Phat Phlog Blog

Splitlip Rayfield with The Magic Beans and Rayland Baxter

2012-01-31T23:23:00.000-07:00

To celebrate entering my 31^st year on this planetwe headed down to The Bluebird in Denver to catch Split Lip Rayfield. I had asolid crew consisting of Amy, my brother, and my best friend Ben. We grabbed aspot on the rail in the balcony as I roamed around taking photos. I love theBluebird; it is by far my favorite intimate venue in Denver. Good layout,awesome sightlines, amazing acoustics, and a great crew all combine to make anymusical experience at The Bluebird a good one. Living in Fort Collins, I don’tget down as often as I would like, but it’s always a pleasure when I make itback. Soon after we arrived Rayland Baxter Took the stage. Rayland was amustachioed troubadour from Nashville. Odessa Rose accompanied him on violinand backing vocals for most of his set. Baxter demonstrated an incredible sonicrange going from minimalist plucking to a full on audio assault. He was astoryteller and an acoustic bard. Rayland had an unusual knack for weaving songsout of observations, from his Mountain Song about living in the Rockies ofColorado to his interesting biopic entitled Willie’s Song. The highlight of hisset was a tragic tinged tune called The Cold Easy Life of a Loner. It was agreat albeit slower way to start the show.

The Magic Beans are anything but slow. Bringing a slew oftheir own fans with them, many in the crowd showed a level of enthusiasm rarelyseen for a local act. Hailing from Nederland The Magic Beans have begun tobuild a loyal fanbase that is willing to catch them up and down the FrontRange. A young band with a lot of potential they seem to be all over the mapwhen it comes to their sound. Ranging from Phishy jam to a Disco Biscuits styledance party. At times they drifted into a distinctly Dead tone, which I foundto be the best parts of their show. I will say this set of songs was verysimilar to their opening set for Elephant Revival I caught a few months back atThe Aggie, but that’s understandable given their youth. The Magic Beans haveenormous promise, and are already making waves in and around the Denver jamscene. Given the fact that they have had some solid opening slots and arefinding their way into festival lineups including the upcoming Snowball andPhibstock. I see good things in their future as they continue to develop theirstyle.

Split Lip Rayfield took the stage around 11 PM. This triofrom Witchita, Kansas was a rapid fire kick in the junk. With machine-gundelivery and an urgent take on traditional bluegrass, their sound was simplyinfectious. Often classified as cowpunk and appropriately so, Split LipRayfield is a punch bowl of all things bluegrass. The only thing for certainwas that this was not Del McCoury’s band. The Stitchgiver, a homemade onestring bass cobbled together from a 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis gas tank, is thebeating heart of SLR. Watching Eaton whack away at that single string may havebeen their most entertaining aspect of the show. One thing that cannot be overlookedwas just how much rhythm he produced with just one string. The show was Redbullbluegrass, like slamming an espresso in a musical shot glass. The crowd wasliterally whooping and hollering as their show got underway. The main elementthat they borrowed from punk besides their shredding delivery was thetwo-minute structure of many of their songs. If you didn’t like one of thetunes, it was okay because it would be over soon. This was not my experience, Ifound myself truly locked into what was happening on stage. After I got myphotos I headed back up to the balcony for the rest of the show. Split LipRayfield had a certain irreverence, with songs like A Little More CocainePlease and I Used To Know Your Wife, it was obvious that while they wereplaying seriously they were not taking themselves too serious.

Additional highlightsfrom the show included Movin’ To Virginia and Kiss of Death. They ended theshow just after 12:30. I was 31 and happy that my first show of this rotationaround the sun was Split Lip Rayfield. Having only caught the end of their seta couple years back at Red Rocks, it was great to see them playing for adedicated group of fans in this awesome venue. I would highly recommend toanyone who wants to have their face melted by a banjo, a mandolin, and aone-string gas tank to head out and see Split Lip Rayfield next time they makeit to town.

Phlog Post: Splitlip Rayfield with Magic Beans and Rayland Baxter 1-21-12

2012-01-31T20:26:00.000-07:00

Odessa Rose

Rayland Baxter

The Magic Beans

Splitlip Rayfield

Game 7 with Wisebird at Quixote's

2012-01-31T19:46:00.000-07:00

The long awaited two-night run of Game 7 was billed as theMusicMarauders Two Year Anniversary Celebration. Having been writing for MM forclose to a year now, which has been a great experience overall, I was veryexcited to join in the festivities. J-man covered the first night so I pickedup a few friends and headed down for night two.

I arrived early enough to catch a bit of Wisebird’s openingset. They were a foursome of wide brim hat wearing, bearded jammers who lookedlike they walked straight out of a Kerouac novel. Wisebird dabbled in bluesysong structures with a rockabilly twang. I would say the most striking thingabout their playing was the distinct cleanliness of their sound. While notnecessarily incredibly complex the music of Wisebird was tight and well thoughtout. They were an interesting juxtaposition for the night’s main event. Iheaded backstage with J-man for a quick interview with Magner before they tookthe stage around midnight.

This was the third outing of supergroup Game 7. A jam hybridwith Araon Magner of the Disco Biscuits, Michael Kang from String CheeseIncident, Particle’s rhythm section Darren Pujalet and Eric Gould, as well asPete Wall from the Motet. Playing together for only the third time live thisnascent collaboration showed incredible promise. As fans filtered in, many fromSTS9’s Fillmore show, shouts of Kang and Magner could be heard from theenthusiastic crowd. They openedwith an original jam entitled Multiball 2. Here is the rest of their setlist.

SET I: Multiball 2, Chicago> Mike’s Outro, Run Like Hell,La Femme, Time To Pretend, Howl At The Moon, Skyscrapper> MIA Jam> DaFunk> Feeling Older, Mind Over Matter, Neck Romancer, Come Together

ENCORE: Multiball 1

(Taken from onstage setlist.)

Game 7 was a fusing of styles as diverse as the members whomade up the group. With the often-subtle mannered Michael Kang playing bandleaderhe passed around the jam like a hot potato. Scantily clad Bisco chicks and a randomgirl dressed in a bear suit danced passionately as the band eased into theirtwo-plus hour set. It would have been easy for them to be an untz-fueledmonster given the Particle and Bisco backgrounds, but honestly they were afluid organic musical experience with an electronic edge. Their version of PinkFloyd’s Run Like Hell was an inspired take with a trance-y bridge before theywent right back into the tune to close. They performed a jam on MGMT’s Time ToPretend, which had been played the night previous. However given the fact thatthey are a newly assembled endeavor still working on original material it wasto be expected. The show flowed quickly with covers from Air, Daft Punk, aswell as a version of Disco Biscuits’ Neck Romancer.

The show was incrediblybalanced and it really displayed the musical prowess of everyone involved. It’scollaborations like this that reaffirm my faith in the jam scene. Unlike othermusical realms, the amazing talent of the members of this community allows themto play with anyone, anytime. On a Saturday night at Quixote’s we witnessedsome serious musical ability. Most notable of which may have been Pete Wall whoseemed to blast off about midset. He brought a new dynamic to his sound and wasvirtually evolving right before a captivated audience. Magner did what he doesbest all night killing it on the keys and adding his own sonic flair to thesound. Pujalet was a human metronome on the skins with Gould giving a pinpointprecision to his bass playing. They bookended the show with their Multiball 2jam finishing around 2:30 AM. As the crowd spilled out in the streets I smiledto myself knowing that I got to see this sick lineup at the beginning. Theyhave so much raw potential that I can only hope that they continue to find timeto play together in the future. Happy Anniversary to MusicMarauders and I lookforward to another amazing year of live music coverage.

Phlog Post: Game 7 with Wisebird

2012-01-28T16:40:00.001-07:00

Vlog Post: The Motet with Euforquestra NYE

2012-01-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

Euforquestra

The Motet with members of Euforquestra

Bonus Video
The Motet at The Aggie 12-31-11

The Motet and Euforquestra on New Year's Eve

2012-01-28T12:53:00.001-07:00

The Motet rang in 2012 with a funk-fueled extravaganzasupported by Euforquestra at the Aggie in Fort Collins. After hitting RailroadEarth’s show the night prior we were ready for a dance party in Fort Collins.We headed down to the show around 9 PM. The crowd was already gathering asEuforquestra took the stage soon after our arrival. They opened up with theirnow classic Cause A Reaction; here is the rest of the setlist.

SET I: Cause A Reaction, Road Funk, Feels Good, MelodyTruck, Free >Excuse O, Berrington / Brown Medley, Fool In The Rain>Soup> Fool In The Rain, Life During Wartime, Feel Together

Their set was a high-octane journey through funk, afrobeat,reggae, and jam. There was a palpable buzz around the music as the show began.People were ready to say goodbye to 2011 in a big way with one last hurrah.Lasting around an hour and half the opening set took on a headliner feel. Thetemperature of the room rose as the people packed in tightly. In fact by theend of the set it was practically impossible to move around comfortably. Thehighlight of their set was their Fool In The Rain Sandwich with Soup taking theplace of the beef. As the setlistindicated Life During Wartime was to be the close, but Euforquestra threw acherry on the sundae with Feel Together. I was very happy with their set and bythe end it was obvious they had made many new fans with this performance.

After a short equipment change The Motet took to the stagewith members of Euforquestra around 11:30 PM. Opting for one long set this two-hourplus journey through electro funk and jam was the perfect way to ring in theNew Year. They opened the show with Fela Kuti’s Expensive Shit. Here is therest of the setlist.

SET I: Expensive Shit, Afrodisco Beat> NYE Countdown, I’veGot That Boogie Fever, Power> Push> Power, Back In Love, Nemesis>Shakara, Shake Your Booty, Only So Much Oil, Roforofo Fight

ENCORE: Drop It In The Slot, Gas Money

The show might as well have been billed as Motequestrabecause that’s just what we witnessed. With the various members of Euforquestrabouncing on and off the stage The Motet were rarely playing alone. At times thehorn section swelled to five members giving a full brass sound to many of thejams throughout the evening. These bands compliment each other so well mainlybecause they are both immersed in afrobeat and funk but Euforquestra has enoughworld flair to juxtapose nicely to The Motet’s electro edge. The New Year’sCountdown came quickly and I raced back from the front fearing I wouldn’t find Amyin time. Luckily she was waiting on the stairs for me and we got to take theleap into 2012 together. After the rowdiness of the countdown the show broke downinto an all out dance-off. Arms flailed in the air as everyone shuffled forspace on the floor. The Nemesis into Shakara was the highlight of the show andagain demonstrated how deeply The Motet is interested in delivering the funk ina big way. The driving rhythm of Nemesis melted into the spacey afrobeat ofFela Kuti’s Shakara. About this time I was in the back corner and a fight brokeout. I grabbed one of the offenders as other concertgoers helped pull themapart. Just as the scuffle ended another patron jumped in, about this timesecurity showed up to escort them out. A couple of their girlfriends got intoit as well and one threw a full tallboy at the other before they too were takenoutside. People were just incredibly wasted and the tightness of the crowdprobably added to the flared tempers of these kids. They ended their set asthey began with yet another Fela Kuti tune. Roforofo Fight is another trackthat The Motet have pretty much adopted it as their own track and it was agreat way to close the show. Theyencored with the one two punch of Drop It In The Slot and Gas Money. Thepounding afrobeat and funky rhythms that permeated this show are the reason Isee both of these bands. When they team up it makes for an incredibleexperience, and I was happy to welcome 2012 with them. Happy New Year everybody,I’m looking forward to another year of amazing live experiences.

Phlog Post: The Motet with Euforquestra New Year's Eve

2012-01-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

Euforquestra

The Motet

Vlog Post: Railroad Earth with Kyle Hollingsworth and Dumptruck Butterlips 12-30-11

2012-01-07T17:54:00.000-07:00

Dumptruck Butterlips Video

Railroad Earth with Kyle Hollingsworth and Dumptruck Butterlips 12-30-11

2012-01-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

For the second time in two years I headed down to the Ogdento catch Railroad Earth for a night of their New Year’s run. Last year I sawthem with Great American Taxi on NYE, this year I headed down on the 30^thmainlybecause the show included a sit-in with Kyle Hollingsworth. Including my tripto Chicago this would be the fifth time in a month seeing Kyle live. Amy pickedme up from work and we headed out to a nice sushi dinner before heading over tothe box office. We hit up Pete’s Monkey Bar to catch a bit of the Phish livestream from MSG before walking back to The Ogden to see the opening act. On theMusicMarauders Live podcast Tim Carbone talked highly of Dumptruck Butterlipsso I figured we should get in early to catch them.

Hailing from Lawrence Kansas, this four-piece acoustic actwas interesting to say the least. Withan odd lineup consisting of three ladies on accordion, washboard, and uprightbass and a gentleman on guitar. The most striking element of DumptruckButterlips was their vocal harmonization. They had a Midwest hometown feel totheir sound. They sang about heavy drinking without fear of throwing an f-bombor two into their lyrics. At times musically they showed their freshness to thescene, but the overall effect of their performance was enjoyable. They finishedtheir set with Tim Carbone and Adam Goessling. They were a good choice for theopening act and a group I will keep an eye on in the future.

Railroad Earth came onto the stage around 9:30 PM. Kyle’skeys were set up but he waited a few numbers before making his way to his rig.They opened with a funky WalkBeside Me led by Andrew Altman on electric bass. Here is the rest of thesetlist from Archive.

SET I: Walk Beside Me, Lordy, Lordy, Bread andWater, Little Bit O' Me, Stillwater Getaway, The Hunting Song, Mourning Flies,Said What You Mean, Long Way To Go  

SET II: Old Man and the Land, Head> Will it GoRound in Circles, Bringin' My Baby Back Home, The Forecast> The Man WhoInvented Sin> Mighty River> Like a Buddha, Elko  

Encore: I've Just Seen a Face, Bird in a House

Note: Kylejoined on The Hunting Song and stayed for the remainder of the show.

The audiencerecording is available on ARCHIVE, thanks to Gerry Gladu for posting.

The first stetebbed and flowed as far as the energy level was concerned. The 16 and up agelimit made for an interesting mix in the crowd. From screaming x-handed noobsto old deadheads the fanbase was as diverse as the music performed. The rollingand tumbling Lordy, Lordy got everyone’s juices flowing. The Bread and Watersucceeded keeping the vibe at a fever pitch before the Little Bit O’ Medeflated the room a bit. Musically Railroad Earth sounded as tight as I’ve seenthem, but without the urgency of their opening set at Red Rocks this summer.They meandered into the show with a confidence and comfort often reserved fornight two of three nights run. Carbone played the fiddle beautifully onStillwater Getaway jumping back and forth between an almost symphonicpresentation and an outright hoedown. Kyle Hollingsworth took his place at thekeys on The Hunting Song. Kyle added the ragtime feel of an old-timey saloon.Inherently there are certain gaps in RRE’s sound; them being a Newgrass band,Kyle’s keys filled them in nicely. It was great to see Andrew Altman reallystepping it up on bass. He alternated between electric and standup and reallyseemed to be finding his footing in the band. I was also truly impressed withSheaffer’s vocals, which went from clean and crisp to almost Dylanesque as inSaid What You Mean. They closed the set with a raucous sing-along on Long WayTo Go.

The second setoverall had a much more consistent flow and vibe. Railroad eased into set twowith a bouncy and scenic Old Man and the Land before ripping into a massive 18minute Head. The jamming showed some serious tightness and ability from all ofthe members including Kyle. Everyone was ready to lock in and take the ride.They ripped into a Kyle-led version of Billy Preston’s Will It Go Round inCircles. The haunting melody of The Forecast segued into the instrumental TheMan Who Invented Sin. The Mighty River went quickly before RRE exploded into apowerful Like A Buddha. Againg clocking in at over 18 minutes this was by farthe highlight of the entire show. They closed the second set with an equallystrong Elko. It was like the band just turned on the turbo boosters on the lastfour songs of the show.

They encoredwith a quick I’ve Just Seen a Face and fun Bird in a House. The crowd lefthappy and energized from this stellar show. While the first set came on slower,the second set, particularly the end, more than made up for it. As we exitedinto the cold night of Denver we were stoked on the whole experience. RailroadEarth has a habit of performing remarkably. They have such a strong fanbase andhave continued to play exceptional shows out on the Front Range that I seenothing but good things for them. I was happy to catch a night of RRE’s NewYear’s run and would recommend that everyone do the same. However it was timeto head home because I opted to see The Motet and Euforquestra for New Year’sEve in Fort Collins. That would prove to be another solid choice.

Phlog Post: Railroad Earth with Kyle Hollingsworth and Dumptruck Butterlips 12-30-11

2012-01-07T17:27:00.000-07:00

Dumptruck Butterlips

Railroad Earth

MusicMarauders Live Podcast Episode 3

2011-12-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

Here is our third installment of MusicMarauders Live. It's a little long but it's definitely worth the listen. We have interviews with members of The Contribution, The Motet, and Cornmeal. We discuss upcoming New Year's runs, Scalping, Leftover Salmon's Thanksgiving run and much, much more. Let me know what you think.

MusicMarauders Live! (Episode: 003) by Musicmarauders Live! on Mixcloud

Vlog Post: Garage A Trios at The Aggie 12-15-11

2011-12-23T00:11:00.001-07:00

Garage A Trios at The Aggie 12/15/11

2011-12-23T00:06:00.000-07:00

Garage A Trois is a super group of epic proportions. Skerik, Mike Dillon, Stanton Moore, and Marco Benevento come together as an all out audio assault on any music fan brave enough to witness them live. What began by Moore as a side project to his main gig
with Galactic has truly transformed over the years. Originally created with Charlie Hunter on guitar playing a few dates a year has continued with Benevento as a still somewhat rare live experience. Mainly because of a solid relationship between Scoo, the owner of The Aggie, and Skerik, we are lucky enough to get to see this project on a somewhat regular basis. I caught them last year with Zobomaze opening at Cervantes but saw the original lineup many years ago at the inaugural Bonnaroo.

The show began with Scoo giving an introduction that sounded like an extended inside joke with the members of GAT taking the stage in their signature tracksuits. What followed was some of the most aggressive and sometimes scary music I have seen in a long time. Individually they are so good, but together they use their powers for evil. By that I mean it really is such high-energy attack on the senses. Musically ranging from jazz infused funk to dissident smash jam, the range of what’s going on with each musician is absolutely mind boggling. Skerik blasted off in between some of his signature facial expressions and the combination of Dillon and Moore's percussive talents was something that falls into the “have to experience live” category. Focusing mainly on instrumental jams that even the most stalwart metal head would find impressive, Garage A Trios literally slayed the audience with sound. Other than one Scoo-led rendition of what can only be lightly described as Zeppelin’s "Immigrant Song" and some guttural chants from Skerik and Dillon GAT maintained their instrumental approach.

With powerful bowel shaking bass coming from the percussion and Benevento’s keyboard at times both Amy and I had to retreat to the back of the venue. The onslaught was nonstop throughout the two sets we were treated to at The Aggie. It was one of the most enjoyable live experiences I’ve had since moving to Fort Collins. The main reason has to do with the fact that seeing GAT puts you out of your comfort zone. It’s such a powerful live experience that it can’t help but leave an impression and shift your expectations of what constitutes seeing live music. I look forward to their inevitable return to the Front Range.

Phlog Post: Garage A Trios at The Aggie 12/15/11

2011-12-22T23:53:00.000-07:00

String Cheese Incident at The Aragon 12-10-11

2011-12-22T23:23:00.000-07:00

After two incredible nights of music at The Aragon and a greatafternoon with Family Groove Company at Kyle’s Brew Fest, it was finally timefor the tour closer. I had been looking forward to this night for quite sometime. There is no question that this show would be quintessential Cheese andone last chance to rage with my favorite jamgrass band. We arrived a bitearlier so as not to have to deal with the massive line we experienced thenight prior. Due to the fact that I hadn’t gotten many shots of Kyle, Travis,and Hann I borrowed Mikey’s camera because it had a longer lens so I could makeit happen. They opened with a song I called as the opener on the first night"Johnny Cash." Here is the complete setlist from Friends of Cheese.

SET I: Johnny Cash, Rollover, Sometimes, ARiver, Pack It Up, Black And White, Colliding, Smile  

SET II: Drums, Rivertrance, Howard, Way That ItGoes, Barstool, Desert Dawn> BollyMunster> Desert Dawn  

ENCORE: Land’s End  

SECOND ENCORE: Restless Wind  

You can download the recording on ARCHIVE. Thanks to Peter Coffan for posting.

This show was classic and contained much of what got me into SCI inthe first place. I shot my photos during the first two songs and my last nightin the pit seemed to fly by. I thanked Megan from Madison House for gettingMusicMarauders down there and made my way out to the rest of my friends for onemore night of fun. Moseley took the reigns on "Sometimes A River,"beautifully bringing the initial energy down a peg, but with good reason. Theboys from Colorado brought the funky goodness out with "Pack It Up,"Kyle just killing it on the keys the whole way through. Kang showed the overlypacked crowd what he could do on "Black And White."   The flashinglights from the stage blazed across the crowd who bobbed back and forth to thebeat. Some of the most amazing views of the entire run were seen from thebalcony, giving a bird’s eye perspective to the stage and the people. "TheColliding," which is a new tune, and something I got to see KyleHollingsworth Band perform back on the Front Range. However Cheese just took itto a whole new level as they continued to do with any solo songs that make itinto their rotation. I think this song could be a powerhouse tune for years tocome. They ended set one with a stellar Billy led "Smile" givingeveryone something to well… smile about.

The second set may have been the best set of the music for the entirerun. Hann and Travis came out for "Drums" leading the charge so tospeak. The "Rivertrance" went in to untzy territory but that is to beexpected with this song. "Howard" went all super space funk causingan all out dance party to break out. Kyle again took the helm on "Way ThatIt Goes," which ironically I had seen Kyle play at Brew Fest earlier thatday. I didn’t take it personally considering they were two totally differentinterpretations of the song. Before breaking into "Barstool," Nershiacknowledged that his daughter was in attendance and dedicated the song to her.The highlight of the whole show for me was the set closing "DesertDawn" into the new track "BollyMunster" back into "DesertDawn." I remember commenting that the "Desert Dawn" was going todark places. Basically it was like experience an entire 24-hour period in athree-song suite with "BollyMunster" representing the darkest depthsof night.   String Cheese came back with a double encore including a sublime"Land’s End." The "Restless Wind" was appropriate given thefact that it was the Roots Run Deep tour and also that it bookended the entirerun. They started where they began back at The Fox in November, but musicallythey had come a long way.  

My overall experience in Chicago was intense admiration coupled with aserious feeling of gratitude for this wonderful band from the mountains. StringCheese Incident has represented a lot to me over the years and as lights dimmedon my 30th show with them I knew it has all been worth it. It’s taken them morethan a couple years since they called it quits to truly get back into thegroove. I can honestly say that they are back. Beefy jams combined withseriously strong execution have proven to me they are most definitely worth thetrip. With five shows in just three days, meeting a ton of new people, hangingwith some dear friends, shooting all three nights, and dancing whenever I hadthe chance, I could say that Chicago gave me my fill. I was ready to head backhome with a newly reinvigorated love for the Cheese and a powerful happinessdeep to my core. I look forward to the next time we meet on the dance floor.Winter Carnival anyone?

Phlog Post: String Cheese Incident at The Aragon 12/10/11

2011-12-22T23:08:00.000-07:00

Kyle's Brew Fest Chicago with Family Groove Company

2011-12-22T22:16:00.000-07:00

So having been to the first two Brew Fests hosted by KyleHollingsworth I knew I couldn’t miss the third in Chicago. This was the finaleto Kyle’s Hop On Tour, which began at the pair of KHB shows out on the FrontRange. It all benefitted Boulder based nonprofit Conscious Alliance. He hadbeen giving out golden tickets in posters throughout the tour for anopportunity to share a beer with Kyle at setbreak. As well as hosting meet andgreets at breweries around the country. This was a chance for everyone to getin on the fun. We arrived and tookin the layout. It was a decent sized room and the fest featured twelve craftbreweries including Stone, Magic Hat, and my old hometown microbrewer BentRiver.

The afternoon also included a two set show by local jampowerhouse Family Groove Company. FGC started the first with their classicbrand of Janis fueled funk. Theyhave an interesting integration of both instrumental songs and Jordan Wilkowlead jazzy numbers. They opened with Movin' and Groovin' which is absent from the recoding. Here is the rest of the setlist from Archive.

SET I: Movin' and Groovin', Tutear, She Might Get Warm, All Blues, Falling Off The Fence, Taxman*, Song in the Key of BEER*> Way That It Goes*, Let's Go Outside*, Will It Go Round In Circles

SET II: Quantico, VA, Ready Fire Aim, Get Outta My Life, Through With Tomorrow, Subterranean Homesick Blues

*with Kyle Hollingsworth

You can listen to the recording on ARCHIVE. Thanks to Cody Hansen for posting.

I was impressed with FGC's musicianship all around. I hadseen them several times back in my college days but due to the fact that theyrarely make it out to Colorado now it has been a while since I’ve caught themlive so I’m a little rusty on their solo setlist. I can tell you that theystraight jammed and brought a power and dynamic that turned the heads of theboozy patrons and quickly transformed the room into an all out dance party.Kyle came to the keys as Jordan stepped down. Taking the lead Kyle opened uphis portion of the show with a Taxman jam. Kyle is pretty much always in a goodmood at his beer fests and today was no exception. He busted out his nowclassic Song In The Key of Beer and segued nicely into a rocked out version ofWay That It Goes. It was an interesting change up from not only the KHB versionbut also what SCI has been doing with this song on the Roots Run Deep tour.Additional highlights included a funky version of Let’s Go Outside and aset-closing take on Billy Preston’s Will It Go Round In Circles. Kyle bid adieuas he obviously had places to be.

At setbreak I wandered over to check out ConsciousAlliance’s silent auction. They had a ton of awesome gear on hand includingsigned posters, a Summer Camp running jacket, and an autographed copy of moe.’sSmash Hits CD.

Family Groove Company cameout for another set as the room slowly cleared with kids that had gotten warmlydrunk on the high ABV beer selections. They closed their show with a funked outSubterranean Homesick Blues. It was truly a fun afternoon, which againreaffirmed my belief that this is a not to be missed event. Whenever they offerup a chance at a Kyle’s Brew Fest I just jump on it because they are alwayssuch a blast. I would suggest that if one comes to venue near you, go. As weheaded home to get ready for one more night of String Cheese we were left withwarm feelings and happy thoughts. Thanks for yet another great event Kyle.

Phlog Post: Kyle's Brew Fest Chicago with Family Groove Company

2011-12-22T21:56:00.000-07:00

String Cheese Incident at The Aragon 12-9-11

2011-12-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

We arrived for night two at the Aragon to a massive line as peopleslowly filtered in. I was a bit worried about missing the pit, but I got inquickly and made my way up front. It was obvious the luxurious space weexperienced on night one was nowhere to be found. Fuzzy people literally oozedoff the floor in all directions. There were more photogs shooting the band, butstill plenty of room to maneuver. String Cheese came out with a Kang fueled"Best Feeling" to get the night started. Here is the complete setlistfrom Friends of Cheese.

SET I: Best Feeling> Eat My Dust, Doin’ MyTime, So Far From Home, MLT, Born On The Wrong Planet, Way Back Home, Bumpin’Reel  

SET II: Rosie> Bonafied Lovin’, Las Vegas,These Waves> Drifting, It Is What It Is, This Must Be The Place (NaïveMelody), Colorado Bluebird Sky  

ENCORE: Kashmir> Whiskey Before Breakfast*  

*Mislabeled on FOC  

You can download the audience recording on ARCHIVE. Thanks to Peter Coffan for posting.

SCI continued to sound incredibly tight and primed from their weeks onthe road for yet another night in the Windy City. We seemed to get an extendedphoto session in the pit before we were told our time was up. I roamed to theback and mingled a bit before I found Mikey and we tried to find space on thefloor. As I stated previously the place was absolutely packed and even scootingin on the back of the floor seemed impossible. "My Time" was tight,but the "So Far From Home" seemed like a cognoscente reference to howfar they’ve come in the last few weeks and perhaps a nod to the fact that theywould be heading back to Colorado soon. The "BOTWP" was executednicely and featured a solid jam with Kang taking the lead. "The Way BackHome" was clean and probably another reference for their readiness to beback with their respective families. Travis busted out his snappiest of beatsfor an untzy "Bumpin’ Reel" to close the first set.

They began thesecond set in a big way with what had been dubbed as the "Rosieo,"it’s a combo of Kyle’s Rosie and the Chromeo tune, "Bonafied Lovin’."We got a preview of this jam at Kyle Hollingsworth Band with Kang in FortCollins, but obviously seeing String Cheese pull this off bumped it up to awhole new level. The "Las Vegas" got dark and gritty and just blew meaway. The visuals featured projections of the Vegas sign with red lightsbouncing around the ecstatic crowd. "These Waves in Drifting" was abit of an energy drain, but I found the minimalist jamming to be special in itsown way. I was stoked on the Kyle led "This Must Be The Place," whichis probably my favorite Talking Heads cover. They closed the second set with ahuge "Colorado Bluebird Sky." It’s been interesting to watch thistune evolve into a massive jam vehicle, moving so far beyond its bluegrassroots that at times it was almost unrecognizable.

String Cheese encored with atight "Kashmir" that dissolved into a whompy jam before they seguedinto a beautiful instrumental version of "Whiskey Before Breakfast."It was another solid show that pushed on until almost midnight. The over-sizedcrowd poured out on the cold streets and the harsh wake-up call of the cold airmade steam rise off the Cheeseheads. I couldn't be happier with theirperformances thus far and am more than pumped to finish it all up on nightthree.

Phlog Post: String Cheese Incident at The Aragon 12-9-11

2011-12-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

Sexfist at The House of Blues 12-8-11

2011-12-21T21:36:00.000-07:00

After a great night of music we decided that we just hadn’thad enough. Mikey and I got dropped off at the House of Blues for Sexfist. Alsoknown as the Henhouse Prowlers this group of bluegrass dynamos brought the heatto their SCI after show. As the snow began to fall we entered the nearly emptyclub. Luckily for us they hadn’t started yet. Within a few minutes of ourarrival we watched as four gentlemen dressed in suits saunter out onto thestage. They eased into the show demonstrating their prowess on the strings.Fast picking and solid harmonizing seem to be the hallmark of this band. As theroom slowly filled up never reaching more than about fifty or so souls I feltlucky to be there and witnessing this great music. Heavily immersed in the oldtimey sounds, they also brought a freshness and zeal that made for a trulyinteresting experience.

Highlights fromthe show included a zipping version of Mr. Charlie that kicked off the dust onthe show weary crowd. Additional highlights from the show included Old HomePlace, Midnight Moonlight. A mix of classics, covers, and original pickingtunes what we witnessed at The House of Blues. For their encore the band walkedoff the stage and played unplugged. They treated us to a sweet version of I’mBlue I’m Lonesome before calling it a night in the wee hours of the morning.This was my first time seeing this group and I was truly impressed with theentire package. From their attire to their pick of venue to their overallstyle, this show was the gem in the doughnut of my weekend in Chicago.

Phlog Post: Sexfist at The House of Blues 12-8-11

2011-12-21T21:31:00.001-07:00

String Cheese Incident at The Aragon 12-8-11

2011-12-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

After months of anticipation the date had finally arrived. It was timefor a Cheesy get down in the Windy City. I flew out the night before andenjoyed some of the amazing food this wonderful place has to offer beforeloading up in the car with some dear friends and hitting the Lot. We arrivedright around 7 PM, which didn’t give us much time to wander around beforeheading inside. The room was loosely packed as we found a spot Kyle side and Ileft my friends to get to the pit to snap some pictures. There was an electricenergy in the room as people began to fill in the gaps. These were the Cheesefaithful many of whom were set for the entire tour-closing run. Billy did thepreshow calisthenics jumping up and down before the capacity crowd. The boysfrom Colorado began the night with a spicy Birdland, here is the rest of thesetlist from Friends of Cheese.  

SET I: Birdland, Lost, Song In My Head, LesterHad A Coconut, Sirens, Galactic> Just One Story  

SET II: Search, Give Me The Love> LonesomeFiddle Blues, Emma’s Dream> The Might Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo),Impressions> Let’s Go Outside  

ENCORE: Valley Of The Jig  

The download is on ARCHIVE. Thanks to Kelly Casey for posting.

As you can tell by the setlist, this was some classic SCI. Theaudience was jumping around in pure jam-fueled ecstasy as they got underway.They sounded as tight as I’ve heard them since they’ve been back. It’s amazingwhat a few weeks on the road can do to shake off the dust. String Cheese hasbeen on a steady climb with solid performances at Electric Forest and Bonnaroothis year however this is the first time they’ve done a tour of any sorts sincethey took a break in 2007.

The newish Nershi tune, "Song In My Head,"had a Dead twang to it and really got the crowd moving. "Lester" wasstellar but the highlight of the first set was the "Galactic" into"Just One Story". The set seemed to fly by even though they weretaking their time with the jams.   The Aragon looked good as the colorfulfanbase mingled during the setbreak. It had been five years since I had caughta show at this venue. I wandered around talking to friends when I realized thatthe room looked a lot better than it did during my last visit.   String Cheesecame back on stage with a powerful "Sirens" as Moseley drove the buskeeping the group in sync. The "Emma’s Dream" into "Mighty Quinn"was the peak of the whole show confirming for me that the magic is still verymuch alive with String Cheese. They came back for the encore with a rowdy"Valley of the Jig" that got a little untzy at times but managed tostay true to it’s grass roots. I was hoping for another song to close the showbut with two nights left to play, the name of the game was to leave us wantingmore. We left the show feeling great and as the snow started to fall in thebreezy Chicago night I looked forward to a couple more shows. But first wegrabbed a ride over to The House of Blues for some Sexfist...

Phlog Post: String Cheese at The Aragon 12-8-11

2011-12-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

String Cheese Incident in Chicago December 8th, 9th, & 10th, 2011

2011-12-04T22:32:00.001-07:00

Well for the first time since their return the String CheeseIncident is taking it to the road with an extended tour. Up until now they havedone select dates at various venues mainly in Colorado. The Roots Run Deep tourhas taken the band through the south and up the east coast before it willdeposit them in the Midwest this weekend. All reports from the road have beenpretty positive, and I personally look forward to catching the tour-closing runat The Aragon. With a minimum of repeats thus far and sitins from Sam Bush,Stuart Duncan, and Andy Hall in Nashville the tour looks great. As any fan knowtour closers add a level of intensity and act as a culmination of the entirerun, which is just one more reason these Aragon shows will be pure fire.

Keep up on all the setlists at Friends of Cheese.

Tickets for Friday and Saturday are sold out, but you canstill get tickets for Thursday on ETIX.

As an added bonus Kyle is hosting yet another Brew Fest inChicago featuring a collaboration between himself and Family Groove Company.The combination of Kyle and Janis will definitely be something worth seeing.Not to mention the 12 craft breweries on site, unlimited tastings, and a silentauction benefiting Conscious Alliance. And while we are on the subjectConscious Alliance has done posters for every night of the run and Kyle hasbeen inserting a Golden Ticket that gets you backstage for a setbreak beer withthe man himself. So be sure to bring you canned food to donate and get yourchance at this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Tickets and Info for Kyle’s Brew Fest are HERE.

My goal this time around is to be posting my reviews thenext day after the show including pictures. Of course my Saturday post may notget up until Monday or Tuesday due to the fact that I will be traveling back toColorado, but I want to get these up as soon as possible so that the people athome who are following on couch tour will get the content quickly.

So stay tuned to MusicMarauders during the run and alsofollow me on Twitter as I will be tweeting my observations live from the shows.

https://twitter.com/#!/PhatPhlogBlog

See you in Chicago!

Vlog Post: Leftover Salmon with Head For The Hills 11-26-11

2011-12-02T23:09:00.001-07:00

Leftover Salmon with Head For The HIlls 11-26-11

2011-12-02T22:10:00.001-07:00

I’ve been touting the reemergence and reinvigoration of LeftoverSalmon for months. It was obvious after seeing them on their River Run thissummer that any sign of burning out or winding down was a distant memory forthe members of LoS. I was again reminded of how far they’ve come at their showon Saturday at The Ogden.

I headed down early to get a good spot for some shots andended up hanging out on the rail for most of the show. Head For The Hillsopened up the night with a string filled bang. I just want to start off bysaying that Matt Lowen is the Bassnectar of bluegrass, holding down the rhythmwith his thick licks and nasty bass bombs. He was most definitely driving thebus. Now I’ve had the pleasure of seeing H4TH a few times but when they arrivedonstage adorned in their tracksuits and screaming out, “Turkey Sweat” to therapidly growing crowd I knew we were in for a treat. They took this runseriously, which is evident in the tape from Kind Recordings.

You can listen to it on ARCHIVE, thanks to Corey forposting.

It is shows like this that just fill my heart with so muchgoodness it is simply impossible to wipe the smile from my face. As I wassnapping pictures I found myself pausing just to soak up all the righteousnessoozing out of the band in front of me. They have this indescribable mix ofbeing both current and yet old-timey. Their contemporary take on the classicand ability to harmonize so well is what sets them apart from other bluegrassacts touring today. They opened with a beautiful One Foot In The Grave thatshowed everyone what is possible vocally with Head For The Hills. They performedmassive version of My Angelie, which has to be my favorite jamming vehicle oftheirs. Beautiful and musically perfect versions of Peter Gabriel’s SolsburyHill and Pink Floyd’s Fearless were highlights from their set as well. JoeLessard’s fiddle was both powerful and subtle as he traded main vocal dutieswith Adam Kinghorn. They each took turns with hand-blurring solos as theyripped through their repertoire. By the end of the set my head was spinningfrom what I was witnessing. Mike Chappell on mandolin was the glued that heldit all together as he at times held back and at other times literally made theearth move. They closed their set with Ray Charles’ Unchain My Heart, whichtook on a tone that was both unexpected and crispy. Once again Head For TheHills showed us why the are Colorado’s best bluegrass band two years running(as decided by the Westword) and why they are a not to miss show. ThisThanksgiving I was thankful that they were on this run with Salmon.

It was time for the main event, which as a two setextravaganza from the one and only Poly Ethnic Cajun Slamgrass outfit from themountains of Colorado, Leftover Salmon. They opened with a rowdy Carnival Time that just set the mood for whatwas about to go down. Here is the rest of the setlist from Kind Recordings.

SET I: Carnival Time, Gold Hill Line, Gonna Have A Party,Shenandoah Valley Breakdown, 44 Blues, The Highway Song, Danger Man*, SheCaught The Kay*, RIP Michigan Mike, Down In The Hollow

SET II: AllNight Ride, I’m Gonna Live High Till I Die, High On A Mountain Top, Almost CutMy Hair, Troubled Times> Ask The Fish, Last Days of Autumn, Jokester, Bill’sBoogie, Out In The Woods, Whipping Post> God Save The Queen

ENCORE: Nobody’s Fault But Mine**

*Silas Herman on mandolin

**Silas Herman on acoustic guitar, Joe Lessard on fiddle

Here is the Kind Recording from Corey on ARCHIVE.

I guess let me start by personally saying sorry to JoseMartinez. I’ve been giving him guff mainly because I felt he has had a few weakoutings with the band in the last couple years, and when Wally Ingram sat inwith the band for the River Run I honestly felt like they were making atransition. That being said he was on point the entire evening and reallyshowed me what he is capable of with Salmon. So from me to you Jose nice work,keep it up sir. Going on I really do feel that Andy has just kicked this bandinto high gear. I don’t know that if in my twenty or so Salmon shows I’ve everseen Vince and Drew so happy and obviously energized. They are always fun butthere was something different this time, I kept catching Vince smiling as hewatched Andy play and the energy between Drew and Vince was electric all nightlong. The Shenandoah ValleyBreakdown showed some seriously fast picking and the 44 Blues lead by BillMcKay gave everyone a chance to catch their breath as we grooved away to hiscrunchy vocals. Vince likes to tell stories while he is performing; he is verymuch a bard in that way. He informed the crowd that since the band was now 21and of age following last year’s 20^th anniversary celebrations thatthey would be doing some extended touring and start work on a new album.

“See if we can get some more Salmon running around thecountry all over the place. Both in the water and on the highway.” –VinceHerman

Drew belted it out beautifully on Highway Song againdemonstrating why he is so important to the Salmon sound. Few people give mechills when they sing live like Drew consistently does whenever I see him play.Vince’s son Silas came onstage for Danger Man and She Caught The Katy, which werehuge highlights of the first set. After dedicating the show to Michigan Mike the previous night Vince tooka moment to honor him and announced a show at The Stage Stop the next night.His hope was that the music would help the start to heal the community ofNederland after this tragic loss. They finished the first set with another Drewtune, Down In The Hollow.

They started the set teasing Louie Louie before ripping intoAll Night Ride. Again this shows their playfulness and happiness to be playingtogether in this band. Bill McKay again took vocals on David Crosby’s AlmostCut My Hair. Now I’ve seen them cover this track but this version just blastedoff. A couple times it almost felt like they were teasing Whipping Post beforeit broke down into a reggae-infused Vince led pick off. The Troubled Times wasstunning but things got weird during Ask The Fish. With the band taking on anethereal Doors-esque jam, Vince gave us a soliloquy about how was face to facewith a fish the was roughly the size of the room. The crowd became the amebason the mouth of this giant fish asking them to act it out for him. Using around glow stick that had been tossed onstage earlier as a prop to signify abubble. It was a fun moment to say the least.

“How many of you feel more like you now than you didyesterday? That’s progress.” –Vince Herman

Bill’s Boogie was fun, but the highlight of the show was theset-closing Whipping Post into God Save The Queen. They encored with a huge Nobody’s Fault But Mine invitingJoe Lessard from H4TH and Silas back out for an extended picking session. Thisshow again reaffirmed my belief that Leftover is back to their old self. Afterthe loss of Mark Vann they had some growing pains and it took years for them toget back to this place. I can safely say that they are ready for the road aheadand I look forward to swimming upstream with them for years to come.

Phlog Post: Leftover Salmon with Head For The Hills 11-26-11

2011-11-30T21:21:00.001-07:00

Concious Alliance Print

Head For The Hills

Head For The Hills with Andy Thorn

Leftover Salmon

Vlog Post: Kyle Hollingsworth Band with Micheal Kang

2011-11-27T14:50:00.001-07:00

Kyle Hollingsworth Band with Roster McCabe

2011-11-27T13:03:00.001-07:00

It was just a great decision to head out to Hodi’s on aFriday night in Fort Collins. The weather was nice and Amy and I rode our bikesdown to Old Town for some Kyle infused goodness. We had been waiting for wellover a month for this show. It was the official kickoff of Kyle’s Hop On Tour2011, which is a series of events throughout String Cheese Incident’s upcomingrun and culminating with a Kyle’s Brew Fest in Chicago. At Hodi’s Kyle broughthis collaboration with Odell’s Brewery entitled Thrilla In Vanilla, which was asmoky but sweet vanilla porter. Ifound it to be quite clean and refreshing.

When we finally got inside Roster McCabe was finishing uptheir opening set. They were like thrash jam juxtaposed against the harmoniousvocals of Alex Steele. Roster McCabe hails from the frozen tundra of Minnesota.They are a diverse mix of reggae, funk and rock. Performing as agroove-oriented band with strong musicianship they focus on the performance andbringing a strong energy to their live experience. I was impressed with theirsound and felt like they were a great choice for the opening slot.

Kyle Hollingsworth Band is perhaps my favorite String Cheeseside project and the addition of Michael Kang is like having your cake andeating it too. Kyle came out sans Kang and said to Watts, Sayers, and Schwindt,“We’re just gonna jam,” before ripping into a funky tune that quickly brokeinto I Can’t Win. Here is the rest of the setlist from Archive.

SET I: I Can’tWin, Latin Jam, Let’s Go Outside, Stay Through, Funk Jam, Boo Boo’s Pik-A-Nik

SET II: Rosie>Bonified Lovin’, Soul Revolution, Piece OfMine, New Song?, Ordinary, The Way That It Goes

ENCORE: Ramble On, I Can’t Win

(Setlist may be incorrect or incomplete)

Thanks to Eric Wilkens for posting the recoding which youcan listen to HERE.

Kang came out for the Latin Jam and quickly showed theaudience why he is the gravy on the mashed potatoes that is Kyle HollingsworthBand. I got the lowdown that withthe SCI upcoming tour Kang really didn’t have much time to practice with Kyle.It didn’t matter. He jumped right in with both feet and nailed it. Bringing out a couple of SCI songs thisshow did a lot to invigorate the crowd. Both Boo Boo’s Pik-A-Nik was a blastbut the highlight of the first set was the transcendental jamming that showedthe extreme musical prowess of everyone on stage. The Motet rhythm section ofDave Watts and Garrett Sayers in combination with Dan Schwindt, Kyle and Kangwas just a sight to behold.

The second set began with an explosion when Kyle ripped uphis new tune Rosie into Chromeo’s Bonified Lovin’. It was perhaps the high pointof the show but their was so much more music to see. Kang busted out some morelyrics on Soul Revolution. Kang’s singing is an acquired taste but give my loveof Cheese he hits the notes and his vocal duties with KHB were spot on.Ordinary, which had a more electro-pop feel in the recently released recording,had a harder edge with a snappier beat. They end the set with a nice Way ThatIt Goes.

The encore of Led Zeppelin’s Ramble On was the unexpectedtreat of the evening. Musically they just nailed it, and I was on Cloud 9 atthis point. They bookended the show with I Can’t Win to wrap up the show. Itwas a great concert and a great way to start the Hop On Tour. With StringCheese Incident about to jump on the road for their first extended tour since theirreturn from hiatus this was a great way to get Kyle and Kang’s creative juiceflowing. Stay tuned for J-man’s coverage of night two of the run at Cervante’s.

Phlog Post: Kyle Hollingsworth Band with Roster McCabe

2011-11-27T12:08:00.001-07:00

Roster McCabe

Kyle Hollingsworth Band with Michael Kang

Leftover Salmon’s Thanksgiving Run at The Ogden

2011-11-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

This has been a year of redemption for Leftover Salmon. Theyhave truly landed on the same page in a big way. With the addition of AndyThorn on banjo and the recent inclusion of Wally Ingram on the kit, LoS hasfound new life and a reinvigoration for their sound. I have caught them twicethis year including a night at The Mish on their River Run and they have continuedto build musically. So I was extremelyexcited to hear them announce two nights with Head For The Hills at The Ogdenin Denver to celebrate Thanksgiving. Here are the dates.

Friday November 25, 2011 Doors at 8 PM

Saturday November 26, 2011 Doors at 8 PM

Leftover Salmon is also hosting a food drive with ConsciousAlliance. Bringing in ten cans of food or more will get you a commemorativeevent poster. This is sure to be asolid two-night run in Denver from the one and only Poly Ethnic Cajun Slamgrassband. Tickets are on sale now andyou can purchase them at http://www.axs.com/denver-co/as well as the Ogden box office. MusicMarauders will be covering both nights so stay tuned and we’ll seeyou at the at both shows.

Vlog Post: Cornmeal at The Aggie in Fort Collins

2011-11-20T21:10:00.001-07:00

\

Magic Beans Video

Cornmeal with Magic Beans at The Aggie

2011-11-20T21:04:00.001-07:00

Cornmeal decided to make yet another pilgrimage to the greatstate of Colorado before 2011 wound its way down the drain of life. They weredoing a two night run hitting The Aggie and The Fox before gearing up for theirDecember run on the east coast. Igot a chance to sit down with Wavy Dave and Chris Gangi from Cornmeal beforethe show. It was a greatconversation about everything from their new release of Live In Chicago Volume2 and their upcoming studio album to Summer Camp and New Year’s runs. It was anenlightening talk and we will be featuring some our conversation in video formas well as on our MusicMarauders Live podcast next month.

Magic Beans who currently call Boulder their home are aneclectic mix of all things jam. I listened to some of their tracks onlinebefore the show and I was struck by their prowess with acoustic songs. At theAggie it was immediately apparent that they were young. They had solidmusicianship but other than their Rocky Top opener they seemed to stray awayfrom the sound that had drawn me to them in the first place. I will say thattheir second song Band Camp was like a washing machine full of jam on the spincycle. It was a fifteen-minute opus that showed the wide variety of theirskills. They ended their set some Bisco sounding playing that given the factthat they were opening for Cornmeal seemed a bit out of place. Given the factof their age I was impressed with their musicianship and I look forward toseeing them evolve as a group. With a little more focus they could powerfulforce on the jam circuit.

Cornmeal took the Aggie stage around 10:45 PM and jumpedinto a high-energy hoedown that was like watching a bluegrass volcano eruptbefore my eyes. Cornmeal always brings the heat in Colorado, something aboutthe altitude or the water out here just inspires them musically. They havebecome so well known out here as a band that always delivers live that theyusually draw quite the crowd. A decent audience was in attendance for aThursday night show in Fort Collins. They opted for one long set playing almosttwo and a half hours rather than breaking it up. Allie shredded the violin like a female bluegrass version ofHendrix. Wavy Davy showed some of his skills on the banjo and he nailed someback and fort between himself and Kris. Highlights from the show included avery nice Out Here On My Own and a Magic Stone Mountain that would get even themost jaded fan dancing in the aisle. As they were about to wrap up the set they surprised thecrowd with a beautiful version of John Lennon’s Watching The Wheels.

They encored with a huge This Must Be The Place (NaiveMelody) by the Talking Heads and Townes Van Zandt’s White Freight Liner Blues.It was a great close to an amazing show from Cornmeal. They bring so much tothe table when it comes to their live shows. By creating a palpable energy inany room they play and upping the ante for any other jamgrass band touringtoday. They are a fearless group that through their twelve plus years ofplaying together have become so comfortable in that they are willing to takechances and push it to the limit. Their show at the Aggie was no exception andI will continue to look forward to their regular visits to Colorado.

Phlog Post: Cornmeal with Magic Beans at The Aggie

2011-11-20T20:07:00.001-07:00

Magic Beans

Cornmeal

Vlog Post: North Mississippi Allstars and Musketee Gripweed at The Aggie

2011-11-20T13:10:00.001-07:00

North Mississippi Allstars with Musketeet Gripweed at The Aggie

2011-11-20T13:05:00.001-07:00

With some dear friends that we met in Telluride for Phish itwas time for a classic get down in Fort Collins. Ryan and Kelly came to town allthe way from California for some sweet hill country music. We met up in the afternoon and after anice tour of the Budweiser brewery we headed downtown for the North MississippiAllstars. We arrived at The Aggie moments too late to check out Buffalo Killersbut we had plenty of time to see local group Musketeer Gripweed. I had beenhearing about these guys for quite some time but seeing their openingperformance was something I was totally unprepared for.

Seeing Musketeer Gripweed was like watching the fuse of afirecracker running towards ignition. Studying Jason Downing orchestrate hisband through a series of musical high jumps was truly a mesmerizing feat. Fromthe start to the end they exuded pure energy in a way that is rarely possiblewhen seeing local bands. Musketeer has been making splashes on the Front Rangebut the power they brought to their live performance was something that Icouldn’t possibly be ready for. Ripping through bluesy rock infused territorythey literally brought the house down. Stu Clark worked the rhythm as the restthe band toiled relentlessly to keep up with Jason’s energy. He ran aroundstage like a man possessed by the music, jumping on chairs and ripping thoughthe set. Here is the tape from Corey and Kind Recordings on ARCHIVE.

I have to say I was truly enamored with the whole performance.I’ve seen so many bands and it takes a lot to get me shaking my ass, but MusketeerGripweed certainly had me dancing. Between the keys of Ben Hockett and the leadguitar of Ehren Crumpler this ensemble has all the tools to go very far in thescene. And not to mention thepositivity that Jason literally radiates through the audience was something tobehold. They were the perfectchoice to open for the North Mississippi Allstars.

The North Mississippi Allstars have been a staple on mymusic plate going way back. I had the opportunity to see them in college playingto a small crowd when they still had a Burnside in the lineup. Their brand ofgritty blues is something everyone should dip their spoon in. They played anincredible show at The Aggie on Sunday after their soon to be famed Denver run.Here is the setlist from Kind Recordings.

SET I: Goin’ Down South, Shake (What Yo Mama Gave Ya), NewOrleans Walkin’ Dead, Everything I Do Is Gonna Be Funky, Shake ‘Em On Down,Bang Bang Lulu, Mean Ol’ Wind Died Down, ML (Goin’ Home), Jumper Cable Blues,Meet Me In The City, Boogie> Po Black Maddie> Skinny Women>Drums/Washboard Solo> Ho Down, Let It Roll, The Meeting, Freedom Highway>Never In All My Days, K.C. Jones (On The Road Again), Sugartown, Rollin’ &Tumblin’

ENCORE: I’d Love To Be A Hippy, Write Me A Few Lines>Drop Down Mama> Someday Baby, Snake Dr.

You can listen to the Kind Recording on ARCHIVE.

The show was not ridiculously packed which may have beenexpected given the fact that it was on a Sunday NMA killed it; the combination of Luther’s guitar, ChrisChew’s bass, and Cody’s drums makes them one of the most incredible power triosplaying live today. They have a sound that invigorates the soul. These guys areborn and bread in a genre of music that is neglected like a lost childwandering around a crowded mall. Hill Country music is a mix of blues, slide,and experience. So much history from the juke joints and the older players justworks its ways into the sound of NMA that watching them play is like getting apotent chronicling of times gone by. Highlights from the set were disgusting versions of Shake andPo Black Maddie. It’s truly a sight to behold these guys literally shreddingbefore your eyes. Cody is calm and collected as Chew just breaks down the bassgiving Luther room to soar. He has often commented that his he loves playingwith new people, but it is obvious that he is most comfortable playing with isbrother and their dear friend. He has so much skill on guitar that he almostseems to be in a harmonious trance as he is quite plainly melting faces. Theshow was incredible and reinvigorated my love for North Mississippi. They’vebeen playing in the scene since about the time that I got involved with jam andthey continue to tour relentlessly and impress people across the country.

They came back with a strong five-song encore. The mostremarkable of which was the straight snapping Write Me A Few Lines into DropDown Mama. I’m glad I made it out on a school night to see NMA as it has been anumber of years since our last rendezvous. They continue to be an incredible force in jam and play abrand of music that is rarely experienced live anymore.

Phlog Post: North Mississippi Allstars with Musketeer Gripweed at The Aggie

2011-11-20T12:59:00.001-07:00

Musketeer Gripweed

North Mississippi Allstars

Music Marauders Live: Episode 2

2011-11-16T08:40:00.001-07:00

The new podcast is up and we discuss a wide array of topics this month. We got a chance to talk with Steve Molitz from Particle and Zach Deputy. Our topics this week are ticket prices, the boom of electronic music, Halloween runs, talking at shows and much more. Check out the podcast and let us know how we can improve and keep building on this nascent endeavor.

MusicMarauders Live! (Episode: 002) by Justin Picard on Mixcloud

Vlog Post: Warren Haynes Band at The Ogden 10-31-11

2011-11-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

Warren Haynes: The Godfather of Soulshine

2011-11-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

I don’t usually make it our on Monday nights but seeingWarren Haynes at the Ogden was something I just could not miss. I headed to theshow straight from work and after waiting for a bit at the box office I had mycredentials and was ready to rock . Amy met me in front of the venue justbefore 8 PM and we made our way inside. The photo pit at the Ogden was tightbut certainly enough room for the four photogs in attendance. Warren came outto start the Halloween festivities for the sold out crowd with a huge Tear MeDown, here is the rest of the setlist from his website.

SET I: Intro, Tear Me Down, River’s Gonna Rise, Sick of MyShadow, On A Real Lonely Night, Tit For Tat, Invisible, Man in Motion

SET II: Intro> Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag Part 1>Intro> Papa Don’t Take No Mess, I Got A Bag of My Own, Ain’t That A Groove,Talking Loud> Intro, Georgia On My Mind, Out of Sight, Down and Out in NYC,Superbad, It’s a Man’s World, Think About It> Could Sweat, Try Me>Intro> Pass the Peas, Please, Please, Please, I Feel Good

ENCORE: Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag Part 2, Soulshine

I’ve seen Warren Haynes with everyone from Phil and Friendsand the Dead to Gov’t Mule and the Allman Brother but this was my first chanceseeing him with his new version of the Warren Haynes Band. He is by far thehardest working musician in the jamband scene. He is perhaps the most talentedguitarist on the planet so to say I was stoked to see him with this new lineupwas a slight understatement. His first set was a breakout of some his bestsongs on his new album along with some classic solo Warren. Being in the pitfor the first three songs was an incredible experience. Having that kind ofaccess continues to feel like a blessing. The first set went by quicklyalthough some of the extended solos from Warren iced the cake nicely.Highlights included a raucous Sick of My Shadow and the title track from thenew album, Man in Motion to close the set. He invited Dirty Dozen Alumni Sammie“Big Sam” Williams on trombone and another on trumpet to fill out the regularlysingular horn section of Ron Holloway on saxophone. The brass adds so much texture to Warren’s classically grittysound, and vocalist Alecia Chakour gives a sweet juxtaposition to his singing.

As is almost too common with jambands now Warren decided todo a costume set for Halloween. He chose to do James Brown tunes giving aliteral personification to his character of the Godfather of Soulshine. Heopened with a sick version of Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag. Continuing with anearly theme he went into Papa Don’t’ Take No Mess before blasting off into IGot A Bag of My Own. It was a fun and strong set opener that really laid downthe mood for the rest of the show. Warren traded vocal duties back and forthwith Nigel Hall. Hall is a true veteran having played with both Lettuce andChapter 2, and continues to keep the soul keyboard alive and well. The TalkingLoud into Georgia On My Mind was absolutely beautiful but my highlight from theentire show had to be It’s A Man’s World. The way Warren pushed out the vocalswas mesmerizing to watch and took the James Brown set to a whole other level.The inclusion of songs like Superbad and the set ending I Feel Good wereperfect choices for a group paying homage to The Minister of New New SuperHeavy Funk. Warren Haynes Band encored with Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag Part 2and Soulshine. The music was top notch and the band was stupefyingly good. Itwas just a solid night all around and a great combination of The HardestWorking Man in Jam and The Hardest Working Man in Show Business.

Two Nights of Kyle Hollingsworth Band with Michael Kang on The Front Range

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

With String Cheese Incident gearing up for their first full tour in four years Kyle Hollingsworth Band is getting ready with a pair of Front Range shows with none other than Michael Kang. These two shows should be everything we know and love about KHB with that Cheese flavor we crave. With Minneapolis’s Roster McCabe adding their reggae infused zest to support these shows should provide us two amazing evenings of live music. Both shows will feature one-time-only brews from Kyle and select local breweries on-tap for the fans. Here are the dates.

KHB with Kang

November 18^th – Hodi’s Halfnote – Fort Collins, CO

November 19^th – Cervante’s Masterpiece Ballroom – Denver, CO

In addition to the great live music these shows will mark the beginning of Kyle’s Hop On Tour Interactive Fan Experience, which will continue for the duration of SCI’s upcoming tour. By logging into Kyle’s Facebook Page or checking out his Blog you can view a behind the scenes look at life on the road as well as the craft beers and brewing that he experiences during his journey. Fans will get an opportunity to win an invite to exclusive meet and greets and tastings with Hollingsworth and others at select SCI shows. So be sure to check out Kyle’s Facebook page for regular Hop On Tour Updates and your chance to win.

I will be covering the show in Fort Collins and J-man will be present for the night in Denver, so MusicMarauders can give you the full scoop on the run, with photos and reviews for those that can’t make it. So stay tuned to MusicMarauders.com to stay informed on these sure to be incredible shows.

Phlog Post: Warren Haynes Band at The Ogden

2011-11-04T22:40:00.000-06:00

Vlog Post: The Motet peforming Funk is Dead at The Aggie

2011-11-04T20:29:00.000-06:00

The Motet performing Funk is Dead at The Aggie

2011-11-04T20:16:00.000-06:00

The Motet finished my month of Deadtober with the openingnight of their Funk is Dead show at The Aggie in Fort Collins. It was the nightbefore J-man’s birthday and MM editor Greg Molitor made it out as well, so itwas actually the first show where all three of us were in attendance. The crowd was packed as Amy and I madeour way in. We got inside early for me to get set for some photos and I found aspot up front. The sold out crowd of costumed kids filtered in, as it gotcloser to show time. The Motet took the stage around 10:35 PM. Playing withtheir full lineup including singer Kim Dawson, the hours of practice wereevident from the Samson and Delilah opener. Even at the start it was obviousthat we were in for some funky weirdness. I say weird in the best way possible;it was not your typical Grateful Dead experience. They went into a St. Stephenbuilt on what sounded like the funk progression of David Bowie’s Fame. Getting into the groove early JoeyPorter busted out his Talk Box to give the vocals an even funkier feel. Theywent into a deeply gritty New Speedway Boogie showing that The Motet had donetheir homework and had gone the extra mile to pick tracks that would work wellwith their funk styling. Additional highlights from the first set included an awesome Loose Lucyas well as a Fire On The Mountain that almost sounded like it was built on aDon’t Stop Til You Get Enough foundation.

During setbreak the costumed freaks headed outside for someair and to soak in what they had just witnessed. It was obvious that we werenot getting a standard interpretation of the Grateful Dead. When The Motet hastaken on bands that are more aligned with their native sound they pretty muchdo straight covers. This was not what they were doing at The Aggie for theirFunk is Dead opener. For The Motet to take on the music of the Dead at thisstage says something about their progression as a band. Having played the musicof everyone from the Talking Heads to Herbie Hancock to Earth, Wind, and Fireto play The Dead almost seems like a step backward. It would be easy to thinkthat prior to seeing what they did with the music of the Dead. By giving theseclassic tunes a funky work-over breathes new life into the music and givestheir audience something fresh to embrace.

They opened up their second setwith an unexpected Help on the Way> Slipknot> Franklin’s Tower.Franklin’s is by far one of my favorite Dead tunes and to see this funkyrendition reinvigorated me for the second set. It was time to get down and asthe gigantic crowd swayed to the beat. The audience was definitely in the moodfor a good time and that is exactly what they got. The highlight of the second set for me was the enormousShakedown Street clocking in at well over 15 minutes. Shakedown is a fairlyfunky tune by its own right so it was not too much of a stretch for The Motetto include this one in the setlist. It really fired up the crowd. They wentinto a ripping Terrapin where Kim Dawson got a chance to shine. She vocallyslayed the song, reaching far above the crowd and bring the set to an obviouspeak. One more song to note fromthe second set was an awesome version of The Other One. All in all it was quitethe experience. As I previously stated it would have been easy for The Motet todo straight Dead covers but they put in the extra time and effort into creatinga truly memorable experience. Their show at The Aggie was not only entertainingbut also intensely innovative. I had a ton of fun and was glad to catch thisopener. With another three nightson this run, they are bound to make lots of people happy on the Front Range.

Phlog Post: The Motet Performing Funk is Dead at The Aggie

2011-11-02T23:13:00.000-06:00

Vlog Post: Dead Floyd at The Aggie

2011-11-02T22:39:00.002-06:00

Dead Floyd performing Terrapin

Dead Floyd at The Aggie 10-22-11

2011-11-02T22:21:00.003-06:00

So continuing what I’ve been calling Deadtober Amy and Iheaded down to The Aggie for Dead Floyd. Dead Floyd is as their name indicatesa cover band that combines the repertoires of both Pink Floyd and the GratefulDead. What seems like an unlikelyjuxtaposition actually becomes a surprisingly fluid live experience. The bandconsists of Charlie Humphreys on guitar and vocals, Josh Miller on bass andvocals, Stu Crair on drums and vocals, and Matt Goldberg on keys andsynthesizer. These guys areessentially a super group of local musicians with Stu and Charlie coming fromThe Grippe, Matt from Hot Gazpacho. As solid musicians they took their years ofexperience playing live and put it into this awesome project. Dead Floyd opened with a rippingversion of See Emily Play. Here isthe rest of the setlist from their Facebook page.

SET I: See Emily Play> West LA Fadeaway> Breath in theAir> On The Run> Time (Breathe Reprise)> Eyes of the World> RowJimmy, Money, One More Saturday Night

SET II: Run Like Hell> Thriller Jam> Run Like Hell>Bertha> Terrapin Station> Echoes> Sugar Magnolia> ScarletBegonias> Brain Damage> Eclipse

ENCORE: Good Lovin’, Fearless> Wish You Were Here, CaseyJones

The most striking element of their live shows was mostcertainly their segues. They were able to make clean transitions from Dead toFloyd and back again. The guitar work of Humphreys was distinguished anddemonstrated his years of performing live. Another impressive not from Humphreyswas how he was able to shift his vocals between Weir and Garcia parts. It was aslight twang but enough to distinguish the songs that made for solid show. Joshtook on the Waters vocals for the show and he did so well. It was interestingthat as a bassist he took on the same role as the player to which he was payinghomage. They played the first three tracks of Dark Side of The Moon, which leftme wondering if they were just going to go ahead and play the entire album,before they ripped into stellar Eyes of The World. My favorite moment came withthe beautiful rendition of Row Jimmy. I looked over at Amy as she declared thatDead Floyd was her new favorite cover band. I had to agree. They went back intoDSOTM with Money before finishing their first set with an appropriate One MoreSaturday Night.

At setbreak I headedbackstage and talked with the band about their influences and reason forcreating the project. They were surprising eloquent and straightforward abouthow they came to create the project. It was simply a love of the music and anexcuse to perform the songs that they love and inspires them as players. Afterthe short interview the boys charged back out onstage they opened the secondset with their first selection from The Wall with Run Like Hell, with asandwiched Thriller Jam. The Michael Jackson tease was the first trulyunexpected turn, which I think was more nod to the upcoming Halloween holiday.The Bertha into Terrapin was my highlight of the second set. The entire showseemed more focused on the music of The Grateful Dead, but that is not to saythat their renditions of the Pink Floyd material was lacking at all. They wrapped up their set with a goodmix of both, before closing with a massive version of Eclipse. Their four-song encore was a great endto the evening of music. I was truly impressed with their show and am proud toknow that this Fort Collins band will continue to fire up their amazing mix ofDead and Floyd on the Front Range for the foreseeable future. Their goal is to continue playingbigger and better shows as they dive deeper into the respective repertoires ofthe bands that were the inspiration for this awesome project

Phlog Post: Dead Floyd at The Aggie

2011-11-01T12:14:00.000-06:00

Vlog Post: Elephant Revival and Reed Foehl at The Aggie

2011-10-29T22:59:00.000-06:00

Additional links from the show
Reed Foehl performing The Kill at The Aggie
Elephant Revival at The Aggie

Elephant Revival at The Aggie

2011-10-29T22:48:00.001-06:00

Elephant Revival is a powerful quintet hailing fromNederland, Colorado. They first formed in 2006 and their lineup includes BonniePaine on vocals and washboard, Sage Cook on banjo, vocals, guitar, andmandolin, Dango Rose on double-bass, mandolin, banjo, and vocals, DanielRodriguez on acoustic guitar, electric banjo, and vocals, and Bridget Law onfiddle and vocals. Just from listing out the band it’s obvious that ElephantRevival is made up of incredibly talented multi-instrumentalists, who bring anew vibrancy to acoustic music. Combining elements of folk, Celtic, bluegrass,indie, jazz, reggae and much more they have created an amazing musical tapestryon which to perform. Their ability to play so well together is made all themore beautiful with the vocals of Bonnie Paine and the ability of Bridget Lawto go from delicate to rough and tumble on the fiddle with a stroke of her bow.It’s a powerful group that can set off from a raging dance party to making thehair stand up on the back of your neck in seconds.

The members of Elephant Revival hail from both Colorado andOklahoma where Paine is from. Several of them began playing together in thesummer of 2006. They had their first performance as Elephant Revival Concept atthe Gold Hill Inn in October of 2006. They decided to move ahead as a fulltimegroup but not before dropping Concept from their moniker. They released theirfirst self-titled album in 2008 and last year released their second album Breakin the Clouds. They are known well on the Front Range but have begun to breakout nationally with several festival performances this year including theNorthwest String Summit and the Hangtown Halloween Ball.

Now I’ve seen Bonnie Paine with Leftover Salmon and BridgetLaw playing around town with various bands, but for some reason I had notcaught the full band until I saw their Aggie show last weekend. Opening up was Boulder singer-songwriterReed Foehl. Reed was performing with Motet guitarist Ryan Jalbert. He has asubtle sensibility to his playing. Tender vocals mixed with some sweet pickingmaking for an overall enjoyable performance. Reed took every song as anopportunity to tell a story and he plays with such emotion it was literallylike he was pouring his heart out on stage for all to see. Not to mention howwell Jalbert was during the performance. I’m used to seeing Jalbert kicking thewah as he busts into funky guitar solos with The Motet but this was a chance tosee him in a whole new light. The kids at the show were rowdy which made ithard to hear from time to time, but the power of his lyrics were enough tobreak through the wall of sound and literally draw the crowd in. By the end ofthe show he had made a whole slew of new fans including myself. Highlights fromthe show included The Kill and Wolves. It was certainly an eye-opening andpowerful live experience and a great way to start the show.

By the time Elephant Revival came to the stage the crowd waspretty worked up. I’m not sure if this a hallmark of college towns or The Aggiebut I notice this is a reoccurring theme whenever I head to shows in FortCollins. Elephant Revival just blew me away. It would be easy for them to be arun-of-the-mill bluegrass band but their unbelievable talent as musicianspushes them to reach for something so much more. Playing two amazing sets for the crowd, it was just an remarkablenight of music all around; playing everything from Celtic instrumentals toFolk-inspired Americana. Thisbeing my first time seeing Elephant Revival I don’t have a complete setlist butI can tell you they had an enthused level of playing that is rarely seen thesedays. As I was watching them I wasliterally upset with myself for not seeing them sooner. Not often do I feellike that when seeing a show live. One element that struck me was how thebandmates were just passing back and forth instruments between songs andshowing their wide array of talents. The show was an absolute barnburner thatwent until almost 2 AM. It was just one of those musical experiences that willnot be soon forgotten. Their blend of so many genres of music and the band’samazing musicianship equated to one great night at The Aggie. I left with asense and satisfaction and I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on ElephantRevival in the future.

MusicMarauders Live is Up

2011-10-28T09:51:00.006-06:00

Our first ever podcast from MusicMarauders is up and ready to stream. This month we dive into Phish, Furthur, moe., Umphrey's McGee and tons of commentary on the scene including the now infamous Dave Anver situation. So, check it out and lets us know what you think.

MusicMarauders Live! (Episode: 001) by Justin Picard on Mixcloud

Phlog Post: Elephant Revival at The Aggie with Reed Foehl

2011-10-27T20:40:00.007-06:00

Reed Foehl

Ryan Jalbert

Reed Foehl

Bonnie singing with Reed

Elephant Revival

Vlog Post: Dark Star Orchestra at The Aggie

2011-10-14T09:14:00.002-06:00

Dark Star Orchestra at The Aggie

2011-10-13T21:57:00.008-06:00

Continuing what I'm now calling Deadtober, which will culminate with The Motet covering the Grateful Dead for Halloween, Amy and I headed out to the Aggie to catch Dark Star Orchestra. It was a nice night and the crowd was decent. Good people out for a real good time; the hippie kids were in full force. DSO is a band I've caught a number of times but after the departure of John Kadlecik I was curious to see how they were sounding with Zen Trickster, Jeff Mattson on lead guitar. Not to mention my utmost respect for keyboardist and Phil and Friends and The Other Ones alumni Rob Barraco. DSO is a combination of some truly skilled musicians and it was time after a number of years to catch them out in Colorado again. For those that don't know Dark Star recreates Dead Shows from the past with incredible accuracy. They performed a great show from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee that occurred on October 21, 1972. It was classic Dead at the height of their single drummer sound. Here is the setlist they performed.

SET I: Me and My Uncle, Beat It On Down The Line, Sugaree, El Paso, China Cat Sunflower> I Know You Rider, Black Throated Wind, Tennessee Jed, Jack Straw, Loser, Playing In The Band

SET II: The Promised Land, Brown Eyed Women, Big River, He's Gone, Greatest Story Ever Told, Bird Song, Truckin> The Other One> Morning Dew, Sugar Magnolia

ENCORE: Jonny B. Goode

It was just a solid show all night long. It began around 9:35 and went well past 1 AM. As kids pondered the year of the show I was fairly sure it was from the early 70's given the setlist. The China Cat> Rider was absolutely sublime with a deep version of Black Throated Wind. They finished the first set with a huge jam-infused Playing In the Band. The first set stretched to almost an hour and half ending just around 11 PM. Hippies twirled as they played on. I went out to catch some air at setbreak with the rest of the family.

The second set was only describable as sick. The Promised Land opener was kicked up a notch by the incredible cover of Johnny Cash's Big River. The highlight of the show was by far the Truckin> The Other One> Morning Dew. It was a huge tidal wave that washed over the entire second set. Matson soared over Rob Eaton's rhythm guitar. Their back and forth interplay fit the bill incredibly well. Lisa Mackey's vocals were enough to make Donna Jean herself jealous as she stepped in from time to time during the show. I was just blown away. For years I've honestly avoided Dark Star dismissing them as a cover band, a good cover band, but a cover band nonetheless. The fact of the matter is they are so far beyond a simple cover band I almost feel silly thinking of them as such. They are musical historians and recreationists who work tirelessly reimagining shows from years gone by. Without DSO there would be no real way to re-experience these long lost concerts. I'm glad I finally went back to see DSO, they certainly made a Friday night in Fort Collins memorable.

Phlog Post: Dark Star Orchestra

2011-10-13T21:13:00.006-06:00