Howdy folks!

Thank you for loading up my page here @ 24 Hour Tom Dot Com!

I've got a ton going on so I'll get right to it!

A)  Chris Trapper just released his brand new Christmas Record!  I'm playing upright bass on 4 songs including the title track, "It's Christmas Time"!  Pick up a copy @ www.christrapper.com today!  It is an awesome record!

B)  The Winter Wonder Band has been plotting and planning it's sets for our Tuesday Night Residency @ The Lizard Lounge!  We're putting a ton of energy into making sure these Tuesday's bring something new and entertaining every week! 

Remember, we're only performing the first 3 Tuesday's of the month, so doing wait to catch one or they'll slip by you!

C)  Greg Klyma and I will be on the road this week!  Montpelier VT, Manchester VT, Buffalo NY and  Binghamton NY.  C'mon out and see a show!

D)  The LIZARD LOUNGE OPEN MIC CHALLENGE on Monday nights has been going just spectacular!  I love hosting this show and it is by far the best Open Mic Show I've ever had the privlage of being a part of.  Please do swing by!

That's it for now!

Happy December!

ToM

Hey Folks !

A very frustrating week finally came to a close with an amazing weekend of baseball and music.

Although the Sox are a blast too watch and route for, when it comes to the playoffs, our local music events come to a screeching halt when the guys in red are in the running. I've lost a pile of gigs this week and I know I'm not alone.

But... with all of the baseball mayhem... all of the frustrating cancellations of shows... there was one huge victory thanks to one very special band and one huge group of the best friends and fans I have ever experienced.  I am talking of course about the Ryan Montbleau Band, all of their special guests and the friends and fans that made this past weekend one of the most magical events I have ever been a part of.

The Ryan Montbleau Band probably booked October 27th and 28th for they're CD release show some time back in the summer.  Who knew the Red Sox would be playing game 3 and 4 of the World Series on the same dates.  Ugh....

There was talk of canceling Sunday nights show.  The band took a huge risk and stuck to their original plan.  They also took the time and effort to figure out how to put up a giant movie screen so we could all watch our beloved home team play. 

I've never seen a band and it's behind the scenes teamwork so hard to make sure everyone was happy.

I've never seen a group of friends and fans show their appreciation in such an explosive and exciting way.

The Ryan Montbleau Band fans have to be the most amazing group of folks ever.  They came to the show, they rocked with the band, they cheered for their team and they brought an energy that was pure magic.  In the end, everybody won.

The Band did a miraculous job of timing the very last pitch of the World Series game 4 (strike three) with the highest high point of they're slammin' jam... and the fans let them know it.  The people in that room jumped so hard I think the club is now a few inches further down into the ground.

I've been pals with Ryan for a long time now, and he knows how much I appreciate all he has done for this local community.  I thank him and the band dearly all of the time.

This letter I write for those amazing friends and fans that made this past weekend a victory for live music.  You sincerely are the best group of folks I have ever witnessed.  Thank you for all you do.

ToM

10/11/07

From the desk of Tom Bianchi.

Hey Folks!

Thanks to a phone call from my good friend and peer Hugh McGowan, all day yesterday I was in the studio playing the upright bass on 4 songs for singer/songwriter Chris Trapper of "Push Stars" fame!

Chris is throwing together a Chrismas album for this season and if all goes well in production, Hugh and I will be on it!  The songs were awesome and Chris Trapper is a hell of a guy! 

All and all it was a wonderful experience.  Thanks for the call guys!

ToM

From the desk of Tom Bianchi.

Bass Playah. That's how you say it in Boston... and I am a Boston bassist. Don't be confused, I've never played with "Boston", but as of this month I have officially jammed with 1/5 of Boston band/legend "The Cars".

My good friend Tim Mann http://www.timmannmusic.com released a brand new CD this month called "Distant Strangers".  The musicians credited on this record are, Tim Mann, (duh) Dave Rizzuti, Steve Chaggaris, Zack Hickman (Josh Ritter), Tom Bianchi (me) and..... yes, Greg Hawkes, the man behind all of the electronic hooks that made The Cars the superstar band they were.

The reason this means a little something special to me is easy.  The Cars were one of those bands you pretended to be in as a kid.  EI:  Mom and Dad are out for the night.  Your sister is at her friends down the road... it's nothing but you, The Cars self-titled debut recording on vinyl a spoon to sing into like it's a microphone and a 2 liter bottle of coke.

My folks had one of those coal stoves that were popular during the “oil-crunch” days.  The brick landing it sat on was my stage and all the living room was my audience.  To this day I can play that whole Cars record blind folded because I listened to it so much.  “Moving In Stereo” may have been the first ‘power chord’ song I ever learned.

So now, so many years later I have the privilege of being on a record with Greg Hawkes.  Wow.  Life is pretty damn cool sometimes.

Sure, The Cars were huge… that much is certain, but to give you an idea of where this dude has been in his time…. I share with you a story;  Pauly Chiasson and I were chatting, even light-heartedly arguing about what microphone is better, the Shure SM58 or its younger son, the Beta 58.  My point to be made was that the old skool 58 has been around for ever and always would be around.  I tried to make my point by asking Greg, “For example, what is the biggest show you’ve ever done?”  Thinking…. Yeah Greg will back me up…. He’s probably used the ol’58 on dozens of stages…..

To which Greg Hawkes casually replies, “Hmmmm…. I don’t know.  Maaaaaybe Live Aid????”

Live Aid.  Philadelphia 1985.  90,000 fans in JFK Stadium, watched by 1.5 Billion people live on television.

The conversation came to a screeching halt and 4 of the 5 people realized the 1 other guy sitting at the table was Greg fucking Hawkes.

Hey folks!  I’m on a record with Greg Hawkes.  Nice.

ToM

So far the fall has been pretty busy for your favorite 24 Hour Entertainer.  Tom is celebrating the success of the very first "Lizard Lounge Main Event" show on Saturday September 22nd and all is well in the 24 Hour camp. 
See the Open Mic Challenge myspace page

Looking to the future, Tom will be performing live @ The Paradise for the Ryan Montbleau Band CD release show in October, and also touring in November to Long Island/Buffalo/Binghamton/Syracuse, Williamsport, PA and more, sharing stages with Greg Klyma and Ryan Fitzsimmons along the way.

Greg Klyma and Tom are currently in the studio working on the very first 'Vagabond Van' cd!

So as you can see, Tom is doing his best to uphold his "24 HouR" status!

Thank you for your support!

Welcome to the new and improved 24HourTom.com.

This is the new homebase for singer/songwriter, funny man, and bass guy 24 Hour Entertainer, Tom Bianchi. Here you will find all the information you need about Boston's hardest working musician.

Special thanks to Dave Coffin for his time and effort in designing this brand new home base. Enjoy the browse.