line-up has only been together for about a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Echo Courts released their first LP \u201cIn the Garden\u201d in July 2016 on Negative Fun Records.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe toured our last record,\u201d said Fahey. \u201cThen, everybody that was in the band at the time got busy with other stuff. We had a six-piece back then. People left, and it was down to me, Nate and Luc. Then, we picked up our drummer Nick a little while ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely easier to get stuff done when you\u2019re a smaller band. When we play live, it allows us to do a little more because of less moving pieces. We\u2019re now definitely more focused on the sound. Making our new record has changed the vibe of the sound. It\u2019s also changed because we\u2019re older and into different things.\u201d<\/p>\n

Echo Courts just released its sophomore album \u201cRoom With A\u00a0View\u201d on July 13 via Refresh Records.<\/p>\n

The new songs evolved over the course of six months of playing live shows in the Mid-South region before the band finally decided it was time to commit them to record. The result was an album with a cleaner, more focused sound.<\/p>\n

According to Fahey, \u201c\u2018Room With A View\u2019\u00a0is a necessary step forward. The album\u2019s title says it all. The songs come from a refreshed perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recorded and produced by Jean-Luc Swift at A Domestic Studio and mastered by Kris Hilbert at Legitimate Business,\u00a0\u201cRoom With A View\u201d\u00a0came out a few weeks ago on 12-inch vinyl, cassette, and digitally via iTunes, Spotify, and other retailers.<\/p>\n

We have a lot of influences,\u201d said Fahey. \u201cMusic I\u2019ve been listening to now is George Harrison, Led Zeppelin and Ty Segall. When our band started, my favorite bands were Girls and Foxygen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Echo Courts, which is based in Raleigh, North Carolina, plays jangly, guitar-driven power pop with plenty of vocal harmonies \u2013 sort of like Raleigh\u2019s legendary pop-rock band from the 80s, the Connells.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what genre we\u2019re supposed to be in,\u201d said Fahey. Usually, I just say rock-and-roll \u2013 two guitars, bass and drums.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen describing our sound, people have made refences to R.E.M. I never saw it. It\u2019s not something I strive for. It just happens with guitar rock and a little country influence. For example, we love the Byrds and are more influenced by them than we are by R.E.M.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Echo Courts \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/EXHNS-OfTu8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Johnny Brenda\u2019s, which has Line Lender and Fred Beans as openers, will start at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Johnny Brenda\u2019s are Alice Bag on August 12 and Sparta on August 13.<\/p>\n

The \u201cHeart Attack\u201d \u2013 live performances by current and past members of Heart \u2013 that struck the area last week is now in \u201cStage 3.\u201d<\/p>\n

This has been a great nine day-stretch for area Heart fans with three concerts featuring musicians who have been key members of the hit-making band from the Pacific Northwest.<\/p>\n

On August 4, Ann Wilson, one of Heart\u2019s two main vocalists, shared the bill with Jeff Beck and Paul Rodgers in Camden. On August 9, Heart By Heart, a group featuring original Heart members Steve Fossen and Michael Derosier, performed at the Sellersville Theater.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Nancy Wilson<\/p><\/div>\n

Last but not least, Nancy Wilson, Ann\u2019s sister who played guitar and shared the vocal duties in Heart, will headline a show at Parx Casino’s Xcite Center on August 12.<\/p>\n

In late 2016 with Heart on an indefinite hiatus, Wilson formed a band called Roadcase Royale with former Prince band member and R&B singer\u00a0Liv Warfield<\/a>, lead guitarist Ryan Waters (the musical director for Warfield\u2019s solo work and Prince prot\u00e9g\u00e9), and three Heart alumni — \u00a0keyboardist Chris Joyner, bassist Dan Rothchild and drummer Ben Smith.<\/p>\n

Roadcase Royale released its first single, \u201cGet Loud,\u201d in January 2017. The band signed with Loud and Proud Records in July 2017 and released its debut full-length album\u00a0\u201cFirst Things First\u201d\u00a0on September 22, 2017.<\/p>\n

\u201cA couple years ago when Heart was doing a couple nights at the Hollywood Bowl, I saw Liv Warfield with her band,\u201d said Wilson, during a phone interview last week from her home in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe just owned it \u2013 killed it \u2013 and I was floored. We offered them an opening slot for two nights at the Hollywood Bowl. Back then was when I talked to her about doing some music together. She wanted to do more rock and less R&B. Heart was always rock with some R&B.<\/p>\n

\u201cA little while later, Ann was already doing her own thing. I was in New York, met up with Liv and we got together in a rehearsal space. Liv brought Ryan and we started working on music right away.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did an arrangement of a song by Colin Hay \u2013 \u2018Hold On To My Hand\u2019 \u2013 and we nailed it the first time we played it. We had so much fun working with each other \u2013 no egos \u2013 everybody worked together well. The work ethic was big \u2013 and professional. We made the album pretty quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen, we opened for a Bob Seger tour. Dan, Ben and Chris were all in Heart with me \u2013 the rhythm section and the keyboard player. So, there was good chemistry right from the start between Liv, Ryan and us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wilson was a guitar virtuoso when she was just 10 years old. Celebrated as one of the seminal musicians in the history of rock, she was an integral member of Heart — the multi-platinum rock group that has sold more than 35 million records. As a songwriter, Wilson has co-written a collection of songs that are classic rock standards including \u201cMagic Man,\u201d \u201cCrazy on You,\u201d \u201cBarracuda\u201d and \u201cStraight On.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her status as a rock icon was cemented when Heart was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. That same year, she and her sister received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.<\/p>\n

Wilson has also built a successful career as a film composer. Her composing credits include scores for \u201cElizabethtown,\u201d \u201cVanilla Sky,\u201d \u201cAlmost Famous,\u201d \u201cJerry Maguire\u201d and \u201cSay Anything…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy live shows now are half-and-half \u2013 Heart music, the biggest hits, and a few original things,\u201d said Wilson. \u201cThere are some Roadcase Royale songs and a couple Pink Floyd covers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely a place for Heart fans. After 50 years, honestly, I don\u2019t know what else I\u2019d do. I do have a varied career with scoring TV shows and films. And, I host a TV show about Muscle Shoals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wilson also had an answer to the question asked by all Heart fans \u2013 will there be a reunion and tour any time soon?<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still waiting to hear back from Ann,\u201d said Wilson. \u201cThat always takes time. Hopefully, we can get on the road next summer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Nancy Wilson (with Roadcase Royale) — https:\/\/youtu.be\/_tDK7mRihqk<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Parx Casino\u2019s Xcite Center on August 12 will start at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices range from $25-$55.<\/p>\n

In 1998, the band Far — Jonah Matranga<\/a>, vocals, guitar; Shaun Lopez<\/a>, guitar; John Gutenberger, bass; Chris Robyn, drums, percussion \u2013 released a highly-acclaimed album called \u201cWater & Solutions.\u201d The LP had a strong cult following in the late 1990s \u2013 mainly because of the single \u201cMother Mary.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Pauses<\/p><\/div>\n

Far broke up a few years later, reformed in 2009 and then split up again. On a radio show in 2011, Matranga said that it was not likely Far would be getting back together. He cited several problems but mainly that there was just \u201ctoo much drama.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matranga\u00a0celebrated the 20th anniversary of \u201cWater & Solutions\u201d this past March with a special live-streamed intimate performance. Now, he\u2019s taking that celebration on the road with a carefully-selected backing band.<\/p>\n

Matranga\u2019s backing band is also the band that will be the opening act on this tour \u2013 The Pauses.<\/p>\n

The two-pronged tour will touch down in the area on August 12 for a show at Boot and Saddle (1131 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 215-639-4528, www.bootandsaddlephilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Orlando indie-rock trio\u00a0The Pauses\u00a0— multi-instrumentalist\u00a0Jason Kupfer, vocalist\/bassist\/keyboardist\u00a0Tierney Tough, and drummer\u00a0Nathan Chase\u00a0\u2013 will be pulling double-duty nightly, opening each show with their own set and then serving as\u00a0Matranga\u2019s backing band.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe grew up as huge fans of \u2018Waters & Solutions\u2019,\u201d said Tough, during a phone interview this week during a break in pre-tour rehearsals in Orlando.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn this tour, we do a 30-minure set of our own and then a 60-minure set backing Jonah. We play the whole album. I grew up playing along with that album when I was 14 and 15. Jonah contacted us and asked if we\u2019d play with him on the album\u2019s anniversary shows. I was really thrilled. Obviously, we immediately said yes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Pauses\u2019 roots go back about 15 years to a band that shared its name with a Russian satellite.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt spawned out of a different band \u2013 Vostok,\u201d said Tough. \u201cI was playing bass and Jason was on guitar. That band broke up and I was trying to figure out ideas on keyboard. Jason and I kept throwing musical ideas back-and-forth. Our first show as The Pauses was in 2008.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kupfer said, \u201cVostok had a different singer and was a lot moodier and darker. With The Pauses, it was more upbeat and fun \u2013 with some dark elements. We wanted to evolve and see what we could do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tough said, \u201cOur first album was \u2018A Cautionary Tale\u2019 in 2011. That was our first release ever. Then, we did a split with Great Deceivers in 2012. Our songs on the 45 were \u2018The Beginning of Things\u2019 and \u2018Formerly.\u2019 We also did a song called \u2018Don\u2019t Wake Me Up,\u2019 which was a single for a compilation. We re-recorded the song for this record.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tough was referring to The Pauses\u2019 sophomore album \u201cUnbuilding,\u201d which was produced by J. Robbins and released June 22, 2018.<\/p>\n

Kupfer explained the seven-year gap between albums by The Pauses.<\/p>\n

\u201cTierney was involved with other bands and I was doing film stuff,\u201d said Kupfer. \u201cWe weren\u2019t on hiatus. We still played shows now and then, but we weren\u2019t going with it full-time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tough said, \u201cThe first record was a big undertaking and we were a little discouraged with the results. We needed a little separation from it. Still, we were always active and playing. We did a lot of regional shows and short East Coast tours.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Pauses showed some serious progress with their new album. Produced by the legendary\u00a0J. Robbins, the album reflects his influence in the heavier guitar propulsion that churns under the allure of the electronic ear candy on the surface.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made the album with J. Robbins at The Magpie Cage \u2013 his studio in Baltimore,\u201d said Kupfer. \u201cWe finished recording the album two years ago and then spent time finding a record label deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tough said, \u201cWe have no management. We do everything ourselves. Last year, we signed with Arctic Rodeo Records, which is based in Hamburg, Germany. They like what we do, and they\u2019ve been great with us. They even gave us a special yellow vinyl record for his tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The Pauses \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/P6dkOeMwxP0<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at Boot & Saddle on August 12 will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at Boot and Saddle are E Joseph and the Sparrows on August 11 and Whiskey Shivers on August 15.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times For Kevin Bacon, the thought of going out on an \u201cActors Rock\u201d style music tour with other actors who have bands is not something that would bring a smile to his face. Like Kiefer Sutherland, Priyanka Chopra, Hugh Laurie, Juliette Lewis and Jennifer Lopez, Bacon\u2019s main claim to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":29383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[10513,10515,6518,10514,10516],"class_list":["post-29381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-bacon-brothers","tag-echo-courts","tag-featured","tag-nancy-wilson","tag-pauses"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29381"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29381\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29382,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29381\/revisions\/29382"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/29383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=29381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=29381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}