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February 23, 2024

Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme shares how his musical family shaped his road to success

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Extreme setlist It('s a Monster) Decadence Dance #Rebel Rest In Peace Hip Today Medley: Teacher's Pet/Flesh ‘n' Blood/Wind Me Up/Kid Ego Play With Me Other Side of the Rainbow Hole Hearted Drum solo Cupid's Dead Am I Ever Gonna Change Thicker Than Blood Midnight Express Hurricane More Than Words Banshee Take Us Alive Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee Get the Funk Out Encore Small Town Beautiful/Song For Love Rise

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Born to shred: Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme reviving rock with new music, Ohio tour stop

Nuno Bettencourt, far right, is the lead guitarist for the metal, funk and pop band Extreme. Scoring the No. 1 hit "More Than Words" in 1991, Extreme's new album, "Six" has received rave reviews for its diverse mix or rock and Bettencourt's guitar wizardry.

  • Extreme will be in concert on Saturday at MGM Northfield Park. Living Colour opens.
  • Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme has been overwhelmed with the positive response to the pop metal band's new album, "Six."
  • Scoring the 1991 hits "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted," Extreme is known for an eclectic blend of pop, funk and acoustic-based rock.
  • Bettencourt, an acclaimed guitarist, has toured with Rihanna and performed with the pop icon at last year's Super Bowl.

CANTON − Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt talks about Extreme's return to form as if he's still the 22-year-old Boston musician who went bonkers when the rock band first heard one of its songs played on the radio.

That was the late '80s, when glam rock was commercially mainstream and ruled MTV. And it was before Extreme scored the No. 1 Billboard acoustic ballad, " More Than Words ," which has compiled nearly a billion views on YouTube.

Extreme followed up with the No. 4 Billboard smash, " Hole Hearted ." Career pinnacles included performing at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in 1992 at Wembley Stadium. Bettencourt would go on to perform with Paul McCartney at the Grammys in 2015 and serve as Rihanna's touring guitarist while taking the stage with the pop icon at last year's Super Bowl .

Guitar hero John 5 talks Mötley Crüe, Marilyn Manson, Eddie Van Halen before NE Ohio show

But the guitar hotshot still sounds overwhelmed when discussing the reaction to Extreme's 2023 album, "Six." Led by the songwriting tandem of Bettencourt and vocalist Gary Cherone, the diverse and inspired 10-track release has been heaped with praise by rock journalists, guitar aficionados and music fans.

"Like Steve Perry from Journey, and of course I should be okay by now," Bettencourt said. "But when he called me when I was in Japan to say congratulations about the album, I still, when the phone lit up and it says Steve Perry, it's Steve Perry, it's my childhood, it's like sitting in my hometown and listening to those amazing songs and those anthems and all that.

"And I still get that kind of butterfly feeling," he added. "... And the icons and the artists and the superstars that you love, even though I've gotten to meet so many of them, (the excitement) just never goes away."

Bettencourt still sounds like a hungry, aspiring musician when he discusses the new album and current tour, which makes a stop Saturday at MGM Northfield Park in Summit County.

Living Colour will be opening for Extreme at the 8 p.m. concert. Tickets, starting at $42.50, can be purchased at https://mgmnorthfieldpark.mgmresorts.com/en.html and https://www.ticketmaster.com/ .

"We're in shock because we're like, man, at our age to be doing an album and people reacting the way they are and a band that's in their mid-50s, early 60s, that doesn't happen very often," Bettencourt said during a phone interview earlier this week.

The band Extreme's new music

Bettencourt and Extreme have been riding that momentum since the March release of the single, "Rise," which has more than 4 million views on YouTube and features a sizzling guitar solo by Bettencourt, where he plays the instrument as if he's a high-wire acrobat, bending strings and coaxing harmonics while drawing comparisons to late guitar trailblazer Eddie Van Halen.

"The secret sauce is always (being) all in (and) passionate," he said of the album's glowing reception. "You don't settle for anything, you don't really leave any filler, you don't leave anything on the table, you have to be excited and thankful for every part and every song that you put on this record − it better be you going for blood.

"If you don't finish an album and you're like man, 'Would you play this for Jimmy Page?,' would you play this for Edward (Van Halen), would you play this for Steve Perry, would you play this for any of these guys, (Tom) Morello, and actually be proud of it?," Bettencourt said. "… If you don't have that kind of confidence, that kind of excitement … (and) giddiness to share with your peers, then it's not ready to be released."

Extreme's new album is characteristically eclectic, veering from full-throttle rockers to quiet acoustic pieces to catchy pop numbers.

Among the mellower compositions is "Hurricane," written by Bettencourt and inspired by the death of a best friend in a motorcycle accident.

"That song, we play a little bit of it every night," he said. "I played it I think the other night, and I couldn't even get the first words out. I was bawling by the middle of the song out of nowhere."

Nuno and Gary: 'It's chemistry.'

Bettencourt and Cherone's paths first crossed in the mid-80s on the Boston music scene. That led to the guitarist leaving a band to team up with the vocalist.

"Those things happen organically," Bettencourt said of Extreme's origins."… These things just happen in your neighborhood, they happen in clubs, they happen locally, they happen by chance, and … it's somebody that you run into that connects with everything you have, (where) you are philosophically in music and especially the bands you like, and you're in the same wheelhouse and you understand the art of it.

"You connect that way first before you can write a song," he explained. "It's way before you ever get in a room (and) … something feels different here; you get a tingle that like why am I really connecting with this guy, like what is going on here … and you just know within five, 10 minutes … and it just invades everything you thought you knew, and then this relationship starts and the next thing you know, within a week you're writing, in a month you're writing like 30, 40, 50 songs that you never thought you could write. It's a chemical thing; it's a chemistry."

More new Extreme music videos coming

Extreme came onto the music scene in the golden age of MTV.

Videos were released for "Decadence Dance," "Get the Funk Out," "Hole Hearted," "Rest In Peace," "Stop the World," "Hip Today" and other songs.

Fast forward to the new album, and Extreme is breaking convention by releasing a video for each of the 10 songs.

"We're releasing a video per track, which is insane," Bettencourt said of the band, which features Pat Badger on bass and Kevin Figueiredo on drums. "We've put out seven videos already, and I think we just shot two more, and we're about to shoot another one, so I wanted a video album when we finished this.

"I wanted somebody to be able to watch the album and listen to it at the same time at one point, and we're almost there, so hopefully by the end of this run, we'll have the full album completely shot and conceptually looked at."

New Extreme music in 2025?

During the alternative rock boom of the '90s, Extreme released "III Sides to Every Story" and then "Waiting for the Punchline" before taking a hiatus. Bettencourt pursued a solo project. Cherone helmed Van Halen.

After reuniting for an album in 2008, the band waited 15 years to release another record. So fans might be surprised to learn Extreme is already working on new material.

"I think we're already kind of talking about some new stuff," Bettencourt said. "I've always got a billion ideas and riffs and songs and stuff always in the works on my phone. I'm always constantly writing and creating, so we've been talking about it already on tour while we're out here jamming on some things and getting things going for maybe something for 2025."

What does Nuno think of grunge rock guitarists?

The glam rock scene of the '80s is forever tied to the grunge phenomenon of the early and mid-'90s that saw Nirvana, Pearl Jam and other alternative rock bands reshape the musical landscape.

Asked his opinion of grunge guitarists, and why they haven't received the same notoriety as their heavy metal counterparts, Bettencourt responded thoughtfully.

"I think it was more the musicality of it," he said. "Really, when you talk about being guitar icons and things like that, I think it's just where the guitar fits within the music. ... Even like Jerry Cantrell (of Alice In Chains), and all the guitarists that were in bands that came out in the early '90s, or even Kurt Cobain as a guitar player ... they all are really special in their own way, just like an Edward (Van Halen) was.

"The only difference is that (with) Edward, it's how much you pour into the guitar and how much the guitar and the soloing matter to the sound of your band.

"… Alice in Chains and a lot of that stuff is guitar driven, as is Van Halen, but it's not as solo driven," Bettencourt said. "Even throughout the song, it's not as playful … where it's a rhythm guitar playing, even though when Jerry (Cantrell) takes a solo or when he's playing those parts, they're so melodic and great, but they're very song orientated, which to me is super special as well.

"… It doesn't make Edward stronger or somebody weaker, it's just what the beauty of it is; it suits whatever they're doing in their culture, so I think it's culturally different," Bettencourt added. "Where in the '80s and '70s and the Jimmy Pages of the world, these guys were trailblazing and changing the game and doing things that were innovative."

Reach Ed at [email protected]

On X (formerly Twitter) @ebalintREP and on Instagram at ed_balint

extreme tour nuno

Watch: EXTREME's NUNO BETTENCOURT Performs With RIHANNA At 2023 SUPER BOWL

EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt shared the stage with Rihanna when the Grammy Award -winning R&B artist took the stage in Phoenix Sunday (February 12) for her 2023 Super Bowl halftime performance.

Rihanna opened her highly anticipated Super Bowl show with "Bitch Better Have My Money" and also performed her hits "Run This Town" and "Umbrella" . She also used the platform to indirectly make a big announcement. After the show, Rihanna 's representative confirmed that she is pregnant with her second child. She and rapper A$AP Rocky are the parents of a 9-month-old boy.

Back in 2014, Nuno spoke to Guitar Interactive magazine about how he landed his gig as the guitarist in Rihanna 's band four years earlier. "I've never done another gig where I was kind of, like… not my own, actually, really," he said. "And I'd been asked through the years to do stuff, even with not just necessarily pop artists but with other rock bands, and I've always declined.

"We had just finished an EXTREME tour and a friend of mine, who is a musical director, Tony Bruno , he hit me up. He goes, 'I know I've asked you ten times already, but I know you're in L.A., we're in L.A. Ri saw some of your videos. Would you consider doing…?' He just said 'three months' of this promo. And I was, like, you know what?! I'm in my forties, I've been sticking to my guns for so long and not doing anything else. 'Cause at first I said, 'No. Why would I wanna do it? There's really no guitar in that stuff.' And he said, 'Well, that's the thing. She wants it to be a lot heavier live.' And I'm, like, 'So I get to do what I do.' And he goes, 'Completely. Your rig…' [And I said], 'I get to ruin every one of her songs?' And he was, like, 'Yeah.' So I thought that would be fun."

He continued: "It's interesting. Anybody who's come to see that show, even from the perspective of journalists or magazines, whether it be in Germany or in the States, they come and interview me, but they don't plan on staying for the show. And I always say, 'Just stay. Just stay for a couple of songs.' Then they stay for the night and then they always end up sending me a text or an e-mail message apologizing, [saying that] they didn't know that there was that much musicianship going on. The drummer's from Stevie Wonder . It's, like, it's a real band, and nothing's on playback. We take the songs and we really play them; they're nothing like [they are on] the album.

"When people ask me, 'Why would you do something that you can do with your eyes closed?' And it's a difficult gig. The hats that you have to wear, feel-wise… You go from a basic pop song like 'Umbrella' to to reggae song to a club track to even, like, a punk song and R&B stuff. So the amount of different textures and feels, and to have to play along with these incredible musicians who hear everything, it's definitely not a punch-in-the-clock-type situation for me. Live, it keeps you busy. It's one thing doing your own thing, it's your own shit… It sounds crazy, but it's really challenging. It really is."

Nuno added: "Whatever people's perceptions are of whatever Rihanna is, it's definitely a different animal live — completely different. At first, even when I went to work with her, I was, like, 'Can she really sing?' A lot of times with the singers you hear now, there's a lot of that Auto-Tune element and you don't know who can really sing. But when I went to rehearsal, I could not believe how well she sang, and I could not believe how well she sings live.

"It was really messed up, because nothing is on track except for some bells and whistles sounds, and explosions — just sound-effects stuff — but every review was saying her vocals were on track, and none of it is. But it's incredible. I was actually going, 'Wow!' There's actually great background singers that they get purposely to somewhat sound like her vibe, and it was amazing. And it actually made me realize, even when you can do it, and you can sing, and she is, they're still telling her that she can't do it."

NUNO!!!! The best part of #SuperBowl wasn’t the outcome or the party, or the refs or the props that hit or the commercials or even #Rhianna at halftime (close, though). But getting to see @nunobettencourt on stage for the biggest spectacle of the year takes the cake! \m/ pic.twitter.com/LiirWSnUeY — Rob Touzet (@y2zet) February 13, 2023
Rehearsals for the @rihanna #Superbowl #Halftime show & Nuno Bettencourt is there!! Yaaas!! #Guitar @ExtremeBand pic.twitter.com/Wl0xaqGh98 — Kevin Avery (@Fit_Kev) February 2, 2023

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extreme tour nuno

CONCERT REVIEW: EXTREME Transcends Space and Time at Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading, PA (August 8th, 2023)

extreme tour nuno

Extreme ‘s headlining Thicker Than Blood World Tour kicked off in the US on August 2nd in Portland, and will conclude on December 16th in Italy, with shows in Australia, Japan, and Europe along the way. Their show at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading, PA, was the band’s fifth stop.

Gary Cherone [vocals], Nuno Bettencourt [guitar], Pat Badger [bass], and Kevin Figueiredo [drums]are touring in support of their chart-topping new album “Six” . In the US alone, “Six” has charted on five different Billboard charts, including Top Hard Rock Albums, #2; Top Album Sales and Top Current Album Sales, #10; Independent Albums, #14; Artist Top 100, #42 and Top 200, #67. “Six” is a godsend to the hard rock world. It is modern-vintage, ripe with unforgettable songs, roaring guitars, and fiery melodies. There are killer hard rock tracks, a few dark & stormy tracks, and a track that will put a smile on your face! If you put all songs into a musical blender and turn it up to high, you get Extreme “Six” .

Being the first new music from the band in 15 years, don’t think for one minute this is a comeback, as Extreme has never left and have no signs of slowing down. I asked Gary if fans would have to wait another 15 years for their next album; he laughed and said, “We already have songs recorded for the next release”

In Reading, PA, on a hot steamy night, Extreme came to rock hard and sounded ferocious. Aggression wins out over sentimentalism with their smoking-hot songs that are too powerful and passionate for even one audience member to show signs of tiredness. They hit the ground running with “#Rebel,” caught their collective breath, and decimated the crowd with “Decadence Dance.” Gary ‘s magnetic stage presence, Nuno ‘s guitar heroics, Pat ‘s pounding rhythms, and Kevin ‘s sonic thunder resulted in a compelling mix of rock & roll meets the Flying Wallendas. There was no safety net as rock & roll is supposed to be dangerous!

extreme tour nuno

The band delivered a tremendous medley of songs that put them on the map within the 80s’ “Teachers Pet.” “Wind Me Up,” “Flesh n’ Blood,” and “Kid Ego.” They didn’t forget the 90s with “Cupid’s Dead,” “Rest in Peace,” and “Tragic Comic.” Highlights included when Kevin moved his drum kit to center stage while Nuno performed acoustical with his Washburn 12-string guitar to “Hole Hearted” and “ Other Side of the Rainbow.”

In the final stretch of their 2 ½ hour show, the most emotionally compelling song of the night came when they performed the brassy “More Than Words” as Nuno and Gary sat on stools to deliver the heart-wrenching love song. Prior to that, Nuno gave the fans “Midnight Express” while he tore up his acoustic guitar.

Gary did a remarkable job singing while he flew around the stage, sliding, spinning, and twirling his mic stand like a phallic baton. Like a pent-up tiger let out of his cage, he circled the stage singing every song with heart and soul. It’s almost as if he is processing the lyrics in real-time and conveying them to the audience. He is the consummate showman and performed for all the fans in the back of the venue.

extreme tour nuno

Nuno ‘s guitar playing and stage acrobats were amazing, even with his right knee in a brace from an earlier injury this year. Like a fine wine, as he and the entire band are only getting better with time. He epitomizes sheer effortless virtuosity making his fiery fret-burning hammer-ons and alternate-picking look easy. The range of sounds he produced in his solos was impressive. His two-handed tapping arpeggios on “Get the Funk Out” was legendary to watch and awe-inspiring. His entire performance was a dazzling display of guitar-playing wizardry. Fans had to take a bow to the new guitar king.

Pat is the sonic ambassador between the rhythm of Kevin ‘s drumming and Nuno ‘s guitar playing. Kevin laid down a solid driving beat like a runaway train, while Pat was an unstoppable force with fingers flying at break-neck speed while taking on all the backing vocals. During their performance, they were in lockstep on every beat at the exact moment giving the band their tight sound. These little things make all the difference in a live show.

A song written and designed to showcase Nuno ‘s knob-whirling volume swells, phase-shifting prowess, epic delay, and whammy-bar fiddlin’ was “ Am I Ever Gonna Change,” as it was equally as fun to watch as to listen to. Of course, no Extreme show would be complete without Nuno performing “Flight of the Wounded Bumble Bee.” In total, the band also performed five new songs off “Six” ,  and closed the show with “Rise” and its explosive guitar solo.

extreme tour nuno

Fans have been starved for great hard rock, and Extreme fits the bill as they were present in-the-moment from the beginning to the middle to the end of the show. They have remained one of rock’s most unpredictable, undeniable, and unbreakable bands. The essence of them is their brotherhood which creates their fantastic music and drives their energetic live performance. Here’s to the winners! Their rabid Pennsylvania fans continuously showered them with gratitude and heartfelt applause as Nuno continually thanked them for helping reignite their career. In return, the band gave them an unforgettable concert.

There are still more shows available to see Extreme ; please check out the website for a show near you.

EXTREME Photo Gallery (Photos by Robert Cavuoto ):

extreme tour nuno

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Extreme are a metal band hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, U.S, who formed in 1985. They built a devoted fan following with their raucous mix of glam metal and funk rock, and then went stratospheric in the early 90’s, topping the Billboard charts with their power ballad “More Than Words”.

You know you’ve made it when you create a cliché, and Boston’s very own Extreme are perfect examples of this. The band had their fans back in the day, with some small radio hits and a decent selling debut album. However, might have remained nothing more than a surprisingly awesome curio had they not inadvertently perfected the longstanding tradition of hard rock bands releasing a preposterous, over the top acoustic ballad that can still get you singing along no matter what the occasion might be. Yes, they are partially responsible for “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing”, “November Rain”, and “To Be With You”, and let’s be honest, is the world not a brighter place with them in it?

Of course it is, and in a spectacular display of good things coming from insane pettiness, the band began with three different hard rock groups arguing about sharing a dressing room. Singer Gary Cherone and drummer Paul Geary both played in The Dream, guitarist Nuno Bettencourt was playing in a group called Sinful and bassist Pat Badger (not a stage name) played in “In The Pink”. These four men were the first four people in all three groups to get over themselves and struck up a friendship with each other, they started jamming together soon afterwards and decided to form a new group together.

Since Geary and Cherone both were late of the band The Dream, that obviously made the two men “Ex-Dream”, and in a stunning display of punning ability (pundamentalism? Sorry.), they named their new group Extreme as a result. The new group started writing, rehearsing and gigging soon after that, building a strong enough following around the Boston rock scene to with the “Outstanding Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Act” at the Boston Music Awards two years running before they’d even released their first album or signed to a record label. Their label deal would come in 1988 when they signed to A&M Records, and their self-titled debut album was released one year later, in1989.

All things considered it was an ideal first release, big enough to make a name for themselves, strong selling enough to secure a second album, but not so big that they had nowhere else to go but down. In hindsight, no-one at all could have predicted what happened next. Come August 1990, their second album, the preposterously titled “Extreme II: Pornograffiti” was released. Like their first effort, it sold modestly but unlike their second effort, the band had an ace up their sleeve. At first the album’s third single, “More Than Words” charted at number 81. However, then it started to climb, and climb and climb the charts until the band realized they had a bona-fide smash hit on their hands, hitting number one in June 1991.

In the dying days of hair metal, Extreme were the biggest deal of them all. They even had a second top five hit with the other acoustic ballad on their second album “Hole Hearted”, and ever since then they might not have ever been able to emulate that kind of success but then again, who has? What other rock band has had that kind of chart success ever since for that matter? The band split in 1996 but got back together in 2004, and their reunion shows have been a must see for any fan of 80’s metal. Yes it’s silly, yes it’s cheesy and yes, there are probably more tasteful ways of spending your time and money but the fact remains that no-one can deny Extreme’s charms, no matter how cool you might be. And twenty years after their heyday, they still come highly recommended.

Live reviews

Never thought I'd be able to see them live, and especially not so close to home! Still going strong in 2014 A.D., playing their repetoire as if it was still 1993. Now many of you know "More Than Words", maybe not by name, but you'd definitely recognize it if it came on the radio. Off of their second album, Pornograffitti, the rest is chockful of driving guitar riffs, memorable solos, amazing vocals, and musicianship across the board. Truly a masterpiece. The band played the entire album front to back on their last tour, and I was astounded at how tight, controlled, and energetic these guys still are. Then at the end, as a little treat, they played some fan favorites to round out the night. Seeing the opening "He-Man Woman Hater" solo played note-for-note (and I mean note-for-note) live in front of you and the dual bass/guitar 'battle' of Pat Badger and Nuno Bettencourt during "Cupid's Dead" were just two of the many highlights during the night. Gary Cherone's definitely still got those vocals, hitting some astounding highs, and Kevin Figueiredo should not be left out of the equation: he's definitely got the chops to drive things home and then some, which I was extremely pleased to find. If you even slightly remember these guys and still find yourself rocking out to old Def Leppard, Boston, or even Dokken tracks, do NOT pass them up. You might not find them together much longer. Come back to Buffalo when you can guys! It was killer!

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Going to an Extreme concert is an "EXTREMEly" immense experience. Not only are you going to be listening to Extreme, but you get to watch Nuno Bettencourt shred on the guitar. The man is an incredible musician - I wish I could play half as well as that guy.

The atmosphere is always very lively. The audience is always pumped up; they dance to the music, the jump around, they sing along with Gary Cherone, etc. The band themselves don't dress extravagantly, instead opting for casual clothing. The stage set-up, like the clothes they wear, is very minimal, so as to remove all distractions from the music.

The band is present on the stage, with nothing but their equipment and various lights above them to make them visible to the audience. Now for the music itself. Extreme is a metal band. As their name suggests, they are not afraid to experiment with various subgenres; funk, glam, hard rock, heavy metal, you name it.

When the band performs "Get the Funk Out," Bettencourt starts off with a really cool solo. When the rest of the band joins in, the crowd goes nuts and screams with excitement. Watching Nuno play those solos live is reason enough to want to go see these guys live in concert. It is definitely an experience that takes you back to a time when metal music was much more popular.

This concert was amazing. I was quite surprised and happy that such a HUGE crowd showed up to support the group. Nuno never fails to delight with his incredible guitar playing. He was definitely the star of the show!!! Gary's voice was decent tonight as well. He's a great front-man. I could do without the "When I First Kissed You" song. I've hated that since the first time I heard it. It kind of put us to sleep. That was the ONLY bad part of the show...take that one out guys...it sucks. If I wanted to see Frank Sinatra...well, I never would actually.

One other thing...I really hate that people are holding up their cell phones and recording the entire show. STOP AND ENJOY THE SHOW PEOPLE!!!! It makes it hard to see over you. Kind of sad that people are doing that.

The bottom line...Extreme is AWESOME and they are DEFINITELY worth seeing live. I would go see them again and again and again.

SteelerTom’s profile image

The Band sounded amazing. The original 3 members, Gary,Nuno,and Pat were as tight as ever. The set list was so deep it was amazing that there were still like 3 songs I would have liked to hear. Crazy thing was I wanted them to do Queen's Hammer to fall, but got We are the champions so I can't really bitch there. Only thing else missing was if the boys would have done a couple of Van Halen III songs. Other then that AMAZING SHOW!! boys were dead on

john-kelly-38’s profile image

Show muito bom! Nuno Bettencourt tocando muito! Vale a pena assistir... só faltou tocar a Stop the World.

Gary Cherone cantando demais também, baixo como sempre e o novo batera impressionando. A participação especial do Richie Kotzen na abertura também foi animal.

raraujo1976’s profile image

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Nuno Bettencourt

  • 2023 Worldwide Extreme Tour Continues Its Rampage!

extreme tour nuno

In support of Extreme’s recent release “ Six ” , the 2023 worldwide Extreme tour continued its locomotive train-like trek through its first US leg! Extreme dazzled fans with one rampaging performance after another leaving fans enthralled from beginning to end!

Nuno and Extreme’s trailblazing rock and roll journey has left Extreme fans wanting more and more. And Extreme appears to build more momentum with each starlit performance outdoing the prior!

Here’s what Extreme, Nuno, and Pakenuga have been up to the past week.

2023 Worldwide Extreme Tour US Leg Stops

  • Fri, AUG 11. Webster Theater. Hartford, CT
  • Sat, AUG 12. Keswick Theatre. Glenside, PA
  • Mon, AUG 14. The Fillmore Detroit. Detroit, MI
  • Tue, AUG 15. Pabst Theater. Milwaukee, WI

Every Extreme show has been nothing short of dynamic! And Nuno and the boys are fulfilling many Extreme fans’ wishes to hear more obscure Extreme tracks. Extreme is really digging deep into their catalogue showcasing a recent medley of “Teachers Pet,” “Wind Me Up,” “Flesh n’ Blood,” and “Kid Ego” from the first record. The only missing track here is Nuno’s smoking “Little Girls” riff from that first album!

Each Extreme show appears to include a little gem added to the set list that’s different from the prior show. This alone gives fervent Extreme fans reason alone to frequent multiple shows on the Extreme global tour.

Fans have been starved for great hard rock, and Extreme fits the bill as they were present in-the-moment from the beginning to the middle to the end of the show. They have remained one of rock’s most unpredictable, undeniable, and unbreakable bands. The essence of them is their brotherhood which creates their fantastic music and drives their energetic live performance. Here’s to the winners! Their rabid Pennsylvania fans continuously showered them with gratitude and heartfelt applause as Nuno continually thanked them for helping reignite their career. In return, the band gave them an unforgettable concert. Robert Cavuoto sonicperspectives.com

Extreme Worldwide Extreme Tour Set List

Santander performing arts center, reading, pa, usa.

Decadence Dance

It (‘s a Monster)

Rest in Peace

Teacher’s Pet / Flesh ‘n’ Blood / Wind Me Up / Kid Ego

Play With Me (Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ intro)

Tragic Comic / Hole Hearted

OTHER SIDE OF THE RAINBOW

Cupid’s Dead (…with Sam Cooke’s ‘Cupid’ intro)

Am I Ever Gonna Change

Midnight Express

More Than Words

Take Us Alive / That’s All Right

Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee / Get the Funk Out

Nuno Bettencourt and Extreme Today

Extreme is an American rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985. With the force of a Boston wrecking ball,  Extreme swings between unapologetic fits of fret-burning hard rock and intimately introspective balladry . This dynamic affirms the iconic multiplatinum Beantown quartet—Gary Cherone (vocals), Nuno Bettencourt (guitar), Pat Badger (bass), and Kevin Figueiredo (drums)—as one of rock’s most unpredictable, undeniable, and unbreakable groups whose songs course through the very fabric of popular culture. They’re the rare band whose music has appeared in an actual cult series a la Bill & Ted as well as the Netflix juggernaut “Stranger Things.” They’ve sold 10 million records, topped the Billboard Hot 100 at #1, packed major venues on multiple continents, memorably performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert in London, and regularly average over 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify. However, their dynamic approach hits harder than ever on their 2023 full-length offering, Six .

“With Extreme, there’s always a lot of passion and a little piss and vinegar,” says Gary. “We’re not in competition with anybody else, but we strive to outdo ourselves. There are some moments on this album where we did. We’ve managed to stay together after all of these years. We feel like we have something to prove when we get on stage or in the studio. Because of that, I believe some of these songs are among the best we’ve written.”

Extreme and More Than Words Recognition

The song “More Than Words” by Extreme won several awards and nominations. It was a number one hit in the United States, where it was certified gold. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1992. It also won an ASCAP Pop Award for Most Performed Song in 1992. The music video for the song became an MTV staple and received one of pop’s highest honors — being parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic.

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Leg two of extreme thicker than blood tour announced, fresh six video extreme’s the mask drops, extreme rises roadrunner, nuno bettencourt kicks off 2023 extreme tour, recent comments.

extreme tour nuno

The Rockpit

INTERVIEW: Extreme – Nuno Bettencourt

We're back to when albums mean something. the mythology is what's been missing .

22 August 2023 Mark Diggins

Over the years The Rockpit has had the chance to catch up with Nuno from Extreme a number of times, but this year with the release of ‘Six’ and the announcement of an Australian Tour what a great time to check back in with the man responsible for ‘that’ guitar on songs like ‘Rise’ and so many more. We discuss song-writing, the making and remaking of ‘Six’, new solo projects, masturbation, how the best song wins and why ‘More Than Words’ wasn’t a hit… All that and coming back to Australia to play for us again…

Mark: Good morning Sir!

Nuno: Good evening Mark.

Mark: Has it been a long day?

Nuno: Nah man, I’m just editing a new video, I’ve had a day off – the first day off in a while.

Mark: Last time we spoke a few years back now we talked about the creative process and how at that time you’d effectively created and recreated a total of three albums of material. Was what we got this year with ‘Six’ another reiteration of that or did some of that earlier material make it through?

Nuno: No, not a lot survived. (laughs) Most of the new album is new songs – the vast majority.

Mark: Cool. We also talked about the fact that you are very much a band man you like the dynamics, love being around other musicians. I know one doesn’t preclude the other but you’re also working on two solo albums?

Nuno: (sucks in breath and then laughs) Yeah…

Mark: (laughs) It’s a lot of creativity bursting forth?

Nuno: I mean I’ve done solo albums before, like you’re alluding to when I do them I do them with a band. If I do anything I do it with a band. Not that there’s a lot of time right now to do that stuff, it’s kind of useless to talk about it at the moment, but I have a lot of material put aside. At the point that I posted that I was not sure the Extreme album was coming out.

Mark: I see…

Nuno: Yeah, look we’re doing a lot of stuff with the Extreme album at the minute. We just shot two more videos and I’m the one who directs them and edits them and colors them and does all that work so it takes up a lot of my time right now.

Mark: There’s been a bit of a mixed reaction to the album, I’m in the camp that thinks it just might be the best thing that you guys have put out.

Nuno: Mixed reaction? I don’t know who the fuck you’re talking to. I’m honestly in shock that there hasn’t been a mixed reaction at least here in the States, the UK and Europe, and the fanbase. The majority I see is mostly positive which is shocking and exciting and all that. But I don’t know maybe you have some really ‘boujee’ friends I don’t know?

Mark: (Laughs) By mixed reaction I meant that some people out there are like me and think it might just be the best Extreme record so far and others just love it. It’s all positive, just different levels of positivity.

Nuno: Oh wow. I jumped in too fast! (laughs)

Mark: That’s cool, I love the passion! I think for me personally I loved the rockers and that was immediate, but after a few spins it was some of the quieter moments that really captured my attention. Everyone of course loved the singles, but on first plat it was songs like ‘Other Side of the Rainbow’ that really grabbed me.

Nuno: I think you’re right in the sense that the thing about Extreme and every thing we’ve done from ‘Rainbow’ to ‘Rise’ or ‘More Than Words’ to ‘Get the Funk Out’ – you either get fans like myself who when listening to Queen I loved that they did the most abstract, obscure – you know ‘Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon’ on the same album as fucking ‘Death on Two Legs’ or ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Where other people would get offended “I don’t like that shit” they’re a ‘Rock guy’ or they love the beautiful stuff. It always shocks me when somebody says they’re a fan of the band then start listing all the stuff they donlt like – that doesn’t make you a fan of the band to me: that makes you a fan of a genre.  You know what I mean?

Mark: I know exactly what you mean.

Nuno: It’s like when I listed to Radiohead I accept Radiohead for what they are, I wouldn’t even write half the stuff that they write but that’s not the point. Radiohead can release and album and I ca go “Do I even like this? This is so different from the last album” But you can’t throw it away you have to give it one, two, three, four listens – and after that I can’t stop listening to it for a  year and a half! And that’s an album that I didn’t even think I liked! So I think a true fan gives it a shot and gives it a deep dive – if you respect the guys and you’ve been following them and you say you are a fan – you gotta go for the ride right Mark?

Mark: I’m with you on that.

Nuno: You gotta go for the ride and see what happens right? It doesn’t mean you like every song, but I think you’re right – a good band to me, a band that I like, you tend to have favourites at different times. Like you said you liked “Like a Rainbow” and it connects maybe because of where you are in your life, I don’t know what you’re listening to or not listening to, or what resonates with you. But for other people that might be something completely different that connects – some have said that “X Out” is the best song there, it’s the fucking craziest song on the album but if that’s their favourite “OK great”

Mark: I know exactly what you mean and some of these songs will stay forever too, whilst some will fade: I’m still of the opinion that “It’s” is one of the greatest songs ever written 33 years on.

Nuno: That’s the beauty of Rock and Roll Mark! It’s amazing and its beautiful how a song or a lyrics or a riff or a harmony resonates so much that you can take ownership and say “That’s mine, that’s my song”. And they’ll debate it with somebody else who connects with a different song – I’ve had people tell me that ‘Rainbow’ is one of the greatest Pop songs ever written! Others who don’t care for it that much, and that’s the beauty isn’t it? It’s art! You put yourself out there and you hold on! People are going to rip you apart and tell you how great you are in the same breath! I can’t even look at comments – when the album came out I couldn’t read anything about it because artists whether they want to say it or not is like this – we could be playing a stadium with 90,000 people and they could all be fucking singing your song and if there’s one guy in the third row going like this ( Nuno folds his arms ) the whole time – that will destroy you! And you’ll wonder ‘what did I do wrong? Whay can’t that guy like me?’ Not the 89,999 that love it! So you could read all the greatest comments in the world and it would just take one! So when ‘Rise’ came out my manager was like “Just read a few?” And so I just scrolled really fast because the second someone tells me how horrible I am I’m like (Puts on sad face) “Why am I so horrible?” But it was just amazing, so loving, and some were so passionate in the sense of “Thank you” – not “I like this song, but thank you for the Rock and Roll.” and ” Thank you for giving us an album I can listen to from top to bottom.” I loved that people were making comments about putting their headphones on and listening to it like an old school album, or play when they were driving. They didn’t have to love every song but from front to back it’s a fucking journey! And it was those comments about wanting to go back and travel that journey again, rather than just “I love you, you’re the greatest” that stuck with me. Those comments stuck with me more than comments like “Solo of the Century!” – first of all it’s not the greatest solo I’ve ever done, nor is it the best song we’ve ever done, but I think what we’re talking about is, and what I found out of reading all of the reactions and the comments is – to me I always ask why? It can’t just be the solo or this and that. So I tried to step back and it made me realise that of all the comments is that there’s been a starvation almost of that genre of that generation, of my generation whether it’s 90’s, 80’s of bands that give a fuck about putting time into making and album that has something to say. Not that there’s not great Rock bands out there – there’s everywhere and there are some great ones, but it’s more about that 1900’s feel – where it wasn’t just about the songs or the music or the guitar playing it was more about the mythology of Rock and Roll.

Mark: That’s the nail on the head right there!

extreme tour nuno

Nuno: Seeing the video for ‘Rise’ was super important for us, I can’t tell you how much of a difference it made, sure its a great song, great guitar but in my eyes after what happened when the video came out – if that video didn’t come out I don’t know when people would listen to it? I don’t know when they would have got to stream it, instead people were like “Have you seen this?” meaning what? “Have you seen the band perform? Have you seen that they give a fuck by what they look like? Have you seen that there’s a solo but its in an arrangement with harmonies, and then there’s this and that…” Rock and Roll has always been very simple, Rock and Roll is all very Neanderthal right? We’ve been playing the same fucking chords and the same verse-chorus arrangement since the 50’s (laughs)   Nothing really has changed in Pop or anything else, but what separates bands from each other and what elevates them is when it sounds simple but then you really hear it and it’s like a three and a half minutes song and you’re thinking “Why do I want to hear this again? What is it about this that is touching me?” And then you go back and you discover complexities, you discover layers of lyrics, harmonies, solos. Tings that when you go back you realise you didn’t hear the first time and that’s where I cam up with the word ‘simplexity’. Good Rock and Roll is ‘simplexity’. Meaning what? Well it could be AC/DC – how much more ‘In your face’ fucking three, four cords can you get? But there’s something so complex about it too in its limitations and its holes and its space. The intellectualism of leaving gaps in the most monstrous of songs – where you go to an arena and you think “I fucking get it!” They’re an arena band, they invented this shit! Where if you go and listen to Yes, who I also love – arena – not so much.

Mark: I think you’re so right, it is all of that, and so well put, and I think the video was so important because it got everyone talking abut it and sharing that, then to see the next one that came and then the next: that conversation was just growing!

Nuno: The videos were super important, but the songs have to be there. The videos would suck if the songs were dip! But when you see it, you smell it!  If I did what the Record company wanted me to do initially – and it was smart what they wanted to do because everyone is doing it. Management said “Hey Nuno, give them a fucking teaser…” – everyone wants to be the first to see everything and do everything. “Give them a teaser in the studio…” like where I am now in my bedroom and you are at home, “…and play them the solo to ‘Rise’.” Just me – and it would have just been like ( Nuno puts on a disinterested voice ) “OK that’s Nuno playing the fucking guitar. He’s bending some notes and doing that percussive thig that he’s done in about six other songs in the last 35 years that everyone now thinks is innovative and has raised the bar somehow.” And I’ve been doing it in ‘Peacemaker Die’ and in ‘Hip Today’  and in different songs, it’s part of who I am. I love that people are excited about the ‘Rise’ solo and I love that they may find it inspiring, but I look at it as a blinding sucker punch! Where you’re just driving along and it hits you “Boom” and you’re like “What the fuck was that?” Why? Because it’s been a minute! Most of the guitar players that I love, and there’s some great guitar players out there, a lot, but how do we actually discover them? How do we actually listen to them? It’s not in a video, it’s listening to them right where we are now at home and they’re doing what I’ve done on ‘Rise’ and our jaws drop as guitarists and think “Wow that’s incredible!” and then we go on about our day. It was 30 seconds or a minute, but it was technically a guitar player blowing our minds. You see that in a song and you see the guitar player passionately playing it just like you hear it, just like he might have felt when he was doing it in the studio, now tat takes it to another dimension! And I don’t mean just me – I mean anybody. When we watched Jimmy Page with his guitar slung down in Maddison Square Garden playing ‘The Song Remains the Same’ that’s just like “Man! What the fuck!?” It’s different to just listening to it at home on the record player. The record player was enough, but when we saw it! Ad we saw how all in, and how devoted (it was) and where it came from!  That’s a game-changer! I don’t give a fuck if you’re miming the damn fucking thing, it doesn’t matter, it means that you see the culture, you see the mythology.  The mythology is what’s been missing for me! So when people saw that it was like “What the fuck?!” I had friends who are heroes of mine calling me and going “Dude that was mazing” and I’m like “Come on really? It’s not solo of the century” And Luke (Steve Lukather) said to me “Oh yeah? You wany to be humble? Let’s take it this way – say it wasn’t you and that song came out, say it was another band.” And he said to me when was the last time you called me or I called you or we called or texted each other and said “Have you heard this?”

Mark: (laughs)

Nuno: And I went “Oh fuck. Since 2000, we haven’t.” And he said well look at it this way, like it or not you guys did an album that people are asking “Have you heard this?” It’s as simple as that, it’s that excitement like when you call your brother and tell them “Did you check out this new Van Halen track?” It’s just shit that we did and like we said, it’s not rocket science. He said “Don’t get me wrong we all knew you could play! We’re not sat there all twisted thinking ‘Fuck where did Nuno come from?’ or where did Extreme come from! We knew you were a decent band and we knew you were a decent guitar player, but it’s been a minute.”

Mark: It’s has.

Nuno: “It’s been a long minute. Such a long tie since Extreme did anything and it blew me off the chair. Emotionally, excitement, the video, the performance – you guys have made us feel ‘Wow, that’s Rock and Roll’,” And that’s when I knew that it wasn’t just about me or just about the solo – that’s when I knew it was all about the bigger picture.

Mark: I think you’re right it’s about that complete Rock and Roll record, and Queen is the obvious example because a Queen album was always an experience and what you’ve given us with ‘Six’ is that same kind of experience with all the textures all the colours, it has that quirky stuff too…

Nuno: You listen to it a few times and you’re like the things that you hated are the things you end up loving! It forces you to change. I remember even with my own band, telling them I want to put ‘Beautiful Girls’ on there. And I’m like ‘That’s who we are’ – what the fuck do you think ‘More Than Words’ and ‘Whole Hearted’ were? What the fuck did they have to do with ‘Get the Funk Out’? What the fuck did ‘When I first kissed you’ have to do with anything? What the fuck did ‘Rock A Bye Bye’ off the first album have to do with anything? That’s who the fuck we are! We are the right and left turns – those are the bands that did that – the Zeppelin’s and the Queens and even the Van Halen’s with doing crazy little ‘Spanish Fly’! And you think ‘why’?! ‘What the fuck’!? But that’s all part of it, and that’s what keeps the listener driving! If it was just one path down the highway and seeing the same lines stretching out forever I’d be like “Turn this fucking thing off”. 

Mark: You’re right. Talking of solos though I think y favourite on there was the one on ‘The Mask’ it just seemed perfect for the song.  I love that.

Nuno: And those are the ones that the second somebody says that’s not Extreme I’m like “Yes!”.

Nuno: It is Extreme! The thing that pisses me off the most is when… Look,  somebody can tell me they don’t like something, that they don’t like this or that song; or they don’t like you, or they don’t like my show, but when somebody tells me what Extreme is or isn’t. When they say “That’s not an Extreme album!”  I think “Really? Is that so?” The guy who wrote every fucking tune and started it. You’re telling that guy what it is and what it isn’t! (laughs)

extreme tour nuno

Mark: Has your process changed much over the years? I know technology has changed so much.

Nuno: Oh not at all. For me it’s always been, when we chose songs for the album and however we write them, it’s always the same – it starts with a guitar or a piano or a melody. It’s really quick, it needs to be really quick. If I don’t write that fucking song within 20 minutes, and hour or two hours, and when I say ‘the song’ I mean – what it means, the majority of it, what it’s about, the riffs: and of course you can go back. But if I’m labouring over something for fucking two or three days then I’m starting to think “This is crap” if I really have to work hard doing  something for that long then maybe it’s not supposed to be that way. So all those things that really work – those things are like “Boom!” It just happens.  ‘Hurricane’ it just happens.

Mark: it’s capturing that moment, grabbing that lightning down, that’s the magic!

Nuno: It is capturing that moment because the music really isn’t yours. You now, you’re kind of like a conduit – there’ no fucking way that I can claim what’s on this album. Or Freddy can claim what he did on those fucking albums – it comes from other places. It gets delivered. Was Freddy born with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody?’ (laughs) no! That doesn’t happen at birth I hate to fucking break it to everybody! People say “You were born with it” or “You’ve got a gift” Fuck you! A gift!? That was 17 hours in my bedroom playing guitar between a couple of masturbations a day… I was playing guitar all day! You think that’s a blessing?! (laughs)

Mark: It sounds like hard work (laughs).

Nuno: (laughs) I was, I picked up the guitar and I did it!  But the music came from Queen, the music came from Chuck Berry, it came from The Beatles, it’s just all in there and  it’s kind of like – you are what you eat! As long as you’re not trying to track it, it’s not like you’re thinking “I want to do ‘Beautiful Girls’ today” I wanna do this Reggae type thing… it’s not like that – you look at the guitar and you pick it up and you don’t know why! You just start playing that fucking thing and you start singing that melody and you don’t know why – it’s because The Beach Boys are in there and The Beatles are in there and… Pantera’s in there!  People say “Man you came up with ‘Rise’ what a great marketing idea, it sounds modern and I think “Modern? You fucking kidding me? Modern?” I grew up on Metallica, I listened to Pantera, I fucking toured with Pantera – they don’t understand – that shit is in here. ( Nuno motions to his head and his heart ). Sometimes you’ll pick up a guitar and you’ll go ( Nuno sings a monster riff ) – you know it just happens! It might not be your genre – it might not be what people think you are, but really at the end of the day what are we? I don’t know? Look at that collection behind you – all those books? What are we?

Mark: We’re the sum of many things Nuno and i like to think that while that core stays largely the same we can change all the time.

Nuno: You’re right! You might be a Nirvana fan, or a Soundgarden fans? A Radiohead fan or a Jellyfish fan? Sometimes I’ll be writing something and I’ll be like “Holy fuck!” ‘Rise’ came out and I started getting offended by three or four comment that kept repeating themselves. “Guys are you getting Stone Temple Pilots vibes?”

Nuno: And they are one of my favourite bands of all time so I didn’t mind, but the comment was that it was like ‘taking from it’.  And then it occurred to me when one guy put the title of a fucking song, and I was even more fumed, I was like “What the fuck!  I don’t….” and then I went “Oh… My… God…” there’s a melody in a part of the verse that if I slow it down it’s exactly a Stone Temple Pilots verse. ( Nuno sings the melody ) but we’re doing it like a Punk Rock version with harmonies in a Queen way – but it came from that fucking song without a doubt! It’s in there! I mean I didn’t sit there and think “I want to write a Stone Temple Pilots verse!” but without a doubt if it fucking comes out of you that easy, yeah it’s a different tone, speed, texture, lyric and everything else but man it’s in there!

Mark: And that’s the difference for me, I speak to so many musicians who tell me they have songs that they couldn’t put on an album because “It doesn’t sound like us”. That’s what I love about Queen and Extreme – that never crosses your minds! There isn’t that filter, there isn’t that boundary.

Nuno: Because the best song wins. Period. Full stop. End of the fucking story. Every song that you hear on this album, and I don’t want to make it sound like it’s the new cure for cancer or something, but for us, as special as this album is and putting out music to the world to share with anyone who will listen. Every song on this album had three or four songs trying to take that song out. Just for that spot.

Mark: Tell me more. What’s the selection process?

Nuno: Like there we’re three ‘Rise’ type songs – heavy songs trying to fight for that spot. There were three ‘Small Town Beautiful’s’. There were three ‘Beautiful Girls’ obscure tracks that were even more obscure going “Hey I want to fucking be on there!”  And people will go ‘but that’s my favourite’ or ‘this is my favourite’ – or whatever. And you know how the song fucking makes it on there? (laughs) It’s not the one that you want on there that makes it on the album, it’s the one that while we’re sitting in the room and we go “I want this one”, “I want this one” and we go “OK that’s great. Which one do you want to take off?”

Mark: Wow, that must have been so hard.

Nuno: The one that survives isn’t the one you want, it’s the one you can’t take off the fucking album! You want all the other ones on there but it comes down to “I want that one!”, “But you can’t take ‘Mask’ off!”, “But that’s what you want!” Something’s gotta go so you say finally “Fuck that’s gotta go!” And the ones that stay there are the ones that serve that purpose the best, and fits that slot. And that’s how it is – the album is curated like a live set!  It’s like “Boom, boom. boom” ad then we have to bring it to ‘Rainbow’ with that right turn. Then let’s come back with ‘Mask’ and then it’s “Boom, boom, boom” again and then it’s ‘Save Me’ and then it’s time to fucking hit them with ‘Hurricane’ – we think of it that way – how would we want to listen to this album? Because it doesn’t make sense to go  Rise’ into ‘Small Town’  into ‘Rebel’ into ‘Hurricane’. We like to think “How do we draw the fans in like a live show? How do we keep them interested?” To do that you have a certain specific tone – 12 songs with points where you cleanse the palate and then you have to come back in – what do you do? So we really are strict with that idea of bringing people along with us.

Mark: It makes a massive difference – I’ve listened to some great albums that have made little sense structurally.

Nuno: Right ! And it’s for them – it’s for whatever they want. I know what you mean – I listen to some records and think “Wow… wow that’s what you opened with? OK” And I guarantee that if they tried that song live they might not get the right reaction. It’s so funny I remember being on a Rianna tour once and you know she’s got the bombastic hits and all these anthems and I remember the setlist on this one tour that I did with her – there was a ballad, well not a ballad but it was really trippy and mellow  – and the guys who were producing the show were like “Yeah you gotta come out and open with this” and of course the crowd was anticipating her coming out, and every night it happened, she was on her knees and it was this really religious sort of thing and so on. And the lights go down and the crowd are roaring, it’s the biggest roar you ever heard and then the song starts with this heartbeat!

Nuno: And the crowd just goes silent. And they just don’t know what to do. And we’re on stage feeling exactly what they are feeling. I’m sorry there are just some things… we’re just fucking cavemen and women (Laughs) We’re all alike in many ways, we’re very different and we’re very unique, but we all have so much more in common that we like to admit.

Mark: It would be like coming out with ‘More Than Words’ wouldn’t it?

Nuno: Exactly! (laughs) It could be your favourite song! It’s our biggest hit right? But the crowd would be like “Really guys? Come on!” we’d have to come out and sit down! (laughs)

Mark: The great news is that you’re coming down to see us with Living Colour as well. I’m chatting to Corey right after you which is always fun!

Nuno: Corey is so fucking good! What a singer, I was watching him last night, we played their hometown in Long Island – he’s just so fucking great – the whole band’s great and this is long overdue! They were part of that ‘land of the misfit toy’ bands that came out with us in that era that was Hair Metal and here we were doing fucking Funk and horns!  Coming up with ‘More Than Words’ and doing crazy shit! Living Colour were doing their shit outside the box and so was Kings X. We’re kind of that brethren from another time. We’ve been talking about doing a tour together for decades, I can’t believe it’s the first time!

Mark: It was a great time for music in the 70’s and to me both Living Colour and Extreme had that essence, and we touched on that when we talked about Queen – bands that didn’t have a filter. There were very few bands in the late 80’s who could do that but you both did.

Nuno: You’re absolutely right I didn’t think of that. But you’re right. When I was young and coming out at that time I thought everybody did that! I just assumed. And then as I started meeting bands and meeting the producers behind those bands I realised a lot of it was very calculated.  Like “Hey, come on, this is your market and this is your genre and you can’t do that, we do this then there’s a ballad.” I mean nobody wanted to put out ‘More Than Words’ – I was told by everyone “It is not a hit” and they were right! They were correct, it was not written to be a hit. (laughs) That’s why it was a hit!

Nuno: It connected emotionally and also no one was doing that. This was pre-MTV unplugged.  People were like “where the fuck are we going to put this acoustic song, Everly Brothers on stools doing harmonies with an acoustic?” All the ballads were such big-produced fucking mental stuff! And we we’re like “Fuck you” when they wanted to do a remix “No, this is it – this is what it is, warts and all man.” We just felt like it was gonna connect and fought and fought and they tested it to markets and it just went through the roof on radio, even though Rock radio just didn’t know what the fuck to do with it!  And there it was! And what you just said Mark is why.  When you have your conviction and you go all in on something, and its emotional and it means something – it will resonate with people.  Everything doesn’t have to be McDonalds and Happy Meals you know!

Mark: (laughs) Thank you so much ate, it’s been great to catch up. Always great to see you live, what a crazy good album you’re bringing for us and what a band you have along with you in Living Colour! I can’t wait!

Nuno: Thank you Mark, you come and say hi! We’ve got more videos coming too. My goal is to shoot a video for every song.  We’ll put out one a month. We have ‘Mask’ coming next so check it out!

Mark: I think that is my favourite solo!

Nuno: (Laughs) Alright Brother thank you so much man.

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3 friends who got tickets to all 6 Taylor Swift shows in Singapore said they used spreadsheets, 4 devices, and a network of extended relatives to do it

  • Taylor Swift is kicking off her Singapore concert series.
  • One Singaporean told CNA she got tickets to all six Swift shows in Singapore.
  • She and her friends had to tap into an extended network of relatives to pull it off.

Insider Today

For Nat Jaafar and her two friends, watching Taylor Swift perform in Singapore was a must-do.

The three megafans managed to snag tickets to all six shows of the Southeast Asia leg of the popstar's Eras Tour by getting tactical and using their network, as per their interviews with Channel News Asia .

"I haven't seen her in nine years, and I felt like this is the best time to just go all out," said Jafar.

The group told CNA they used four devices each and reached out to friends, family, and even relatives they are not close to, to increase their chances of getting the sought-after tickets . They even prepared spreadsheets with their desired seating plan.

The friends said they spent about 1,200 Singapore dollars, or $893, per person for the six shows. They bought expensive tickets for the opening night and chose cheaper seats for the other five days, they told CNA.

Two of them requested time off from their full-time jobs for the show days.

"They know how much of a fan I am and were quite understanding about it. Even my bosses were like, 'Oh, she's going for six days!'" Jafaar said of her workplace.

People around the globe have been going to extreme measures to get their hands on Taylor Swift concert tickets. A TikToker in Australia said she accidentally spent $10,000 on concert tickets . Another woman told her best friend she'd be skipping her wedding to attend a Swift concert.

In Singapore, the show is slated to take place on March 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9.

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Watch: Check out the insane way Taylor Swift thanked her 125 crew members

extreme tour nuno

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  1. INTERVIEW: Nuno Bettencourt

    extreme tour nuno

  2. Get Ready For 'Eclectic' New EXTREME Album In 2020; 's Nuno Bettencourt

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  3. Nuno Bettencourt

    extreme tour nuno

  4. MusicRadar interview: Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt

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  5. Rig tour: Extreme's Nuno Bettencourt

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  6. Pin by Tammy Plummer on Extreme/Nuno

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  1. Extreme

COMMENTS

  1. Extreme

    February 23, 2024. Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme shares how his musical family shaped his road to success. Read MoreSee all. Tour. View all Tour Dates. View all Tour Dates. View all Tour Dates. FeaturedVideo.

  2. Extreme Tickets, 2024 Concert Tour Dates

    They have so much chemistry that makes them great. Nuno is so amazing and to see him play live was a dream come true for me. Rating: 5 out of 5 Outstanding show by Chris on 2/29/24 Hard Rock Live Sacramento - Wheatland. ... Buy Extreme tickets from the official Ticketmaster.com site. Find Extreme tour schedule, concert details, reviews and photos.

  3. Nuno Bettencourt

    Nuno has announced the Extreme Thicker Than Blood Tour Leg Two! Extreme has enjoyed incredible success touring and interacting with fans since the release of Extreme Six. Nuno and Extreme are grateful to extend the magical journey in the US! "We have been absolutely blown away by all of the love and support during the first leg of the Thicker …

  4. EXTREME Announce 2024 US Tour With LIVING COLOUR

    So with that, we are excited to announce the second U.S. leg of the Thicker Than Blood tour with special guests Living Colour. Can't wait to see you out there!" wrote the band in their socials ...

  5. EXTREME Announces March 2024 U.S. Tour Dates With LIVING COLOUR

    EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt previously said: "We have been absolutely blown away by all of the love and support during the first leg of the 'Thicker Than Blood' tour. You all have shown up ...

  6. Extreme Full Tour Schedule 2024 & 2025, Tour Dates & Concerts

    Extreme tour dates 2024. Extreme is currently touring across 11 countries and has 33 upcoming concerts. ... The original 3 members, Gary,Nuno,and Pat were as tight as ever. The set list was so deep it was amazing that there were still like 3 songs I would have liked to hear. Crazy thing was I wanted them to do Queen's Hammer to fall, but got We ...

  7. Nuno Bettencourt Kicks Off 2023 Extreme Tour!

    Nuno Bettencourt kicked off the 2023 Extreme Tour this past Wednesday at the State Theatre in Portland, Maine. This is first leg of a worldwide 2023 Extreme Tour supporting their recent release of the record "Six". The 2023 Extreme tour begins in the US then visits Australia, Japan, UK, and Europe (including visits to Germany and Italy).

  8. Leg Two of Extreme Thicker Than Blood Tour Announced!

    Extreme Thicker Than Blood Tour Dates: US Leg Two. Lucky Extreme fans will be able to see Nuno and the boys at the following venues! 1.24 - Englewood, NJ (Bergen PAC) - Tickets* 1.26 - Mashantucket, CT (Foxwoods Casino) - Tickets* 1.27 - Atlantic City, NJ (Tropicana Casino) - Tickets* 1.30 - Rochester, NY (Kodak Theater) - Tickets*

  9. Review: Dynamic guitar work shows Extreme is 'More Than Words' in

    Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt led the way, unleashing dynamic solos on just about every song. The wiry 57-year-old, with sleeveless shirts, bouncing hair and a "$7,000 hat," showcased a variety ...

  10. Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme and Rihanna says new song made him cry

    Extreme will be in concert on Saturday at MGM Northfield Park. Living Colour opens. Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme has been overwhelmed with the positive response to the pop metal band's ...

  11. Extreme

    Nuno Bettencourt - Guitars Vocals, Pat Badger - Bass, Vocals, Kevin Figueiredo - Drums, Gary Cherone - Vocals. Find tickets for Extreme - The Band concerts near you. Browse 2024 tour dates, venue details, concert reviews, photos, and more at Bandsintown.

  12. More Than Words: Nuno Bettencourt: This is Extreme's best era

    Extreme guitarist Nuno Bettencourt admits that most bands brag about their next album or current tour being their best. In Extreme's case, it's true, he said.

  13. Watch: EXTREME's NUNO BETTENCOURT Performs With RIHANNA At 2023 SUPER

    EXTREME guitarist Nuno Bettencourt shared the stage with Rihanna when the Grammy Award-winning R&B artist took the stage in Phoenix Sunday (February 12) for her 2023 Super Bowl halftime performance.

  14. CONCERT REVIEW: EXTREME Transcends Space and Time at Santander

    Extreme's headlining Thicker Than Blood World Tour kicked off in the US on August 2nd in Portland, and will conclude on December 16th in Italy, with shows in Australia, Japan, and Europe along the way. Their show at the Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading, PA, was the band's fifth stop. Gary Cherone , Nuno Bettencourt , Pat Badger , and Kevin Figueiredo are touring in support of their ...

  15. Extreme Tickets, Tour Dates & Concerts 2024 & 2023

    Not only are you going to be listening to Extreme, but you get to watch Nuno Bettencourt shred on the guitar. The man is an incredible musician - I wish I could play half as well as that guy. ... Extreme tour dates and tickets 2023-2024 near you. Want to see Extreme in concert? Find information on all of Extreme's upcoming concerts, tour ...

  16. Nuno Bettencourt Concerts & Live Tour Dates: 2024-2025 Tickets

    After Extreme disbanded in 1996, Nuno released his 1997 solo debut, Schizophonic, on which Nuno played all instruments. Following the release and touring of Schizophonic, Nuno assembled a new group, Mourning Widows, which incorporated a variety of alternative/rock styles. Mourning Widows released its debut CD on Polydor/Japan in 1998.

  17. 2023 Worldwide Extreme Tour Continues Its Rampage!

    Extreme is an American rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1985. With the force of a Boston wrecking ball, Extreme swings between unapologetic fits of fret-burning hard rock and intimately introspective balladry. This dynamic affirms the iconic multiplatinum Beantown quartet—Gary Cherone (vocals), Nuno Bettencourt (guitar), Pat ...

  18. INTERVIEW: Extreme

    INTERVIEW: Extreme - Nuno Bettencourt. We're back to when albums mean something. The mythology is what's been missing! 22 August 2023 Mark Diggins. Over the years The Rockpit has had the chance to catch up with Nuno from Extreme a number of times, but this year with the release of 'Six' and the announcement of an Australian Tour what a ...

  19. Nuno Bettencourt

    Nuno Duarte Gil Mendes Bettencourt (born September 20, 1966) is a Portuguese-American guitarist. He became known as the lead guitarist of the Boston rock band Extreme.Bettencourt has recorded a solo album and has founded rock bands including Mourning Widows, DramaGods, and Satellite Party.

  20. Extreme

    Extreme Gary Cherone (Lead Vocals) Nuno Bettencourt (Guitar) Pat Badger (Bass) ... Extreme disbanded after the tour in 1996, on amicable terms and would stay on hiatus for over a decade. Bettencourt and Cherone kept in touch during the years when the band was dormant. Then, in 2004, a series of hometown reunion gigs planted the seed for what ...

  21. Extreme (band)

    Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt was in a band called Sinful, and bassist Pat Badger was playing with a Berklee College-based act called In The Pink. Bettencourt joined up with Cherone and Geary in a new group in 1985, followed by Badger in 1986. The name "Extreme" is a reference to Cherone and Geary's former band, being a homophone of "ex-Dream".

  22. 𝐍𝐮𝐧𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞 on Instagram:

    nunoegary_extreme on March 4, 2024: "#Repost: Red Hare Images 轢喝Thicker Than Blood Tour 轢喝 #Extreme #ExtremeBand #GaryCh ...

  23. 3 friends who got tickets to all 6 Taylor Swift shows in Singapore said

    People around the globe have been going to extreme measures to get their hands on Taylor Swift concert tickets. A TikToker in Australia said she accidentally spent $10,000 on concert tickets .