Ten years ago The Balsa Gliders stopped listening to indie rock and started playing it.

The Gliders are a loose collective of North Carolinians who formed friendships in Chapel Hill during the 1990s. Their spirited live shows recall some of the anthemic indie rock from the ‘90s that made the Triangle famous. The melodies echo local bands from Let’s Active to Portastatic to even Archers of Loaf.

Now based in Raleigh, Charlotte, Philly and various other places The Balsa Gliders write and perform alongside an assortment of decidedly “non-indie” day jobs. Bassist Greg Jones is an Episcopal rector with fondness for Motown and Zeppelin. Ben Davis and Charles Marshall are media lawyers who trade Guided By Voices tabs over lunch. Mike Ferguson is a surgeon who loves Propellerhead tools. Chuck Price works at a big bank and admits to liking Better than Ezra. Russ Tisinger has some sort of PhD. They tour in a mini-van.

Friday, April 26, 2013


Come see The Balsa Gliders' frontman, Charles Marshall, take part of "Losering: The Songs of Ryan Adams." Charles will perform a solo acoustic song of Ryan Adams.

May 9 at Deep South the Bar

And be sure to pick up Dave Meconi's book "Losing: The Story of Whiskeytown." It is great biography of Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

video
 Russ debuting "Millionaires" for the rest of the Gliders backstage at The Visulite.

Look for this on the new album this fall.

Saturday, February 2, 2013


And a huge thanks to the 250+ who came out to see us at The Visulite Theater. Was a great time.

And we appreciate The Showgoats for kicking the night off with a bang. We will do it again.

Friday, January 25, 2013

 Hope to see everyone next Friday at The Visulite Theater. Doors at 7:30 and show at 8:30. Should be a good time.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

SUMMER OF TANK REVIEW (click here)

Here is a great "better late than never" review of Summer of Tank by Asheville music writer/critic Alli Marshall. Is Tank now officially an oldie but a goodie? She thinks it holds up well.



With all due respect to the Governor....

Thanks to everyone who came out to Rock The Ball at The Lincoln Theater. Great show and happy to be with Big Daddy Love and American Aquarium. And a thanks/shout-out to the JLR, Dave Rose, and Chris Malarky.

Friday, January 4, 2013


And a HUGE thanks to the 700+ of you who came out to see us at The Lincoln Theater with The Connells.

We are BACK at the Lincoln Theater on Thursday, January 10 as part of the JLR's ROCK THE BALL Inauguration party with American Aquarium and Big Daddy Love.

Rock the Ball
Thursday, January 10, 9 p.m. - midnight
Location: Lincoln Theater
Entertainment: Balsa Gliders, Big Daddy Love and American Aquarium
Sponsored by: Anheuser-Busch, Belk, Piedmont Natural Gas Company, United Technologies Corporation and Wells Fargo

Ticket price: $20