Alright, I know I’ve been playing my cards close with details about the new record. Believe me, it hasn’t been easy. But I’ll tell you right now: I’m not done dangling the proverbial carrot. There’s still over a month until the release date, which means it’s my job to get people as excited for it as I am. And the only way I know to do that is by keeping things a little mysterioso. Nevertheless, I’m going to entertain my urge to tell everybody everything all at once all the time. Not fully, mind you, but trust me, it’s definitely for my own good. (Wink, wink.)
First, let me tell you a little bit about the venue. You probably didn’t even know the Pioneer Underground was there, being awesome all by itself in its subterranean cavern below the Pioneer Center. And it is rather awesome. In fact I can’t think of a venue within, say, a 200-mile radius where I’d rather do this show. Here’s a photo:
The guy who runs the place, Wayne Wright, owns a company called Reno Tahoe Comedy and they put on great standup comedy shows there several times a week. And the reason the room is great for standup comedy is the same reason it’s great for music: it’s intimate enough even at its capacity of 175 to really make the audience part of the show; but it is a theater, and theaters have a certain weightiness, a certain seriousness, that tends to command a sense of respect. I don’t how to explain it better than that. Oh, and the seats are really comfortable. And there’s a full bar.
I’d highly recommend checking the place out. I’ve only seen one of their comedy shows, but I was really impressed. Their schedule is here: www.renotahoecomedy.com.
Okay, I actually have to tell you a little bit about the record before I can explain what the show will be like. I’m sure you’ve seen several solo singer/songwriters make good use of a loop pedal. You know, the thing that lets them layer several different parts on top of each other and loops those parts together so that one guy can sound like a band? Well, that’s kind of what Joel did on my record, only with mandolins and guitars. A lot of them. Okay, it’s actually just one mandolin and one guitar, but you get the point, right? One song has four acoustic guitar tracks, a mandolin track and bass. A couple songs have as many as five mandolin tracks. The goal with the release show, then, is to have the same arrangement on stage that we have on the record. Which definitely means more than one mandolin and one guitar. Helping me accomplish this will be Joel Ackerson, Zack Teran, Tim Snider and Ed Sheets. (I’m aware the math doesn’t quite work out, but trust us, okay?)
AND, kicking off the festivities, will be Reno’s own Tyler Stafford. In case you don’t know him (doubtful), go here and listen: www.reverbnation.com/tylerstaffordmusic
Seriously, do it now.
Look out for the forthcoming Facebook invitation to the show and when tickets go on sale (soon, now), be ready. I expect to sell this show out before go-time.
Alright, where was that proverbial carrot I was talking about? Oh yeah, here it is:
In the next two weeks I will be giving away some stuff to some lucky (and diligent) people, including a signed, commemorative plaque with a free pre-release copy of “Second Chances,” free tickets to the release show, free mp3s and even a free house concert. Of course, everybody knows the deal with free stuff: it’s never really free. Here’s what I’ve got on the table:
Justin McMahon’s Second Chance Sweepstakes
(I made the title up just now.)
I am enlisting fans to hit the web and recruit new fans. Prizes for those who can get a certain number of people to either Like my FB page and/or join my mailing list. New recruits must reference recruiter for recruiter to get credit (i.e., post to my wall or send me an email). All NEW fans will receive 2 free mp3s via email from my first record, Worth the Wait.
Grand Prize (1 winner; 100 or more new recruits; in the case of more than one qualifying entrant, the one with the most recruits wins): Free house concert for you and however many friends and family you can fit in your living room (within 300 mile radius of Reno; winners anywhere else must provide airfare), free signed, commemorative plaque of Second Chances, free pre-release copy of Second Chances, 2 free tickets to the release show.
1st Prize (2 winners; 50-99 new recruits; in the case of more than 2 qualifying entrants, the two with the most recruits win): Free signed, pre-release copy of Second Chances.
2nd Prize (4 winners; 25-49 new recruits): 2 free, pre-release mp3s of your choice from Second Chances.
3rd Prize (8 winners; 10-24 new recruits): 1 free, pre-release mp3 from Second Chances.
This contest begins immediately and will run until 11:59pm on Friday, January 20th, at which point the results will be tallied and the winners announced.
Ready, set, go.
~Justin
