Courtesy - New England Country Music

On Sunday, July 19th Phil Vassar brought his piano and his dynamic energy to Indian Ranch in Webster, MA. It was Vassar’s eighth year at the Ranch, but his show was anything but stale. His performance was one you soon won’t forget.

Playing for two hours nonstop, the crowd was treated to twenty-one of Vassar’s many hits. Braving the eighty-five degree plus temperatures, with 75% humidity, Vassar ran onto the stage already pumped up and raring to go. He headed directly to his signature instrument and started playing ‘My Girl.’ ‘In a Real Love,’ a number one hit from his 2004 album, ‘Shakin Not Stirred,’ followed. Vassar has a very unique way of making up his setlists for the NoPHILter 2015 tour, he asks for song requests via Twitter from the audience. First on the request list was, ‘That’s Why I Love You,’ and then ‘Six Pack Summer.’ Before the song, he addressed the crowd. “How’s everybody feeling out here on a Sunday afternoon? Isn’t this great?! Thanks for having us y’all!”

Hopping on top of his piano and swinging his legs, Vassar sang ‘Six Pack Summer’ loud and strong, receiving screams from the audience in agreement to the lyrics from the first verse. “Winter sure was cold and miserable. Cooped up, shut down, baby it was pitiful. Anyhow, it’s over now. We owe to ourselves to have a little fun…” A little fun only touches on the amazing performance Phil put on. It was more like a party with 2,700 of your closest friends, because that is how Vassar makes you feel during a show. Jumping down from the piano and back to the keyboard and before singing his next tune, ‘Bye Bye,’ he stopped to let the crowd know how the song requests were going. “We’ve got a live Twitter going on, we are just taking requests. I like this, just bringing me requests. That way I don’t have to think about it”

‘Carlene,’ Vassar’s debut single, released back in 1999, was sang next. A number three hit for Vassar, and a song that transported him from a guy who writes songs for other artists, to an entertainer singer/songwriter performing his own hits. Continuing on with his performance, as the sweat poured off his forehead, and his shirt drenched in sweat, Vassar never once stopped moving, running, jumping, and interacting with the audience and much to the audiences dismay, he never even stopped for a drink of water!  From one end of the stage to another he ran. Jumping on top of his piano, spinning around and jumping off, all while continuing to sing with excitement and enthusiasm, as if it was the first time he had ever performed the songs. The crowd’s reaction to Phil was constant, screaming, and exuberance, and to some I’m sure, awe.

His personal touch of song requests via Twitter made the intimate aspect of Vassar’s show that much more enjoyable. Such requests, as the one from Tara to Dan wishing him a happy birthday with the song ‘My Next Thirty Years,’ and the one from Anna requesting for ‘Joe and Rosalitta,’ (A perfect song for Phil to show off his extraordinary piano playing skills.) to a request from Fan-o-Phil, to sing ‘For a Little While,’ a hit for Tim McGraw in 1998. Throughout his performance, Phil told us how much he appreciated his fans and Indian Ranch for having him back year after year. “Thanks for always making us feel like family here at Indian Ranch. You guys are the best absolutely, thank y’all so much.”

Some of the other Vassar hits performed were, ‘Just Another Day in Paradise’, ‘I’m Alright,’ a Jodee Messina hit, ‘Little Red Rodeo,’ a hit song for Collin Ray, ‘Love is a Beautiful Thing,’ and ‘I’ll Take That as a Yes’ (The Hot Tub Song). Vassar also gave us a listen to a new song he just wrote earlier in the day. He introduced this new song with these words, “I like that big ole boat you got. I’m going to sing a song I’ve never done before, because actually I just wrote it. (Laughs) I was out on the boat and I thought, you know I need to write a song about a boat. You know that I write a lot of songs so I thought of this good title called just, ‘Boat Song.’ Brilliant. So let’s get on the boat right now and later I’m gonna have a couple drinks and drive that boat, so guys come on it if you want.”  An invitation I’m sure many fans of Phil Vassar took him up on. Who would pass up the opportunity to take a cruise with the piano man himself?

Phil performed his last song of the afternoon, ‘Piano Man,’ the song that ends all of Phil’s shows. As always this popular tune, originally sung by Billy Joel, is the epitome of who Phil Vassar is. The chorus was sung loud and clear by the crowd with some encouragement from Phil, although not really needed.  “I want everyone to sing along with me right now, ready? Sing us a song you’re the piano man. Sing us a song tonight. Cause we’re all in the mood for a melody, and you’ve got us feeling alright.” Phil Vassar left the stage with another thank you to the crowd for coming out to see him, but it was us who should be thanking him because Vassar never disappoints. He left the audience “feeling alright” and looking forward to next summer when he will return for another amazing concert at Indian Ranch.

Concert recap written by Lorraine Frigoletto, contributing writer for NECM.

Phil Vassar and the band took the tour up North for the first week of July, starting with Summerfest in Milwaukee on Wednesday night, then Pittsburgh on 4th of July, and closing the weekend at Taste of Minnesota on Sunday night.

Milwaukee always comes out in full force to support Phil and Summerfest was no exception! A full crowd rocked out at the Briggs and Stratton Stage during the set...

 

Highlights from the 4th of July Week

 

July 6, 2015

 

 

 

 

Phil Vassar and the band took the tour up North for the first week of July, starting with Summerfest in Milwaukee on Wednesday night, then Pittsburgh on 4th of July, and closing the weekend at Taste of Minnesota on Sunday night.

Milwaukee always comes out in full force to support Phil and Summerfest was no exception! A full crowd rocked out at the Briggs and Stratton Stage during the set...

 

And no trip to Milwaukee is complete with out a stop in to the Calderone Club to visit with Gino and his crew...

 

 

The bus rolled on to Pittsburgh for the 4th of July celebration outside of Heinz Field...

But before the show, first Phil and the guys took in a little afternoon baseball courtesy of the Pittsburgh Pirates...

And then on to a packed show outside of Heinz Field...

 

Followed by a morning flight to Minnesota to hit up A Taste of Minnesota on Sunday evening...

 

THIS WEEK ON TOUR...

The Phil Vassar #noPHILter 2015 Tour returns to the Midwest this weekend with visits to Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Friday, July 10: Redwood County Fair - Redwood Falls, MN

Phil and the band are back in Minnesota for the Redwood County Fair.

Saturday, July 11: Hodag Country Festival - Rhinelander, WI

Northern Wisconsin, see you at the Hodag Country Festival on Saturday

LOOKING AHEAD:
July 15: Nemo Fair - Kirksville, MO
Heading to Missouri for the Nemo Fair.

July 18-19: Northeast Trip
See you at Jam at the Ridge in LeRoy, NY on July 18, followed by Indian Ranch Amphitheatre in Webster, Mass on the 19th

July 30: Clayton Center - Maryville, TN

Staying in-state for a trip to eastern Tennessee at the end of the month.

August 1-2: Texas Swing

Texas, we're heading your way at the start of August; the 1st at Banita Creek Hall in Nacogdoches and the 2nd at Dosey Doe in The Woodlands.

Go behind the scenes with Phil Vassar and the band at Red, White & Boom in Lexington, Kentucky