Friday, June 1st, 2012 At The RiverRock Casino By Paul Fitzgerald, Photographs by Paul Fitzgerald
The shows last November 25th and 26th 2011 at Lulu’s Lounge in The RiverRock Casino, where over 1,000 people had to be turned away, motivated Vice President of Media & Entertainment, Howard Blank, to encourage Nick and Sophie Tweed-Simmons to return for a huge one night stand. Reliving the excitement from their parents wedding show, the now series of shows are a mini tour of these two great young stars.
Nick Tweed-Simmons is a fantastic crooner and frontman.
Nick and Sophie performed a show at their parents, Gene Simmons’ ( Front man for the rock band KISS ) and Shannon Tweed’s ( Playboy Playmate and movie star‘s) nuptials reception at The Beverly Hills Hotel back in October 2011. Howard Blank , a friend of the Tweed-Simmons and Gene Simmons family encouraged them to ‘Take The Show on The Road’ To Richmond, British Columbia, Canada at the world famous RiverRock Casino. After the first four shows which happened to coincide with The Grey Cup game at B.C. Place Stadium that week, The shows were deemed a huge success. Next Howard pressed for another show of shows at the famous RiverRock Show Theatre.
The Theatre has the ability to be made into a Cabaret style nightclub where fans can sit at tables and also come down and dance. One of two theatres in North America with this great multi functional capability.
Sophie Tweed-Simmons with Teddy Zig Zag Andreadis and The Joe Fernandes Band
The Show sold out to a most appreciative audience of both KISS fans and fans of the duo of Nick and Sophie Tweed-Simmons. I happen to be both.
The back up band is the same as the first four shows. Teddy ( Zig Zag ) Andreadis (Gun’s and Roses, Alice Cooper and others, a stellar resume ) as Keyboardist / music director with Vancouver’s own Joe Fernandes Band . I went also to see Teddy Zig Zag again. He is amazing on those keyboards. His solo on Sophie’s cover of I’m Telling You was a blast. Teddy is fantastic to say the least. The Joe Fernandes Band is super entertaining and played these cover tunes with style and they sounded great! Together with Teddy Zig Zag, This band Rocked!
It was a bonus to have the The Amazing Teddy ‘Zig Zag’ Andreadis as Nick and Sophies Music Director and Keyboardist.
Nick opened the show with Dean Martin’s Sway, and continued with another 11 hits. He was not as comfortable this time, he did a fantastic show but he thought he made too many mistakes. We didn’t think so. He has strong stage presence, his voice is very commanding and he Rocks! His covers of Unchain My Heart, Little Sister, I Wanna be around, Feeling Good, Boom Boom and Feeling Alright had a lot of us up on the Dance Floor. The young ladies in the audience were dressed to the nines for Nick. This young man is 6 foot 8 inches tall and has a huge presence on stage. He is a stunning front man and is destined to be in a powerful band one day.
Cameras from the Series, Family Jewels, Were visable at first but the crowd won the night and we could dance all we wanted!
At first the cameras which caught the show for the big video screens and to record for The Family Jewels Television series were quite intrusive at first. The one on the dance floor didn’t return after the floor became crowded with dancers. Another one occasionally moved in front of the view of the upper tables but was never in one place very long. The third camera in the audience was stationary center at the back. The portable cameras on stage were great to get close ups of the band. Also we knew Gene and Shannon were there, Sophie told us her family was with them but this time they didn’t actually appear.
Sophie’s set was just as spectacular as Nick’s. She opened with Something’s Got A Hold On Me. Her powerful sweet voice was even better than before. She has been training I would say. She has a great voice and showed us over and over her vocal range is superb. Her beautiful smile and easiness with the audience had her that much more pleasing to watch. When singing Crazy for You where she sat on a chair with Guitarist Simon Jarrett accompanying , the audience became subdued by her own unique style. Her jazzy voice just filled the theatre and we all had the best night’s entertainment. Thank-you Sophie, and thank-you Nick. You are both extremely talented. Watch out Gene. Another Generation of Stars for sure.
Sophie has the sweetest voice. Stellar range on the great set of songs that she sang!
The duo returned for a duet after Sophie’s set. They were great together once again.
They have performed on stage, television, have done the radio station tours and Sophie is now helping disadvantaged and abused children here in Greater Vancouver with Sophie’s Place. The Night after this show they performed again at a fundraiser, The Jacqui Cohen Charity Event Saturday, June 2, 2012. Then Sunday, June 3rd they were on Hand at The Fraser Downs Casino and Horse Racing facility in Surrey, British Columbia for a fan appreciation meet and greet. I was there to see the stars once again and got my picture taken with them. A fan all the way.
Thank-you Again. We all hope you come back soon.
Nick’s Set
Sway
Unchain My Heart
Use Me
Drowning in My Own Tears
Little Sister
I wanna be Around
Beyond The Sea
Feeling Good
Boom Boom
Feeling Alright
Under My Skin
Land of 1000 Dances
Sophie’s Set
Something’s Got A Hold On Me
Big Spender
Guy What Takes His Time
At last
I Just Wanna Make Love To You
I Want You Back
Crazy For You
L.O.V.E.
Fever
I’m Telling You
Hi Dee Ho Man
DUET
Down in Mexico
That’s it. I Quit, I’m Moving On