Tim Reynolds, best known for showcasing his impressive guitar proficiency with his band TR3 and his road warrior musician counterpart Dave Matthews, made a stop on his solo tour in support of his new release That Way at the Westcott Theater in Syracuse, NY on Friday evening.
After attending the show Friday, I have been fortunate enough to see Tim Reynolds perform with TR3, Dave Matthews, DMB and just Tim and his guitars. Reynolds is typically pretty quiet and reserved when playing with Dave Matthews or DMB. TR3 is an experience like none other. Tim is certainly in his element with his bandmates. He cuts loose but is also sharing the limelight. His solo performance seems to be a very real representation of who he is and what he stands for. The music, all acoustic instrumental, takes you on a journey through Tim’s mind and reveals parts of his soul. It is gritty, honest, harmonious at times and distraught at others. Reynold’s performs it flawlessly. He worked his way up and down his guitar frets (he switched back and forth between two all evening) effortlessly. He is truly a guitar master. Rarely have I seen a musician who can make a guitar sound like multiple instruments without even trying.
Reynolds performed for over two hours with very little respite. He only paused occasionally between songs to rattle off a title, tell a quick story about the song or crack a joke. He performed almost every song off of the new album That Way including “A Tangled Web We Weave,” “Wish My Heart Would Wake up My Mind,” “Give Up the Goat,” and my two favorites “Healing Notion” and “Ode to the Box.” Tim shared the story behind “Ode to the Box,” “I had this boom box that I absolutely loved and one day it just broke and I cried and I wrote this song.” I also have to acknowledge the hilarious intro to “Cupid’s Pointy Arrow,” where Reynold’s asked the crowd if they have “ever been struck by Cupid’s pointy arrow? (As he thunked himself on the head) “If you haven’t, then you haven’t really lived” he quipped. It was very timely given the show’s proximity to Valentine’s Day.
In addition to being a mind-blowing guitar player and a dedicated performer, Tim Reynolds is one heck of a nice guy. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to meet him after the show and record an interview. Tim joked, laughed and made me feel comfortable immediately. We talked about his new album, his musical influences, life on the road. Off camera we talked about my son, our jobs, bands we love and Tim’s fiancé. I haven’t met many musicians who are as laid back and easy going as Tim Reynolds. I hope you enjoy the interview and if you haven’t already, you must check out his new album That Way.
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