Go See This Show

Hey folks. I was just posting this as an annouuncement for my buddy Dan and his friend Ryan Montbleau. Dan helps out the band in a variety of capacities and is pretty much one of the biggest supporters of this blog.

Anyway, Ryan's band is fantastic and so is pretty much any show at the Somerville Theater. This is one of those moments that I regret not being in Cambridge. Anyway, Dan wanted all the loyal (10, maybe 12) Sandwich readers to know that this show is going down and to try to go and check it out. Ryan is not only a great musician, but he is genuinely a great guy and much deserving of all of his and his band's success. They will surely blow up in years to come, so do me, Dan, the Band, and yourself a favor and go check them out in this intimate venue while you still can.


Also there's this from Dan:
All the pertinent info is [on RyanMontbleau.com] except for one thing: you can bypass TicketBastard and their ridiculous fees by ordering tickets directly through us. There is a payment button on Ryan's main page for doing so, and and major credit card will work in addition to PayPal.


Here's more on the band:
Without a label, without radio play, without a major multinational conglomerate behind them or a slick PR campain, Ryan Montbleau Band have quietly become one of the Northeast's bands to watch, and they have done it the old fashioned way... mile-by-mile, song-by-song, show-by-show. When these up-and-comers sold out the 600-capacity Paradise Rock Club in their hometown of Boston in November of 2004, it was a watermark of achievement for the 27-year-old singer-songwriter and his band. His first words to the raging crowd (but unfortunately not the 200 that got shut outside in the rain): “I used to play at TGI Friday’s.”

The 'Montbleau Band', as they are affectionately known by some closest to the movement, is building a bridge between 70’s soul, ragtime, blues-folk-Americana, and the contemporary singer-songwriter vibe of artists as varied as Martin Sexton, Ben Harper and Ray LaMontagne. Having begun his career playing Boston's coffee shops and folk venues as a solo artist with an infectious, percussive, fingerpicking guitar style, the charismatic Ryan Montbleau has evolved into the front man for the dynamic, eclectic ensemble that bears his name. In addition to Ryan, the band is comprised of Matt Giannaros (acoustic upright bass, electric bass, vocals), Laurence Scudder (viola), Jason Cohen (piano, organ, clavinet, Rhodes) and James Cohen (drums). The sound that emerges is akin to a cross between Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder and The Band.
While the arrangements and intriguing instrumentation bring about this alchemic transformation in the music, it is all anchored firmly in Montbleau’s meaningful lyrical content and an unmistakable voice that carries it to the audience. Rest assured, the audience responds.

Part of Ryan Montbleau Band’s appeal is simply great song-writing and honest performances that vary from night to night, oftentimes taking the stage without a setlist. Another part is Ryan’s heartfelt humility, honesty and sincerity, which resonates with music lovers of all types and stripes. This combination of art and personality creates that magical bond between performer and audience that inspires masses of people across generational boundries and demographic lines. It has sustained them over the last two years as they toured incessantly, virtually living on the road. As a result of their efforts, the 'Montbleau Band' has already established a large, passionate following throughout the Northeast, and is developing strong fan bases in the Southeast and Midwest. There is grass-roots demand from Colorado and the West Coast, and the band will surely make their way there in the next year as they tour in support of their debut album, "One Fine Color".