Jim Tyrrell - Singer/Songfighter

Bookings.

2010-05-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

I want to thank everyone that has offered to help me through the loss of my gear recently. I'm lucky to know so many good souls. I'm also a New Englander, and I have a built-in aversion to taking handouts.

Replacing my gear will run into some money, but I can offset it by booking a few extra shows. So here's a list of dates I have available. If anyone can provide the opportunity for me to work to replace this gear, it would be the kind of help I'd have no problem accepting. :)

Sunday June 13
Sunday June 20
Sunday June 27
Thursday July 1
Friday July 23
Friday August 27
Friday September 10

Live at Camp.

2010-05-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday I played at Camp in Meredith NH. This is one of the songs from the show, an original with lyrics by Stacey Lucas.

By the way, that's the guitar that got stolen over the weekend. Lemme know if you see it around. :)

Stolen gear.

2010-05-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

Someone took a bunch of gear from my car last night. I just got back from filing a police report. Here's what I lost:

My guitar. It's an Oscar Schmidt (by Washburn), small scale acoustic electric. In a hard-shell case with CWB and AVL stickers on it.

My wireless headset mic and transmitter. Audio-Tecnica. I just got that thing, too.

A gig bag. All the instrument and mic cables. I found one of the microphones from this bag on the ground next to the car.

I've got a show at The Village Perk today, and with some small purchases and a quick pillage of the basement studio, I think I've put together enough replacement gear to get through. This one stings pretty bad, though. That guitar isn't high-end or anything, but I was real happy with the size and the sound. And that headset mic was definitely helpful with my efforts to be more ergonomically correct.

So, anyway. Gonna pull it together and go play a show. This makes it harder to do what I do, but it doesn't change what I do.

Bike Week 2010.

2010-05-21T08:12:00.001-07:00

Laconia Bike Week 2010 is fast approaching, and as always, I'll be playing a few shows in and around the Lakes Region. I generally try to book shows that aren't right in Weirs Beach, because it's very tricky to get gear in and out of there. Here's where I can be found:

Saturday, June 12 - Stix Entertainment Center, Meredith NH. A classic rock gig with No Limitz. In a bowling alley! Badass.

Monday, June 14 - Laconia Harley-Davidson. Another show with No Limitz, starting at 6pm.

Thursday, June 17 - The Country Cow, Campton NH. I've played a Bike Week show at the Cow for the last couple years, and it's always a good time up there.

Friday, June 18 - The Red Blazer, Concord NH. A solo show down in the big city.

Saturday, June 19 - The Black Cat, Laconia NH. When No Limitz plays the Black Cat, it's usually a pretty rowdy time. This gig should be especially so.

I am not a motorcyclist myself (I bruised my epididimus riding a dirt bike back in high school, and that was enough for me to lose my taste for biking). Sometimes I think having a scooter would be fun, but it's just not practical for the touring musician. But Bike Week is always a good time for me, because the crowds are always right into it. So I'm looking forward to this little run of shows.

A week in (and around) Meredith.

2010-05-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

My strategy for booking shows is pretty simple: book anything that comes up, as soon as possible. It keeps me busy for sure. And it usually means driving all over Hell and creation. But this week, I'm lucky to have a nice little run of shows right in (and near) Meredith, NH. Here's the list:

Tuesday, May 18, 8:30pm - Camp, Meredith NH. I'm the feature performer at Live at Camp (formerly Live @ Lago), hosted by Linden Mazurka. I'll be performing an entire set of originals. Video and audio from this show will be available later in the week.

Thursday, May 20, 6pm - Giuseppe's, Meredith NH. I'm excited about this one. A 3-hour solo show with a grand piano just waiting for me. Giuseppe's is one of the very first places I played out, and I love going back there. I'm going to try to stream this one live if I can.

Saturday, May 22, 8pm - The Crazy Gringo, Weirs Beach NH. I've got to skip over to the next town for this one. No Limitz is doing the classic rock thing at the restaurant that started my lifelong love affair with nachos.

Sunday, May 23, 1pm - The Village Perk, Meredith NH. Back to town for a midday show at Gregg Grant's coffee shop. This show will likely be watchable online.

Then I've got no shows until the following Sat/Sun, when I play two gigs in Campton. Nice work if you can get it!

Weekend recap.

2010-05-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

It was an unusual weekend; I only had one show. I played with No Limitz at Shooter's in Belmont. It was my first test of the new headset mic, and I'm pretty happy with it. Takes a little getting used to, but it'll work well, I think. No Limitz was well-received by the Shooter's crowd. We've got to adjust the setup so we can play smaller venues at an appropriate volume, though. We're finding that we're too loud for a few of the rooms we play.

I spent most of the rest of the weekend with my boys; we went to the Science Center in Holderness, and we stopped at my uncle's birthday party. I also got to start work on the downstairs studio. If I can find a few more hours, I can get that place ready to record again. Hopefully this week.

Rockin' the triple.

2010-05-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I do a foolish thing to myself, and it happens just infrequently enough for me to forget just what it puts me through. And it's happening again on July 10. I'm playing a triple.

This one might not be so bad though, since all the shows are in close proximity to one another, and I might only need to set up sound at one of them. Here's where I'll be:

Squam Lakes Arts Festival, Ashland NH - this is an all-day event with a lot of great local musicians performing (among them, The Crunchy Western Boys and Audrey Drake). I'll be playing a one-hour set at 2pm, and it'll be mostly original material.

Veggie Art Girl Boutique, Holderness NH - Stacey Lucas is having her summer open house at the boutique, and there will be several performers here as well. Not sure what my time slot is yet, but I'll be there all day (except for the hour I'm in Ashland).

Shooter's Tavern & Pizzaria, Belmont NH - I've got a night show here, and it's a Saturday, which means it will probably be a duo show. Matt Langley is the likeliest co-conspirator, but I've got to confirm that.

It will be frantic and exhausting, and I'd do it every day if I could.

A pain in the neck.

2010-05-14T07:13:00.000-07:00

I've been going to Physical Therapy a couple times a week, to try and get some back/neck pain straightened out. I think my posture at my shows is a large part of the problem. I lean over the keyboard (with a guitar in my lap) to sing into a mic for 3+ hours a show.

Recently my mic stand got damaged, and I was going to order a new one, and then I thought maybe I could use the opportunity to improve my setup. So instead, I've ordered a wireless headset microphone. It should arrive today, and if it's not too complicated to use, I might have it in place for tonight's show.

Tonight's show, by the way, is at Shooter's Tavern and Pizzaria in Belmont NH with classic rockers No Limitz. It should be a good one. This band will be a good fit for that room. The show starts at 8:30pm. Come on out if you can for pizza and music, and to laugh at my new Madonna headset. :)

Summer Schedule Part II.

2010-05-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

The shows keep rolling in, and I'm almost completely booked up for the summer. Here are a few more rooms in which I can be found:

Giuseppe's Pizzeria & Ristorante, Meredith NH - Very musical, very Italian, & very good. This is one of the first rooms I ever played, back when I was a piano-only mohawked ruffian. It's really nice to be playing a few solo shows here. I'll be doing one Thursday night each month this summer.

Weirs Beach Lobster Pound, Weirs Beach NH - my first season up on the deck, playing outdoors for the Weirs Beach crowd. I'll be doing a couple Thursday shows there as well.

Walter's Basin, Holderness NH - Thursdays are pretty busy for me this year, I guess. Walter's Basin is a great spot right on Squam Lake, and shows in their lounge (The Basshole (yeah, that's right)) are always fun.

Check the show schedule at http://www.jimtyrrell.net/ for all the details. Hope to see you!

Lego cake.

2010-04-20T02:38:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday! And I'm trying to be good about what I eat these days. My boys took this to heart, and made me a Lego cake. Awesome.

I'm gonna kick back (as the schedule allows) today. No show until Thursday, when I play a duo with Matt Langley at Shooter's. Come on out if you can!

Summer schedule.

2010-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Summer 2010 is starting to take shape, and it's looking busy. Just how I like it. I'll be taking July and August off from the day job so I can play as many shows as possible. Here are a few of the places I can be found this summer:

The Margate, Laconia NH - This will be my sixth summer playing the beach bar at the Margate. This year I'll be there every Wednesday and Sunday in July and August.

The Black Cat Cafe, Laconia NH - I can be found at The Black Cat once a month with classic rockers No Limitz. Our shows have built up a nice little following over there.

Shooter's Tavern and Pizzaria, Belmont NH - I'll be playing shows here throughout the summer as a solo performer, a duo with Matt Langley, a trio with Jimbo's Garage, and with No Limitz as well.

Woodstock Inn Station & Brewery, N. Woodstock NH - A new room for me this season. I'll be there one Thursday a month starting in July.

There are already a lot of other one-time appearances on the books too; I'll be bouncing around New Hampshire all summer. Keep an eye on the schedule for updates, which will be coming in regularly over the next month or so.

Jim Tyrrell on Local Outbreak.

2010-04-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

As mentioned yesterday, I recently did a radio interview. It was for the Local Outbreak program on The Planet 100.1fm. I rode down with Annie (from The Planet) to Rage Rock Studios in Manchester to do a one-hour Q&A with Matt Connarton. They did a nice job of putting the piece together.

The episode aired on Sunday, April 11. And the folks at IpmNation have archived the show for streaming & downloading. And you can hear it right here.

Catching up.

2010-04-13T06:16:00.000-07:00

Wow. A lot has happened since the last time I posted here. I traveled to North Carolina and back, sold a house, did two live radio appearances, played 16 shows, and recorded a 1-hour interview for Local Outbreak. I've got to get better about keeping this thing up to date. I think I'll pre-blog some stuff today. And in the interests of keeping things fresh, I will consult my psychic and only pre-blog stuff I haven't done yet. :)

I don't have any shows coming up until the weekend; Saturday night I will be at the Black Cat Cafe in Laconia with No Limitz. We'll be streaming video of the show live on the web, and I'll post a link here and on my Facebook page.

Time for some drinking songs.

2010-03-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

St. Patrick's Day is nearly upon us! Better start drinking now. If you haven't already. Here's a rundown of what the next couple weeks have in store:

Friday, March 12
I'll be visiting the Daily Planet Morning Show (WPNH 100.1fm) to play some drinking songs live on the radio. It's an early one; I'll be getting there around 6:30am, and I plan to hang around for an hour (or until they kick me out).

Saturday, March 13
My classic rock band No Limitz will be at the Black Cat Cafe in Laconia NH. Not a drinking songs show exactly, but I may sneak a few in on the set breaks. And there will be plenty of drinking either way. This show will be streamed live over the web, and I will post a link that night.

Sunday, March 14
I will be playing a late-night solo show at the Lucky Dog Tavern & Grill in downtown Plymouth NH. This is the bar where JS got me started on the whole drinking songs thing, and it's nice to be back. The show starts at 10pm or thereabouts. This show will also likely be watchable online.

Monday, March 15
Nothing scheduled, but if I'm not too hung over I may take a trip down to the Red Blazer in Concord NH for their open mike night. Matt Langley will be the host that night, and if it's anything like last Monday's open mike, it will be worth the trip.

Tuesday, March 16
Another open night, which I may elect to fill with a visit to Lago in Meredith NH. Linden Mazurka's Live @ Lago singer/songwriter night on Tuesdays is one of my favorites, and I don't get to go nearly as often as I'd like.

Wednesday, March 17
A busy day for sure. It starts with a return to the Daily Planet Morning Show for more drinking songs for the radio crowd. Then I'm off to Ragged Mountain Ski Resort, to play an apres-ski show at Talullah's Tavern. This will be my third St. Pat's at Ragged Mountain, and they always have a good time with it. And that night, my trio (Jimbo's Garage) will be at Shooter's Tavern and Pizzaria in Belmont NH, regaling the folks with tales of drunken revelry.

Thursday, March 18
With luck, someone will have come up with enough money to post bail, and I will get to the business of finding my car, making sure the gear is still in it, and heading home for a hot shower and a nap.

Friday, March 19
Just when you thought it was safe... my trio is off to Tony's Italian Grille & Pub in Thornton NH for a Show Us Your Shamrocks show. It starts at 6:30pm, and by then we may actually remember the fuzzy details of the previous week, and will be happy to share any of those stories that will not incriminate us or anyone else.

Saturday, March 20
There is the possibility of a Weirs Beach show with No Limitz, but it's still up in the air. I will update.

Sunday, March 21
No rest here. Time for another solo show at The Village Perk in Meredith NH. Gregg Grant has done a wonderful job with the reopening of this coffee shop. I got a killer pulled pork sandwich there last time. This show will be streamed live on the web.

*UPDATE* This show has been moved one week forward. I'll be at the Perk on Sunday, March 28 from 1-4pm.

Monday, March 22
It's my turn to serve as host at the Red Blazer's open mike night. At this point, the closest I'm likely to come to the drinking songs material is Margaritaville. But I think if we truly believe, we can keep the spirit of St. Patrick alive the whole year 'round.

The Red Blazer.

2010-03-09T06:40:00.000-08:00

It was a good open mic night at the Red Blazer last night. Four Concord-area musicians stopped by to play for the decent Monday night crowd. One guy even did a Zappa cover. Fun!

Matt Langley and I switch off weekly as host of the open mic. I will be there on March 22, April 12, and April 26. I have a couple Friday night solo shows there in June as well (the 18th and 25th).

It's a friendly little room, and if you're a musician in the Concord area, come on down on a Monday and we'll make room for you. :)

This week's schedule.

2010-02-22T07:12:00.000-08:00

Oh man, have I got some stories for you. It's been a crazy month, and I'll post some tales from the road over the next few days. For now, though, here's a rundown of the upcoming week. It's a busy one!

Monday Feb 22 - Red Blazer, Concord NH (hosting open mike night 8-11pm)
Wednesday Feb 24 - Shooter's, Belmont NH (hosting open mike night 8-11pm)
Thursday Feb 25 - The Country Cow, Campton NH (solo show 6:30-9pm)
Friday Feb 26 - Shooter's, Belmont NH (with Jimbo's Garage 8-11pm)
Saturday Feb 27 - private party, Plymouth NH
Sunday Feb 28 - The Village Perk, Meredith NH (solo show 1-4pm)

This Sunday's show (and possibly one or two others this week) will be broadcast live on the web! More about that in the next couple day. Stay tuned. :)

CD is on its way.

2010-01-14T06:28:00.000-08:00

Things have been a little quiet at this blog, because the action is taking place over at www.onwardtoyesterday.com, where info about the new CD is posted every day. The discs have been shipped from California, and they'll be in hand by the end of the month. Preorders will ship out immediately once they come in.

In other news, I'm playing Dueling Pianos again tonight at Ri Ra in Burlington, Vermont. Ed McCarron and I will be covering pretty much any song you ask for, as long as it's upbeat. We get a fair amount of requests for slow songs, and it's tough to do those and keep the energy up. So yeah, you probably won't get 'Desperado' out of us. Try something like 'Our Lips Are Sealed' by the Go-Gos or something.

Onward To Yesterday preorders!

2010-01-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

The CD is *finally* in production (official release date: Jan 31), and a limited number of preorders are being taken. Visit www.onwardtoyesterday.blogspot.com to learn more about the Onward To Yesterday Limited Edition CD.

In other news, what was looking like a busy January has turned into a frantic one. New shows have been added at the Red Blazer in Concord, NH. And I'm hoping to drop in on the open mike at Lago one of these Tuesdays. Not today though; too much album promo stuff to do. :)

Outrunning winter.

2009-12-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

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!

Jimbo's Garage.

2009-12-08T06:40:00.000-08:00

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.

Back at it.

2009-12-07T06:31:00.000-08:00

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)

A weekend off.

2009-12-05T03:34:00.000-08:00

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.

On the radio and at the bar.

2009-12-04T05:30:00.000-08:00

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!

Veggie Art Girl Boutique.

2009-12-03T05:00:00.000-08:00

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.

Back on the radio.

2009-12-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

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.

Artistic Roots.

2009-12-01T06:55:00.000-08:00

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. :)

Upcoming shows.

2009-11-30T06:05:00.000-08:00

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.

A long-overdue update.

2009-11-19T06:43:00.000-08:00

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.

Dueling Pianos.

2009-10-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

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.

On the radio (and on the road).

2009-10-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

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!

Onward.

2009-10-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

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!

This weekend.

2009-10-09T07:37:00.001-07:00

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.

Busy!

2009-10-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

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.

Song Fight win!

2009-10-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

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.

Representation.

2009-09-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

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.

Back to business.

2009-09-24T05:36:00.000-07:00

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!

Made To Be Played.

2009-09-23T06:15:00.001-07:00

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.

Live @ Lago.

2009-09-17T12:22:00.001-07:00

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:

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.

Weekend recap.

2009-09-08T03:50:00.001-07:00

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.

The destruction of Bristol by fire.

2009-09-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

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?

Back at it.

2009-09-02T13:16:00.000-07:00

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.

This week.

2009-08-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

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.

Graphic Designer/Musician.

2009-08-24T05:41:00.000-07:00

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.

A Weekend With The Band.

2009-08-23T05:10:00.000-07:00

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!

Checking in.

2009-08-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

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.

August.

2009-08-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

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.

What I did this weekend.

2009-07-27T06:32:00.000-07:00

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.

Not available in stores.

2009-07-24T06:17:00.000-07:00

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:

Another double.

2009-07-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Catching up.

2009-07-15T05:13:00.000-07:00

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!

That weird time thing.

2009-07-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

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!

Blog of the Week.

2009-07-09T07:41:00.001-07:00

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!

Weekend recap.

2009-07-07T06:52:00.000-07:00

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...

Musician.

2009-07-02T04:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Smokey Bones.

2009-07-01T05:34:00.001-07:00

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!

The Busy Season.

2009-06-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

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!

Bike Week.

2009-06-19T05:39:00.001-07:00

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.

About sprinkler systems.

2009-06-18T05:07:00.000-07:00

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.

The Pinkwater Podcast.

2009-06-08T03:32:00.001-07:00

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.

A quick note from the road.

2009-05-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

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!

Sidewalk Cafe.

2009-05-22T01:04:00.000-07:00

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.

Live at Lago #68.

2009-05-21T12:11:00.001-07:00

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:

Song Fight NYC: Report from the road.

2009-05-20T04:41:00.001-07:00

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.

Hong Kong to NYC to North Carolina.

2009-05-13T06:36:00.000-07:00

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!

Lago tonight.

2009-05-11T04:58:00.000-07:00

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.

(Who Are The) Brain Police?

2009-05-07T05:45:00.000-07:00

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.

Quiet.

2009-05-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

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.

Onward To Yesterday!

2009-04-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Ernie's Club Hong Kong.

2009-04-21T04:45:00.001-07:00

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.

The Country Cow.

2009-04-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

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.

Seven Barrel.

2009-04-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

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.

Three shows.

2009-04-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

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.

Kingdom of Loathing.

2009-04-15T10:22:00.001-07:00

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!

Back to work.

2009-04-09T04:46:00.000-07:00

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.

The tour ends.

2009-04-06T05:41:00.000-07:00

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. :)

The tour continues.

2009-04-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

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.

The tour begins.

2009-03-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

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.

About the tour.

2009-03-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

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?

Giuseppe's.

2009-03-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

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. :)

Live at Lago.

2009-03-21T06:30:00.001-07:00

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.

The second floor lounge.

2009-03-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

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.

St. Patrick's Day.

2009-03-18T07:08:00.000-07:00

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.

I'm on the radio.

2009-03-13T06:16:00.001-07:00

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!

I'm in the paper.

2009-03-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

Today the Concord Monitor ran an article about me and the new CD of drinking songs. You can read the whole thing right here. Here's an excerpt:

Jim Tyrrell is a born storyteller - which is good, since he spends much of his life telling stories in song. So as he tells the story, he was a local guy performing regularly at bars and clubs throughout New Hampshire, offering a mix of original, often humorous songs, and sometimes-raucous cover tunes.
Then one time he got booked at a pub in Plymouth around St. Patrick's Day, and they asked if he could work an Irish song or two into his repertoire. He said he could.

"Before I knew it, the show was being advertised as 'four hours of Celtic Music' featuring me," Tyrrell said. "It was a brutal surprise - I was suddenly on the hook."

Tyrrell took on the challenge though, learning a couple of traditional Irish tunes and then - because he is equal parts writer and performer - he wrote himself some songs in the style of the traditional tunes.

The result of that almost-mishap is Tyrrell's CD Time For Another Round: Gold Edition, his collection of drinking songs. He'll perform many tunes from the Another Round collection at shows in the coming weeks, including a visit to The Pit Road Lounge in Concord tomorrow night.

Okay, to be fair, the Pit Road gig is with (Who Are The) Brain Police, and there won't be many drinking songs there. If you want to hear the drinking songs, come out to Lago next Monday, or to Ragged Mountain or The Lucky Dog on St. Pat's.

And there's a couple other things in the article that don't exactly tell the story the way I'd have wanted to tell it. (Most notably, I acutally think there's a great wealth of storytelling songwriters in the area, and you can find links to many of them over there on the right.) But that's the press for you. And for the most part, Victoria Shouldis did a very nice job of summing up what I do.

Another double.

2009-03-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

A double on a Monday? Sure, why not. It started at Giuseppe's, where I had intended to do a three-hour piano show. In the end, I couldn't resist bringing the guitar in as well. It was a real nice setup for doing some loop-based stuff. I played that new (to me) Cope tune and a few others. Mostly it was piano though. My buddy w.c.pelon celebrated his birthday there, and a lot of the old crew came out for the show. (I used to play there about, oh, 20 years ago.) It was really nice to be back there.

I finished up at 9 and went across the street to Lago. I was worried about Linden's singer/songwriter open mic. Last week he played the whole thing by himself, and if that happens for a few weeks in a row then open mikes tend to shut down. And his is too good for that; they feature original music exclusively (a rule that is bent slightly sometimes, but not by me. heh). Anyway, I figured I should go and show my support, even if I was too late to catch the event itself.

Not only was I not too late, the place was packed with musicians and patrons. They'd been going since about 5:30. It was great to see. I hadn't intended to play, but Linden made me do a short set at the end. And it was really fun, because all the songs I played were originals, and they were all audience requests from different people. That's a first. I guess that means I'm famous, and I can stop now. Phew!

If you're a New Hampshire songwriter you owe it to yourself to check out the open mike at Lago. You can do it right now by listening to the weekly podcast (last night's show will be up by Friday).

No shows for the next few days, so I'm catching up on a few things (like sleep).

The weekend (with links galore).

2009-03-09T05:33:00.000-07:00

I played with No Limitz at The Country Cow on Friday, and we got to do a sweet thing. We invited Chris Downing and his girlfriend Amanda to come up and dance. Then we played Amanda by Boston, and he proposed to her. Congrats, you two! Later, they each got up and did songs with the band, which they may or may not remember, given the lateness of the hour. Heh.

Saturday was my last show at The William Tell. They're closing down at the end of the month (until December, anyway). That's a shame; it's a good venue for what I do, and they had planned to book me for most Saturdays through the summer. Got to pound the pavement again. But that's always true, I guess. Man, I need an agent.

On Sunday morning I had a nice phone interview with a reporter from the Concord Monitor about my drinking songs. They're going to run a story in the paper this week (Thursday, maybe). Then it was off to Ragged Mountain to play a solo show at Tallulah's Tavern. It was a smaller crowd than usual, so I tried out a few new songs. It's good to take some chances on stage. And for the most part, they all worked out. I don't think anybody noticed the ones that didn't. I came away from that show with a nice arrangement of a Citizen Cope song (Night Becomes Day), and I'll probably be doing that one often.

From Ragged Mountain, I headed over to Giuseppe's in Meredith, where they were having a massive show to benefit their scholarship fund. I didn't play, but I got to see Joel Cage and Justin Jaymes and the Crunchy Western Boys. There's some good talent in these parts, folks. Don Watson was there as well, and although I didn't get to see him perform, I was able to discuss with him the details of a benefit coming up in April. I'll post it on the schedule once my time slot is confirmed.

It was about 7:30pm at this point, and not being ready to go home, I drove to Campton to The Sunset Grill for their Sunday night open mike. Jackie Lee hosts that one, and it's like hanging out in the living room listening to your friends play tunes. Except there's a big row of beer taps in there too. Knowing it was my last stop, I allowed myself a couple rounds and hung out. I played a little guitar, some bass, and a couple piano songs. I wish my schedule allowed me to book a regular show there, it's a great room. One of the first I ever played.

Tonight I'm back at Giuseppe's, playing a solo show from 6-9pm. I think it's gonna be all piano; they have a digital baby grand there that sounds veeeeeeery nice. I can't remember the last time I did an all-piano night. If there's time afterward, I may head across the street to Lago to catch the tail end of their singer/songwriter night.

This morning's radio show.

2009-03-06T06:51:00.000-08:00

I visited The Daily Planet Morning Show (WPNH 100.1fm) again this morning. Here's a clip from the show. I played three songs, but got recordings of only two.

I'll be there again next Friday morning, and on St. Patrick's Day too. Cheers!

A busier weekend than expected.

2009-03-02T05:46:00.000-08:00

I played Saturday night at The William Tell. It had been a slow day there, but the bar picked up nicely as the show went on. I'll be there again next week, but the sad news from them is that they're closing from April to December, and just doing special events and functions. I'd been planning to do a good many Saturdays there over the summer, so I'm scrambling to fill some holes in the schedule now.

On Sunday I took a ride over to Sandwich to see Audrey Drake play at Mocha Rizing. She and her friend Harmony Marckey put on a fantastic show. Audrey played a bunch of songs from her new CD, and did a couple gorgeous covers. Her take on Sade's 'The Sweetest Taboo' was better than the original.

While I was there, I got a call asking if I could host the open mike at The Sunset Grill that night. So it was in the car and off to Campton. Like the show the night before, it started off slow and ended up turning into a rowdy good time. I don't get to play the Grill nearly as often as I'd like to. It's one of the first rooms I ever played, and it's one of the coziest bars I get to visit.

And now, it's back to the grind. I'm working on booking another drinking songs show or two between now and St. Partick's Day. I'm putting together a little 'tour' of sorts at the end of the month that will be taking me down the east coast. And I'm peddling copies of Time For Another Round: Gold Edition, which can be ordered by clicking the snazzy link over there on the right. Cheers!

2009-02-26T06:23:00.001-08:00

The CDs are in!

2009-02-25T13:02:00.001-08:00

Hey, I'm ahead of schedule for once! Big ups to Diskfaktory in California for getting these done in record time. Preorders will start shipping out today. Woo!

You can get yours by clicking the link there on the right, and you can hear songs from the CD at www.drinkingsong.org.

Drinking songs on the radio.

2009-02-25T06:58:00.000-08:00

Starting this Friday (Feb 27), I'll be featured on The Daily Planet Morning Show at 7am EVERY Friday morning, performing some drinking songs from the album Time For Another Round: Gold Edition. Tune in to 100.1 FM and check it on out! I'll be making a musical appearance on the show on the morning of St. Patrick's Day as well. Fun!

The CD is available for preorder here and at www.drinkingsong.org. The official release date is March 1, but the discs are actually scheduled to arrive TODAY, so preorders will start shipping right away. Cheers!

Weekend Recap.

2009-02-23T05:50:00.001-08:00

Finally got that whole kidney stone business taken care of, and just in time. The two shows with (Who Are The) Brain Police went pretty well. Destroyed my voice though. On Sunday I went over to my buddy Brett's place. He and George Brown are doing an album for the RPM Challenge, and I laid down some keyboard tracks for them. Looks like I won't be getting my own RPM album done this year. Oh well.

In other news, http://www.drinkingsong.org/ is still chugging along. Starting March 1, it's going to feature all the tracks from Time For Another Round: Gold Edition in album order, and that'll take us right up to St. Patrick's Day. Woo!

Checking in.

2009-02-17T05:58:00.000-08:00

I am *still* waiting for this kidney stone to pass. Ouch. I managed to grit my teeth and muscle my way through a couple shows over the weekend. On Saturday I played at The William Tell in Thornton. Sunday was an apres-ski show at Ragged Mountain. The folks at Ragged were super accommodating; a few of the staff members loaded the gear out for me and everything. Much appreciated!

I've got a busy week coming up: Thursday at The Country Cow in Campton, Friday at the Seven Barrel Brewery in West Lebanon, and Saturday at Shenanigan's over in White River Junction, Vermont. The Friday and Saturday gigs are with (Who Are The) Brain Police. So I hope this stone decides to do its thing soon.

Quiet like a stone.

2009-02-11T06:50:00.001-08:00

Things are at a standstill over here at the moment. I went to the ER on Sunday morning, and they found a 3mm kidney stone in me. So I'm home, drinking lots of water, and waiting to pass it. I don't have a show until Saturday night, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed about that one.

This puts me a little behind in my drinking songs efforts this month, but no worries. And www.drinkingsong.org is still chugging along. Today's featured track is the legend of Sherman The Brave, to whom we all owe a deep debt of gratitude.

Music For A Song.

2009-02-05T07:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I played an in-store show at Music For A Song in Tilton, NH. It went pretty well, I thought. Not very well attended though. I didn't expect a large crowd at 1:30pm on a Wednesday, so no worries. It was still fun, and I'll do it again. I recorded the show, and I'll post it as soon as I have time to cook it down.

In other news, http://www.drinkingsong.org/ marches (or stumbles) on toward St. Patrick's Day. Today's song is by Ghost Town Gridlock, and it's a good one.

Drinking songs.

2009-02-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

Well, it's February, and that means it's time for another batch of drinking songs. I've got instrument tracks recorded for the first one, and I'm going to try to pen some lyrics for it today.

In other news, http://www.drinkingsong.org/ just went live. It features a drinking song a day, every day, right up to St. Patrick's Day. Stop by and start the St. Patrick's Day parade now!

Superbowl at Mantown.

2009-02-01T16:32:00.001-08:00

So yeah, what am I gonna do, NOT watch the Superbowl? Sure, it's not a particularly compelling matchup to me. But it's a football game, and I've been invited to Mantown. That's Bill Huber's Concord funhouse. There's football, beer, pool, darts, Guitar Hero, and swedish meatballs. What's not to like? Plus, it looks like it might even be a good game. PIT 10, ARI 7 approaching halftime.

Shooter's Tavern & Pizzaria.

2009-01-30T05:34:00.000-08:00

Tonight I'm back at Shooter's for a solo show. That's an interesting show, because you have to play it two different ways. There's the dinner crowd early, and by the end it's mostly pool players and barstoolers. My set is flexible enough to adjust. Shooter's is the place I'm most likely to get a request for AC/DC or Buck Cherry or something equally ridiculous on an acoustic guitar. I usually don't bring the keyboard at all, as that material is not as relevant to the venue. I'll get my share of piano work tomorrow night at The William Tell in Thornton.

In other news, Rick Clogston was nice enough to write a note about me (and some other local musicians) in his blog. Check it right on out!

Lago.

2009-01-26T12:04:00.000-08:00

I'm the feature performer at tonight's singer/songwriter night at Lago in Meredith. I absolutely love these shows, because they only allow original music. How refreshing! Last time I played the feature spot, someone tried to give me 20 bucks to play Margaritaville and I told him I couldn't. Even Linden (the host) said I probably should have taken it. I told him that getting to tell someone I wasn't going to play Margaritaville for once was WORTH $20. Heh.

As both my faithful readers know, the Lago shows are recorded and posted as podcasts later in the week. I'll post the link when it goes up (probably Friday or so). But avoid the wait and come out tonight! Have a glass of wine and listen. I'm in 'drinking songs' mode right now, so expect a heavy dose of those.

The seven barrel brewery.

2009-01-23T05:26:00.000-08:00

(Who Are The) Brain Police make their triumphant return to The Seven Barrel Brewery tonight. It's been a while since we've been up there. The photo is (and hopefully it's fairly obvious) from our Halloween show.

If you've never been to the Seven Barrel, this is the perfect night to check the place out. The band is real good; all the guys have it locked down tight. For my part, the material is ridiculously fun to play. We do stuff by AC/DC, Toadies, Primus, Soundgarden, Dead Milkmen... and there's a couple filthy sea shanties thrown in for good measure.

And the beer. I can't even tell you how good the RIP Stout is. I wrote a song about it. I'll be coming home with a growler of that stuff for sure.

And if that weren't enough, it's Straightjacket Jennie's birthday, and she and her crew are going to be partying it up with us! The show starts at 10pm.

In other news, I'm kicking around a possible solo summer tour. That cruise ship deal just didn't add up, but a shorter small-venue tour might work. Details to follow.

In other other news, it's drinking songs time! In February I'm going to try to write another album of drunken singalongs. If you have a good drinking story, and can remember at least half of it, then send it along. :)