The folks at al.com have posted some fantastic shots from last night.
Do you recognize anyone in the audience?
I see Taylorfan940 and mc_mcd and…..
Taylor is the Boogie!
I wanna rock and soul all night, and boogie every day.
Taylor is The Boogie!
Basic info
Taylor’s Official Website
WHOMP!
Little Buddy Radio
Taylor is the Boogie! 
[…] my other life, I was at the WorkPlay in Birmingham, AL on August 7th with a few hundred other people watching the new Rat Pack. Terrie […]
Thanks, katja and maria3731! I’m trying to d/l it now. Darn sendspace can take forever to let me in. Maybe I’ll be able to get it today.
Gray,
Sounds like the Workplay experience, for you, was affirmation of the long discussions we all had back in April and May regarding Taylor’s impact on the AI process.
Still love it, love it. Once again, I go back to May 2nd…PTFM in the Paisley Shirt…a DEFINITE Tipping Point.
The music that these guys make together has no words, it’s all “feeling”. It’s what Taylor does and these guys “got it” a long time ago. When I saw them at the FloraBama, it was a great affirmation for me that Taylor is here to stay. The more exposure people have to him/them, the bigger it will get…the energy is magnetic and positive AND something that smaller minds can’t make go away.
Man, it feels good when the right things happen to the right people.
Chris(MacTwig), maria3731 has posted the “whipping post” in the boogieboard:
http://excoboard.com/exco/thread.php?forumid=108170&threadid=566594
Wow, wow, and more wow!
Thank you Katja, Gray, Robin, Ash, and all for sharing all of this with us lowlifes who couldn’t be there.
The roar of the crowd was incredible. Looking at those pics at al.com you can see that it must have been pure magic … especially the elated looks on Elliot, Ace, and Bucky’s faces. Taylor is a given … he was in the zone and I bet he loved showing off his home turf to his AI compadres.
I can’t wait to see and hear more. Does anyone have Elliott doing ‘Whipping Post’? I’d love to hear/see it.
Great to see more faces (and butts) attached to names. 🙂
Oh man, I hope I get to be a part of one of these gigs…. If I wasn’t so happy for all of you, I’d be jealous….
Long Live Gray!!!
GC:
“Thematic Summary; Taylor has been a bad bad boy. He went and fucked up everything American Idol was about. For reasons I hope to explore (but will be obvious to many here) I don’t think the show can ever manage to be the same. ”
Hell fuc*in’ yeah! You said it, man!
And yes, *SIGH*, that’s me.
Gray…Getting to meet you at WP was just icing on the most incredible cake! It was a pleasure!
And…no, I’m just not goin’ there about that pic of you, either!
Ash, you might have known that me and mc_mcd would show up in pictures on the net! LOL Girl, I wish you could have been with us! We had a blast again….all of us together….even saw Bobbiebama at Base Camp last night. I tell ya…….take the past two days…..combine it with the FloraBama trip……..best 6 days of my entire life!!!!!! LMBO is without a doubt the best group of musicians I’ve heard in a long while……throw Taylor in the mix and you got magic……..pure magic. My head is still spinning…..will take a few days to gather all the pieces of the past two days together…..but dang it was good!
And Gray, it was nice to meet you…..finally. 🙂
Fox Video 1: bjewel is interviewed at the Workplay 🙂
As far as AI goes, I think it will be a miracle if a girl wins next year. I’m pretty interested to see what happens, so I agree with whatever blogger, journalist or whoever said that Taylor’s win sets AI up to be a ratings juggernaut for another 2 or 3 years.
deejay: Brian told me at the Flora-Bama that they were recording the show for release. I couldn’t remember if he said DVD or CD then but there were big cameras in strategic locations in the WP. My impression is that they meant a LMBO release so I don’t think it will have anything to do with AI.
bwahahahahaha…ain’t no way I’m gonna try and fit a “tongue in cheek” joke in here…nope, not gonna do it!!!
deejay,
scroll down…Gray posted a pic:
http://excoboard.com/exco/thread.php?forumid=108170&threadid=565121&page=1
🙂
Re the Workplay DVD possibilities, that would be icing on the cake no matter how it is sold/distributed. If 19ABCDEF had half a brain, they’d have a concert DVD in the works as well.
I agree that AI has been forever changed by Taylor Hicks. Time will tell, but I don’t think it can exist in a competitive television market with the same old same old. It will be interesting to see if another Taylor-esque “it” person can emerge. But either way, it will never be the same. Nor will the popular music scene.
Now, who here has advanced photographic skills and can isolate and enlarge any part of Gray for those of us looking looking looking in all those pictures???
Taylor probably had a lot to do with the songwriting contest. Idol, if they have any brains, will encourage and feature the other skills of their contesants. Yes, they have lots of great people on the show. However, Taylor should have opened their eyes. If they allow contestants to perform as musicians, even perform their own music, it will take the show to a whole new level. Singers for Hire will be left in the dust. Only those who have at least two of the three gifts (performing, writing, playing instruments) will make it to the top finalists.
I have a feeling the DVD will wind up as bonus material on Taylor’s CD. OH, that would be GREAT! I’ve seen CD’s on the shelves that give bonus concert footage. Really Really Great. Please come true!
I don’t know how to quote, but I want to comment on Gray’s “Thematic Summary” above.
The American Idol show is already changed with the announcement of the songwriting contest in conjunction with the show. Anybody think Taylor had anything to do with that? Maybe not directly but certainly indirectly by nature of his style and the fight that I’m sure he gave them to want to record his own song. Frankly it pisses me off royally that this is happening now, and he had to sing the schlock they gave him and not something he wrote himself which would have been much more suitable for radio play. I wholeheartedly believe he had something to do with that.
I read that the J Records people were also recording a DVD at the Workplay too. I think they got quite an earful Monday night and Taylor sent them a huge message as did the fans. Taylor Hicks is giving J Records an education.
And, I got to shake the hand of Mr. Gray Charles. Didn’t get an opportunity to chat, but it was an honor to shake the hand of someone I truly admire and have learned so much from.
KATJA! I bow down to thee, MP3 master! Thank you SO MUCH for Oasis Gonna Move. Now I can burn it to CD with my other Taylor faves. I think that song feeds me almost as much as it did him that night. What on earth would we do without you!
Loving this… GRAY LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“And Robin4T isn’t skeered of me! Now that’s a … (fill in your own words here) ”
….wonderful development?
*****
….. damn shame? 😛
“And Robin4T isn’t skeered of me! Now that’s a … (fill in your own words here) ”
….wonderful development?
Well, I obviously need to work on my blockquotes. Gray didn’t say all of that. The “yes, yes, yes” stuff and the “at least” were meant to be my responses.
And Robin4T isn’t skeered of me! Now that’s a … (fill in your own words here)
Gray said:
Holy moly! Woooooooooooo!
I think you guys had once in a life time experience there!!! I hope to get one of those too!!!!!
Recap, still in the works. Some notes . . .
Highlights . . .
Taylor’s entire on stage demeanor. So in command of his gift and extracting the “feeling” from other musicians that it I’m having trouble with words.
The energy level at Workplay was more intense than anything I’ve ever experience. 400 odd people sounded like about 5000.
Brian Less and Taylor dueling Piano/Harmonica on “Dance to the music”. There is a video clip around.
If I could put words into Ace’s mouth while he was onstage it would be “Holy Shit, I can’t believe this but I’m happy to be a part of it.”
Elliott’s voice on “Whipping Post”. He pushed himself right to the edge of cracking, absolutely amazing.
Southern Hospitality – I think the guy at the rental car place was willing to drive us to the hotel himself. We got a free ride to and from Workplay from a guy who worked at the hotel simply because he wasn’t busy.
Only downside: The sound system didn’t hold up when Taylor, Brian, Elliott etc were all singing at once. Distortion across the board. I’m wondering how it will sound from someone (Teela?) who has digital recordings.
Thematic Summary; Taylor has been a bad bad boy. He went and fucked up everything American Idol was about. For reasons I hope to explore (but will be obvious to many here) I don’t think the show can ever manage to be the same.
Gray, you are a big tease! Is that you?
I see Gray, I see Gray! 😉 (ok, not really, but I can tell it’s a guy, that’s about all)
Photo 3, yea, thats a good photo. Go straight up from Robin4T – you’ll see a girl with a camera. Right behind her is a guy with 1/2 his head cut off.
I know that guy.
Great to finally see some faces! 🙂
Photo #3. I’m the lady in pink right behind Amy and Tracy. Camera in my right hand, left hand on the back of my neck, adoring look on my silly face!
Here’s the iPod-video of DIMYP/birmingham:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/7kzoqc
Good quality DIMYP video from Birmingham concert:
http://www.sendspace.com/file/9ul1xv
this was originally posted by star at mj’s.
I’ll be posting the iPod-video as soon as I get it done.
The photos are nice, but what I’m diggin’ is Mr. Hicks soul scatting on “Gonna Move”. Who does this guy think he is? Ella?
I lurve him, I luff him…
I think Gray was hanging back. Do you think he willingly let someone take his picture??
Maybe AmyH took it ,but it looked like she was too busy.
Loved the picture of Taylor looking right at the camera.
Before I read all the way down I thought that was Amy H. too, from her avatar… so glad to see her up front and having a blast, happy to see ALL our boogie boarders having a blast!!! (Not too jealous here – okay, really jealous here but happy for you all too!!!)
I wanna know which one is Gray – I still want to put a face to the voice…
Can’t wait to see more videos and photos from the workplay!
Wooo! Excellent that you all got to be on the front!!! 🙂
They had cake?! Damn, now I am REALLY jealous.
My favorite photo is of the sax player – that is one excellent photo! Like flowesky, really liked the one of Taylor watching Elliot sing. Nice assortment of Taylor faces.
Did we have any doubt at all that our boogie friends would be front and center? Can’t wait for the stories…
Hey guys… I can 100% confirm, that is Amy in the front row, 2nd picture. I am standing the left of her (on her right), in the blue shirt. I got to meet Amy and we had a blast. Soul Karen, PlayinPossum, Lee, Robin4Tay, we were all up front. It was the most awesome show. I have tons of pictures, and some videos, but the sound is really crappy. I’ll post them. I just got home from B’ham a few hours ago (here in Tampa) but can’t sleep. I am exhausted but too wired to sleep. Wish every one of you could have been there to share in it with us. I honestly thought I was going to pass out at one point, but I held it together.
ok…the iPod-video is still awaiting moderation…but it will show up eventually…
I also put the links in the boogieboard.
…and mp3
Oasis_Gonna Move_mp3
http://www.sendspace.com/file/t2n95m
Here’s iPod-stuff:
workplay+oasis videos
Soulkaren’s frontrow steadycam workplay iPod-video
http://www.sendspace.com/file/07v3x6
Oasis_gonna move_iPod video
http://www.sendspace.com/file/6yvzu2
Gray still teasin us. Will ya put your picture in your book?
I know one of the guys in one of the photos two. Scratch- two of them. 🙂
I hope it is AmyH in the FRONT ROW with the red shirt….that girl looks just so happy to see Taylor live and in person. And she deserves it. You go girl!!!
Hi Gray! Come on, let us in on it! Who is who where?
I know one of the guys in one of the photos.
Yeah, I think it’s Amy, too.
I like picture #17 where Elliott is crooning with his eyes shut and Taylor is grinning at him.
i know before she left, amy said she had a hair cut…must be her!!!
One lucky bunch!!
Thanks Ash! I thought that might be Amy, too. I haven’t met anyone from the site, so, I wouldn’t recognize them. I kept thinking though, I’ll bet 80% of the people in those pics are our fellow SPers from Gray’s, Ash’s, mj’s or the scary boards. Great shots of everyone!
lol – I think youre right again krusty! If you look at the wide shot where you can see the back of the crowd compared to seeing the front – all the men are in the back!
If that truly is Amy in those pics, I get the feeling she’s barely holding on (tee hee)! I think most of those women were on the edge of fainting. Maybe if they fell over they could have made room for whatever men were there to get up front. It looks like there were more man heads in the back of the room.
Personally , I think the ladies ditched their men at the door (“BYE!”) and clawed their way to the front!
That’s the first person I saw that I recognized from her Avitar….that has to be AmyH with a little shorter or perhaps with the extra humidity “curly” hair…(not frizzy hear me, as one frizzy haired woman knows we hate that word!!!) The looks on those women’s faces. I could count the men on one hand or maybe 2…
Krusty, I’m betting that it’s Amy up front in the red shirt too!
Krusty -I think you may be right on that one!
Those pictures are fantastic – Thanks for the link Ash!
Hmm…was that AMYH there up front in the red shirt with the curly red hair?????? Inquiring Minds want to know!
Couple of great Taylor “in the zone” shots too–I love those!
What I liked about this set of photos is there are as many of LMBO as there are of Taylor. They seem like a great bunch of guys, and it definitely looked like everyone was groovin in the ego-free zone!
Thanks for the links Ash! I kinda thought I saw Q and Shelley, but it’s hard to tell. I’m probably just hoping it was them up that close!
Thank you, Ash for the link…those pix are great! Fun seemed to be had by all.