Here are the two reviews the first single, pop gun, from the soon-to-be-released
disc, (expletive deleted), got from The Noise.
KEVIN MACDONALD BAND
Pop Gun
2 songs
Instantly catchy songs are Kevin MacDonald’s forte, and
in typical fashion he has once again put out a two-song teaser to promote his
forthcoming release, which will be called Expletive Deleted (great title)! “Pop
Gun” reminds me of a Baby Ray tune with a light and playful chorus and harmonies
that dance on the brain. The second track is an instrumental and a rather quirky
one at that. The heavy guitar riff is angular and in an odd meter, reminiscent
of some of the Thrak-era King Crimson. For the KMD band this seems a little
left field and hopefully will serve as a harbinger of greater things to come.
(Joel Simches, The Noise, Issue #260, April 2006)
I lifted this from The Noise's Current CD Review page, but they will eventually
move it to the archives.
KEVIN MACDONALD BAND
2-SONG CD
- POP GUN
- WORDS FAIL ME
Kevin MacDonald and his band never fail to satisfy musically and this rousing
two song sampler from his upcoming album release is no exception. Featuring
a myriad of musical sounds layered under MacDonald's superb vocals, the opening
track "Popgun" is a masterpiece of music and sound. If XTC were still making
music, this is what they would sound like. Throw in the instrumental jargon
of "Words Fail Me" with it's manic bridge and it's clear to see just how talented
MacDonald and his band are. Outstanding!
Contact - (617) 381-6995
This review was lifted by me, by hand (OMG!) from the page it was printed on.
June, 26th, 2005
TT the Bear's Place
Cambridge, MA
with Blue Sky Traffic and Nathan Moore
Previous Shows
June 16th
Until I revamp the site, here's a link to the old Shows page.
I'm late in reporting a couple things. My apologies to Kevin.
First, the kmb was listed as one of the top ten bands to watch this year. Also, Kev was the subject of a cover story for September's Metronome. Grab a copy if you still can, but if not, a transcript should be coming shortly.
October 5th, 2001
We're throwing a CD Release Party at the Sky Bar on Thursday, October, 25th
for our new disc None More Pop, Vol 1, which we're giving away FREE!
Check out the shows page for the gritty de nitty.
February 25th, 2001
The new record, which carries the name, None More Pop, Volume 1 proudly
announces its first single, "Supergenius." Tom toiled long and hard
with the mix and once approved by his eminance, Kevin, they sent it on its way
via Eric in his brown UPS uniform...or something. Call up your local radio show
to request it. And if you don't know any of the local shows, then check out
www.thenoise.com to find one.
And we would love to see your smiling face, bopping head and tapping foot at
the Sky Bar on March 8th for our first show in four months. Visit the
shows page to get the specifics.
October 11th
Yup, Eric and Tom have laid their tracks and Kevin is about to finish his. After
that it's vocals and then all the fussing over the mix. I think Kevin has a
title in mind, but he won't fess up. I can, however, list out the tunes: Beat
the Clock, Detatched, Empty as a Promise, Hide Your Head, Supergenius and What's
Today?.
And again we venture to the club known to Cambridge-onians as...TT the Bears.
November 1st is the date. Check the Shows page for details.
August 27th
The guys sounded great at the Middle East, Downstairs a couple weeks ago. And
while that is good, it pales when you learn that they've started recording a
brand new CD. The as-of-yet unnamed disc is being recorded in their practice
space with loaned equipment. I'll fill everyone in on the details as soon as
they're released.
In releated news (I've always wanted to say that), the website is being redesigned
to match the CD and with that will come a few new features.
On a personlal note. Some friends of ours are getting married today. Ken and
Christine, we wish you the best. Good luck.
July 12th
The guys sounded great at the Sky Bar last
And now for that something extra. Well, to be as completely vauge and childish as possible -
I know something you don't know.
Nyeah, nyeah, nya-nyeah, nyeah.
May 6th
Eric, wild man that he is, did something well...wild, but first the skinny on
the last show at the Sky Bar in Somerville.
It was good...so I'm told. I was stuck in a class, but everyone was happy how it went. I did, however, catch the other two bands, Waver and Beverage. Both good. The Sky Bar is a cool little club, check it out. Again, the guys want to say thanks to Shred of WBCN for hooking them up.
The next show is on the horizon...somewhere. We just don't know when yet. When it (the show) tells us when it is, we'll tell you.
As for Eric, well let's just say that he has turned himself into a human canvas. Yup, he crossed the NH border and got a tattoo. Some of you may or may not remember that he is into the heavy metal band, Type O-Negative. We now know that he is no mere fan. He is in fact fanatic because their logo is now permanently inked on his right arm. At a recent practice, in honor of Eric's new designation as the black sheep of the band, the guys goofed on (I think?) a shortened Typo-O cover. A shot of the tattoo has been posted in Eric's photo gallery.
See 'ya.
March 4th
O-Boy! Good stuff's a-happening. Word of the band is getting out there and I'm
about to tell you all about it. But first, something you've been waiting for
- PICTURES FROM THE LIZARD LOUNGE!! This will be the format when the site is
updated...which is happening soon.
In other news, a new show at TT the Bears's Place is on the horizon. Be there
April 2nd or be somewhere else.
Kevin never stops writing and it is paying off. As we've said here before,
he received song of the month for Hide Your Head in July/August and
for Supergenius in November in Audiodoodaday, a tape review section in The
Noise. Well Butch and Brenda picked those two songs in second in the Yearly
Review. And here's a shout out to our friend, Chris Mascara, who's band, Mascara,
received 3rd best album for their CD, "Fertilizer".
And lastly but not, in no flipin' way, least is the tale of Tom and Bill's
weekend -
- Boston's three prominent music schools (Berklee, NEC
and BC) held a job fair this past Sunday, the 27th. There were several industy
big wigs giving workshops that we wanted to introduce to the band. So we made
a promo kit and a demo CD of new material and donned our corporate best. When
we got there, as chance would have it, Harvard University's WHRB 93.5 were
packing up and we jumped in and set up shop. We just couldn't pass it up. We
really need to thank them for "dropping" their name badge and exhibitor tag.
Our spartan display, apparently, was odd enough that people had to come up
and ask. The crazy thing was it worked. People seemed to think that we shelled
out $200 to promote a band. We still got to some of our intended targets, but
we made so many more contacts from the foot traffic on the expo floor that
we didn't expect. It still boggles the mind. One of the workshops was entitled,
"Guerilla Marketing" and after this stunt, we felt as if we should've been
on the panel.
February 3rd
The guys played a great show at a great club on Jan. 22nd. The Lizard Lounge
in Cambridge, MA sits beneath the Cambridge Commons Restaurant and has a great
atmosphere. The other bands, Mascara and Make Lisa Rich were cool too. And we
finally got more pictures. Check 'em out and keep your ears tuned for the next
show.
See ya'.
January 16
Innocent. That's the way it always happens. Just when you think your day is
going okay...WHAM!! That was Kevin a few weeks ago. Practice had just gotten
over and the guys were packing up when Kevin's guitar fell out of his case
to the floor. The head stock, nearly broke off and was being held by the strings
and three splinters. The next day, Kevin walked into Guitar Center to speak
to Pat DiBurro, repairman extraordinare. He told Kevin not to worry and there
really was no reason to. The guitar is fixed and while the crack is visible
it is as solid as before. Kevin's friend Eric (not Watts), of BabyRay (not
KMB), was kind enough to lend him a guitar in the meantime. So to both Pat
and Eric, a huge thank you from Kevin and the guys.
For those that missed the show at the Kirkland, it went well. As Eric noted,
it was a night of three piece bands. The other bands were The Complaints and
a band from Worcester, The Kind. A couple pictures were taken, those will be
ready soon as well as a couple snapped at a recent practice.
As for the next show, it will be in Cambridge at the Lizard Lounge on Saturday,
January, 22nd. The guys will be going on first, at 9:30. The will be playing
with Mascara and Make Lisa Rich.
November 28
Wow! A Looong time has passed without an update. There is a reason for that,
which I'll get into in a moment, but first some general info. The TT's show
went well. The guys played great. There were no photos taken but there will
be plenty next time. No new show date as of yet. There was something in the
works for the Kirkland Cafe, but it seems to have fallen through. As soon as
something is booked, we'll post it here.
And while there may be no new show as of yet, there is plenty of new music
and Kevin has been getting the word out. He sent a second batch of tunes to
The Noise's Butch and Brenda and this tape review received four and
a half stars and again received Song of the Month for November, this time for
the tune "Supergenius." I've heard it myself and it absolutely rocks.
Kevin's not ready to record yet, but when he does, strap yourself in and pack
lots of handi-wipes 'cause it's gonna be a wild and sticky ride!
And as for why I've been slacking off the news updates, I'm working on revamping
the site. Not a complete redesign, but new colors, new sections, cooler and
an all around way, way better experience. For those of you needing t o know
what I'm talking about, here's a sneak peek. This also includes moving to a
new host, which hasn't been found as of yet. GeoCities was a decent start,
but we're growing up and need to move on. You can expect version 1.2 buy mid
December.
September 8
As far as the show goes, it'll be Sunday, October 17th at TT the Bears in Central
Square, Cambridge. It's been quite a while since they played there. This time,
they're one of five bands, I'm told they have the middle slot. We'll let you
know who the other bands are soon.
Now, what do I mean by Tom's big day? After 11 plus years, he is finally marrying
his fiance, Lisa on Friday, September 10th in Malden, MA. And she is taking
Tom's last name, willingly discarding her maiden name, Hussy
Now I know that Tom getting married ruins the countless fantasies of all his
young female fans. Well, they're just gonna have to learn to live with it
August 14
Yup, the picture galleries from the Mulligan's show are here as well as the
galleries for Kevin, Eric and Tom. It took awhile, but it's worth it.
Also, the show that was planned for the Main Event tonight has been cancelled.
Why? Well, without notice or reason the Main Event closed their doors about
month ago and have yet to reopen. Even if they are open tonight, the Kevin
MacDonald Band will not be there. The lack of information has killed any chance
of that happening. They do plan to re-open, but no one knows when.
We'll let you know when the next show is scheduled.
July 17
Was Kevin ever excited!
He and Eric stroll into Rockit Records in Saugus, MA and Kev grabs the July/August
copy of the Noise (one of his favorite mags) while Eric shops the racks. He
flips toward the back of the mag to Butch and Brenda's tape review section
and the first thing he sees is five stars next to his name. He then screams
across the store, "Hey Eric, Five Stars!" This motivates Eric to
get his own copy. Kevin soared past cloud nine as he read the comparisons to
Baby Ray and XTC (Two of his absolute favorite bands). It was a good day to
be Kevin MacDonald.
As far as the July 1st show, well it was "there." It wasn't as big
as they'd wanted. Apparently, the fact that it was a Thursday show played a
bigger role than hoped.
But later tonight, July 17th, they'll be playing at Mulligan's in Cambridge,
MA as part of a Birthday celebration. More details and directions will come
shortly.
June 21
Happy first day of Summer!!
If you weren't at the Main Event this past Saturday then you missed an awesome
show. True, the only new songs introduced were Polly, a Nirvana cover
and a punked-up Happy Birthday (for Kevin's friend, Jennifer) but the guys
are tighter and are simply having more fun playing.
But what sent this show over the edge was at the end of the second set. An
invitation by Eric to the above mentioned Jennifer to dance to Slip Away
actually brought several people to the dance floor. This was followed a few
songs later by Kevin's request for them to join the band on stage, which they
did (although they were wearing more clothing than he had requested).
It was an absolutely wild ending to an already great night. Seeing eight people
on stage dancing to Never Meant To Be was incredible. And you're just
going to have to take my word for it, because there are no pictures. It's going
to take a lot to top this show...
And that's what we're planning on for the band's Thursday, July 1st show at
the good-ol', trusty Main Event. You need to be there. Let this show
start off your Independence Day weekend. Call out from work the next day if
you have to, just don't miss this next show. You won't be able to forgive yourself
if you do.
June 16
Kevin, Eric and Tom are becoming a regular fixture at the Main Event. Their
next show is just days away, this Saturday, June 19th. So cancel your plans
and make your way to Revere, MA in support of the band.
Their last show featured three new songs. One of them, Why Today?, blew
me away. It starts with an ultra-funky, tribal beat from Tom and changes time
signatures. The other new songs, Empty Sky and Hang Your Head
(which debuted last show and features more back-up vocals by Eric) are no slouches,
but I really like Why Today?. Hey, what's your favorite new song? Haven't
heard them!? Well, come and check them out.
Also, the pictures from the last show are up. The goal, picture-wise, to get
a decent picture of Tom, was accomplished. And check back soon - band member
picture galleries are under development and will be up after this Saturday's
show.
And don't forget about the following show on July 1st, also at the Main Event.
According to a recent survey, starting the Independence Day weekend by supporting
the Kevin MacDonald Band is the most patriotic thing that you can do.
And when you can, pick up a copy of “The Noise” and check out the
band's new ad. And if that ad led you to this website, then please let us know.
And hey, grab a copy of it anyway. It's a great source for what's happening
in the Boston music scene.
May 6
I'm quite late at getting these dates up here, but Kev and the guys have three
more confirmed shows at the Main Event in Revere, MA. The first is just a few
weeks away on Saturday, May 29th at 10pm. The other two are on July 1st and
then August 14th. And again, they'll be more new tunes as well. In case you've
forgotten, here's how to get there.
Also, a short while ago, this web site became multimedia with the additions
of song samples in µ-law format. It doesn't sound great, but then again
it's only a sample and it's the only audio format that is truly cross-platform
(playable on any computer). Some of the songs also include the full
song in MP3 format for those with a faster connection (or more time). So crank
up the volume and download the tunes.
And new bio's that actually tell you something about the guys in the band.
April 9
Kevin MacDonald Band returned to the stage for the first time in four months
last night at Main Event (formerly Prime Time) in Revere, MA. After getting
the kinks out during the first set they were more comfortable for the second,
which showed not only in their playing - they had more fun too. They also introduced
Kevin's newest tune, Hide Your Head and a new cover tune by Feeder.
The night was as successful for KMB as it was for Main Event, who said that
this was their most successful Thursday night ever! The band is also booked
at least three more times there through September. We'll let you know about
those dates as they come up. For now, check out these pictures from the show.
March, 25th
Just got word from the guys, their next gig is at the Main Event in Revere,
MA on Thursday, April 8th. This is the first show since Tom joined the band
and from what I'm told, they will be one of the house bands, performing a few
times a month. They will also be introducing a new tune or two. The Main Event
was previously called Prime Time and is located right next to Route 1. Kev
and the guys go on stage at 10 PM. Here's how to get there
February, 1
The guys just left a complex situation at the aptly named, Music Complexrehearsal
facility in Charlestown, Ma. They have since refitted a corner of Tom's basement
to be "neighbor friendly" and moved in. I (Billy Magg) live right
behind Tom and can say that they're sounding great.
December, 12th
Tom Bishop is chosen as the new drummer for the band. Tom had been in other
local bands previously with Eric, although primarily in the role of keyboardist/singer.
They are now gearing up for the break-in period. We'll let you know when the
first shows are booked.
December, 2nd
The Kevin MacDonald Band ROCKED Mama Kin's on Landsdowne St. in Boston on Wednesday.
It was drummer John Coughlin's last show with the band, but they sounded great
nonetheless. It's now time for Kevin and Eric to break in a new drummer, so
stay tuned for info on their new lineup.