Tom Sandoval & The MOST Extras -The May Flowers Tour Kicks Off at The Space at Westbury

By Christine Connallon

There is a lot of buzz around Tom Sandoval. You probably know him from a decade of starring on Bravo’s Vanderpump Rules, starting out as a bartender at SUR to becoming part-owner of TomTom with Ken Todd, Lisa Vanderpump and Tom Schwartz. His latest venture, a Los Angeles lounge called Schwartz & Sandy’s (also with his pal Tom Schwartz) is thriving.

Living life in front of reality TV cameras can be a double-edged sword. It gives viewers an inside look into a person’s life, complete with thorns and all. But when Sandoval took the stage with his band The MOST Extras on May 4th to kick off The May Flowers Tour at The Space at Westbury on Long Island, the night was all about the music.

Sandoval hit the stage, dressed all in black with neon green lightning bolts on his lapels. His tight band is made up of co-founder and band director Jason Bader on drums, musical director and sax player Colin Deas, Maddi Fraser on backing vocals, Kevin Stiphen on lead guitar, Radon Davitt on bass, Macrae Eckelberry on trumpet and Michael Aaron on rhythm guitar. Sandoval and crew had fun with the covers that they powered through, including “Rosanna” by Toto, “Working for the Weekend” by Loverboy, “Hey Ya!” by Outkast, A-ha’s “Take On Me” and Journey’s “Separate Ways.” The songs were great choices for the band, showcasing Sandoval’s voice.

With stage presence to spare, Sandoval shared that he’s been taking a break from alcohol for the past month, a mention that was met with cheers as he sipped on a non-alcoholic beer. Changing Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom” to “Schwartzy’s Mom” as an ode to his best friend, Sandoval and company were engaged with the crowd. When The MOST Extras launched into Death Cab for Cutie’s extended intro version of “I Will Possess Your Heart,” it gave Sandoval the opportunity for a costume change. An unexpected treat, Sandoval and the crew killed it on that tune. Another highlight was Queen’s “Somebody to Love.”

The audience had as much fun as the band did. If you have the chance to catch the tour in a city near you, grab a ticket.

Photos by Christine Connallon