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Meat Loaf

Rock

Meat Loaf Tickets

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About

Some people think big. Some people think huge. And then there's Meat Loaf.
For the past 35 years, the man born Marvin Lee Aday has been a towering monument on the musical landscape.  His legendary 1977 album Bat Out Of Hell transformed this former high school football player, nightclub bouncer and stage actor into one of the great American rock 'n' roll icons. That record, with its staggering operatic sound and impassioned vocals, has sold more than 43 million albums worldwide - still one of the biggest-selling records ever.
Meat Loaf's reputation as one of music's greatest artists was underlined by such masterpieces as Dead Ringer (1981), Bad Attitude (1984) and the Bat Out Of Hell sequels Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell (1993) and Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose (2006). Other artists might have tried to match his scale and copy his sound, but no one has come close.
Now, more than 30 years after he exploded onto the world stage, Meat Loaf is back with a new record, Hang Cool Teddy Bear (a title taken from a line in the classic Russ Meyer trash movie Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls). From opener "Peace On Earth" to closer "Elvis In Vegas," its 13 tracks drag the classic Meat Loaf sound kicking and screaming into the 21st century.
"I wanted it big, I wanted it dramatic, I wanted a rock record," says Meat Loaf. "Yes, it sounds like a Meat Loaf record. But it sounds different too - it sounds new, it sounds fresh. It speaks to you in a different way."
Much of this newfound energy can be put down to Meat Loaf's working relationship with his new collaborator, producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day, My Chemical Romance Paramore, Fleetwood Mac). For the singer, it was a chance to work with one of the hottest producers around. For Cavallo, it was an opportunity to work with a childhood hero and a proper rock 'n' roll legend.
"Rob is the Number 1 rock producer in the world because he leaves his ego out of the equation and gives an artist his voice, making it sound better than the artist could even imagine," says Meat. "I was like a fisherman looking for a big mouthed bass. I put on the right worm. The first song I played to him, I hooked him. The second song, I nailed him."
The pair hit it off immediately, and this electrifying creative partnership immediately raised the bar several feet. Meat Loaf brought more than 40 songs to the table, which the duo whittled down to the 13 that appear on the final record, including the furious "Living On The Outside" and hilarious first single "LosAngeloser."
But there was one other piece to the jigsaw: Los Angeles-based screenwriter and director Kilian Kerwin, a long-time friend of the singer. As with every classic Meat Loaf album, Hang Cool Teddy Bear has a bigger concept. It was one of Kerwin's short stories that inspired the singer to come up with the album's striking narrative.
"It's the story of a soldier," reveals Meat Loaf. "He's been in battle and he's lying face down on the ground. He can't move, but he turns his head and starts to see blood run across the ground, and so he thinks he's going to die. They always say you see your life flash backwards you when you're about to die. But his life flashes forward - into what possibly could happen. He sees what his life could be - the good and the bad. The songs are the different scenarios he finds himself in. It's not always the same time or the same place - but it's always the same woman. But I don't want to give too much away - I want people to work it out for themselves."
To flesh out his vision, Meat Loaf enlisted a set of elite musicians to play on the album, including guitarists Tim Pierce, Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins (who co-wrote two songs for the album), Paul Crook and Randy Flowers, legendary bass players Chris Chaney and Kasim Sulton, genius keyboardist Jamie Muhoberac and the world's greatest rock drummer (just ask Rob Cavallo) John Micelli.  Hang Cool Teddy Bear also features a stellar array of big-name guests, including Steve Vai (who appears on "Love is Not Real"), former Queen guitarist Brian May (who appears on "Song Of Madness" and "Love Is Not Real"), American Idol presenter Kara DioGuardi (who co-wrote and sings on "If I Can't Have You") and Hollywood star Jack Black, who duets with Meat Loaf on "Like A Rose."
But the most surprising guest is Hugh Laurie - the English actor famous for starring in Blackadder and hit US TV show House. It was while making a guest appearance on the latter that Meat Loaf met Laurie and discovered that he was a classically-trained pianist. What else could he do but ask the actor to play piano on the song "If I Can't Have You?"
"He was really nervous at first," recalls Meat Loaf. "It was strange seeing someone so confident on a TV set walk into the studio like he's a quivering mess. But he nailed it. He's talking about playing it with us if we ever go on American Idol."
"What I love about Hugh, Jack and Kara," says Meat Loaf, "is that sometimes you get people coming to the studio, and they have their manager and a bodyguard and an entourage - it's this endless stream of people. The three of them, they just drove up to the studio in their own cars, no bullsh*t no fronts, just real people.  And I love real people."
But for all the star guests, Hang Cool Teddy Bear is Meat Loaf's album - his own dirty little secret. More than four decades into his career, the man - and his voice - is as big, bold and important as ever.
"How do I keep the fire burning?" he asks. "I don't know. I just do. I'd bet in advance that if I sat with somebody in a room and said to them, 'I'll give you five pounds if you don't go 'Whoah!' after the first song', they'd forget about the five pounds and they'd go 'Whoah!' You can't help it. And it's like that across all the songs. This record is spectacular!"

Reviews

Rating: 3.6 out of 5 based on 1824 reviews
  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Eh

    by I.D on 1/21/22

    Funeral was okay I guess not much really to do but at least I was outside the box :) lol

  • Rating: 1 out of 5

    Sound & Performance Issues

    by Cryta on 7/6/16Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford

    During a number of the songs; either the band was playing at a different pace where you could barely distinguish the actual song they were playing until the chorus. A few points where you could hear Meatloaf, the band and what sounded like an audio track all at different times seeming like that set was a very poor verision on kareoke. I have this on my phone but willl not upload to youtube to paste here. This sounded horrible; almost when you were little and sang songs in a round very poor quality. Meatloaf i know that he had fallen ill due to dehydration but i would prefer the concert postponed than have the poor performance we recieved. He barely had any vocals that you could hear even in our seats and the vocals you did get were poor, off key and just not the Meatloaf i recall from his last concert i attended for him here in BC. Just not impresssed it was my first concert with my fiance and this wasnt the best concert; we choose this over pink, jeff duhman and other performers coming to the Lower Mainland only to get this performance or lack there of. Was NOT worth the money paid in the slightest.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5

    Meat loaf has still got it

    by SassyK360 on 7/4/16Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford

    Saw him in Abbotsford, BC. Still had a lot of energy onstage and a lot of intensity. Backup vocal singer was amazing too!

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    You have to love Meat Loaf.

    by Stephnakass on 7/3/16Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford

    Meat Loaf is one of those artists that you have to have an affection for more than his songbird talent; his personality and character in general are what you'll see at this event. This concert is a reflection of who he is and who he's become. If you love Meat Loaf you will love to watch this dramatic account of his capacity. If you're expecting him to sound like 1976 then don't even bother. He's almost 70, get over it. If you understand that an artist is also a human with more than simply vocal talent to provide you with then you will adore this show.

  • Rating: 2 out of 5

    He's lost his voice.

    by EphemeralMoments on 7/1/16Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford

    We love meat loaf's music but this show was unfortunate. He appears to have lost his ability to hold a tune. Rather than sing, he was shouting at the mic. His band tried hard but the couldn't carry him. It really reminded me of somebody doing bad karaoke to meat loaf.

  • Rating: 3 out of 5

    Meat Loaf Wow in many ways. The good bad and ugly.

    by Meatfannumber1 on 7/1/16Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford

    Easy free parking at Abbortsford Centre, a great crowd and very friendly employees made this a very positive experience to start. The beverage vendors and equipment were not very efficent. The lack of pricing for the typically over priced beverages was standard. The floor seats were the typical metal added seats with enough room not to step on too many toes. The concert started at 8:15 for a posted 8:00 o clock start, pretty much right on. Pre recorded music was playing for a while before two band members appeared on stage and with synchronous drumming like a Las Vegas (robotic) stage production displaced the sound track. The last member to enter the stage was of course our star and the crowd was cheering wildly as the music was now playing with a full band. The vocals began and right away I noticed something was a bit off. The timing... the pitch... my heart sank a bit as I was thinking: well somtimes you need to get dialed in a bit. Who knows what went on back stage, things will probably flow after a while. I won't speculate about medication, health, exhaustion, but yet I've said it. The band and all it's vocals were a great support and carried the song, and the next and the next. I was trying to hear Meat sing but the other vocals drowned him out much of the time and when I did hear him it was often not flowing, I heard low chopped vibratos, sometimes more in a speaking voice. Not all the time, there were energetic times that were a relief to hear yet nothing in the great range we've come to expect. When I finally grasped the reality of it I sensed that this concert would be an adjustment, a reality check and a realization that there is a finality to everything. I have heard so many 60 and 70's artists sing and play recently that the expectation of the original sound is a fantasy. The recorded albums were prime time experiences and rarely are topped or equaled. Some artists hang in for a long time and the fans love of their music carries them, and so it was that we, vistors from California, fans of Meat loaf, were here to hear all those great songs, live and up close. Both those expectations were met. It was live and we were up close. The crowd was often singing along, self included, sometimes dancing, sometimes standing, then sitting again. That was a sign, sitting down again. The energy and inspiration came and went, came and went again. Paradise by the dashboard light was still a great number. Sure we know the act and the age difference between the two singers, but it was still a fun performance. Picks were tossed, (old) tour T shirts were shot into the crowd with a bad boy grin from Meat doing the shooting but not the reloading of the penile hot dog shooters. The concert ended abruptly without an encore. We left wondering what happened so quickly. Less than 1 1/2 hrs after the start. It was like a knockout in the first round. We got what we came for but somehow had hoped for more. I would recommend this only with the decision based on this and other reviews. You may love it or... maybe not.

  • Rating: 4 out of 5

    If you love Meatloaf, go...

    by LoafingMeats on 7/1/16Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford

    The show itself was pretty decent. Good volume, didn't need ear plugs 99% of the time. A few humorous moments between Meat and his female lead singer. However, it's not the Meat that made I'd do anything for Love so popular anymore. His voice has changed considerably and while he was belting out all the songs as much as he could, he's just not physically all there anymore. So if you love Meat, go see it, before he isn't doing them anymore. You'll still enjoy the show and his band are great artists.

  • Rating: 1 out of 5

    MEATLOAF NEEDS TO RETIRE

    by Livenationmaiden on 7/1/16Abbotsford Centre - Abbotsford

    So we were really looking forward to seeing meatloaf.WHAT A DISSAPOINTMENT!!He was off que and most of the night did not sing was just talking through the songs .I wanted to feel sorry for him as he was limping across the stage for most of the night but I didn't because I work hard for my money and the ticke were a couple hundred dollars.We really felt scammed .He is 68 and has clearly lost his voice .He needs to hang up his hat and be honest with himself and his fans.Half the audience had gone home before the encore .They didn't miss much .Save your money and put on a bat out of hell cd

  • Rating: 5 out of 5

    Unforgettable

    by ShelleyFord on 6/26/16Memorial arena - Victoria

    Awesome performance! Meat was spot on and gave his all..heart and soul. The band was amazing, the the back up singers were great..what a voice on the woman singer! Thanks Meat for 30 years of memories in one performance!

  • Rating: 1 out of 5

    Unforgettable for all the wrong reasons

    by Stillafan44 on 6/21/16Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium - Edmonton

    Where do i start, Meatloaf should never have been on stage, the show should have been postponed, he was not well and it was clear from the start. He hobbled on and around the stage, The first time he dropped the mike should was a clear sign this was not going to end well. For 95% of the show you could not hear or make out what he was singing, (good job we knew the words) we was directly in front of the stage on the second level, should have been perfect sound in this custom designed building. While the backing band music was good and tried to cover for meatloaf by singing some of his lines and singing over him to try and keep the show going. Meatloaf did his very best in the situation, But his fans would have understood and accepted if he had just postponed the show. Meatloaf clearly gave it his all for Bat out of Hell but that extra effort was his undoing as it took every last bit out of him which showed when he collapsed during the next song. We took our young son with us, its only his second concert, Meatloaf collapsing out cold on the stage has left a very big impression on his little mind, to the point he keeps asking if Meatloaf is ok and did he die or will he get better. In over 30 years being involved with concerts and festivals this one will stick around for a while, Unforgettable for all the wrong reasons