BRING “THE BIG FINISH” FAREWELL TOUR TO THE U.S.!
BAND TO PERFORM “LEAN INTO IT” IN FULL ON FAREWELL TOUR
MR. BIG is putting on their signature top hats and old shoes one last time for a worldwide tour, aptly titled “The BIG Finish.” Since the band’s original drummer and co-founder, Pat Torpey, lost his battle with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, the band now feels it’s time to mark the end of this chapter of their legacy.
“We wanted to do a proper farewell, and this seems like the right way to do it,” asserts bassist/vocalist Billy Sheehan. Notes guitarist/vocalist Paul Gilbert, “We’re in the process of making sure we come up with a suitably big entertainment extravaganza to go along with our music. And since our music has resonated so wonderfully in places all over the world, we’re going to play in as many of those places as we can.” Submits lead vocalist Eric Martin, “If we were in the movie business, we’d just put it all up in lights and say, ‘Welcome to The BIG Finish!’ Seriously, I’m glad we’re getting a chance to do it all onstage together as MR. BIG again and raise a flag to everything we’ve done as a band over the years.”
Joining MR. BIG on drums for this special final world tour will be longtime friend of the band Nick D’Virgilio (Spock’s Beard, Big Big Train), stepping in for founding drummer/vocalist Pat Torpey. “We found a wonderful drummer in Nick, and he’s got a great voice too,” confirms Sheehan. “Nick has a vocal range similar to Pat’s, and he’ll be able to do the parts Pat did with a similar finesse. It’s a big relief because MR. BIG has always been heavy on the harmonies. When the band began, we really relied on each other. We knew each guy would do exactly what he needed to do vocally and to do it righteously, on key, and in time. It’s difficult to find a drummer who sings in that range, but Nick has the voice we really need onstage.”
One particular aspect of this upcoming final run that MR. BIG are excited about to a man is the decision to perform the entirety of their breakthrough Platinum-selling 1991 album LEAN INTO IT from start to finish as a featured highlight of the live setlist. (To be sure, the full setlist will encompass Mr. Big’s entire career.) LEAN INTO IT is the perfect litmus testament to the band’s inherent dexterity at blending a variety of styles together, whether it’s the heady rocking brew of “Green-Tinted Sixties Mind,” the power-drilled and power-chorded identity checklist “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy,” or the truly heartfelt sentiments found within “To Be With You,” MR. BIG’s chart-topping, worldwide #1 smash hit single.
When it comes to harnessing the real thing that best represents the unyielding power of rock & roll, MR. BIG have truly got what it takes. Make sure to catch them before they bring down that final curtain, because when it’s through, it’s through.