Flying Colors features Mike Portnoy (drums, vocals), Dave LaRue (bass), Neal Morse (keyboards, vocals), Casey McPherson (vocals, guitars) and Steve Morse (guitars).
Photo Credit: © Darko BöhringerThe Limited Edition Vinyl Set includes 3 LPs on 180gr colored vinyl, a LP sized booklet and an exclusive bonus track. The Blu-ray and DVD include stereo and 5.1 surround mixes. Every effort has been made to assure the highest audio quality. All Blu-ray audio being uncompressed, mastered for iTunes is prepared from a 96KHz/24-Bit master, and the vinyl edition spans 3 audiophile-grade LPs. The vinyl edition can be exclusively pre-ordered here.
Photo Credit: © Bert TreepThe documentary also features excerpts from songs recorded during the band's very first show (LA, USA), first show in Europe (Hamburg, Germany) and final show (London, UK) of the tour.
The Tilburg concert includes song performances of "Blue Ocean," "Shoulda Coulda Woulda," "Love Is What I'm Waiting For," "Can't Find A Way" (Endochine / Casey McPh erson), "The Storm," "Odyssey" (Dixie Dregs), "Forever In A Daze," "Hallelujah" (Cohen), "Better Than Walking Away," "Kayla," "Fool In My Heart," "Spur of the Moment" (Dave LaRue), "Repentance" (Dream Theater), "June" (Spock's Beard), "All Falls Down," "Everything Changes," and "Infinite Fire."
FLYING COLORS - BIOGRAPHY
The band originally launched in 2012 with a simple idea - virtuoso
musicians and a pop singer joining together to make new-fashioned
music the old fashioned way. Refreshing, classic, old and new, the
recordings are saturated with the many styles, tones and hues of the
players who in becoming a band delivered a unique fusion of vintage
craftsmanship and contemporary music. “The magic that we captured on the debut album was only further developed and cemented on Flying Colors' 2012 Tour,” says the band’s drummer Mike Portnoy. “Each night on stage I felt like I was part of something very special and cherished every moment of it. As it was such a brief and limited tour, I am so glad we captured it here to now share with fans all around the World that didn't get to see this special band in person...enjoy!"
In 2008, executive producer Bill Evans brought the idea to the world renowned musicians and legendary producer Peter Collins (Rush, Bon Jovi, Elton John). Intrigued by the idea, and the prospect of working together, the four signed on to form a band and record a first album. Steve Morse and Dave LaRue have developed a magical musical chemistry over the years, which began early in their careers as partners in Dixie Dregs.
Morse subsequently became a member of Deep Purple in 1995, while LaRue’s ongoing musical adventures include Joe Satriani, John Petrucci, Jordan Rudess, Steve Vai, and the aforementioned Portnoy. Multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer Neal Morse is one of the leading figures in progressive rock, whose significant notoriety follows his co-founding of the seminal band, Spock’s Beard in 1995, recordings as a solo artist, and contributions to the super-group Transatlantic.
Mike Portnoy is one of the most popular and respected drummers in both metal and rock, and an accomplished writer and producer. He is the recipient of numerous industry accolades, including 26 Modern Drummer awards, Revolver Magazine’s Golden God award for “Best Drummer" and Drum Magazine's "Drummer of the Year". He rose to prominence as the leader, drummer, producer, and co-writer for metal/prog juggernaut Dream Theater, before moving on in 2010. That same year, he worked on Avenged Sevenfold’s #1 album Nightmare and their subsequent tour.
McPherson, whose 2010 Hollywood/Disney album New Morning debuted in the Top-5 on two Billboard charts, enjoyed major success at radio with multiple hits. The track “New Morning” spent 17 weeks in the Top-10 on Triple A Radio, and enjoyed a run on Vh1’s Top-20 Countdown for months.
Flying Colors convened for nine days in early 2011, composing their debut album during a short, intense session. Dave LaRue shared, "It was quite an experience. The band moved at a fast pace, with ideas flying around the room. Sections of tunes were arranged, and re-arranged. Ideas were tried every which way until we made them work, or, in some cases, discarded them altogether. Just keeping track of everything was a challenge!" McPherson adds, "This record is filled with trial and triumph. It's been such an inspiring challenge melding folk, prog, pop, and metal all into one big recording."
In the fall of 2012, the band toured in Europe and the United States, electrifying audiences, performing the entire first studio album and a selection of favorites from their member's other musical endeavors. The group's September 20th concert in Tilburg, Holland, was captured for what was to become Flying Colors: Live in Europe. The epic live album was released October 14, 2013 by Mascot Label Group on Blu-ray, DVD, CD, Mastered for iTunes, MP3, and as a limited edition 3-vinyl disc set.
Flying Colors returned to the studio on May 12, 2013 to begin writing and recording their second studio album. They are continuing work throughout the year and beyond for an expected 2014 release.
Photo Credit: © Joey Pippin
FLYING COLORS - ESSENTIAL WEB LINKS
Mike Portnoy is one of the most popular and respected drummers in both metal and rock, and an accomplished writer and producer. He is the recipient of numerous industry accolades, including 26 Modern Drummer awards, Revolver Magazine’s Golden God award for “Best Drummer" and Drum Magazine's "Drummer of the Year". He rose to prominence as the leader, drummer, producer, and co-writer for metal/prog juggernaut Dream Theater, before moving on in 2010. That same year, he worked on Avenged Sevenfold’s #1 album Nightmare and their subsequent tour.
