2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands Awards Presenter & Special Guest Performer: Tomar & the FCs

Meet Austin-based soul & funk band Tomar and the FCs. The band will provide a special performance during the judge’s deliberations at 2023 Corporate Battle of the Bands. Immediately after the judge’s deliberations, vocalist Tomar Williams will announce the winners after their performance.

Tomar got his start singing lead on the Chitlin Circuit with his family band in the late 1980s. After several decades as a side man on the Austin scene and successful work in Hip-Hop production, Tomar decided to return to his roots as a frontman in 2015. A mutual friend, Nikolas Bouklas, introduced him to a recently formed local instrumental band, the FCs, and common purpose and chemistry were apparent to both sides from the first tune. The band self recorded and released their first EP, “Day by Day” which The Austin American Statesman selected as a top release and wrote, “Williams shows his own soul chops with searing vocals that drip with blood, sweat and tears”.

“Heart Attack”, the band’s debut album, was released in late 2016. It was recorded and mixed with Grammy winning artist/engineer Adrian Quesada. KUTX wrote that the album is, “Pure soul, pure energy…Heart Attack, the single from the band’s latest album of the same name, is an electric three minute ride of some of the purest blues/ soul we’ve heard lately.”

Over the next few years, the band established themselves on the Texas and National music scenes. They were selected by NPR Music to represent Austin for the Tiny

Their second full length record, “Rise Above”, was released in February, 2020 on Splice Records. The Austin Chronicle wrote that “Williams today notches four full decades of performance and finally hits his stride north of 50”. The band are known as one of Austin’s best live acts and are favorites for locals and visitors at iconic clubs like The Continental Club, Antone’s, and The White Horse.

Desk Concert Series, played the Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL), made yearly appearances at SXSW, and were voted in the top Five of the Austin’s Chronicle’s Music Poll for Blues, Funk, and Soul. In 2019, after several national and regional tours, they signed with Houston based Splice Records and were awarded a $20,000 Black Fret Grant.