Burt on the Brill Building

Burt_New_York_a_250x375There’s a brief article on Burt in the March 24 issue of New York magazine, but yesterday Vulture ran the extended version, with Burt talking to interviewer Rebecca Milzoff about his Brill Building days.

Hal and I wrote some very terrible songs early on. There was a song called “Underneath the Overpass,” and another called “Peggy’s in the Pantry.” Very bad songs. There were a lot of turndowns in that period. Bob Hilliard and I had written a song, it might have been “Take Me to Your Ladder,” and we went over to play it for a publisher named Goldie Goldmark. He let us make a demo. We went to see him maybe two months later, when he’d had a chance to show the song, and Goldie said, “No good. Nobody wants it.” Bob Hilliard was very funny. He said, “Goldie, lie to me! Just tell me somebody likes it.” “No, nobody likes the song.”

To read the article in its entirety, visit Vulture.com.

Burt to perform at les Nuits de Fourviere Festival

home-actuJust got word that Burt has added an appearance at les Nuits de Fourvière in Lyon, France, to his already busy summer tour schedule. The multidisciplinary arts festival takes place each summer in Lyon’s open-air Roman amphitheater. Burt will perform at the festival on July 14 at the Grand Theatre, which at 4,400 seats is the larger of the festival’s two stages. Opening the show is the Divine Comedy, a British band whose sound owes a significant debt to Burt’s innovations. Tickets for the show are available now via the festival’s website.

Live in Canada 1977

YouTube user Tullio Gai posted this great find, a good-quality version a 1977 television special featuring Burt performing live in concert in Edmonton, Canada. That was right around the time of Burt’s Futures album, and this show with a full orchestra includes a number of songs from that outstanding release, including “No One Remembers My Name,” “Futures,” “Another Spring Will Rise” and the great “I Took My Strength From You,” featuring vocalist Josie Armstead. It also features (for better or worse) the Bacharach-Bobby Russell obscurity “Charlie,” performed by Sally Stevens. Enjoy!

EDITED TO ADD:

Here’s Bobby Vinton’s original version of “Charlie.” Not sure about those lyrics, but the music’s nice.

New server

At long last, Bacharachonline.com is moving to a new server this week, so if you encounter any difficulties with the site, that’s probably the reason. Hopefully, everything will moved, updated and running smoothly by the end of this week. Thanks in advance for your patience.

Bacharach to headline three festivals in U.K. this summer

Burt and his band will headline the 2014 Wilderness Festival in the Oxfordshire countryside.

Burt Bacharach will headline the 2014 Wilderness Festival, which takes place Aug. 7-10 in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside.

In addition to the previously announced concert dates, Burt has added three U.K. festival appearances to his summer 2014 itinerary. On July 11, he’ll perform at the Henley Festival in Henley-on-Thames, England. On Aug. 7, he’ll appear at the Brecon Jazz Festival in Brecon, Wales. And on Aug. 9, he’ll headline the Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire, England.

For the latest confirmed tour dates I’ve got, visit the On Tour page.

New concert dates in Japan and U.K. announced

Burt-BacharachBurt Bacharach appears to be giving Bob Dylan a run for the money. Burt’s version of Bob’s “Never Ending Tour” continues with the announcement of 15 upcoming shows in Japan and the U.K.

In April, Burt returns to Japan for the first time since 2012 with a whirlwind tour that promises nine concerts in eight days. The tour kicks off on April 10 with a concert at NHK Hall in Tokyo. On April 11, 12 and 14, Burt will perform two shows per evening at Tokyo’s Billboard Live. Next, it’s off to Osaka for a concert at Osaka’s NHK Hall on April 16. Burt wraps up his Japanese tour on April 18 with a performance at Kyoto Concert Hall in Kyoto.

This summer, Burt and his band head to the U.K. for performances at London’s Royal Festival Hall on July 23 and 26; at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on July 28; at the Edinburgh Playhouse on July 30; at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall on Aug. 1; and at Liverpool’s Empire Theatre on Aug. 3. This is Burt’s second tour of the U.K. in as many years. Tickets for the U.K. shows are available via ticketmaster.co.uk.

As always, for the latest tour dates, check out the On Tour page.

Two new tour dates

embarkaderoJust got word of two new concert dates for the late summer. On Aug. 17, 2014, Burt will perform his annual show with the San Diego Symphony at the Embarcadero Marina Park South in San Diego. And on Sept. 5, 2014, Burt will perform at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, Calif. As always, check the On Tour Page for the latest confirmed dates I’ve got.

New tour dates for March

talking_stickJust got word that Burt has added two new tour dates in March. On March 6, he’ll visit the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif., and on March 8, he’ll appear at the Talking Stick Resort Showroom in Scottsdale, Ariz.

For the most up-to-date list of concerts, visit the On Tour page.

Burt in Biloxi

Burt and his band played the Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi, Miss., on Jan. 11, and for the first time in nearly 10 years, I was lucky enough to be in attendance. I’m happy to report the performance was terrific from start to finish. Both Burt and band were in fine form, and it was nice to hear a few new-to-me performances, such as a soulful update of the old Etta James track “Waiting for Charlie (To Come Home)” courtesy of vocalist Donna Taylor and “My Little Red Book,” which got a full-length rendition featuring keyboardist Bill Cantos on vocals. Burt said at the beginning that he’d be performing both old and new songs, and he didn’t disappoint, including two songs from the musical “Some Lovers,” his recent collaboration with Tony Award-winning lyricist Steven Sater.

Burt closed out the evening with his traditional encore, a crowd-pleasing sing-along version of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on my Head.”