Monday, November 29, 2010

Oh, it's on.

Thank you. Thank you so much. My Kickstarter project has met its minimum, and is on its way to being declared a success on December 26! I am so grateful for the people who have stepped up to help make this dream come true.

There are still 26 days to go, and I got to thinking: what can I do for the backers of my project as the thing continues to grow? Well, I've been spending some time in the studio recently (by myself and with a couple friends), and here's my idea:

If the project reaches $3,000, then EVERYBODY who backs it will get a copy of a new album of previously unreleased original material. That's right, I'm putting together an album exclusively for my Kickstarter backers. The only way you can get it is to be a part of the project. If you pledge $25 or more, you get a physical copy on CD. Less than $25 gets you a mp3 download of the full album.

I'll put up a full post about this upcoming album soon, but for now, I'll just say that it is a wholly lipogrammatic work. That is to say, its lyrics do not contain a particular character. In fact, this character is not found in this paragraph. (I was writing a lipogramattic book, but I found it too long a form; song lyrics suit my writing inclinations, though.) As I said, full information about this bonus album is forthcoming.

Thank you once again. I could not possibly be more excited. :)

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

God Hates Penguins.

My old friend and screenprinting buddy Keith Morrissey showed up at my show on Saturday (I was playing at the Sunset Grill in Campton). He brought me a shirt he had designed and printed, inspired by my song God Hates Penguins. I think it looks pretty fantastic.

The song appears on the Onward To Yesterday album, and I almost didn't put it on there. I felt it might be a little out of place. But a lot of people told me they liked it, so I went ahead with it. And now there's a t-shirt! I'm working on making these available if anyone wants to get one. Interested? :)

Friday, October 29, 2010

About last night.

Good times at The Country Cow last night. It wasn't real busy in the restaurant, but the online crowd added to the mix nicely. I tried out a couple new songs and they went well enough. I'm off tonight, and I think I'll head right back to the Cow; The NC Blues Co. is playing there tonight, and that's sure to be good.

Tomorrow (Oct 30) I'm playing a solo show at the Sunset Grill in Campton. That show will be watchable online as well.

In other news, my Kickstarter project got a huge shot in the arm last night. A generous backer put up $500, which entitles them to (among other things) a live show in their very own home! Really looking forward to that one. I've still got a long way to go for my project to be a success, but it's off to a better start than expected. Onward!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Kickstarter Project, Day 2.

It's day two of my Kickstarter project, and at the time of this post, it's already 10% funded. I'm humbled by this early support, and I'm excited to send out all the goodies my backers are going to receive! If you haven't yet done so, please take a minute to check it out:






In other news, I'm playing a solo show tonight at The Country Cow in Campton, NH. There's no wifi available, so I can't webcast this one, unfortunately. But it's worth the trip to Campton; tonight is pizza night! The show starts at 7pm. :)

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

About the 2011 tour...

I'm taking my act on the road in the late summer/fall of 2011. Where is it headed? Well, that's where you come in. Earlier this month I pitched my idea to the folks at Kickstarter, and my project proposal was approved! So I've put together a way for you to help me get my act out on the road. I've got between now and Christmas to make this happen. Take a look, and if you can be part of this, then I'm excited for both of us!






Thursday, October 7, 2010

Local Outbreak.

Back in April I 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. You can hear an archive of the show at www.soundcloud.com/jimtyrrell.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Weekend recap.

This past weekend featured a nice variety of shows. I was at Tony's Italian Grille & Pub on Friday night, playing an originals-heavy set. On Saturday afternoon I played Employee Appreciation Day at Freudenberg NOK in Bristol, which was a really fun time. And that night I headed over to The Black Cat Cafe in Laconia to play a show with No Limitz.

Sunday was a day off. I got caught up on a lot of around-the-house stuff, and I got to sneak down to the basement studio for a quick little recording session. Things are going well there, my friends. I have recording capabilities to a degree that I have never enjoyed previously. Things, as they say, are happening.

October is a busy little month. I don't have a show on Halloween night (for the first time in years). I might actually get to go out; maybe I can watch someone else play for a night. ;)

Friday, October 1, 2010

Permanent Record.

The 2007 CD Permanent Record has been out of print for a while. I'm excited to announce that it is about to become available again! This CD was originally released in conjunction with my 2007 Second Stage performance at Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavilion (I 'opened' for Weird Al), and it features the songs I Know My Rights and House Of Hodgman, which can be heard regularly at my shows. It also features the notorious hidden track 'Asshat'. (Okay, it's not a hidden track if I tell you about it. But it's been three years.)

And all you savvy online folks get the first crack at it! You can preorder a copy right here for just ten bucks, and that includes shipping! The CDs will ship out in late October.











Wednesday, September 29, 2010

My guitar.

In June someone went into my car and stole my guitar. I reported it to the police, and went out and bought a new guitar and got on with my work.

Yesterday I got my stolen guitar back.

Here's what happened: it was graduation weekend at Plymouth State University, and there were a lot of college kids partying on (and near) the street where I live. I got home after midnight, having played a show with No Limitz at the Crazy Gringo. I had a 1pm show the next day, so I was in a hurry to get some sleep. And in my haste I forgot to lock my car.

The next morning I went out to the car to grab something and I saw a microphone on the ground. Uh oh. I opened the car door and discovered the guitar (and my gig bag, with all the mics/cables/etc.) missing. The glove box had been opened, and its contents strewn across the passenger seat.

I went downstairs and dismantled the basement studio, scrounging for enough cables to recreate my live setup. I was able to gather enough gear to get through that day's show. (I used an older guitar that I can't bear to part with, although it's in really bad shape.)

Detective McCarthy of the Plymouth PD took my police report. I stopped by the Vintage Fret Shop in Ashland (where I bought the guitar) and told them about it. They said they'd keep an eye out. There wasn't much to do beyond that, so I broke out the credit card and got myself another guitar. I replaced a couple of the lost cables, but couldn't justify the expense of a complete rebuild. So the studio has been on hiatus since then.

About a month after the theft, Ben from the Vintage Fret Shop called to tell me I would be getting another call, this one from the PD. Apparently a young guy had come in to sell a guitar, and they recognized it as mine. They matched the serial number to my sales invoice and had the kid arrested. The guitar was taken in as evidence at the Ashland PD. The kid went to Plymouth, where he confessed to the PD there. A few days after that, he turned over the gig bag to the Plymouth PD. I went to both PDs and identified the gear. The stickers had been removed from the guitar case, and the box for my wireless headset mic was gone, but the gear itself appeared intact.

The courts move slowly. On September 13 a guilty plea was entered and a fine was paid. I've been following up with both PDs about the release of my gear. I'm still waiting on the gig bag in Plymouth (it requires some injunction paperwork to release it, and apparently things are extremely backed up), but Ashland was able to release the guitar to me yesterday.

And that's pretty much that. The whole thing was a pretty serious economic blow, and a significant inconvenience. But at least I'm getting my stuff back. Detective McCarthy has been nothing short of amazing in his efforts, and everyone at the Ashland PD was friendly and helpful too. And while it is not the job of the Vintage Fret Shop to confront and apprehend criminals, they did exactly that, and I could not possibly be more grateful.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Song Spotlight - On My Mind

A rare collaboration. I asked Stacey Lucas to write some lyrics, just to see if a songwriting idea might come out of them. I got these lyrics in the mail, and to my surprise, I was able to set music to them quickly and without any major editorial changes. The recording on Onward To Yesterday features congas that I bought in Asheville, NC the day I played the song live for the first time.


On My Mind

They say everything happens for a reason
And what will be will be
But I won't see you 'til next season
Heavy pending on "we'll see"

My eyes wander 'round the space in here
Smoky haze and cheap beers and dim light
There's people laughing, people dancing
The room is full of you tonight

Chorus: Beyond any shadow of a doubt
It sure was my time to go
There's no way to deny
The winds of change as they blow
But tonight - tonight, oh
You're on my mind so

Bluegrass plays out to the crowd
As I set my glass for one last brew
It's getting late, the crowd grows scarce
As the band plays to the last few

The bartender wipes the tables
And sets the stools upon the bar
I think of you and I just smile
At thoughts of where you are

(Chorus)

Please don't mistake this all for sadness
'Cause I am grateful for where I am
I just can't shake this sense of wonder
At what's to come and when

(Chorus)

I'm more than alive - these times, they aren't tough
I know in this world I've got more than enough
I'm satisfied - and I'm glad to do this
To do this on my own
But tonight - oh tonight
You're just - you're on my mind so


This song (and the others on Onward To Yesterday) can be heard on the mp3 page on this site.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

The music scene.

The prevailing opinion among those I talk to about it is that the music scene here in NH is pretty nonexistent. I submit that the scene is what we make it. We have our share of musicians, and no lack of places to be heard, and even plenty of people who want to listen. The problem is, each of the three (musicians, venues, patrons) generally wants the 'scene' to be kickstarted by the ambitions of the other two.

There are exceptions on all three counts, and these are the trailblazers that are making the scene what they want it to be. Some examples:

Musicians - Linden Mazurka has been working hard for 2+ years, hosting an originals-only open mic in Meredith NH. Sky King hosts an open mic in Warren, and writes the Mountain Beat article for the Northcountry News, reviewing music and interviewing musicians here in the North Country (for which he is not compensated, to my knowledge).

Venues - Tony's Italian Grill in Thornton NH hit the ground running as a great venue for original performers. Giuseppe's in Meredith and the Sunset Grill in Campton have had open mic nights every week for as long as I can remember. Each of these venues recognizes the importance of regularly scheduled entertainment that people can count on.

Patrons - Speaking from my own experience, there are a few locals who really enjoy live music and can almost always be seen at my shows. They come out to have a good time, and they buy food and drink while they are there. (A personal shout out here to Mike B and Sara, Susan, Raf, Sabre, Harry, and everyone who goes out of their way to hear me do my thing. Thank you all so much.)

Each of these lists can go on, for sure. But the point is, we are the scene, and the scene is us. Let's not waste time wishing things were different or easier, and get to the business of being awesome.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Song Spotlight: The Blitz

The scene is a moderately busy city street. A small group of men huddle together against the cold and spontaneously break into song, offering the tale of an ex-footballer and his struggles with addiction at the end of his storied career. The motivation behind this song? NO IDEA WHATSOEVER. Except for the fact that I was in the Nur Ein songwriting competition, and the song title came up, and I felt like doing some a capella. And somehow, the bizarre content/setting/delivery combine to make something with an undeniable truth to it, at least to me anyway. It's too weird to not believe it.


The Blitz

If I saw you today I don't know what I would say
Because I don't like the way you live now
You're not completely to blame 'cause it's the fault of the game
And I know nothing's the same once you're out

You were the heart of the line in 1979
Before you ruptured your spine blocking down
There's more than one quarterback who never saw the attack
Until he's flat on his back wondering how

You made a business of fear for your entire career
When you would blitz from the rear and take 'em down
But soon enough came the day you couldn't play through the pain
You had to give up the game and walk out

It didn't take very long for you to see what was wrong
With all this freedom you suddenly found
You lost the glory and fame that goes with playing the game
And it's just you and the pain hangin' 'round

So pretty soon you will meet another man on the street
Who spends exactly an hour in town
You may have damaged your rep, and yeah you lost half a step
But when you want to you still get around


This song (and all the songs from Onward To Yesterday) can be heard on the 'mp3' page on this site.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Live at Woodstock Station.

Tonight I'll be at the Woodstock Inn Station & Brewery in North Woodstock NH. I'm playing a solo show at 8:30pm, and I intend to webcast the show here at jimtyrrell.net. You can watch it on the 'video' page. Or you can come up to North Woodstock and have one of their fine beers and see the whole thing in person. That'd work just fine too.

In other news, I was interviewed recently by a NH paper called The Northcountry News, and the article will appear in this week's issue. This can also be read online, and I'll post a link when it's available.

Monday, August 30, 2010

What's new?

Man. What a summer! And things aren't about to slow down too much in September. Let's recap a few of the more notable events:

• I played the Margate Beach Bar twice a week through July and August.

• I played more than 50 shows in those two months, all right here in New Hampshire.

• I did a live radio segment on The Planet (WPNH 100.1FM).

• I met REO Speedwagon at Meadowbrook US Cellular Pavilion.

• I played at a midsummer Mardi Gras party that I can't even show you any photos of.

• I fit in a mini-vacation at York Beach.

• I walked up the train tracks to Livermore Falls and tubed home.

• I took the boys to Six Gun City for Shannon's birthday.

• My web site went down because the traffic allowance was exceeded for the first time ever. Thanks for listening, gang!

That's what comes to mind, but lots of other stuff happened too. Now I'm back at the day job, and playing shows at night and on the weekends. Someday I'll be able to be a full-time musician. Next year, maybe? Until then, I'm gonna keep plugging away. You can help by coming out to a show! The next one is this Thursday at the Woodstock Station. If you can't make it to North Woodstock, you can watch the show online (on the Video page on this site).

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Song Spotlight: Sister Cocaine

A few years ago I was playing a show with Chris Downing at Clarkson University. A girl came up between songs and asked me to guess her name. What? I said I didn't know, and she said "Crystal Cocaine". Of course, I made her prove it, and she showed me her ID. Sure enough, that's her name (spelled a little differently, but still).

Some time after that, I found myself in an online songwriting competition called Nur Ein. The song title Sister Cocaine came up, and having only five days to write and record a song, I penned a fanciful story of the difficulties that such a name might present. The version of the song on the Onward To Yesterday CD is a slightly reworked (and remastered) version of that original demo.


Sister Cocaine

I knew a girl named Crystal Cocaine back in school
And I remember thinking her name was pretty cool
But twenty years of jokes and jeers had left her offended
And she thought that getting married was a good way to end it

She wasn't very choosy when she found a fiancee
He left her for a floozy who was built like Beyonce
Another year alone and she had finally decided
Her name was all she owned and she was foolish to hide it

But with a name like Crystal Cocaine
She aimed to live a life of humiliation and pain
No matter what she did or what she'd say
All that they'd remember was her name

She told her priest her sorrow was as deep as the ocean
He suggested that she follow a life of devotion
A better way was waiting there for Crystal to grab it
'Cause maybe all she needed was to take up a habit

So she hid away her beauty like a pearl in an oyster
And she did her sacred duty with the girls in the cloister
Soon it came time for her to do her missionary service
Even though the Reverend Mother was admittedly nervous

'Cause with a name like Sister Cocaine
She aimed to bring the nunnery nothing but shame
She could save a hundred sould but at the end of the day
All that they would ever remember was her name
No matter what she did or what she'd say
All that they'd remember was her name

(instr.)

'Cause with a name like Sister Cocaine
She aimed to bring the congregation nothing but shame
No matter what she did or what she'd say
All that they'd remember was her name

This song (and all the others on Onward To Yesterday) can be heard on the mp3 page on this site.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Summer Tour.

And away we go! I've left the day job behind for the next eight weeks, and I'm playing at least 5 shows a week for the summer. Tonight is a No Limitz show at the Totem Pole Campground. Tomorrow is the first of the beach bar shows at The Margate in Laconia. Check the Shows page for the full schedule. See you on the road!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Tony's tonight.

I'm playing at Tony's in Thornton tonight! The show starts at 6:30pm. The internet connection up there is kind of spotty, but I'm going to try to webcast the show. Check the Video page for the live stream, hopefully starting sometime around 6.

Today was my last day at the day job for eight weeks. I'm going to be a working musician for the summer and that's it. Maybe someday I'll be able to pull it off year-round. :)

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Live at The Country Cow.

I'm playing a show at The Country Cow in Campton NH tonight at 7pm. The show will be watchable online (provided the internet there is cooperating). Visit the 'video' page for the live stream.

I've got shows through the weekend, and with luck I'll be able to webcast those as well.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Song Spotlight: Elegy For Industry

Track 3 on Onward To Yesterday is a pretty straight-forward treatment of a Song Fight title. It started as an attempt to write something I could perform solo with a loop pedal, and build up parts as the song went along. This album arrangement doesn't do that, and I haven't really worked out the live strategy yet either. Oh well.

I have some ideas for a low-budget video for this song. Gotta get on that.



Elegy For Industry

Chorus: Come down to the city with me
We'll poke around in what used to be
We'll go sailing on the blacktop sea
To the bones of the industry
We'll get drunk and we can break a few things
Don't you worry 'bout the trouble it brings
Nobody cares about you or me
Or what's left of the industry

They came in back in '73
All smiles and opportunity
And promises they knew they would not keep
We knew it too but we were in too deep
We swallowed hard and we closed our eyes
Any port's home in a storm this size
We let them build on a hnadful of lies
So what I got to show you shouldn't be a surprise but...

Chorus

They took the hopes and the dreams of this town
They drove them right straight into the ground
And once the benefit couldn't be found
You knew that they wouldn't be sticking around
They slithered off like a well-fed snake
When there was no more money to make
And who am I to say it was a mistake
Because maybe we all need something to break

Chorus


This song (and all the others on the new album) can be heard on the mp3 page of this site.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Song Spotlight: Just To Be Difficult

This song was also inspired by a title challenge at Song Fight (www.songfight.org). When composing, I was of a mind to try and leave space in the arrangement, and to be more deliberate about how the instruments did their jobs together. The result is this workmanlike, sardonic number.


Just To Be Difficult

You got the medicine
But you don't want to take it
You just can't live with something someone was right about
You're learning to depend
On all the things you hated
Can't stop until you made it something to fight about

It makes no sense to me
That you'd go looking for it
Should just ignore it but you've got to be difficult
Why do you choose to be
So full of pain and malice
Contention uber alles - just to be difficult

You got what you want
You got your proud position
You got your fool to listen to you while you prattle about
All the things you don't
Believe you got to live with
Well it's another thing I think I can live without

(chorus) (solo) (Chorus)


This song, like all the others from Onward To Yesterday, can be heard on the mp3 page on this web site.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Bike Week 2010 schedule.

Here's my updated schedule for Bike Week 2010. This is probably the final schedule, as I don't really have room to take on any more work.

Thursday, June 10 - Weirs Beach Lobster Pound, Weirs Beach NH. My first time at this venue. It's a weather-dependent show, as I'll be out on the deck from 7-10pm.

Friday, June 11 - Shooter's Tavern and Pizzaria, Belmont NH. No Limitz is doing the classic rock thing at 8:30pm.

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



Sunday, June 13 - Sunset Grill, Campton NH. I'm hosting open mic night, so come out and play! It starts at 7pm.

Monday, June 14 - Laconia Harley-Davidson, Meredith NH. 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.

Sunday, June 20 - Sunset Grill, Campton NH. Another open mic night (7pm start).


Then I get a few days off, and it's right back into it on Thursday night. :)

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Weekend recap.

That was a busy weekend. And that's the way they're going to be until, let's see... Columbus Day, or thereabouts. I was at Giuseppe's on Thursday, where I played an entire show on piano. Nice to get back to that. It made me miss the Dueling Pianos shows in Burlington this past winter. Then it was off to Tony's in Thornton for a rowdy Friday night set. I headed up to Whitefield to the Spalding Inn for my Saturday show, and down to Laconia to play The Broken Spoke for the first time on Sunday afternoon. Here's a song from the Broken Spoke show.

Jim Tyrrell - American Pie (The Broken Spoke, June 6 2010)

It was nice to have so many folks watching online (I was able to broadcast all four shows). The live feed will be up whenever wifi is available at the venue. This Thursday it all starts again, and I'll go over the schedule in detail in tomorrow's post. Cheers!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Song Spotlight: Hey Ruth

Over the next couple weeks, I'll be spotlighting songs from the Onward To Yesterday CD. Today's track is the opener on the album.

Hey Ruth was originally written for Song Fight!, an online songwriting competition. They provide the title, you provide the song (with a 7-10 day deadline). This was one of those wide-open titles; I'm not sure what led me in this particular direction, but the first draft of the song was written more or less front-to back, almost stream-of-consciousness style. A little structural tidying, and the result is a poppy number that seemed destined for the Permanent Record album. I wasn't happy enough with the recording to include it though, so it sat until the Onward To Yesterday sessions in late '09. Things went better this time around, and the song made for a good first track on the album.


Hey Ruth

Hey Ruth, I know you probably didn’t want me to wake you,
But I wasn’t really sure if you were sleeping or dead
Hey Ruth, ‘cause when you sit there barely breathing, what the
Hell am I supposed to do, you got me going out of my head
Hey Ruth, well do you think the boss’ll notice that you’re
Sleeping in your cubicle alone there at the end of the hall
Hey Ruth, with all the meetings and the quotas, do you ever
Stop to think about the reason that you do it at all

I remember when you started back in ‘93
I saw you filing and I knew you were the one for me
I asked you out but you were married to the industry
You traded what you had for what you thought you ought to be

Hey Ruth, if anybody could have seen you twenty years ago
They never would have guessed that you would end up this way
Hey Ruth, They’d probably wonder where the fire went that
Used to light your eyes before you signed up for your permanent stay
Hey Ruth - I’m only trying to survive and I can tell you that
It makes it better just to know that you’ve got a friend
Hey Ruth - I don’t know what it is that drives you but
What good is it to get there just to find yourself alone in the end

You worked your way through all the corporate insanity
To get promoted just to satisfy your vanity
Now you’re the president in charge of all calamities
They moved your desk right underneath the sword of Damocles

I remember when you started back in ‘93
I saw you filing and I knew you were the one for me
I asked you out but you were married to the industry
You traded what you had for what you thought you ought to be

Hey Ruth, I know you probably didn’t want me to wake you,
But I wasn’t really sure if you were sleeping or dead
Hey Ruth, ‘cause when you sit there barely breathing, what the
Hell am I supposed to do, you got me going out of my head
Hey Ruth, I know you probably didn’t want me to wake you,
But I wasn’t really sure if you were sleeping or dead
Hey Ruth, ‘cause when you sit there barely breathing, what the
Hell am I supposed to do, you got me going out of my head

This song (and the rest of Onward To Yesterday) can be heard on the 'MP3' page on this web site.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

2 Kings Pub.

In Whitefield NH, there's a place called the Spalding Inn. Apparently it's owned by the two dudes from that Ghost Hunters show on SyFy. Anyway, I will be there tonight (Saturday), playing a solo show in the 2 Kings Pub.

This pub is just the right setting for my drinking songs, so I expect that'll be a large part of the set. And there has been a good wifi signal every time I've been there, so I am planning on webcasting the show. So come on up and check the place out, or watch online!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Downloads.

The Onward To Yesterday album is available for digital download. Individual tracks can be downloaded for 99 cents, or you can grab the whole album for $8.99. Here's where it all happens.



Onward To Yesterday - Digital Download



I'll integrate this into the web site more elegantly when I get a chance. :)

Of course, physical copies of the CD are still available too, along with my drinking songs CD (Time For Another Round - Gold Edition). The 2007 album Permanent Record is currently out of stock, but more are on the way, and mp3 downloads should be available soon on this one as well.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Tony's.

This Friday I'm playing at Tony's in Thornton, NH. The best thing about this show (for me, anyway) is that Tony is a great supporter of original music. My trio played a St. Patrick's Day show there earlier this year, and it was a blast to play my drinking songs for the temporarily Irish crowd. I'll be working a lot of originals into the set this Friday as well (drinking and non-drinking songs included). The show starts at 6:30pm, and it will be watchable online as well.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Giuseppe's.

Tomorrow (Thursday) I'm returning to Giuseppe's in Meredith NH for a solo show. I like this room a lot, as I'm sure I've said before. The PA system is a little tricky to get used to, but the grand piano is a real treat.

I usually go in there intending to play a very piano-heavy set, but the guitar stuff (in particular, the Citizen Cope covers) got the most enthusiastic response last time. So, we'll see. Occasionally I'll get a crowd in there that is interested in the original material, and that's always good.

The show starts at 6pm. I'm going to try to put up a live video feed, so check the web site if you can't make it out to Meredith. :)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Web site update.

The long-overdue update of jimtyrrell.net is finally up! I'll be tweaking it here and there over the next few days, but this is the general idea anyway. A vast improvement over the site's previous iterations, for sure. Big thanks to Stacey Lucas for the Dreamweaver instruction.

In other news, my bass-playing blisters are healing up nicely. They'll get tested on Thursday, when I play piano and guitar at Giuseppe's in Meredith. I don't have another bass gig until a wedding on the 26th, and that'll be a pretty short set.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Branch Brook Campground.

I'm playing bass for Bob King and his band tonight at Branch Brook Campground in Campton NH. The show starts at 7pm. I don't know if they have wifi there, but if they do, I'll post a link to the live stream.

This is my last show until Thursday, when I return to Giuseppe's in Meredith for another grand piano gig. Woo! Tomorrow is a day off, during which I will remember those who sacrificed for our country. And get into a bunch of projects I haven't had time for, I'm sure. I think updating the web site design is a likely candidate for my attention.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Live at the Sunset Grill.

I'm playing at the Sunset Grill in Campton NH tonight at 9pm, and you can watch the show right here on the good old internet. Click the link below to watch a live stream of the show, and make requests in the chat room!

Tune in and say hi!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Bookings.

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

Monday, May 24, 2010

Live at Camp.

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. :)

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Stolen gear.

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.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Bike Week 2010.

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.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

A week in (and around) Meredith.

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!

Monday, May 17, 2010

Weekend recap.

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.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Rockin' the triple.

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.

Friday, May 14, 2010

A pain in the neck.

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. :)

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Summer Schedule Part II.

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!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Lego cake.

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!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Summer schedule.

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.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Jim Tyrrell on Local Outbreak.

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.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Catching up.

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.


Thursday, March 11, 2010

Time for some drinking songs.

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.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The Red Blazer.

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. :)

Monday, February 22, 2010

This week's schedule.

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. :)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

CD is on its way.

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.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Onward To Yesterday preorders!

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. :)

Blog Archive