It was two decades ago when the words for Lightning Crashes first passed through Ed Kowalczyk’s lips.
Fans of the song and others from Live’s Throwing Copper album can hear them again during Kowalczyk’s Throwing Copper Unplugged 20th anniversary tour in Nanaimo Wednesday (March 2) at 7:30 p.m. at the Port Theatre.
Throwing Copper was Live’s most successful album and went platinum eight times in the United States, according to the tour’s website. It also had two No. 1 alternative singles Lightning Crashes and Selling the Drama.
Kowalczyk former lead singer of Live, left the band in 2009. He performs the songs with his new band in the order they appear on the album.
“It’s a really band-orientated performance,” he said. “We do basically a celebration of the album.”
He said the performance ranges from full band rock songs to semi-acoustic performances. Stripping down the songs to a barer form wasn’t difficult, said Kowalczyk because all of his songs start out in an acoustic form when he creates them.
For the songs that didn’t have music videos, Kowalczyk collaborated with technical experts to create visuals for his stage performance. He said the visual component to the show is “impactful.”
Kowalczyk said it’s not difficult to keep the passion and energy in his performances every night.
“When I sing it doesn’t matter where I am or who I am with. As soon as I am on the stage I am having the time of my life,” said Kowalczyk.
Since departing from Live, he has released three albums. The Flood and the Mercy release in 2013 embraces dynamic emotions, he said.
“It is in the zone. It’s a little darker and heavier at times,” he said. “I really pushed myself with the production of the album.”
He produced the album with Jamie Candiloro.
“The lyrics are very exploratory...there are definitely some anger-management songs on there, which makes it a lot different in tone than my first solo album,” said Kowalczyk in a press release.
Kowalczyk said he’s continued with his music the way he always has. The only difference is it has allowed him to collaborate and work with other artists he might not have in the past, he said.
“I’ve just continued doing what I’ve always done – I really stayed really true,” said Kowalczyk.
For more information, please go to http://edkowalczyk.com.
Tickets for the Throwing Copper Unplugged show are $40.25 by calling 250-754-85 250 250-754-8550 or online at www.porttheatre.com.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com
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