elmerthegreat

Friday, I will be playing at the Irvington Town Hall with Moonspank. The show is a gala event called the World of Colors, as presented by the World Heritage Cultural Center. Also appearing will be an artist I have performed with many time, Mr. Ricky Blues. Hosting the event is my friend Mike Williams.

The evening is packed with tons of artists from many backgrounds and disciplines. The event starts at 6pm, Moonspank is on at 8pm.

Please note: The upcoming Ricky Blues gig at the Christopher Columbus Society has been CANCELED!

The event is still taking place, but Ricky Blues will not be performing.

Ross Byron
Otto’s Shrunken Head
538 East 14th Street
New York, NY 10009
212-228-2240
(Google Map)

This will be my first time playing Otto’s Shrunken Head since my friend Rich Betancourt died. Sadly, he perished in a car accident.

We played together, on and off, in multiple projects throughout the years. We did his own material, we were in a project called Dagit, and our final venture was the Cellar Poets.

This experience will definitely be a first.

Additional Links:
Rich Betancourt’s Official Website
Rich Betancourt on MySpace

Sandwiched around St. Patrick’s Day, Ross, Vinnie, and myself give you a soundtrack to keep your drinking going.

Though shows like this in NYC do not pay as well as other places, I do appreciate the fact that most clubs have a backline. For the laymen, backline is when a club provides amplifiers and speakers. That mean I only need to show up with my bass and whatever pedals I may require. For clubs, it allows a quicker set-up and breakdown between acts. It means that I do not need to lug around any amps.

March 16, 2009 at 11pm
Ross Byron
Rockwood Music Hall
196 Allen Street
New York City 10002
212-477-4155
(Google Map)

March 18, 2009 at 11:59pm
Ross Byron
Trash Bar
256 Grand St. between Driggs & Roebling
Williamsburg, NY 11211
(Google Map)

So what is the allure of playing in NYC? The possibility of being discovered? The chance of building a larger fan base because of the dense population on Manhattan island? If I had to play these gig for my sole source of income, I’d starve to death. Does that mean I don’t enjoy them? Absolutely not. I love it. Playing these rooms are fun. Getting new people to hear your original music is quite a rush. Nevertheless, in many ways, it is a more a labor of love than labor for profit’s sake.

To all who were planning on attending the Feb. 28 show at Mister D’s in Yonkers:

I apologize, but the show has been cancelled due to a booking conflict. I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. Please check in again for upcoming shows.

Sincerely,
Elmer