Live Music News – Page 14 – Chris K's Colorado Playlist

Colorado Playlist – S11 EP09

Well, this week is a little different. There are more videos in this week’s post than I think I’ve ever included before for one. And more news to share with you. News of my own to announce this week: the Colorado Playlist is coming to 106.9 KHEN LPFM Salida. I will know in a week or two what day and the it will air. I am now also the new entertainment coordinator for the historic Bolder Boulder on Memorial Day, and a new 10k coming on Labor Day to Fort Collins called Fortitude.

So you set a CP MMMM record for most votes in a week, and the most votes for one song in a week for Tiffany Christopher‘s “Somewhere Behind the Sun.”

The week, I’ve featured another new track from Tiffany Christopher, along with something from new Colorado by way of Texas country artist Leslie Tom, reggae from Bonfire Dub, along with new cuts from former Pandas and People guitarist Grayson Erhard and deeper tracks from the new Otis Taylor and Gasoline Lollops releases. Don’t forget to vote and SHARE (please, and thank you).

GOAT on the Town

As I’m taking some time off from being cooped up in a room every Friday and Saturday doing sound, I’ve been able to get out to check out some other rooms and bands.

mbs-dickens This weekend I caught a set from 2 x Leftapalooza winners and #5 TOP TEN Tribute Bands in Colorado (Westword), My Blue Sky, at the Dicken’s Opera House in Longmont and the cover country and hard rock band Swerve at the Wild Game Longmont.

There’s a good reason why MBS is considered one of the TOP 5 tribute bands in Colorado – not the least of which are their flavorful and articulate recreations of the music of the Allman Bros Band family tree… including Gov’t Mule.

If I wasn’t doing a show of my own on March 11, I would easily be back at the Dicken’s to catch Great American Taxi.

The 300 capacity room is among the best under 500 cap rooms in the region, with a clean line of sight into a deeply set old stone and brick back wall, a reasonable amount of seating and a spacious “dance floor.” I’m a bit of a sound and production snob, so I have to say the sound and lights are adequate.

I couldn’t stay for My Blue Sky‘s Gov’t Mule set as I set out to catch a set by Swerve at the new entertainment facility, the Wild Game Longmont. If I thought that the Dicken’s sound was adequate, the Wild Game’s sound needs remedial attention.

The Wild Game is not a music venue. It’s a family entertainment facility with a kids’ game room, eight bowling lanes, an adult gaming area and food, some of which appears more exotic than your typical bar grub.

Extreme boominess makes the room itself too loud, without a band playing. Lack of a house sound system and engineer leaves the task up to the band to do from stage. Expect unpredictability, especially since most bands today don’t pack pro level sound gear.

This is the second weekend in a row where I’ve gone out to see a cover rock band. Swerve knows their audience – people who listen to the likes of KYGO and 103.5 The Fox in Denver .. and 99.1 KUAD and 107.9 The Bear in NoCO. They played the hits… professionally and proudly. They managed to mix their own pro-level small sound system exceedingly well given the overall loudness and boominess of the room.

May I Introduce to You:

A couple of years ago I had lunch with a documentary film maker, Caryn Sanchez, who wanted to do a documentary on Colorado music. You can keep up with developments at SoundsLikeColorado.com … Here’s a preview of what’s to come.

NEWS & NOTES

Congrats to one of Northern Colorado’s most popular bands, Patti Fiasco, for being selected to open for Bon Jovi at the Pepsi Center. They were selected from ten finalists in our region by Bon Jovi management. They will be appearing at the Pepsi Center on April 14.

And congrats to my buddy Tyler Grant and his band the Grant Farm for securing a slot supporting the String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks on July 23.

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

IN COLORADO MUSIC HISTORY

VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK

Normally I get an audio track to play on the show before I receive a new video .. but this week, the new video from Strange Americans dropped into my news-feed and I couldn’t NOT make it my Video Pick of the Week. Just as I was writing this week the band sent me copies of two new singles, Big Black Car and No Punches.

MONDAY MORNING MUSIC MEETING

What you’ll find below are new songs on the show this week … listen and let me know which ones you think I should keep in the Colorado Playlist, and which I should delete.

NOTE: In order to be included in the MMMM poll, the band/artist must have an embeddable file available on SoundCloud, BandCamp, Reverbnation or YouTube.

PLAYLIST S11 EP09

(D) = debut of lp, ep or single
(N) = new cut from previously debuted lp or ep

HOUR 1

Firefall “Mexico” from Firefall (1976)
(D) Tiffany Christopher “Pirates” from Tremendous Heart (2017)

Chimney Choir “In the Underworld” from Boomtown (2015)
Montropo “Letter to Mary” from Follow Me (2015)
(D) Leslie Tom “Hank You Very Much” from Leslie Tom (2017)

Romano Paoletti “Can You Run” from Story of a Lifetime (2010)
Brother Wild “Leave it all behind” from White Flag (2016)
Andy Palmer “Good Son” from Hazard of the Die (2013)
(D) Bonfire Dub “One Stone” from Gypsy Roots (2017)

Toad In the Hole “Drifting” from Wallflower (2015)
Devotchka “Along the Way” from A Mad & Faithful Telling (2008)
Keith Oxman “Sir Thomas B.” from Doing All Right (2009)

HOUR 2

Joe Walsh “Mother Says” from Barnstorm (1971)
(D) Grayson Erhard “Manifest” [single] (2017)

El Toro de la Muerte “Things in My Head” from Dancer These Days (2011)
Natalie Walker “Trust” from Strange Bird (2015)
(N) Otis Taylor “Jump to Mexico” from Fantasizing About Being Black (2017)

piKziL “Brand New Soul” from Songs from My 3rd Life (2016)
Born in The Flood “I am the Walrus” from Mountain Homegrown Vol IV (2005)
String Cheese Incident “45th of November” from One Step Closer (2005)
(N) Gasoline Lollipops “Jesus Ain’t Dead” from Resurrection (2017)

Elephant Revival “Ring Around the Moon” from Break in the Clouds (2010)
Rossonian “Garuda” from You Are Your Own Dentist (2013)
(D) Garrett Sayers Trio “Beat Car” from Thinkbox (2017)

GOATZ! News and Shows

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March 11 – 4 GOATZ! at CyclHops Longmont
March 18 – w/ the Matt Skinner Band at Avogadro’s Number Fort Collins
March 31 – 4 GOATZ! at the Tasty Weasel Longmont

Colorado Playlist – S10 EP14 2016

As I sit here thinking about this radio show, I am blown away by the overwhelming opportunity we in Colorado music have to amplify our voices and declare the brilliance of what we have for talent, skill and accomplishment in our state.

This week’s show focused on part of that sense of accomplishment. Ten Colorado bands are headlining Red Rocks this year — something I believe is a first in Red Rocks and Colorado music history. That also does not include the number of Colorado acts, or acts who are part of our history, who are playing in support or are playing on Film On the Rocks (FotR).

FotR, historically, has been the one event on the “rocks” where local bands have played. I got to most of the headliners, and a couple of those who are there in support (Joe Walsh), or at FotR (Megan Burtt).

Last weekend I performed for the first time as a musician at the 8th Annual Fort Collins Music Experiment (FOCOMX8) with my band GOATZ! There were over 250 acts from the region playing in over 25 rooms around the city, and by 1030, when I left on Saturday night, they nearly all had lines outside their doors.

For seven of the past eight years, I’ve seen the “show” from one room – as one of the festival soundguys. To witness the event as another musician, and as a fan, was really special. Thanks to Greta Cornett and Peggy Lyle and their incredible team of volunteers. I see now why so many of my musician friends rave about this event.

Last night I attended the Fort Collins Musician Association Peer Awards. Based on what I heard walking around the room it was the most well attended awards ceremony of the past few years. It was the first one I’d been to in maybe six years.

I have to give it up to new Aggie owner Scott Morrill and his crew – the Aggie felt like a brand new room, and the new sound system is KILLER… excellent sound from FOCOMA soundman of the year – Dean Curtis. Even old owner Scoo Leary who was a presenter mentioned the new sound from stage – class act brother.

Heard around the room – Shaley Scott is working on a new album with a possible September release date. Cary Morin is “feelin’ a whole better” to steal a phrase from a classic Byrds tune, after being laid up recently with major health issues.

The Colorado Blues Society held their IBC (International Blues Challenge) finals at the Buffalo Rose on Sunday. The John Weeks Band won the band competition with A.J. Fullerton taking the solo/duo category. Both will take the trip to Memphis next January. Congrats to everyone – and a shout out to Kyle Deibler for his incredible efforts in keeping all of this going.

SPOKESBUZZ announced its new lineup of incubator bands. Congratulations to Altas, Holly Lovell, Last Call Romance, Moon Frog, One Flew West and Silver & Gold … follow band links to learn more.

REVIEW – TOGETHER – CARY MORIN

Cary Morin is by far one one of the most awarded and celebrated solo artists on the Front Range – winning two CBS solo/blues awards and a FOCOMA Peer Award. His new album “Together” is currently the #1 most played at KRFC Fort Collins.

“Together” shows Cary spinning off some of the blues he’s shown the past couple of solo releases, as well the more Americana influenced work with Young Ancients, and reaching into his singer-songwriter roots; displaying yet one more facet of his skill at storytelling, and creating meaningful emotion. In a brief conversation, Cary expressed his desire to get back to some of his roots musically – but for as long as I’ve known him, his roots are far deeper than anything most of us can imagine.

There’s more country-folk here than we’ve heard in previous releases. Far more folk, both musically and lyrically .. and that’s not to say there isn’t any blues on this disc … “Prisoner” is the prime example – leading off with the line “I had to leave the place where I was born. I had to to travel, I didn’t know where I was going.”

I can’t imagine not liking something Cary puts out — this time there’s just more of Cary to like. A superior finger picking guitarist, with stories to tell, just doesn’t need a band to make it work. The rest of us who try can only drool in envy.

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

Presenting: The 10th Anniversary Party of the Colorado Playlist AUG 7 @4PM w/ GOATZ!, the Liz Barnez Band and more.