Gig Tonight

tonebender · Thu Apr 20, 2023 8:47 am

I have a gig tonight at a bar that I have literally played hundreds of times. For several years we played there every Thursday, we were in the Friday rotation and we did a lot of special events as well. It is my "home court". I am good friends with the owners. I have lead vocals on 5 songs, Harvest Moon, Gold Dust Woman, Copperhead Road, Wild Night and a song I wrote called Wise Man's War that we dedicate to Veterans. I will be taking my Gibson Goldtone amp for the first gig since I got it. I will take the Fender SCXD for a back up. Guitars will be a Taylor acoustic, a Gretsch and the Gibson SG Jr.

We play from 8-11 so if you find yourself in Zephyrhills FL, drop in the Crystal Bar for the show. I will buy everyone here that makes it out a beer or adult beverage of choice.

Mr. Leyvatone · Thu Apr 20, 2023 10:21 am

Have a good gig, TB! Hopefully the Gibby performs flawlessly.

Thu Apr 20, 2023 11:26 am

Thought you gave up bad habits like that when you retired???

tlarson58 · Thu Apr 20, 2023 11:01 pm

How'd it go? Highlights, snaffus, guitar tones, characters in the crowd... etc.

tonebender · Fri Apr 21, 2023 6:08 pm

mickey wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 11:26 am Thought you gave up bad habits like that when you retired???

If it was not these guys I would not be in a band. I played with Robbie in my first band and did side acoustic projects with him over the years. When they invited me to be the second guitar in the band I accepted. They do not gig much, 7-8 times a year. That suits me fine.

tonebender · Fri Apr 21, 2023 6:16 pm

tlarson58 wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 11:01 pm How'd it go? Highlights, snaffus, guitar tones, characters in the crowd... etc.

No snafus to speak of, not flawless but then again it never is. Sparse crowd at the start but picked up fast and stayed with us to the end. The overall sound of the band was fantastic. His Fender amp and my Gibson amp were in their own spectrum. They complimented each other nicely. The bass player brought a vintage Ampeg flip top bass rig and his Rickenbacker bass. I do not have to tell you how good that sounded. The drummer uses a cocktail kit with the kick on the bottom and snare on top, a small cymbal and a cowbell. He gets so much out of that rig, it is like a full kit. We only use on subwoofer and one top. The volume level is tamed and the mix is so much easier. I played the Gretsch for two sets and the SG Jr for set three. Of course the Taylor on acoustic songs. Robbie played either a custom built LP style hum guitar or for open tuning and slide it was a Tele. They want us back at the end of May.

redman · Sat Apr 22, 2023 10:47 am

Really glad you had a good gig sounds like you had a lot of fun.

nomadh · Mon Apr 24, 2023 12:33 am

Sounds great. Any recording posted?

tonebender · Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:52 am

http://www.thunderboltbrown.com/

The song that plays, Tennessee, will be on the new record that has not been released yet.

tlarson58 · Mon Apr 24, 2023 11:26 pm

tonebender wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:52 am http://www.thunderboltbrown.com/

The song that plays, Tennessee, will be on the new record that has not been released yet.

Great tune. 'Bet it sounds fantastic live.

tonebender · Tue Apr 25, 2023 9:32 am

[/quote] Great tune. 'Bet it sounds fantastic live. [/quote]

Thanks Tommy. Many years ago, 1997 I think it was, I was on a flight to Miami for business. While standing in the aisle waiting to deplane I noticed a guy still seated reading a MF catalog like the one I would get in the mail too. He was looking at effects pedals. I decided to speak up and comment on one of the pedals and we struck up a conversation. At that very moment the second guitarist in my first band was moving away and we needed a replacement. By the time we got off the plane and in the terminal he agreed to come jam with us and test the waters. He took the job and we played in that band for about 3 years. He left to form a 3-piece blues band.

We remained friends over the years and even did a reunion gig in 2007 or so. We always talked about doing an acoustic act with our old front man and harp player as a side project. I retired from the Tonebenders and band gigging in 2017. Finally in 2018 we got together a show and started the acoustic thing. By then he had written and recorded 3 albums and was working on number 4 with his blues band Thunderbolt Brown. We played some of those tunes and some of mine and a few covers. We had a lot of fun doing the acoustic shows but then Covid hit and the venues stopped live music. In 2020 he called me and asked if I would be willing to join TB. They had released the 4th album and was doing live internet shows. They decided some of the songs needed that second guitar he tracked. Since I already knew some and was familiar with the songs from the acoustic act, I was the logical choice.

It has been two years now and I love playing with these guys. I probably would not play with anyone else. There are no issues, no drama, just a lot of fun playing music.