http://www.newsobserver.com/print/friday/wup/story/1041328.html

He's a long way from the Brewery

BY DAVID MENCONI, Staff Writer

Whenever you hear someone drop the phrase "living the dream," there's almost
always a
sarcastic undercurrent. But for old Raleigh hand Brad Rice, it applies with no
undercurrents whatsoever.

An ace guitarist and longtime sideman, Rice will be back in his former hometown
Saturday
night, playing in country superstar Keith Urban's band. Rice is part of a huge
stage
production that will play the RBC Center as part of Urban's co-headlining tour
with Carrie
Underwood.

"There are around 70 people in this entourage," Rice says, calling from home in
Austin,
Texas. "There's the band, tour manager, backline people, video people for this
40-by-60-
foot HD screen. There's 11 buses and 14 tractor-trailers. We took this picture
of everyone
and everything at the end of last year, and it's just crazy."

If Rice is living large nowadays, few people deserve it more. The last time he
played in
Raleigh was a bit more than two years ago at Disco Rodeo, playing both halves of
a twin
bill -- opening with Tift Merritt, then closing with Son Volt. Before that, he
played with a
long list of Triangle bands including Backsliders, Finger, Ryan Adams and
Whiskeytown.

There were some pretty flush times, especially playing "Saturday Night Live" and
opening
for the Rolling Stones with Adams. But for most of Rice's career, he has logged
a lot more
miles than money. Playing with Urban has put him in a whole other league, on
stages
including Al Gore's "Live Earth" concert, the CMA Awards and "The Today Show."

"I'll do these TV gigs, and friends from way back when will send text messages,"
Rice says.

" 'Man, this is a long way from the concrete floor beer joints.' Yeah, it's a
long way from
the Brewery. But it's all important.

"The good thing about this band is that all these guys have been in the van.
Nobody takes
anything for granted. We're all lucky to be able to do this for a living. And
the pay is like a
real job.

"I've never been in a better situation. If you can't have fun with this, there's
something
wrong with you."

Along with his abilities, Rice has personal connections to thank for his gig
with Urban. A
friend recommended him to Urban's musical director, which led to a series of
auditions.
He didn't clinch the job until he aced a one-song performance with Urban on
television in
Germany. Urban's tour has since taken Rice back to Europe, as well as Urban's
native
Australia.

About the only downside is that Rice hasn't had much time to work on his own
songwriting, which he hopes to get back to this summer. By then, Urban will just
be
playing stadium shows a few weekends a month with Kenny Chesney.

That will give Rice time to get reacquainted with his house, wife and life off
the road.

"I'm also looking forward to being back in Raleigh," he says. "This will be the
first time I've
ever been inside the RBC Center.

"It's been a fun year. My dad came out to see us play in Greenville, S.C., so it
was fun to
take him around. He'd come out when I was 18 playing in little bars, and now I'm
up to
arenas.

"This is good."