ALCHEMIST

10/22/2009 10:30 PM at Bryan McPherson
435 South Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts 02130
Cost: Always Free

Bryan is a regular performer on the boston and New York music scene. He is known for his intense live performances, as well as insightful, poetic songwriting. He has shared the stage with the likes of rock and roll legend Chuck Berry, The Neighborhoods, Chad Smith of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kate Taylor to name a few. This is Passionate, acoustic-punk from the heart. Street life, politics, addiction, and moments of beauty, anguish, clarity, and dissent litter the alleys of McPherson’s songs. The words are as honest as they are urgent— every second counts! Bryan was born and raised in Dorchester, a blue collar, working class neighborhood in Boston. He was inspired at a young age by the raw energy and angst of Punk Rock, as well as the lyrically driven American folk songs of the early 1960’s. His first performances were street corners, house parties, and subway stations in Boston’s inner city. In 2001 he burst onto the acoustic music scene of Cambridge MA. Needing a demo, he recorded Folk n Roll MoFo in his bedroom, a dark, low fi record chronicling the world of active heroin addiction and political/class discontent. In 2003 Bryan took a break from performing. 2004 marked his return. Revitalized, with a budget of two hundred and fifteen dollars he released Alive, a live recording from a set at Club Passim. With the songs "What if Jesus was gay?" and "Neurontin", Alive gained some international attention and Bryan was featured on Ireland’s website and radio show breakfornews.com, Boston Phoenix.com and WRKO, a talk radio station in Boston. In 2005 Alive was heard by producer Hendrik Gideonse XIX of Indecent Music, who offered to produce Bryan. The two struck a deal and went into production on Fourteen Stories(2007). 14 Stories has been well received by both critics as well as fans and continues to be bought, burnt and passed around groups of friends looking for something with a little bit of substance.