From Bar Gigs to Gramercy: A Full-Circle Night with Tom Vincent

Tonight’s assignment was already one I was excited about.

Three Songs In is heading to Gramercy Theatre to cover Hold On, Fire as part of a packed night featuring Anaka, Tempest City, Hold On, Fire, and Tom Vincent.

But finding out that Tom was opening the show made this one feel a little more personal.

I have known Tom for years. We first crossed paths while working many of the same events—Tom performing and me there with a camera. Eventually, I began photographing some of his bar gigs. That led to professional headshots, more live coverage, and eventually following him all the way to the stage at The Stone Pony.

Years of gigs, photographs, questionable selfies, and one very talented friend.

Tonight, I get to photograph him at Gramercy Theatre.

That feels pretty full circle.

Tom is a Newark-born, New Jersey singer-songwriter who first picked up a guitar at 16 and taught himself how to play. His influences range from Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Simon & Garfunkel, and Neil Young to the punk music that inspired him to form his first original band, The Ironbound, at 19. Since then, he has spent years building his career across the Jersey music scene, performing hundreds of songs entirely from memory.

In 2024, Tom released his debut album, Nostalgia, a collection rooted in memory, identity, personal experience, and the places that helped shape him.

From my entirely biased—but well-informed—vantage point, Tom is amazing. He is one of those musicians I could listen to all night.

In fact, I once brought a first date to see him perform in Asbury Park. The date accused me of being a “groupie.”

For the record: absolutely not.

Tom and I had already worked together professionally for years. He had hired me to photograph his shows and create his headshots. But the date did accidentally identify something true: Tom has the kind of following that shows up.

His fans are loyal. His parents are among the most reliable faces in the room. People do not simply stumble across a Tom Vincent performance and leave—they come back. He is talented, genuine, and incredibly easy to root for.

Tonight, the journey continues from Jersey bar stages to The Stone Pony and now Gramercy Theatre.

I was heading into the city to photograph Hold On, Fire. Getting to document this next step for an old friend is one pretty great bonus.

Full coverage of Tom Vincent and Hold On, Fire is coming soon to Three Songs In.