Chi McClean

Hollywood: where it all happens...

Man, it was a beautiful drive down from Ventura, CA to Los Angeles, CA yesterday to play with my friend Brett Young at The Hotel Café for his CD release event with The Jason Adamo Band and a few other songwriter friends. Sunny skies, off shore winds, light traffic… it was almost too good to be true. I was tempted to paddle out for a session and take a detour along the CA-1 highway to Malibu en route to the gig and see if one of my favorite breaks, County Line, was working, but then I remembered all the rain, all the sewage, and all the pollution that probably washed into the water from the first big rain of the season and though that, having just gotten over laryngitis, it might not be the wisest move. I think the saying goes, “Discretion is the better part of valor…” Or… something like that.

Brett Young and his band rehearsing/warming up at his pad before heading to the gig at The Hotel Café.

When I arrived in LA, I headed to my buddy Brett’s house to check in. He, his band, and The Jason Adamo Band were all in attendance catching up, warming up, and just shootin’ the breeze. It was so fun to hear Brett sing some of his new tunes in a stripped down fashion right there in his living room. They sounded so good… I immediately got fired up: it was gonna be a killer show!

English touring act, Rumer, wowing the audience at The Hotel Café as we loaded in our gear for the show.

When we got to the venue and started loading in, we were just in time to see the last few songs from the English touring act Rumer on their first stab at the States. Absolutely wonderful… Think Adele, but a little softer around the edges, vocally, and a little more intimate, performance-wise. Very cool. If you have a second to explore some new music, be sure to check them out. I believe they hit San Francisco’s Bimbo’s 365 Club either tonight or tomorrow, so friends back home, look ‘em up!

Brett Young kickin' ass and takin' names on stage with his band at The Hotel Café in Los Angeles, CA.

I was so pumped to hear Brett Young and his band kick things off! It was so fun to hear ‘em all on stage. I’ve seen Brett perform a number of times and have shared the stage with him a few of those times, but I’d never seen him perform with other artists. It was awesome. The crowd dropped the chatter, stopped moving, and just plain LISTENED. It was a neat thing to experience. Be sure to check out Brett’s new release on his website and get your copy ASAP. Trust me… It will be money well spent.

The Jason Adamo Band from Raleigh, NC plowing through The Hotel Café with their Southern-folk rock.

Next up, The Jason Adamo Band from Raleigh, NC hit the stage with way more energy than I’ve seen to date at a small club. These guys killed it. Really solid band, great singing and songwriting from Jason Adamo - the whole package. I really enjoyed the music I previewed online before the gig, but hearing them live sold me. If you get a chance, be sure to see these guys live. It’s really where they shine. Follow their tour and listen to their music on their website when ya get a second and get ready to RAWK.

My buddy Joel running the board at The Hotel Café and making it sound purdy.

Of course, no show would be complete or, let’s face, even HAPPEN without a good sound guy. My friend Joel is the man when it comes to this. He deftly dealt with multiple inputs, instrument changes, set changes and more, all while making sure things were running super smooth. When I got up there in the middle of Jason Adamo’s set to play a few tunes, a line check never worked so well… it was seriously plug-n-play, but it was way better than most sound checks I’ve had almost anywhere. Nice work, Joel! I played a few tunes including two of my favorites from my, solo, live-in-studio release, “A Thing Or Three”, titled “It’s Alright” and “Would You Love Me”. I had a blast, won over some new fans, made some new friends, and just had a huge smile on my face the entire time I was on stage. I’ve been wanting to play The Hotel Café for a while now, and the timing just hasn’t been right, so this was a special evening for me in particular. Big thanks to Brett Young and The Jason Adamo Band for inviting me to join the party. It was a hoot!

At the end of the night, everybody got back up on stage and sang "With A Little Help From My Friends" (Joe Cocker style, of course!) to close out the night. Sick!

Lest I forget, this entire evening was a fundraiser for The A 21 Campaign which is striving to eliminate human trafficking in the world. I hadn’t any idea how far reaching or how much of an issue this problem was until I did a little research on their website… it’s scary. Please spend some time on your own to learn a little more about what this amazing organization is doing and how you might be able to help.

TONIGHT, I’m back at Firefly Bistro in South Pasadena, CA to join my friend Brad Colerick for his “Wine & Song” event from 7:00pm until 9:00pm. Check out the details on my Shows Page and meet us out there if you’re near the area. It’s a terrific evening of music, stories, wine, food, and a lot more. Joining me and Brad will be songwriter Erin McLaughlin. Thanks for listening and see ya soon, everybody!

On the drive down to Ventura, CA yesterday amidst a break in the rain, a beautiful view of the Southern California coast.

After doing some promo work and web updates at the local Starbucks in Los Osos, CA yesterday morning and randomly bumping into an old friend on my way out, I hit the road in the middle of what seemed to be an endless curtain of rain along the coast in an effort to get down to Zoey’s Café in Ventura, CA for my gig with Lee Koch and Jamie Drake. As I got about 3/4 of the way down, the rain stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun came out in a brilliant display of color lighting up the coast in just a really cool way. Somewhere along the 101 South, I pulled over and snapped this pic above. Beautiful! With Zoey’s Café just an hour away from this point, and plenty of time to kill, I just soaked in the sunset and watched the world go by from the highway. I love this stretch of coast!

Local Ventura, CA songwriter Lee Koch opening up the evening at Zoey's Café.

After some shuffling of the order on the bill last night, Lee Koch opened up the evening with some sweet, folky tunes showcasing an incredible voice, competent guitar playing, and really nice harmonica work. I gotta say, I really enjoyed his set. He’s been spending some time down in LA recently doing some songwriting, becoming famous… you know, the usual stuff people do in LA. He had a great following, a terrific stage presence, and just a really nice way about his performance. I look forward to seeing and hearing him on the road again soon.

Jamie Drake on the stage at Zoey's Café singing her hit, "Plumbline". Such a great tune...

After Lee wrapped up his set, Los Angeles-based songwriter Jamie Drake hit the stage and captivated the audience with her mellow, folky songwriting and soothing voice. She almost has a classic, retro, vintage vibe to her whole deal that carries you back in time, just a bit. Take an old acoustic guitar, run it through a vintage Gibson amplifier, and add really special voice and you get Jamie Drake. Definitely check out her music when you get a chance and be sure to catch her around the greater Los Angeles, CA area where she calls home. You won’t be disappointed.

After Jamie wrapped up her set, I took the stage to close out the night for what ended up being an extended solo acoustic set. The sound on stage through the monitors at Zoey’s Café is so special: it’s just… well… its perfect. Really. It was such a joy to play this venue where you can hear every little nuance of your guitar, each syllable and inflection in your voice, and connect with the audience in such a special way. It’s truly one of the greatest listening rooms that I’ve found anywhere in the United States. Out front… forget about it: it’s a treat. I played most of my material from my latest release, “A Thing Or Three”, along with a few of my favorites from my first release, “Something Out There” and my favorite new cover tune for this tour. Lots of smiles, lots of great memories, and lots of new friends and fans for the evening to keep me smiling for a while. After my set, I got out front to the lobby, chatted it up with a few new friends, sold some CDs, worked the mailing list a bit, and then enjoyed some long awaited food and a special, hand-made ginger ale from Doc, the house bartender. Dee-lish!!

The one and only Zoey's Café in Ventura, CA.

Big thanks to the crew at Zoey’s Café for making it such a special night and to the musicians, Lee Koch and Jamie Drake, for sharing their talent and making an otherwise sleepy Monday, incredible.

TONIGHT, January 24th, it’s off to The Hotel Café in Los Angeles, CA to join Brett Young, The Jason Adamo Band, and others for a terrific fundraiser/performance kicking off at 9:00pm. It’s going to be a really special evening of music with all ticket proceeds to support The A 21 Campaign. I’ll be performing a few songs as a guest artist for the evening along with a few others and, I’ve got to tell ya, I can’t wait… Find details and get your tickets here and meet us out tonight for this amazing night. 21+ Only and just $10.00 for a killer night of music for a great cause. See you soon, LA!

Ya know it's gonna be a good gig when you pull up and see this at the front gate of the venue...

On Sunday, January 22nd, I was invited to perform a featured showcase set at local promoter Steve Key’s “Songwriters at Play” event at Scultperra Winery in Paso Robles, CA. Steve Key has been a huge supporter of mine throughout the years and has become a good friend. He’s opened up a number of doors for me along the Central Coast of California with venues, radio stations, other songwriters, and more. As a result, if you purchase a copy of my newest release “A Thing Or Three”, you’ll see him listed in my very short “Thank You” section. Quite simply, he is the man.

Goofing around with Steve Key after the showcase at Sculpterra Winey in Paso Robles, CA.

Kicking off the event was the man himself, Steve Key, with a few of his self penned songs from the years. He also treated us to one of my new favorite covers from Peter Mayer about a pumpkin and a jack-o-lantern that I first heard the last time I played in San Luis Obispo, CA just before Halloween when Steve sat in for a few songs during my set. He’s got such an easy way about his voice and playing style that it’s hard not to get wrapped up in his songs.

Steve Key singing his hit "Record Time" to the barrel room crowd at Scultpterra Winery in Paso Robles, CA.

Afterwards, John Sandoval played some folky guitar and harmonica tunes from some recent writing sessions followed by a really nice set from local guitar virtuoso, Martin Paris. Martin can really play that guitar and is the pro I aspire to be in terms of his familiarity with a number of open tunings and the easy fashion with which he works his way around the fretboard. You should check out his music when ya get a sec if you like solo, acoustic, instrumental music. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Central Coast virtuoso Martin Paris owning the barrel room stage at Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles, CA.

Afterwards, San Diego songwriter Gayle Skidmore graced the stage for a few tunes with her mysterious, haunting, melodic style. If you are not yet familiar with her, please check her music out online. Having had a chance at a label deal, she decided to go the other way, start her own, and manage herself. She’s done so very successfully over the last several years and has toured all over the place while expertly managing her career and her new, independent label. She’s a terrific pianist and a skilled guitar player and banjo player along with myriad other instruments including the dulcimer and more. I don’t think she played the same instrument twice during her entire set! Very cool to see and hear.

Gayle Skidmore from San Diego, CA working the crowd with another one of her delightful compositions.

After Gayle wrapped her set and we loaded her arsenal of instruments off the stage (how one person can lug around so much gear is amazing), I set up, did a quick sound check, and then proceeded to perform the featured showcase set in the barrel room at Sculpterra Winery. I ran through most of my new material including a new co-write I recently penned with Erica Sunshine Lee via Skype named “Going South For A While” and my new, favorite cover tune, “Heard It Through The Grapevine”… man, I do love that song! I had a great time performing for some new and old friends and fans, enjoying a few laughs during set, and sharing some of the stories behind the new recording. It was a great afternoon and I’ll remember it fondly.

BIG THANKS to Steve and Bonnie at “Songwriters at Play”, the entire crew at Sculpterra Winery, all of the songwriters who made the day possible, and to all of my fans and friends that made it so worthwhile. I couldn’t do it without you all. Thanks and see ya again real soon!

Next up on the tour schedule this January is a performance with Jamie Drake and Lee Koch at one of my favorite listening rooms anywhere, Zoey’s Café TONIGHT (Monday, January 23rd) in Ventura, CA. It’s going to be a fabulous night of original, acoustic music and I really can’t wait… Just $5.00 and all-ages, saddle up to a cozy table or booth, order up some tasty food, and make an evening out of it to kick off your week. Tickets and more information is available on the Zoey’s Café website. Hope to see you Ventura, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, and other surrounding area folks soon!

Incredible wines fom Big Fish Wines were debuted at Gravity Bistro & Wine Bar during my performance on 1/21/12.

What a fun evening! The sun came out (for a change), chased away the rain for a while, and welcomed the release of a few new wines from boutique wine maker, Hunter Landers with Big Fish Wines. With a great turn out, delicious food from Gravity Bistro & Wine Bar and incredible wines, it was a really fun event. I performed a solo acoustic set during all the fun and introduced Bay Area wine lovers to my new music from “A Thing Or Three” while playing some selections from my first release, “Something Out There”. Things got a little crazy with a solo acoustic dance party towards the end of the evening and more than a few laughs and memories to last the weekend.

Mm... More, please!

Big thanks to Hunter Landers and the crew at Big Fish Wines for hosting me for this special event. They’ve been tremendous supporters of my music and my career ever since I met them. If you’re looking for a new, refreshing taste for your next glass of wine, be sure to check out the offerings from Big Fish Wines and let ‘em know what ya think!

Half Moon Bay, CA's newest addition to the live music scene: Crab Landing.

Man… the weather was just not cooperating last night! Pouring rain during load-in, pouring rain during my three hour super set, and pouring rain during load-out. I’m still drying out! But, weather be darned, I had a terrific time performing at Crab Landing in Half Moon Bay, CA last night. I love this joint… I set up in the bar area, but there’s a HUGE ceiling with a second story above and music carries all the way through the restaurant. The acoustics are terrific, and it’s just such a warm, inviting atmosphere. Killer food, a great bartender, and just really nice folks running this place…

Despite the weather, a few die hards came out and to see what was happening and we had a great time. I met some really nice folks from all over the place, traded stories, played ‘em some music, and caught up with some friends and fans that I hadn’t seen in a long time. All in a all, a pretty nice evening, even with the torrential downpour! Big thanks to everyone for making the effort to brave the elements and come out for some music last night!

Be sure to keep tabs on my upcoming dates during this California tour here on my Shows Page. I’ll be playing in Palo Alto this evening for a cool wine release for Big Fish Wines, then I’m off to Paso Robles, Ventura, Los Angeles, South Pasadena, San Diego, back to Los Angeles, then Arcadia with a few stops in between before I get back to San Francisco, so check out those show details and come on out! I’d love to see ya…

The home of the famous "fries inside" sandwiches... Insane!

After more than a week of no voice and canceled gigs due to a crazy cold / laryngitis that absolutely crushed me, I made my comeback at Giordano Bros. on Thursday evening, January 19th as part test, part kick-off gig for my current California run of shows. The voice felt pretty good and, despite the rain and less than desirable weather conditions outside, I had a fun audience for the night.

I played through my usual set of original material with a few classic covers sprinkled in for kicks and, after a while, this girl sat down in front of the performance area, smiled, and started singing along… She looked awfully familiar, but the person I thought she looked like lives in Ventura, CA was scheduled to perform with me this coming Monday, January 23rd at Zoey’s Café, so it couldn’t possibly be her. Then, just as I was about to ask if she had a twin living in Ventura, she smiled and I knew right then that it was Lainey Taylor. Lainey is a terrific singer/songwriter and has been making waves with her original music down in Southern California. I invited her up to sing a few of her songs and we were all blown away. Keep your eyes on this one… she’s gonna go far.

Ventura, CA artist Lainey Taylor stopped in for a surprise visit during my set and played a few a songs from her upcoming release.

As if that wasn’t enough, right after her songs, I looked to my left and discovered local singer/songwriter Mike Gibbons sitting right next to me! Heck, I’d been playing for two hours straight at that point anyway, had one of those crazy Giordano Bros. sandwiches in front of me, and to tell ya the truth, I really wanted to hear what Mike had been up to, so I offered him the stage for a few tunes. With a smile and an “Uh, I don’t know, man…”, Mike took the stage and proceeded to crush it… Awesome. If you don’t know Mike, ya should. He has been a featured KFOG 104.5 FM artist as part of their Local Scene program and has played all over the States. He’s got a couple really great songs that have been receiving some airplay and has carved out a really nice foothold for himself in the songwriter scene.

SF singer/songwriter Mike Gibbons taking the stage for a few tunes and doin' it right!

So, if you don’t know about Giordano Bros., you’ve probably been wondering this whole time, “What the heck are these sandwiches all about?!” Well, I’ll tell ya… straight out of Pittsburgh, PA, these guys make these ridiculously awesome sando’s on Italian bread with your choice of Italian meat (ham, seasoned turkery, coppa, etc.), cole slaw, fries, salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. They are a perfect little slice of heaven. Be careful, though… you might get addicted (see below).

See what I mean? These sando's at Giordano Bros. in San Francisco, CA's North Beach District are AWESOME!

All in all, it was a terrific start to my coastal run of shows to wrap up January 2012. The voice felt strong and like it was nearly 100% after that terrible bout with that cold / laryngitis, and I had a ton of fun… Be sure to keep tabs on my Shows Page for upcoming dates in California this month. I’ll be hitting Half Moon Bay, Palo Alto, Paso Robles, Ventura, Los Angeles, South Pasadena, San Diego, Los Angeles again, then Arcadia with a few interesting stops in between. Hope to see you all out on the road soon!

Hitting the road again, with a smile on my face, this Thursday 1/19 through the end of March here in California. Woot!

This cold has beaten me to a whiny little sliver of the man I once was… but now, I’m on the comeback! Nearly back at 100%, I’ve got my sites set on my mini California tour that kicks off this coming Thursday, January 19th in San Francisco, CA. I’ll be touring from San Francisco (1/19) to Half Moon Bay (1/20), Palo Alto (1/21), Paso Robles (1/22), Ventura (1/23), Los Angeles (1/24), South Pasadena (1/25), San Diego (1/26), Los Angeles again (1/27), and Arcadia (1/31) with a few surprise dates happening along the way and afterwards. It’s going to be a terrific trip at a variety of different venues along the way, so be sure to check out my calendar here and spread the word! In the mean time, I’ll be drinking lots of water and taking a ton of vitamin C to crush the remaining, tail end of this brutal cold that had me down for the count for over a week! (Good riddance!) Looking forward to seeing all you California folks starting this Thursday! It’s gonna be a hoot.

Bad news, folks, but I’m sick as a dawg… The road and the cold season have finally caught up to me and they’re laying into me like a hurricane that has crushed my voice to the point of a squeaky, scratchy sound more similar to a vulture’s caw than a singing voice. So, I had to make a tough call today and cancel this weekend’s performances. I hate to do it, and I always avoid a cancellation at all costs, but I’m just not well enough to make it happen. Sorry for the bad news! If you had planned on swinging by Vida Y Vino Wine Bistro in Fremont, CA this Thursday or Friday night, or if you had planned on coming by Maria Maria in Danville, CA on Saturday, please take note that I will not be performing. Hopefully, I’ll be back at 110% soon, so keep your eyes peeled on my SHOWS PAGE and come on out and see me again soon! Until then, keep taking that vitamin C and stay healthy!

I’m getting pretty psyched to check out this new venue in Half Moon Bay, CA right on the water by the harbor. They’ve got a killer menu, a full bar, huge ceilings (read: really awesome acoustics), and just an all-around cool vibe. I’ll be performing from 6:00pm until 9:00pm this Friday, January 6th and would love to see you there. They’re just kicking off their new music program and this performance is FREE and open to ALL AGES, so make a reservation now by calling (650) 712-1288 or just show up and have a seat at the bar and chill. It’s going to be a fun time and a great way to unwind from the week, so swing on over and let’s have some laughs. Before then, don’t forget to check out my latest release A Thing Or Three on iTunes, CD Baby or, for you audiophiles looking for hi-res audio, DownloadsNow!

The stage at The Wine Bar in Half Moon Bay, CA.

Well, tomorrow, I pack my bags and head out from Colorado to Half Moon Bay, CA to perform at my favorite little coastside listening room, The Wine Bar. Claudia Marshall, proprietor, art and music fan, has made a huge run with this place and has brought together a great local community of artists and musicians along the coast in Half Moon Bay, CA. Tomorrow night, sadly, will be the last shindig at this wonderful place. Claudia is closing up shop and moving on.

The front door at The Wine Bar in Half Moon Bay, CA.

We’ll be sending The Wine Bar off in style with a few hours of live, acoustic music including performances from me, Mark K., Marty Atkinson & Katy Boyd, Jay Howlett & Rolf Wyer, Teddy Randazzo, and Kimberlye Gold & Steve MacKay and Mike McKevitt. The doors open at 8:00pm, wine starts pouring immediately thereafter, and the first act hits the stage at 8:30pm. I go on around 9:00pm, so be sure to get there a little bit beforehand as it’s sure to be pretty crowded. Tickets are just $10.00 for an entire night of music and it is highly recommended that you purchase yours in advance, so visit www.thewinebarhmb.com or call the venue directly at (650) 726-0770 now and lock yours in today. Happy New Year and see you very soon! (21+ ONLY / $10.00)