Head out Friday and Saturday to enjoy some Lunch At Allen's

Lunch At Allen’s is coming to region on Friday and Saturday and is ready to serve you the music.

Lunch At Allen’s is made up of Murray McLauchlan, Cindy Church, Marc Jordan and Ian Thomas, four friends who collectively have written hits for some of the biggest names in the music industry.

Chicago, Rod Stewart, Cher and Josh Groban are just a few acts who owe some of their success to the foursome who will be at the Georgian Theatre at Georgian College on Friday, Dec. 7 and in Collingwood at the Historic Gayety Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 8.

Thomas tells BarrieToday that one reason the historically solo artists get along so well is they all have the all been there and done that attitude.

“We all had our chance at the brass rings and realized we really don’t give a shit about the brass rings anymore,” Thomas said. “It is amazing what you can accomplish and how happy you can be when you just go out and try to be happy at what you do.”

Describing the music industry as sometimes having a “schmoozy mob-like mentality,” Thomas says that the four musicians were friends and admirers of each other first and decided to put a tour together at the end of the year and enjoy making music.

“Well, it was supposed to be an eight-week tour 15 years ago, but it seems plans changed,” he added. “We enjoy playing and making music and especially with each other.

"I think we’ve all at one time or another been in awe of the other and have such a huge respect for everyone in the group that making music as a foursome is a no-brainer.”

Thomas is one of the busiest people in the industry right now. He is not only at the start of the Lunch At Allen’s tour, which started Dec. 3 and wraps up Dec. 16, but he also is an accomplished author with two books on the way, including one novel and an autobiography.

“I love writing and find it not only very rewarding, but a great way to pass the time,” he said. “It’s like seeing what people do in their spare time and some go rock climbing, some play hard-hitting sports like football. I’ll just be over here writing; that’s as exciting as I’m getting today.

"That is also the mindset with us as music writers, I think. If you’re a writer, then that’s just what you do. We believe truly that you don’t choose to write, you do it because it is who you are and that’s who we are, we love writing music and playing is sometimes just as fun.”

Tickets for the Barrie and Collingwood shows can be found at the Lunch At Allen’s website.