Press Release
MY INFINITY EXPERIENCE
JULY 3RD 2011
BY
KEVIN BROWN
ROCK WORLD PUBLICATIONS
I have been reviewing and interviewing bands for only half the time Infinity has been out there doing what they do. I had heard plenty about them but due to schedule conflict’s, was not until this day able to see them. This was a summer festival in Oak Forest, and it was quite an event from start to finish. I spoke to Bob Biagi the Lead Singer of the band prior to set things up for an interview. He was quite the character on the phone, and he made sure there was parking for me behind stage. Thank goodness I would have been walking miles away if he had not.
When I arrived I found the band backstage getting ready to go. I found Bob and I was ready to just get a short interview before Infinity hit the stage. Bob told me he wanted the whole band there to talk to me. Within seconds I had the whole band in front of me. These guys are all laughing and joking with me like I had known them for years. Infinity’s lineup is Bob Biagi: Lead Vocals, Kevin Willison: Guitar, Vocals, Lance Tuula: Lead Guitar, Vocals, Vince Ribando: Drums, Dennis Knight: Keyboards, Vocals, Jim Cairo: Bass. I could tell these guys truly enjoy what they do. It was easy to see they all knew each other well, and they all had the same goal. They want every show they do to include every person out in that crowd. This is what every member in the band spoke of. Getting the crowd involved, and keeping every show different and interactive is this bands mission. While I’m talking to the band I was watching a machine like crew set the stage with equipment, and sound check the entire band. While this was going on the band was with me telling me about what they do. During this interview members of the band were getting called from the crowd outside. Every band member that got called to take a picture or sign something, went directly to every person that asked for this. I could tell these guys truly care about as Bob put it “These are our friends not our fans”. Along with getting the usual information, about the band being together since 1984. The music Infinity covers goes from the 60’s to today’s music. I asked them what was on tap for this evening. All at once, all members said “We have no clue”. When I asked Bob what that meant I got this explanation. “When we hit the stage we have a first song decided”. “After that the whole show is fed off the crowd that evening”. “It is their show and they decide.” “If they want Classic Rock they get that. If they want 80’s Rock they get it”. “If they want the current stuff they get it”. If they want to back in time for Early Rock, and Dance Stuff they get it. “ If they want all Journey they get it.” Just a side note from me on that. These guys NAIL the Journey. Which I was told they can do a 2 ½ hour show of just Journey. I also learned Bob has hand signals much like a quarterback calling a play. Each song has a signal that is given before the last song is played. This I had to question and did not believe. So Bob stood in front of the band and showed me. He started throwing up his hands in different gestures, and put up numbers. The whole band in a chorus shouted out the song to be played. And again they all laughed when I stood there with my mouth open.
It was now time for Infinity to do their thing. They all thanked me, showed me the refreshments, introduced me to security backstage, and told me to enjoy the show. I did watch them decide on the first song and they hit the stage. This was a crowd of about 5000 or more people I would guess. The stage was big, the sound system was big, and the lights were big. But nothing was as big as this band once the first note was played. I watched infinity turn this crowd into one happy family is all I can say. I watched Bob go through this crowd singing and high fiving them all. I watched as he got to the middle of the crowd. He told them they were going to be divided in two. The front half belonged to Kevin and the back belonged to him. I heard this crowd sing songs in unison at a deafening level. I watched this band try to take care of each and every person in that crowd. I did watch Bob flash hand signals as the band went from song to song. He did this from at least 50 yards away while standing in the middle of this huge tent. It was a fever pitch from start to finish. Along with this I watched Infinity play a 3 hour set. And after that I watched every band member go immediately off stage to meet and say hello to everyone waiting at their merchandise table.
Everything I had heard about this band and as they advertise Infinity and Beyond was all true. This band puts on an energetic, interactive, non-stop show. These guy are all having fun and they transfer that to the audience they are in front of. The most important thing to these guys is the people that come to see them. They want them to feel they were a part of the show. And from what I saw that is exactly how myself, and the crowd that night felt. I left feeling I really knew these guys, and I was tired from singing and dancing along. That is exactly what Bob said he wanted from each show. Great job Gentlemen. You have a new “Friend”
JULY 3RD 2011
BY
KEVIN BROWN
ROCK WORLD PUBLICATIONS
I have been reviewing and interviewing bands for only half the time Infinity has been out there doing what they do. I had heard plenty about them but due to schedule conflict’s, was not until this day able to see them. This was a summer festival in Oak Forest, and it was quite an event from start to finish. I spoke to Bob Biagi the Lead Singer of the band prior to set things up for an interview. He was quite the character on the phone, and he made sure there was parking for me behind stage. Thank goodness I would have been walking miles away if he had not.
When I arrived I found the band backstage getting ready to go. I found Bob and I was ready to just get a short interview before Infinity hit the stage. Bob told me he wanted the whole band there to talk to me. Within seconds I had the whole band in front of me. These guys are all laughing and joking with me like I had known them for years. Infinity’s lineup is Bob Biagi: Lead Vocals, Kevin Willison: Guitar, Vocals, Lance Tuula: Lead Guitar, Vocals, Vince Ribando: Drums, Dennis Knight: Keyboards, Vocals, Jim Cairo: Bass. I could tell these guys truly enjoy what they do. It was easy to see they all knew each other well, and they all had the same goal. They want every show they do to include every person out in that crowd. This is what every member in the band spoke of. Getting the crowd involved, and keeping every show different and interactive is this bands mission. While I’m talking to the band I was watching a machine like crew set the stage with equipment, and sound check the entire band. While this was going on the band was with me telling me about what they do. During this interview members of the band were getting called from the crowd outside. Every band member that got called to take a picture or sign something, went directly to every person that asked for this. I could tell these guys truly care about as Bob put it “These are our friends not our fans”. Along with getting the usual information, about the band being together since 1984. The music Infinity covers goes from the 60’s to today’s music. I asked them what was on tap for this evening. All at once, all members said “We have no clue”. When I asked Bob what that meant I got this explanation. “When we hit the stage we have a first song decided”. “After that the whole show is fed off the crowd that evening”. “It is their show and they decide.” “If they want Classic Rock they get that. If they want 80’s Rock they get it”. “If they want the current stuff they get it”. If they want to back in time for Early Rock, and Dance Stuff they get it. “ If they want all Journey they get it.” Just a side note from me on that. These guys NAIL the Journey. Which I was told they can do a 2 ½ hour show of just Journey. I also learned Bob has hand signals much like a quarterback calling a play. Each song has a signal that is given before the last song is played. This I had to question and did not believe. So Bob stood in front of the band and showed me. He started throwing up his hands in different gestures, and put up numbers. The whole band in a chorus shouted out the song to be played. And again they all laughed when I stood there with my mouth open.
It was now time for Infinity to do their thing. They all thanked me, showed me the refreshments, introduced me to security backstage, and told me to enjoy the show. I did watch them decide on the first song and they hit the stage. This was a crowd of about 5000 or more people I would guess. The stage was big, the sound system was big, and the lights were big. But nothing was as big as this band once the first note was played. I watched infinity turn this crowd into one happy family is all I can say. I watched Bob go through this crowd singing and high fiving them all. I watched as he got to the middle of the crowd. He told them they were going to be divided in two. The front half belonged to Kevin and the back belonged to him. I heard this crowd sing songs in unison at a deafening level. I watched this band try to take care of each and every person in that crowd. I did watch Bob flash hand signals as the band went from song to song. He did this from at least 50 yards away while standing in the middle of this huge tent. It was a fever pitch from start to finish. Along with this I watched Infinity play a 3 hour set. And after that I watched every band member go immediately off stage to meet and say hello to everyone waiting at their merchandise table.
Everything I had heard about this band and as they advertise Infinity and Beyond was all true. This band puts on an energetic, interactive, non-stop show. These guy are all having fun and they transfer that to the audience they are in front of. The most important thing to these guys is the people that come to see them. They want them to feel they were a part of the show. And from what I saw that is exactly how myself, and the crowd that night felt. I left feeling I really knew these guys, and I was tired from singing and dancing along. That is exactly what Bob said he wanted from each show. Great job Gentlemen. You have a new “Friend”
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