Shows next week along East Coast; Holiday shopping; new videos & don't go left?

Before I forget, as the Holidays approach just a reminder to load-up on those Michael Jackson tribute albums, lost Bruce Springsteen tracks, compressed Beatles mp3's, re-mastered Dylan tracks, Neil Young Anniversary box-sets along with all the other legendary artists that peddle re-packed songs and albums that you already own so you can have 'em in triplicate during this spending bonanza . . . . . . ahhh. . . . OR . . . . save your money! You know all those folks anyway. I've got an album coming out in January, and you should save your money for something new and interesting.  Cool? Ok, moving on.

I'm going on one more small run of shows this month before the end of 2010, starting in New York at The Living Room on Tuesday, December 7th @ 8 PM. I've played the Living Room a half-dozen times as a solo act and this will be the first time playing with a supporting rhythm section, so it should be fun. Matt Brundrett will be joining me on drums (who I recorded with on the new record), along with Nick Tardif on up-right bass.

Also excited to get back down to Nashville, TN where I lived for 5 years and play at The Basement on Monday the 13th @ 8 PM. The rest of the schedule is below, including my return to the H Street corridor in Washington DC and home of the newly re-branded The Red Palace. Hope you all can make it out. (DC!)

VIDEOS:

I finally got around to posting some old-ish videos from a show at IOTA Club & Cafe last year as well as my two performances this past June @ Dodger Stadium. You can check them out on YouTube where I have created a Channel, as well as at Vimeo, for a higher-res viewing experience.

NEWS:

Some other news. I was invited to perform last month at the NightCat as part of a songwriting competition where I made it down to the final 5 out of over 70 entries. Unfortunately, I had to stay to the very end when I found out I received nothing. It was still a good time. Finally, I was fortunate enough to travel to the Cayman Islands over Thanksgiving with the family where I went out and took some photos of the island. Lots of blue iguanas, scenic ocean shots . . and one awesome street sign on my way to Bodden Town.

Also, if you have not done it already, go over to my new Facebook page . . . Check it out here.


Thanks. See you soon.

Tom

DECEMBER SHOW DATES:

12.07.10 The Living Room - New York City

12.08.10 Milkboy Coffee Acoustic Cafe - Ardmore, PA

12.09.10 The Red Palace - Washington, DC

12.12.10 Tea Bazaar - Charlottseville, VA

12.13.10 The Basement - Nashville, TN

12.14.10 The Cave - Chapell Hill, NC

www.tcmcbride.com

Tom @ Gibson Guitar Showcase

DSC_4668, originally uploaded by ::FiZ::.

I had the pleasure of performing a solo 30 minute set in Washington DC at the Gibson Guitar Showcase room in Chinatown. I used to work about 100 yards from this place, also near the Verizon Center, so it was nice to go back to that part of DC.

Tom McBride: Upcoming shows in NYC (Oct 19th) @ CMJ, Washington DC . . . new videos and album update

Hi.  As I've spent a good portion of the summer and fall working on a new solo album, I thought I'd include a photo taken outside the Gowanus studio of the three key people involved on this record so far (from left to right) Sean Greenhalgh, Stuart Sikes and the midget on the right.  Seriously!  (What you couldn't possibly know though, is that Stuart is actually 7'8")  I'll keep everyone posted on the release date and more information, but its looking like an early 2011 release is in store.

A few shows to pass along.  I'll be playing next Tuesday night, Oct 19th during CMJ opening up for The Bogmen at The Mercury Lounge.  CMJ is a music festival/celebration in NYC and the show is actually sold-out already.  (Note - I have a guest list put together so if you are in NYC and want to get on it, send me an e-mail.)  I also just added a new solo show in DC (its been a while) and will be playing at The Velvet Lounge on Thursday, November 11th along with Benyaro. Check them out. They are making some great tunes.  I'll have some other shows to announce soon as well along the East Coast so stay tuned.

In addition to working on the new record this fall, I also did a run of solo acoustic shows through the South.  At the end of the tour, I played the NightCat in nearby Easton, MD (great little room!) and had a good friend around (we'll call him Jake West) who filmed the show.  I've already uploaded one track last month and put another one up last night, "Dear James" (on both Vimeo and YouTube) that you can check out here.   When rollin solo you don't have many options of documenting the events without asking people in the audience to take photos, film shows etc. . so I really appreciate it when it happens.  Good times were had on the run through the South and I was able to see some old friends and meet some new ones. 

Finally.  I created a new Facebook page for my solo album.  Check it out here.

Thanks.  Hope to see you soon.

Tom

OCT/NOV SHOW DATES:

10.19.10   Mercury Lounge (CMJ) - New York City

11.11.10   Velvet Lounge - Washington DC

11.12.10   TBD - Richmond, VA

11.18.10  Jammin Java - Vienna, VA

www.tcmcbride.com

"The conference (2010 Dewey Beach Music Conference) is likely to see its share of singer/songwrtiers each year, but McBride's vocals are the cream of the crop" - Spark Magazine

"For the first-full length album from D.C.-area songwriter, Tom McBride, these songs sure sound like those of a seasoned vet, barroom throated-wisdom and all."
- Wonka Vision

"Indie alternative pop that shrugs aside notions that because it’s “indie” it has to sound small. “Like a Lion” boasts hauntingly familiar pop hooks and catchy harmonies amid smart songwriting and penmanship surrounded by a big band sound fit for a soulman like Bruce Springsteen."
- Smother Magazine

"There is something wild and off the charts about the way McBride blends in various musical styles into a hybrid that is truly his own. And McBride’s voice, it tells a story with every howl, every cry, and every whisper."
- Metro Spirit

MUSIC

> Play Songs      > Share Songs      > Hear Exclusive Music from Tom McBride

PRESS

"There is something wild and off the charts about the way McBride blends in various musical styles into a hybrid that is truly his own. And McBride’s voice, it tells a story with every howl, every cry, and every whisper. "Like a Lion" has something for everyone."  — Dino Lull, Metro Spirit

"Like a Lion” boasts hauntingly familiar pop hooks and catchy harmonies amid smart songwriting and penmanship surrounded by a big band sound fit for a soulman like Bruce Springsteen. "  — Smother Magazine

"McBride and band The Whig Party come on strong with Like a Lion, a rich and moody collection of reserved rock numbers that trade in excess and bombast of the rock genre for outright storytelling. Like a Lion is stark stuff, rich in imagery, the craftsmanship insistent on being atypical."  — Brian Tucker, Bootleg Magazine

UPCOMING SHOWS
The Mercury Lounge	New York, New York, NJ	Tue Oct 19 10	09:00 PM
The Velvet Lounge - Washinton D.C.	Washington D.C., DC	Thu Nov 11 10	09:00 PM

New Record Update; Fall shows announced; Vimeo and more

In June I began tracking a new full-length solo album and returned back to a recording studio in Brooklyn that I  worked in during Like A Lion.  There were a few reasons for returning back to Brooklyn, one of which was the comfort and familiarity of the studio.  As studio-time typically demands long hours and long days, getting out of DC for a bit and allowing a change of atmosphere was also part of the consideration.  As we approach the later half of July, I'm making good progress on the album and hope to have this done by late Fall and released still here in 2010.  No album title yet.  11 songs at this point.  Maybe 12.   Don't want to give too much away.  I think the stuff is sounding great though and I'm excited to get this album out. 

A good friend of mine from college who lives out in the Los Angeles area was in town during those initial days of tracking in Brooklyn and was nice enough to capture some live footage and photos of the studio.  I posted some of the photos up this week on Flickr that you can check out here
 
As the recording process was demanding a lot of my attention in the early summer along with a few trips back-up to Manhattan and Brooklyn in June and July, I was not playing out live as much the past few months.  That will change here as I've started to gear-up for a run of shows in September and October, both as a solo act as well as with some of the new folks I've been playing with over the past few months.  The schedule will be updated but here are some shows posted as of now:   Hope to see you out.

Sunday: August 8th:  The Red & the Black; Washington DC
Thursday: September 8th:  Pianos; New York, NY
Monday: September 13th:  Smiths Olde Bar, Atlanta, GA
Wednesday: September 29th: Mockingbird, Staunton, VA
Thursday: September 30th:  Tea Bazaar, Charlottsville, VA

I'll be out in Los Angeles next week back singing at Dodger Stadium for the Mets-Dodgers game.  This time I'm singing both the National Anthem and God Bless America.  I've been told this is the Fox "Game of the Week" . . .but not sure if that means this is on TV or not.  Either way, I'm pretty excited to be back in LA, see some family and perform in front of a an audience slightly larger (40,000) than those I typically perform for in clubs on the East Coast.  I don't think I'll roll with the marketing bumper sticker this time.


Finally, I started to upload some live clips from a few shows this summer at the Rock N Roll Hotel in DC and they will be up on Vimeo later this month.  Make sure to check those out as well, in addition to the stuff already posted up on YouTube here

Living Room (NYC) / Rock N Roll Hotel (DC) / SWING! (say whaaa?) . . & New Album in the works

It's been a few weeks since the last ol' update here (saw you @ IOTA, Richmond, Philly, NYC perhaps?), so I wanted to pass along some new show information, as well as exciting news regarding a new album in the works. Also played a fun show last night for a great non-profit here in DC, the N Street Village's Annual Volunteer Appreciation Night, and should have some photos posted-up on the blog later this week. Ok, to the calendar.

Sunday, May 9th: The Living Room(NYC):
I'm back-up in NYC playing a solo, acoustic set @ The Living Room (www.livingroomny.com). 9:00 PM show.

Friday, June 11th: Rock-N-Roll Hotel (DC): Tickets now available here!
Headlining with the full-band back in DC's Atlas District @ Rock-N-Roll Hotel. First show in DC after a long, break so we hope to make this a big night. Tickets went on sale Friday. Spread the word.

Thursday, July 8th: The Bullpen (NATS Stadium - DC)
One of the best places to see live music in DC as its outdoors, before a baseball game, has great sound and in a beer garden tent. Come early!

NEW ALBUM!!!!

I'm excited to announce that a new full-length album is in the works for a winter 2010 release. I'll be heading back to Brooklyn for tracking in early June with producer Sean Greenhalgh (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, John Shade) and engineer Stuart Sikes (White Stripes, Cat Power, Modest Mouse) on board. I'll keep you posted as to a preliminary release date as we approach the fall. Good stuff.

Wait!! What about that album you released last fall, Like A Lion you say? Ah, good question. You can still buy it here!

SWING!!!!

Congratulations to SWING!, a short-film that was nominated at the 2010 Beverly Hills Film Festival, and director Jeff Prugh, who included a track of mine, Lady From the Fog, in the film.

HOLLYWOOD!!

Speaking of Beverly Hills. I'm going LA on you all. Well, at least for a weekend again. Mark your calendar for Saturday, July 24th, where I will be singing the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium. I got invited back from last year, so I guess that means LA has welcomed me despite my lack of Ed Hardy gear. For those on the West Coast, this will be the game of the week on FOX. I'm slightly terrified of all of this.

Ok. See you soon.

Tom

www.tcmcbride.com

www.myspace.com/tommcbride


PS - this guy really needs to sell me his web-address. . don't you think?

Richmond, Philly & NYC

March 25th: DC:
I'm in the midst of a brief run of acoustic, solo shows this week. I played Richmond on Tuesday night at a venue I have been to now a handful of times called The Camel. Its a great venue and the staff is excellent there and treat the musicians real well. I ended up grabbing a bite there as well, their veggie-hummus wrap which was not so bad. They have a good menu and I may have choked with this order. I've been on a mild-vegetarian run of food the past few months, nearly a year I guess. By mild, I mean that I have an internal debate with myself about ordering a vegetarian meal about 50% of the time I eat. The full exceptions are if I am hungover, when its not even close to a debate. I want a burger, bacon, whatever. Steak-house, I don't consider it. But a steak-house visit is few and far between now that I no longer roll in my white collar world. So, basically if you are reading this you can chalk me up as being still in the "discovery" period of vegetarianism. I've been in that stage for a while though. I also caved and ordered a few PRB cans as well. I think the idea of the PBR can was pretty cool back in 2004. But basically, I see it everywhere now and its like beyond the point of hipster. Its basically now full blown mainstream yuppy. Its like drinking Rolling Rock in the 80s. Well, Im not positive of that as I didn't drink in the 80s. I was still just a prodigy child of course, concerned with my studies of nuclear fision and building blocks. But those people I saw drinking Rolling Rock in the 80's seemed to be the same people drinking PBR now . . .so, I guess this is what I mean.

As I was the only solo artist on the bill, I opened up the night for two other bands, Bay of Pigs and ROMA. I played 8 songs, 6 of which are real new and 5 of which I performed for the first time. The tunes aren't totally complete and I am still making edits to them, but I think they came across well and they fit within the framework of the new album I am working on. I ended up playing Underwater Stone and Dear James from Like A Lion and scraped my plan to play Headed For from the titled-track EP. Full set-list posted below. After I played my 8 song acoustic set, I was treated to Bay of Pigs which was full-blown Prog Metal. Yeah, you may be asking yourself . . how did that sound back-to-back? Well, I dont know. All I know, is the crowd there to see Bay of Pigs, before I knew what Bay of Pigs sound was, seemed to enjoy my set and was real responsive. Can't ask for more than that.

The drive down to Richmond was a total nightmare. For those who live in the DC area, you know all about the horror which is the "Mixing Bowl" . . . well it appears to me that the nightmare of traffic in DC extends essentially all the way to just inside Fredricksburg. As Rand at the Camel said, probably be better to fly to Richmond. All jokes aside, what a fucking mess it was. 2 hours, according to Google Maps, which as we all know is more like 1 hour 30 min to 1 hour 45 min, took 3 hours 15 minutes. Thank god I left early enough. I was planning on eating some food, chilling out . . yeah. Not so much.

Anyway, headed to Philly tonight to play The Fire in Fishtown (i think its in Fishtown . .at least that is what I heard . . I have no idea what Fishtown is) . . than up to NYC to play The Living Room again, a great acoustic place for a solo show. I've been to Philly twice in my life. I am in love with the idea of the city, but I really don't know it all too well. I'll keep you all posted. Its a crowded line-up tonight for sure.

The Camel: Tom McBride (solo)
March 23, 2010

Opulent Viewpoints (2nd performance)
Underwater Stone
A Brief Head Spin (1st performance)
Table for Two
Oh! The Wandering Troubadour (1st performance)
Dear James
Into the Arms of the Wild Eyed Young (1st performance)
Underneath the Sheltering Sky (1st performance)

New songs / Plans for new record / Producer on board

Like A Lion was released this past fall, and since then I have been aiming to start a new record this spring with the goal of a Fall 2010 release. My goal this go round for the new record, was to enter into the studio with a larger arsenal of material than last time, which would be around 14-18 complete songs that have been vetted out, so to speak, in various forms of pre-production. For Like A Lion, I ended up scrapping three tunes during the weeks leading up to our original tracking. One track, preliminarily titled "More" actually was a solid tune but just did not fit the vibe of the album.
Since the release of Like A Lion I have been writing an extensive amount of new material but as always I have a hard time discerning the good songs from the average ones. I usually can tell pretty quickly if something is total shit and certainly before I go to bed. The ideas that bring me in, that stay with me, are usually the ones I end-up beating to death for a few days. As it stands here in early March, I have a working list of 22-24 tunes that are in production stages. This is a good thing. So, I am now starting to set my eyes on a recording/tracking stage for this April-May. I'm allowing some time for delays, but I am without a doubt, releasing a new album this fall/winter and in 2010. At this point, I also have not listened back to my own songs 1000 times and still enjoy hearing the rough demos and can honestly say I'm excited to record. So . .
Other good news to pass along is that I have hired a producer to work with me on this next album. His name is Sean Greenhalgh. Sean is an excellent musician, has a great ear, and most importantly has been a good friend of mine since high-school. Its actually pretty cool to have him involved as music has been a bond between us since we were 13 or so. Sean lives up in NYC and we are still working on figuring out where we will cut the new songs and at what studio. We have been trading around ideas that include DC/LA/NY or even Texas. I hope to get this part resolved here before the end of the month and will pass that info along later.