The first leg will take the band to Japan and Southeast Asia in July and August, while shows in South America, Europe and the US will launch in early 2024 and will be announced soon.
“We wanted to say a proper goodbye and this seems like the right way to do it,” asserts the bassist/vocalist Billy Sheehan. Notes guitarist/vocalist Paul Gilbert, “We are in the process of making sure we come up with a suitably grand entertainment extravaganza to go along with our music. And as our music has resonated so wonderfully in venues all over the world, we will be playing in like many of the places that we can.” Submitting lead vocalist Eric Martin“If we were in the movie business, we’d just put it all up in the light and say, ‘Welcome to ‘The BIG End’!’ Seriously, I’m glad we get a chance to do it all on stage together as SIR. BIG again and raise a flag for everything we’ve done as a band over the years.”
After 35 years of being addicted to the ever-electrifying performance, the band feel it’s finally time to collectively hang up their top hats and shoes after coming together for a final, extended curtain call – a curtain call that will take them on an all-a world tour starting in 2023 that will last as long, yes, as long as SIR. BIG fans demand it.
Participant SIR. BIG on drums for this particular final world tour will be the band’s friend for many years Nick D’Virgilio (SPOCK’S BEARD, BIG BIG TRAIN), who steps in as founding drummer/vocalist Pat Torpey, who sadly passed away in 2018 after his heroic battle with Parkinson’s disease. “We found a wonderful drummer Nickand he’s got a great voice too,” confirms Sheehan. “Nick has a voting area corresponding to Clap‘s and he will be able to make the parts Clap did with similar finesse. It is a great relief because SIR. BIG has always been heavy on the harmonies. When the band started, we really trusted each other. We knew each guy was going to do exactly what he needed to do vocally and to do it justice, in tone and in time. It’s hard to find a drummer who sings in that area, but Nick has the voice we really need on stage.”
Agreed Gilbert“Nick comes close to the spirit of Pat Torpey. Billy, Erik, and I’ve been really happy with the music we’ve already shared back and forth. I am impressed Nick‘s level of musical adaptability and breadth of skill. He and I have done some recordings together and I was blown away with his groove and how he just played what fit the song. If the song calls for him to be more progressive and stand out, he will stand out. But if the song calls for him to groove, he will groove. It’s actually a rare thing and it really fits into what we do SIR. BIG.” “I love that fact Nick was a fan of Pat Torpey and want to keep ours BIG sounds intact,” says Erik. “When I first watched his audition demo video ‘Lean into it’ song ‘Lucky this time’, Nick played drums with these signatures Clap snare hits and singing harmonies spot on to what Clap used to do. It gave me goosebumps!! I’m so excited to have this man who will fill some mighty BIG shoes join us on our final tour.”
A special aspect of this upcoming final race that SIR. BIG is thrilled that a man is the decision to perform their seminal 1991 platinum-selling album in its entirety “Lean Into It” from start to finish as a featured highlight of the live setlist. (To be sure, the full setlist will include SIR. BIGentire career.) The fact is, “Lean Into It” is the perfect litmus testament to the band’s inherent knack for blending a variety of styles together, whether it’s the intoxicating rocking brew of “Green Tinted Sixties Mind”the power-drilled and power-tuned identity checklist “Father, Brother, Lover, Little Boy”or the truly heartfelt feelings that exist within “To Be With You”, SIR. BIG‘s chart-topping, worldwide #1 smash single.
For his part, Martin the songwriter remains eternally grateful for the unending success “To Be With You”but the essence of SIR. BIG goes much, much deeper than that. “That song helped stamp our passports,” Martin allows it, “but we really got it done “Lean Into It”. I am still in awe of how Billy and Paul play on that album because they are such brilliant players. I used to call them the dynamic duo. And Pat Torpey was an underrated drummer, in my opinion. I mean, just listen to his tone! ‘Lean into it’ is completely indicative of who we are as a band.”
Explains Sheehan“‘Lean into it’ was put together much like a movie, with an opening scene that lets us into the dialogue and figure out what the story is. And then you get the love scene, the car chase and the punchline ending. I think it’s a perfectly sequenced album.” remarks Gilbert“Some people thought we had brought in professional background singers to do all those harmonies ‘Lean into it’, but no, it’s really us. We always felt like we had something to prove every time we hit the road and sang it all ourselves, just to show everyone that we could really do it.”
Like the consummate artists they are, SIR. BIG still want to reach your dreams. “I hope that the people who come and see our shows get to feel what it’s like when musicians come together and really play and sing the songs they’ve written,” offers Sheehan. “We want the audience to be one with us and feel that our evening together was a magical and beautiful event.” Theorizes Gilbert, “Music is like time travel. You can hear something that takes you all the way back to 1992 and it reminds you exactly what happened then. On this tour, I want to give people the opportunity to time travel like that and go , ‘These guys are on fire!’ Good music is timeless.”
Concludes Martin“I love playing with these guys. And to be honest, I don’t want it to ever end. I’m the guy who just knows that we still have that special spark together and I’ll always keep torch burning. But if this is really the end, then I want us all to have a happy ending together. We’re a great live band. I want everyone to come out and see us because we’re going to blow you away and have you all think as you go,’SIR. BIG is truly the real thing.”
Indeed, when it comes to harnessing the real thing that best represents the unyielding power of rock ‘n’ roll, SIR. BIG really got what it takes. Be sure to catch them before they bring down the final curtain, because when it’s through, it’s through. SIR. BIG really want to be with you at least one more time and they would be more than honored to see you, one and all, somewhere around the world.
Check out SIR. BIG at one of the following stops:
July 20 – Nagoya, Japan – Nagoya Shimin Kaikan
July 22 – Osaka, Japan – Osaka Maruzen Intec Arena
July 25 – Tokyo, Japan – Budokan
July 29 – Seoul, Korea – Yes24 Live Hall
July 31 – Hong Kong, China – Southorn Stadium
August 2 – Taiwan – Zepp New Taipei
August 4 – Singapore – Marina Bay Sands Theatre
August 5 – Singapore – Marina Bay Sands Theatre
August 07 – Bangkok, Thailand – Show DC Hall
August 09 – Manila, Philippines – Skydome
Aug. 12 – Kemayoran, Jakarta – 90s Festival
Image credit: Stephen Van Balen