Looking at the "UK Tour" dates I can't help thinking that maybe they should change the name to "Quite Small Train".

Got a ticket for Newport, could not get anyone else to commit this far ahead and its not the missus's thing. The best seats were selling fast.

BBT need a big stage, its a big band even without the brass section so that limits potential venues. While I would like to see them more successful I selfishly appreciate the fact I don't have to go to a stadium to see them.

paulo
Looking at the "UK Tour" dates I can't help thinking that maybe they should change the name to "Quite Small Train".

It's a fairly big deal they're touring at all.
 
After my old band disbanded, our singer (Sean Filkins) joined BBT and they rarely gigged outside the Bournemouth area. I loved the albums, but it made it pretty much impossible to see them live.
 
Then Nick D'Virgilio joined, whilst he was still with Spock's Beard; Sean left and got replaced by David Longdon. Obviously with Nick being based in the states, regular gigs were out of the question.
 
They did do a couple of gigs in London, but it's a long way to travel, and tickets sold pretty quickly.
 
I guess they're testing the waters with this tour. It's a big commitment (and somewhat of a risk) for Nick to travel from the US to the UK for a tour, in the hope that their costs will be covered.
 
Based on the rate the tickets are selling though, it wouldn't surprise me if they add some dates.

msmcleod

paulo
Looking at the "UK Tour" dates I can't help thinking that maybe they should change the name to "Quite Small Train".

It's a fairly big deal they're touring at all.
 
After my old band disbanded, our singer (Sean Filkins) joined BBT and they rarely gigged outside the Bournemouth area. I loved the albums, but it made it pretty much impossible to see them live.
 
Then Nick D'Virgilio joined, whilst he was still with Spock's Beard; Sean left and got replaced by David Longdon. Obviously with Nick being based in the states, regular gigs were out of the question.
 
They did do a couple of gigs in London, but it's a long way to travel, and tickets sold pretty quickly.
 
I guess they're testing the waters with this tour. It's a big commitment (and somewhat of a risk) for Nick to travel from the US to the UK for a tour, in the hope that their costs will be covered.
 
Based on the rate the tickets are selling though, it wouldn't surprise me if they add some dates.

I really don't know anything about the band I just think that calling it a UK tour makes it sound a bit bigger and grander than it actually is. A few gigs north of the M4 tour would have been a more honest description.

It must be pretty expensive for them to tour, I think with the additional musicians (brass section and additional keyboards) there are 14 of them. The objective being not to have to scale back the arrangements or use pre-recorded parts.
 
Quite a few of the band are involved in other bands, Rickard Sjöblom's Gungfly have just released another album, Robin Armstrong has another Cosmograf album in production, Nick D'Virgilio's in Spocks Beard and crops up in many other places too. Tin Spirits have unfortunately disbanded so Dave Gregory probably has a little more free time on his hands. 
 
John Storey, euphonium player, is still an Army musician and will be taking part in tonight's festival of remembrance.