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MR. BIG‘s new touring drummer Nick D’Virgilio has shared behind-the-scenes footage from the band’s latest exhibits in Japan. Try the 31-minute clip under.
In a message accompanying the YouTube launch of the video, Nick wrote: “Sorry, it took so lengthy to get Tour Vlog 2 accomplished. There may be at all times loads happening whereas touring each different day. Plus I’m taking pictures a ton of content material for each myself and Sweetwater whereas on this tour. Maintaining all the pieces organized is a full-time job in itself.
“On this vlog, you will notice a few of my adventures with MR. BIG whereas in Japan. A bit bit from our exhibits in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo. There are some journey bits, behind-the-scenes on the venues, and a little bit little bit of live performance footage from all three venues. All of the footage is both shot from a GoPro or iPhone.
“The exhibits in Japan have been unimaginable. The venues have been superb to find and play at. The MR. BIG crew doing such an awesome job caring for us and getting our gear prepared for each gig. The UDO group in Japan was past unbelievable! I additionally bought to share the expertise with my spouse Tiffany. She braved touring all the way in which to Japan on her personal to be with me and we had a good time collectively. Then the icing on the cake have been the followers in any respect the exhibits. Such ardour for the band and a lot enjoyable to entertain. These gigs have been among the largest of my life. Calling it enjoyable doesn’t adequately describe the expertise. It was superior!
“A particular prize goes out to the individual determining what number of instances I say ‘SO COOL’ on this vlog. HA! It is manner too many instances however I could not assist it. It was all…SO COOL!!! Vlog 3 will likely be up as quickly as potential. Thanks for watching and cheers!”
In an April 2023 interview with Border Metropolis Rock Speak, D’Virgilio spoke about how he landed the gig as MR. BIG‘s new touring drummer, 5 years after the passing of the band’s co-founder, Pat Torpey. The 54-year-old Nick, who has spent the final 9 years working for the Indiana-based on-line retailer of music devices and audio gear Sweetwater, mentioned: “It stemmed by Sweetwater. I’ve identified Paul [Gilbert, MR. BIG guitarist]; Paul was the one man I knew most. I met Pat, and I met Billy [Sheehan, MR. BIG bassist] — Gosh — at a music commerce present again within the day. And I used to be undoubtedly a fan of the band. I listened to plenty of Pat‘s drumming manner earlier than I ever met him in individual. However at Sweetwater, we do plenty of recording workshops and we get artists in to return and other people pay to return to the studio and cling within the studio with the artists that are available. Paul does it fairly a bit; he is been there a bunch. Billy was there some time again as nicely, however Paul‘s been there quite a few instances. And I have been in a position to play as his rhythm part for these recording workshops. And I additionally had Paul play on a tune on my solo report referred to as ‘Invisible’ that I put out in 2020. By all of these things, we bought to simply jamming some extra stuff. And I do know Paul by Mike Portnoy and Neal Morse and plenty of circles of musicians. After the very last thing we did at Sweetwater, Paul simply despatched me an e-mail and requested if I’d be thinking about happening tour with MR. BIG in Asia. Now, this was final July, when he first despatched me the e-mail, so 9, 10 months in the past or so. And I instantly mentioned ‘sure’. I feel I mentioned ‘fuck sure’, all in daring letters… So then I went form of hog wild right here in my studio and I videotaped and multi-tracked my drums. I type of simply went hog wild, sending again these demos of me enjoying after which singing all of the components. So I sang the lead vocal, after which I sang Pat‘s components too. Since [it was an] audition, I figured I might put my greatest foot ahead. Lengthy story brief, they mentioned, ‘Yeah, we might like to do it. And also you’re in,’ mainly. In order that’s type of the way it all occurred. It got here out of the blue.”
D’Virgilio went on to say that he’s wanting ahead to performing with MR. BIG on the band’s worldwide tour, aptly titled “The BIG End”, which is able to take the band to Japan and Southeast Asia in July and August, whereas exhibits in South America, Europe, and the U.S. will launch in early 2024.
“You have been on this music enterprise for a very long time. Particularly as you become old, the telephone does not ring as typically,” he mentioned. “I dwell in Indiana now. I am not in California and L.A. the place I grew up. So I’ve an awesome job, however I am not the place all of the motion is on a regular basis. So the telephone does not ring fairly like that, perhaps prefer it used to 10, 20 years in the past, so it was tremendous thrilling to get that e-mail from Paul.”
As a session musician and touring artist, Nick has labored with many alternative sorts of artists and bands, from TEARS FOR FEARS, Sheryl Crow and Kevin Gilbert to Peter Gabriel and Eric Burdon and the ANIMALS. In 1996, Nick took Phil Collins‘s place in GENESIS and performed on their “Calling All Stations” album. He has additionally carved out a serious presence within the progressive rock world along with his bands, SPOCK’S BEARD and BIG BIG TRAIN.
Earlier than becoming a member of the Sweetwater crew, Nick spent virtually 5 years touring with Cirque Du Soleil‘s “Totem” as drummer, vocalist, and assistant bandleader.
When D’Virgilio‘s addition to MR. BIG was first introduced in March, Sheehan mentioned in a press release: “We discovered a beautiful drummer in Nick, and he is bought an awesome voice too. Nick has a vocal vary just like Pat‘s, and he’ll have the ability to do the components Pat did with the same finesse. It is a large reduction as a result of MR. BIG has at all times been heavy on the harmonies. When the band started, we actually relied on one another. We knew every man would do precisely what he wanted to do vocally and to do it righteously, on key, and in time. It is tough to discover a drummer who sings in that vary, however Nick has the voice we actually want onstage.”
Gilbert concurred, saying: “Nick will get near the spirit of Pat Torpey. Billy, Eric [Martin, vocals] and I’ve been actually pleased with the music we have already shared forwards and backwards. I am impressed with Nick‘s degree of musical adaptability and breadth of ability. He and I’ve accomplished some recording collectively, and I used to be blown away along with his groove, and the way he simply performed what match the tune. If the tune requires him to be extra progressive and stand out, he’ll stand out. But when the tune requires him to groove, he’ll groove. That is really a uncommon factor, and it actually matches in with what we do in MR. BIG.”
Martin added: “I like the truth that Nick was a fan of Pat Torpey and needs to maintain our BIG sound intact. Once I first noticed his audition demo video of the ‘Lean Into It’ tune ‘Fortunate This Time’, Nick was enjoying drums with these signature Pat snare hits and singing harmonies spot on to what Pat used to do. It gave me goosebumps!! I’m so thrilled to have this man who will likely be filling some mighty BIG footwear be a part of us on our final tour.”
MR. BIG‘s remaining tour will see the band performing the whole lot of its breakthrough platinum-selling 1991 album “Lean Into It” from begin to end as a featured spotlight of the dwell setlist.
“We needed to do a correct farewell, and this looks as if the fitting method to do it,” Sheehan mentioned. Gilbert added: “We’re within the course of of creating certain we provide you with a suitably large leisure extravaganza to go together with our music. And since our music has resonated so splendidly in locations all around the world, we will play in as a lot of these locations as we will.” Martin acknowledged: “If we have been within the film enterprise, we might simply put all of it up in lights and say, ‘Welcome to ‘The BIG End’!’ Critically, I am glad we’re getting an opportunity to do all of it onstage collectively as MR. BIG once more and lift a flag to all the pieces we have accomplished as a band through the years.”
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