Welcome to Focus On The Coast :: FocusOnTheCoast.com

Having performed with reggae superstar Pato Banton and funk legends Fishbone, these musicians are well-seasoned and well-respected everywhere they perform. Since their inception, songs by Bag of Toys have been licensed for use on a national Microsoft commercial, an episode of Bones on the Fox network, two Universal Pictures movies as well as numerous professional surf films. These musical feats are remarkable for any start-up band, considering that all marketing is done in-house by the performers themselves.

Bag of Toys is the product of a simple Craigslist post that brought together vocalist Robert Tait and guitarist Steve Cowgill in a San Francisco apartment in 2004. A few beers and a few riffs later, the two decided to form a band. Through the summer of 2005 the original line up of Bag of Toys practiced, performed and assembled an original set list incorporating each members skills and a long list of influences. The original foursome [Robert Tait - vocals, rhythm guitar, Steve Cowgill - lead guitar, Joe Schewe- bass, Robert Stadler- drums] played various open mics throughout the northern California area, eventually landing their first gig in an ironically named bar Triangle Lounge, perhaps a foreshadowing of their Wilmington days to come.

In 2006, the group released their full-length, self recorded debut album, Nooner, and hastily propelled to the top of the rankings for unsigned acoustic artists on Myspace.com. The CD has since sold thousands of copies worldwide, and the band has well surpassed one million song plays online. Nooner is a down and dirty recording, originally recorded in our living room and then polished up with producer Dave Collins, shares Cowgill.

Bag of Toys follow up album, aptly titled Afternooner, debuted in 2008 and continued to showcase the talents of the band, further developing their original sound and repertoire making their mark in the music world. "When someone asks, I tell them we sound like Sublime, Jack Johnson and G-Love all smashed into one," Cowgill admits. "That's the easiest way to explain it. We have our own sound, but it's influenced by a lot of musicians."

Offering listeners the sultry resonance of surf and sand with a hefty sidekick of reggae and soul-driven harmonies, Bag of Toys relocated to the East Coast in early 2010, a result of lead singer Tait's coast-to-coast move via a Wilmington marriage. At the same time, the other three members of the band were laid off from their day jobs and two (Schewe and Stadler) decided to pursue other interests and careers, while lead guitarist Cowgill followed his nomadic ways and escorted Tait to the Port City to continue the good vibes.

"We already had a growing fan base here. A lot of our album sales came from this area. It has been a good fit for a lot of reasons, and we're just getting started."

Indeed, the duo has officially reunited, planting their musical seeds in our small town, already releasing an East Coast album in May of this year, Stripped Alive. Tait and Cowgill recently found the essential rhythm section of the band through their trusty companion Craigslist, recruiting locals Brandon Hawks on bass and Greg Phillipson on drums, completing the cornerstone for their deep reggae rhythms.

With new members and a fresh coastal landscape, Bag of Toys has just begun to knit themselves into our music scene. "The reception has been great. We've already played all over the place regionally - Raleigh, Florida and a few others. Fans are coming out to shows in states we've never played before. It's been great." Cowgill shares.

Although their tour schedule is light during the holiday months, there are several opportunities to catch the band's upbeat sounds in our area. Just be sure to request that old time holiday standard from the Pacific shores, Santa Bring More Beer, a true Bag of Toys classic and an excellent sing-along for the season.

CDs can be purchased at their live shows or direct from the band's website at www.bagoftoysmusic.com or on Itunes. You can also add them to your Pandora mix for an abundance of algorithmic delight.
 

Upcoming Tour Dates

            December 3, 2010            
The Blockade Runner
Wrightsville Beach, NC

December 18, 2010
The Duck & Dive
Wilmington, NC

 Steven Gibbs is an author, poet and journalist. He is the event coordinator and director of Art Soup, a local nonprofit arts organization.