The "Half Alive In America" Tour, November-December, 1996

What a ride. We opened up for Steve Vai across America, with a catch: Keneally was in Vai's band as well. This was as stripped down as it gets--a trio for a band, with Toss Panos on drums, and a single crew member, the uniquely unique Ed Lucas. Again, the full story of this tour gave birth to the ultimate Act of The Life of Bryan, the five-part Act 21: The Alternate Reality. I highly recommend a reading.

But we don't rest on our laurels here at bryanbeller.com, no sir, so here's some new shots from that tour.

Backstage at The Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas, on the second night of the tour, Toss and I go over the form of "Vent", a quirky and extremely difficult song to nail. I always get it right on air bass.

 

The routing was especially cruel on this tour, seeing as we were a car trying to keep up with a bus and its designated driver. Obviously this is Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The next stop was Omaha, NE--sixteen hours away. Ed Lucas and I made the most of every second we had off in The Big Easy, I assure you.

 

A rare overhead side-stage shot of the '96 lineup, on a stage far bigger than we needed (my, how times have changed; now we try and shoehorn a seven-piece band onto bar stages). Taken at The Strand Theater in Providence, RI.

 

I'm pretty sure this is me, possessed by some alien spirit (Cliff Burton?) while playing First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN.

All those years ago…Keneally, myself and Toss Panos pose backstage at The House Of Blues in New Orleans. We were an aggressive band, and our vibe onstage was one of anger and borderline exhaustion, fueled by adrenaline from Vai's large crowds. But it was intense and highly musical, and I really do treasure the memories of the shows on this tour. Trios are fun for bass players.