Category: News & Notes

The Colorado Sound S8|EP40

reed foehl lost in the west
Reed Foehl Coming to OSBTM

This has been a very interesting week.  News broke this week that Fort Collins Downtown Business Association executive director Michael Short will be stepping down at the end of the year.  While it’s not directly tied to music, this is an important development as thirteen year DBA vet, and assistant director Peggy Lyle, who handled virtually ALL music related activities, resigned in August over apparent managment differences.

The DBA, in conjunction with funding from the Bohemian Foundation, produces several music related events a year in Fort Collins, including Bohemian Nights at New West Fest, the Colorado Brewers Festival, Fortober Fest, and the Friday Night Old Town Concert Series.  The question that tops the charts is, what will become of these events if the board of the DBA decides to move the organization away from events and more towards promoting and marketing its downtown business constituency by other means?  Obviously only time will tell … but in the meantime another shakeup poses more interesting questions.

Bohemian Foundation Musician Liaison Director Liz Barnez has left her gig there to pursue some personal goals. In an email to me this week Liz writes, “Going to record some stuff with my percussionist Bryon in early November for duo demo… but play trio with Eric, or band add Marty. Going to finish my record with my producer in LA first part of the year. I am going to be touring again with Catie Curtis… so, hoping to be busy with that, and getting Mudhead Music back up and running. I do virtual tour management for bands artists. All advance including, flights, accommodations, tech advance, hospitality, etc. Then create a hard copy or digital book for the tour. It’s like having a tour manager only a lot cheaper. I did this for the subdudes for many years and some Nashville artists. Gonna open it up and try to get a few clients if you hear of a need. Website for Liz Barnez and Mudhead Music to go up in the next month.”

If you are in need, please contact Liz via Facebook.

More directly related to our local music scene was a conversation I was engaged in with a major Denver entertainment (not music) franchise.  You can read that story here.

Check out the NEWS AND NOTES excerpt from this week’s show below.

VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK 

I got an email this past week from Reed Foehl’s PR person asking me if I’d spotlight Reed’s newest video this week.  I had included it as part of the SEPTEMBER videos of the month, so it seemed unlikely that I’d bring it out again.  However, during the course of our email exchange, I thought to ask if Reed would care to be my November guest on OFFSTAGE …BEYOND THE MUSIC.  Reed’s legacy goes back to the late 80s when he was a founding member of ACOUSTIC JUNCTION – a band that achieved considerable success in Colorado in the 90s, and eventually was signed to both Mercury and Capricorn Records.  Since the new millennium he’s been busy on a solo career, producing five albums including the new one, “Lost in the West.”  Here’s a taste…

OFFSTAGE …BEYOND THE MUSIC

Check out the final installment of OSBTM with October’s featured guest Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, and soon to be Colorado Music Hall of Fame member Richie Furay.  If you’d like to download this segment, please do so by going to KUNC or Radio 94.9.  Otherwise, feel free to stream it here.  

PLAYLIST S8|EP40

NEWS & NOTES SEGMENT FROM THIS WEEK’S SHOW

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

HOUR 1

The Samples “The Birds of Paradise” from Here and Somewhere Else (1998)
Acoustic Junction “Penny For Your Thoughts” from Love It For What It Is (1993)
(N) Quemando “Revolution” from Paradise (2014)
Dianne Reeves “32 Flavors” from Beautiful Life (2014)
Rob Drabkin “Little Steps” from Little Steps EP (2013)
(D) Stella Luce “Rain” from Caldera (2014) The Lovely & Talented “Death of The Lover” from The New American Fable (2010)
Slim Cessna’s Auto Club “Cranston” from Blovdy Tenent Trvth Peace (2004)
Fox Street Allstars “Back to Memphis” from Welcome to the Mighty Pleasin’ (2011)
The Outfit “Station Wagon Apocalypse” from Station Wagon Apocalypse (2014)
Gipsy Moon “Flyin’ (feat. Enion Pelta-Tiller)” from Eventide (2013)
(D) Matt Skellenger “New Radio” from New Radio (2014)

HOUR 2

John Denver “Back Home Again” from Essential John Denver (2007)
Judy Collins “Someday Soon” from Who Knows Where The Time Goes (1988)
(D) Andy Palmer “Storm’s Not Coming” from Storm’s Not Coming (2014)
Jeff Finlin “Walking On Air” from My Moby Dick (2013)
Churchill “Change” from Change EP (2012)
(N) Kyle Hollingsworth “Ordinary” from Speed of Life (2014) String Cheese Incident “So Far From Home” from Song In My Head (2014)
Souther Hillman Furay Band “Fallin In Love” from The Souther-Hillman-Furay Band (1974)
Poco “Pickin’ Up the Pieces” from The Essential Poco (2005)
(N) Tennis “Needle and a Knife” from Ritual In Repeat (2014)
Adam Bodine Trio “Smells Like Teen Spirit” from Adam Bodine Trio Plays Nirvana (2013)

The Colorado Sound S8|EP37 2014

Usually I spend my weekends listening to a lot of new releases, as I work on the Monday morning post and sometimes News Notes & Spins for the 1st.  This weekend though, it was not specifically a new release, but one that I’d only tasted since it came out over a year ago now – Nina Storey – Think Twice.  Nina has been a part of the Colorado music scene since her debut in 92.  Since then, she’s had an up and down career – mostly up – getting marginal cred in the media, and losing out in a terrible performance on one those celebrity based real life talent tv shows examples of the downside events.  Her move to Los Angeles has proved beneficial for this Colorado original who continues to move forward, dismissing criticism — in a testament to her longevity and her perseverance, Nina was featured on a Times Square digital billboard this past week – in advance of shows in NYC.  

Truth is, I couldn’t listen enough to Nina’s album.

Video Pick of the Week:  Supergroup:  “…a music group whose members are already successful as solo artists or as part of other groups or well known in other professions.” (wikipedia).  Young Ancients = supergroup comprised of Colorado Blues Society Award winner (2013, 2012 solo/duo category) Cary Morin + Subdudes founding members John Magnie and Steve Amedée.  I’ve had the pleasure of working with this lineup a few times this past year, and will be doing sound for them October 31 at Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids and Solids in Longmont.  Do I need to say you should be there?  

Speaking of where you might want to be.  I’ll be joining SpokesBUZZ for a couple of events on Oct 2, and Oct 5.   Oct 2 = Homecoming (Denver): Winchester Holiday | Phin | Maxwell Hughes | Amanda Broadway.  Oct 5 = Homecoming (Fort Collins): The Deadwood Saints | Pandas & People | Bonsoir, Catin | Lewi Longmire and the Left Coast Roasters.  The Denver show is free and all ages.  The Fort Collins show is free.  Don’t know if it’s all ages.  I have to assume so, as it’s at Avogradro’s Number in Fort Collins.

PLAYLIST S8|EP37

HOUR 1

Chris Hillman “Slippin’ Away” from Slippin’ Away (1976)
Dusty Drapes & the Dusters “Talkin’ Boogie” from The Red Album (1981)
(D) The Deadwood Saints “6th Street and Trinity” from 6th Street and Trinity
(N) John Oates “Six Men” from Good Road to Follow (2014)
(N) Montropo “Letter to Mary” from Follow Me (2014)
(D) The Seers “Deaf In June” from Cellophane Eyes (2014)
Glitta Kings “Twice Broken” from Girls in High Heels Shouldn’t Dance On Glass Tables (2014)
SuCh (Su Charles) “P’s and Q’s (Playing Games)” from Trial and Error (2014)
Wendy Woo “Fade to Gray” from Wide Awake and Dreaming (1999)
(N) Safe Boating is No Accident “Dye My Love” from Bonus Features (2014)
Fierce Bad Rabbit “Time Machine” from Maestro & the Elephant (2013)
Raincheck “Oh Brother” from Raincheck (2012)

HOUR 2

Gerard “Hello Operator” from Hello Operator (1976)
Dean Reed “Our Summer Romance” from Our Summer Romance (1960)
(D) Steve Law Band “Old Oak Tree” from Old Oak Tree (2014)
String Cheese Incident “Can’t Wait Another Day” from Song In My Head (2014)
Mohammed Alidu and the Bizung Family “Land of Fire” from Land of Fire (2010)
Paper Bird “As I Am” from Rooms (2013)
Esme Patterson “Valentine” from Woman To Woman (2014)
Ark Life “What You Want To” from The Dream of You and Me (2014)
Eddie Turner “Rise” from Rise (2005)
(D) Hot Rize “Blue Is Fallin’” from When I’m Free (2014)
Tom Gershwin “Sugar” from Sweet Pastimes (2013)

The Colorado Sound S8|EP36 + Review/the Burroughs

IMG_20140901_182522_349My outdoor festival season ended this weekend.  This was the 3rd year for Fortober Fest, an end of season downtown street party in Fort Collins, produced by the Downtown Business Association (Colorado Brewers Festival, New West Fest).  Highlights from this year included the Young Ancients, Sofie Reed, Soul School, Romeo Delight (a live tribute to Van Halen), Whiskey Blanket, and the Burroughs from Greeley, among the fourteen bands picked to celebrate bikes, beers, bands and the end to the summer.

It really does take a lot to stop me in my tracks and make me listen… even harder to make me turn around while I’m walking off – busy with some activity or another when I’m working a show.  That’s more or less true for nearly all of us working live music events for a living.   We see and hear a lot of bands and at least for me, most of the time I hear them in the background.

The Burroughs from Greeley

I feel like the guy who walked in at the end of the party, when I say I just discovered Johnny Burroughs.  Nothing online will prepare you for the energy of a Burroughs’ live show.  I had to be convinced to book them sight-unseen, based purely on their reputation with some friends of mine in the scene.  I’ll need no coaxing from here on out – I’m all in, at least so far as the live show goes.

The only weakness I see with the band is there’s no need for two guitarists, both of whom are adequate, but are both doing more or less the same thing, and neither of whom really shined in their role.  The four piece horn section worked extremely well as an ensemble unit.  The husband-wife rhythm section was there – laying down a foundation that never once got in the way of the exceptional arrangements that Johnny danced and sang over.  A trio of backup singers would be nice also.

Johnny Burroughs

It as an Otis Redding song that caused me to stop.  It was the engaging smile, red hair, dance moves, passion and pure soul that held me in place for hits by James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and others.  This ain’t no velveeta cheese on wonder bread cover band in a Holiday Inn dressing up and playing for an after work middle age suburban audience.  This was raw, visceral, emotional, ass shakin’, instantaneously crowd pleasing soul.  I will NEVER be surprised should I see panties being tossed at this guy from the audience (they still do that don’t they?). 

Any of us old enough to have seen Michael or Stevie in the late 70s and early 80s would be transported… Add in elements of the likes of Tom Jones or Sammy Davis, Jr in their day and the ghosts are there, lurking in the mannerisms Johnny puts on full display inside his tight space on stage, sandwiched between the horns and guitars… far too little space to contain this new, bright, smiling, happy as hell to be there song and dance entertainer.

PS… the record really does not do the band’s show justice – this is a band meant for the stage, not the studio (at least for now).

VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK

Two videos this week… one from the closing band at Fortober Fest, Romeo Delight A Van Halen Tribute, and one from my pal Chris Daniels and his band the Kings with Freddi Gowdy on Rocky Mountain PBS.  Enjoy.

PLAYLIST S8|EP36 

HOUR 1

Jill Sobule “Too Cool To Fall in Love” from Things Here Are Different (1990)
Wendy Woo “Wide Awake and Dreaming” from Wide Awake and Dreaming (1999)
(N) Strange Americans “Rocks Rolls” from That Kind of Luster (2014)
Von Stomper “Mississippi Woman” from Von Stomper (2014)
Johnny Hickman “Another Road” from Hickman-Dalton Gang (2011)
Crucifix “The Dreamer” from Acid Reign (2013)
Fafi aka 3Percent “6 Dayz A Week” from Groove or Die (2009)
The Fray “Hurricane” from Helios (2014)
Churchill “The War Within” from War Within EP (2013)
Felonius Smith “Delivery Man” from Before the Rooster Crows (2014)
Sofie Reed “These Blues” from Red Hen (2014)
Keith Oxman “All Dudes” from Doing All Right (2009)

HOUR 2

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” from Greatest Hits (1990)
Poco “A Good Feeling to Know” from The Essential Poco (2005)
(D) SHEL “You Could Be My Baby” from You Could Be My Baby (2014)
Tennis “Never Work for Free” from Ritual In Repeat (2014)
(N) Drew Schofield “150 Million (-1)” from 150 Million (-1) (2014)
(N) Reed Foehl “Four Lanes” from Lost in the West (2014)
Five Iron Frenzy “It Was A Dark & Stormy Night” from Engine of a Million Plots (2013)
Eddie Turner “I’m Tore Down” from The Turner Diaries (2006) Jesse Furay Lynch “I Wish It Would Rain” (2014)
Jim Stranahan Little BIG BAND “Blues and a Half” from MIGRATION TO HIGHER GROUND (2014)