If you haven't seen Chris Mackay & the Tone Shifters yet, now's the time. A roots outfit with a solid underpinning in swampy blues, the band is pretty much capable of astonishing work in whatever direction they spin off.
TheDay.com
Chris Mackay and the Tone-Shifters’ “Blue Collar Happy Hour” paints a cozy picture of good company and beer at a little downtown shack in VT complete with jazzy squeezebox and twin lead guitars. This tune also closes with sweet doo-wop a cappella. Songs like these make the listener want to get up and have a good time!
Soundwaves Magazine 2015
Hello All!
We are happy to announce our association with Aldora Britain Records in the UK who contacted us on having a couple of our tunes on their latest compilation " Pretty Words On The 24th" in which "Coming Back To You" garnered 'Aldora's Pick of the Day!' on 12-29-21 followed by "GoSpeed" from our 2014 release'All Washed Up" on 12-30-21
AB Records promotes undiscovered and unsigned original artists all over the world which is very cool!
You can check out the Aldora Bandcamp link below where you can download the compilation (and many others), support undiscovered artists and find great music!
The ToneShifters would like to wish everyone a prosperous and healthy New Year! See you next Spring!
Cranston Herald (RI)
Jan 2020 - Q & A
There is literally something for everyone on this album. There is just so much I could say about each and every song and this review would take forever so I present to you my TOP 5.
Go Speed -Chris Mackay and the Toneshifters County/Rock/Swing with an accordion. Yes, an accordion. It’s a melting pot of awesome!
Local Band Review CTNow.com 2013
As per their invigorating performance late last year on The Day's "Live Lunch Break," the latest and hopefully permanent incarnation of Chris MacKay & the Tone Shifters is a mighty unit that fuses a variety of rock, rockabilly and honky tonk attitudes in riotous fashion.
The band's been busy working up new songs, and you can probably sample a batch Saturday when they play at the cozy, beer-and-pretzel-happy Malted Barley in Westerly.
The Day
Rockabilly meets country swing with a dash of swamp and rock as Chris MacKay and the Toneshifters take to our summer stage with a style that will get you up on your feet and keep you rocking’!
HADDAM KILLINGWORTH PATCH
Press Release 2014
Chris MacKay & the ToneShifters based in New London County have just been nominated to represent the state of Connecticut at the upcoming New England Music Awards to be held April 13th at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, MA.
Formed in 2009, the ToneShifters energetic live show melds their individual musical tastes into a danceable freestyle fusion of blues, rock, swing, rockabilly and honky tonk, otherwise known as “Swinginrockabluesabilly.”
REVIEW OF SHOW AT OLDE MYSTIC VILLAGE ARTS CINEMA
By Richard Douglas - Music Promoter
""Setting Just The Right Tone"
Chris Mackay & the ToneShifters - Olde Mistick Village Arts Cinemas
For the fortunate crowd of musicians, music lovers and families that poured into the beautiful Olde Mistick Village Arts Cinemas on Thursday evening to attend this great music venue's first purely local artist, double-bill concert, things got off to an instantly special start.
From the first few bars of their opening tune "Something In the Water" people got to know just what "Tone Shifting" is all about.
Chris Mackay & The ToneShifters have a very unique, eclectic musical sound, reflecting the fact that the band brings together a truly talented group of musicians, who are clearly adept at blending different musical genres into an indescribably delicious stew. Once the listener tries it, they're hooked and their musical taste buds are changed forever.
Chris Mackay's personal musical evolution and journey has taken him from his much heralded role as the young percussionist with CT's most influential 80's modern music band New Johnny 5, through his many reincarnations into blues, funk, swamp music and even rockabilly.
Over the years Chris not only became a great, vocalist, lyricist and charismatic front man, he had the good taste and sense to marry Sue Mackay and have a family. Like many of us, Chris has lived a life of ups and downs and he writes and sings about it in a personal and passionate way that people can truly relate to. With songs like "Father Time, Working Stiff and the great title track of the soon to be released CD “All Washed Up” Chris MacKay and The ToneShifters are offering something truly special you can grab a hold of, sing along with and positively dance to, and it's definitely going to take them places!
Their non-stop 14 song set on Thursday night clearly revealed how much this band really loves playing together.
If you haven't heard the ToneShifters lately, treat yourself to a great night at a local club when they're around, and definitely pick up their new CD “All Washed Up" very soon.