Tom Brier at WCRF 1999: Doc Brown's Cakewalk/Tickled to Death

Found at last: Live video of Tom Brier without the (in)famous facial hair! These two clips of Tom were recorded by the late Ken Ebi on Hi-8 video at the 1999 West Coast Ragtime Festival and put together by me in 2011. If I could get the original video files to play, I could probably do a better job now, but alas, these third generation clips will have to do. Ken didn't have the most advantageous angle so you can't see Tom's usual precise fingering, but you do get a pretty good chance to see him sans facial hair. Viva Tommy!

[@andrewbarrett1537]

Pre-beard Tom!!! By the time I met Tom in 2001, he already had the beard.

[@Keeper1st]

You can imagine my surprise when I arrived at WCRF in 2000 and saw Bearded Tom for the first time! I still remember it was at the festival store.

[@gustavobraga582]

Amazing to see Tom so young and dancing while playing. Thank you so much for that Lewis ❤

[@karensimons5387]

I had no clue he ever looked like this! But his playing is as great as always - or ever after.

[@ScoopOfButter]

this was very surreal to watch

[@Bomber.man.]

Every new video from Tom is a rare gem. Thank You so much!

[@RS-gl9ht]

Thank you for this upload. Great fun to listen to Tom as always and wonderful to see him looking so youthful!

[@zalaish]

Amei ver o Tom tão jovem e alegre.

[@emirhan2646]

Ragtime in a E Minor key sounds cool

[@wheelmanmitch]

Very cool!

[@MrUnderhilll]

Legend.

[@curtmcd]

Crazy, just today I was trying to play Rhythmodik and wondered what he'd look like after a shave. Then this evening, I came across this! Now we'll be able to use upcoming AI technology to change the glasses to contact lenses. :)

[@jopeckxpress]

Has your Rhythmodik gotten anywhere?

[@curtmcd]

@@jopeckxpress It's never too great, as I hit a plateau on basically everything I try, even things like The Entertainer. But I still want to record it because there should be more performances of it available. I've been learning Peril in Pantomime too, same deal. Thanks for asking.

[@78chuck]

Wow love it!

[@cassiuscollectio6553]

Amazing!

[@DeNappa]

cool to see such old footage of Tom!

[@Connux]

woah ive never seen him without a beard

[@lostfan5054]

Wow he's so young! Look at all that hair

[@thedarkenigma3834]

100 years after Tickled to Death (and Maple Leaf Rag).

[@landsgevaer]

Early on, this tune reminds me of Angry Birds somehow.

[@vittoriopreziosa14]

where the beard

[@portgasdace3295]

From the pfp i thought it was Adam Swanson 😅

[@Reverands420]

I have to ask, is tom in rehab? I just hope hes getting the help he needs

[@adamus996]

There's a discord server (though not much updates since last year);
He's been getting professional care to my knowledge, though it still appears very probable he'll never return to his full capacity. Nonetheless, he's still quite Tom-y in behavior and memory, and from what i've heard, fairly recently even got awarded some honorary prize (whose name i forgot,) for which he posed in front of a camera [on his wheelchair]

[@dank980]

beardless tom. no way

[@luckyblu9]

Tom without his beard looks very cursed

[@andrewbarrett1537]

I don't think cursed is the right word. He looks perfectly OK. But yes less familiar to those of us who didn't know him way back when.

[@luckyblu9]

@@andrewbarrett1537 Sorry, I was meaning that he looks really weird without his beard.