n Mile Tide had everything a band could want: great music, a bad-ass tour bus, a growing fan base and travels around the country.
Their folk-rock instilled music brought hundreds of fans together at shows and festivals wherever they went. With a clear direction and goals insight, the guys set out to take the country by storm. In the jam scene, TMT was known in the community for putting on a consistent and fun show every time.
These days though, the only original member of the band is Justin Munning whose song writing and musical abilities are professional and award winning. Justin’s voice and stage presence can easily be compared to Todd Sheaffer from Railroad Earth and the lead singer happens to be one of Justin's heroes.
The guys in TMT are in a transition year, taking a step back and planning for something big. The rest of the band has been with Justin for several years now and new members are still joining. Just this past week, Sean Lehe from Izabella sat in with TMT, testing the waters for a permanent spot in the lineup. We'll have to see how the band progresses and takes shape in the coming months. The name Ten Mile Tide may change, but one thing is certain, the music will be nothing short of spectacular.
According to the bands website, TMT “is a six-piece band from San Francisco that describes their sound as high-energy folk-rock, feel-good muppet funk, and beer-drenched bluegrass". Ten Mile Tide has shared the stage with other national touring acts such as The Wailers, Dispatch, moe., the Gourds, MOFRO, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Strangefolk, The Clumsy Lovers, Railroad Earth, The Slip, Jerry Joseph, The Samples, Assembly of Dust, Blue Turtle Seduction, Perpetual Groove, and Hootie and the Blowfish and has played music festivals such as High Sierra, Wakarusa, Mulberry Mountain, Camp Jam in the Pines, Groovefest, Jammin’ the Gulch, Utah Arts, Mt. Helena, Three Rivers, Whole Earth, Desert Rocks, Green Apple Music Festival, and more.
The band’s latest release Riverstone is a masterpiece. The eleven song production is exactly the sound I look for in an album. Each track tells stories about life and takes you on an American journey. I hear many influences in their sound but at the forefront it rings with similarities of The Big Wu, Marshall Tucker Band and of course Railroad Earth. Many of the songs I could listen to over and over again leaving a smile on my face and a great feeling in my heart.
I caught up with Justin at The Crepe Place in Santa Cruz to find out the fate of TMT and what the future had in store for these talented and down to earth guys. I was quite surprised to find Lehe setting up his gear with the band and knew I had to stick around for the show. Something in me said, "this was going to be good". And it was!
