Category: Misc.

BREAKING NEWS – Oskar Blues & Cervantes Hook Up

Scott Morrill and Hunt Frye (Cervantes, Arise Festival, Sonic Bloom) have assumed talent buying duties for Oskar Blues in Lyons and Longmont, according to a phone call this morning from current talent buyer Dave McIntyre.

Scott Morrill is the owner and main talent buyer for Cervantes in Denver.  He and Hunt have also produced shows in other regional venues, including the Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Hodi’s Half Note, and the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins.  They also manage and book for Octopus Nebula, Yamn, Tatanka, and Mikey Thunder and music festivals the Arise Festival and Sonic Bloom.

I spoke with Scott on the phone this afternoon.  He said they will be booking shows beginning in May.  April and half of May have been booked already according to Dave McIntyre.

This represents what will undoubtedly be a sea-change in what OB sounds like across the board.  Originally well known for booking some of the top blues acts in the region since they started doing music about 1999/2000, the original Lyons location has earned a reputation for world class regional bluegrass and Americana the past six or so years.

Homemade Liquids and Solids, the Oskar Blues flagship restaurant and music room in Longmont, has hosted live bands for over five years on Friday and Saturday nights and acoustic solo/duos on Thursday and Sunday evenings.  A popular bluegrass jam is hosted by Bonnie and Taylor Sims on Sunday  12-3 .  Several popular regional bands have performed there, including the Yawpers, Mosey West, Brian McCrae, Fox St, the Congress, Johnny O Band, the Delta Sonics, the Blue Canyon Boys, and Bonnie & the Clydes.

Also included in the list of rooms belonging to the OB family – the Tasty Weasel (brew pub), CHUBurger, and CYCLhops.  All three rooms feature acoustic solo/duo acts ranging from Danny Shafer to various members of the Monocle Band, Finnders & Youngberg, the Delta Sonics, as well as Longmont locals and regulars, The Prairie Scholars.  OB rooms have accounted for significant parts of the incomes of some of these folks.

This marks the second time this year that a major change in booking has occurred in Longmont.  Dicken’s Opera House took on a new talent buyer just a few months ago.  There is no word yet on how the change at OB will affect those who have been playing those rooms the past several years.  Knowing the kinds of acts Scott and Hunt are known for booking it looks to be a pretty good dose of the same.

Booking email will be booking@oskarblues.com.

the misadventures of goat and Colorado music of course

20150317_074755Sunday I experienced a “fainting” spell while out on a 20 mile bike ride that landed me in the ER (by ambulance).  Monday I experienced a broken thumb and bruised ribs while out on a 15 mile bike ride that landed me in the ER (I drove myself).  On both days I did not make it more than 3.5 miles into my ride.  I blame the weather for getting me too excited.  Along the way I talked about music – Colorado music – with those who attended to me.

Every person I spoke with was between 25 and 50 yrs old.  With a few notable exceptions no one knew any of the current crop of bands making “headlines” regionally.  Yeah, everyone knew BHTM was from here … and a couple of folks knew about OneRepublic and the Fray, but beyond that there were generally blank stares and “I don’t go out very often” comments.

Broadcast radio and Pandora were the sources for music – not any other source was mentioned.  I did of course let everyone know they could listen to Colorado music online at The Colorado Sound Live365 … need to remember to keep business cards in my pocket though so I don’t have to write down the url everytime … www.live365.com/stations/thecoloradosound.

While suffering through all of this (i did a lot of maniacal laughing actually …esp thinking about the medical bills to follow) I was graced with a private listen to the new Megan Burtt album coming out this August.  I won’t spoil the fun, but this one will leave you with a huge grin, shaking your head at just how amazingly talented my friend truly is.  Of course hard core fans know this already.

Happy to report this morning that Richie Furay’s new album “Hand In Hand,” that I’ve been playing on the show since last summer, will finally be released to the general public on March  31.  It is currently the  #1 most added album at Americana radio nationally – though no word yet on whether those folks servicing the record to radio actually even know we have radio in Colorado … more on that to follow in the days and weeks ahead.

While checking out the Americana Music Association radio airplay charts I noticed the latest Leftover Salmon release, High Country, at #21  – down from #18 LW and 19 the week before.

Well, off to the doctor to assess the damages … I’ll be sure to let folks know where to tune in for Colorado music … hope you’ll do the same today.

COLORADO MUSIC PARTY ANNOUNCES FINAL 2015 LINEUP

COLORADO MUSIC PARTY ANNOUNCES FINAL 2015 LINEUP 

The Stone Foxes, Dave Arcari, Heather Maloney, NeW bEAt FUNd join 5-day event in Austin

FORT COLLINS, Colo., March 10, 2015 — Organizers for the Colorado Music Party released the final lineup for next week’s events in Austin, adding more national and international acts with a Colorado connection to the lineup.

The Colorado Music Party will present 142 performances on two stages at The 512 on Sixth Street, the party’s home base in Austin for five consecutive days and nights of live music. National acts from both coasts, including The Stone Foxes, Heather Maloney, NeW bEAt FUNd and Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds will perform alongside up-and-coming Colorado bands such as In The Whale, Wheelchair Sports Camp, Rubedo, Inner Oceans and The Yawpers.

From Tuesday, March 17 – Saturday, March 21, the Colorado Music Party has scheduled 142 performances, including hundreds of musicians from Colorado, presented by Colorado Creative Industries, the Colorado Tourism Office and SpokesBUZZ, along with media and music industry partners from throughout the state.

The week’s festivities will kick off on Tuesday, March 17 with a celebration of Colorado’s commitment to creativity and innovation, presented by Colorado Innovation Network (COIN).

“From Scotland’s Dave Arcari to Austin’s Residual Kid, Colorado music industry connections extend well beyond the borders of our state,” said Dani Grant, executive director of SpokesBUZZ. “Colorado’s reputation for attracting talent, and for being a great place to experience live music — both from the perspective of bands and fans — is evidenced by the diverse lineup we’re presenting at the Colorado Music Party. The interest and enthusiasm being generated by this year’s events is unprecedented in our five years of putting Colorado culture and creativity in the spotlight in Austin. We are so proud of the story Colorado has to tell, and we’re grateful to the people from around the country that are joining us next week to share in the experience.”

Grant points out that national attention is already being attracted by the Colorado bands performing this year, such as Strawberry Runners, selected by National Public Radio for NPR’s “Austin 100” — a list of 100 bands worth discovering in Austin during South by Southwest 2015. Strawberry Runners, from Denver, will make two appearances at the Colorado Music Party: on Wednesday, March 18 and again on Saturday, March 21.

For those Colorado music fans from around the world who won’t be in attendance in Austin, this year’s Colorado Music Party will incorporate interactive screens to display real-time social media content created by attendees throughout the event. The interactive displays will be powered by Wayin, a fast-growing Denver-based company that aggregates social media content in real-time and displays it on any screen or device.

The displays will not only show a genuine account of each day throughout the event, but will also encourage others to participate and act, ultimately creating a bigger conversation around the best of music and tech in Colorado. Participants are encouraged to use the hashtag #COmusic when sharing via social platforms.

Bands currently confirmed to play the Colorado Music Party 2015 include:

3Two, Altas, AMZY, Andy Sydow, Aspen Hourglass, Babah Fly, Ben Marshal, Better Than Bacon, Birch Street, Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir, Bonnie and the Beard, Branded Bandits, Brett Jarnagin, Bud Bronson & The Good Timers, Calder’s Revolvers, Candy Claws – Sound of Ceres, Caramel Carmela, Carson Block, Chris Dismuke, Cobary Jam, Cold River City, Cōvergeist, CRL CRRLL, Dave Arcari, David Michael Boyd, Dirty Few, Disguise the Silence, DOUBLEWIDE, Dragondeer, Edison, Eldren, Elise Wunder, Facing West, From Thin Air, Grim&Darling, Heather Maloney, High Five Hip Hop, In The Whale, Indigenous Robot, Inner Oceans, iZCALLi, Jack+Jill, Jilly.fm, JiM ChieF, Jordan Igoe, Kind Dub, Kitty Crimes, Lisa Bell Band, Lissa Hanner, Matt Mahern and Constitution, Matt Skinner Band, Maxwell Hughes, Montoneros, NeW bEAt FUNd, No Fair Fights, OKO TYGRA, Open Space, Palace Brands, Poor Me, Post Paradise, Professor Fox’s One Man Band, Publicist UK, Qbala, Red Fox Run, Residual Kid, RipRats, Rob Drabkin, Robby Wicks Band (Acoustic Duo), Robert Cline Jr., Rocktin Grove, Rootbeer & Mermentau, Rubedo, Rumours Follow, Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts, Sarah & The Meanies, Sarah Summers, SarCa$t*, Sexy Ester, Shaley Scott Band, Shatterproof, Shelby Britton, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Slow Caves, SPELLS, Steele & Colfax, Stella Luce, Strawberry Runners, The 14ers, The B.A.B.E.S., The Covz, The Echo Chamber, The FAMM, The Left Ready, The Lindsey Saunders Band, The LoLos, The Patti Fiasco, The Railsplitters, The Rayo Brothers, The Royal, The Seers, The Stone Foxes, The Sweet Lillies, The Yawpers, Thunderthief, Tight Thump, Travellers Music, Von Stomper, Wandering Monks, Wasteland Hop, We Are Not a Glum Lot, Wheelchair Sports Camp, Wild Wombat, Write Minded.

To RSVP to the Colorado Music Party, please visit www.coloradomusicparty.com.SpokesBUZZ, Colorado Creative Industries and the Colorado Tourism Office are the presenting sponsors for the 2015 Colorado Music Party. Media partners include Westword,KUNC, KRFC, and Colorado Public Radio’s OpenAir.