News

barret harvey returns from month long tour of japan!

our favorite drummer is back from the far east w/ a new love for the culture & people of japan & a few new “toys” from yamaha! barret has been endorsed by the yamaha drum company for years now, but this tour of japan w/ the trinity dance company was his first opportunity to visit the place where all things yamaha are conceived & put into practice. As if the royal treatment from the president & staff of the company weren't enough, barret was taken to the main yamaha factory & given the opportunity to design & help build a “barret harvey custom” snare drum, which he will be playing in upcoming performances w/ the benefit. congrats to barret... he deserves it & it's good to have him back on the throne!

12/06 Press Release
john condron & the benefit release new 6 song ep “loud as silence”
Read the full release.

Alaska w/ the T.I.D.C.!
john & barret recently had the priveledge of touring Alaska, accompanying the famed trinity dance co. from Chicago. The tour consisted of 10 performances in 4 cities from the 5th to the 14th of march. The performances earned high marks from fans & critics alike, & included  a new original song, "dunfanaghy", written just days before leaving for the trip, which john sang & played w/ barret on drums & patrick murray on flute. Barret also thrilled the audiences @ the various performing arts centers w/ a monsterous solo during the second act of each show! Thanks to the people of Alaska&all @ trinity for allowing the guys to play a part in such a fantastic experience! John plans to record "dunfanaghy" & make it available for download within the next couple of weeks.

John condron & the benefit art print

Prints are available of the original pencil drawing by brian condron done just after the east coast tour in late 2005.

Each Print comes w/ acid free matting & are signed by the artist & the band members. A true collectors item!

Cost is $15.00 each
E-mail info@johncondron.com to order yours today.

 

Coming soon!
Tour documentary DVD

In late 2005 the benefit headed east for a successful string of shows in NYC, Philly, Boston, etc. before returning to finish up in Chicago. The DVD will include footage from many of the performances as well as candid clips of the band between shows & on the road. The project is currently in production & should be finished by early spring…check back for details & updates!


John Condron & the Benefit appeared on the WGN morning show April 20th, 2006

Tour Update
jc & the benefit hit the coast in late October!
John, Jeff & Barret hit the road in late Oct. for two weeks worth of dates on the east coast. The tour kicked off @ Chicago St. Pub (Joliet Il.) On the 23rd of Oct. & took the trio (along w/ long time friends & crew Ed Johnson & Kevin Dillon) to Philly, NYC & Boston (along w/ some additional stops along the way.) The tour wrapped up on the 13th of Nov. @ the legendary Green Mill in Chicago. This trip marked the first time john performed in his home town of Philadelphia in over ten years! The band performed songs off of their two full length cds as well testing out some new material.

Note from jc
Hello all, just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for their support out east over the last couple of weeks...the tour was a success on a number of levels & seeing you all night after night made us realize why we still do this! i'm really looking forward to taking a look @ all the footage & photos over the next few weeks, so if anyone has any pictures or stories or comments about the trip please e-mail them to me or post them on our message board.

Thanks again for everything, we'll see you soon,
jc

Read jc's day by day diary "From the Road"

Joliet Herald News
East bound and up Joliet band hits the road for tour
By Annie Alleman
STAFF WRITER
October 25, 2005

Read the full article

Barret Harvey joins the benefit
John & Jeff would like to take this opportunity to formally announce the addition of drummer Barret Harvey, & to welcome him to the “benefit”. Those of you who have caught the band’s live performances over the past month or so have no doubt noticed his formidable presence behind the kit. Barret’s unique style & personality have ushered in another era for the band, & to watch he & Jeff go back & forth as a rhythm section is truly a pleasure. He also performs with Jeff in the Chicago based group “Burn Rome Burn”. Barret is sponsored by Yamaha drums, is an “in demand” session player, & teaches in the Chicagoland area. Make sure to come out & welcome him to the family!

John Condron and Kenny Wayne Shepherd

On April 14th John Condron & the Benefit opened a WXRT show with
Kenny Wayne Shepherd at the magnificent Rialto Square Theatre.

PHOTO GALLERY
Click here to view photos from
the event.

 

 

John Condron payed tribute to Jeff Buckley
Condron among a host of other credited musicians from around the world performed at the 7th Annual Buckley Birthday Tribute concert on November 16th & 17th 2004 at Uncommon Ground in Chicago, IL.

2004 marked the 10th anniversary of the release of the revered, "Grace," the album which secured Jeff Buckley a place in the pantheon of great songwriters and in the hearts of music lovers and musicians all over. As an American troubadour, Jeff had already toured internationally and released "Grace", when he died tragically in 1997 at the age of 31. Committed to sharing the gift of music with people, Jeff’s legacy is the influence of his musical style on others.

John Condron in the Joliet Herald
Johnny C. in L.A.
Published in the Herald News 12/28/03

Joliet teacher Mark Eleveld, editor of "The Spoken Word Revolution: Slam, Hip Hop, & the Poetry of a New Generation," recently enjoyed the L.A. release of his book. The book is a compilation of current poetry featuring works written by morethan 40 of the most influential contemporary performance poets. Actor Viggo Mortensen, of "Lord of the Rings" fame, wrote the last section of the book, called "Youth Speaks." He has four books of poetry out. At the end of November, Eleveld and local musician John Condron, who also runs the Chicago Street Bar and Grill, went to L.A. for the event. Condron provided all of the music for the show and even accompanied Viggo Mortensen while he read a couple of poems.

Click here to read the full article.

CD Review
February 26, 2004

Joliet musician refreshing to rock-n-roll
By Joseph Sanders

Music scenes are born. Who would have thought the lumberjack backwoods of Aberdeen or Olympia, Wash., could have been the springboard for the Seattle music explosion in the early '90s?  Bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Sound Garden were born out of this West Coast region, and all three bands were responsible for saving rock-n-roll from it's big-haired coffin.  Who's to say then that a place like Joliet can't breed the next scene? And who is to say Philadelphia-born singer/songwriter John Condron, now from Joliet, couldn't be just such an artist to spearhead the movement?  His music certainly is that good.

Click here to read the full article.

John Condron plays with Viggo Mortensen from Lord of the Rings, check paragraph five
October 31, 2003

Lord of the Rings' Star Leads Benefit to Help Independent Bookstore
October 30, 2003

For about five months now, Midnight Special's planned reopening on Second Street in Santa Monica has been hampered by financial woes and unexpected delays. Now, a movie star, a famous slam poet, three independent presses, and a literary arts club want to help put the bookstore back on its feet.

Click here to read the full article.