Monday, October 27, 2008

The Hits Just Keep On Coming


So, how do The Tim and Bob Show follow our CD release party? How does the week that follows NOT be an emotional or professional letdown? I don't know, but somehow, the week after the debut of Take It Outside was even more eventful than the week of. How is this possible? Don't ask us; we're just hanging on.

On Thursday we got a call from Patrice at The Texas Music Coalition letting us know that we had been selected as the Coalition's "Artist of the Year" for 2008. To say we were stunned was putting it mildly. We're proud members of the organization, and even put their logo on our new CD, but we certainly didn't expect this. Having said that, we're NOT demanding a recount. We weren't able to collect the award in person, though, and we'll get to why in a bit.

On Friday we returned to Orderup at the Colonnade for our monthly gig there. It was a fun night, and it was great to play without the pressure of getting ready for CD release day. Casey and Roberta were the representatives of Tim and Bob Nation attending, and we made some new friends as well.

Saturday? Well, we couldn't attend the TMC awards function Saturday night because we were having our first gig at WineStyles at Stone Oak. The owners, Jerry and Jean, like to provide live music on the patio outside their beautiful wine emporium. We played from 7:45 until 10:15 there for their customers, as well as for customers of the nearby Italian restaurant and assorted passers-by. The evening was lovely and the audience was great. Tim and Bob Nationals Beth and Matt showed up, as well as the Offutt's who we hadn't seen in quite a long time. They hung out until the bitter end and bought our new CD before they left. At the finish, Steve and I were so hyped, that we jammed for a few minutes just for our own satisfaction. At some point, Steve invited Matt to borrow his guitar and take a few choruses. Great stuff, and I bet we have some pictures (click here) of the event to prove it.

We're looking forward to returning to both these establishments next month, and for many months to come. We're also looking forward to collecting our award. Once we do, we'll have some pictures of that as well.

After the events of the last two weeks, what could possibly be next for The Tim and Bob Show? I don't know, but when it happens, you'll be able to read about it here.

Monday, October 20, 2008

CD Release Party Review



Well, after months of planning, we introduced our CD to the world on Saturday, October 18, at Casbeers at the Church in San Antonio's historic King William District. It was our first time to play at this venue, although Mary Lou, Kathy, and I are very familiar with the location, having performed there many times when it was the Alamo Street Restaurant and Theater.

We were on the patio, and the weather was magnificent. It was clear and the temperatures were moderate, although the sun was full in our eyes for most of the first set and we could only see shapes in front of us. We designed the gig list to intersperse all 14 songs on the CD with our favorite covers. There was a good crowd to start with, and it stayed pretty much full for the duration.

The list of Tim and Bob Nationals who attended is long and distinguished, and we're going to name them all. Before we do, though, we want to thank "The Blue Team" who helped wrangle the CDs and manage their sale. Bethany, Matt, Casey, and Marcelo did the honors. They hung in from start to finish and even helped us break down. They all got a free CD and a free meal in thanks.

In addition to new friends, David and wife, Marcelo's friend Presley, some great folks from Pet Pals of Texas, and some folks who dropped by after reading Jim Beal's recommendation, here's the Tim and Bob Nationals who attended: Rich; Rodney; Roberta; Nikki & Lee from PrimaDonna Productions; Peggy; Carole and Glen; Meg, Karl, Liam, & Lindsay; Gary; Joe; Ron [The Sweet Music Man] and Rhonda ; Michaele; Keith & family; Marcie & John; Chris & Teresa; John-Michael & Katy; "Doctor Dave" and Linda; Kacey and Krissie; Vicki and Linda [YAY PET PALS!]; Jerry and Mary Ellen, and Teresa and her Little Sister. Wow! That was a bunch.

A special shout out for Mark and Barb who were also there for the duration. Mark took some great pictures of the event, and we'll be posting them very soon.

Well, we sold some CDs and we made some music, and we didn't run out of either. You'll be able to get a bunch of live and recorded music from us at lots of venues all over town for the remainder of the year and beyond.

Watch the newspapers and your email in-basket for details.

Click here to buy our CD

Monday, October 13, 2008

Wow! What a Weekend

While the band is in steady countdown mode towards our CD release party [Saturday, 10/18, 5-8, Casbeers at the Church], we’re still playing gigs at our favorite venues. Columbus Day weekend featured our return to two great outdoor establishments. On Friday night we played at Beto’s Comida Latina for our first of two visits there this month. The weather was noticeably cooler than recently, and it’s late enough in the year for Steve not to have to begin playing with the sun in his eyes. We were under attack by some swaying fronds, but that was a minimal nuisance.

We got fantastic audience response at Beto’s, and not only in terms of applause and generous tips. After we started our second set with “South Texas Saturday Night,” someone shouted out, “Who does that song?” When we replied that it was our song, and that we had written it, he replied, “That’s a GREAT song.” Thanks! [again]. With us on the night were Tim and Bob Nationals Beth and Matt, Katie and Jackson [AKA Chris], Marcelo,Cathie, Marguerite and Peter, and Joe and Patricia. The latter couple introduced us to a new friend, Earnest.

On Sunday we returned to Fralo’s Art of Pizza, where it all began for us more than three years ago. Our last gig there was cancelled due to rain, so it had been a good three or four months since we’d traveled out to Leon Springs for the best pizza in Bexar County. Once again we played to a patio filled with people enjoying eating and drinking shaded by the live oak trees that inspired the lyrics to “South Texas Saturday Night.” Like the audience at Beto’s two nights previous, there were some folks out to have a seriously good time. Our special thanks go out to Birthday Girl Maggie and her fellow medical students “studying for a test” as well as Page and his date for refusing to let us quit on time. In addition to singing the Beatles’ “Birthday” for Maggie, we also wound up doing EIGHT extra songs just to keep them happy [and justify their generous tips].

Once again we were graced by Beth and Matt, Katie and Chris [AKA Jackson], and Cathie. Elizabeth also dropped by with her friend, and we made new friends with Liz and Bob who’ve just moved from Mexico City.

It was a tiring weekend, but man is it fun playing for people who enjoy what you’re giving them. And now it’s on to Casbeers and selling some CDs!

Tell us what YOU think!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning

The first weekend of October was a busy one, as all weeks will be this month. The first two of eight October gigs were on October 4 and 5, as The Tim and Bob Show played Saturday night at a very comfortable and familiar indoor venue – Water Street Oyster Bar – and then set up on Sunday morning to play at a gig at a new outdoor venue at noon.

Water Street was fun as usual. We had great food – Mary Lou and I favored the Oyster PoBoys, Kathy had the shrimp enchiladas, and Steve had a roasted chicken breast sandwich. We had lots of folks up in the loft with us, including dancing children [Landon and Ashlyn]. We enjoyed their company and their appreciation of our music. We also enjoyed the applause from our unseen listeners downstairs. And we got to sing The Beatles’ “Birthday” for Danielle who was celebrating with her parents. It was a great night for us, and more was to come.

On Sunday we all drove downtown to San Antonio’s world famous El Mercado. We were to be part of Taste of San Antonio, a music and food festival honoring the diversity of San Antonio’s heritage and the food that goes along with it. The festival ran the entire weekend, with four stages operating, and food stands spread out along the wide walkways. We were to open the festivities on the Museo de San Antonio steps. The crowds were smaller than they would be later on in the day, but there were plenty of people to listen to us. We decided to feature the womenfolk as much as possible, so all but two of the songs we played had them either singing or playing percussion. After almost a full hour of playing, we relinquished the stage to the next group, broke down our equipment, walked a good three blocks to our cars, and then returned to sample the great food available. After tacos, and marinated mushrooms, and shrimp cocktail, and other seriously tasty treats, Mary Lou and I topped it off with a huge lemon-flavored agua fresca. What fun.

With a special shout out to Casey who took photographs, handed out business cards, and helped us tote, and to Oscar, who was our “sound guy for the day,” here’s hoping that we’re invited back again next year.

Tell us what YOU think!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

September 30, 2008 – an Afternoon Visit to Core Media




It has been a long time since I last blogged about the recording of The Tim and Bob Show’s new CD Take It Outside. There’s a reason for this. Once principle recording, mixing, and mastering had been accomplished at Mandala Music, there wasn’t much for we band members to do, other than make plans for the CD’s release, try to drum up some advanced sales, finalize the cover design and art, and – most importantly – get some extra gigs to help pay the bills!

On Tuesday afternoon [what a great name for a song!], Kathy, Steve, and I met at Core Media to take delivery of our baby – precisely 960 copies of our offspring, that is. And it’s beautiful. The cover art is quirky and colorful and representative of the CD, its contents, and the band that produced it. All the important people have been thanked and attributed, and everything is spelled correctly. All the times are where they should be, and – after I cracked open a copy and played it on my stereo – I can attest to the fact that it sounds very good.

The CD is what we all had hoped it would be from the start:
1. It sounds like us [only richer and smoother].
2. It reflects the variety of the music we perform.
3. It takes advantage of the vocal and instrumental strengths of each member.
4. It gives no evidence of anything close to a “typical Feinstein/Hymel song.”
5. It shows that we can write songs as well as we can sing them.

And so we picked up the CDs. We’re developing a list of folks who get a free copy – for either contributing to the creation of the CD, being one of our regular performing venues, or for promotional purposes. The list is fairly long, but I expect that, once the Christmas buying season has ended, we’ll still have a CD or two boxed up and waiting in our spare bedroom.

There will be a CD release party, of course. It’ll be at Casbeers at the Church – the new location for one of San Antonio’s signature music venues. We’ll be on the patio from 5 until 8 on Saturday, October 18. On the day, we’ll be selling the CD for $2 off the usual $15 price. Additionally, for each CD we sell, we’ll be contributing money to Pet Pals of Texas, a charity that has become sort of our personal favorite. Just like we promote each of our gigs, we’re promoting this one. We’ve already done a lot of flier passing-out here in town, and there’ll be advance gig alerts as well as the weekly regular one. All of this is fine if you’re local, but we’re well aware that we’ve got friends all over the country and, in my case, in several countries as well [thanks to my soccer addiction]. So we’ve developed a way to order the CD in advance of the release date for the same reduced price [and the same contribution to Pet Pals].

In addition to the CD release party, we’ll be appearing on local radio and television programs. If there are any video or audio links, we’ll connect our fans to them. We’ll also be linking the CD to various national and international radio sites. We don’t know how to do this, of course. That’s why we have PrimaDonna Productions to assist us. Finally, we’re developing a PayPal link, as well as CD sales through the CD-baby web site. The CD [and individual songs from it] will also be available through iTunes. It’s a strange new world out there for your humble correspondent!

So, how can you get in on buying a copy of our brilliant child? Watch your email in-box for details. Can’t wait? Contact Don HERE and I’ll give you specific information. I’ll also be writing an article for fulhamusa.com with all the necessary links once the CD release party is history. And every person any of the four of us has ever known or ever chatted with on line or on the telephone will be given every opportunity to buy this gem. Trust me; it’s one of the benefits of being part of Tim and Bob Nation!