Spring 2006:
Welcome to the new year! Garrin played a select few GREAT, high energy, community-driven shows this Winter. The first at a beautiful home in the Berkeley hills, and the second at the always raucous Cafe DuNord. Thanks for filling both rooms! Look for Garrin in and around San Francisco in April, May and June. Garrin makes his debut at the Bobolink Music Festival in May, alongside Zilla, Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon, Home at Last, and Blue Turtle Seduction. Garrin has been joining Jordan Feinstein's group the Ritual as of late, and will appear with them at Bobolink as well! Also look for Garrin at bi-weekly gigs at the Connecticut Yankee in San Francisco this Spring, playing electric and acoustic guitar and singing classic Dylan, Dead, Neil, the Band along with members of Home at Last and the Ritual. See ya good folks!
Fall 2005:
Garrin had a jam-packed autumn! After local shows in September at the Great American Music Hall and the funky Rickshaw Stop, Garrin embarked on a tour with musical companion and brilliant songwriter Dan Bern, hitting Seattle, Portland, Eugene, Berkeley (two nights at the legendary Freight and Salvage), Santa Cruz, and Los Angeles. Garrin also was asked to play support for the likes of David Gray, Steve Windwood, Dark Star Orchestra, and Blues Traveler at the Fillmore in San Francisco!
After a show at the Sweetwater in Mill Valley which due to technical gremlins saw Garrin reduced to a guitar and microphone (shocking! no looping device or nothin'!), the year closed out on a high, high note at the Independent. Garrin was joined by an amazing cast of local musicians on December 17 at a benefit for the Rex Foundation. On stage in various comibinations throughout the night with Garrin were Russ Gold (drums), Joshua Zucker (bass), Adrian West (violin), James Nash (The Waybacks), Steve Adams (Animal Liberation Orchestra), Jordan Feinstein (The Ritual), Corinne West (The Posse), Hawk (The New Up), and songwriters JP Cutler, Kenni, and Mokai! The band lent new shades to Garrin's songs as well as tearing through 14 songs never before played, including covers of Aimee Mann, the Dead, Gillian Welch, The Beatles, Bruce Cockburn, The Band and more. This show is available at bayrecorders.org. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!
August 2005:
Ah the dog days of Summer. Garrin and the band will be hopping around, playing some new venues (Swig and La Raza Park in SF), as well as Garrin's solo debut at the Fillmore, supporting David Gray in the vibe-y Poster Room! The La Raza Park gig is a benefit for the Homeless Community of SF, billed as "Sock it To Me" -- bring new socks and underwear for donation!
July 2005:
This month is all about Garrin teaming up again with Dan Bern for three shows at 12 Galaxies (7/7,14,21) in SF! Kenni will be joining on harmony vocals, and J Zucker should be there on upright. Look for a new review of Where Joy Kills Sorrow, Garrin's latest, in Singer Magazine.
June 2005:
After a nice vacation, Garrin will play three shows this month, solo, with the band, and duo, in that order. First up, a double bill with Hazard Factor at Java Junction, the hippest venue in Clearwater FL, on 6/10.
Returning to the East Bay once again, the band will tear it up outdoors at Oakland City Center at noon for your lunch break, then open up a long night of music at Blake's, the ancient music haunt right in the middle of Telegraph Ave in Berkeley. Third up is a duo show at Elbo Room in San Fran on 6/20, on a great bill with Kenni, Mokai, and Eric Cornforth. Expect a lot of cross-pollenizing, as they say. This gig's a benefit for Haight AshburyFree Clinic. See ya out there...
May 2005:
Garrin has three shows this month. In an exciting turn of events,Garrin will be sitting in with the "Everyone Orchestra" at the Independenton 5/14. "Everyone Orchestra" is a revolving group of musicians who get together in different cities to play benefits, in an almost completely improvised setting. The group is "conducted" by various folks using hand signals, placards, and audience participation. Should be cool. Garrin will be opening for the Ritual at 12 Galaxies on 5/17 in the heart of the Mission. Garrin will also play an East Bay show with Cas Lucas at the quirkyEpic Arts Teahouse in Berkeley on 5/27.
April 2005:
A quietly proud triumphant return to the Independent (SF) on FRIDAY April 8!! Co-Headlining with Samantha and the Ritual, this is another big night for Garrin and the band. Please come support this night of emerging local music. Also on deck is a new keyboardist for Garrin's band! SEE YOU THERE!
March 2005:
All solo gigs for Garrin this month, for good causes! Join Garrin, Karney, and Groovy Judy at the Last Day (SF) for a Tsunami Releif Benefit on 3/3. Garrin will play as part of the International Day of Protest commemorating the second anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq, sometime in the morning at the Dolores Park Stage (SF). Lastly, Garrin's return to Hotel Utah for a songwriter showcase. It's been ages, it seems, since we've been there!
February 2005:
Those of you who dig the duo formation of Garrin's group (in this case Garrin with Joshua Zucker on upright bass) should head out to our first show at Aroma Roasters in the heart of Santa Rosa, where the two will warm up for the big show at the Independent in SF on the tenth!! Garrin will also appear on 2/17 at 12 Galaxies (SF) for an industry showcase.
January 2005:
Happy new year to you all. Heads up: Garrin and his band will be starting off the new year right with a few local shows, the biggest of which is their return to the Independent in SF with local favorites Spencer Day and JP Cutler on Feb 10! Check the Shows page for details. Also new this month, Jambase.com has named Garrin Benfield Band one of "10 Bands You Must See in 2005". Right on! Also see the review of August Live in the most recent issue of Relix Magazine. Things are pumping!
December 2004:
This will be a quiet month for Garrin and the band, after the long, multi faceted National tour. See you soon, rest up.
November 2004:
Garrin will be playing 10 solo shows this month on the continuing "Where Joy Kills Sorrow" Tour in Washington, Oregon and California. See you out there! Set lists and reports from the road will be posted every day on the message board of garrin.com.
October 2004:
Let's hit the road, kids! The full band will play a big CD Release show at Arlene's Grocery in NYC on 10/2, then Garrin and Adrienne embark on the duo tour all over the East Coast: VT, MA, NY, OH, DC, VA, NC, GA and FL! Expect tight harmonies and loose jams. The duo will also be hooking up with Dan Bern for several shows.
September 2004:
This is a big month for Garrin and the band!! Mark your calendars for two CD Release Shows: September 30 at San Francisco's Independent (with local faves Hamsa Lila and Rock Me Pony) and October 2 at Arlene's Grocery in NYC, baby! The details are all on the SHOWS page. The fuss is all about Where Joy Kills Sorrow, Garrin's fourth CD. Check it out soon at itunes, cdbaby.com, and select stores nationwide. Look for Garrin on your local AAA and College station, too. Other than that, Garrin will be warming up the duo (Adrienne Geren on vocals) at Blue Ridge Harvest Festival in Lafayette, GA. It's like High Sierra Festival in the DEEP South...come, come one and all.
August 2004:
Garrin will be laying low this month, getting ready for the release of the new studio record! Stay tuned....
July 2004:
There's a lot going on around here. First off, HIGH SIERRA!! Yee haw...a good time guaranteed at this eclectic organic jam oriented festival in Quincy. Garrin and the band will be playing three times throughout the July 4th weekend. TWO shows at Mountain Winery opening for the esteemed Boz Scaggs will fill out the middle, and Garrin will also appear at the best new venue in SF, 12 Galaxies, later in the month with Libby Kirkpatrick. And the record? It's coming along just fine...in other words, yeah, we'll probably finish on time!
June 2004:
Still working on the new record, and it's sounding great! Garrin will play a handful of solo gigs this month, and the band will peek it's head up for a Radiohead tribute show on June 10...a good excuse to learn some of those songs. A hint: All of Garrin's picks are from "Amnesiac". Other than that, if you're in San Francisco, join us for our annual mildly psychedelic blow out at the Freedom Village in Civic Center Plaza on June 27 at 2 pm!!
May 2004:
Garrin and the band will be laying pretty low this month, playing one REALLY cool festival, the Promise for Peace over Memorial Day weekend. Other than that, overdubs and writng for CD #4, the next, yet to be titled studio effort. A Fall release is planned...
April 2004:
Mark your calendars! Saturday April 3 is the First Annual Mission Family Groove with the Garrin Benfield Band, Hyim and the Fat Foakland Orchestra, and the JP Cutler Band. Also on hand will be many visual artists, non profit organizations, and second stage acts including Wendy De Rosa and Paige. Check the shows page for details!Garrin will embark on an East Coast solo Spring TourApril 20 through May 1. Look for Garrin in Buffalo NY, Burlington VT, Amherst MA, New York NY, Pawling NY, Boston MA, and Binghamton NY. Check the shows page for venue details!
March 2004:
Garrin and the band will make their third appearance at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall on March 3!
Feb. 2004:
Garrin will play two shows this month, the most anticipated of which is at Cafe Du Nord with the Eric McFadden Trio and Vanessa Morrison. Garrin is also in the process of selecting tracks for an upcoming full band "official bootleg" from last year's August shows. We are continuing to work on the details of a big festival on April 3 at 12 Galaxies in San Francisco's Mission district, which promises to be a blast. The groundwork is also being laid for Garrin's third studio release. We'll let you know more when we do! A new line of Garrin merchandise has also been offered for sale through this site. Check the "Gear" icon on the Home page. A purchase of these shirts, hoodies, caps, etc. will help us keep the tour and recordings moving forward. Thanks for your support!
Dec/Jan. 2004:
Happy New Year! Much is in the works with Garrin. First off, Performing Songwriter Magazine just released their "Editor's Choice/Best of 2003" CD, and it features "To Know" off of Garrin's latest, "Nowhere is Brighter". Garrin will play two big shows this month, the first at Tongue n' Groove in SF with the funky Reorchestra and JP Cutler Trio (the latter of which Garrin will play electric guitar with), and the second gig will be Garrin's debut at the Plush Room! The Plush is, well, that...an old style Hotel Jazz lounge with great acoustics and an elegant vibe. Located at the York Hotel. Check the "Shows" page for all the details. Look for Garrin and his band at the Dunord (SF) in February. New songs, loops, and harmony vocals will be on display. From the Looking Ahead Dept: A BIG show at 12 Galaxies in SF featuring 3 bands, a singer/songwriter stage, visual artists, environmental/progressive organizations and more...check back here for details!
Nov. 2003:
Much needed rest and regrouping in San Francisco! Thanks for coming to all the shows. Look out for new Live recordings to be posted on the site soon. Oct. 2003 Garrin will spend the month touring the East Coast solo acoustic. Look for shows in NY, MA, VT, DC, and Northeastern Canada. Joining Garrin will be Adrienne Geren on background vocals for select shows. See you out there!
Sept. 2003:
Garrin will be touring the Pacific Northwest and all of coastal California in September. For dates and details, check the "Shows" page. These concerts will intimate be solo-acoustic events. Look for an article about Garrin and his latest release, "Nowhere is Brighter" in Guitar Player magazine this month (or next). See you on the road!
August 2003:
Garrin will once again be opening for Boz Scaggs on his West Coast Summer Tour! All the dates have been announced and details can be found on the "Shows" page. Garrin will be playing with Joshua Zucker on upright bass for the first three shows, then Russ Gold will join us on drums for the California dates. See you on the road!
July 2003:
Check out the newest issue of Performing Songwriter (Trey Anastasio of Phish on the cover) for a feature on Garrin's latest, Nowhere is Brighter. The magazine said, "...Benfield shines through an organic, serious, and simmering brand of rock that dabbles in folk and blues...a standout set both sonically and lyrically." On the gig front, Garrin will play two shows this month, the last a benefit for SF mayoral candidate Tom Ammiano at Cafe Dunord. Garrin will also sit in with Jesse Cutler on electric guitar at The Red Devil Lounge, also in San Francisco. Check out the "Shows" page for details on those shows and the upcoming Fall tour. 'Til then...
June 2003:
This is the month of being who we are in San Francisco and elsewhere in the world.(!!!) Solidarity, celebration, unapologetic openness, all that...So join Garrin and the band under the trees at the Sonoma Pride Fest, The Faerie Freedom Village, and SF Pride mainstage. (Check the shows page for details). We'll be returning to the legendary Sweetwater this month, too. Good fun. In other important news, if you're reading this, it means you've found garrin.com version 3.0. Poke around, there's a lot to see.
May 2003:
Back home! There are several exciting gigs planned this month. Garrin will play at an undisclosed location as part of the insane, bachineliian Popcorn Anti-Theatre. Get on this unmarked tour bus, drink some, smoke some, and see where you end up. (Think post .com Magical Mystery Tour). On the 16th, catch the first all ELECTRIC band gig in a few years at Kimo's. In addition to Kimo's, there are two other return engagements for the band this month: Sunol's one and only Little Valley Winery (home of White Rabbit), and the once-elegant, still-reeking-of-history Broadway Studios. See ya.
April 2003:
April 2003 Spring Tour: Garrin is embarking on a return trip to the Southestern U.S. to perform solo acoustic dates in GA, FL, TN, NC and SC. This tour is anchored by an appearance at the huge Dogwood Festival in Atlanta on April13, where Garrin will play among equally huge talent: Tony Furtado and Derek Trucks are also on the bill. Garrin will then return to the Bay Area for four full band gigs, which have taken on a character all their own. War got you down? Come out and hear some fresh tunes. For complete show information, check the "Shows" page of this site.
March 2003:
Garrin has been sticking close to home in Northern California, playing successful full band gigs at some new venues in and around San Francisco. Those venues include Kimo's, Broadway Studios, Little Valley Winery, and the Kung Fu Lounge. Garrin's band has hit a new stride as they are attempting to re-invent the music from "Nowhere is Brighter" with a looser, more freewheeling vibe. The jams are getting longer and more danceable, and the musicians are all getting a chance to "stretch out" more. We'll see where this takes us... .
December 2002:
"Nowhere is Brighter" listed in 'Top CDs of 2002' in Acoustic Guitar Magazine! Teja Gerken, Acoustic Guitar Magazine Editor writes:, "A rising singer-songwriter, Benfield shines on a set of guitar-driven originals backed by Bonnie Raitt's band". Check out the entire list in Acoustic Guitar Magazine, January 2003
October/November 2002:
After a very short break (7 days) and a few hometown gigs with Steve Seskin and Teja Gerken, Garrin, along with Manager/Booker/Merch Goddess Diane Maldaver and Companion/Publicist/Roadie Jason Durant embarks on the 35 show second-leg of the "Nowhere Everywhere" tour. Playing solo acoustic in a wide range of venues, Garrin made his way through AZ, NM, OK, TX, TN, GA, NC, FL, MO, AR, KS, CO and UT!
Some highlights of the trip include: an impromptu, high-energy show in Oaklahoma City (those kids rock!), a double bill, outdoor show with Libby Kirkpatrick at the Dallas Wellness Festival, Garrin's set following a death metal band in Austin, two show's opening for the great Caroline Aiken in Georgia, Garrin sharing the stage with fan/new friend Adrienne Geren for four shows,the first in the Geren's hometown of Knoxville, TN (Thanks, guys!), Garrin's first appearance at the legendary (and yes, very Country) Bluebird Cafe in Nasheville, the good vibes of several new fans in Florida, the rockin' and highly inspired show at the rough and tumble Culley's in Springfield MO (which, alas was not recorded), the first chance for Garrin to perform his show opening song "Wichita" (Gillian Welch) in Wichita, KS, where each chorus was met with cheers, playing before and between sets by John Gorka to a hungry, appreciative crowd at Swallow Hill in Denver, and teaming up with Kevin Allred at the welcoming and very necessary Stonewall CafŽ in Salt Lake City! WhewÉThe answer to the question, "Will Garrin's music go over well in the South and in the Midwest" seems to be a resounding "yes!" Audience response was almost universally positive. This energy is carrying Garrin into the planning of another national tour now! See ya at the shows!
What songs was Garrin playing on the road?Garrin worked from a list of over thirty songs on the tour. As the tour progressed, he abandoned nightly set-lists and chose songs spontaneously on stage. This, combined with the use of new effects, allowed Garrin to take the songs to new levels by improvising more and more; making the jamband kids very happy!
Garrin's Nowhere Everywhere Songlist: From "Nowhere is Brighter": 

Hungry Ghost 
What To Listen For 
Lonely Journey 
To Know 
I Swear
Will
Tonight I Know
Crazy Love 
Leg

From "Living A Dream": 
Living a Dream
We Don't Dance
What Your'e Hiding 
Walking
Slave

New and Unrecorded Songs: 

Another Hour to Kill
Light the Way
Bay Rag
Don't Give it Away
I Let You Go 

Covers and Traditionals:: 

Children Go Where I Send Thee (Traditional) 
Hard Times (Traditional)
Tommorrow Night (Traditional)
I'm Only Sleeping (Lennon/McCartney) 
When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob Dylan)
I Know You Rider (Traditional)
It Takes a lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry (Bob Dylan)
Wichita (Gillian Welch)
Friend of the Devil (Garcia/Hunter)
She Belongs to Me (Bob Dylan)
Into the Mystic (Van Morrison) September 2002 Garrin heads to the East Coast on the first leg of his tour in support of "Nowhere is Brighter", dubbed "Nowhere Everywhere 2002", with stops in Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusets and New York. Along the way Garrin revisits a venue where he got his start: the artsy Fire and Water Cafe, in Northampton, MA. Sadly, Fire and Water will soon close it's doors. In another highlight, Garrin opens for Al Stewart, crooner of the classic "Year of the Cat" at the Town Crier in Pawling, New York.The culmination of this tour is the East Coast CD Release Party for Nowhere is Brighter at Don Hill's in New York City. With production assistance locally from Garrin's brother Danny Hodak, Garrin assembled a world-class band for the show. The band featured Rob Arthur (Joan Osbourne) on keyboards, Steve Conte (Late Show with David Letterman) on electric guitar, Tony Shanahan (Patti Smith) on bass, Rich Pagano (Robbie Robertson) on drums and dear family friend and fantastic singer Claudia Mussen singing background vocals. In comparing the West Coast and East Coast CD Release Parties, Garrin said "This is definitely the New York version of the band! These guys play with such force and energy, the songs feel like they have a new life". Garrin ended the Don Hill's show with an impromptu (and totally rockin') version of the gospel classic "Children Go Where I Send Thee"!
August 2002:
Don Hill's Night Club in New York City to host East Coast CD Release Party for Nowhere is Brighter! Garrin also announces October/November leg of fall tour across Southwestern, Southern and Midwestern United States!
July 2002:
Garrin announces Northeast leg of national Fall tour to support Nowhere is Brighter. Venues and ticket information can be found on www.garrin.com. New press reviews have also been added to Garrin's site.
June 2002:
Garrin to headline at major New York folk venues Towne Crier and Bitter End in July!.
May 2002:
Garrin launches his new CD, Nowhere is Brighter with a major release party at San Francisco's legendary Great American Music Hall to a packed house! Drummer Ricky Fataar and bassist Hutch Hutchinson of Bonnie Raitt's band join Garrin along with Nina Gerber (guitar), Michael Rodriguez (keyboards), Danny Cao (trumpet) and Jane Brody (vocals).
April 2002:
Garrin's new CD, Nowhere is Brighter, is scheduled for release in May 2002. The release will be kicked off at a live performance on May 9th at the Great American Music Hall
January 2002:
Garrin is currently in the studio working on his second album.. Watch this site for updates on the release date.
August 2001:
Garrin will be hosting a monthly music series at the Bazaar Cafe in San Francisco on the first Wednesday of every month beginning October 2001. This is an acoustic (unplugged) songwriter series featuring GLBT artists. If you are interested in performing, please email
May 2001:
Garrin to participate in CDBaby tour - TOURBABY 2001 - for the month of September. The tour will start in Vancouver, BC and go down the West Coast to Los Angeles.
Garrin to tour with Boz Scaggs on select dates in August.
April 2001:
Garrin has scheduled a mini-tour around the Northeast.
Jan 2001:
'What You're Hiding', Garrin's song about Matthew Sheppard's brutal murder was selected by gaybc as one of their top songs of 2000.
July 2000:
Garrin selected by Boz Scaggs to be opening act for his summer tour.
June 2000:
Garrin selected as finalist in Telluride Bluegrass Festival Troubadour Competition. Garrin was selected one of 12 out of over 300 entrants to come to Telluride for the finals. Garrin placed fifth overall in the competition.
April 2000Garrin's song, 'What You're Hiding' was nominated for best out song by GLAMA (Gay and Lesbian American Music Awards). Among Garrin's competition was Melissa Etheridge (the winner) and the Indigo Girls.
April 2000:
Garrin is selected to play at the NeMO Showcase in Boston.
Jan 2000:
Garrin releases debut CD, 'Living a Dream' on eighth note records. Triple release party held with other eighth note artists at Slim's in San Francisco.