Townhall c. 2005 - Mark Smidt, Kevin Pride, Dave Streim, George Stanford, and Tim Sonnefeld

Townhall is a unique rock and roll band with roots in the Philadelphia, PA area. They have influence and experience in funk, jazz, folk, rock, blues, and Latin, and therefore have a very diverse musical background and make for an exciting band to observe live. Mark Smidt, Kevin Pride, Dave, George Stanford, and Tim Sonnefeld (left to right) Obtained from Townhalls press photos page. ... Mark Smidt, Kevin Pride, Dave, George Stanford, and Tim Sonnefeld (left to right) Obtained from Townhalls press photos page. ... Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 33rd 119,283 km² 255 km 455 km 2. ... Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans, e. ... Jazz master Louis Armstrong remains one of the most loved and best known of all jazz musicians. ... Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and of the common people. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... The blues is a vocal and instrumental form of music based on a pentatonic scale and a characteristic twelve-bar chord progression. ... Latin American music, or the music of Latin America, is sometimes called Latin music. ...

History

Townhall was formed by five jazz majors, who all met at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Four of the five original members were from the Philadelphia area, including Narberth, Phoenixville, and Lancaster. The exception, Mark Smidt, is from Los Angeles, CA. Their first performance was October 18th, 2000, setting in motion the formation of the band as a full time endeavor. The original members, George Stanford, Tim Sonnefeld, Mark Smidt, Kevin Pride, and Nate Skiles all contributed individual creativity to the continually changing style of their music. One key factor contributing to Townhall's unique style was their ability to play a very large range of instruments. Most notable was their brass, with members exchanging guitars for trumpets, and back, throughout their shows. They performed together, releasing Live at the Point (2001) and The New Song (2003) along the way. To date, The New Song is known by critics and audiences alike as Townhall's most musically accomplished album. In early 2005, however, Nate left the band on amicable terms. He left to play guitar in Amos Lee's band, after playing mandolin on his first record. This move changed the band dramatically. The University of the Arts, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is comprised of the College of Art and Design, the College of Performing Arts, and the College of Media and Communication. ... Philadelphia is a village located in Jefferson County, New York. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 33rd 119,283 km² 255 km 455 km 2. ... Phoenixville is a borough located in Chester County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles (45 km) northwest of Philadelphia at the junction of French Creek with the Schuylkill River. ... Lancaster is a city located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 402. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Music is an art, entertainment, or other human activity which involves organized and audible sound, though definitions vary. ... An instrument is a concrete or abstract tool intended for a purpose other than mechanical work, in particular a refined one. ... Brass is the term used for alloys of copper and zinc in a solid solution. ... Live at the Point is a 2001 two-CD live album by Townhall, best described as Groove Rock. The jazz and blues influence is very noticable, but their sound is still very unique. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... The New Song is a 2003 studio album by Townhall. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The New Song is a 2003 studio album by Townhall. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ...

A new member, Dave Streim, joined the band after Nate's departure, bringing his keyboard skills with him. This change left the band with the need to restructure their sound to accommodate the addition of the keyboard. This "new" Townhall removed the majority of the brass from their lineup, focusing more on traditional rock and roll. Their first show featuring the "new" sound was on May 6, 2005, in Sellersville, PA. A few of their more popular songs featuring brass were reworked for the keyboard and guitar, resulting in a very different sound. Many fans, who praised them for their audacity to experiment with a wide range of instruments, were shocked by their new style. A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument played with a musical keyboard. ... Brass is the term used for alloys of copper and zinc in a solid solution. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sellersville is a borough located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 33rd 119,283 km² 255 km 455 km 2. ...

The release of American Dreams on June 17, 2005, after their show at the Theater of the Living Arts in Philadelphia, signals a significant and important shift in Townhall history. The band responded to the "disgruntled" fans by masterfully bringing back the brass, unbeknownst to audience members prior to the show. The word is still out on whether the band will still keep the brass, but they managed to dispel any negative rumors floating around. The American Dreams release was the most significant part of that night, however, because this will be the band's first CD distrubted by a record label, "in stores" June 28, 2005. American Dreams is a studio album by Townhall, and their first album to be nationally released (June 28, 2005). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Theater of the Living Arts, or TLA, is a music venue located at 334 South Street in Philadelphia, PA. It is a standing room-only venue converted from an old single-screen movie theater. ... CD may stand for: Compact Disc Canadian Forces Decoration Cash Dispenser (at least used in Japan) CD LPMud Driver Centrum-Demokraterne (Centre Democrats of Denmark) Certificate of Deposit České Dráhy (Czech Railways) Chad (NATO country code) Chalmers Datorförening (computer club of the Chalmers University of Technology) a 1960s... A record label is a brand created by companies that specialize in producing, manufacturing, distributing and promoting audio and sometimes video recordings (especially music videos), on various formats including compact discs, LPs, DVD-Audio, SACDs, and cassettes. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Band Members

Current Members

• Nate Skiles - vocals, guitar, bass, trumpet, percussion (2000-2004)
• George Stanford - vocals, guitar, bass, trombone, percussion (2000-present)
• Tim Sonnefeld - bass, guitar, bkg. vocals, banjo, percussion (2000-present)
• Mark Smidt - trumpet, bass, vocals, flute, accordion, harmonica, percussion (2000-present)
• Kevin Pride - drums (2000-present)
• Dave Streim - keyboard, trumpet (2005-present)

Discography

• Live at the Point (2001)
• The New Song (2003)
• American Dreams (2005)

Live at the Point is a 2001 two-CD live album by Townhall, best described as Groove Rock. The jazz and blues influence is very noticable, but their sound is still very unique. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... The New Song is a 2003 studio album by Townhall. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... American Dreams is a studio album by Townhall, and their first album to be nationally released (June 28, 2005). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Official links

• Townhall Music.com - The official Townhall website.
• CD Baby - Townhall Music - Purchase Townhall albums online.

Live recordings

• Archive.org - Townhall - Download live recordings of their shows.