Soul Barons - Havin' Fun is Job One!

Just sitting home after a galling Bills loss....but feeling good after a fun show last night at Dockside. It was our last show of the year there, and we finished things off with a great crowd and a bunch of new songs. We've been rocking a little harder in the last few gigs, and people seem to enjoy it. Also getting Mike and Bill more involved in the vocals, which greatly enhances the sound.

This past weekend marked our first show with our new Bass player, Bill Baumgartner on bass at a private party down in Springville and he fits this band like a glove. We would like to send a special thanks to Johnny for the hospitality and on a personal note, to the gentleman who steamed those clams – we had a great time!

Well, you know the Summer is coming to an end when we play our last show at the Dock at the Bay. Considering the unpredictable weather we’ve had lately, we could not have hoped for a nicer night: clear skies, an amazing sunset, and no wind. We were fortunate to have Wolfram Neff join us for a few songs on bass. Once again, thanks for helping us kick-off this project and best of luck in your move. We’ll miss your playing, the ZZ-Top beard, and I’m sure Larry is going to miss announcing our very own “Beast of Bavaria”. Special thanks to friends and family for joining us: Mom and Dad, Michelle, Bridget, the Baumgartner clan and friends, Carl and Kim Motyka, Mom and Dad Motyka, the nice lady who bought the band shots, and thanks to “Uncle Bob” for the drinks and your endless hunger for Stevie Ray Vaughn songs (nice touch using your little niece to come up and request them). One final thank you to the staff at The Dock at the Bay for having us. We had a great summer.

Mike

Our first show at Whiskey Joe's in Depew. Thanks to our family and friends who came out - especially Mom & Dad, Brad & Carol, and Scott. A nice crowd and lots of dancing, especially for an early show. We have a lot of early nights on the schedule - we like that because some folks don't like to go out so late. Let us know if you'd like us to continue to pursue these...

We added about a half-dozen new songs to the set. Again, if there's anthing you'd like us to learn, let us know.

Back in action again at Rhino's near The Ralph. It was a happy hour gig from 7-8:30, one long set. Not a lot of dancing, but lot of attentive listening and good response afterwards. Since it was early, we were able to hang out for quite a while. We've been invited back on 5/30, same hours, and also received some interest from the owners of Kate's who were there.

Thanks to Brett & Wendy, Angie, Colleen & Jeff, Michelle, folks from ECMC and Lake Shore, Josie and sorry to anybody I missed. We had a great turnout from the mailing list, which is remarkable for only our second show,

See you Saturday 5/10 at Whiskey Joe's, Transit near French in Depew. It's an early Saturday (5-9pm) out on the patio if it's a nice day. Bring the family!

Just a few notes on the first-ever Soul Barons gig. It was a "home game" for us, at the Dockside Inn in North Tonawanda. Thanks to Dan and his crew for letting us debut there.

The crowd was great....lots of old and new friends, and a nice turnout without being uncomfortably packed. We had to wring out a few problems with our new sound system, but once we got rolling I thought we went over pretty well, with a good amount of dancing especially in the second set.

Thanks to ALL FOUR members of the Carl Motyka Band, and three CMB spouses (or is that "spice," like mouse and mice?) for supporting us. Carl and Eddie got up and jammed with us, which was a thrill the first time out.

I know there are some pictures floating around - when I get my hands on them I'll post 'em.

I know I have been slow in new posts here...hopefully things will settle down and I can add new content. If there's anything you'd like to see, let me know.

Welcome to the start of a new era. Old friends will remember Tom and Bear from The Announcers. We had the privilege of performing around Western New York with some of our best friends for about 15 years. After a brief hiatus that turned into a three-year layoff, we are proud to announce our new project, the Soul Barons.

Those of you who enjoyed The Announcers will like this too, we think. It'll be a mix of classic rock, oldies, and newer songs, for dancing, singing, or just drinking along. Those of you who don't know us might be turned on by a renewed emphasis on blues and R&B material, featuring the great saxophonist Mike Renzoni, formerly of the Carl Motyka Band.

We'll be announcing the rest of our lineup and a list of upcoming shows in the near future, so Stay Tuned!