Biography

John Condron & The Benefit is a rock 'n' roll four-piece hailing from Chicago, Ill. The band has just finished recording a new 12-song CD, "Eleventh Hour Grace," which will be released spring 2010 on the em-press label. The band will continue to tour as they have in the past headlining clubs and opening shows for more established acts. Some notable performances include opening slots for Hammel on Trial, Duncan Sheik, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, The Lovin' Spoonful, Viggo Mortensen, poet Reggie Gibson, and others. The band has appeared multiple times on Chicago's WGN morning television show, the 10 year anniversary of the release of Jeff Buckley's "grace" album @ uncommon ground, has been a regular featured performer at Chicago's famed "green mill" & will be bringing their show to Austin Texas  in March of this year for multiple engagements @ The 2010 SXSW festival.

John Condron & The Benefit initially came about as a performance vehicle for the material on the cd “my own device”, which Philadelphia transplant John Condron had recorded using friends and session players in the absence of an actual working band. This “vehicle” soon blossomed into much more, and the first seeds of what was to become the benefit were planted. With John's unique vocals and “cutting” guitar stylings to the melodic and “sticky” bass lines of Jeff Bella to the virtual  “rhythm cannon” of drummer Barret Harvey, John Condron & The Benefit captured all the excitement and work ethic of a truly great power trio.

In 2009, the band completed work on its new studio album, "Eleventh Hour Grace," which featured more of John's signature writing style, but also more instrumentation and introspective layers than past records. John and the boys decided it was time to add a fourth member to help round out the sound live and invited Jeff Julian (ex-Deconstructing Jim) on to play guitar. Julian has brought the additional studio parts of the new record to life, while adding some new noise to Benefit originals.

The line up is now set in stone with one of the most formidable rhythm sections around and two guitarists with uniquely different, but complementary styles. The band is currently playing material from their new record as well as the previous three releases throughout the U.S.

Instrumentation
john condron/guitar/vox
jeff bella/bass guitar
barret harvey/drums
jeff julian/guitar

Discography
Eleventh Hour Grace (new LP) set for release spring of 2010 on EM-press
loud as silence (ep) january 2007
down to dorsey (LP)2004
my own device(LP)2001