Got some big news this week — I’m booked to play Music on the Bay in February, which is one of the top Parrot Head trop rock festivals of the year! The event takes place at Whiskey Joe’s Barefoot Beach Bar in Tampa, Feb. 26-March 1.
While the full line-up has not yet been officially announced, I’ll be on stage Saturday, Feb. 28 twice in the evening. Mark your calendar, because this is a trop rock event you won’t want to miss!
Just when I thought I could kick back and enjoy some quiet beach time, my summer season has kicked into full gear and I have quite a few gigs coming up! With only 16 days to go in July, I have 10 gigs to fit in before my August 2 performance at The Sand Box on Anna Maria Island. If you’re in the Sarasota area this month, check my tour dates calendar and stop by to see me! I’m playing some of my favorite venues in St. Armands, Siesta Key, Bradenton, Osprey and Sarasota, ranging from a Parrot Head party to some awesome beachy bars. I’m really psyched about joining up with some other trop rock musicians, and also trying out a few new venues. 
I’m also getting close to announcing a major festival booking that I can’t wait to announce! I can’t say anything now, but watch Facebook for the announcement.
In the meantime, stop by and see me at an upcoming event. And if you haven’t reserved your spot for the Sand Box performance on Aug. 2 on Anna Maria Island, you can register on my tour dates page. This is one of the best shows of the year that you won’t want to miss!
One of my favorite times of the year is summer because it’s Parrot Head house party season! I have met so many awesome Parrot Heads at the house parties I’ve played and attended, and I think I have as much fun as the audience does. While I sometimes need to tone the show down a bit (for the more sensitive ears in the restaurant), house parties are different. Not only do the Parrot Heads and beach worshipers want to hear my crazier songs like Shit Hit the Fan, they also want to hear about the inspiration for the song. Not that my show is raunchy — it’s definitely not — but there are a few songs that are a little nautier than others.
Rich “Schooner” McGuire playing a house party at the house of Sarasota Bay Parrot Heads’ president on Siesta Key.
House parties also give me a chance to go a little deeper in my play list. While we all love Jimmy Buffett’s Songs You Know By Heart, the house partiers usually want to hear some songs that are a little more off the beaten track. It’s also a blast to bring other trop rockers up on stage who might be in the audience (and there are usually a few).If you’re hosting a house party this summer, whether it’s on the deck, by the pool, on the beach or in the basement, I’d love to play for you. But contact me soon, because dates are filling up. See you soon!
Check out Schooner’s Tour Dates, because we’ve added several new ones! We continue to announce new dates for Schooner’s Just Add Bourbon Tour — June 4 at Pompano Joe’s in Destin (one of Schooner’s favorites!) Why bourbon, you might ask? Well, aside from the fact that it’s delicious, Schooner is heading to Bourbon Street in New Orleans to play June 7 at Tropical Isle, voted #5 Trop Rock Venue by Beachfront Radio listeners. We’ll make a stop in Destin along the way.
Beach Bum it with Schooner on June 4 at Pompano Joe’s in Destin.
New dates also include several spring dates for Spanish Pointe in Osprey — Tiki Bar Extraordinaire — and ChaCha Coconuts in St. Armands Circle next Tuesday night. Come out for the most excellent fish tacos in Sarasota that we’ve tried so far!
If you’re along the route from Sarasota to the Big Easy — Tampa, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Pensacola, Mobile, Pascagoula, Gulfport, Whatever — Schooner is also booking house parties. So contact him if you’re interested in booking a Trop Rock house party.
Fins Up, Parrot Heads!
How is it possible that it’s already December? We’re already four days into the 25 Days of Christmas, and it’s going to be a busy month. Schooner has several big gigs coming up this month, ranging from Christmas parties to a Parrot Head End of the World Party on the 21st to a New Year’s Eve party on Siesta Key, but he’s still got some open dates. So if you’re looking to book a little last minute fa-la-la, let us know.
In the meantime, have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Cool Kwanzaa, and may you have a fabulous Festivus for the Rest of Us!
Rich McGuire Music 