Jun24

Slim Pickins Bluegrass Band & Tunnel Vision

The Bus Bar, 522 US HWY 64, Ocoee, Tn

Our reggae friends from San Diego California are coming back to town. They have been up to a lot since last June, climbing mountains, setting world records and such. Planing on showing them a big Tennessee time!

Tunnel Vision is quickly becoming Southern California’s favorite new Surf, Reggae, Ska band. The band is comprised of five musicians who grew up in the San Clemente, area with instruments in their hands and skateboards and surfboards under their feet. Tunnel Vision originally formed as a three-piece band, with Hayden Hanson as the lead singer and guitarist, Jacob Hernandez on bass, and Tanner Payan on drums and additional vocals. The three have been long time friends, who grew up surfing spots like SC Pier, Calafia, 204’s, Black’s, Oceanside Jetty, Trestle’s, and T-street and Skateboarding iconic bowls like The Vans Combi, Encinitas YMCA, Clairemont, Carmel Valley and Oceanside’s MLK Skatepark.

Growing up in SoCal, the band was heavily influenced by the Punk Rock, Reggae and Ska Music of bands like The Descendents, Black Flag, Misfits, Sublime, Slightly Stoopid, The Expendables, NoFX, Rancid, and Reel Big Fish, etc. The boys have all worked in the surf industry for years, starting out in retail for Rip Curl and moving on to manufacturing surfboards for Lost Enterprises.

Tunnel Vision recently increased the band from a three-piece to a five-piece by adding Doug Alani and Matt Risley. Matt Risely & Doug both met the guys through their connections with Lost’s retail store, Catalyst. Matt is Texas surf transplant. Matt plays keys for the band and is an avid Surfer and Skateboarder as well. Doug brings his mad saxophone skills to the sound of Tunnel Vision, when he is not in the courtroom tipping the scales for justice, he is cranking out tunes with Tunnel Vision.

In 2013, Lost sent the boys down to Cabo for The Cabo San Lucas ASP Surf Contest and to perform at venues around the contest. The song tells the story about their adventure in Cabo with surf pros like Chris Ward and Mason Ho. Then to top it all off in 2014, they were offered the opportunity to caravan down to Cabo with a group of eight bands. Road tripping the San Diego to Cabo route and then finish the journey off with playing the main stage at Zipper’s. Tunnel Vision was able to finish out their set in Cabo playing “Up all night”. The whole caravan to Cabo trip and all the antics that went along with it, was filmed by a local film crew and is available on a DVD. Also in 2014, Tunnel Vision did a mini East Coast tour sidelining with surfboard shaper Matt Biolos, and Mike Reola of the Lost crew.

In 2015, Anthony Levato joined the Tunnel Vision crew and started managing the boys. Anthony connected Tunnel Vision with Tom Maxwell of Whiskey Barrel Records and together they all connected with San Diego favorite Miles, Kyle & Dela of Slightly Stoopid. Slightly Stoopid let them record their debut album at Slightly Stoopid’s “The Lab” Studio in San Diego. The self titled debut album Tunnel Vision rolled out in July and is now available on ITunes and the store section of the web site.

Tunnel Vision will continue with their love of music, travel, surfing and skating with groups like Miles for Myles, Fender Charity, and Surfrider.

You can hear some of Tunnel Vision’s music now on the website under The Music Tab. Make sure to sign up for their email list and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. All the summer show dates are listed on the home page.