Imagine your favorite musician or group performing for you and your friends in your very own living room, backyard, or rented hall? That’s what Mike Keneally and Bryan Beller did last year when they put out the call to their fanbase that they were ready, willing, and very much able to perform in these very intimate venues. They hit the road with their first “MyKeneally Tour“:
Performing exclusive engagements for fans and friends, the duo blazed across the country for about a dozen intimate and personal shows, both public and private. This was a rare treat, about as real and down-to-earth as an artist can get. You don’t get to see too many greats mingling, cavorting, and having a blast with their fan base right in their own living rooms, backyards, and rented halls. I was fortunate enough to attend two of these shows, and am still reeling from the after-effects months later.
~ Eddie Goicuria for Adricia Productions
Besides “Lightnin’ Roy” (above), the duo are captured performing a cover of the Beatles‘ “Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey” and a solo version of Jerry Reed‘s 1970 hit, “Amos Moses” (below) at Emerald Hall, Braintree, MA, on August 9, 2009:
Note: These videos are copyright ©2009 Eddie Goicuria for Adricia Productions. Do not use for monetary gain without permission of Eddie Goicuria, Mike Keneally, and/or crediting as such. Do not spindle, fold, or mutilate. Filmed with permission from Mike on August 9, 2009.
Thanks for the vids.
This is a fantastic idea!
The price was too much for my budget last summer.
My plan was to conduct Keneally/Beller performing “Mo ‘n Herb’s Vacation” semi-immersed in my kiddie’s pool wearing full snorkle gear.
This year if they do it again, maybe I’ll take out a loan. 🙂
I know what you mean, Hugh. It’s not very easy for one person to bring in artists of Mike Keneally and Bryan Beller’s calibre financially. As a small time organizer in the past, I’ve seen it from all angles, believe me. If you want the reward, you’ve got to be willing to take the big risk as well.
I remember when Keneally first sent out his “MyKeneally Tour” invitations when the tour was just an idea in the Mikeman’s mind. I sent out my interest but, of course, I knew it was pretty much hopeless. These kind of close, intimate tours require close proximity among the hosts and venues to be viable for the artist in the first place. The only artists that venture to my neck of the woods (Latitude 53) need to be part of a large running tour in order to be viable. And traditionally, Canadian promoters do not have a very good reputation outside of Canada. Groups like The Tubes publicly refuse to tour Canada because of a long history of being ripped off by promoters. Can I blame them?
I suppose I’ll just have to sit here with “MyKeneally Tour” envy, and listen to Nonkertompf again and again…
[quote comment=”15712″]I suppose I’ll just have to sit here with “MyKeneally Tour” envy, and listen to Nonkertompf again and again…[/quote]UrbanG, I feel your pain.
Even more frustrating for me, was the organizer contacted me (after my inquiry) saying they could squeeze me in, cause they where playing in my area. Still, I just couldn’t scrape together the money. 🙁
I’ll just have to “encourage” my 7 year-old piano playing daughter to learn, “Little House I Used To Live In”, while I man the pool.
Ah, the ole financial squeeze play does it to you every time, Hugh. Long gone are the days when I could simply book a local museum room, church basement, community hall, or pub, and house the artist in the back spare guest bedroom (I suppose that’s a tad too intimate for some performers). As a writer who has toured to other cities, though, that’s all part of the grand adventure. It’d be interesting to find out what sort of accommodations Mike Keneally and Bryan Beller experienced during their tour.
“Little House I Used To Live In” is a little tough for your 7 year-old piano playing daughter to learn don’t you think? How about “King Kong As Played By A 7 Year Old Daughter”?
[quote comment=”15722″]“Little House I Used To Live In” is a little tough for your 7 year-old piano playing daughter to learn don’t you think? How about “King Kong As Played By A 7 Year Old Daughter”?[/quote]Seriously, she’s pretty good for her age, but I wasn’t planning on subjecting her to anything beyond her abilities just yet. But if you think King Kong is a good starting point, why not give it a try! At least I know she’ll dig the title.:)
[quote comment=”15722″]”King Kong As Played By A 7 Year Old Daughter”[/quote]And, thanks for the YouTube video title!
I’m sure Scott Thunes could badger her into shape before her 8th birthday!
[quote comment=”15728″]I’m sure Scott Thunes could badger her into shape before her 8th birthday![/quote]
I don’t think Scott Thunes would want to be blamed for breaking up a happy family…
[quote comment=”15733″][quote comment=”15728″]I’m sure Scott Thunes could badger her into shape before her 8th birthday![/quote]
I don’t think Scott Thunes would want to be blamed for breaking up a happy family…[/quote]I would lay no blame on Scott . . . or Ed for breaking up anything. And my family and I are pretty stable, more like the ’81 band than the “88 line-up. Lol.
I’m surprised you guys couldn’t afford Mr. Kenneally’s fee!
A nasty sort of person might say that he would probably accept payment in cheeseburgers. (Sorry!!)
[quote comment=”15820″]I’m surprised you guys couldn’t afford Mr. Kenneally’s fee!
A nasty sort of person might say that he would probably accept payment in cheeseburgers. (Sorry!!)[/quote]
The fee itself wouldn’t be the problem, HB, rather, its the transportation costs that made it impossible. 800 to 1000 km between gigs wasn’t exactly what the “MyKeneally Tour” had in mind as “intimate and personal” methinks.
Harry, my sad story is the fact that living in NYC has become too expensive, especially with three kids and a mortage. The “MyK Tour” wasn’t extremely pricey (sorry deleted my e-mail with cost of show), but just too much for my meager budget.
Mike’s health might become an issue if he changed the name to the, “MyKeneally CruisingForBurgers Tour”. Sorry MK, I couldn’t resist. 🙂