Listen, you don’t need me to tell you to go watch videos on YouTube. It’s frivolous and frankly a little insulting: like you don’t already know how to find whimsical cover bands on the Internet? But I had to do this. I had to talk to you about the Tambourine Guy.
It’s…I can’t quite figure out the name of whatever band that is. Frankly, that’s a little embarrassing. It MIGHT be Postmodern Jukebox, but that also might just be the name of one of their channels. They do a lot of covers of pop songs in various old-timey musical styles, which may or may not be your thing. But they’re extremely good! The guy who uploads all the videos is called ScottBradleeLovesYa, if that helps. They always look like they’re having a lot of fun, and the piano player is good as tits at playing piano. But it’s the tambourine player who will change your life (I call him Tambourine Guy, but you can call him whatever you want). Who is Tambourine Guy?
Look at that dude. Look at how happy he is. Look at him. “He’s living his best life,” Nitasha Tiku of Valleywag told me over Gchat after I sent her the link with the caption “look at the tambourine guy.” She wasn’t wrong, either. Every one of the top comments on this group’s videos is about him.
“tambourine man loves his job,” Aimee Ray says.
“Dunno how many times I’ve watched this video, but the tambourine man never stops being magic. Shine on tambourine man. You’re a superstar <3″ – Veezyjung
You want more? There’s more. He puts on a helmet in this one, because he is just that into it.
Right off the bat. Right off the bat. His eyebrows have more life in them than some human people I know. You remember the manic, dervish-like quality Ethan Embry brought to Empire Records? This guy is the Ethan Embry of tambourines.
What’s this video doing here? Sure, the singer is terrific, and her polka-dot skirt is aces, but Tambourine Guy isn’t even in it.
Wait. Hold on. Have faith. 0:42: TAMBOURINE GUY LEAPS OUT FROM BEHIND THE DRUM KIT. There he is! Doing tiger hands and trying to high-five the bassist, as sudden and as glorious as the sun. Thank God. He’s here. He’s here at last.
Tambourine Guy led me to leave my first-ever YouTube comment. No one’s upvoted it, but that’s okay. Learn from this man. Pattern your life after his. You are a champion. He’s going to hear you roar.
Tags: living your best life, motown covers of nickelback, music videos, tambourine guy
This made my day. I love that the band mates are all just raised eyebrows and slight head-nods at him.
ETA: Except the sax player, who looks like he can’t even look at tambourine guy without cracking up.
You don’t even HAVE to watch the videos*. His exuberance even leaps out at you from the Youtube thumbnail!
*I still watched the videos.
This is amazing, but my favorite Katy Perry cover will always and forever be this.
GET OUT OF HERE WITH YOUR NON-TAMBOURINE GUY MUSIC
My apologies. If that isn’t to your liking, perhaps you will appreciate their attempt to sex things up with their Rammstein cover.
oh my god that is glorious
LOOK HOW MUCH THE KEYBOARD PLAYER HATES HIM
[also, is the Ethan-Emby-in-Empire-Records open thread I’ve been waiting for?]
We mustn’t dwell. No, not today. We can’t. Not on Rex Manning day!
The Keyboard player is the bandleader, so I’m pretty sure he likes having him there. Scott’s just not a particularly exuberant guy on camera. Probably why he DOES love tambourine guy.
So this guy is amazing, but the word “tambourine” just reminded me of “Anything Can Happen on Halloween” from the Worst Witch. Mallory, please tell me someone will post that video on the Toast next week.
has anyone seen TIM CURRY’S BEAUTIFUL CAPE OF WONDERS
No someone will not; I have never heard of this Worst Witch.
I will write an article about The Worst Witch for you guys for free! I would even pay you to let me write it.
OMG need this in my life! I had forgotten how much I loved Worst Witch as an 11-year-old!
A top comment:
“He didn’t choose the tambourine life. The tambourine life chose him.”
I want to go dancing with Tambourine Guy.
And also I want to see him do the “school room instruments” segment on Fallon.
ETA: apparently Tambourine Guy’s name is Tim Kubart https://twitter.com/SpaceCadetTim
Awww his twitter profile photo is of him being hugpiled by a bunch of adorable wee children and I think I’m spontaneously pregnant now.
I fear that I am often Tambourine Guy in a given situation, but this post made me feel better about it. Like, when I tell stories, I am basically that guy in those clothes, with glasses, sans tambourine, but the same hand motions, spastic movements, and enthusiasm.
I hear you. I recently reprimanded myself for spilling out excitement like a little kid who wants to tell you ALL ABOUT THE DINOSAURS AND THE CAKE SHE MADE AND HER NEW SNEAKERS AND HEY DID YOU SEE THIS THING? THIS THING IS COOOOOOOOL, but Tambourine Guy makes me feel a lot better about being that little kid inside.
we should all start a club. I am totes #TambourineGuy
He actually goes by Tambourine Guy!!! That’s what he likes to be called!
This made my day. https://www.facebook.com/TambourineGuy
Tambourine man and I have a remarkably similar dance style. Also, I play the tambourine! Not professionally or anything. Just when I jam with friends.
Tambourine Guy gets it. As does the drummer in this ZZ Top cover band http://www.wimp.com/wronggig/
Wait, is he wearing roller blades during “Roar” or is his movement generated by sheer love for the tambourine?
I love the ‘Roar’ cover best because you can tell he’s bought into his own mythology a lil’ bit, but it actually has the effect of making his art extremely better
ah yessss
I like the eternal "why did they say fuck you?" "no dummy they say BUT you" in the comments.
I think I’m in love with Tambourine Guy.
Get in line!!
I’m having all the feelings about this. Like, I kind of want to cry because I have never in my life been so happy as that man had been (and he has been that happy at least three times), nor do I actually think I have the capacity for such happiness. He is perfection.
And not to make his happiness any less transcendent, but he is also absurdly handsome in the purest, most excellent Well-Groomed-Gay fashion.
^^ I used to think he was gay as well. He’s definitely straight! He’s always been a little over the top in performances like that, but I’m sure it’s the fact he works with kids for a living that makes him even more exuberant.
This makes me unspeakably happy.
His name is Tim Kubart and he is a super rad, dear friend! He fronts a band called Tim and the Space Cadets. You should totally check them out! http://www.timandthespacecadets.com/ AND https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tim-and-the-Space-…
It makes me SO angry that guitar player denies Tambourine Guy a High Five in that last video.
If you look closely at the moment in Skater Boy when he puts on the helmet, you’ll see that he is on skates himself. At least, I think so.
He’s like the Bosstone/Ben Carr of now.
I love how he's all nice a tidy when the song starts but he's so into it that by the end of the song he's a mess! You GO Tambourine Man! Awesome! You can't help but smile big when you watch! 😀
Damn! I’ve never seen anyone in my life with such enthusiasm. I wish I could hang out with that guy everyday:)