Royal Benson is currently seeking exposure at regional music venues in the Tri-State area. Weve been playing to packed houses from Williamsport to State College to Harrisburg to Pittsburgh to Manhattan and are excited to bring our refreshing blend of solid song-crafting, infectious rythmns and catchy melodies to your establishment! Weve included information to help you with any questions you may have, but please feel free to contact us ANYTIME to discuss. We look forward to hearing from you!
PS - Debut Album OUT NOW!
Royal Benson is very pleased to announce their recording debut, (long)Drive. Packed with 12 original, superbly-crafted, jazz-infused pop rock tracks were looking forward to a warm reception.
Royal Benson has been winning over audiences with their original, groove-based rock since 2007. This ve-piece powerhouse is not a band to miss. ~ BilltownLIVE.com

Come meet. Royal Benson.

royalbenson@gmail.com RoyalBensonMusic.com Facebook Adam Tarin 724.316.2044 Matt Fern 570.412.5097

royal benson

..groove-based, original rock

REviEWS

PA Musician.JPrice.June2010 Royal Benson released their rst CD, (long)Drive, in late April. One of the groups release celebrations took place at Caf 210 in State College. Keyboardist Adam Tarin and guitarist Matt Fern both sing; joined by sax/ute player Michael Fortunato, bassist Tim Myers and drummer Jordan Thompson craft an adventurous fusion of jazz, funk, blues and rock through original songs such as (short)Drive, What She Gets, Red Maple and more. Royal Benson also played a wide variety of cover material; their improvisational and vibrant approach bring excitement to renditions of Trafcs Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys, Phil Collins In the Air Tonight, Paul Simons You Can Call Me Al, Grover Washington, Jr.s Just the Two of Us, Boz Scaggs Lowdown and more. Royal Bensons musicianship was exciting and top-notch, with Adam, Michael and Matt constantly lighting things up on their instruments individually, and mixing things up together into heated crescendos. Royal Benson offers a fresh and exciting sound; watch for them on stages throughout the state.
NorthCentralPA.com.October2010
Royal Benson is denitely for fans of sophisticated pop/rock in the Steely Dan/Prefab Sprout mode..just about anyone who comes in contact with Royal Benson cant help but nd something to enjoy about them, from their very pleasing vocals, to their sense of song craft, to their diverse musicianshipwith an emphasis on rhythm section, Bill Frisell-like ambient guitars, and saxophone. Sometimes, the way they mix the saxes reminds me of The English Beat circa 1980. This is music you can listen to like an onion. Every time you take down one layer, you nd another.
.a tasty stew of funk, rock and jazz avors. mixing catchy melody, texture and dazzling musicianship, (long)Drive provides a scenic, sonic journey well worth undertaking This is a stunning debut.one of the best discs to emerge from the area music scene this year.
~The Professor, Jim Price Pennsylvania Musician
Centre Co Gazette.DBedell.April2010
The debut CD is entitled (long)Drive and features 12 original tracks in their signature jazz/pop/rock style. (long)Drive opens with Red Maple. Immediately, I drew a comparison to a Scottish band from the mid-80s called Danny Wilson. Much in the same vein as Royal Benson, Danny Wilson was a band, not a person, and their music was a pop/rock style with jazz overtones. Other highlights included the Ben Folds-esque Ohio and What She Gets which is jazzy with hints of Dave Matthews. Another of my favorites is Worth All The Time which harkens back to one of my favorite Steely Dan albums The Royal Scam. If you like Steely Dan, Ben Folds Five and Dave Matthews Band, you will certainly enjoy Royal Benson. Its keyboard driven with strong bass lines and percussion interwoven with smart guitar and woodwind hooks. The production value is top notch as well. (long)Drive is a great debut effort for Royal Benson.
Look for us in the April issue of RELIX Magazine! Featured in their On The Verge section, and online at relix.com
Royal Benson - Technical Schematics

Staging Schematic

B A A A
A = Monitor Wedge (pwr: Yamaha XJM100) B = Speaker Mains (pwr: Crown CE1000)

E F A G D A H

Drum Schematic
C = Marshall MG100FX 100W Half-Stack D = Ampeg 200W Bass Amp
E = Yamaha YPG-625 Digital Grand Piano F = Roland E-20 Synthesizer G = Mackie ProFX12 Mixer
H = 8 Par38 can lights/stands I = Par56 Spot cans J = Drums (see below)
Even when town (State College) is dead, Royal Benson packs the house. Their tasteful choice of cover songs combined with melodic and infectious originals have earned them quite a following.no small task in a town saturated with cover bands. Their shows are fun, funky and fresh. The crowds pay attention and are very receptive. The comments and emails I get from patrons verify this. Keith Lesho Bar Bleu General Manager State College, PA

testimonials

Coming from a road-tested musical past, I cautiously attended a Royal Benson show in January at the behest of guitarist Matt Fern. Pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. In a time of cookie-cutter bands rushing to turn a buck with whatever the current trend is, Royal Benson plays mostly originals with a few covers that are appropriately stylized to emphasize their strength, which is musicianship. These guys can play! DK Higgins State College Magazine State College, PA
This past Saturday night, Royal Benson brought their infectious groove rock to Ye Olde Meeting Place in Milton, and were here to tell you. this is a band not to be missed! Featuring the noticeable musical talents of Matt Fern, Adam Tarin, Mike Fortunato, Jordan Thompson and Tim Myers, Royal Benson is fast becoming a local fav, and for great reason. Infusing funk, jam and rock influences with modern power pop sensibilities, Royal Benson crafts interesting, dance-inducing, feelgreat original music. as well as performing a few, wellchosen covers. Royal Benson regally rocks!!! BilltownLive.com Williamsports Hot Spot on the Web
Royal Benson is the most exhilarating band currently performing in the region. Combining rarely covered classics with refreshing new originals, the bands set lists delight crowds of all genres. As superior musicians, the bands funky rhythms are only eclipsed by prominent vocals and stellar guitar work. Royal Benson is sure to draw an appreciative audience that keeps coming back for more. Jace Rovenolt Watson Inn Bar Manager Watsontown, PA

venues played

The Watson Inn Ye Olde Meeting Place The Bull Run Inn Parkview Ballroom The Valley Inn Hiawatha Concert Cruise Bullfrog Brewery Kimballs Pub Rum Runners Riverside Lounge Four Friends Winery Gulliftys Underground Watsontown, PA Milton, PA Lewisburg, PA Lewisburg, PA Williamsport, PA Williamsport, PA Williamsport, PA Williamsport, PA Williamsport, PA Montgomery, PA Montgomery, PA Harrisburg, PA Bar Bleu Darkhorse Tavern The Phryst The Scarlet D DVine Wine Molly Maguires Brandon Park Bandshell The HUB Appalachian Brewing Co. Chucks Farm The Hilltop Ottos State College, PA State College, PA State College, PA Mifflinburg, PA Wexford, PA Phoenixville, PA Williamsport, PA Penn State Univ. Harrisburg, PA Rebersburg, PA Danville, PA Manhattan, NYC The Brasserie Cafe 611 The Lodge The Smiling Moose The Towne Tavern WQSU Harrisburg Arts Center Wynding Brook C.C. Mohegan Sun Casino Tussey Mountain Lewisburg, PA Frederick, MD Williamsport, PA Pittsburgh, PA Lewisburg, PA Selinsgrove, PA Harrisburg, PA Milton, PA Wilkes-Barre, PA Boalsburg, PA
Consistently plays over 100 dates a year, has a repertoire of 40 orignal songs as well as 20 covers spanning across all genera of music.

original music

Surface Air Summer Child Broken (short) Drive Worth All the Time Cats Pajamas Could Be For You Grind What She Gets Small Token Angel 5.0 Hyacinth (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (M.Fern) (M.Fern) (M.Fern) (M.Fern) (A.Tarin) (M.Fern) (A.Tarin) (M.Fern) Fire Fly (long) Drive Reach Place In Time Clover Wasted Away Have It Out Neath the Weave Fedder Late Summer Wine Break Down Look Around (M.Fern) (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (M.Fern) (M.Fern) (A.Tarin) (M.Fern) (M.Fern) (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) Red Maple Ohio Turning Table Game Port of Call Primrose Dominos/Gravity Juno Room in the Middle Bird on a Wire Find a Way Every Hour (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (M.Fern) (M.Fern) (A.Tarin) (A.Tarin) (M.Fortunato) (M.Fortunato) (M.Fern) (M.Fern) (A.Tarin)