Songs & Stories at BFVCC with Thomas Walsh

Thomas Walsh at Best Video

Thomas Walsh is a tremendously talented singer and songwriter who, since the 1990s, has created wonderful music as the founder of Pugwash, an Irish band whose songs have echoes of XTC, ELO, The Beatles and The Beach Boys. While Pugwash's music does indeed recall the sound of those much beloved bands, their music also stands on its own, showcasing Thomas' knack for crafting marvelous pop/rock songs combining enchanting music with memorable lyrics. This month, Walsh is releasing his first solo disc, The Rest Is History. On Sunday, October 1st, he performed a show at the Best Video Film & Cultural Center in Hamden, Connecticut, to promote the album.

The show was outstanding, featuring a generous helping of tunes from Pugwash, a couple of selections from The Duckworth Lewis Method, his cricket themed band (with Neil Hannon), and some terrific covers including songs by The Bee Gees, The Move, The Kinks and Michael Penn. He also previewed several tracks from The Rest Is History, including the fantastic "A Good Day For Me" and the lovely "We Knew." Thomas is a phenomenal performer, whose affable personality, playful sense of humor and positive energy shone through not only in his singing and playing, but in the stories he shared about the origin of his songs, and his encounters with the likes of Jeff Lynne and Brian Wilson.

Thomas was in excellent voice, offering us glorious versions of Pugwash gems such as "Take Me Away", "Fall Down" and "The Perfect Summer," as well as heartfelt renditions of songs he loves, such as The Bee Gees "Birdie Told Me," and Michael Penn's "Coal."  It was a special treat to hear these wonderful songs performed "unplugged"style, and Walsh's expert guitar playing perfectly matched his heartfelt vocals. From the emotional "Here" to the light-hearted Duckworth Lewis Method track "Meeting Mr. Miandad," His joy in performing these tunes was palpable. The intimate nature of the space at Best Video and the enthusiastic audience also added to the show's positive vibe.

Another delightful thing about Thomas is that like ourselves, he's a music fan.  His unabashed affection for the artists and bands he loves, such as XTC was evident when he would break into an impromptu rendition of their song "Grass," The Kinks tune "Animal Farm" or a snippet of George Harrison's "Blow Away." Thomas Walsh creates magnificent pop/rock music, and performs it with wit, heart and passion. As a long time fan of his work, I feel very lucky to have seen him perform at a venue like Best Video Film & Cultural Center, which is the home of so many great music and film related events in this area. If you're fan of pop, power pop and melodic rock, I strongly recommend checking out Thomas' fantastic music, and if you get the chance, head out to see him perform live.

With Thomas after the show