Tim Flannery battles back to Belly Up

Songwriter and former San Diego Padre Tim Flannery will perform at the Belly Up Sept. 25 in his first local show since a brush with death in 2020 and the release of a new album earlier this year.

The album, “Waiting on a Miracle,” is something of a miracle after Flannery’s bout with staph infection, sepsis, double-pneumonia and bladder failure. Doctors at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas had told his family to prepare for the worst.

After a long recovery, Flannery and his band, the Lunatic Fringe, return to the Belly Up 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, to release the record and raise funds for The Love Harder Project, an anti-violence charity founded by Flannery.

Flannery, a Leucadia resident, has recorded more than a dozen albums during a career that for many years ran in parallel with 11 years as a player and 15 seasons as a coach in Major League Baseball.

A fan-favorite third baseman for San Diego Padres from 1979 to 1989, he also coached for the team from 1996 to 2002 and for the San Francisco Giants from 2007 to 2014. The Giants were World Series champions in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

Nothing could be further from Flannery’s pro baseball glory than the staph infection that nearly killed him. During his hospitalization, pandemic restrictions kept his family from his bedside. On some nights, violent delirium forced him into restraints.

Today — clear-headed and fit — Flannery has populated the lineup of The Lunatic Fringe with heavy hitters that include guitar player, vocalist and producer Jeff Berkley; Doug Pettibone (guitars); Shawn Rohlf (bass, mandolin, and banjo); Josh Weinstein (keyboards), and Chris Grant (drums). Flannery sings and plays acoustic guitars.

Among the acclaim for “Waiting on a Miracle” is an enthusiastic review from nationally-renowned singer-songwriter Steve Poltz.

“Wow, wow, wow, what a record!” Poltz said. “The man has been spit out and tore up and mangled and wrangled and he’s still kickin!”

As for the show, Poltz said: “The Flan Man doesn’t tour that often so this is a rare opportunity to see this legend up close and personal. Lucky us!”

Doors open at 7 p.m. Ages 21 and up only. Tickets: $25 advanced/$28 day of show/$44 reserved loft seating. Visit bellyup.com.
— News release