Chi McClean

So, after a beautiful but frantic drive from a friend’s place in Temecula, CA up the coast to Los Angeles, CA on Sunday night (I played in San Diego, CA the night before… which was SICK! See the post below on that for more info!), I managed to find myself hanging and playing at The Foundry on Melrose. I’d never been here before, but I have a few friends who’ve played here in the past and I was always curious. In fact, it’s a pretty cool spot – part wine bar, part small plate/tapas joint, part restaurant, all cool.

Sometimes, amidst a lot of highway miles, you forget to just look straight ahead and take in a beautiful sunset like this one over Los Angeles, CA. En route to The Foundry.

I arrived just a little after things got going with Kris Gruen and was psyched to walk in to Kris and his producer/friend Charles Newman from Mother West Records playing some sweet, moody stuff that only those two can do. If you haven’t heard Kris before, you’ve got to check him out. It’s great stuff full of rich lyrics, interesting melodies, and pretty cool chordal textures. Find him online and friend him on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc. and keep tabs on what this Vermont native is up to next.

Kris Gruen (right) and Charles Newman (left) laying it down at The Foundry on Sunday night for a crowd that hung on their every move.

In between me and Kris, this other dude Tom Shaner, also from Mother West Records, took the stage and got folks goin’. He also did this pretty slick 360 degree spin on his stool after the first song which got some pretty serious attention (and heckling) from folks… in a loving way, of course! Personally? I was envious and wished that I had a stool… pretty cool. In all honesty, I really dug his music and the folks at the club did, too. Interesting stories, great stage presence, and lots of energy and raw emotion. Check this dude out.

Tom Shaner playing and spinning at The Foundry.

So, that was pretty much it! After 12 days on the road, it all ended with a fun, mellow show down in Los Angeles, CA last night with three great musicians. Now, it’s off to San Francisco to get some stuff settled back home, then get back on the road this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Half Moon Bay, CA; San Gregorio, CA; and Ventura, CA. Stay tuned for more posts on those shows, but in the mean time, check out my SHOWS page for times and details and meet me out for some tunage! Take care, everybody, and see ya soon.