The Backyard Party Boys, Personel, Bluegrass, Music

The Backyard Party Boys was formed three years ago with one great, legendary theme: “Bring it on home.” Literally! The band has performed a popular concert series for two summers on its backyard porch/stage with local favorites, the Stairwell Sisters. And, the Party Boys bring the backyard energy to audiences in San Francisco and beyond. Their unique brand of old-time music — mixing in influences from bluegrass, blues, Hawaiian, folk, and other acoustic traditions — makes every gig feel like a party. But, bring your own BBQ sauce.

Jon Lawton

Vocal
Guitar
Ukulele
Dobro
Banjo

The inspiration and original patio for the Backyard Party Boys came from professional bluesman Jon Lawton, also known across the country as the frontman for Little Jonny and the Giants. His singing, songwriting, and killer axe playing — including the bottleneck slide — have gotten audiences riled up for decades. The many moods of American music run deep in him, like the Platte River that runs deep through his native home of Nebraska. Look out: He’s picked up clawhammer banjo!

Mark Comstock

Vocal
Guitar
Ukulele

Mark Comstock manages to “Keep on the Sunny Side of Life,” which pours over into his performance style. His picks soulful leads and strums raucous rhythms on the 6-string and the 12-string. Deep and low, his voice cuts through with his loud, powerful leads, always coming from the heart.

Charles Dowman

Vocal
Banjo
Mandolin
Fiddle
Guitar

Lean and not mean, Charles Dowman hails from Georgia, where he developed his good looks and bad-ass pickin’. The band leaves Charles in charge of three-finger.banjo and the bean dip.

Alan Bond

Vocal
Mandolin
Mandola
Fiddle
Ukulele
Guitar

Adding to the party is Alan Bond, a veteran of the San Francisco bluegrass scene from Dark Hollow, Super Hoss, the Mud Hens, and the 1980s band, Oakum. A Monroe-style mandolinist who’s heating up the old-time fiddle, Bond provides mountain melodies, rock-steady rhythm, and tofu for the grill. His original songs have a way-back sound, which is fitting, since the audience sings along as if they are classics.

Bruce Campbell

Vocal
Bass

The band needed someone to occupy the dreaded Bass penalty box, and Bruce Campbell stepped in to hold down the bottom. Bruce is a veteran of the local Bluegrass scene, and one of its busiest musicians. Prior to switching to acoustic-based music in the early 1990’s, Bruce toiled for many years playing guitar in nightclubs in countless rock bands. This extensive
experience serves him well in dealing with the eclectic tastes of the
Backyard Party Boys!

The Backyard Party Boys play venues ranging from festivals to, well, parties!
Great spots at which the band has performed include:

Berkeley Old-Time Music Convention (Berkeley)

McGrath’s Irish Pub (Alameda)

The Plough and Star (San Francisco)

The Music Store (San Francisco)

Arizmendi Bakery (Emeryville)

Cato’s (Oakland)

San Gregorio General Store (San Gregorio)

Pena Pachamamas (San Francisco)

A'Cuoppa Tea (Berkeley)

Coventry Grove (Kensington)