Colorado Playlist – S11 EP13 2017

New music this week included a cut from “Believe,” the new release from the String Cheese Incident that will be out on April 14, so no way to share the cut with you outside of terrestrial radio – and then only a handful of stations in the state.

Aside from the new String Cheese cut I debuted some fresh alternative pop rock from Compass & Cavern, 2015 Westword Bluegrass Band of the Year That Damn Sasquatch, an Americana track from late last year I just became aware of from Evan Holm & the Restless Ones …and I dug one deeper into the stylistically multidimensional album from Bonfire Dub.

GOAT ON THE TOWN

(I know that’s some corny shit .. but what the hell)

Officially, I suppose, I only made it to one show this week – and that only a brief part of two sets (dogs had oral surgery and I couldn’t stay out late Friday).

Thursday evening, a friend and I attended the Westword Music Showcase Nominating Committee Party  … held at the DIME on the UCD campus in Denver, in what proved to be a less than ideal set up with the bar on one floor, and food and entertainment on another – and the booze had to stay on the “bar floor.”

For the nearly two hours we stayed, we were entertained by a rap/hip-hop quartet (bass, drums + 2 mcs) quartet that featured local activist Molina Speaks .. during which most of those who I know as industry “heavies” were upstairs at the bar.

Friday night found me in Fort Collins for dinner and a show and caught me walking into a nearly empty campus area room with a classic rock cover band that honestly needed someone to run sound and a little more time in the rehearsal room …before making my way to Avogadro’s Number in Fort Collins to catch some of Tallgrass.

Anyone who sees that picture and conjures a “bluegrass” or “country” band would be in for quite a surprise if they walked in and heard the band as I did this past Friday night.  In a room that caps out at just over 100 seated, there were about 70 people in attendance at the break based on conversations with the door guys.

Tallgrass does fit the “roots music” genre broadly speaking, with strong influences from Levon Helm (the Band) and other purveyors of American traditional and non-traditional contemporary heartland folk and old-timey music.  But somewhere along the forgotten highways the band has traveled over the years, drummer Adam Morford got “bored” and began experimenting – incorporating a wide display of percussion instruments and electronics.   I was fortunate, despite my brief stay, to catch both sides of one of Colorado’s most interesting “roots music” bands.

Support for the Colorado Playlist comes courtesy of The Historic Mishawaka Amphitheatre — Celebrating over 100 yrs of music and dancing in the Poudre Canyon.

Cary Morin & Johnny Hickman – Buy Tickets Friday, April 21, 2017 7:00 PM SpokesBUZZ Lounge Bellvue, CO

The Rolling Stones

In Colorado Music History

VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK 

I’ve known 3/4 of the Rough Cuts professionally and personally since the early years of the 21st century.  It’s a big UP that Ryan got the magnificent Susan Phelan on bass …the first “new” bass player Ryan’s had in much longer than I can recall.  “Country Music Soundtrack” is from the new release, “Shovel Full of Coal.”  The band’s touring schedule for April is sick – this is what you call a working band today, out on the road, six days a week.

MONDAY MORNING MUSIC MEETING