I may be being blind as a bat, but can anyone provide a link to the posts from the promoter, as I can not find anything on fb or twitter, other than posts saying about the posts!

Maybe it's just me, but I really LIKE the idea of having Meat as the 'story teller' (for any of you old to remember the John Hurt/Jim Henson series of the same name), introducing anecdotal snapshots of his past that are dramatised before us. I think it's a really bold, exciting NEW idea.

I agree. I don't imagine for one minute they are trying to make a Meat Loaf tribute or replicate the great man himself. They are putting together a great band, a (presumably) great singer, and a great storyteller. What's not to like?

Yes it would be even more awesome if Meat was still able to belt them out and I wish he could. But I also wish I'd won the lottery, remain won the referendum, and that I had never seen Spectre. Point is, there's no point wishing things weren't as they are, just got to deal positively with reality.

You won't on FB unless you are a member of one of the fan groups the guy posted in, and find it tucked in a thread. (I think he may have just joined the two with numbers of members in the thousands, perhaps thinking membership numbers = active participation and thus importance/significance in the fan community. He may know rock 'n roll but have a helluva lot to learn about us ;) ). I picked up on it more by luck than judgement, checked it out with him, and passed it on here, because I don't like to see anyone thinking Meat will be appearing in the UK tour when this time he's not. I think support is built better on informed interest than disappointment.

Exactly .. and if in the future Meat is able to join the line-up as storyteller, we know he can kick that one out of the park :-)

Yes, and given Meat has always been someone bold, exciting, and inventive in visioning those rock and roll shows we have embraced for decades, if down the line he can do that? That one would get me reaching for my touring shoes and planning my tour itinerary!

In the meantime with, as Panic Lord says, a great band and singer ... who'll be delivering the music we all love .. What's not to like? :-)

Found it in the Mad about Meatloaf group, for those not members the post reads -

(Convo between Jeff Hall (UK Promoter) & Sandra Allender,

Jeff - There's been some misreporting of what the show is. Meat isn't going to be on the tour, it will be Meat's band The Neverland Express + Caleb Johnson, performing a straight up concert of Meat Loafs back catalogue. Of course there is no official announcement yet, just the rumours and mis-reported news stories. The 'teaser' UK announcement is pencilled for 20th July, with the dates announced on the 25th July.


Sandra - think you are completely wrong Meat told me a while back he would like to do something along these lines and I am sure he will tour with it I am not sure it will be a massive World Tour though. The whole ethos of the show is Meat Loaf presenting Paul Crook directing NLE playing and Caleb doing the singing. That is the impression Meat gave me he said he wanted to do something along the lines of storytellers/Rocktales. It seems to have been backed up on promoters website as well.

Jeff - Hi Sandra. I'm promoting the UK tour that announces later this month. There is no mention of Meat appearing at any of the shows, intact i was made clear of quite the opposite.

Sandra - When you say you are promoting the uk show who are you promoting on behalf of ....I am confused as no involvement from Meat is a way off what he said he was wanting to do.

Jeff - i am essentially the one hiring the band and then booking the venues and selling the tickets. Obviously it would be great if Meat was to be present and involved in the shows in person, however my understanding he will not be.

Sandra - So you are hiring NLE....lucky you they are a great bunch. I think if there is no involvement from Meat its appeal will diminish

Nah... the truth is I am hiring the band, representing Meat and telling Meat what he is having for dessert tomorrow whether he likes Salmon baked on top of a cheesecake mixed with a Happy Meal smoothie or not. I have decided to post in a random Facebook group what is going to happen, when and why.

:roll: :-P :twisted: :lol:

I personally think this is great news.
Of course, it is not the biggest thing (as it would be Meat really singing on stage)... But it is definitely SOMETHING! Definitely better than no upcoming events at all.

And don't forget. We probably got the NLE & the enchanting melodies & Caleb's voice is rocking!

It's not 100 % Meat. But it keeps his spirit alive.

I'm looking forward to it..

Well, as of this morning (East Coast American time), seems like backoutofhell.com is down and that the bio has been scrubbed yet again from the MPI agency's site, which now confusingly dubs the event "BAT Meat Loaf’s Neverland Express Featuring Caleb Johnson." (Possibly missing a : in there somewhere?)

Questions, questions...

I suspect plans have evolved. I can access the site but no information. I think they are still working on it, although I thought some information was due to be released fairly soon. I hope they do a real promo video and make it first class instead of rehearsal clips. Maybe even all or most of a song. People are going to have to want to hear and see what Caleb Johnson will do with the Meat Loaf material before shelling out much cash to take a chance on it. 90% of the public does not know who Caleb is.

Well, there was a full recording of "Bat" that could be heard on the page before the billing switched from Bat Out of Hell The Concert to Back Out of Hell. It sounded pretty solid.

Today is supposed to be an announcement, no?

Carly's contacts said an announcement would be made today????

Hopefully they put that back up. I'm interested in how they will sell this. Using Meat's name may get attention but people also may then expect he is to be there. Caleb Johnson's name will be largely unknown outside of American Idol fans. The NLE is an amazing world-class band but that name is best known to Meat Loaf fans. Getting this worded just right will help, but until I hear Caleb Johnson sing Meat Loaf songs would I pay $40-$50 to find out if it is good or not? Well I personally would, but speaking of people in general.

Things can change in show biz ;)

Hopefully we get to hear something soon

Yeah, hopefully we hear something soon, indeed!

The guy I spoke to said there would be an announcement of "all the dates" on 25th July .. we're not there yet ;)

Meat's due to be at the ComicCon 27-28 July, and is coming in some days ahead this week. My guess is they would have wanted to time their announcement to coincide with his being here in the UK?

Of course the guy also said some 'teaser' info would be out on the 20th ... so we must all have blinked and missed that one ;)

that might be this then

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK7qPhkW4Xc

Well, I notice "Meat Loaf Presents" is gone now...

Teased 11 people ;)

Good lord, could they change the name of this thing any more?

All that billing about the "Neverland Band" is interesting as well. Funny that it seems to get further and further removed from the initial announcement as time goes on...

I have a feeling that perhaps when the idea was conceived Meat may have seen this as a way for him to continue to be on stage with the band he has built and loves so much .. but since then his back is proving more of an obstacle than he had hoped? If that were the case, I can understand the apparently constantly shifting information, where someone is trying to promote something that is also changing during the process.

Given it goes ahead, it seems clear that those we have come to love as the NLE would be working together on stage with Caleb Johnson, whatever they are called .. so, the same peerless playing of Steinman's brilliant songs, with a singer who has a good voice to deliver them imo, but without Meat's presence on stage in the foreseeable future. Still an interesting venture, and in my view streets ahead of the usual tribute bands, because you'll have the real deal band we've rocked to over the years, and a singer who isn't trying to BE Meat, but who has the range to do the songs justice.

I so agree with you.

Minor update: backoutofhell.com is now well and truly gone. Apparently the Bandzoogle account is dead.

Weird HOW this project is getting off the ground, IF it is getting off the ground at all, that is.