Posts by Jonathan Kosakow

Jonathan Kosakow’s thoughts and Michael Stein’s photos from Gogol Bordello in Colorado.

Widespread Panic @ Red Rocks, June 25

Words: Jonathan Kosakow
Photos: Matthew Speck

I’ve recently wondered why Widespread Panic has failed to capture my attention. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that I even faintly dislike about them. They are all talented musicians, from John Bell’s voice to Dave Schools’ pounding bass and now Jimmy Herring’s searing guitar chops. But until this past Saturday at Red Rocks – the second of a three-show run at the venue – it had been years since they reached out and grabbed me.

[All photos by Matthew Speck]

Set one started slow. With the exception of Rock and Hatfield, the first few tunes stayed short and lacked much energy. It wasn’t until the last three songs, Rebirtha, Blue Indian and Porch Song, that the sextet started to experiment with the space around them. Rebirtha went from southern funk to vivid explorations, and for the first time this night Herring found some melody in his guitar playing, as opposed to the firey up and down the neck style that hadn’t gotten very far. It was a perfect transition into Blue Indian, which bounced nicely towards a set-ending Porch Song.

Henry Parsons Died kicked set two off to a powerful start. Apparently all it took was some darkness to get these guys rolling. All Time Low grooved its way behind Schools and drummer Todd Nance, with Bell’s gravelly vocals leading the way. Herring took control on Down, with an all-out wail of a guitar solo in between quiet verses, but quickly gave it up to John Hermann’s piano solo, which was a groove all its own.

READ ON for more about Widespread Panic at Red Rocks…

Ray LaMontagne @ Red Rocks, June 17

Words: Jonathan Kosakow
Photos: Matthew Speck

Nearly every concert at Morrison, CO’s Red Rocks Amphitheater finds the performer reaching for the right words to express his or her gratitude at playing such a spectacular venue. From their perch on Stage Rock, as they stare up at rows and rows of people framed by Ship Rock and Creation Rock – the two monoliths that stand together at an angle to form the perfect amphitheater, the perfect view, the perfect sound quality – each and every musician wants to say something unique. Somehow, though they are no less sincere than the person who came before them, it always ends up sounding the same.

[All photos by Matthew Speck]

Not that it matters – for those of us lucky enough to have Red Rocks as our backyard concert venue, we consider it a gift every time we climb the entrance ramp, find our favorite seat along the wooden benches, and watch the moon rise over Denver behind the stage. We understand the struggle to say the right words, it truly is not possible to express. It is beautiful. For Ray LaMontagne it was fairly simple, though: between each song, he’d lean in to his microphone and mumble six words: “Thank you very much. Thank you.”

Dressed in miner’s Sunday best, just as they were in the album art for the latest studio release God Willin’ and the Creek Don’t Rise, Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs stood in a semi-circle, facing the crowd but focused more on each other. LaMontagne stood on a small square of carpet to the left of his band members, and strummed his guitar and sang from just a little off center. In their 90-minute set, the song list was nothing to be surprised about: they played nearly all the songs you’d expect, sans You Are The Best Thing, and threw in a couple extras.

READ ON for more about Ray LaMontagne at Red Rocks…

Cake @ The Ogden Theater, June 14

Words: Jonathan Kosakow
Photos: Matthew Speck

A backyard smoke machine clouded the stage for Cake, who entered the room at The Ogden Theater Tuesday night following a stern pre-recorded warning against photography, and a comically long musical intro that may or may not have been borrowed from a mid-90s Saturday morning cartoon. They wasted no time before launching into the instrumental Arco Arena and the crowd pleasing Frank Sinatra, but even so early in the show it seemed that John McCrea and company were a little overtired.

[All photos by Matthew Speck]

The audience, though, didn’t really seem to notice. Since their first album way back in 1994, Cake has played the hidden hero to so many. In those years, they have put out only six studio albums – before this year’s Showroom of Compassion, the most recent was seven years ago and is easily their least popular. But the music never disappeared from the memories and cassette players of our generation. When it was announced that Cake would be playing two nights in Denver, a shout of excitement rang out so loud you may as well have thought they were putting Fraggle Rock back on the air, and the tickets for both shows sold out well in advance.

The spacious yet intimate, grungy Ogden Theater filled up quickly with a crowd heavily made up of the under-30 generation. It seems almost every Cake fan is similar in certain respects – quiet and sensible, but with a bit of a dark side. And this was proven as most fans quietly sang along to their old favorites of sex and pent-up anger, Italian Leather Sofa and How Do You Afford Your Rock ‘N’ Roll Lifestyle.

READ ON for more about Cake in Denver…

Medeski, Martin & Wood @ Boulder Theater, March 4

Although it seems like it’s happening more and more, it certainly isn’t every day that a band turns 20. Maybe it’s that we’re getting old, or maybe our music taste is falling behind. Or, maybe (hopefully) the music we listen to has such longevity because the musicians themselves enjoy playing together so much that they couldn’t possibly leave it behind.

[All photos by Matthew Speck]

For Medeski, Martin & Wood at least, it is most definitely the latter, and it’s no fluke they’re still around. Since 1991, MMW has been putting out disc after solid disc of exciting music that has ranged from the avant-garde of Tonic and The Dropper to the experimental electricity of Combustication, collaborations with musical legends like John Scofield and Marshall Allen, and even a kids’ album. And, they continue to maintain their relevancy even today: their track Hey He Hi Ho was chosen for the upcoming release JAZZ: The Smithsonian Anthology, due out March 29. So, in honor of this 20th anniversary, the trio has taken to the road for a ten-date tour through the month of March.

After spending some time in the Rocky Mountains with shows in Beaver Creek and Aspen, MMW came out for a show just outside those mountains in Boulder, the hometown of bassist Chris Wood. The story is this: the band is taking requests ahead of time, and devising their opening sets based on what the fans want to hear. The second set of each night will honor an old MMW tradition: the shack party, entirely improvised. Even more than usual, there was an added sense of excitement to the pre-show jitters.

READ ON for more on MMW @ the Boulder Theater…

Trey Anastasio @ Ogden Theater, March 1

It’s no secret that Colorado fans felt a little left out when Phish’s East Coast tour dates were released. The Mountain State, though saturated with diehards, was too geographically removed to make extending the tour this way financially – or physically – feasible. So, when Trey Anastasio or any of the boys come to town, we scramble for tickets.

[All photos by Matthew Speck]

This tour, Trey Anastasio and Classic TAB’s Denver shows were no different. Many fans unfortunately found that neither Craigslist nor holding a finger in the air would get them into the show, and the already intimate Ogden Theater brought fans closer together than ever before as we packed in to every corner, vying for a little room to let our arms swing. But when Trey made his way on stage and picked up his acoustic guitar, space was no longer an issue.

To begin, it didn’t seem like the solo acoustic set would bring more than expected – some crowd favorites, some sing-alongs and some sweet ballads. The opening lyrics of Farmhouse welcomed us to the room before the funk of Wolfman’s Brother helped us settle in, and When the Circus Comes captured some added attention. It was beautiful and fun, though not surprisingly fantastic. But then Big Red started taking requests. On Timber, the crowd harmonized the call-and-response chorus. Theme from the Bottom was played in a higher key than normal, with a capo on the third fret, which added some interesting changes to the melody. The closing lyrics of “from the bottom, from the top” were again helped along by crowd harmonies.

READ ON for more on TAB’s return to Denver…

moe. @ Ogden Theater, Denver CO – February 5th

Words: Jonathan Kosakow
Images: Jason Woodside

I’ve always wondered why moe., of all the bands in the jam scene, has never caught hold of a larger mainstream audience. Their songs are easy on the ears, and the group’s sing-along choruses are nearly always high energy. But Saturday’s show at Denver’s Ogden Theater finally gave me my answer. At times we were spoonfed slow, low-energy ambience, at others we were caught in the middle of an old-fashioned cafeteria food fight. By the end of the night, it was hard to tell which way was up.

[All photos by Jason Woodside]

It was about 9:30 by the time the band took the stage. Following a spicy set of pre-show music that included everything from Van Halen’s Hot for Teacher to Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, the first notes of live music we heard were those first lingering tones of Mexico. It was absolutely the way to start it off, an old favorite to remind us why we came. Al Schnier’s noodling guitar was helped along by Chuck Garvey’s, and the two worked off each other’s riffs until they settled into a steady groove for Day Dreaming.

Set One: Mexico > Day Dreaming, Blue Jeans Pizza, Good Trip, Opium > 32 Things*

Set Two : Haze > Dr. Graffenberg, One Life, Billy Goat > Understand, Kyle’s Song > Moth

Encore: Mar-DeMa, Spine Of A Dog

* – w/ Allie Kral of Cornmeal on Fiddle

[Setlist via PT moe.]

Soon though, somewhere between the high notes of Rob Derhak’s vocal on Blue Jeans Pizza and the joke-along “Don’t Die’s” of Good Trip, something started to fade. Perhaps the band, at the end of a tour and about to take a quick stint in Japan, was a bit road-weary, but it definitely showed in the general lack of collective energy throughout the room.

Their jams, though note-tight, dragged a little too long, and the foot-shuffling slowed throughout the audience. Soon, though, the familiar drone of Opium sunk into our brains and swallowed us whole. The slow, powerful train that is this song gained speed steadily until it found its (in)sanity in the bright lights of Derhak’s bellowing chorus. The outro of Opium saw the introduction of Cornmeal’s Allie Kral who joined the band for 32 Things, ending the set with a three-way guitar-guitar-fiddle duel that was powerful enough to leave Schnier with both jaw and hands dropped nearly to the floor in stupefaction. “Leave it to Allie” was the word throughout the room during setbreak. READ ON for more on moe. in Denver…

Big Boi @ Ogden Theater, January 28th

Words: Jonathan Kosakow
Images: Matthew Speck

Denver doesn’t get much of the good, large scale, live hip-hop.  Out in these here mountains, the more likely acts are the bluegrass, the jam and the indie rockers making a quick mid-country stop on their way to one of the distant coastlines. So when the calendar showed a single weekend that would feature Big Boi on Friday and Raekwon on Saturday, the kids jumped. The Ogden Theater was the site of Friday’s main event and outside the venue, on Colfax Avenue, a diverse crowd of mostly white people were milling around – hipsters, hippies and snowboarders – trying to scrounge some extra tickets. But this was a hot item, and not many were to be found.

[All photos by Matthew Speck]

At 9PM sharp, the evening got a jumpstart from the Denver-local group The Foodchain. Surprisingly for an opening act, the octet managed to hold some of the crowd’s attention as they tore through beats and got the audience participating in a bit of old-fashioned call and response. Playing middle-child for the evening were Eligh and Scarub of the Living Legends, whose 45-minute set showcased not only two ultimately humble performers, but also some serious talent.  Likely, few in attendance were familiar with Living Legends, but that didn’t seem to matter: just about everyone was enthralled.

A quick break in the entertainment was provided by some white dude in red pants who screamed too loudly into a microphone and threw free, useless swag at the crowd as he all-but-subtly promoted the sponsors of the evening. I am currently enjoying four coozies, two bottle openers, a t-shirt, a golf towel and a pair of pretty solid plastic sunglasses as I write this. At this point, my pockets weighed down by all these amazing Spyder products that I’m sure will last me for years to come, I was ready for the main event. But, I was surprisingly not restless, thanks to the booze provided by Tommyknocker Brewery. With Cutmaster Swiff on the turntables, accompanied by fellow MC Blackowned C Bone, Big Boi gave us some musical gifts to go along with the physical ones bestowed upon us by companies like Icelantic and Optic Nerve.

READ ON for more from Big Boi in Denver…

Jeff Tweedy @ Boulder Theater, January 8

For Jeff Tweedy, the success of a solo performance depends on his audience. He wants to create a moment: during quiet songs he wants silence and during upbeat songs, he’s happy if you sing along. Meanwhile, on stage alongside him are six acoustic guitars and five speakers pointing directly at him. You may think one of two things: 1.) Jeff Tweedy is an asshole, or 2.) Jeff Tweedy loves music, knows music, and cares so much about how he sounds that he wants every note, ever moment, to be perfect. These would be the logical guesses, and it’s nearly impossible to tell which of them, if either, is the right answer.

In honor of the Boulder Theater’s 75th Anniversary, Tweedy played to two sold-out crowds, mostly seated, of college students and young professionals, many in flannel shirts and jeans but a few in dreadlocks and flowing skirts. On the second of these nights some of the most memorable moments came between songs as he joked sarcastically, criticizing the audience from the previous night – “they were horrible people.” For much of the night, at his request, each song was followed by a chorus of boo’s from his adoring fans, who loved him perhaps more, even after he publicly denied them autographs, “Are you the one who wanted me to sign the book for you last night? I won’t sign it for you tonight, either.”

READ ON for more on Jeff Tweedy’s recent Boulder show…

Mike Gordon Band @ Fox Theatre, November 13

There were lots of cold fingers in the air on Saturday as the first truly cold day of the year hit Boulder, the same day Mike Gordon brought his tour in support of Moss to the famously sunny and dry state of Colorado (ironically, moss usually grows best in shady, damp areas). Coloradans are pretty relaxed and don’t worry too much about being late to a show, but there was a line down the street before the doors opened for this one, and the floor was packed with crunchy, bearded people wearing beanie caps well before 9PM.

Fittingly, Cactus opened the first set with Can’t Stand Still, the catchy first track on the new album. Mike breathed a sigh of relief after this one, commenting on his love for The Fox Theater, and perhaps Boulder in general, as he gave us his first installment of what would be the theme for the night. “I’ve got one hand in my pocket, and the other one up for a high five.”

From there, it was the Party Time track Only A Dream, and the Bill Monroe/Peter Rowan tune Walls of Time, and Mike walked that bass line like a dog while guitarist Scott Murawski tinkered around on some country licks. Tom Cleary’s tune I Sure Miss My Mind jumped right on that energy. The hammy lyrics were, if nothing else, enjoyable, and the back and forth soloing between Cleary on the keys and Murawski’s guitar paved the way for the intricacies of Andelman’s Yard. Another round of high fives was passed, and then came Down To The Nightclub, on which Cleary again took the spotlight – removing his shoe and using it to replace his left hand. Murawski took lead vocals on Emotional Railroad, the Max Creek original, whose drawn out jam segued into Traveled Too Far.

READ ON for more thoughts on the MGB at the Fox…

The first show of a Phish tour always brings higher hopes than the band can deliver. They need time to warm up, to settle in, and find their groove. To think that the four horsemen can ride together perfectly every time is just absurd. But it feels good to start off on the right foot, to watch your horse fire out of the gate with saddle blazing. You just hope he keeps up that pace for the rest of the run. It’s possible that the ACL set was Phish’s time to get the kinks out. Their reportedly un-jammed set consisted of fan-favorites that could also be easily enjoyed by the indie folk who may have chosen Phish over the Strokes on Friday night. That’s, at least, what I was hoping.

[A Playlist Featuring 50 Minutes of Video From This Show]

As Phish entered stage left to a capacity house, all 6,500 tickets sold and resold (Tickethorse, unannounced, re-released a handful of tickets Sunday morning, allowing a few lucky hopefuls their shot into the show), the initial energy could hardly be topped. Seeing a band like Phish in a room as small as the 1st Bank Center, when you’re used to seeing them in 9,000-seat or larger venues, is a lucky change of pace. The interaction between band and audience is heightened, the sound is trapped in one place and reverberates in your ears and the energy takes you over. Also, the lack of humongous jumbo-trons flanking the sides of the stage provides for a more intimate experience. We are brought back to the days of old, when Phish shows seemed like family gatherings.

Chalkdust Torture tore through the speaker system, a great song to start a show with. It’s a song we know and love, a song guaranteed to get you singing (or screaming) along, and with Trey’s wailing guitar piercing the room, it’s a song that throws you right into the action. Ocelot, as always, was a bouncy and fun tune, but because it lacked the necessary power that the room needed, had to be followed by a song like It’s Ice, a song intended to bring the energy back up, but that may be a little too intricate to have tried to tackle so early. The outro harmonies on Bouncing Around The Room were nailed and Page’s keyboard solo led Funky Bitch right on through. The AC/DC Bag>NICU>Moma Dance>Horn hit its high point during Moma Dance, with Anastasio’s guitar screaming over Mike Gordon’s bass funk. Stash started a little sloppy, the transitions were a bit off and notes were missed, but the jam grew nicely. Golgi Apparatus, to close the set, sent us to the bathrooms looking forward to what was to come, thinking that perhaps now they had gotten all the kinks out.

READ ON for more of Jonathan’s thoughts on the tour opener…

Fourmile Canyon Revival @ 1st Bank Center, October 9

String Cheese Incident, Leftover Salmon, Jeff Austin, Big Head Todd, and Bonnie Paine from Elephant Revival, all on stage at the same time – and it wasn’t even the highlight of the show. That was the kind of night it was – one full of sit-ins and guest appearances, free-for-all jams and surprises. The Fourmile Canyon Revival benefit concert, held at Broomfield, CO’s 1st Bank Center, was easily the fall of 2010’s first and most anticipated show in the Rocky Mountain State.

[All photos by David Steinberg]

Before the show, the parking lot was buzzing. Rumors had been flowing about the lineup, special guests, and most people simply couldn’t wait to get inside. The 6,500-capacity 1st Bank Center was fully packed early on in the evening, and that’s a good thing, because it was not a show to miss.

Just a few a minutes before 6PM on Saturday night, Leftover Salmon took the stage to a barrage of loud screams, people hopeful that the night would go as well as they’d hoped. That was the first good sign: an entire band taking the place of originally scheduled Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman, and Keith Moseley of String Cheese taking over bass duties. When Phish’s Page McConnell joined the set, and then String Cheese Incident’s Bill Nershi, and then Bonnie Paine from Elephant Revival, the crowd was already thrown back on their heels. By the end of the set, just about everyone’s jaws had dropped. But it was only 7PM, the night was young.

READ ON for more from Kos on last night’s show…

Fourmile Canyon Revival featuring String Cheese Incident, Yonder Mountain String Band, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Vince Herman & Drew Emmittt and Very Special Guests Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon, Page McConnell and Trey Anastasio – October 9, 2010 @ 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO

I woke up a little bit late on September 6, Labor Day, and walked out to my backyard to drink a cup of coffee. My roommate pointed out that in the distance smoke was rising behind the mountains. Until I got to a TV, I had no idea the magnitude of what was happening only a few miles away. Driving through the town of Boulder, half of the sky was clear, but the other was completely covered in reddish-brown smoke. I had barely gotten out of the car before a fleck of ash landed in my eye, and then another and another.

[Photos by Brendan Flanagan]

The fire had started that morning in Fourmile Canyon, and spread quickly to surrounding areas including the historic Gold Hill, Sunshine Canyon, and parts of Bald Mountain. Firefighters from 20 states came to battle the blaze as 3,500 people were evacuated from their homes, but within a matter of days the most destructive fire in Colorado state history destroyed 6,400 acres and 169 homes.

One of the many families displaced by the fire was that of String Cheese Incident bass player Keith Moseley. As he began to realize the destruction that occurred, and the effect that it had on his immediate community, he and bandmate Bill Nershi started to organize a benefit concert. With the help of local radio station KBCO, Yonder Mountain String Band, Big Head Todd & The Monsters and Vince Herman & Drew Emmitt – all of whom hold close ties to the area – a benefit concert was planned for October 9, 2010.

READ ON for more on the Fourmile Canyon Revival…

Yonder Mountain String Band @ Red Rocks, August 27

What do you do when the time is getting late, the crowd is slowly clearing out and you’re losing energy, but the band won’t stop playing? You stay and enjoy the music. Well, at least that’s my opinion. It’s always a coveted show at Red Rocks: it always seems to be the big stop on every band’s tour, and for the boys of Yonder Mountain it was no different. Bassist Ben Kaufman at one point remarked, “I can’t believe we get to do this,” and later mandolinist Jeff Austin, always excited and always smiling, told us, “This is our favorite part of the year.” And they did their best to prove it to us. On Friday, Yonder Mountain String Band played for well over three hours, starting at 9 and not finishing until after 1 in the morning.

[All Photos by Jason Woodside]

Split Lip Rayfield started the evening at 6PM, and after that set came 90 minutes of Leftover Salmon. By 8:45pm, the sun had gone down, the buzzing of the crowd had settled and the carpets had been laid down on stage to accommodate Yonder Mountain’s modest stage set-up. It wasn’t long after that Austin, Kaufman, Adam Aijala on guitar and Dave Johnston on banjo walked slowly on stage and broke right into Looking Back Over My Shoulder.

Even though it was an exciting moment – the first chords of the main event, a night of Colorado bluegrass – it was hard to get into at first. Because of Yonder’s affinity for the simple acoustic bluegrass, and because they are accustomed to smaller venues, they seemed to have a bit of a hard time filling the space. There is a lot of open air at Red Rocks Amphitheater. But, once my ears got used to it, and the crowd settled a bit more, it was easier to listen to each note.

READ ON for more about Yonder Mountain at Red Rocks…

These United States @ The Fox Theater – Boulder, CO – August 21

Being the opening band is never easy. People don’t listen: they are too busy mulling around, deciding the best plan of attack to the bar, or scouting the best spot to get as close as possible to the headliner. Luckily it is not exactly like that for These United States. They have developed a healthy fan base, having released four albums in only two years and staying on a regular touring schedule. So, when they came on stage at 9:00 PM sharp on Saturday night, there was already a decent assembly of people ready and waiting.

Though most stood back from the front of the stage, those who knew the band sang along to their songs – a combination of upbeat Americana and thoughtful ballads. Those just being introduced to the music quickly warmed up.

TUS launched into a barrage of new songs as lead singer Jesse Elliott dubbed their new album, What Lasts, one of the “Top 100 Greatest Albums of All-Time, according to the members of this band.” The new album is more somber than their previous work. The songs pack less punch but are poetic and hauntingly memorable. On Saturday, ballads like What Lasts and Dug Him in the Dirt silenced the audience as J. Tom Hnatow slid his hand slowly on the steel pedal guitar. The more uplifting One You Believe and The Important Thing (the latter from their 2009 album, Everything Touches Everything), were the ones that got some heads bobbing and feet moving as the rhythm section brought it up a notch. READ ON for more…

For those lucky enough to run around the Mile High Music Festival this past weekend at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, CO, there were certainly some choice moments. Also, there were $1 popsicles at the Whole Foods tent. Trust me, they were necessary. And delicious. In no particular order, here are my ten favorite moments…

Derek Trucks. The man can play guitar.

[All Photos by Jason Woodside Except Where Noted]

Need I say more? And when you pair his guitar skills with those of his wife, Susan Tedeschi (not to mention her beautiful singing voice), you really can’t go wrong. It was a great wind down before Jack Johnson took the main stage on Saturday night to see their band in action.

Joe Purdy

[Photo by Katya Kirilloff]

Somewhere between Ray Lamontagne and Heartbreaker-era Ryan Adams sits the music of Joe Purdy, sad and simple. It’s no lack of honesty or talent in his songwriting that packed the “Elk Tent” to the brim Sunday afternoon, where his 12:30pm set was silent but for his guitar, vocals and harmonica. Something about his spirit though, independent in the true sense of the word, is truly refreshing (he has turned down multiple record deals and continues to release his albums on his own). Take a listen to the track Troubadour from his new album, 4th of July.

READ ON for more top moments from the Mile High Festival…

7 Walkers – The Fox Theater – Boulder, CO – 6/5/10

Boulder’s original hippie generation came out in full force Saturday night to see 7 Walkers, the latest of Grateful Dead spawns to emerge into our musical scene. This time, it’s drummer Bill Kreutzmann giving the band its fuel for publicity, while Louisiana bluesman Papa Mali takes the reigns on stage. Unlike many of the other Dead spinoffs and reincarnations, who rely heavily on the vast catalog they already have, 7 Walkers takes it a step further. They have teamed up with legendary songwriter Robert Hunter on a slew of new songs for their upcoming album, to be released later this year.

When 7 Walkers took the stage, it was surprising to note that The Fox was not at capacity, especially with the name “Bill Kreutzmann” in huge red letters on the marquis outside. This, however, did not upset anyone, as there was now enough room for everyone to sway and spin to the music. An abbreviated Space that worked its way into a bluesy Sugaree kicked off the evening with a familiar spark. Mali, who was raised playing the blues, brings a southern flavor to the San Francisco vibe, much like Warren Haynes though without the same ferocity. From there it was Death Don’t Have No Mercy and He’s Gone, which the mostly older crowd sang along to happily. Bertha came later with a fiery guitar solo from Mali that settled into the ever-comforting Wharf Rat.

Now that the crowd had settled in, it was time for the quartet to break into a new original Hunter tune, appropriately titled 7 Walkers. This is perhaps the song that will define the band for more reasons than that they share a name. It fits perfectly alongside the Dead repertoire but stands out in that the melody is new, lyrics fresh and meaningful, and has a distinct southern blues feel. Another 7 Walkers original, The New Orleans Crawl, played early in the second set, easily settled in and allowed the crowd to bop along in true Bayou style.

READ ON for more from Kos on 7 Walkers at the Fox…

Zappa Plays Zappa – Paramount Theater, Denver, CO – 6/7/10

Frank Zappa once said, “It isn’t necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice. There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia.” He may not be wrong, but his prophecy didn’t come true Monday night in Denver as his son, Dweezil, played host to a theater of weirdos-turned-businessmen doing their best to remember the good old days; back then the idea of nostalgia hadn’t crossed and probably didn’t exist in their minds. Monday night the world did not end, and nobody was doing paperwork. Well, at least not in the Paramount.

[Photos by Brendan Flanagan]

The surprisingly normal Dweezil Zappa stood among a throng of ridiculously talented musicians as they dedicated a warm Colorado evening (and, seemingly, a good amount of their current lives) to recreating the music of Frank Zappa. It’s a daunting task, with the estimate of Zappa albums somewhere between 60 and 80 and a countless number of live performances to choose from, but each night the octet digs their heels into the linoleum and does a damn-near-perfect job of it.

As a dancer, Ben Thomas is no Rockette. But luckily that’s not his job. As a vocalist recreating the quizzical complexion of the elder Zappa’s singing, he is spot on with a talent for holding center stage. He’s also not a bad trumpet player, when the time is right. Alongside him is multi-instrumentalist Scheila Gonzalez, whose talent on keyboard, saxophone and flute is only over-shadowed by her diva-esque vocal range. While these two and Dweezil take the spotlight for the majority of the show, they could do nothing without the others. Pete Griffin on bass, guitarist Jamie Kime, drummer Joe Travers, keyboard and vocal extraordinaire Chris Norton and percussionist Billy Hulting were main reasons for multiple standing ovations throughout the night. READ ON for more of Jon’s take on Zappa Plays Zappa…

Everyone Orchestra @ Quixote’s True Blue – May 22

Watch the conductor! If ever there is question about where a song is going, these are the only words you need remember, whether you are part of the band or the audience. Matt Butler, founder and conductor of the Everyone Orchestra, knows what he wants and he gets it. Using a dry erase board, Butler directs his rotating group of musicians with phrases as broad as “simplify,” as inspired as “explode!” or as open-ended as “take it anywhere.” When he wants the crowd to join in (which is often), he’ll turn around and wave his hands in the air, or grab the microphone and start scatting, or he’ll sing a repeated line. Everyone follows.

[All photos by Laura James]

On Saturday night at Quixote’s True Blue, a Denver bar dedicated to the memory and spirit of Jerry Garcia, the Everyone Orchestra did all they could to live up to the free-wheelin’ musical spirit of the Grateful Dead. The seven-piece orchestra takes on a mind of its own, allowing every wave of inspiration to run its course, with Butler one step ahead of the game, jumping ecstatically into the air or calmly directing a beautiful crescendo.

The names you came to see on this night were obvious. Guitarist Steve Kimock sat coolly at center stage, standing occasionally, resting the guitar on his knee, and playing a mellow slide-guitar so calmly it’s as if he doesn’t even try. Keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth (String Cheese Incident), at stage right, mouthed along with the notes to every solo he played and could hardly control the smile on his face.

READ ON for more on the Everyone Orchestra @ Quixote’s…

Toots and the Maytals – Fox Theatre – Boulder, CO – 5/9/2010

It’s amazing that a reggae legend like Toots Hibbert could come to a weed-smoking college town, play a venue the size of an amateur grow operation, and not sell the place out weeks in advance. However, it’s not really surprising that at least 90% of the club was filled and clouded with smoke 20 minutes after the scheduled show time (but still a half hour before the show actually started). Apparently that’s how these things go in Boulder.

[Photo by Lee Abel]

Though he was raised an evangelical Christian, many of Toots’ lyrics focus on Rastafarian themes – a religion founded (in small part) on the idea that evil-society is white-dominated. Meanwhile, with the exception of a very select few, the only black people who came to celebrate this beautiful musical atmosphere were, ironically enough, on stage. But to say that this concert had anything to do with evil-society or anti-white beliefs would be an abomination. Times have changed, and the Rasta “way of life” – finding spirituality within yourself, and being one with the world – has generally been more important than any religious doctrine anyway.

As the band vamped, and Toots shook the hands of nearly every person in the front row, it was comforting to see that times have changed – all people can enjoy this music, and that is largely thanks to the work of the legend that took the stage this night. It takes an audience to make a show, and bobbing your head or singing along to a high melody can be far more unifying than identifying yourself by an ideology, and this could not have been made clearer than it was this past Sunday at the Fox Theatre in Boulder.

READ ON for more of Jon’s thoughts on Toots in Boulder…