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.
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.
Please visit my friends’ sites. They keep this thing going.
Colorado Case Company a Fort Collins based, Colorado family owned business specializing in insulated soft cases, gig bags, case covers and rigid cases for most instruments, including hard to fit instruments.
SpokesBUZZ, a Colorado non-profit with a mission to develop the professionalism of artists, promote and connect progressive cultural destinations, amplify music scenes, and grow local economies. See event calendar for Spokesbuzz band shows.
The historic Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Northern Colorado’s Musical Playground, and seriously one of the most badass music venues in the state.
RADIO NEWS and NOTES
You’ve only got a couple of days left to get in on this job opening … KGNU Community Radio, broadcast from Boulder and Denver, Colorado, and streamed online, seeks a full-time Station Manager to lead their nonprofit broadcast and online media organization. See http://kgnu.org/StationManagerSearch for required and desired qualifications. Please email your application to job@kgnu.orgbyMarch 5, 2015. No phone calls, please. KGNU is an EEOC employer.
Open Air 1340 is now Open Air 102.3FM. And if you haven’t listened, and you’re under 40 and/or you’re into music that you probably have never heard of before, this is a remarkable addition to the FM dial in the Denver metro – extending up just north of Longmont.
Congrats to former Fort Collins Coloradoan reporter Stacy Nick who got laid off at one gig to land another equally impressive role as Culture Arts & Music reporter for 91.5FM KUNC. On Feb 26th, she posted, “Attn Colorado bands headed to #SXSW2015: If you haven’t sent in a copy of your latest CD to KUNC yet, do so now. We’re going to be highlighting a bunch of you in the coming weeks. KUNC, 1901 56th Ave. Suite 200, Greeley, CO 80634 #COMusic”
Artists Wanted for Support Local Culture Support Local Culture is a joint venture between KRFC 88.9 FM and Noosa Yoghurt. The program provides Northern Colorado arts and culture nonprofit organizations and individual artists with an opportunity to promote themselves through KRFC. MORE
VIDEO PICKS – FEBRUARY
TOP 40 Spins February 2015
Our TOP 3 this month are exceptional in the number of stations and frequencies cuts from the release were heard on. Of the 15 stations surveyed, the top 3 appeared on 8, 9, and 7 stations respectively. No other titles this month appeared on more than 4 stations surveyed. Of the 15 station/shows surveyed, 8 did not have even the minimum 10 titles necessary to be reflected in the STATION by STATION breakouts.
235 titles tracked – 8 TOP 40 DEBUTS / 16 Adds to tracking
Titles tracked = released between Sept 2013 and Feb 2015 109 (47%) titles identified as played at least once in the reporting period Stations/shows surveyed: 15 (CC) = Colorado Connection (D) = album/ep/single debut on chart (R) = re-enter [date] = Date added to reporting list
(1) 1. Bill Frisell– Guitar In the Space Age(Okeh Records) Instrumental [18-Nov-14] (3) 2. Hot Rize – When I’m Free(Thirty Tigers) Bluegrass [6-Sep-14] (15) 3. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky To the Bone (Moon Voyage) Blues / r&b / funk [15-Jan-15] (11) 4. Brothers Keeper– Todd Meadows (8150 Records) Rock [20-Dec-14] (8) 5. Jeff Austin– The Simple Truth (Yep Roc) Rock / bluegrass [1-Jan-15] (18) 6. Land Lines – The Natural World (self) Indie/New Alternative [31-Jan-15] (2) 7. Leftover Salmon–High Country (LoS) Rock / country-rock / bluegrass [8-Nov-14] (5) 8. Various– SpokesBUZZ Compilation V: Band Together (SpokesBUZZ) Variety [20-Dec-14] (4) 9. Ark Life– The Dream of You & Me (Greater Than Collective) Rock / folk [28-Jun-14] (23) 10. Reed Foehl – Lost in the West (NeverFoehl Records) Folk / singer-songwriter [13-Sep-14] (10) 11. The String Cheese Incident – Song in My Head (SCI Fidelity) Rock / jamband [12-Apr-14] (27) 12. You, Me and Apollo – Sweet Honey (self) Indie/New Alternative [26-Apr-14] (D) 13. Paul Mullikin – Time Is Now (self) Jazz/Instrumental [1-Feb-15] (D) 14. Selasee & the Fafa Family – Time for Peace (self) World / reggae [30-Jan-15] (33) 15. Ben Markley-Clint Ashlock Quintet – The Return (Dazzle Jazz) Jazz/Instrumental [22-Nov-14] (12) 16. Euforquestra – Fire (self) Funk / jamband [22-Feb-14] (D) 17. Nathaniel Rateliff – Closer EP (Mod y Vi Records) Indie/ Folk [28-Jan-15] (13) 17. Strange Americans – That Kind of Luster(self) Rock [23-Aug-14] (7) 18. Tennis – Ritual in Repeat (Communion Records) Indie/New Alternative [14-Aug-14] (R) 19. Young Ancients – Y/A (self) Americana [22-Feb-14] (21) 20. The Motet– The Motet (self) Urban Contemporary / funk [4-Jan-14] (D) 21. Rose Quartz– Axis of Love (self) Pop / electronic [1-Feb-15] (R) 22. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive (Shout! Factory) Rock / blues [25-Jan-14] (R) 23. Dianne Reeves– Beautiful Life (Concord) Urban Contemporary / jazz / soul [11-Feb-14] (R) 24. Blake Brown & American Dust Choir – “3” (self) Rock [23-Aug-14] (D) 25. Danielle Ate the Sandwich – The Drawing Back of Curtains (Youngest Daughter Records) Folk [13-Jan-15] (R) 25. Nathaniel Rateliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run (Mod y Vi Records) Indie / New Alternative / Folk [1-Sep-13] (D) 26. Gerald Albright – Slam Dunk (Heads Up Music) Jazz/Instrumental [1-Sep-14] (D) 26. Gipsy Moon – Autumn’s Retreat (self) Folk [1-Feb-15] (28) 27. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters (self) Bluegrass [1-Oct-13] (R) 28. Musketeer Gripweed– Floods and Fires (self) Rock / jamband [29-Mar-14] (R) 29. Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore– Love Runner (Remington Road Records) Americana / folk [21-Dec-13] (9) 30. Todd Adelman – Highways & Lowways (Porch Lantern Music) Rock / country-rock [8-Jan-15] (R) 31. John Oates – Good Road to Follow (PS Records) Pop / adult contemporary [18-Mar-14] (R) 31. Katie Herzig – Walk Through Walls (Marion-Lorraine) Pop / adult contemporary [26-Apr-14] (19) 31. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake –Totem (self) Indie/New Alternative [8-Nov-14] (D) 32. AMZY– We Don’t Walk, We Dance (self) Pop / rock [21-Feb-15] (20) 32. Calder’s Revolvers – Sunday Morning (self) Rock / R&B [13-Jun-14] (R) 32. The Seers – Deaf in June (self) Rock [27-Sep-14] (25) 33. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Living Asleep (self) Rock / pop [19-Jul-14]
FELL OUT OF TOP 40 FEB 6. Dana Landry Trio – Memphis Skyline 14. Elephant Revival- These Changing Skies 16. Pandas & People – S/T 17. Safe Boating is No Accident – Bonus Features 17. The Longest Day of the Year – Carapace 18. Born to Wander – S/T 22. Rob Drabkin – Little Steps EP 24. Eef & the Blues Express – All Rivers Run to the Sea 26. Fruition & Grant Farm – Meeting On the Mountain 29. Esme Patterson – Woman to Woman 30. Kyle Hollingsworth – Speed of Life 30. The Sound and Color – S/T 31. Kate LeRoux – Phoenix 31. Richard Dean – Accidental Human 31. Sofie Reed – Red Hen 32. Ben Gallagher – Heart Shaped Rocks 32. J. Miller Band – One More High, One More Low
ADDED TO TRACKING FEBRUARY 2015 All Indians, No Chiefs – The Danger Mission EP AMZY – We Don’t Walk, We Dance Chemistry Club – Copia 1 – The Electric Hush EP Clouds & Mountains – Slumber CRL CRRLL – Good Influence Dearling – Do You Love Me [single] Dirty Few – Party or Don’t Gipsy Moon – Autumn’s Retreat H2 Big Band – It Could Happen Juno What?! – Stranger Land Lines – The Natural World Patrick Lee – Remixes Vol 1 Paul Mullikin – Time Is Now Peter Sommer – Narrando Historias Plum – Hello Miss Yellow [single] Rose Quartz – Axix of Love
STATION BY STATION
[XX] = number of reported current year (Sept 2013-Feb 2015) titles Stations monitored for spins = KAFM, KBUT, KDUR, KGNU, KOTO, KRCC, KRFC, KRZA, KSJD, KSUT, KUNC, KVNF, OPENAIR 1340, Radio 94.9 Colorado, The Colorado Sound radio show and The Colorado Sound LIVE365
KAFM (Grand Junction) [17] 1. Bill Frisell – Guitar In the Space Age 2. Paa Kow – Ask 3. Hot Rize – When I’m Free 4. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky To the Bone 4. Quemando – Paradise
KDUR (Durango) [20] 1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free 2. Leftover Salmon – High Country 3. Born to Wander – S/T 4. Chain Station – Dancin’ With the Law 4. The String Cheese Incident – Song in My Head
KGNU (Boulder) [15] 1. Hot Rize – When I’m Free 2. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Totem 3. Danielle Ate the Sandwich – The Drawing Back of Curtains 3. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters 4. Ark Life – The Dream of You and Me
KRFC (Fort Collins) [+80] 1. Cary Morin – Tiny Town 2. Jeff Austin – The Simple Truth 3. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky To the Bone 4. Danielle Ate the Sandwich – The Drawing Back of Curtains 5. Bill Frisell – Guitar In the Space Age
KUNC (Greeley) [17] 1. Jeff Austin – The Simple Truth 2. Ark Life – The Dream of You and Me 2. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky To the Bone 2. Hot Rize – When I’m Free 2. You, Me and Apollo – Sweet Honey
OPEN AIR 102.3 FM (Denver) [40] 1. Land Lines – The Natural World 2. Dirty Few – Party or Don’t 3. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Totem 4. Ark Life – The Dream of You and Me 5. Plum – Hello Miss Yellow (single)
The Colorado Sound [40] 1. Brothers Keeper – Todd Meadows 2. Various – SpokesBUZZ Compilation V 3. Land Lines – The Natural World 4. Ben Markley~Clint Ashlock Quintet – The Return 4. Chris Daniels & the Kings – Funky to the Bone
You’ve only got a couple of days left to get in on this job opening … KGNU Community Radio, broadcast from Boulder and Denver, Colorado, and streamed online, seeks a full-time Station Manager to lead their nonprofit broadcast and online media organization. See
Congrats to former Fort Collins Coloradoan reporter Stacy Nick who got laid off at one gig to land another equally impressive role as Culture Arts & Music reporter for 
Artists Wanted for Support Local Culture Support Local Culture is a joint venture between 
(1) 1. 
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 