Date: Fri 25-Jul-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

Live-Gracey-Meadows-concert

Full Text:

Phoner With Live's Drummer [Chad Gracey]-

An Alt-Rock Staple, Live Is Coming To CT

(with photo)

BY SHANNON HICKS

HARTFORD - This weekend, the rock band Live begins the first leg of an

American trek supporting its latest album, Secret Samadhi . A fairly ambitious

tour, this latest one has the band hitting over fifty cities (53, actually) in

just ten weeks.

A date at The Meadows Music Theatre next Friday brings the band back to the

state for the first time, officially, in well over two years. (The band played

a warm-up date for this tour at Toad's Place last fall, a show that was

quietly publicized, yet standing room only nevertheless.)

A four-man band that accomplishes the feat of sounding much larger when

playing live, Live has become a staple of alternative rock radio airplay. A

tight-knit group for over a decade, Live's members - singer Edward Kowalczyk,

guitarist Chad Taylor, bass player Patrick Dahlheimer, and drummer Chad Gracey

- actually began playing together in middle school under the name Public

Affection.

Live's major label debut came in 1991, with the release of Mental Jewelry on

Radioactive Records. It made a blip on the monitor of life, but it was the

unveiling and subsequent heavy airplay of the next album, Throwing Copper ,

that put these guys over the top.

With the big-time singles "I Alone," "Lightning Crashes" and "Selling the

Drama," and the album selling over eight million copies, the band was finally

playing with the big boys, swinging heavy and solidifying their reputation as

a band that puts on a killer live show.

With the release earlier this year of Secret Samadhi , Live continues to grow

in popularity by leaps and bounds. Both of the initial singles from the latest

album, "Lakini's Juice" and "Turn My Head," are ideal examples of the band

being both "introspective and anthemic," which is how the band's record

company likes to describe Live's dynamic sound.

Live has been playing with its new material for the impending American tour

since the beginning of the year. The newest material was written while on the

18-month tour for Throwing Copper , as well as at home in Pennsylvania and in

Jamaica.

There was a late winter 24-city theatre tour in the States, all quietly

publicized shows like the aforementioned Toad's Place performance, and all of

which sold out. Then there was a two-week arena swing Down Under, ten more

dates which were completely sold-out.

This week the band was in final rehearsals in Hershey, Penn., where the

American tour finally kicks off Friday night. The Hershey Stadium performance

is the perfect start for the band, which comes out of York., Penn. The guys

can have dinner at home, kiss the families goodbye, and make the 25Á-mile

drive from York to Hershey. (Of course, the band is so "big" these days,

someone else can do the driving for them.)

A short ride up Route 83, a left onto Route 422, and the tour just about

starts in these guys' backyard.

"We're definitely warmed up," drummer Gracey said earlier this week, calling

from home in York. "We've been playing since February, really. We're ready to

go.

"It's actually pretty cool to do this," Gracey said of all the playing. "We

did it for our `95 tour as well, and it was spectacular. We're hoping to

duplicate that."

A surcharge added to tickets from six of the group's upcoming shows will be

given to LifeBeat, although Hartford is not one of the dates chosen. Five more

dates will be handled the same way for the band's expected fall itinerary.

LifeBeat acts as a middle man, turning the money over to local AIDS service

organizations.

"We decided early on that we wanted to give something to charity," Gracey

explained. "We had our managers round up about ten great charities, and we

finally picked LifeBeat.

"It's our first foray into this, giving directly to charity. We've given

jackets and things to be auctioned off in the past, but nothing like this."

Concerts will last about 90 minutes, Gracey said. The majority of the

material, about sixty percent, will be from the latest album, with a five or

six songs from Copper and one off Jewelry , he added.

Live will be at The Meadows Music Theatre in Hartford on Friday, August 1.

Opening the 7 pm show will be Luscious Jackson and Fun Lovin' Criminals.

Tickets are $18 for lawn seating, $25.50 for seats in the pavilion area. Call

Pro-Tix (860/422-0000) to reserve tickets.