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David Cook with Special Guest Andrew Ripp - SOLD OUT with Andrew Ripp

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You know the hit “Light On,“ well, American Idol winner and Platinum-Selling recording artist David Cook is bringing those thunderous pipes of his to our Norfolk stage!! Since winning American Idol, David’s been rocking venues all over the world. Don’t miss this one as he tours the release of his new record “Digital Vein!!”

David Cook

Connect with this artist:

www.davidcookofficial.com

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Artist Bio

David Cook (and yes, the same David Cook who launched into stardom following his American Idol Season Seven win – breaking several Billboard chart records when 14 of his songs debuted on the Hot Digital Songs chart and 11 of his songs debuted on the Hot 100) certainly knows his way around a good song. His first album, Analog Heart, came out pre-Idol, and his last album, Digital Vein, nicely book-ended that chapter of Cook’s career, a chapter during which he sold more than 2 million albums (including his platinum-certified eponymous album) and, collectively, more than 5 million tracks (including two platinum-certified singles) worldwide.

David continues to find success, not only for himself, but also as a writer for other artists and touring throughout the world.  2018 brought an exciting new EP from Cook – Chromance. “I was a ‘rock’ guy, but the further away I’ve gotten from that, the more I’ve opened up and found inspiration in the peripherals. I wouldn’t have had the courage earlier in my career, but now I have the confidence to go after the sound I want.”  A fan of both Massive Attack and Nine Inch Nails, Cook always admired how they pushed the envelope and brought pop elements into rock music. “I used them as a bedrock for Chromance and how I wanted the record to feel.”

If putting out his 2018 EP wasn’t enough to keep Cook busy, that same year he headed to the Great White Way for his Broadway debut as Charlie Price in KINKY BOOTS. “I’ve had conversations about finding creative outlets outside of being a musician, but the timing was never right.” While Cook was excited for his first starring role, he was also aware the message behind KINKY BOOTS was timely and relevant. “I was honored to be part of the show and get to work with so many amazing people. I love the collaborative aspect of theatre too, the idea of being part of a creative team and working it out in front of an audience each night.”

Another passion of Cook’s is his work in behalf of organizations such as the National Brain Tumor Society, a Washington DC-based nonprofit that drives cutting edge research and treatments for brain cancer and brain tumors. “I’ve been very involved with this cause and am very grateful that my career has allowed me to do that. I lost my brother Adam to a brain tumor in 2009; every year I am part of the Race for Hope-DC and, together with my fans, have raised over $1.5 million for brain cancer and brain tumor research through this and other fundraising projects. Far and away, that is the proudest of all my achievements.”

Cook is well aware, and grateful, for the breaks American Idol has brought his way, and for the opportunities he continues to have. He has no plans to slow it down. “I love creative endeavors. I like starting with nothing and then finishing with something that didn’t exist before. That’s my favorite thing about creating new music. I love being able to put something artistic out in the world for people to enjoy.”

In 2020, David released two new singles. The first, Reds Turn Blue, a nod to the manic highs (reds) and lows (blues) of anxiety, something David has struggled to overcome since his season seven win on American Idol. As David told People.com: “This song became a therapeutic process for me, as a way to personify my anxiety and make it something other than me — which in an odd way has helped me navigate my relationship with it.” To capture that struggle, David worked with artist Justin A. Nixon to create a visual that was, “sci-fi and sinister” but left open-ended to represent “that constant battle between anxiety and myself.”  And the second, Strange World, is “my homage to this year,” said David. “Staring out of windows at the world outside, feeling disconnected from it, and trying to find those moments that would normally exist outside, inside.”

Both singles, along with the driving Fire are from his latest EP The Looking Glass, released in April 2021. The EP was produced by Andy Skib and released through Ingrooves. Cook supported its release with a lengthy pre-order campaign that included exclusive experiences and merch items.

Andrew Ripp

Connect with this artist:

www.andrewripp.com

Andrew Ripp creates music that pushes the boundaries of genre stereotypes, blending the energetic beats of pop music into a soul culture and adding the depth and groove of soul music into a pop culture. Since beginning his career in 2005, Ripp's songs and records have successfully impacted a diverse and growing audience including true music lovers: fans that appreciate the nuances of a well crafted album, and easy listeners: fans who simply want to hear a catchy tune.

Having an awe-inspiring voice is one thing, but knowing how to use that voice to share lyrics and emotion in a way that moves those who hear the songs is quite another. Ripp has grown in this over the years as a respected songwriter with the voice of an artist. With his first two albums, Fifty Miles to Chicago in 2008 and She Remains The Same in 2010, debuting at #1 on the Singer/Songwriter chart on iTunes, Andrew proved that he could create a song and share it with emotion and instrumentation.

He began as a songwriter- with a song on the Billboard 100 charts recorded by Ryan Cabrera, and other songs featured on American Idol, One Tree Hill, and Live To Dance, but grew comfortable in the place where his strong and powerful voice was the driving force behind each single. "The good ones," Andrew says, speaking of excellent artists, "they leave space in the songs." And over the last few years, Andrew has learned that skill. Having moved to Nashville with his wife at the encouragement of fellow musician and mentor Dave Barnes, Andrew settled into the songwriting town and began to hone his talents and grow as an artist, musician, and songwriter.

Won't Let Go, his most recent full-band album released in 2013, blends the work of Andrew in all his roles with many other award-winning musicians, songwriters, as well as award-winning producer Charlie Peacock (Civil Wars, Switchfoot) and engineer/mixer Richie Biggs.

On the heels of the success of Won't Let Go, which debuted at #3 on the Singer-Songwriter chart when it was released early last year to rave reviews, Ripp has made a stripped down acoustic album entitled Simple on Be Music & Entertainment. Simple features acoustic versions of ten tracks from Won't Let Go as well as a cover of Justin Timberlake's "Mirrors," which has become a crowd favorite out on the road. It is clear with every stripped down note on Simple that Andrew Ripp is an incredible talent worthy of all the buzz around him as an up and coming artist to watch in 2014.

"Simple is more to me than just the title of this record and tour," Ripp explains, "It's the filter I've been striving to live my entire life through. It's putting down the iPhone, closing the computer, turning off the TV and just sitting still. Distractions can be very convincing and they have a way of making me believe that they're more important than having a conversation with a human being. The process of making this record has really helped me to focus my time on the important things in life."

As a touring artist, Andrew's live performances continue to move the audience in just the right ways- quieting them at the most heart-felt moments and causing dance at just the right beat. Crowds don't want him to leave the stage when the show is over, and he's not sure he's ready to leave either. He has opened for and toured with the likes of with Jon Foreman, needtobreathe, Will Hoge and Robert Randolph. 2013 included tour stops with Andy Grammer, Sara Bareilles, Parachute, LeAnn Rimes and Plain White T's and Ripp continues to book dates around the country. "I've been touring for the last few years and a lot of my shows have been stripped down - solo style and simple," said Ripp. "After having a bunch of people ask me after shows when I was going to make an acoustic record I decided to do just that. This is my way of saying I HEAR YOU, I LOVE YOU and THANK YOU SO MUCH for supporting me over the years!"

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