Fri, Jan 30th, 8-10pm, Concert – Ryan McMahon & David Bitonti- folk/roots/rock/americana
The album “All Good Stories” released in April of 2010 was the recipient of the Vancouver Island Music Award for Album of the Year. McMahon also received Male Vocalist of the Year and Artist of the Year awards.  My main influences include Neil Young, Warren Zevon & Eddie Vedder. I surround myself with the work of many singer/songwriters, but I’ve also been known to spin good, honest country music, some vintage punk and under the right boozy moon, some James Brown as well.  Toured Canada 15 times and shared the stage with everyone from Lisa Loeb to Nickelback. 
http://www.ryanmcmahon.com  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAfk9yrGhWw
In late 2012, David rekindled an old love affair with the acoustic guitar and began writing a number of new songs that he is now sharing at local open mics, bars, and cafes.  https://soundcloud.com/david-bitonti-music
Advance Tickets $12 at Char’s Landing, Gayle’s Fashions & Rollin Arts (cash/cheque) out-of-towners email [email protected]
Char’s 19+ Lounge opens 4pm Tickets $15 at the door FMI (250) 730-1636 Char’s Landing, 4815 Argyle @5th. Port Alberni

BIO RYAN McMAHON
Ryan McMahon was born in 1979 in Chemainus, BC.  The only child of a longshoreman & a future educator, Ryan began entertaining early.  The circles of aunts, uncles & grandparents were tickled by his early renditions of the theme song from Davy Crocket: King of the Wild Frontier.  The same relatives were not so thrilled by his discoveries and emulations of the early stage stylings of Eddie Murphy & Richard Pryor.  Whether the attention he received was positive or negative, it was during these early days that hooked Ryan into evoking emotion from those around him.  Now 34 years old, Ryan has carved out a 15-year career as an independent artist in Canada’s vibrant music scene.  He’s always been a genre fence sitter, hanging out on the edges of country just enough to say he isn’t; Ryan is both a whisper and a scream.  “Ryan sings to anyone and everyone who has ever got drunk, smoked, cried, loved or been loved,” says producer Andre Wahl (Hawksley Workman, Luke Doucet).  Ryan’s life goal has always been to craft songs that speak to the human condition.
“I didn’t know who I was until I found music.  I found that the person I was becoming in my songs was far more confident and self-assured than I was myself.  Writing songs was my way of relating to people on a broader scale than I could otherwise.”  Over the course of his career, Ryan has toured Canada over 25 times, released three full-length albums, and seen his music licensed nationally and abroad.  He has shared the stage with an extremely wide-variety of artists, ranging from Lisa Loeb & Carole Pope to Nickelback & Mother Mother.  He’s had the honor of participating in JunoFest, the Western Canadian Music Awards, Canadian Music Week, Music West, and various other notable Canadian Music Festivals, including 3 wins (Male Vocalist, Record & Artist of the Year) out of 5 nominations at the Vancouver Island Music Awards in 2012.  McMahon has played some of the best venues the country has to offer, including the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, the Ironwood Stage in Calgary, The Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver & Nanaimo’s Port Theatre.  In 2012, Ryan co-founded ‘The Lion the Bear the Fox,’ with song-writing colleagues Cory Woodward & Christopher Arruda, and the band was immediately named as one of the Top 20 Finalists for the 2013 Peak Performance Project in Vancouver.  The opportunity gave Ryan & his band mates the chance to shine light towards their charity, the BandWagon Project (mobile recording studios that visit various lower mainland care facilities), which was inspired by Megan McNeil & The Will To Survive Campaign that Ryan was deeply involved in helping take shape.  In April of 2014, Showtime’s original series, “Californication” featured the single “I’ll Be Damned,” from Ryan’s upcoming EP, which will again see the 35-year-old father of 3 on the highways, playing clubs, theatres, cafes & houses.  Legendary Canadian TV/Radio personality Terry David Mulligan may have summed up Ryan best: “The complete package.  Singer.  Songwriter.  Performer.  Troublemaker.  Passionate human being.  For me… priceless.”  

 
BIO David Bitonti
 
David Bitonti has been writing and performing original music after picking up his first guitar at the age of 13. He was the lead singer and principal songwriter for the post-Grunge band Smart Bomb from 1999-2013. In late 2012, David rekindled an old love affair with the acoustic guitar and began writing a number of new songs that he is now sharing at local open mics, bars, and cafes. David can also be heard playing bass and sharing vocal duties in The Night Devils--a cover band that specializes in familiar and fun songs from the 60's to now. David released his first independent EP "Wait 'til Dark" in the spring of 2013. Presently, he is working on a full length album with an expected release date of Spring 2015.
 
https://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Bitonti-music/607076432683621
 
https://soundcloud.com/david-bitonti-music