Tony Levin road diaries

Jan 13, 1999 – New York City

Happy New Year to all. I’ve been quiet on the road diary, not being sure what’s coming (hey, that’s the rock biz!) but I’ve got some interesting developments.

First, regarding the Liquid Tension Group, (Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, and me) has finally booked our “January Tour” – it’s only a handful of shows. Full details below, but the first is next week in NYC – the Bowery Ballroom, on Thurs, Jan. 21st. Then on the 22nd, back to Philly, the T.L.A. (where both the Bruford Levin group, and Dream Theater have already played in the last months.) We will play at the L.A. NAMM show, but it’s an ‘industry’ concert, only for people with NAMM passes (that’d be about 1/3 of the planet earth) Anyway, that’s called “Drums along the Biltmore” at that hotel, on Jan. 30th, and we’ll be the last of many drum/oriented acts on the bill. I’ve heard we’ll go on stage at 1am. On Feb. 1st we’ll play a normal gig in L.A, at the Roxy. The new album is just being mixed, and I guess we’ll play some material from that as well as the first. (I’ve got a lot of practicing to do. More notes on each one of those tracks than on a whole Peter Gabriel album!)

January 21 – NYC

Tonight, at the Bowery Ballroom, was the first (ever) concert of Liquid Tension Experiment. We (Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess) had only two days to rehearse, and the music is very complex, so mistakes were expected (at least from me!) Nevertheless, it was a fine show – my first exposure to the enthusiastic Dream Theater audience, who helped me and the band make it though a night of many many notes. Aside from learning the previous album, we decided to do some material from the new, yet to be released one. Tomorrow (Friday the 22nd,) we’ll be playing at the T.L.A. in Philly – I hope that will be as successful as the first.

The NAMM show is a music retail biz show, with many musicians and equipment manufacturers enclosed in a large building for four days! I’ll be at the Trace Elliot booth (which this year is in the Gibson display) greeting people, and somewhat trying to place my new book with some music stores. Liquid Tension will be playing a concert for Sabian Drums, on Saturday the 30th. Still in L.A, another public show of Liquid Tension will be at the Roxy, on Feb. 1st. We’re trying to tape it for a possible live cd, since it’s unlikely there will be more shows of this group.

More shots and updates tomorrow after the Philly gig.

January 22 update – Philadelphia

(it’s late at night, so really it’s the 23rd.)

Alas, with the second show, the East Coast tour has ended! More exciting music, more wrong notes from the bass player (actually, I’m only playing the Stick in this band, which makes it a bit easier to keep up – so maybe it’s not me making those mistakes?!) and more photos taken from stage (including one I took of Mike when we were supposed to be duo-ing together.)

January 31 update – LA

Those of you who are musicians won’t be surprised by the less than methodical events of Saturday – others usually think that shows go like clockwork – you set up, you play. The event of the day was Sabian Drums presenting a night of drummer-oriented bands, including Liquid Tension with Mike Portnoy. Because we were scheduled to be the last act (going on at 1am) we had the first soundcheck – 11 in the morning. Hours later, at 2:30, with the sound still not adjusted, and John and Mike late for an appearance at the NAMM show, we finished up the soundcheck and all ran over to the show. It was the weekend, and NAMM was quite crowded and noisy. As before, I ran into some friends and checked out equipment. I returned at midnight for the 1am concert. We waited... and waited... finally at 1:40 in the morning, as Liquid Tension went on the stage, the stage manager told us we could play only a half hour (we’d planned an hour show.) We went onstage, readjusting our set to be shorter, and as we began the first piece, the guitar amp and pedals self-destructed. Throughout the show, John Petrucci had to keep working on his equipment, while trying to play. I’m sure he was grateful when, at 2:15, it ended. Not that the show was all bad – but we had spent 3 hours trying to prepare the sound for a half hour show, and the equipment failed us!

Monday, February 1st – Los Angeles

The Roxy on Sunset – I’ve played there with Peter Gabriel, with King Crimson, Tim Finn, and others. Tonight Liquid Tension Experiment moved onto the famed stage and did our best show yet. (Couldn’t help be better than the disasterous set last Saturday night.) After soundcheck, I had strolled across the drive to the Rainbow Grill – site of many a rock band hanging out – for some dinner. I recalled eating a Thanksgiving dinner there while on the road with Peter Gabriel long ago – how strange a meal it was, much of the band English, and not having a Thanksgiving tradition, and the others trying to enjoy it on the road, when it’s really about being home. A friend, Jeff, happened to come by the restaurant, and told me about the review he’s writing on the Deja Vrooom DVD for his home theater magazine. As to the show, perhaps because it was our last – or maybe due to the sound problems Saturday, but we played very well this time, and the audience was super. My only disappointment was my digital camera – lots of the photos I took (including one of Mike Portnoy, during our ‘duo’ section when I was supposed to be playing) didn’t come out. Maybe I’m overusing the thing! Biggest loss was the shot of the enthusiastic audience. Take my word for it, the place was rocking!