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…
