Tung N' Groove

The Final Curtain? TNG's last gig of 2010 is at the Royal Nov 5-6, 2010

2010-11-01T23:00:00.001-06:00

The last TNG Gig of 2010 will be at the Royal Hotel this weekend!

This is also, sadly, MARK'S LAST GIG WITH THE BAND. We would love it if as many of you could make it out and send him your best wishes. We will miss Mark greatly, as his efforts and contributions to the groups success has been immense. We wish him the best in his future endeavors.

"The Final Curtain Tour" begins at 9:30PM until 2:00AM on both Friday and Saturday nights. Don't forget about the Saturday afternoon jam, where some lucky jammer is going to win a cash prize!

One other "fun fact", is that Mike is crippled; might be fun to see how he's gonna bat those drums?

Help us spread the word, and let everyone know about the show; we want Mark's send-off to be bigger than anything we've ever done.

Although this is the end of one chapter, it's not the end of the book. We will be back in 2011 with a new lineup and new material. Stay posted!

It's not quite over yet, but...

2010-09-26T03:01:00.003-06:00

Yes, the rumors are true. As of November 7, 2010, Tung N Groove will officially dissolve. Founding member Mark has moved to Calgary to pursue new endeavors. As a result, the group has decided to dissolve the band name Tung N Groove in his honor.

Mark's last performance with the band will take place at the Royal Hotel November 6 and 7.

The news isn't all bad though -- the remaining members are still committed to our fans, and we will be back in 2011 with a new lineup, exciting new material, and a new name.

We will greatly miss Mark and his contributions to the band, and the local music scene. He is -- in a word: irreplaceable.

Tung N Groove at the Redcliff Hylton Sept 17-18, 2010!

2010-09-12T21:34:00.000-06:00

Tung N Groove returns to the Hylton as part of their 2010 Reunion Tour! You can expect cheap swill, loud music, and tons of fans packing the dance floor.

Showtimes are at 9:30 both Friday and Saturday nights. You might want to get there early, as there is no cover charge, and seating is limited!

The band asks you to help spread the word, and tell everyone you know attend. And of course, we thank you for your continued support.

Been A Long Time Since We Rock N' Rolled!

2010-07-01T11:44:00.002-06:00

It's been over seven months since Tung N Groove has rocked Medicine Hat. So long, in fact, that many fans have been wondering if the band is still together. Truth is, for a while, we were even wondering ourselves if the band had a future.

The band was dealt some unsettling news in December when our bass player, Kalen decided it was time for him to move on to other endeavors, so he submitted his notice. We will miss him as a member of our little group, and we wish him all the best in his future projects.

Even the recession has affected our band, as we have found it more difficult to obtain public performances. I suppose the timing is good, as it allowed us ample time to recruit Kalen's replacement -- which is another story in itself. Making the long story short, we had retained a replacement, but in a matter of a couple months and nary one rehearsal, the initial replacement stepped down from his position. So at that time, the band was back to square one, and only 5 weeks until our first gig of 2010.

We are happy to say that our good friend Rob has agreed to join us, and he's one talented musician. We hope to be making music with him in the years to come.

So that brings me great pleasure to announce to you the New Tung N Groove lineup, and the first Royal Hotel performance to take place this weekend! There will be two nights of debauchery and your favorite rock tunes from 9:30 until 2:00AM Friday and Saturday Night.

Don't forget the Saturday jam, that begins at 4:00 and concludes at 9:00. If you are a musician, stop by and play a few songs for a chance to win $100!

As with all Royal Hotel gigs, there will be no cover charge.
For those of you who are unaware, the Royal Hotel is located at 110 South Railway Street, in Medicine Hat.

Stop by and say hi to our new bass player, Rob, and bring your friends!

Tung N Groove is at the Royal Hotel This Weekend!

2009-11-13T02:11:00.001-07:00

Tung N Groove's last gig of 2009 is located at the Royal Hotel this weekend!

Performance will take place at 9:30 PM on Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14.

No cover charge is associated with this event.

As usual, local musicians are invited to come to the Jams, on the following dates:

Thursday, November 12 @ 9:00PM
Saturday, November 14 @ 3:00PM

Help us spread the word by inviting your friends to this event!

The band thanks you in advance for your continued support.

Tung N Groove will be performing at the Piapot Bike Rally August 22, 2009

2009-07-26T10:06:00.005-06:00

Tung N Groove is pleased to announce that they will be one of three acts performing at the inaugural Piapot Bike Rally this August 22, 2009!

We are very excited to be part of this event, as like many rallies, this one is for charity; the organizers ask that you donate a stuffed toy to their cause.

The other two acts that will also be performing at said event include Tim Vaughn and Hurricane Cletus.

More information is available at their homepage and their Facebook event page located below:

http://www.piapotride.com/
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=49086761215

Only a limited number of tickets are available, and they are selling fast. So hurry and go to http://www.piapotride.com/ to secure your tickets!

Look Out, Maple Creek!

2009-03-18T15:13:00.001-06:00

Tung N Groove has been given the opportunity to play at the Jasper Hotel in Maple Creek on Friday, March 20! For all those who are in the area, you are welcome to attend, and be sure to invite everyone you know in the area!

We do not expect there will be a cover charge associated with said event, but don't take our word for it.

Noisemaking commences at 9:30, and ends generally around 1:45.

Help us spread the word and make it the biggest party the Jasper Hotel has seen in recent years!

Tung N Groove at The Redcliff Hylton Mar 13-14 2009

2009-03-10T21:09:00.001-06:00

Tung N Groove Returns to the Redcliff Hylton this weekend -- the first stop on our "To Hell(ton) and Back" 2009 Winter tour!

The Redcliff Hylton is located at 19, 3rd Street, Redcliff Alberta.

Gig Dates are as follows:
Friday, March 13, 2009
Saturday March 14, 2009

Noisemaking commences at 9:30, and ends generally around 1:45.

No Cover Charge.

Help us spread the word!

Birthday Bash This Weekend at Gringos!

2009-03-05T12:06:00.003-07:00

On Friday, March 6, 2009, Tung N Groove will be playing a Birthday Bash at Gringo's for our good friend Marla.

The party will feature Tung N Groove and Mule Shoe as the evening's entertainment.

Everyone is welcome to attend, and there is no cover charge.

Noisemaking commences at 9:00, and continues until they kick us out.

Tell everyone you know, bring your friends, and wish Marla a Happy Birthday!

Gringo's is located at 3216, 13th Ave. SE, in the basement of the Coast Hotel.

Tung N Groove to Perform at the Royal Hotel Feb 26-28, 2009!

2009-02-22T20:30:00.001-07:00

Getting the winter blues? Warm up with some Classic and Modern Rock - Tung N Groove style!

Feb 26 - Opening Set for the evening Jam.
Feb 27 - All Night!
Feb 28 - Jam session at 3:00; Tung N Groove plays all night!

Tung N Groove to Perform at the Brooks Hotel December 19, 20, 2008

2008-12-13T16:10:00.003-07:00

Tung N Groove has at least one more gig in 2008.
The band will be performing at the Brooks Hotel on December 19th and 20th, 2008. The band will be playing their brand of Classic and Modern Rock from 9:00PM until 1:00AM.

There will also be Saturday afternoon jam hosted by Tung N Groove from 4:00 until 6:00PM.

It is our understanding that there is no cover charge associated with the performances, but don't take our word for it.

Hope to see you there, and invite your friends -- especially anyone who lives in or near Brooks.

Brooks Hotel
111 1 St W
Brooks, AB
(403) 362-2588‎

Last Gig of 2008!

2008-11-29T12:17:00.001-07:00

Tung N' Groove's last gig of 2008 will be at the Royal Hotel on December 4, 5, and 6, 2008.

The band starts playing at 9:30 and will finish sometime around 1:45 AM.

No cover charge is associated with this event.

This is your last chance to see the band until sometime next year, so we'd love to see as many of you out there as we can!

Photos From The Biggest Halloween Bash The Royal Has Ever Seen

2008-11-02T17:12:00.006-07:00

Tung N Groove performed as "Dr Teeth & the Electric Mayhem" at the Royal Hotel on Halloween to a packed house. A big thank you goes out to all of you who attended -- you know what kind of show that was.

For those who didn't get to see the show, I've uploaded select photographs from the show, and some behind-the-scenes pics of us getting dressed for the big occasion. Rather than tell you the whole story, pictures are always worth a thousand words.

All in all, it was a party that people are going to talk about for years, and we are proud to have been part of that.

The band will be gigging again in about 4 more weeks. More details will follow.

Tung N Groove To Rock The Royal as "Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem" on Halloween!

2008-10-21T21:35:00.003-06:00

This is it! The BIG KAHUNA!

Tung N Groove will be performing on Halloween at the Royal Hotel as Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem! The band will be performing a selection of Halloween-Themed material, as well as their normal selection of raucous classic rock.

Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes, so dress up, and be prepared for the wildest night of the year!

The Electric Mayhem will take the stage at 9:30PM.

No Cover, as usual.

Hope to see you there, and invite your friends! Bonus points will go to those who dress up as their favorite Muppet.

Of course, Tung N Groove will be performing on October 30, and November 1st at the Royal Hotel.

Welcome, tungngroove.com

2008-07-24T19:21:00.005-06:00

Hello friends:

In order to accommodate the growth of the band and it's expanding fanbase, we have decided to register our own domain -- www.tungngroove.com. The blogspot address will always redirect to the new address, though you may want to update your bookmarks accordingly.

~~New features will be added to the site in the coming days -- so come back and visit soon!~~

UPDATE JULY 26, 2008:
I have spent several hours re-designing the look and feel of the website. I surmise that my work is about 60% complete -- additional features and tweaks will be coming the the following days, but the general feel of the site will remain for the time being. I hope you all enjoy the new look of this site.

Tung N Groove at the Mainliner Pub - July 18-19, 2008

2008-07-07T20:46:00.003-06:00

Hello friends,

Here's the story: Tung N' Groove has been granted the opportunity to perform at the Mainliner Pub next weekend. As this is a "paid audition" of sorts, the band will have to play their best for the Staff and Management.

We want this to be a huge party, and we want to impress the staff with our level of professionalism, our repertoire, and our expanding fanbase. So I am inviting each and every one of you to come out to the gig, have a few beverages, and show your support.
Details are below:

Date: July 18-19 2008
Time: 9:30 PM - 2:00 AM
Where: Mainliner Pub
505 North Railway Street SE
Medicine Hat, Alberta
403-529-1995

No Cover Charge

As an added incentive, the band won't be playing anywhere for nearly six weeks.

Arrive early, as seating in the Pub is limited. Don't forget to invite your friends!

The Second Song is Now Uploaded

2008-07-07T20:37:00.005-06:00

Here's a new track for you all to listen to. Once again, audio will be presented in this manner until I can iron out some details with respect to an audio player that will reside permanently in the sidebar.

Enjoy.

~~By the way, the first song (Burnin' Up) has been removed for the time being.~~

[Ed Note: I have spent several hours scouring the web, and learning a bit of javascript. There is a full-featured streaming audio player located on the sidebar. Right now, the playlist features the two songs I have uploaded -- more will come in the future.]

Tung N' Groove to Rock the Royal June 19-21

2008-06-11T22:21:00.003-06:00

Once, again, I would like to extend an open invitation to all readers to come out to the Royal Hotel to join Tung N' Groove in a weekend of mayhem, drunkenness, and general debauchery. All the pertinent information is listed below:

Tung N' Groove Rockin' The Royal Hotel
June 19, 20 & 21st, 2008 @ 9:30PM
126 South Railway Street SE
Medicine Hat, Alberta
No Cover

In other news, the CD is completed; even the cover art is completed. Sadly, this disc is for promotional purposes only, and thus, cannot be sold to the public. We will however, publish select tracks from the CD on this website for everyone to enjoy -- free of charge.

In addition, we have been hard at work completing a press kit. It is in the final stages of design. The reason for the press kit is to shop the band around to other area venues -- and that should mean that there will be more places for you to come watch the band. We obviously want to expand our client base and our fanbase, and we won't be able to go much further unless we have this press kit in hand.

There are a number of performances in the pipeline in the coming weeks, so be on alert. Tung N' Groove is now a well-oiled machine and we are ready to pack some clubs and have some great parties!

Happy [Belated] Anniversary, Tung N Groove

2008-04-29T16:20:00.003-06:00

This is approximately a month late, but newcomers probably do not realize that the band's "official" website celebrated its' first anniversary during the month of April.

This site -- much the the band, was a little "slow" coming out of the starting gates; the band was in its' developmental stage for about 2 years before we took to the stage. 2 years is a very long time in the life of a band -- even at the best of times. The site, for much of the year, received very little promotion, and thus, very little traffic. Much of those who passed by came to us via a Google search, and many of them came from Maine, whom were looking for some other band of a very similar name.

[ed. note: if you are the competitor, have no worries; we currently have no plans to venture into the United States market in the short or long-term].

Web traffic the first year has been slow, in some months, when the band was not even gigging, the site was managing less than 20 visits per month. This is changing -- and site traffic is on the rise ever since we opened our official Facebook page. We are now pleased to announce that we expect to be getting nearly 100 visits for the month of May -- and our traffic only to rise from there as we continue to promote the band.

As I have mentioned before, there are a number of exciting new developments that will take place in the coming weeks. One is a major recording project I am in the middle of. The other requires this site to migrate to its' own domain. We hope to have these new features available to the public by the next time we gig.

For those who have been with us since the beginning, thank you for your support. For our newly acquired fans and friends, we hope you stick around. We have a mandate to continually improve our abilities, equipment, and repertoire with each performance.

I, for one, am very excited to see what is to come for the band in the next 12 months.

Another Snowy Royal Gig

2008-04-23T13:52:00.003-06:00

I am beginning to think the band is Jinxed. Every time we have to play the Royal, we are hit with a massive snowstorm. When we played there in February, not only did we have to brave the snow, but the wind chill factor near -40 degrees could have easily made the weekend a disaster. We have hopes that this weekend will fare better.

This is an open invitation to all to come out this Friday and Saturday to check out the bands' new material. Royal Hotel; the show starts at 9:30.

As an aside, I have been very busy working on a few projects that may enhace your viewing experience on this site. Look for it the coming weeks!

Tung 'N Groove is Now on Facebook

2008-04-07T15:45:00.004-06:00

Ok, so if you are on Facebook, you can now join the Tung N Groove Facebook Group. You can reach the page here.

Why? Because it's there. And you can get involved in discussions, post photos, videos and other fun stuff.

5 photos have already been added, and 1 video has been posted.

UPDATE July 26, 2008:

The links to the TNG Facebook group have been fixed.

Tung N Groove to Rock the Hell-ton Once Again

2008-04-03T16:48:00.002-06:00

This is a friendly little reminder from the Tung N Groove Broadcast System.

The band will be playing at the Redcliff Hylton on April 11th and 12th. We will be featuring three new additions to the band's repertoire.

...And we will be recording the performance.

So we'd love it if all of you could come out and show your enthusiasm.

This has been a message from the Tung N Groove Broadcast System. Thank you, resume party.

Sacred Ground

2008-02-11T21:30:00.000-07:00

MA's synopsis of this weekend's performance at the Royal Hotel was accurate. I wanted to add my own reflections about this past weekend.

Yes, it was cold. And for the weather being uncooperative, I expected a very poor turnout. We were pleasantly surprised when we entertained two near-capacity crowds throughout the weekend.

I was quite pleased at the turnout of both Thursday and Saturday jams. There were an exceptional number of talented players to show up, and the music that happened with the local artists was of a professional level.

When you play in a local bar band, there are some things that happen rarely, and when they do, it's magic. Many things contributed to this, but it starts when the band is confident, tight, and the entire band is firing on all cylinders. When the band looks like they are having fun, that energy is perceived by those who are listening and watching. We were fortunate to have played so well, since we hadn't played together in almost a month.

I like it when the people in the bar are watching the band, and are not immersed in idle conversation. I like it better when they are tapping their feet, or nodding their heads to the beat. I even catch the odd metal-head banging his head like a post-pubescent teen at a Metallica concert.

I like it better when they dance. I like it when the dance floor is packed.

But I like it most when they are so fired up, that they are jumping up and down, with their fists raised in the air; focused entirely on the band.

And that's what happened this weekend.

To the point where some lunatic climbed a load-bearing post in the middle of the dance floor, trying to reach some "higher state", I surmise.

It's things like this that are most gratifying for me. And before I dig myself too deep, I would hope I could make it clear that even though I appreciate a crowd's enthusiasm, I do not like it when their enthusiasm gets out of control. I have seen it happen even at my level, but it gets even scarier in the bigger venues. When I played the Minnedosa Classic Rock Weekend in 1999, my act had the crowd so wound up, that they were even jumping the barricades -- and we were just some cover band from somewhere in the prairies. We were such a small act that our band name was last in line and barely visible on the poster!

Nobody should get hurt at a concert, but they do. The safety of the band and the crowd means a lot to me, and I get jittery the moment a fan jumps on the stage. I have seen too many drunks take a spill, and in an instant render a piece of delicate electronic equipment into an ornate doorstop. It breaks the heart, limbs, and the pocketbook.

The stage is sacred ground for a band. It's not there in order to 'put us above everyone else'; It really is for our own health and safety. If you still doubt me, then I suggest you watch the Blues Brothers movie. "Why is there chicken wire at the front of the stage?"

I rest my case.

Frozen dancin' shoes n' all!

2008-02-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

We expected no-one.

We would have forgiven them all.

They didn't have to show up!

Hell..........................with wind chills approaching -40C, we completely expected to be playing to an empty room!

We expected a paid practice!

We were WRONG!

Not only did the patrons of the Royal Hotel show up, but they all brought friends with them!

They brought their dancin' shoes.

They brought their enthusiasm!

THEY BROUGHT THE PARTY!

In short; the good folks of Medicine Hat that braved the worst of winter to show up at the 'Royal' this past weekend made it far and away the best it could have been for us!

It was hard to shut down Saturday night when the dance floor was packed with great fans and happy dancers;...................really hard!

Thanks to all for showing up and having soooooo much fun with us!

Both the Thursday night and Saturday afternoon jams were great with a special mention going out to 'Mule Shoe' (DH's other project) who provided a great set Thursday to an appreciative audience. (They're at the Mainliner Feb 15 & 16) All the jammers did a great job and really; in a situation that could be very taxxing for the host band; made our lives pretty easy. Thanks to you all!

I have to mention my new toy at this point because everyone agrees that we sounded (and played) better than ever, and I can tell you, it's because of my new amp!

Bill G. built this amp to my specs over the course of the last year and last week we did the final tuning of it.

My ELECTROGLIDE simply Rocks!

This is absolutely the finest piece of equipment I could ever ask to play through!

The head is close to an early '60's JTM45 with a little brighter feel and power scaling (Sorry about creating that headache for you Bill!), the open back 2x12 cab is celestion loaded & breaths beautifully.

You just know there's a (well deserved) new link to Electroglide on this blog now!

I can't thank you enough Bill (but you should know that every jammer that plugged into it was blown away!)

What a (Royally) 'cool' weekend!

Tour Dates Fixed -- Sort of...

2008-02-04T11:04:00.001-07:00

The calendar on the sidebar has been removed, not just because it was "cramping my style", but because it had to be so small to fit in the sidebar, that many details were hidden and unreadable in certain browsers and screen resolutions. Therefore, I have moved it to its own page, accessible here, or via the Nav section on the sidebar to your right.

A number of 2008 dates have been added to the calendar, kindly thanks to MA.

We hope to see you all at the Royal Hotel this weekend!

Tour Dates Broken

2008-01-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

It has been brought to my attention that a few of our fans have been wondering if te Band Tung N Groove even exists anymore.

Yes, the band is still together. We're just hibernating in this deep-freeze. In fact, just a few weeks ago, we played the Redcliff Hylton to an enthusiastic crowd -- what we are guilty of, is not advertising the performance.

For all those who are wondering when and where our next appearance is, it will be February 7, 8, and 9th, 2008 at the Royal Hotel, with an approximate starting time of 9:30 PM.

It has come to my attention in recent weeks that the tour date calendar is not displaying the proper information. Therefore, I have not submitted the 2008 gig dates yet. It is becoming apparent to me that the tour calendar will have to be embedded on a separate page instead of permanently on the sidebar. I will however, provide a proper link to the tour dates within the Navigation section of the sidebar. I will advise the status of the calendar in a forthcoming entry.

WE ARE HERE!

2007-12-05T00:46:00.000-07:00

After rehearsal tonight, I realized that this band is for real!

Songs are coming together very easily now as all 4 members have learn to work together really well and there is a great chemistry and camaraderie happening. Even young KR is falling in place really well (and playing with a maturity and dedication that belies his age).

So we've just added Molly Hatchet, Aerosmith, Donny Iris, Kim Mitchell,

and Rick Derringer tunes to the set, (come on out to hear which ones!)

Hell, music is really fun again, to bad about the need for a day job!

Hope to see you all out rockin' with us soon!

The day the music industry died - Times Online

2007-10-09T22:55:00.000-06:00

I love articles like this; artists of the music industry are the ones who are innovating -- leaving the record labels behind in the dust.

The day the music industry died - Times Online

Plummeting album sales aren't due to on-line piracy; they are due to the recording industry cramming pre-manufactured refuse that has lost its' soul down our consumerist throats, while paying corporate radio stations indeterminate sums as a catalyst to further indoctrinate an otherwise blind, deaf and dumb public as to what "talent" is supposed to be.

And we have finally had enough.

I, like everyone else in the developed world, will gladly pay for quality music. However instead of innovating, the recording industry has opted to "fight the good fight" by suing nine-your old kids and ignorant grandmothers.

Where has it got them? Nowhere in ten years -- which is incidentally how long MP3 has been a buzz word in newspapers across the globe. In fact, the only other thing that the recording industry tried, was copy-protect their CD's, which went over like a lead balloon.

Where is the money now? It's exactly where it's always been; in touring and paraphernalia sales. Fans still support their favorite artists; and those artists who are being proactive in communicating with their fans on-line and in concert, are coming out ahead. Those who are hiding being their corporate labels are the ones that are losing.

Regardless, I am excited that music, as a commodity, is heading in this direction. This will mean that the successful artists are going to be the ones who can perform their art live; those who are merely an image or whose "greatness" can only be realized through technologies such as Auto-Tune will become a thing of the past. As a live performer, I think this as exciting news.

After some seventy-five years, the musician is cutting out the middleman. We have only the acquisition of technology to thank for this, for now is the first time in history that the artist has been able to record a professional-sounding recording with a minimal amount of investment. What used to cost millions of dollars in recording equipment costs a mere few thousands now. The artist can now craft his songs now on his computer on his own time.

I am so excited to see what the next five years will bring in the music industry. For the first time since the pre-disco era, are we going to see live music take over -- everywhere. From the stadium down to the grungy-bar, the live band is going to live long and prosper.

Mark my words.

Our Name in Lights

2007-08-30T20:58:00.000-06:00

This post is long overdue, so sue me.

Seriously, please don't.

The month of August has been very busy for the members of the band, even if we only managed to get out and play two weekends.

Since the back-to-back weekend, we have been working very hard, by kicking up our heels, sitting on our rear ends, and enjoying what a "normal" work day is supposed to be.

That's right, I'm still catching up on lost sleep.

What an astounding two weekends it was! Once we got the willies out of our system, which I thought, may have crippled us at the beginning. Setting up a new PA from scratch -- not knowing how it will perform or what to expect is always unnerving. I still think there is a little way to go in terms of getting the sound right, but I think we are 90% there in that department.

The first night was nerve-wracking. It seems to be when you haven't played in a while. There were lots of blunders, missed endings, and forgotten lyrics, for example, but no major train wrecks. I took the opportunity to spend Thursday night in my "traditional" Royal Hotel style -- drunk out of my wits. I further punished myself by going to work the next day having only three hours' sleep, I might add a tad hung over.

By Friday, the improvement was immense. It was like a 200% improvement over the previous night's performance. We managed to have packed houses both Friday and Saturday, and I have a sneaking suspicion that we turned a few heads.

The staff and management of the Royal enjoyed our repertoire and professionalism. I am confident that we will be back again soon -- like November, maybe.

The next weekend at the Redcliff Hylton was just as successful. We managed to enjoy busy nights on both Friday and Saturday. Some familiar faces from the weekend before even arrived and stayed a while. Could this be the beginning of a devout local following perhaps?

Thanks to everyone who came out those weekends. Spread the word; we will be back sooner than you can say "Australopithecus".

Gearing Up

2007-08-05T11:07:00.000-06:00

It's been several weeks since any of us has posted an update on this site, but we have been very busy this summer preparing for our upcoming performances.

As longtime readers may have gathered, our first performance at the Redcliff Hylton was a bit premature, in the fact that we did not have enough time to prepare the material necessary to play an entire night. Thus, we had to repeat more than 25% of our material every night that weekend.

What was most important was to test-drive the material and check for crowd response, as well as prove to ourselves that we could actually play a gig, and only suffer minor glitches.

But we really did that show on a whim. We hardly had any of our own equipment at that gig. The PA was rented, the light show was what came stock at the club. Even to some extent some of the back-line gear was mooched from other players.

I'd like to say that now, we are much more prepared.

I have managed to update the song list with a pile of new material we are excited to play in the coming weeks. This brings the song count to about 45, which is more than we need to play an entire night.

We have also been very busy building a (expensive) PA system, which is now 95% complete. We are only missing a few cables and as such, we are at a point where we can make do with what we have. Lighting on the other hand, ended up being a system that MA Jerry-rigged himself, which should get us through a couple gig, that is until we can afford a "real" lighting system.

In less than a week, we will be playing the Royal Hotel for a three-night extravaganza. We are very excited, and we hope to see many of you there.

What M.A. Said...

2007-05-20T23:02:00.000-06:00

There isn't much left to be said about this last weekend's gig at the Hylton. The number of patrons that came to the Hylton to check us out was, for the most part, above average, and they were very supportive of our material, with a select few exceptions, whom were obviously in the minority.

I'm not about to sit and gripe about the things that went wrong this weekend. There are certainly many things that require improvement, and there are those who need attitude adjustments, but thankfully those do not belong to any band members -- or anyone close to us anyway. Yes the gig was an rousing success, and honestly, I felt it went far better than I had expected.

I thought about posting a bunch of pictures from this weekends' performance, but given the time it would require to tweak some 50 pictures, and a few video files, I decided against it. Instead, I may post the odd photo here and there, with a few interjections by me. For example, the photo that accommodates this post is entitled "Ouch! My Eye!!!".

Tung N' Groove has a lot of work to do before we hit the stage again this summer. More posts are to come in the near future. Ciao!

Long wait, Long weekend, Long overdue.....whew

2007-05-20T17:27:00.000-06:00

Well, it's done; the first gig is complete!!!
And a rollicking success it was. (what the hell kind of grammar is that?)
Sure, the wheels fell off a few times on friday night, a few endings were blown, a couple of harmonies missed or messed but all in all, despite all the jitters, it went well. Then saturday really cruised!!!
There is no doubt that this band will raise the bar locally, and in no time be quite in demand!
It is such a pleasure to be on stage with these guys and I really felt a sense of unity starting to form within the ranks over the weekend.
A very heartfelt THANKYOU goes out to those who came out to support us and we look forward to seeing you again. ( I'll leave it to MB to post pics and do his normal eloquent meandering!)
Thank you all.
MA

Less Than 1 Day Remains

2007-05-17T23:34:00.000-06:00

This is it -- finally!

This is the culmination of two years' worth of drinking, planning, scheming, drinking, contemplating, and practicing. Tung N' Groove takes flight tomorrow at the Redcliff Hylton.

And boy, are the guys pumped.

It seems like we have been rehearsing three times per week for the last two months, trying to get enough material together to play a full night. 32 songs -- that's what we managed to get until time ran out. That's three sets -- about a full dozen songs short. At this point, there's nothing we can do, except bite the bullet. We may have to repeat material late in the night, but in a bar, the clientèle usually rotates, so we should manage. By August, we will be ready to gig again, with material to spare.

This evening was spent loading equipment into the bar, setting up, tuning our instruments, and ensuring the PA system worked, as well as getting a good sound out of the PA. I even brought my new Canwoods out to play them this weekend. It took quite a bit of time, but I felt that we got a really big sound out of a (relatively) small PA. Even DH commented that the band sounded really big, fat, and overall good, yet retaining enough headroom to keep the sound clean.

I'll say this another way: We are going to be a loud band, but not too loud. Just loud enough to sound really big.

Once we had the sound happening, we test drove a couple songs in front of about 10 patrons. From my perspective (behind the drumkit), I felt the balance of instruments was pretty good, which allowed me to relax. I think we all felt comfortable on the stage. I didn't have to push, or hit the drums too hard. All in all, it was grooving.

A few of the patrons who listened to our soundcheck received our material positively. I think that's a good sign for this weekend. It's going to be a blast. I speak for the entire band when I say that we can't wait until tomorrow.

Only one thing remains: How the hell am I going to sleep tonight?

Pictures Butchered by Me

2007-05-11T00:25:00.000-06:00

Just my luck. Call it convenient.

With only one week until our debut performance, I managed to catch a nasty cold.

What started as an all-day sneezing fit on Sunday turned into a sore throat by the evening. By Monday, I was completely congested.

A healthy dose of antihistamines only made the cold migrate to my lungs, where it currently sits. Now I have to put up with incessant coughing spells, which doesn't do any wonders to my voice.

So while I whine and pine for the next week, here are some promotional photos taken before tonight's rehearsal. The lighting was poor, so I had little choice but to doctor them. I tried to butcher them as much as possible.

Only 1 week left until we take the stage. We are excited to take our material to you; hopefully we won't succumb to stage fright.

After Much Deliberation

2007-04-03T11:19:00.000-06:00

This is almost hard to believe! M.B. and I (and Becks, and Hienecken, and Coors, and Corona, and Gibsons, and Hennesy etc. etc. etc.) have spent sooooooooooo much time together planning, drinking, plotting, drinking, running to the john, searching, drinking..........................oh hell; you get the point! To finally connect with D.H. & K.R., get to work and see light at the end of the tunnel (train?) is really exciting! (For a guy that thought he was done with live music 10 years ago, it's even better!) So, even though our first (so far) gig is on May long weekend (hope for rain) and it doesn't seem like enough time, these are quality musicians that work hard and I know will get it done. Hope to see you ALL soon!!!!!!
M.A.

T-Minus 8 Weeks and Counting

2007-04-02T23:03:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the official website of Medicine Hat's newest Classic Rock Sensation!

Tung N' Groove is a pro-level band whose mandate is to raise the bar as to what local patrons expect to see in live local talent. We stripped all aspects of the band down to it's bare elements, and are rebuilding from the ground up. No big PA system; no big light show. No pyrotechnics or lasers -- this is entertainment for entertainment's sake: a 4-piece rock band with a professional attitude and presentation.

We are starting with a solid rhythm section, coupled with chugging guitars, screaming keyboards, and a vocal ensemble that (hopefully) will be the envy of our peers. We will feature a vocal section with a wide dynamic range, with 3-4 part harmonies, and our command of our instruments will not only compliment the songs of yesteryear that we have grown to love, but will also show a new level of technical ability not seen in local bars in ages.

Yes, we will play the Classic Rock songs that everyone remembers and loves; we will also bring material to the table that is meant to challenge us as musicians, and (hopefully) impress those who come to see us. The recording, production, promotion and performance of at least one original album is a long-term goal for us.

The band was originally slated to begin performing in August 2007. It has been brought to my attention that our debut date has been moved forward almost 3 months, therefore I had to accelerate my schedule for getting this site on-line. It is but a skeleton at this time, but in the coming weeks, the site will grow into a multimedia site depicting sound bytes, biographies, and perhaps even video. Anything is possible.

The first performance is scheduled for May 18, 2007 at the Redcliff Hylton. We look forward to entertaining you in the future, and many years to come.

Test Post

2007-03-25T23:01:00.000-06:00

This post is to claim the blog address tungngroove.blogspot.com.
The site will be constructed and maintained in the coming months.

Requesting a Press Kit

2005-07-07T20:50:00.003-06:00

Tung N' Groove Management will be happy to provide potential venues, promoters, recording labels, and radio stations with a complete press kit. All you need to do is contact the band at admin [at] tungngroove [dot] com. In the message, indicate you are requesting a press kit, and provide the following information:

Your name;
The venue/company you represent;
Your email;
Your telephone number;
Your mailing address;
Any other information you may think is relevant;

We will mail you a copy of our press kit. Please be aware that it may take 6-10 business days for it to arrive. If you live or work in the Medicine Hat area, we may be able to have a representative deliver the press kit to you in person.

Please be aware that your privacy is of the utmost importance to us, and we will not share your personal information with anyone.

Technical Rider

2005-07-06T20:43:00.002-06:00

Tung N' Groove can provide full production (PA system and stage lighting) for venues with capacities under 250. It is generally understood that Tung N' Groove will provide complete production to the venue unless otherwise agreed.

The band requires a minimum of four (4), 120-Volt AC separate circuits (eight [8] circuits ideally) in order to run back-line instruments, PA and stage lighting. If Front-of-House production is being supplied by the venue, or by a separate sound contractor, the band will require at minimum four (4) - 120-volt AC circuits for their back-line instruments.

Back-Line

In all circumstances, Tung N' Groove will provide all instruments and stage amplification to the venue, unless otherwise agreed.

Front-of-House Production

Tung N' Groove will provide their own PA System if the venue does not have a house system installed, or one is not provided by a separate sound contractor as per prior agreement. Tung N' Groove reserves the right to provide their own PA System to any venue, if the band determines the installed house system to be inadequate for their purposes.

If Front-of-House Production is being supplied by the venue or a hired contractor, the band requires the following amenities in order to perform:

Minimum sixteen (16) channel front-of house mixing desk. Each channel must have XLR-type microphone inputs and ¼-inch line-level inputs. In addition, +48-Volt phantom power is required on all inputs;
Four (4) Separate monitor mixes. 3 mixes are to be provided via monitor wedges at the front of the stage, and one line-level mix is to be provided to the drumkit for an in-ear monitoring system supplied by Tung N' Groove;
Three (3) direct boxes for running line-level feeds for Keyboards and Bass Guitar;
A Front-of-House engineer and/or monitor technician may be required.

A stage plot plan with power and input requirements can be provided to the venue and/or sound contractor upon request.

Stage Lighting

Stage lighting will only be provided by Tung N' Groove if the venue does not supply stage lighting, or installed lighting is deemed inadequate for their purposes.

Band Members

2005-07-05T20:36:00.004-06:00

Dan Howard – Guitar and Vocals

Dan is a talented musician who shares his gift of music through performing and teaching in Medicine Hat the last ten years. His performing demonstrates a true love of music and a perfection of his musical abilities. He has performed with local groups such as Drivin' Blind and Müle Shöe, which has had opening performances with acts such as Skid Row. Dan's inspiration stems from groups such as Deep Purple, Judas Priest, and countless others.

Mark Ayley – Guitar, Keyboard and Vocals

Mark began played with a variety of blues and rock bands, such as Sir Smooth & the Boogie Kings, Shadowfax, and The Amazing Bluedinis (aka: Highway 51) in Vancouver. He has also demonstrated his performance skills on the stage in local musical theater productions such as Annie Get Your Gun (2002), Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2005) and Grease (2004). Mark's musical inspiration comes from artists such as Blue Öyster Cult, Randy Bachman, and Led Zeppelin. Mark's diverse talents allow him to perform a variety of musical instruments, furthering the band's uniqueness.

Kalen Rouse – Bass

Kalen is a local musician who shares his love of music through teaching. Kalen presents a youthful enthusiasm within Tung N' Groove. Though this is his first professional act, his skills as a bass player is beyond his years.

Mike Bischke – Drums and Vocals

Mike has played and performed for audiences throughout Canada for many years on various stages. From local venues to national festivals and even the Esplanade Theatre, he has demonstrated his ability to play a wide variety of music genres. His experience has allowed him to perform as a member of local acts, such as Müle Shöe, Legacy, The Stephen Kambeitz Trio and The Savoy Blues Band. His past acts have been privileged to share the stage with a number of recording artists, including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Def Leppard, Nazareth, and April Wine. Mike's approach to drumming could be described as driven, powerful, and yet tasteful.

Tung N' Groove Bio

2005-07-04T20:21:00.001-06:00

Tung N' Groove began as a desire to advance the quality of live entertainment in Medicine Hat. Mark Ayley, Mike Bischke, Dan Howard, and Kalen Rouse have combined their musical talents to forge a band unique to Southern Alberta.

“After playing in a number of local and touring acts in Southern Alberta, it was my desire to be part of a band which would exceed what live music fans' would expect to see and hear when they would go out to see local act”, says Bischke. “With Tung N' Groove, all members were willing to identify every aspect a band produces within a live environment – from the performance, to the repertoire, to the presentation, and push the envelope.”

Finding the right members for Tung N' Groove took nearly two years of recruitment before the right bandmates were found. In the end, the band ensures their mandate is upheld. Professionalism is of utmost importance to Tung N' 'Groove, which is evident considering the following:

Tung N' Groove will maintain a professional attitude and conduct towards club staff and patrons at all times;
The group presents themselves both visually and sonically to the highest standards possible;
As experienced musicians, the group strives to deliver the best performance possible, and are proud to be one of a select few area acts with three accomplished vocalists;
The group continuously expands their repertoire, ensuring every performance can be adapted to any crowd, and no two performances are exactly the same;
Tung N' Groove maintains modern, advanced sound systems, to ensure the highest standard in quality for sound production.

Together, the members of Tung N' Groove perform a diverse compilation of hard rock and classic favorites from the 1970's to today's artists. Often heard at Tung N' Groove performances are covers from artists such as Led Zeppelin, Red Hot Chili Peppers, April Wine, Scorpions and Whitesnake. In addition to playing a number of Classic Rock standards which will ensure a packed dance floor, the band includes a focus on Canadian artists. Through their choice of repertoire, their stage presence, and expanding fanbase, Tung N' Groove will create a fun, appealing atmosphere that will draw consumers to your establishment.

Tour Dates

2005-07-03T10:52:00.000-06:00

The Tung & Groove Shooter

2005-07-02T19:00:00.000-06:00

In a shooter glass, combine:

1/3 Cherry Whiskey
1/3 Banana Liqueur
1/3 Gibson's Finest Whiskey (Gold or Limited Edition)

The "unofficial" shooter as created by selected Tung & Groove bandmates. Tung & Groove does not necessarily endorse the shooter, but the responsible consumption of alcohol is generally encouraged.

Set List

2005-07-01T15:51:00.008-06:00

Here is a listing of Tung N' Groove's repertoire. This is list is subject to change at the discretion of Tung N' Groove.

Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion
Aldo Nova - Fantasy
April Wine - Enough is Enough
April Wine - Roller
B.B. King - The Thrill is Gone
Bachman Turner Overdrive - Taking Care of Business
Bad Company - Feel Like Makin' Love
Black Sabbath - Sabbath, Bloody, Sabbath
Blüe Öyster Cült - Don't Fear The Reaper
The Cars - Just What I Needed
Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me
Cheap Trick - Surrender
Classics IV / Atlanta Rhythm Section - Spooky
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Up Around The Bend
Deep Purple - Burn
Deep Purple - Stormbringer
Def Leppard - Too Late For Love
Rick Derringer - Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo
Foreigner - Jukebox Hero
Harlequin - Thinking of You
Donnie Iris - Ah Leah!
J. Geils Band - Love Stinks
Jimi Hendrix - Fire
Joe Walsh - Funk #49
Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
Judas Priest - Burnin' Up
Judas Priest - Heading Out To The Highway
Led Zeppelin - Living Loving' Maid (She's Just a Woman)
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Saturday Night Special
Steve Miller Band - Rockin' Me
Steve Miller Band - Swingtown
Kim Mitchell - Lager and Ale
Molly Hatchet - Flirting With Disaster
Montrose - I Got The Fire
Mötley Crüe - Live Wire
Mr. Big - Take Cover
Nazareth - Love Hurts
Robert Palmer - Bad Case of Loving You
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Higher Ground
Paul Rodgers - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
Ronnie James Dio - Rainbow in the Dark
Tom Petty - Learning To Fly
Tom Petty - Running Down A Dream
The Police - Message in a Bottle
Robin Trower - Day of The Eagle
The Rolling Stones - Sympathy For The Devil
Rush - Limelight
Scorpions - Big City Nights
Scorpions - The Zoo
Sloan - Money City Maniacs
Stampeders - Wild Eyes
Steely Dan - Do It Again
Streetheart - What Kind of Love Is This
Tonic - If You Could Only See
The Tragically Hip - Fifty-Mission Cap
The Tubes - Talk To Ya Later
Tommy Tutone - 867-5309 / Jenny
Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London
Whitesnake - Love Ain't No Stranger
Whitesnake - Still of the Night
ZZ Top - I Thank You

Last Updated November 13, 2008.
Currently 62 songs in repertoire.