Sean McMahon, a local musician who has been plying his trade on the Brooklyn music scene, returns to his roots this week as a Northeast tour lands him at The Elevens on Wednesday. McMahon is touring with Bird Courage, the Brooklyn outfit he joined when he arrived in New York in 2011. While that journey has impeded the progress...
Sean McMahon
Sean McMahon, a local musician who has been plying his trade on the Brooklyn music scene, returns to his roots this week as a Northeast tour lands him at The Elevens on Wednesday.
McMahon is touring with Bird Courage, the Brooklyn outfit he joined when he arrived in New York in 2011. While that journey has impeded the progress of his local band, Tidwell’s Treasure, both bands are on the bill for the Northampton stop.
“Tidwell's is still alive, its rhythm is just erratic, and we actually like it that way,” McMahon said. “And I'm so proud to unveil Bird Courage in Western Mass, I think the locals will love the Birds, and I am positive the Birds will love Western Mass.”
Tidwell's Treasure originally formed in 2007 with McMahon (guitar, vocals), J Witbeck (bass, tuba), Emily Duff (sax), and Tim Jangl on drums. Sean’s brother Griffin occasionally sits in on keyboards. The band started out playing classic rock covers in what McMahon referred to as “dive bars” and eventually made its name locally with monthly shows at the Pizza Shoppe in East Longmeadow.
“That’s where we started to gain momentum,” McMahon said. “Our shows were usually themed to some holiday and there was a general trend towards funkier, thrash-ier originals.”
His move to New York was based on a gut feeling and a little bit of luck.
“A friends place opened up for a month sublet and I figured if I could make it to another apartment it might be a sign that I should stay,” he said. “That is how it ultimately played out.”
McMahon suggests there couldn’t be a greater disparity in his two projects.
“Tidwell's has always been about cutting loose, raging, having fun, being funny, loving music, and jamming hard,” he said. “Bird Courage is much more introspective, more melatonin than adrenaline. Bird Courage is essentially a modern folk band, very pastoral.”
Despite that disparity, McMahon says there is a common thread.
“It is the collaborative work ethic,” he said. “No dictatorship, each person contributes songs and makes up their own parts. It is a very organic process of creating arrangements.”
Fans can follow both of McMahon’s band’s online at tidswellstreasure.com and birdcourage.com