The Two Man Gentlemen Band
Chris Parreira Present...
Monday, October 20
8:00 (7:30 doors)
The Two Man Gentlemen Band
Arcata Playhouse
1251 9th St. Arcata, CA
$10
Irreverent songwriters, expert instrumentalists, former street-performers, and consummate showmen, The Two Man Gentlemen Band has been barnstorming from coast to coast for half a decade, developing a reputation as a must-see live act on the roots and retro music circuits. A tenor guitar and string bass duo in the tradition of the great Slim & Slam – with the occasional pyrotechnic banjo feature thrown in – Andy Bean and Fuller Condon have an obvious affection for pre-war American Jazz and Western Swing—but they’re no period piece. The decidedly contemporary feel of their lyrics and the hilarious, often ridiculous, improvised banter that peppers their live shows combine with the music for a thoroughly modern ruckus.
The Gentlemen (namely, Andy Bean and Fuller Condon) began The Two Man Gentlemen Band in 2004 strictly as a street-performing outfit. For three years, whenever the weather permitted, they played marathon sets in New York City’s Central Park (with occasional forays into the city’s subway system). After developing their act on the streets, The Gents hit the road for good in 2007 and quickly grew to be regarded as a premiere touring act in their genre.
In 2013, the Gentlemen were invited to submit a theme song for the Disney cartoon series Wander Over Yonder; The Gents so impressed the show’s producers that not only was their theme song selected, but Andy—the band’s songwriter—was invited to be the series composer. Wander of Yonder was an instant hit upon its September 2013 premiere, and Andy was honored with an Annie Award nomination for his composition work on the series, which he will continue for further seasons of the show.
After a near two-year hiatus from recording and touring, 2014 has brought another full-length album release - Enthusiastic Attempts at Hot Swing & String Band Favorites -the band’s very first collection of tunes from the American jazz and string band songbook. Recorded live to monophonic tape using a single vintage RCA microphone, The Gents cheerfully zip through tin-pan alley tunes, banjo breakdowns, easy swingers, and mandolin rags made famous by the likes of Bob Wills, Slim & Slam, Red Nichols, and Cliff Edwards, along with a handful of delightfully revived obscurities.
Despite having relocated to dual home bases in Los Angeles and Charleston, SC, The Two Man Gentlemen Band is working together as effortlessly as ever. Come Summer/Fall of 2014, the band will return to its steady diet of national and international touring (with a hearty tour across the USA and UK). Having fully realized their musical identity as a duo, The Gents will be expanding their line-up with additional musicians on stage (as they have in the studio with Enthusiastic Attempts). But fear not, no name change is in the works: duo, trio, quartet, or octet, they will always be The Two Man Gentlemen Band.
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