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2Cellos Are Brilliant at the Bridgestone
by Rich and Laura Lynch
2Cellos presented a brilliant concert at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on April 08, 2022. 2Cellos consists of two classically trained Croatian cellists - Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser. They met at a master class in Pula while still in their teens. Both were educated at the Academy of Music in Zagreb and then continued their studies at other prestigious music colleges. The dynamic duo rose to fame in 2011 after their cover of "Smooth Criminal" became a hit on YouTube receiving over three million views in the first two weeks.
Did the 2Cellos just take the stage for the last time in Nashville?
Today, 2Cellos are an international sensation who have spent the better part of the last decade fully Dedicated to their craft as the name of their latest album would imply. Through relentless recording and touring with over two hundred airline rides per year they have built an incredible music empire on the strength of two talented men and the unique instruments that they play. That is why it's astonishing to consider that their appearance in Music City could be their last here as they announced that they are closing up shop and folding the franchise later this year.
During their productive time together 2Cellos have amassed an unbelievable 1.3 billion YouTube views, 1 billion songs streams while selling over 1 million concert tickets to their fervent fan base worldwide. 2Cellos has an innovative way of reinventing classic rock and modern pop classics that as we saw in Nashville was electrifying and enhanced by the effective use of lighting and visuals. They are also quite personable easily winning over audiences with flirting paired with fantastic musicianship.
"Dedicated" is the fantastic current release from the classically trained dynamic duo.
Images of space were projected above 2Cellos as they presented a vibrant version of "Benedictus" (Karl Jenkins). Next, they tackled "Where the Streets Have No Name" with one handling the lead guitar parts while the other crafted the rhythm utilizing an array of techniques to capture the complex elements of the song a pattern that was perfected on plenty of other classics over the course of the evening. Later "With or Without You" was another winning U2 cover played by this powerful pair of performers.
Also of note -"Smooth Criminal" (Michael Jackson) along with fast and fiery interpretations of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck", "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Highway To Hell". It was amazing how agile the 2Cellos were on the aggressive "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Nirvana). A drummer joined 2Cellos to give more punch to these hard rockers and he added the beguiling beat to "Seven Nation Army" (The White Stripes).
Fans assisted with the vocal parts on "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (The Rolling Stones) and "Livin' on a Prayer" (Bon Jovi). Back to their roots with the "William Tell Overture" (Gioachino Rossini) followed by a massive sounding Iron Maiden tune - "The Trooper". They softened the mood for the last two tracks - a haunting "Hurt" (Nine Inch Nails) and a heavenly "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen). Their takes on all of these popular songs were impressive and unique.
"It will be a joyous way to end the last 2Cellos tour amongst our friends in New Zealand," the band said in regards to the end of The Dedicated Tour, which will be their last, at Auckland's Spark Arena on Sunday December 4, 2022. After seeing all the elation and energy that 2Cellos had on stage at the Bridgestone it is hard to imagine it coming to end. However, intensive touring can be tiring plus if the 2Cellos want to spend more time with their families a chair in an orchestra could be a more stable situation or perhaps solo projects - time will tell.
The Matt Simons trio made many new fans on this night in Music City.
Opening for 2Cellos was Matt Simons. This American songwriter, like 2Cellos has been perfecting his craft for about a decade. He has won a strong following in continental Europe with songs that come straight from the soul. Matt's lyrics were filled with imagery and tunes like "After The Landslide" were very relatable. Simon (piano) with his band Rodney (drums) and Chris (guitar) played catchy, well-structured songs during their opening slot. Simons shared that he wrote this piece before proposing to his wife -"We Can Do Better" - a hopeful bit of prose that declared that although a lot of relationships don't work theirs will. Matt with Chris paid a fine tribute to Simon and Garfunkel by telling about the toils of "The Boxer".
Simons is admired for his emotional frankness and he certainly connects with people in piano based melodies that speak about the important events in his life. For example, "Better Tomorrow" reveals his own personal struggles with anxiety while letting others know that they are not alone. At the Bridgestone, Simons clicked with the crowd and likely gained some new fans. The trio is scheduled to support 2Cellos for a good part of the tour so come early and check them out.
Matt Simon's latest release is 2019's "After The Landslide".
Related Links:
For more information on 2CELLOS and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -
2Cellos |
Matt Simons |
Bridgestone Arena
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