James Mastro

An electrifying in-person event featuring James Mastro & The Gold Stars! with Tony Shanahan, Dennis Diken, Megan Reilly and Chris Robertson. Enjoy the VIP experience at Factory Records Lounge where every seat is like being in the front row. James Mastro – guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer-songwriter extraordinaire – has toured the world dozens of times over as a supportive musician with some of the biggest and most critically acclaimed rock and pop artists ever to grace a stage including Ian Hunter, Patti Smith, John Cale, The Jayhawks, Alejandro Escovedo, Garland Jeffreys, Jesse Malin, and with Robert Plant as his musical director for a benefit concert for an artist they both admired immensely, Love’s Arthur Lee. From The Beacon Theater to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire (UK), Mastro has roused crowds with brilliant performances channeling the sonic inventiveness of David Bowie and the tastefulness of Mick Ronson. Discussing his new album for MPress Records, Dawn of a New Error, the Americana-rock singer/songwriter, guitarist and producer reveals: “As an underage kid, I used to do whatever it took to see the bands I loved: wait in line for hours for tickets, or sneak into clubs and push my way to the front of the stage. Now, as an overaged kid, I’ve had the best seat in the house playing guitar onstage with many of those same artists that inspired me to do what I’ve been doing all these years. And I still feel like I’m sneaking in!” The Gold Stars! include Tony Shanahan (Patti Smith), Dennis Diken (Smithereens), Megan Reilly (solo artist), and Chris Robertson (Elk City). Dawn of a New Error finds Mastro firmly in frontman territory, unleashing 11 brand-new, fiery cuts that will make even the most jaded music listener sit up and listen. What makes Mastro all the more impressive – band cred aside – is his arsenal of sounds. Textural and otherworldly one minute and retro-rock the next, each track on his MPress debut is a swoon-worthy, master class in crafting timeless hooks, intelligent lyrics, and kick-ass playing that any fan of Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, or Wilco will embrace. Produced by Tony Shanahan (Patti Smith’s bassist, co-producer and musical collaborator) at Hobo Sound, the album was recorded and mixed by Grammy nominee James Frazee (Patti Smith, Sharon Van Etten, Marshall Crenshaw), and mastered by the legendary Greg Calbi. Mastro wrote and sang all the songs, along with playing all guitars and mandolin. Shanahan played bass, keyboards, and sang backing vocals. Noteworthy drummers on the record include the late Louie Appel (Southside Johnny), Brian Griffin (Brandi Carlile, Black Crowes), Steve Goulding (The Mekons, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe), and Bill Dubrow (Yoko Ono, Linda Thompson). Purchase tickets here or at the store for $15 each. Pre-sale tickets end at 1pm on 5/11/24. ~~ONLY 45 TICKETS AVAILABLE~~ Tickets purchased at door will be $20 each. Doors open at 7:00pm.