KJAG Radio — James Lowe 

November 7th, 2020

On Saturday November 7th, we had the honor of our song "Leave Those Clocks Alone" being featured on KJAG Radio based in Hutchinson, Kansas.  The band was also interviewed by host James Lowe.  

You can listen the interview by clicking on this link:  

https://dmcgw.com/album/1808978/dmcgw-on-kjag-radio-11-07-20

We sincerely thank James and KJAG Radio for this feature. 

BWH Music Group  — Indie Music News 

January 20th, 2020

Our single "Hometown Hero" was named as one of the 2019 songs of the year on WNIR.  Our thanks to the BWH Music Group! 

KJAG Radio — James Lowe 

December 15, 2019 

On Sunday December 15th, we had the honor of our single “Hometown Hero” being featured on KJAG Radio based in Hutchinson, Kansas.  The band was also interviewed by host James Lowe. 

You can listen the interview by clicking on this link: 

https://dmcgw.com/album/1339511/dmcgw-on-kjag-radio-12-15-19

We sincerely thank James and KJAG Radio for this feature. 

Indie Spoonful — Ionas Finser & Staff 

November 15, 2019 

"Hometown Hero" will surely capture your heart and make you a longtime fan. 

Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever® will blow you away with “Hometown Hero.” This artifact of artistic genius begins with an intro that paints a perfect picture of the song’s memorable subject matter while foreshadowing the texture of the lively music to come. Chimes enter, blowing in the wind. A distant bagpipe sounds a solute. A muffled voice recording comes and goes. By now you could cut the suspense in the air with a knife. On cue, a groovy Celtic rhythm enters in drums and guitar. A bright string section can be heard in the background as an acoustic guitar (10-string Puerto Rican cuatro, to be specific) plays the song’s melody. The melody is then picked up by the lyrics of the first verse. “Hometown Hero” has barely begun, and yet so much exciting material has already been introduced. 

While “Hometown Hero” is structured like any song you would hear on the radio, it is the farthest thing from basic. To begin with, it is written for the wild instrumentation of voice, bagpipes, drums, percussion, strings, bass guitar, and 10-string Puerto Rican cuatro. These instruments are utilized throughout the song, often as subtle accents or fills between melodic phrases. It’s apparent that Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever® have masterfully created a bubbling community of sound dedicated to the beautiful story of a full life. 

The life being honored is that of a close friend, mentor and hometown hero - Mark Melvin to which this song is dedicated to. The lyrics tell of the nostalgic memories the artists associate with this friend, as well as his admirable qualities. There are many heartfelt and personal references in the song, and the mere inclusion of such references creates a warm, friendly experience for everyone. 

“Indeed, ‘Life Is A Song’ / You never stop singing along / Even when life throws you a curve / Or kicks you right in the shins” 

“Hometown Hero” will appeal to everyone, no matter what genre one might prefer. With great musicianship and heartfelt lyrics, what began as a beautiful dedication to a friend will no doubt skyrocket itself into the hearts of countless listeners. For more information on Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever®, please visit their website. 

Listen on Spotify 

Available on CD Baby and Amazon. 

Connect on Facebook 

Movers & Shakers - Episode 1 — Angel Alamo and Elements Media Networks Broadcasting 

August 22, 2019 

On August 22nd, we had the honor of being interviewed on the VERY FIRST episode of the program Movers & Shakers.  This interview, filmed in our home studio back on March 17th (cheers!), was hosted by our good friend Angel Alamo.  The interview was filmed and produced by Elements Media Networks Broadcasting and you can view it on the link below or on our Facebook and You Tube Pages…

The Reporter — Brian Bingaman 

April 25, 2019 

Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever announce new single, show at The Living Room at 35 East, Ardmore 

By Brian Bingaman bbingaman@21st-centurymedia.com @brianbingaman on Twitter 

Part of the area music scene since the early 1990s, Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever are now a trio. 

Lead singer/songwriter McAvoy, a Collegeville resident; his brother Mike, who lives in East Norriton; and bassist and Oxford resident Marc Arot have announced that their first show of 2019 will be April 27 at intimate listening room The Living Room at 35 East. The set is likely to include signature songs like "Happy Friday" (even though the show is on a Saturday), "New Shoes" and "Like It Like That." It might even feature the band's next single, "Hometown Hero." 

With the band's upbeat, "rated E for everyone" original music now streaming on Spotify, the now-50-somethings are aware of how much the rules of the independent musicians' game have changed over 25+ years. "I don't think people have the attention span (to listen to a full-length album) anymore. Hell, you can't get a car with a CD player anymore," said Arot. "Everything is single and YouTube video driven." 

Due to be released this summer, "Hometown Hero" is a tribute to a boyhood friend of the McAvoy brothers, Mark "Mooch" Melvin, who passed away from ALS two years ago. "The three of us grew up in Roxborough," Don McAvoy said. "There was a guy that lived across from us. He was a big brother to us. Mark was a big influence in my life ... This guy had scholarships all over the place." 

Now focused on releasing their songs one by one, there's also a chance that The Great Whatever's future singles could get grouped together as a narrative "song-sical" or rock opera. "I thought: 'Man, Don has so many songs (McAvoy says he's written 3,000 songs since he was 14 years old). What if we wrote a story around them?'," Arot said. 

"We've been playing in Philly. We've been playing in the surrounding states. Let's get adventurous," McAvoy said. 

Proud of the music videos that they've made over the years — take a look at www.youtube.com/user/greatwhatevervideos/videos — the band hinted that they might create a video for "Hometown Hero" that expands the song's meaning to salute military, clergy, father figures and single mothers. "It begs for (a video) in some ways, but let's see if people like the song," said McAvoy. 

Stay tuned at www.dmcgw.com and www.facebook.com/dmcgw. 

angelalamo.com — Angel Alamo  

June 29, 2017  

I got a chance to interview a great band from Philadelphia, PA. They are my favorite band from the area. They are a fun group of guys who know how to rock. They have written hundreds of great songs, they play sell out shows, they give you your money’s worth when you come to the show. They don’t charge extra to meet the fans.  

DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER are © – DON MCAVOY (LEAD VOCAL, GUITAR, KEYBOARD, MANDOLIN, UKE, BANJO, SAX, HARMONICA, ETC), MARC AROT (BASS AND VOCALS), SAMMY PARKER (LEAD GUITAR AND VOCALS),  

Angel Alamo: Tell me about the band what kind of music do you play?  

The Great Whatever: “ACCESSIBLE” original music for all ages and music tastes.  Rated  “E” for everyone!  Positive, energetic and upbeat..  Fun first.  No agendas or causes or political messages.  

AA: Are you working on any new music?  

TGW: ALWAYS!  We have a tough time making our set lists, sometimes! When adding a new song, we end up cutting an older song we really like.  It’s a tough decision, sometimes, but a great problem to have!  Also in the works, is a musical / rock opera centered around our original songs!  

AA:  In this download era are people still buying records?  

TGW: Our fan base tends to be an older demographic and still buys CD’s. (Our CD went all the way up to ALUMINUM!)  Our fan base still wants to touch and feel and to have something tangible to hold for their dollar. They want to read the LINER NOTES and LYRICS and we spent a lot of time getting them together on our latest CD (“There’s Time Between The Bridge and The Water”)  The younger crowds seem to be wanting vinyl now which is an interesting trend, although vinyl is very expensive on the musician’s end to produce, though.  With all that said, the overarching trend seems to be internet released singles via streaming mp3 or You Tube videos, which will probably be the path we follow for a while since it takes a very long time to record, edit, master, produce, finance and print your own full length CD.  

AA: If you could open up for any artist who would it be?  

TGW: Well we entered the “Open For Bon Jovi” contest at the Wells Fargo Center earlier this year, but did not get selected. That would have been fun!  To answer the question, ANYONE who would want us to!!  

AA: If a promoter wants to book you for a show how do they go about it?  

TGW: Typically, via our web site, e-mail or Facebook page (all of our digital links are below), HOWEVER, that’s not the way it works anymore. They don’t come to you and seek you out.  You have to find them and show them you have a following and gigs and a web presence that you developed all on your own.  You have to self-promote and self- book and self-create your own buzz first to even get a glimmer of attention from promoters and the bookers.  YOU have to constantly chase THEM.  

AA: Toughest part about playing live?  

TGW: Technical / sound glitches since you have very little time to set up and sound check before you play.  You can’t work all the bugs out first like you’d want to, so it ends up making for some unplanned surprises sometimes!  Also, if you are playing more than one set –holding the crowd into the second set can be a challenge (we prefer playing one set whenever we can).  Also, sometimes you are just there as background noise especially if you are in a bar or place that serves food.  We like to play music-centric venue like the World Café Live (we are performing there Saturday July 29thwith our friends Germany Hill!)  

AA: Do you play covers, if you do which songs do your audience seem to prefer?  

TGW: We like to refer to our original songs as FUTURE COVER MUSIC!  We have SO MANY original songs right now, we don’t have much time for covers.  Besides MOST bands play covers anyway.  We try to be different.  However, once in a rare occasion we have played a cover.  Usually a fun, spur of the moment thing.  In the past, we’ve done “Gold” by Jon Stewart and “Get In On (Bang A Gong)” by T Rex.  

AA: How does the band make a setlist for a show?  

TGW: Typically a band vote.  We start with our tightest and more popular songs (15 or so) and add and subtract from there.  We will only bring a new song to the once we are tight with it and know it up and down.  We always mix up the order whenever we can and gear the songs to the venue where we can (rock songs at a bar gig or more acoustic songs at a coffee house for example).  

AA: What song is most popular with the band?  

TGW: We each have our own personal favorite and each member always lobbies for our individual favorite to get added.  Don’s favorite is ALWAYS the newest song he wrote!   Right now we all love playing “The Spell” (a song we brought back from our first CD “Sometime The Characters…” from 21 years ago!)  

AA: What can fans expect from the band this year?  

TGW: A few more shows (World Café Live on Sat 07/29 and an outdoor show at Shamrock Park in Bel Air, MD on Sun Aug 6th which will be broadcast on the local cable TV station!), a benefit / private show or two.  From there we are going to work on some newer songs and record them. We also are looking to make another video and develop our musical / rock opera a bit more.  

AA:  You guys are all in your 40’s and 50’s and have been doing this for over 25 years.  Why do you guys still do it??  

TGW: Because we can’t imagine us NOT!  

Marquix Global Network — Alexis  

April 09, 2016  

Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever is captivating audiences with their originality, distinct lyrical style and edgy rock production, on full display in their new radio single ‘Happy Friday’. We wanted to find out what drives this dedicated rock band to push the limits of the genre.  

You can generally tell when a band is ready for the next stage of their career. It shows up in timing and tonal certainties, and there's a sense of conviction that just can't be faked. Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever's catchy new track ‘Happy Friday’ has that audible conviction, but its sheer inventiveness and mainstream digestibility fulfill the other half of the equation that determines who gets radio time and who goes home unheard. It also doesn't hurt that the critics have raved about their music: ‘Don McAvoy and band mates have created the perfect visual complement to their infectious rock anthem ‘Happy Friday; we especially loved the hilarious last hit from the band.’ Independent reporter Alexis Adams recently caught up with Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever to talk about their new single and the passion for home-grown rock that gave rise to it.  

ALEXIS: Let's just get this out in the open- What is the craziest thing that has happened to you in your music career?DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: We have three - pick the one you like best or use all three: We got a last minute invite to open for a regional act in a 5,000 seat arena 400 miles from our base. The gig was booked by one of our super fans and he only gave us a few days’ notice! Turned out to be a great show! (Not to mention, modestly speaking, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones played there during the British Invasion…and the night before it was The Robert Cray Band – all folks we absolutely love!!! Also, a booking agent we tried - turned out to be a sleaze and booked us at a strip club (we had a girl in our band at the time, too!). Finally , we were a headlining act at a Festival that celebrated a food product called Scrapple (a mysterious breakfast meat popular in our region).  

ALEXIS: Your song’Happy Friday’is receiving a positive listener response on radio. What was your initial reaction when you first heard your song playing on radio?  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: Thank you - folks who identify with us! We worked all week – now it’s time to celebrate!!! You have what you have because you worked hard for it…Nobody handed anything to you (or us)! We are part Irish – the “Celebrate life people” we tried to capture that spirit… It’s still very, very exciting even, modestly and humbly, after having our songs played on the radio before. It’s what we work and strive for. It’s validation for all of our hard work. Like the best things in life “It Never Gets Old” – a new song of ours!!!!  

ALEXIS: What was the inspiration behind your radio single?  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: Long may the underdog win! We finally reached the point in our lives where we see the value of rest. And naturally, that starts with the weekend. We’d like to talk to the person who came up with five days to work and two to relax. We have a new proposition! (More to come…Please stand by… This is the “Great Whatever”….) Special thanks to the Dawson Street Pub in Philly for allowing us to shoot the video at their venue…Not to mention (Aunt) Joan Dougherty whom we told we memorialize in a song and who taught us to be thankful for everything that we had…We wanted a tune showcasing the winning under dogs…  

ALEXIS: It is often said that great art arises from difficult experience. Is there something in your life experience thus far that you would describe as the ‘catalyst’ or ‘fuel’ for your desire to create music?  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: Well - How much time do you have? … Like most folks we’ve endured a lot of trials and try to channels those into something productive – such as songs/trying to put on the best show we can. Being honest , We’ve always wanted to do this - that is sing you some stories that may in some way give you another perspective. We’re the type of guys that take nothing for granted, albeit our attempts at humor, playing things down and we always try to change themes, musical genres and our perspectives as much as we can….Just like life – subject to change without notice!  

ALEXIS: How would you characterize yourself as an artist/musician? (Ex. Down-to-earth, serious, fun-loving, complicated…)  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: Modestly - fun, upbeat, positive, down to earth , approachable, family-friendly. We strive to bring people together and have a great time! We are Rated “E” for EVERYONE! …We’re the band that wants to remind you of how great life can be and is…  

ALEXIS: What has your experience been like working with the other people on your team?  

DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: Not long ago, Marc (our bass player) said to all of us…”There are no other people I’d rather share the stage with…”.The people I (Don) share the stages with are my best friends/brothers (scars and all)…We’ve been through it all together and every such night is a celebration that we want you part of!!!! All around the experience has been very rewarding and filled with great memories.  

ALEXIS: Did you come from a musical background? Are there other musicians in your family?  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: (Don) My Uncle, Joe McDade played all kinds of horns and the piano, and did arrangements for the Andrews and McGuire Sisters and, my Uncles Joe and John played guitar for my siblings and I…(My Uncle John is the reason that I ever started doing this…) Awesomely, my nieces, Theresa and Monica are singers/flutist and piano players/songwriters, respectively…Not to mention, that my uncles on the Polish side played accordion and tuba…Also, my brothers Mike and Joe respectively are great drummers/singers/songwriters and guitarists. Please check out Joe’s band, Germany Hill on the internet.  

ALEXIS: What do you find most rewarding about being an artist? What do you find most challenging?  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: (Don) That I am able to use the talents that God and my parents gave to me to try to relate to folks on another level (all at the same time doing it with my best friends and family members too!) The most challenging thing to me is that, like all things, I have to balance making music with my other responsibilities such as being a husband, father, son, legal professional, etc…SO, I just keep getting up earlier to write!  

ALEXIS: Who are your role models in music?  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: Don - The Beatles, The Kinks, classic rock/the 1970’s era of singer/songwriters…In addition, I love almost every genre of music and have very eclectic tastes … Marc - Influenced by the obscure 1980's music he discovered at a small insignificant college radio station. He self-taught himself the bass by mimicking the lines of Mike Mills of REM, Jonette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde and Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads and many more of those ''left of the dial'' artists that helped form his musical addiction and bass playing technique. Jim- Zappa to Clapton to Joe Walsh (no relation) to The Allman Brothers to Alabama Shakes to CAKE and everything else in between.  

ALEXIS: Describe your best or most memorable performance.  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: Our recent CD release show for “There’s Time Between The Bridge And The Water”. Almost flawless musically, great crowd response and participation, some great guest musicians that helped some of the new songs shine even more, Class “A” venue and sound system. We worked and practiced hard for that event and it showed! Well worth the effort… A night we that we won’t forget and hope our loyal fans won’t either! Our new CD is available at: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/donmcavoythegreatwhateve4  

ALEXIS: What advice would you give to young, aspiring artists out there who are unsure and need guidance?  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: When you are in a band / group – you need to be FRIENDS FIRST and foremost. Always chose the better PERSON over the better player and it will show in you music and performance. You have to love and trust those you share a stage with for this is more intimate than a marriage sometimes! Know who you are and what you are and don’t change that to please everyone. Don’t give up or believe the nay-sayers. Watch out for the SONG-SHARKS! Protect yourself and your interests.  

ALEXIS: What's next for you as an artist? Is there a new single in the works? If so, what can you tell us about it?  
DON MCAVOY & THE GREAT WHATEVER: We’re going to: Continue to promote our new CD via airplay, shows, and the internet. Release another video or two from the new album. Grow regionally and nationally! Record and release more new songs (we have a state of the art home studio!) Possibly develop a musical / rock opera using our library of over 2,500 original songs. Please wish us luck!  

ALEXIS: That's wonderful! Thank you so much for letting us get to know you a little better. We wish you the best of luck and continued success.  

http://www.dmcgw.com  

© 2016 Marquix Global Network  

Fox 29 - Good Day Philadelpia — Karen Hepp  

March 12, 2016  

Our Thanks to Karen Hepp and Fox 29 Good Day Philly for playing a clip of "Leave Those Clocks Alone" on Saturday March 12th!  Daylight Savings Time All The Time!  

Fox 29 - Good Day Philadelpia — Karen Hepp and Mike Jerrick   

February 19, 2016   

Just thought you’d like to share in some good news about DMCGW. Modestly, on Friday, February 19th, Fox 29, played some of the video for our song “Happy Friday” and provided some very nice commentary…Please see the link below. We’d like to thank Karen Hepp and Mike Jerrick for their support and nice words!   

Please visit one of the following link to view:   

https://youtu.be/bH8siGwL0d0   

Also, a quick shout out of gratitude to Dave Wilby and The Dawson Street Pub in Manayunk, Roy Hausman and Josh & Amanda at Cinebard Films for all of their help with the video.   

And again – a great big thank you and Happy Friday to all of you for your support and interest as we head into another work week! Take good care, have a great one!   

The Ticket Entertainment — Brian Bingaman   

January 30, 2016   

Over the years, Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever have played for crowds as few as zero, and as many as 15,000.   
It’ll be interesting to see precisely where in that wildly broad range the attendance will be for the band’s Feb. 13 show at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. The band Germany Hill, which is comprised of Great Whatever family and friends, opens.   

Regardless of who does or doesn’t show up, “you do the same show,” said the group’s bassist of 25 years, Oxford resident Marc Arot. With small audiences, “you lose that crowd-fueled energy, but it makes you a better player,” he said. “This World Cafe Live show legitimizes everything.”   

McAvoy, a multi-instrumentalist who lives in Collegeville, and The Great Whatever released their third album, “There’s Time Between the Bridge and the Water,” in October. It includes witty ditties like “Happy Friday,” a 10-second jingle titled “Yuengling,” “In-Laws,” “Leave Those Clocks Alone” and “Click (The Facebook Song).”   

“‘The Facebook Song’ I wrote with an author from New York. I’ve been writing songs since I was 12 or 13, and it’s just a passion,” said McAvoy, who claims to have written 2,500 songs. “Marc and I started playing at the Tin Angel … Grape Street Pub … we did a lot of the bookstores years ago.”   

McAvoy and Arot both grew up in Roxborough. McAvoy’s brother, Mike, drums for the band, and Jim Walsh is their lead guitarist. “I have the fortitude to be in a band with my best friends in the world. We try to stay on the positive end of things,” McAvoy said.   
“It’s rated E, for everybody,” Arot said of The Great Whatever’s music. “It’s about fun. It’s about bringing people together.”   
When asked about the name, Arot said: “We could never figure out a name for the band, and it’s whatever we came up with (musically). Everybody brings something to the table. Every set is whatever. Everybody does what they’re best at … whatever.”   

One example is the new song “New Shoes.” “Don’s parents would swing dance whenever we played that song,” Arot said. The video was shot in a church basement and features the Steel City Swingers swing dance club.   

Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever’s ample online presence — www.dmcgw.com, www.facebook.com/dmcgw, www.youtube.com/user/greatwhatevervideos?feature=watch, etc — can be credited to Arot. “My daytime job is I’m a project manager for a company that makes metal panels. I have the logistics stuff,” he said.   

Meanwhile, McAvoy’s bio states that he had dial-up internet until 2010, and “just started texting recently.” “I’m a dinosaur,” the 48-year-old McAvoy laughs. “Technology was supposed to help us work less and spend more time with our families, but instead we’re working harder and there’s nowhere we can’t be reached.”   

Feb. 5 is the last day to cast an online vote for the band, which is in the running for several of 93.7 WSTW’s “Hometown Heroes” Homey Awards for local original music. Go to http://wstw.com/heroes/homeys-vote.php.  

Philly Voice — Philly Voice Staff   

January 31, 2016   

Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever and Germany Hill, a pair of local, original bands with a familial connection, will team up for an all-ages show at World Cafe Live Philadelphia – Upstairs on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. Don McAvoy and the Great Whatever recently released a new CD, "There's Time Between the Bridge and the Water." Germany Hill, named for a tract of open space between Roxborough and Manayunk, is led by guitarists Joe McAvoy and Fitz Fitzsimmons. Tickets can be purchased through World Cafe Live or at the door.   

CD Baby.Com Review — John Riebow   

October 25, 2015   

A little something for everyone!   

Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever: "There’s Time Between the Bridge and the Water"   

Philly-area musician, Don McAvoy, and his merry collective of performers, return with their third release, an ambitious 23-song album that crosses several genres and offers a little something for everyone. While primarily a guitar-driven, singer/songwriter effort, the supporting cast (Marc Arot, Mike McAvoy, et al) lend faceted dimensions to the material, which offers a broad range many will find pleasing.   

“New Shoes,” a Dixieland swing track, is first out of the gate, replete with bouncy saxophones and an award-winning video. “If Only We Had Met Sooner,” follows, a nice rocker with some blistering guitar work, courtesy of Joe McAvoy, of Philly’s rock quartet, Germany Hill. In several instances, Joe’s guitar and harmony vocals take the ordinary to the heights of extraordinary. “Happy Friday,” a bouncy number that celebrates the underdog, will have everyone singing the chorus as they race home from a long day on the job.   

The exceptional harmony vocals and simplistic sentiments are what give “Dance!” its staying power. “Are We Getting Anywhere” is a standout track, featuring sublime guitar work and a stunningly welcome vocal performance by Connie Rainis. The tonal interplay between bassist Marc Arot and drummer Mike McAvoy, along with the crowd vocals and spoken word bridge, propels “Woe is Me” solidly into Cake territory.   

On the slower side, “The Next Great Big Thing” is a poignant adult lullaby that reminds us that life is what you make it, and it’s ok to act like a kid once in a while. There are love songs, of course, and “When You Changed My Life” and “My Love” are dreamy Celtic-inspired efforts with wistful violin stylings, courtesy of Amanda Godshall. The collection also includes a love note from son to father. There’s even an ode to dogs that manages to keep its paws solidly grounded.   

Godshall’s string work and Marie MacLacking’s harmony vocals give the mid-tempo “Until I Find Love Again” the lift it needs to sound like an early-era 10,000 Maniacs song. The heaviest-sounding, deep-throated guitar track is “Caught in Traffic,” a lament anyone with a car can relate to; a song that feels like a Soul Asylum effort, complete with all the ironies of a Dave Pirner composition. The journey ends with the patriotic ode, “Somewhere in the Pacific,” which recalls the sacrifices of the past and hope for the future.   

“There’s Something Between the Bridge and the Water” has some ambitious instrumentation (the guys and girls threw everything in here, including the kitchen sink), meticulous production work, songs to make you think and laugh and tap your feet; not to mention choruses structured to have you singing them long after the album ends.   

The compositions themselves give hint to the cryptic meaning of the collection’s title; that life is full of experiences that flash before our eyes in the final moments. There are even a few novelty songs about social media and Daylight Savings Time that don’t measure up to the rest of the material, but to its credit, the release goes out if its way to let you know it will not be pigeon-holed into a particular genre. A little editing would have made “There’s Something Between the Bridge and the Water” a more solid release, but the few wobbly bits are not enough to derail what is ultimately a very enjoyable ride.   

Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever can be found in all the usual on-line places, like Facebook and Youtube, including www.dmcgw.com   

(c) 2015 John Riebow   

Cinebard Films — Amanda M Heimburg   

October 23, 2015   

Happy Friday: award-winning music video built on fun   

The concept behind the music video for Don McAvoy & the Great Whatever’s ‘Happy Friday’ was built on fun, because that’s what fuels this rock and roll band. The narrative portion of the music video plays in contrast to the upbeat nature of the song, and allows for some play with what it means to have a ‘Happy Friday.’ Based out of Collegeville, PA, this group of guys knows how to play a great show, and have a lot of fun while filming at the Dawson Street Pub in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia. In October, the music video won the award for Best Rock Music Video from Akademia Awards. We love how this video turned out, and had a lot of fun filming it with these guys. Don’t worry, Josh didn’t make it far with that beer.   

Yuengling: sing-along music video for a love ditty   

After filming ‘Happy Friday,’ Don McAvoy & the Great Whatever had us back at Dawson Street Pub to film a short music video for the track ‘Yuengling’ off their new album, “There’s Time Between the Bridge and the Water.” It’s a very short song (roughly nine seconds), so to make the music video for the song catchier, we added a sing-along element. The music video is from the perspective of a Yuengling bottle that has the honor of being with the band when it practices, when it writes, and when it performs.   

Pottstown Mercury — Mercury Staff    

October 21, 2015    

Collegeville’s Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever hit the Steel City Coffeehouse in Phoenixville on Oct. 24 for a release Party for their new CD titled “There’s Time Between The Bridge And The Water.”.    

“There’s Time Between The Bridge & The Water” contains 23 original songs, in varied genres, that started in the studio back in 1999 after the regional success of their first two releases “Sometimes The Characters…” and “Peace, Love and Scrapple.” The songs are a mixture of many different styles, tempos and instrumentations that appeal to all ages and musical tastes.    

“There’s Time Between The Bridge & The Water” features avaritey of songs including “New Shoes,” “If Only We Had Met Sooner,” “Are We Getting Anywhere?,” “Woe is Me,” “Have I Been On Your Mind” (Winner of a Billboard Songwriting Contest Award), the hard rocking “Caught In Traffic” (from the movie “Accidents Don’t Happen” and some lighter novelty songs “Leave Those Clocks Alone” (Daylight Savings Time – All The Time!) and the polka driven “In-Laws.”    

 “There’s Time Between The Bridge And The Water” is available for sale for $10 at WWW.DMCGW.COM, CD Baby, i-Tunes, Amazon and many other digital outlets and music stores.    

 Steel City Coffeehouse is located at 203 Bridge St, Phoenixville. Tickets are $25 in advance and $27 at the door and include the new CD.    

 To keep up with Don McAvoy & The Great, check the website WWW.DMCGW.COM, and/or Facebook.    

Philly Voice — Philly Voice Staff    

October 18, 2015    

Don McAvoy & The Great Whatever, a local all-original band, will play its new CD – "There's Time Between the Bridge And The Water" – during a release party at the Steel City Coffeehouse in Phoenixville on Saturday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. Guest musicians will include Mike McAvoy on drums, Ryann Lynch from Black Horse Motel on violin, and Joe McAvoy and Felix Fitzsimmons from Germany Hill on guitar and vocals. Tickets include a copy of the CD, a copy of the DVD of the band's four music videos and a band photo which can be signed after the show. Limited amounts of domestic beer and wine will be provided and included with price. Non-alcoholic beverages, tea and coffee will be available for purchase. Tickets can be purchased through Steel City's website(service charge may apply), or at the door.    

Don McAvoy & the Great Whatever CD release party    

Saturday, Oct. 24    
9 p.m. | $25 advance / $27 day of show    
Steel City Coffeehouse    
203 Bridge St., Phoenixville    

(610) 933-4043