Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Outrunning winter.

That's a legitimate strategy, right? If I just stay busy, surely I'll remain a step or two ahead of winter and I can slow down in April and that'll be that. Or at least all that running around will help me keep warm.

Here's the itinerary for the next month or so. It stays busy right through March, and I suspect the months following will fill in soon as well. I've got a few private parties on the books that are not represented here; New Year's Eve, for instance. But if you want to come out and hear some music and join me for a cup of hot cider sometime this month, there's plenty of opportunity to do so. Hope to see you!



Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Jimbo's Garage.

My trio has been booked for the next few months at Shooter's, and we're likely to continue there through 2010. It was suggested that we adopt a band name; 'The Jim Tyrrell Trio' apparently doesn't separate the band from my solo act well enough. So, we've adopted the name Jimbo's Garage. I'm updating the show schedule today to reflect this change, and I'm mulling over the possibilities that a band name presents. It kind of gives us the freedom to go in musical directions we might not have gone otherwise. I don't know why that should be, exactly, especially at my (our) level. But since it's my reaction, I'm going to think about some more offbeat material we can do as a band. As always, suggestions welcome.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Back at it.

I've got a good week of music coming up, and it starts with my son Andy's holiday concert at the Campton Elementary School on Wednesday. I'm not performing or anything; I just get to watch him bust out some holiday songs with his class. Then I've got a run of shows that goes a lot like this:

Thu. 12/10, 9pm - Ri Ra Irish Pub, Burlington VT (dueling pianos show)

Fri. 12/11, 8pm - Shooter's Tavern & Pizzaria, Belmont NH (band show with Jimbo's Garage)

Sat. 12/12, 3pm - Bonafide Art Studio, Laconia NH (solo Open House show)

Sat. 12/12, 9pm - Black Cat Cafe, Laconia NH (band show with No Limitz)

Sun. 12/13, 2:30pm - Ragged Mt. Ski Resort, Danbury NH (solo apres-ski show)


Saturday, December 5, 2009

A weekend off.

It was a real good week of shows. I got to meet (and reacquaint myself with) a bunch of great people at Artistic Roots on Tuesday. The open house at the Veggie Art Girl Boutique was a lot of fun, and the food was pretty fantastic. And last night at Tony's was just crazy. I started early and played late, and people were into it the whole time. I'm very grateful for everyone who came out to show their support and have a good time. :)

I don't have any shows on Saturday or Sunday, which is a rarity these days. A quick look at the schedule, and I see no other weekends off between now and... April, it looks like. So I'm making it a point to enjoy this. I'll be hanging out with my boys, doing a little housekeeping, maybe some cooking... you know, rock star stuff. Actually, If the opportunity presents itself, I might sneak down to the studio to get some album work done.


Friday, December 4, 2009

On the radio and at the bar.

Today started with a visit to the Daily Planet Morning Show (WPNH 100.1fm). I had a great old time talking about places I'm playing and my progress on the new album. You can listen to a mp3 of one of the songs I played right here:



Tonight I'll be playing a solo show at Tony's Italian Grille & Pub in Thornton, NH. The show starts at 6:30pm, and it's always a good time up there. Fantastic food, too. I love talking food with Tony (when he's got a free half-minute); the guy knows so much. It's obviously his passion, and it's great to see someone so invested in doing what they love. Come start the weekend with dinner, drinks, and a little music!

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Veggie Art Girl Boutique.


Tonight is the open house at the Veggie Art Girl Boutique in Holderness, NH. I'll be playing music from 5 to 8pm. This place is as hip as New Hampshire gets; you really ought to check it out. Lots of good deals on cool NH-made stuff. Speaking of which, they (along with Artistic Roots, where I played a couple days ago) are part of the Plymouth Shop Hop, which is a pretty sweet way to get the local holiday shopping thing going.



In other news, I've got a solo show coming up tomorrow at Tony's Italian Grille & Pub in Thornton, NH. Man, I like that room. It's another early show - 6:30-9:30pm.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Back on the radio.

This Friday (December 4) I'm going to be on the radio again. I'm visiting the Daily Planet Morning Show at 6:30am (ouch), and hanging out for about an hour. We'll talk about the upcoming album and the show schedule, and I'll probably play a song or two. Maybe I can get Amy to play along on that slide whistle of hers. Tune in to The Planet 100.1fm to hear it happen live, and keep an eye on the blog for a mp3 of the show later that day.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Artistic Roots.

Tonight is the open house at Artistic Roots in downtown Plymouth, NH. I'll be playing a piano set from 6 to 8pm. I'm told there's a silent auction with a bunch of good stuff up for bid. Stop on by!

In other news, the Trio show at Shooter's went very well last week, and I'm setting up a schedule to play there through 2010. It has been suggested that we should come up with a band name other than The Jim Tyrrell Trio. Suggestions welcome. :)

Monday, November 30, 2009

Upcoming shows.

December starts off with a couple midweek Open House sets. On Tuesday December 1st I'll be at Artistic Roots in Plymouth, playing a piano set from 6 to 8pm. And Thursday December 3rd is an Open House in Holderness at the Veggie Art Girl Boutique and Taylor Made Graphics. That one's from 5 to 8pm.

On Friday night (December 4) I'll be at Tony's Italian Grille & Pub in Thornton for a solo show. That one's from 6:30 to 9:30pm. I might be going back to Burlington next week for another dueling pianos show at Ri Ra; I'm awaiting confirmation on that one.

In other news, work on the CD is continuing. I've got it roughly half-done. Pop over to my Facebook page and you can preview a few tracks. Or listen to 'em right here on that fancy music playin' thingy on the right.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

A long-overdue update.

Man. Has it been that long? I guess it has. Sorry for my apparent absence; it's been busy, and thank Goodness for it. October was a bleak month, but November is making up for it, thanks in large part to the dueling pianos show in Burlington every Thursday. I'm headed back tonight, in fact. Friday is a night off, and then Saturday I'm playing a benefit at the Littleton NH Elks Lodge with classic rockers No Limitz.

In other news, my novel is way behind schedule; I've simply had more important stuff to work on. But it is still an intriguing project to me, and I continue to give it the old college try.

In the studio, I have made improvements in my mixdown techniques, and I've got the new CD about half in the can. You may not be able to order it in time for Christmas, but it'll get done, by God.

And I'm starting to put ideas together to revamp my main web site (www.jimtyrrell.net). It's been sitting dormant for a while, with this blog getting what attentions I can pay these days. But I want jimtyrrell.net to be the hub for all my web doings, so I'm working that out.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Dueling Pianos.

I played an interesting show last Thursday. Having responded to an ad on Craigslist, I found myself in Burlington playing one half of a Dueling Pianos show at the Ri Ra Irish Pub. It went pretty well; in fact, I will be back there every Thursday for the next four weeks, and again the Wednesday after that. Ed McCarron is the other performer, and the guy is GOOD.

In other news, I've got a crazy idea for a book for National Novel Writing Month. November is a pretty busy month for me, but I might try to squeeze in a 50,000 word novel in my spare time. We'll see. More details as/if the idea develops.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

On the radio (and on the road).

Tomorrow (Friday) morning I'll be playing live on the local radio station. The fine folks at The Planet 100.1fm (WPNH) have invited me back to preview a track or two from the upcoming album on the Daily Planet Morning Show. It's gonna be an early one; I'll be on sometime between 6 and 7am.

At 8pm Friday night I'll be playing a solo show at Shooter's Tavern and Pizzaria in Belmont, NH. It's been a while since I've been down there. Very good pizza.

Saturday is a show at the Woodsville American Legion with No Limitz. It's a pretty big fundraiser, from what I'm told. A $100 ticket sort of thing, with big giveaways and stuff. I don't think anyone's ever paid $100 to see me play a show. I hope dinner comes with that!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Onward.

Remember that CD I was working on? Well, I'm still working on it. But at least it's moving forward. Matter of fact, I've got a song you can preview. And you can find it on my Facebook page. Pop on over and check it out!

Friday, October 9, 2009

This weekend.

It's been a slow week, which is kind of nice. I was able to get into the studio and work on fine-tuning the setup a bit. I do have a couple shows coming up on Saturday. The Warner Fall Foliage Festival is a busy and quaint affair, and (Who Are The) Brain Police will be horrifying midday passersby with Ramones and Toadies covers. And later that night I'm playing at The Black Cat Cafe with No Limitz. As for solo appearances, the next one is Friday, October 16 at Shooter's Tavern and Pizzaria in Belmont.

In other news, I'm talking to the fine folks at The Planet (100.1fm) about stopping in on the morning show and playing a couple songs from the upcoming CD. I'll update once I've got more info.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Busy!

Well, for a month that was supposed to be a slowdown in gigs, it sure got off to a busy start. On Thursday I was at the Country Cow in Campton, playing a solo show on Pizza Night. Doesn't get much better than that. I love playing the Cow because it's a nice comfortable room and it's close to home. A relatively early show, too; I'm usually done around 10pm.

The next night I played with No Limitz at the American Legion up in Littleton. It was our first time up there, and we were well-received. It looked like it was a pretty lucrative fundraiser for them, too, which is nice.

Saturday was the Cancer Walk in Plymouth, and I serenaded the walkers who didn't let the weather stop them from doing a VERY good thing. Miss New Hampshire was there, and she got up and sang a song with me.

That night I played with (Who Are The) Brain Police at the Bridgewater Inn. Good crowd there. And on Sunday, I filled in for Jackie Lee as host of the open mike at the Sunset Grill in Campton. Another local room that is always a nice place to play. And I treated myself to a mulled cider with spiced rum in it. Mmm.

This week is actually a bit slower (so far; we'll see who calls). This Saturday I'll be playing a day show in Warner with (Who Are The) Brain Police, and No Limitz is at the Black Cat Cafe that night.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Song Fight win!

Hey, how about that! My song (Made To Be Played) was the winner in last week's Song Fight! Big thanks to everyone who listened and liked what they heard. I'm going to try reworking the song a little bit, and we'll see if it has a place on the upcoming CD.

I've won Song Fight twice before, but one (Prayer For Pancakes) was on a technicality so I don't really count it. My song Naked On The Meach is the only other Song Fight win for which I take credit. I don't have an entry in the current fight (Ring Them Bells), but you'd still be well-served to go over there and check out the new songs.

In other news, it's a busy little weekend coming up. Tonight is a No Limitz show at the Littleton Amercan Legion. Tomorrow I'm playing at a Cancer Walk in Plymouth, and later that night I'm at the Bridgewater Inn with (Who Are The) Brain Police. Then things slow down considerably. I do have a couple new irons in the fire though, so hopefully the show schedule will be getting a nice robust update soon.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Representation.

So I've been looking for some kind of representation (a label, an agent, a promoter) for a few years now. Not aggressively though. And I'm not waiting around for it either, as the show schedule indicates.

In 2005 I found that I couldn't book certain rooms in NH, because a particular booking agent held exclusivity on those rooms. So I contacted him and asked for a spot on his roster. He did what anyone who has bothered to write back has done so far; he told me he had a full roster, but good luck in my endeavors. Well, I did my own booking and played over 100 shows that year. And work has been generally steady since then. Every now and then I stumble upon a rep that seems like a good fit, and I send them my info. I hear back from them less than half the time.

The rooms I play are happy with what I have to offer. I'm pretty consistently well-received these days, and I take great pains to be professional about my work. It's my hope that eventually I'll find a company that sees the progress I'm making and decides to benefit from helping me take it even further. In the meantime, I'm out booking work and in the basement recording the next album. Stay tuned for updates on both.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Back to business.

Last night I stopped in at Ernie's Club Hong Kong in Plymouth. They have an open jam on Wednesdays, and I didn't get to participate for most of the summer. It was nice to catch up with some players I hadn't seen in a while. And I'm glad to see that there's a little bit of a music scene thriving downtown. Things have been too bleak for too long in Plymouth.

Tonight I'm playing a solo show at the Country Cow in Campton. The show starts at 6:30. I like that room a lot. Plus, Thursday is pizza night. Works for me!

In other news, I'm getting my old screenprinting setup going again. I've got a few shirt ideas, and I can update my gear and do my own 'band shirts' for about the same price as ordering them from someone else. DIY!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Made To Be Played.

I've got a new song in this week's Song Fight competition. The title we were given was 'Made To Be Played'. As usual, I could have done a lot more with it if I'd had more time, but I'm reasonably happy with the results. Pop on over to http://www.songfight.org/, listen to all the entries, and vote for your favorites!

It's nice to get back into the studio. I've got a couple song projects I want to put some time into this week. And that CD still needs to get done. One thing at a time, I guess...

In other news, it's a somewhat busy week for me. Thursday is a solo show at The Country Cow in Campton. On Friday I'm playing in a park in Belmont with No Limitz. And (Who Are The) Brain Police are playing at Mad Bob's Saloon in Manchester on Saturday.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Live @ Lago.

I was the featured performer at Lago's songwriter night this past Monday. Linden Mazurka (the host of the show) played a set too, as did Maury Stauffer and my buddy Stefan Zwahlen. The whole show (Live At Lago #86) can be heard right here:








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My set list - 1) Ignorance Is Bliss; 2) Between The Rain; 3) God Hates Penguins; 4) A Pint In A Broken Glass; 5) Hey Ruth; 6) The Wall; 7) Courage; 8) House Of Hodgman; 9) I Don't Want To Be Your Friend; 10) Sherman The Brave; 11) I Know My Rights.
In other news, it's a comparatively slow week for me. I'm playing the Black Cat Cafe on Saturday with No Limitz. But last night, I actually got some recording done. I think there may be a Song Fight entry in the near future! Details to follow.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Weekend recap.

Friday night was a good time at the Bridgewater Inn. (Who Are The) Brain Police put on a well-received show. I was worried that the band would be a little heavy for that room, but apparently they get bands in there doing Godsmack and stuff like that, so we're fine. I got some video of this show, and I'll be getting it uploaded later this week.

No Limitz played for the fine folks at the Meredith Yacht Club on Saturday night. Now there's a group that likes to have a good time. And the band was a great fit; I think we'll be playing for them again next season.

On Sunday, No Limitz played the Totem Pole Campground in Freedom, NH for the last time this year. If you followed my Twitter updates, then you already know my take on this show. We weren't told we'd be playing outside, and we were all in short sleeves and shorts, and it got COLD. I won't do that again. They have a perfectly good indoor facility that we've always played in, but they had some function going on in there the next day and they didn't want to do two setups. Well, we set up and break down every time we play, so I don't feel too bad about that. Still, we soldiered through, and the crowd got into it by the end. I think they were dancing just to keep their blood moving, really.

I leave you with a picture of the sign outside my alma mater. It saddens me every time I drive by, and it's been like this since late August. Wow.

Friday, September 4, 2009

The destruction of Bristol by fire.

Okay, not really. But (Who Are The) Brain Police are playing at the Bridgewater Inn tonight, and it's going to be good. And loud. Plus, the place offers Japanese/American/Italian dining. I don't know if you can get 'em all on the same plate, but there's something for everyone, I'm sure.

In other news, I'm working a little bit on my Youtube page. Pop on over and check it out, hmm?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Back at it.

I missed a couple shows this weekend, which is pretty unheard of. But I did some damage to a finger on my left hand, and I decided I should skip my Friday gig at Shooter's Tavern to let it heal. And the next day, my show at Waterville Valley was rained out. I did play a private party on Saturday, and I hosted the open mike at the Sunset Grill on Sunday.

The finger is pretty close to 100% now, thankfully. Tonight is the open mike at Shooter's, and I'm the host. It starts around 7:30 or so. We haven't gotten a lot of participants t this open mike, so more often than not, it's just a solo show. So if you want to play a set, there's plenty of room for you! If you want to just come hang out, listen, drink beers and watch the Red Sox, that's cool too.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

This week.

I may be back at the day job, but I'm still very busy with shows too. Here's what's coming up this week:

Thu. 8/27 - Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill, Tyngsboro MA
Fri. 8/28 - Shooter's Tavern, Belmont NH
Sat. 8/29 - WV Town Square, Waterville Valley NH (open mike)
Sat. 8/29 - private party, Plymouth NH
Sun. 8/30 - Sunset Grill, Campton NH (open mike)

The following week features band shows with No Limitz and (Who Are The) Brain Police. Fun! Details to follow, or you can always check out the Shows schedule thingy over there on the right.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Graphic Designer/Musician.

My six-week stint as a full-time musician is over. I'm back at the day job, which is not really such a bad place to be. As jobs go, I've got the best one I could hope to find.

Yesterday was my last show of the season at the Margate beach bar. BIG shout out to Mike B and Sara, who made it to EVERY ONE of my shows down there. Damned impressive; I almost didn't make it to all of them myself! (I was a little hungover after that redneck party in late July.) I'll be back at the Margate in 2010; we'll get the schedule set up in March.

I've still got a bunch of other shows on the books, of course. Nothing until Thursday though. I'll be back down in Tyngsboro MA, playing for the folks at Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

A Weekend With The Band.

No Limitz played on Friday and Saturday night, the first two-nighter we've done in a long time. We were at the Littleton VFW on Friday. John Moody always puts together a great show for us up there, and he certainly didn't disappoint this time. And Saturday was a gig at the Black Cat Cafe in Laconia. It amazes me how well we do in a room that small, but they just love us there, and they make it a great place to play. A guy named Bryan Conway got up and did a couple songs on keys, and he was amazing.

In other news, I've been twittering froom the road fairly often, so I added a feed to the rightbar over there. Now you can keep up on my junk food selections at gas stations and my annoyances at bad drivers right on this blog. Or if you are a twitterer yourself, you can subscribe and stuff.

Today is my last show at The Margate beach bar for the summer. Wow. And tonight I'm hosting the open mike at The Sunset Grill. C'mon out!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Checking in.

As advertised, it's been a very busy month. The shows have gone well for the most part. LAst night I played St. Patty's Day in August at the Country Cow, and it was great to dust off the old drinking songs. Here's what the rest of this week looks like:

Wed. 8/19, 2pm - The Margate Beach Bar, Laconia NH
Wed. 8/19, 7pm - Shooter's Tavern, Belmont NH
Thu. 8/20, 7pm - Private Party, Salisbury Beach MA
Fri. 8/21, 7:30pm - Elks Lodge, Littleton NH (with No Limitz)
Sat. 8/22, 8pm - The Black Cat Cafe, Laconia NH (with No Limitz)
Sun. 8/23, 1pm - The Margate Beach Bar, Laconia NH
Sun. 8/23, 7pm - The Sunset Grill, Campton NH

Nice to get a couple band shows in there. We'll be at the Meredith Yacht Club the following weekend too.

That's it for now. I'll try to be better about checking in on the blog. I'd hoped the time off from the day job would result in more frequent blog posts, but stuff always comes up, doesn't it? And I return to MegaPrint next Monday. Looking forward to it, actually. That and a nap.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

August.

If July was busy, then August is straight-up crazy. Here's what's up this week:

Sunday 8/2, 1-4pm - a solo show at the Margate beach bar, Laconia.
Sunday 8/2, 7-10pm - open mike at the Sunset Grill, Campton.
Thursday 8/6, 7-10pm - a solo show at Smokey Bones BBQ, Tyngsboro MA.
Friday 8/7, 6:30-9:30pm - a solo show at Tony's Italian Grille & Pub, Thornton.
Saturday 8/8, 1pm - a solo set at Campton Old Home Day.
Saturday 8/8, 7pm - a solo show at the Jack O'Lantern Resort, Woodstock.

The two weeks afterward are busier than that; details on those later. Or you can always check the schedule for an appearance in a lounge nowhere near you. :)

In other news, I did a little recording earlier this week. Nice to shake off the rust a little. I made some nice progress on the mixing/mastering end of things. I'll share some results soon.

Monday, July 27, 2009

What I did this weekend.

Let's see. Friday night I had my three boys for a sleepover. It's kind of a rarity for me to have a Friday night off, so that was fun. We played a lot of old-school video games on the Wii. It's sweet to see young kids (8, 5, and 2) as excited about Galaga as I was when I was their age.

Saturday was Stacey and Anna's Redneck Birthday Party. Lots of music, hula hooping (not exactly a redneck pastime, but Jagermeister works in mysterious ways) and general mud-trompin' mayhem. I'll post a picture or two if I get 'em. We camped in the van and headed out in the morning, with just enough time to get cleaned up and go to Sunday's shows.

Sunday afternoon was a challenge. I played the beach bar at the Margate, and I had to break down and set up three times because of rain showers blowing by off the lake. But we did get some music in, and a good time was had by those hardy enough to brave the elements. Mike B and Sara were there, as always. I don't think an earthquake would stop them from coming down to the beach bar. :)

From there, up to Campton to host the open mike night at the Sunset Grill. Chris Downing (of RhVibe) came by to play a set, which was a nice treat. Haven't seen that guy on stage in... over a year, maybe? Still sounded good, too. Nik was there, and he and Pete played some blues with me. Buddy closed the night out with an extended set. A good solid night, and I was home by 11.

I don't have a show until this Saturday! And that's a wedding over in Danbury. I'm going to try to hit a couple of the open mikes in the area that I've been neglecting due to my busy schedule. The Hong Kong has a jam night on Wednesdays, and the Common Man in Ashland has a Thursday open mike. Hoping to hit one or both of those.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Not available in stores.

So, the one store that carried my CD (Music For A Song in Tilton, NH) has closed down. I ended up with some extra CDs in hand as a result, so I'm havin' a sale!

For $15 you can get 2 CDs -- a copy of the 2007 album Permanent Record AND the 2008 drinking songs compilation Time For Another Round: Gold Edition. And that price includes shipping (within the continental United States). Order by clicking the handy-dandy button below:










The proceeds from this sale will all be going toward production of the new CD, which is still in the 'recording' phase. A little behind schedule, but still moving forward. :)

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Another double.

My Sundays this summer are the most consistent part of my schedule. At 1pm I begin a three-hour set at the Margate beach bar in Laconia. It's a great little spot by the water (obviously). If you're on the lake, you can even pull up to the dock! It's strictly a guitar gig for me, since there's no room for the keyboard. And I have to slather myself in sunscreen. But those are small complaints. I get to spend Sunday afternoons on the lake playing music. That works for me.

From there, I head to the Sunset Grill in Campton to host open mike night. The Grill is one of the first places that took a chance on me when I started, and I always love going back. The open mike draws a small group of regular musicians, and the occasional guest appearance. It'd be nice to see more new faces over there, but we fill the house with music from start to finish. It starts at 7pm, and usually wraps up by 11. This is another one where I usually leave the keys at home, for space reasons.

I did bring the keyboard out to last night's show at the Jack O'Lantern, but hardly anyone was there to see it. They had a lot of people staying at the resort, but they must have been too wrapped up with bachelor parties and the like to make their way down to the lounge. Oh well.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Catching up.

So. Smokey Bones last Thursday was great. They were happy with it too; I'll be back there on August 6. Friday was a solo show at the Jack O'Lantern. Pretty fun night, with a different crowd than I'd gotten the last couple times there.

On Saturday I played the Open House at the Veggie Art Girl Boutique, and that was the most fun I had over the weekend. I got to play pretty much whatever I wanted, so I got real experimental with the loop pedal. Learned a lot. Oh, I learned to hula hoop, too! Not while playing the guitar, of course...

That night I went to the Totem Pole Campground to play with No Limitz. Gotta love the campground gig. A couple hundred people with coolers, and your band is the only thing going on? Yeah, that works. The band was in good form, too. Great vocal harmonies that night.

On Sunday, I played the beach bar at The Margate in the afternoon, and then hosted open mike night at The Sunset Grill after that. The Grill was good, but I wish we'd see some more musicians coming in to play. We've got a good group of regulars, but there's plenty of stage time if anyone's interested.

Yesterday (Tuesday) I played a short set at the Franklin Community Farmers' Market. What a nice bunch of people. They sent me home with a bag of veggies (and a lemon square...mmm) from all the vendors there.

This week is similar but different: Thursday at the Country Cow, Friday at Tony's in Thornton (my first time there), Saturday at the Jack O'Lantern, and the Margate/Sunset Grill double again on Sunday. Onward!

Friday, July 10, 2009

That weird time thing.

This morning I realized it was Friday, and I experienced that weird time thing. Sometimes it seems amazing that it's already Friday, and in equal part, it seems like it took forever to get here. I guess that's what sleep deprivation does to you.

I did get a few hours of sleep under me, but not as much as I'd like. Totally worth it though. The Smokey Bones show was a lot of fun. By the time I was ready to start, my song list had been pored through by everyone at the bar, and there was a full night of requests already checked off. The only disadvantage there was that the process gave them no opportunity to acquaint themselves with the tip jar. Oh well. It was a paid show anyway, and the dinner they gave me was fantastic.

They wanted to hear a good eclectic mix of stuff too. I played songs by They Might Be Giants, Johnny Cash, Gloria Gaynor, and the Toadies (the end of the song Possum Kingdom, with its loudly repeated 'do you wanna die', is always weird to play in a restaurant/bar, but they dug it).

Tonight is a solo show at The Jack O'Lantern Resort in nearby Thornton, NH. This is my first season playing for them, and it's turned into a nice little show. Stop by if you can!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Blog of the Week.

Hey, would you look at that: my blog is the Blog of the Week at http://www.nh.com/. Fun!

This blog has been a good way to keep people updated about what I've got going on, and it's also been a great personal reference for me. I've never been one to keep a journal or anything, so it's neat to look back and see a chronicle of my musical state-staggering.
Normally the posts drop off a bit in July and August because I'm so busy, but with the leave from the day job coming up, I intend to put more time than usual into logging tales from the road. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Weekend recap.

Hey, better late than never, right? It was a whirlwind of a weekend, and here's how it went down.

On Saturday I drove up to Dixville Notch to play a solo show at The Balsams. One of my favorite places to play for sure; not too many of the venues I play have a grand piano waiting for me. There was a good crowd up there, and they were in the mood to dance, so we had a good time.

I stayed overnight and headed out at daybreak. A quick stop at home, and then it was off to The Margate for the first of the summer's beach bar shows. About 12 hours previous, I'd been in a suit jacket playing a grand piano, and now I found myself in a tropical shirt playing guitar on a dock overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee. You'll never hear me say the job is boring. I played from 1pm to 4pm and got a peculiar-looking sunburn on my left forearm. The beach bar was packed with people, all grateful that the rain had finally taken the day off. After the show some friends in attendance offered to buy me a beer, and I told them I had to hit the road but they could buy me one at the next show if they were there.

a quick load-out and off to Campton, where I host the open mike night at The Sunset Grill. It was a small crowd there, and I was the only musician there at the start, but I did get a few takers by the end of the night. A young guy named Pete played some blues guitar with me for a while, then Buddy did a solo set, and then Nik played us out. And my generous friends from the Margate show did indeed follow me up to Campton and buy me a Guinness. :)

This weekend promises to be just as busy, if not more so:

Thu 7/9 - Smokey Bones, Tyngsboro MA (solo 9pm)
Fri 7/10 - Jack O'Lantern Resort, Thornton NH (solo 7pm)
Sat 7/11 - Veggie Art Girl Boutique, Holderness NH (solo 2pm)
Sat 7/11 - Totem Pole Campground, Ossipee NH (band show 7pm)
Sun 7/12 - The Margate, Laconia NH (solo 1pm)
Sun 7/12 - The Sunset Grill, Campton NH (open mike 7pm)

Hmm. Yeah, more so. Good thing I'm taking leave of the day job for a while...

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Musician.

Starting July 13, I'm going to take a six-week leave of absence from the day job. I'm going to spend the rest of the summer making my way exclusively as a musician. With all the shows I've got on the books, you might think I wouldn't have a day job in the first place. Not so; I work as a graphic designer by day (for a wonderful company called MegaPrint). But my boss has graciously agreed to let me go for the summer to see what I can make out of the music thing.

So I'm excited and a little nervous. It looks like I've got enough booked to get the bills paid, but I'm definitely gonna be trying to fill every open day/night I can. My weekends are already solid. I'd love to find some Wednesday night work. And now that the day job doesn't have me at 8 every morning, I can travel any (driveable) distance to play a show. So, suggestions welcome.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Smokey Bones.

Just added another show in July. I'll be playing a solo show at Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill in Tyngsboro, MA on Thursday, July 9. The show starts at 9pm. It promises to be a good time, and I'm always excited to play a BBQ joint. :)

That brings the show count up to 22 for the month. I played 30 in July 2005, I think. Always a busy month. See you out there!

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

The Busy Season.

July and August are always busy. I had been able to reserve a couple weekend days off, but I've even given one of those up. Here's a rundown of the next upcoming month, as it currently stands.

Sat 7/4, 9pm - The Balsams, Dixville Notch NH - solo show
Sun 7/5, 1pm - The Margate, Laconia NH - solo show
Sun 7/5, 7pm - The Sunset Grill, Campton NH - hosting open mike night
Fri 7/10, 7pm - The Jack O'Lantern, Thornton NH- solo show
Sat 7/11, 12pm - Veggie Art Girl Boutique, Holderness NH - solo show (open house)
Sat 7/11, 7pm - Totem Pole Campground, Freedom NH - with No Limitz
Sun 7/12, 1pm - The Margate, Laconia NH - solo show
Sun 7/12, 7pm - The Sunset Grill, Campton NH - hosting open mike night
Mon 7/13, 7pm - Lago, Meredith NH - featured performer, singer/songwriter night
Tue 7/14, 4:30pm - Franklin Farmers' Market - solo show
Thu 7/16, 7pm - The Country Cow, Campton NH - solo show
Fri 7/17, 6:30pm - Tony's Italian Grille, Thornton NH - solo show
Sat 7/18, 7pm - The Jack O'Lantern, Thornton NH- solo show
Sun 7/19, 1pm - The Margate, Laconia NH - solo show
Sun 7/19, 7pm - The Sunset Grill, Campton NH - hosting open mike night
Wed 7/22, 8pm - Shooter's Tavern, Belmont NH - hosting open mike night
Fri 7/24, 8pm - Shooter's Tavern, Belmont NH - solo show
Sat 7/25, 8pm - private party
Sun 7/26, 1pm - The Margate, Laconia NH - solo show
Sun 7/26, 7pm - The Sunset Grill, Campton NH - hosting open mike night
Fri 7/31, 9pm - Pit Road Lounge, Concord NH - with (Who Are The) Brain Police

If I'm a little slow in updating the blog, or if I'm not returning your phone calls in as timely a manner, it's just because I'm a little busy. See you out there!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Bike Week.

It's been a rainy Bike Week so far, but it didn't keep people away from The Country Cow last night. I was scheduled to play from 7 to 10, and I finally waved off at 11:30 without having taken a break. A good rowdy crowd that was into what I was doing. Nice when that happens.

It could happen again tonight. My classic rock band No Limitz is playing at The Black Cat Cafe in downtown Laconia. We played there for the first time last month, and they loved us. And that band is a very good fit for the Bike Week crowd.

Tomorrow night (Saturday), No Limitz makes the trip north to the Elks in Littleton, where we'll be opening for a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band. That promises to be a good time. I'll take lots of pictures.

And on Sunday, I'll be the host at the Sunset Grill's open mike night. That's in Campton, at the junction of 3 and 49. Hopefully we get a lot of musicians over there who want to play that night, because my voice is already in rough shape from last night's show, and it's gonna be a long weekend.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

About sprinkler systems.

Just got the word that there will be no more shows at The Seven Barrel Brewery in West Lebanon. Apparently they've been hit with the 'sprinkler ordinance'. In a nutshell, they've been told that they must have an adequate sprinkler system in place if they are going to have bands that perform to a certain crowd capacity.

If I had to guess, I'd say this ordinance is in response to the tragedy in Rhode Island some years ago when the pyrotechnics at a Great White concert went awry. I can understand the need to keep people safe; I certainly don't want anyone getting hurt at my shows. But here's a breakdown of why I think this ordinance is useless and stupid.

1) I have never seen a band in New Hampshire use pyrotechnics on stage. This includes trips to the Verizon Wireless Arena and Meadowbrook.

2) The crowd capacity of the bars/clubs can (and sometimes does) reach the 'sprinkler ordinance' threshold WITHOUT a band present, I'm sure. Apparently the addition of four guys with musical instruments creates a fire hazard that did not exist previously.

3) The ordinance seems to be applied/enforced randomly. Some clubs are hit with it, and others are left alone. It's a law or it isn't, guys.

I'll be the first to say my information regarding this ordinance is incomplete. But based on what I know, it seems like a hamfisted effort to protect the public, and it's preventing me from doing safe work.

I welcome your thoughts on this. I'm going to look for some state documentation of the ordinance, and I'll update as I find anything relevant.

UPDATE: It looks like the ordinances are by TOWN, which helps to explain their seemingly spotty implementation. Still looking for a well-laid-out example of the ordinance itself.

Monday, June 8, 2009

The Pinkwater Podcast.

A lot has happened in the last couple weeks, and I'll get you caught up on it over the course of this week. For now, here's an interesting recent tidbit: my song Bacon Wine was featured this week on author and NPR commentator Daniel Pinkwater's podcast, aptly named The Pinkwater Podcast. It's the Sunday, June 7 episode, and you can check it out right here.

Stories and photos from the road coming soon. It was a great trip, and it's nice to be home and back to work.

Friday, May 29, 2009

A quick note from the road.

I'm in Asheville right now, helping Stacey pack up her van so she can move back to New Hampshire for the summer. We'll head out tomorrow, and we'll be back in town Monday night, with stops in DC, Jersey, and Connecticut.

Last night's show at the Beacon Pub went well. It was a small but spirited crowd, and I got a lot of good requests.

Tonight I'm going to be singing Take Me Out To The Ball Game at the Asheville Tourists game. Fun!

Friday, May 22, 2009

Sidewalk Cafe.

Hey, here's a couple (edit: three!) videos from Song Fight NYC this past weekend.

Jim Tyrell_ Red Zero from Glen Phillips on Vimeo.


Jim Tyrell _ I Know My Rights from Glen Phillips on Vimeo.


Jim Tyrell_ Hey Ruth from Glen Phillips on Vimeo.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Live at Lago #68.

I was the featured performer at Lago's songer/songwriter night last week, and the podcast of the show (and other recent Live @ Lago shows) can be heard right here:



Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Song Fight NYC: Report from the road.

I had a great time in New York. I left Sunday morning, and picked up fellow Songfighter Bjam in Boston around 8am. We got to Prospect Park in NYC a little before noon, and promptly got lost in it. After a bit of wandering we found the Music Pagoda. First ones there, too! Before long the place was full of Songfighters, playing songs and eating cheese and Krispy Kreme donuts.

We hung out there for a few hours, and then headed over to the legendary Sidewalk Cafe in Manhattan. I played a set there, and had the pleasure of New Zealand's own Caravan Ray singing one of my drinking songs with me. So fun! It was a good set, and I should have audio of it shortly. For now, you can view some photos from the shows right here.

We stayed over in NYC and headed out first thing Monday morning. By the time I got Bjam back to her place there was a troubling thumping coming from my front left tire. I thought it might be a problem with the e-brake, so I was swerving and braking and trying to loosen it, to no avail. Finally I stopped in Melrose and had it looked at. The mechanic told me the lugs had been loosened - someone probably tried to steal the hubcap - and I was lucky the wheel didn't fall off on the highway. Wow! At least I caught it in time, and it was a quick and inexpensive fix. The rest of the trip was much less eventful; I finished up the leftover Krispy Kremes on the way home, and that's about it.

It was a real treat to meet and talk with Johnny Cashpoint, Heuristics Inc., ujnhunter, Caravan Ray, Noah Mclaughlin, Elaine DeMasi, and Ben Kreiger. And to hang with a bunch of other songfighters I'd met before, too. I wish I could go to the SF Live event in Spokane this summer, but it's right in the busy season and I've got shows back east.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Hong Kong to NYC to North Carolina.

Okay, it's not quite as ambitious as that. But close. Tomorrow night (Thursday May 14) I'm playing a solo show at Ernie's Club Hong Kong in downtown Plymouth NH. The show starts at 9pm, and they're doing a 2 dollar PBR special. Sending the college kids home in style.

This Sunday I'm headed to New York City to take part in Song Fight Presents: NYC. I'll be playing an evening set at the Sidewalk Cafe.

And in a couple weeks, I'm going to do another run to NC and back, which features a return engagement at The Beacon Pub and Bistro in Swannanoa, NC.

A lot of traveling, especially in a month where I'm supposed to be getting a new album recorded. Things on that front are not moving as quickly as expected, but good work is being done and I see no need to shift the release date yet. Onward!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Lago tonight.

Tonight I'm the featured performer at Lago in Meredith. As both my faithful readers will know by now for sure, Lago's singer/songwriter night features original material exclusively (well, I've heard a couple covers in people's sets there before, but shhh). But since it's so nice to have a place to play the original stuff, I'm going to take the opportunity to expand on my thoughts about Lago a little here.

I'm perfectly okay with doing covers at my shows. In most cases, that's what I'm hired to do, actually. The bar/restaurant wants stuff people will enjoy, and a song they know and can sing/dance/stumble along to is much more likely to keep them at the bar or table. The work may be creative, but the job is really another cog in the service industry machine. (That sounds more cynical than intended.) I do throw a song or two of my own in, but I balance that by making song lists available to the crowd. If there's something they'd prefer to hear, they can ask for it.

But Lago, now there's an interesting thing going on. Linden Mazurka is the driving force behind the singer/songwriter night. Every Monday he plays a short set and then introduces the featured performer, who plays for 40 minutes or so. And then the stage opens to anyone with the material and the panache to take advantage. It's a small but receptive crowd. Having other musicians in the room who are doing original material guarantees that at least someone will be paying attention to what you're trying to do, which helps a lot. It's a very nice thing to have a place to reconnect with the things that made me want to pick up the guitar (or piano, if I were in better shape) in the first place.

If you're in the area tonight, things will probably get going around 6pm. They tend to start pretty early over there. The setting is beautiful, the food is very good, and the bartender knows more about 80s music than I do. You could do a Hell of a lot worse on a Monday.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

(Who Are The) Brain Police?

Come find out tonight at Ernie's Club Hong Kong in Plymouth. We're playing at 9pm, and it's going to be loud. Wait, I mean good. No, I had it right before, it's going to be loud. I mean, it'll probably be good too. We like what we do, and we're doing it to a crowd that is enjoying the end of the college semester and $1 Miller High Lifes. So yeah, it should go well.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Quiet.

It was a very quiet April. May looks to be a little busier, June busier still and then summer will be the usual whirlwind. There are a few venues in the Laconia/Weirs Beach area that won't be booking me or my bands because they've been told they need to put in sprinkler systems in order to have entertainment. Drag.

This Saturday, though, my band No Limitz will be at The Black Cat right in downtown Laconia. The sprinkler mandate definitely hits that band hard, but we'll find places to play. And I've got a couple new solo show opportunities in the works too.

Then there's the new album to get finished. It's not like I won't be busy, I can tell you that.

Oh, also: if you do that Twitter thing, you can follow me at http://twitter.com/jimtyrrell.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Onward To Yesterday!

The new CD is scheduled for release in June 2009. It's called Onward To Yesterday. The track listing/order is set, and recording is under way. The initial release will be a special edition thing I'm putting together; more on that later. And I'll be posting a track or two before the disc comes out as well. For now, here's the CD cover art.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Ernie's Club Hong Kong.

On Wednesdays, there's an open jam at Ernie's Club Hong Kong on Main Street in Plymouth. I've been a few times. It's not like the other open mikes in the area, where a performer will get up and do their own thing for fifteen minutes or whatever. This one is a continuous jam with rotating personnel; players just work their way in by taking over an instrument for a while. Lots of people end up playing a few different instruments over the course of the night. Bill Joiner is the man who holds it together, and he's a very good drummer.
Ernie's Club Hong Kong has bands on Thursdays, and (Who Are The) Brain Police will be taking the stage there on May 7.

This Wednesday I've got an open mike of my own to host, down at Shooter's Tavern in Belmont. It'll be nice to get back there; I haven't played Shooter's in over a month, I think! After that, I might drop in at Ernie's to see what's going on.

Monday, April 20, 2009

The Country Cow.

Thursdays mean two things at The Country Cow in Campton: live music, and pizza. I was the performer this past Thursday, and the show went well. I had a nice full house to play to for most of the night. And I got myself a 'cowaiian' pizza that I simply must show you. Check this bad boy out. It was dinner and then breakfast the next day. So good.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Seven Barrel.

Tonight I'm playing with (Who Are The) Brain Police at the Seven Barrel Brewery in West Lebanon, NH. The show starts at 10pm. Our bass player (Billy Thunder) is unable to attend this evening, so I will be slinging the bass over my shoulder tonight. It's been a while since I've done a bass gig. It's going to be a lot of fun.

Last night at the Country Cow was a pretty good night. I played to an unusually large crowd, and they dug it well enough. Thursday is pizza night at the Cow, and their Hawaiian pizza was my dinner last night and my lunch today. SO good. You should definitely check 'em out. Next Thursday, Lee Prince is playing there. I haven't set up another show there yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Three shows.

Tonight is a solo show at The Country Cow in Campton, NH. It seems like forever since I played a solo show. Was the last one really in Swannanoa, North Carolina? I think so! Well, I'm looking forward to tonight for sure. I'll be starting around 7pm, and finishing up around 10.

Tomorrow I'm playing with (Who Are The) Brain Police at the Seven Barrel Brewery in West Lebanon. And Saturday is a show with No Limitz at The Crazy Gringo right on the strip at Weirs Beach.

Sunday is a trip to Funspot, 'cause Monday is my 40th birthday. Going to the arcade for my birthday isn't a matter of reclaiming my youth or anything; it's just something I'd normally enjoy on a day off. Plus, my kids thought of it, and it's a fine idea.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Kingdom of Loathing.

There's a silly online game called Kingdom Of Loathing that I play now and then. I signed on pretty early, and what do you know, it was five years ago today that I made my character. So, it's my KoLiversary. Whee!

If you like text-based games (and booze), you might get a kick out of it. My guy's name is Dorkus. Say hi sometime!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Back to work.

Y'know, it's nice to be home. I had SUCH a good time on the road, and I'm already trying to figure out when I can do it again. But it's nice to be back in New Hampshire. Especially since most of the snow decided to disappear in my absence.

Tonight is my first show back in the Granite State. The Jim Tyrrell Trio is going down to Dover to play at The Brick House. It's a double bill with Johnny Doogan, a fun trio that has a great body of original material about robots and fun stuff. My trio will be doing a few songs from the upcoming CD (which I hope to have ready for summer).

The CD is turning into a more ambitious project than any disc I've done before. Which is the way it should be, I suppose. At least at my level; there's still plenty of room for additional ambition, it's safe to say. Anyway, I'll be pretty proud of the results if it goes the way I intend it to. Details can be found right here as the project progresses.

Monday, April 6, 2009

The tour ends.

I'm back home now. I had less time for blogging than I thought I would, so let me get you caught up on things now.

Thursday was a rainy day, but it let up in time for the load-in at The Beacon Pub in Swannanoa. I set up the congas for this show as well, but I didn't put a mike on them. They were plenty loud enough with the smaller PA system I use. The crowd was very nice, and I played a lot of requests. The show had been advertised as heavy on the drinking songs, so I did more of those than I thought I'd be doing. They were happy to have me, and I should be able to play there again if I find my way back to Asheville. I don't have photos from the show on my camera, but I know a few were taken, so I'll post 'em if I get 'em.

There's a lot more to be said about the week I spent down there, and I'll probably highlight a few of the fun things I did in future blog posts. The important thing for you to know is that I had the BEST BACON I HAVE EVER EATEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE at the Tupelo Honey Cafe.

I left Asheville on Saturday, intending to drive through the night as much as I could. I ended up stopping three times to sleep, and I wasn't really lucid enough to feel good about driving until the sun came back up. Then I was in the zone. I got to Plymouth NH around 4pm Sunday. Plenty of time to unpack, do the road laundry, and get a good night's sleep. I'm more or less back on my normal schedule this Monday morning. And I'm already thinking about where to go next. Suggestions welcome. :)

Thursday, April 2, 2009

The tour continues.

Tuesday's show at The Rocket Club was good, but a little bit of a surprise. The other band (Pete and J) couldn't make the show due to a blown transmission. So all of a sudden I was on the hook to play the entire night. Not too big a deal, I play full shows often. But I was a little nervous doing it in a new venue.

Fortunately, local comic Greg Brown helped me out by doing an opening set. He's a friendly and funny guy. He set them up, and I knocked 'em down. It ended up being a really good, high-energy show. Several folks in the crowd took turns coming up on stage and playing the congas. A lot of people danced and got really really drunk for a Tuesday. In fact, most of the crowd went across the street to another bar (The Admiral) after the show. A quick stop there and a 1am run to Taco Bell topped off a very good night. Look, photos!

Tonight is the show at The Beacon Pub in nearby Swannanoa. That should be a good one too. The venue is a real cute place, and the people there were wonderful when I stopped by to check it out earlier this week.

Monday, March 30, 2009

The tour begins.



Saturday night I played in Vermont with (Who Are The) Brain Police. Small crowd, but a good show. That band is getting tight.

Right after the show I got in the van and started driving south. Around 4:30am I found a rest area and slept in the back of the van for a couple hours. Then it was off to North Carolina! I got to Asheville Sunday night. It was a nice drive, if a bit long. And there was a lot of rain and fog. Virginia was a nice stretch though.

Now I'm having a huge cup of very stiff coffee at Stacey's place. I'm going to do an inventory of the gear today and make sure everything is set for tomorrow's show at The Rocket Club.

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

About the tour.

It's coming up fast. And calling it a 'tour' might not be entirely accurate, since it's just two shows within a few miles of one another. But I've got to drive all day to get there, and the whole thing is going to take a week, so it's a tour to me!



On Sunday I'll be headed south, and unless I can book a last-minute show somewhere along the way, I'll drive straight to North Carolina. My friend Stacey lives in Asheville, and she and her roommates have graciously offered to provide accommodations while I'm down there.




The first show is Tuesday, March 31. I'm playing at The Rocket Club right in Asheville, opening for Pete And J, a clever band from New York. They toured with Rusted Root recently. I'll primarily be doing originals at this one, but I'm sure I'll work in a few of the more interesting covers. (I'm still having a ridiculously good time with the loop pedal I got a while back.)




The second show is Thursday, April 2. I'll be at the Beacon Pub in nearby Swannanoa. This show is just me, and it'll be a lot like the solo shows I play up here, with a mix of originals and covers.


I'd like to find a show on the way home, too, but it doesn't matter much. The two shows already on the books are enough to justify the trip. I'll probably hit some open mikes while I'm down there as well; there's something going on in Asheville pretty much all the time, from what I'm told. I will have the laptop with me, and I'll post reports from the road.


There's one last order of local business to attend to before I take off though: (Who Are The) Brain Police are returning to Shenanigans in White River Junction VT for a Saturday night show. I'll probably hit the road right from there, so I guess you can count that as the start of the tour, right?

Monday, March 23, 2009

Giuseppe's.

I'm playing a solo show at Giuseppe's in Meredith tonight from 6 to 9. This is just the sort of show I'd love to get a recording of, but I have misplaced my field recorder at the moment. I'm going to do the whole show on their grand piano. I'm going in with nothing but a one-page song list and a tip jar.

After the show I will probably pop in across the street at Lago, where Peter Lawlor is headlining tonight's singer/songwriter open mic night. Come on out and barhop in Meredith! Not a bad music scene, for a Monday. :)

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Live at Lago.

I was pretty under the weather this past Monday, but I managed to get through my Live At Lago show. You can hear the podcast of the show right here. It was a well-attended show with a lot of good performers. Check it on out!

In other news, the track list for the new full-length CD is nearly set. I'd like to settle on one more song. Recording has started on a few of the tracks. Some of them can be built up from the demo versions, and others will need to be redone entirely. I'd like to have the CD ready to go this summer. Details to follow.

Friday, March 20, 2009

The second floor lounge.

A podcast called The Second Floor Lounge played one of my songs on St. Patrick's Day. I'm a little late in linking to it, but there's never a bad time to listen to drinking songs, so here you go. It's a good long podcast of Irish (and Irish sounding, in my case) tunes.

In other news, I've got the weekend off. I was supposed to play with (Who Are The) Brain Police at the Seven Barrel tonight, but my voice just isn't up to it. I'm a little worried aobut that, but it's gotten better over the last couple days so I'm gonna see what happens. (I got through my show at Shooter's Tavern last night, but there was still a lot of material I really couldn't do.) Our bass player has fallen ill as well, but worry not, fans of loud chaos: a couple members of The Undercover Operatives have been enlisted to fill in, and the show will go on as scheduled. Soldier on, Brain Police!

As for me, I'm spending some time with the boys, recuperating, and working on some material and arrangements for the upcoming tour. Which starts in... nine days. Holy crap.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

St. Patrick's Day.



Loooong day. Fun though. It started at 7am The Daily Planet Morning Show (WPNH 100.1fm), where I played drinking song with Amy and Annie live on the radio. Annie made me a cup of tea that saved the day.

From there I went to Talullah's Tavern at Ragged Mountain. I played from 2:30 to 5:30. The ski conditions were good, and there was a nice turnout. And then it was off to The Lucky Dog in Plymouth.

I was set up and playing at 7, and by 9 I was starting to fade. But then Finn showed up with his fiddle, and breathed new life into the whole night. He and I played the rest of the night together and it was great. The bar filled in near the end, and they wanted us to keep going at 11, but I had to pack it in.


As usual, it took a while to get home and get to sleep. But I'm well-enough rested for the next stop; I'm hosting the open mic night at Shooter's in Belmont tonight. Tomorrow night I've got a solo show at Shooter's as well. Then... no shows this weekend. Normally that would trouble me. Not this time.

Friday, March 13, 2009

I'm on the radio.

Here's a couple songs from this morning's live performance on The Daily Planet Morning Show.



Tonight I'm playing with (Who Are The) Brain Police at the Pit Road Lounge in Concord. Come on out and start the weekend with some LOUD NOISES!