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fsmith

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Oct 30, 2003
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Location
Halethorpe, MD
Tommy was in Baltimore this weekend playing 2 nights at the Cancun Cantina or as the locals call it the "Canned Tuna".

Ends up he was staying at a hotel about 5 minutes from my house. We hooked up on Saturday afternoon. He needed a delay pedal so we decided to take a road trip to either Garrett Park guitars in Annapolis, Washington Music Center or Guitar Center. We wanted the store with the most EBMM guitars in stock so I figured we would end up at Levins.

I showed up at the hotel with my AL and EVH and Tommy had his number 1 Morse and his new AL. I asked him where he wanted to go and he said he couldn't find the number for the stores... Apparently they don't have 411 in Delaware... :rolleyes: Garrett Park didn't have the pedal he wanted so we ended up going to Wheaton and Chuck Levin's.

We farted around for about 30 minutes looking at all the EB's in stock I think I remember seeing about 8 guitars to choose from. Anyhow after playing around we ended up at the counter to get the pedal and this guy in front of us was asking for the same pedal, and the only one in stock!!! You should have seen Tommy squirm... :p So this guy decides he wants this pedal and I finally decide to speak up. "Hey Tom, isn't that the pedal you called about on the way down here?" Well the guy hears me and starts to feel bad about taking the last one and he and Tommy go back and forth about 5 minutes before the guy offers to flip a coin for it... The saleman had already started writing up the sale and can't believe what's happening. So Tommy wins the flip and ends up getting the pedal. I was gonna offer to arm wrestle the guy for it. :D

The funny part is the same guy was looking around at the guitars about the same amount of time that we were before going to buy the pedal. So Tommy lucked out and gets what we went there for. After talking to the guy we find out that he ended up having to drive about 40 minutes more than us to get there. He was a really good sport about it though.

On the way back we stopped at the Outdoor World near me so Tommy could buy some fishing gear and show me his special bass rig with a plastic frog. We ended up going back at my house to grab something to eat. Tommy played around and dialed in his new pedal before going back for the show that night.

If any of you have never heard Tommy play you're missing one of the good ones, the guy can play anything. Check him out if you get the chance. The band was tight and sounded great, my wife and I hung out until about 12:30 and then went home and crashed.

I had a great time hanging out with Tommy this weekend, and hope to do it again sometime.

thanks bud!!
 

koogie2k

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Dec 28, 2002
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5,859
Location
Moyock, NC
Awesome....Tommy is a great guy and great player. I have his CD and it is still in my rotation.....good stuff for sure.

:cool:
 

kbaim

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Aug 16, 2003
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Red Rock Country
Yep. An excellent, excellent player. Beautiful phrasing.

Good story. Woulda been cool if the other guy coulda seen tommy play the new pedal that night.
 

Spudmurphy

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Aug 23, 2005
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12,037
Location
Cardiff, United Kingdom
If anybodys got a cd of Tommy playing (especially if its da Blues), I'd love a copy (if that's alright with Tommy! PM me and I'll swop for something from my collection.
Spod
 

fsmith

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Oct 30, 2003
Messages
2,297
Location
Halethorpe, MD
Tommy offered to get him into the show that night... That's how we found out where he lived. I'm not so sure I'd have been as easy to give up if I had driven as far as that guy did. :eek:

And the pedal sounded really good... or I should say Tommy sounded really good through that pedal. His lead tone really cut through the mix, even without a "soundguy" the band really sounded good. And the people were up and dancing for every song. The place was packed.

Speaking of "dancing", I didn't witness it , but Tommy told me a story that makes me wish I went to the Friday night show too... (alone) :eek: Maybe Tommy will share with everyone... :p
 

fsmith

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Oct 30, 2003
Messages
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Halethorpe, MD
lenny said:
whats his bands Name? i have seen him play with sterling they rocked the house!

That night he was playing with Scott Bandy and Texas Heat. He plays in a couple of different bands. I've caught him before with a blues outfit, I believe that was Garry and the Complainers in a small bar in Baltimore. I'm going to drive up and catch him one night in an acoustic group with 3 girls. He says they're awsome.

He covers it all...
 

lenny

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Feb 4, 2006
Messages
2,415
Location
Nova Scotia Canada
fsmith said:
That night he was playing with Scott Bandy and Texas Heat. He plays in a couple of different bands. I've caught him before with a blues outfit, I believe that was Garry and the Complainers in a small bar in Baltimore. I'm going to drive up and catch him one night in an acoustic group with 3 girls. He says they're awsome.

He covers it all...

Very Cool So Tommy Is our Resident "HIRED GUN" ! w have a couple of those guys where i live as well,can play anything anywhere with anybody and fit in !nice !
 

pauldogx

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Feb 16, 2006
Messages
350
Location
Allentown, PA
Tommy is a scary good player. Last time I saw him was 10 or so years ago--he was in fusion band with the bass player from my band,a guy named Brian Hayes(also a great player). I can just imagine the progression till now--I'll have to go visit and see one of his gigs. The delaware scene has always been like that---most guys that are good are in several bands at once. I was involved in the Philly scene---but guys usually stuck with one band there. Close in proximity--but 2 totally different scenes. BTW--he's one of the first guys I saw play a EBMM if I remember correctly------there were probably adult beverages involved at that time in my life though...................:cool:
 

francric

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Jan 26, 2005
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2,511
Location
North Carolina
Hey wait a second..................a while back we said Tommy was going to tell us his schedule and we were all going to plan a trip to see him play. What happened with that?????? Tommy????
 

tommyindelaware

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Dec 24, 2002
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Location
wilmington , delaware
lenny said:
whats his bands Name? i have seen him play with sterling they rocked the house!

the main stuff i'm doing right now is w/
blue bayou
chris johnson band
scott bandy/texas heat
gary & the complainers

the chris johnson band is VERY guitar geared & all original
chris & i write the stuff . basically......she does ALL the lyrics......& i do most all the music.

b.b. is a really unique cover group where i do all acoustic guitar......& sharon plays bongo bass & sings........ peeps & heidi sing there butts off .....
yep...no drums.....but we would add a drummer if i could find one that has the dynamics we want....

gary & the complainers does nothin but the blues.....
gary is awesome blues guitarist & singer.....& one of my best buddies. a true gentleman !!!!!!

scott bandy & texas heat is a C.M.T. style cover band w/ alot of original stuff too.....
scott writes ....we play. scott is a very authentic hillbilly country singer/songwritwer....w/ alot of natural talent.....and an EXCELLENT voice.
 
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