I started playing live music at the Buffalo Gap Saloon in Portland, OR circa 2003 — it was one of the first venues to give me and my music a chance and I therefore owe them much. 8 years later, I don’t play there as often as I used to but I still consider it my local haunt, my Cheers, my home away from home, my watering hole, my … well, you get the idea. It’s a swell place.

All that said, I was recently invited to play at their annual birthday party known as Gap Fest and following my set, I was surprised with the decorated frame below. I was beyond honored when they presented me with this tribute frame that celebrated my career and the Buffalo Gap’s involvement in its progression.

It will be hung on the wall of the establishment for the many years to come…

Thank you Buffalo Gap for the opportunity and the friendship.

THE BUFFALO GAP SALOON & EATERY
6835 Southwest Macadam Avenue
Portland, OR 97219-2313
(503) 244-7111

Like I said, I’ve played MANY shows at the Buffalo Gap … here is a pic from one of the hundreds.

As everyone knows, I have a strand of OCD coursing through my veins that is borderline clinical. Yeah, I don’t really sleep at night because I can’t put aside the fact that a margin is off on my blog or the font could be improved on my website(s) — there’s always something that can be improved.

Well, with that, I bring you the newest TylerStenson.com. The changes are ever so subtle but I slept pretty well last night…

THE NEW SITE:
As I mentioned, the changes are very subtle but I feel it’s a lot cleaner overall. You’ll notice a new custom font installed, new and improved social icons, a new music and video player and a sleeker vibe across the board. Click on the image below to see the full size screen shot!

THE NEW HEADER:
I moved the header from mid-page, up toward the top where most sites would have them featured. Additionally, I changed the font to match my new custom font (Round Up). To me, this new header is much more pro and a bit less playful than my previous site.

THE NEW SOCIAL ICONS:
Most subtle of all but to my everlasting joy, is the new, custom, social icons. The ones before were slightly pixelated and more in tune with the previously playful vibe, however, now, they’re spic-and-span. I suppose most notable of all is the fact that I kicked the mySpace button to the curb and replaced it with my ReverbNation link. Peace out mySpace!

THE NEW FONT:
I’ve been using this new font for some time now in my general branding but I’ve finally integrated it into my website. With the help of my good friend Mr Diggles, I’m now able to use my brand’s font as a font, rather than an image. This is a very subtle upgrade but extremely valuable in the realm of web design.

Of course, there will be more subtle changes happening to this site for the rest of my life but, on this day in October, I’m proud to bring you another TylerStenson.com update with some improved pieces that have me sleeping soundly.

Every once in a while I get self-conscious about the amount of self-promotion that I do on Facebook and Twitter. While I feel it’s the necessary quantity to get my messages to the masses, there are still wavering moments when I ask myself Dude, was that too much?

Well, just as I’m considering cutting back on the posts, I log-on to Facebook and see what my other friends are up to — based on the dirty-laundry-rant below, I’m all at once certain that it could be worse.

LIKE ME ON FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/tylerstensonmusic
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: @tylerstenson

In an interview earlier this summer for KZME’s Music on the Air TV program, I was asked to recall my favorite Portland moment — what one thing sticks out when I think about my years in Portland as both a resident and a musician?

While I could never-ever account for all of my favorite memories in this fine city, in a moment of pure panic and scattered thoughts, I spouted off two contenders:

1) The final moments of my farewell show at the Aladdin Theater.
2) My first Por Que No taco.

Here is the video footage of My Favorite Portland Moments…

For your reference, here is that final moment at the Aladdin Theater…

Oh, and if you’ve never been to Por Que No, here is the address to both locations…

3524 N Mississippi Ave, Portland – (503) 467-4149
4635 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland – (503) 954-3138

Of course, I have many many many other fantastic memories when it comes to living and playing music in Portland (opening for Chris Isaak at the Oregon Zoo and selling 140+ albums to a host of new fans freshly comes to mind) but it’s still damn near impossible to sum up how kind this city has been, and continues to be, to me.

I was in the Kink.fm studios today and had a pleasant conversation with Inessa that will be featured on tonight’s Kink.fm Local Music Spotlight. Between opening for Chris Isaak in July, opening for Alpha Rev tomorrow at the Aladdin Theater and a new management agreement in the works, we had much to discuss — and discuss we did.

Here is the link to the full interview: http://bit.ly/n8PFNE

TO BE TRANSPARENT, THIS INTERVIEW WAS TO PROMOTE:
1) I’m opening for Alpha Rev at the Aladdin Theater on 9/14
2) I’m playing on the Kink.fm Early Escape Cruise on 9/16
3) I’m playing at the Alberta Rose Theater on 9/29

Tune in tonight to hear the discussion and my song Daffodils live on the air!!

Save the date!! I have been asked to play at the Tualatin Riverfront Music Festival on Saturday September 10th at 5:00pm. Of course, the festival spans from 3pm to 8pm, so mark your calendars accordingly and come join me and other musical acts such as the Legendary Soul Diva Linda Hornbuckle.

Tyler Stenson at the Tualatin Riverfront Music Festival
Saturday September 10th @ 5pm

Tickets are $5 and kids are free!

VISIT THE RIVERKEEPERS WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO: http://www.tualatinriverkeepers.org

Tualatin Riverkeepers are the leading independent advocate for the river, streams and wetlands in the Tualatin community. That said, the Tualatin Riverfront Music Festival aims to support a clean and healthy Tualatin River that is accessible to everyone and offers something for the whole family — great music, food, nature activities and kayaking on the river!

DIRECTIONS?

IF YOU’RE DRIVING:
The Tualatin Riverfront Music Festival takes place at 8515 SW Tualatin Rd

IF YOU’RE PADDLING:
The Tualatin Riverfront Music Festival takes place at Tualatin Community Park at river mile 8.9

IF YOU’RE WALKING OR BIKING:
The Tualatin Riverfront Music Festival takes place just south of the Ki-A-Kuts Bridge

IF YOU’RE BUSING:
The Tualatin Riverfront Music Festival takes place on Tri-Met line 76

THIS JUST IN: I will be opening for Alpha Rev at the Aladdin Theater on Wednesday 9/14.

Alpha Rev w/ Tyler Stenson
Wednesday September 14th @ The Aladdin Theater
Doors at 7:00 PM, Show at 8:00 PM
Minors Accompanied by Parent
$15.00

GET TICKETS HERE

Alpha Rev is a soulful American rock group out of Austin, TX, led by front-man Casey McPherson. Their music is full of achingly beautiful melodies, haunting lyrics and classical beauty. As Austin’s famous landmark club Antone’s raved on their website “witness [McPherson] in action and you know God made this man to play music.”

ABOUT ALPHA REV:
(bio taken from Aladdin-Theater.com)

Above all else, Alpha Rev is a journey into the depths of the human experience.

Frontman Casey McPherson’s gripping, emotional songwriting dares others to search out hope in the bleakest of circumstances and the unique instrumentation pays homage to the classical music that gave him his love for the art. While McPherson’s songwriting and rock-inspired vocals form the core of Alpha Rev’s music, he is supported by a unique cast of musicians that fill Alpha Rev’s songs with as much classical beauty as American rock. In addition to the typical guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums, Alpha Rev boasts a violin and cello that add brilliantly to the band’s sound. Together, Alpha Rev offers up layered, orchestral, melody-driven masterpieces able to turn strangers to super fans in a single listen.

Home schooled in small town Texas, frontman Casey McPherson studied classical piano for 12 years and learned to play guitar left handed after figuring out it only worked when he played it upside down. The first band he started, Endochine, performed with Staind, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pete Yorn and many others. During this time, McPherson lost his father and only brother to suicide. Although Endochine was succeeding on many levels, touring took its toll, eventually leading to the band’s demise. Faced with unimaginable tragedy and the dissolution of his band of five years, Casey began to realize that his music, and his life, needed to take a turn in a more positive direction.

The result was Alpha Rev and its distinctive brand of soulful American rock, full of achingly beautiful melodies, haunting lyrics, and classical beauty. Welling up through all the rich, sonic splendor is a message of hope spun by McPherson and his penchant for perseverance. As Austin’s famous landmark club Antone’s raved on their website “witness [McPherson] in action and you know God made this man to play music.”

Life has been cooking with gasoline and I have my busy music schedule to thank for that. That said, if you haven’t seen a show in a while, here is my End of Summer Schedule for 2011 that includes dates in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. With the summer coming to a close, I hope you’ll pick a performance (or four) and bring a friend (or nine).

See you at one of these fine venues soon!

8/25: Kink.fm Street of Dreams
Portland, OR

8/27: Beavers w/o Borders @ Bend High School
Bend, OR

9/09: Private Event
Meridian/Boise, ID

9/10: Tualatin Riverkeepers Riverfront Festival
Tualatin, OR

9/11: McMenamins Edgefield Winery
Troutdale, OR

9/14: Opening for Alpha Rev @ the Aladdin Theater
Portland, OR | GET TICKETS

9/16: Kink.fm Portland Spirit Early Escape Cruise
Portland, OR | GET TICKETS

9/21: Mandolin Cafe
Tacoma, WA

9/22: Mill Creek McMenamins
Mill Creek, WA

9/23: VENUE TBA
Seattle, WA

9/29: Alberta Rose Theater w/ Sam Wegman and Safire Band
Portland, OR | GET TICKETS

A full list of dates and times can be found on my website: www.tylerstenson.com

March 11th of 2011 was one of the most special moments of my musical life.

Having just turned 30, it dawned on me that I had been playing music for a full decade — 10 years of writing, recording and grinding. It hasn’t been easy, but it has certainly been worth it.

To celebrate this milestone marker, I hosted a self-indulgent “Greatest Hits” concert at the Alberta Rose Theater in Portland that showcased my absolute favorite songs, and fan favorites, from across the decade (2001 to 2011). In all, roughly 300 fans and friends crowded into the rows of the Alberta Rose Theater and showed their beaming support for my 10-year journey.

After many months of waiting patiently, I finally got my hands on these three recordings from that special Spring evening. Enjoy Tyler Stenson and the Elegant Folk live from the Alberta Rose Theater!!

OFTEN & MUCH

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CANNONBALL

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BEST LAID PLANS

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VIDEO IS COMING SOON!!

A fan just sent me this photo and while I hate to see my supporters break any kind of bone in their body, I’m honored to provide them with the proper healing attire. With any luck, between the power of music and the comforts of the Shade Clothing poly-blend, she’ll be gold in no time. Get well soon!

GET YOUR OWN SHIRT HERE