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Photo by Eshton Loh

Blue Tongue

Austin-based funk fusion collective Blue Tongue’s music is served with equal parts funk, psych and electrifying live performances. Now for the average band, “electrifying” means solid musical chops and maybe a few jumps. But if you’re irrepressible Blue Tongue frontman Tre Pham (guitar, vocals), it also includes actual gymnastics of the backflip and splits nature. Combine that with drummer Matt Keiser’s mastery of groove and cavernously deep pockets, Rowan Smoot’s muscular slap bass artistry and Savannah Thieme’s buoyant synth textures, the infallibly tasteful Renuka Jayasinghe on saxophone, and the additional colors of guitarist Lee Chavez, now you have a Show.

With live shows this dynamic, it’s no surprise that opportunities abound in the form of festivals, national tours and club shows opening for beloved acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra (twice), Giacomo Turra, and Snarky Puppy spin off band Ghost Note. In fact, a recent west coast tour culminated in a stellar performance at NAMM (the popular music industry convention) in Anaheim, and a recent performance included an after party show immediately following Vulfpeck at Stubb’s.

The band’s sonic exploration is supported by an impressive lineup of endorsements, including Anatomy of Sound 3D guitar picks, Saluda Cymbals, Marco Bass Guitars, and ADV-Sound. But Blue Tongue's collaboration with an Austin-based hot sauce company might be their most unique partnership yet. Pham reports with a smile, “Fantastic Fuego is producing a blue colored hot sauce called ‘Blumitas’ based on a garlic, serrano, habanero, corn and basil Chilean dish called Humitas.”

Spunky and self-sufficient, the band has their own recording studio where Pham taught himself production and mixing, so they could keep creating at will on a modest budget. This kind of magnetic tenacity shines through not just in Blue Tongue’s music, but in their overall approach in navigating their steady ascension. As the indefatigable Pham sums up, "Through enough effects, pedals, creatine, and sheer determination, anything is possible."

  • Guitarist, vocalist, producer, amateur acrobat, fake jazz musician, consumer of eggs.

    Endorsed by Anatomy of Sound 3D printed guitar picks, and Marco Bass Guitars.

  • Bassist, Executive Director of Thumpy Groove, Part Time Sweaty Gamer. Grandmaster of Deep Internet Lore.

  • Professional menace Matt Keiser served his country valiantly before getting kicked out of Marine Corps bootcamp. Today he serves the hearts, minds, and ears of the people of Austin, TX.

Photo by Daniel Cavazos https://www.danielcavazos.com/

  • Keyboardist, songwriter, producer, has a deceptively pronounced last name. Also produces music under the name @soldragon.wav

  • Tenor sax extraordinaire, protector of women’s rights, and #1 fan of receiving money, Renu spent her childhood training her physical and mental fortitude in order to cope with being a member of Blue Tongue.

  • “Live, Laugh, Lee” Chavez was originally born with only a pair of legs, and the rest of his body grew in afterwards. Despite his initial condition, his parents and doctors correctly assumed that one day he would become a guitar prodigy.