The Colorado Sound S9|EP13 March/April 2015

Watch this.

REALLY???  Hazel Miller, who is celebrating her 30th year of music in Colorado has NEVER played the Historic Mishawaka Amphitheatre??.  And SHE isn’t the only one.  Turns out my pals in Chris Daniels & the Kings have never played there either.  How the hell is that even possible???

No sooner had Hazel spoken those words than I knew we had to correct this historical mistake, so I called up another great friend and Colorado music lover, Mish owner Dani Grant and explained it to her … after all – 30 years .. wow … and she felt the same – like HOW is that even possible? RIGHT?! No hesitation – VERY PROUD to announce

THE COLORADO SOUND
&
THE MISHAWAKA AMPHITHEATRE
PRESENT

THE HAZEL MILLER BAND | CHRIS DANIELS & THE KINGS
featuring Freddi “Love” Gowdy (Freddi/Henchi Band)
and special guests Goatz! aka Chris K and Friends and Family

SUNDAY AUG 9
$18 advance tickets on sale Wednesday April 1
www.themishawaka.com 

The last full band show my wife and I did was Oct 25, 2009 – our wedding – at Oskar Blues in Lyons.  A few weeks ago our drummer, Carlos Newman (Angie Stevens & the Beautiful Wreck), FB’d a msg saying “it’s the year of the Goat – it’s time to play again.”  Can’t argue with that.  Absolutely looking forward to joining my friends Hazel and Chris for this historic performance on a beautiful summer afternoon and evening up the Poudre Canyon.

and that’s not all we’re up to this summer.  SATURDAY JUNE 6 THE MISHAWAKA AMPHITHEATRE & THE COLORADO SOUND PRESENT LOCALS X LOCALS More info on these and other great events this summer at www.themishawaka.com … I don’t want to spoil “the ending” LOL 😉

OFFSTAGE …BEYOND THE MUSIC

So that video segment with Hazel … normally I only leave the audio field recorder on when I’m sitting and chatting with my friends for episodes of Offstage…Beyond the Music, our monthly podcast series featuring Colorado musicians and music industry personalities.  I turned the audio and video on for this one.  We spent well over 2 hours chatting it up … here’s a tease.

VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK

I went looking for something from Hazel and Chris and found this one shot at Denver’s Gothic Theater in 2006.  Looking fwd to seeing something come out of the Mish show in Aug … I think we might need someone to chronicle the night.

PLAYLIST S9|EP13 2015

HOUR1

Chuck Pyle “Jacked Up” from A Few Miles Back (2001)
Harry Tuft & Friends “James Alley Blues” from Treasures Untold (2011)
(N) Taarka “Heart and Song” from Making Tracks Home (2015)Rose Quartz “Medicine” from Axis of Love (2015)
Mosey West “Old Stone” from Bermuda (2014)
Instant Empire “Without Wires” from Instant Empire (2011)
Eldren “We Just Want The World” from SpokesBUZZ Vol. V (2015)
Big Head Todd & The Monsters “Resignation Superman” from Beautiful World (1997)
Andy Rok & the Real Deal “Second Class Citizen” from Second Class Citizen (2014)
Something Underground “She’s On Fire” from She’s On Fire (2011)
(D) Trout Steak Revival “Get A Fire Going” from Brighter Every Day (2015)
Ark Life “Rock & Roll (Take It Easy)” from The Dream of You and Me (2014)
Gerald Albright “Slam Dunk” from Slam Dunk (2014)

HOUR2

Lannie Garrett “Pickin’ Up After You” from Comes Love (1995)
Mollie O’Brien “Sign Your Name” from Tell It True (1996)
(N) Brothers Keeper “Cold Rain” from Todd Meadows (2014)(N) Chris Daniels & the Kings “Something You Got” from Funky To the Bone (2015)
Richie Furay “Real Love” from Heartbeat of Love (2006)
Casey James Prestwood & the Burning Angels “Out of Beer” from Honky Tonk Bastard World (2013)
The Patti Fiasco “Oil” from Small Town Lights (2013)
You Me and Apollo “Oh My Molly” from You Me and Apollo (2012)
(D) Dana Landry Quartet “Puttin’ On the Ritz” from Standard Elevation (2015)

 

The Colorado Sound S9|EP12 MARCH 2015

There are days when all you can do is laugh to keep from crying.  Right?  LOL.  Last Sunday it was an ER trip due to a “fainting” spell.  Last Monday it was an ER trip due to me taking a header off my bicycle.  The bike and I are on a bit of a respite until my physical therapist clears me to ride again.

What saved the week, and took my mind off my sorely sprained rib muscles was the 5 hours I spent with my friend Hazel Miller, who will be April’s featured guest on Offstage …Beyond the Music – and then dinner and some honky tonk with Casey Prestwood & the Burning Angels at the Park House in Denver – John Macy, this month’s OSBTM guest on pedal steel of course.

Hazel is a vibrant, funny, passionate, and compassionate soul with a heart big enough to cover all of us in her love.  2015 marks Hazel’s 30th year of making music in Colorado and over 20 years as a de facto member of Big Head Todd and the Monsters.  That’s one hell of a legacy … and with a new album on the way before year’s end and a lot of shows it’s going to be a great year for one of our most beloved entertainers (and friends). Editing down that 5 hours is going to be a chore, I swear.

VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK
SHEL – PLEASE COME HOME

For all the talk around the scene that the sisters have plugged in and added some “snap crackle and pop” to their sound, they give us one of the finest acoustic cuts of their career.

PLAYLIST S9|EP12

The Czars “Paint the Moon” from Goodbye (2004)
Reed Foehl “When It Comes Around” from Spark (2004)
Cary Morin “Tiny Town” from Tiny Town (2015)
Todd Adelman “Long Arm of the Law” from Highways & Lowways (2015)
OneRepublic “Something I Need” from Native (2013)
Megan Burtt “Better (w/the Epilogues)” from In Good Company (2013)
Mercury Project “On to You” from on to you (2007)
Esme Patterson “Tumbleweed” from Woman To Woman (2014)
Petals of Spain “I Gotta Know” from Soul Canon (2013)
The Apples in Stereo “Stephen Stephen” from Electronic Projects for Musicians (2008)
The River Arkansas “A Place to Rest” from Golden Light (2015)The Mitguards “Lookin’ for Something True” from Something True (2009)
Haunted Windchimes “Wanderin’ Heart” from Out With The Crow (2012)
Bill Frisell “Telstar” from Guitar In the Space Age (2014)

HOUR 2

Rare Silk “Up From the Skies” from American Eyes (1985)
The Samples “My Town” from Samples (1990)
(D) Fox St. “Something About You” [single] (2015)Leftover Salmon “Bluegrass Pines” from High Country (2015)
Michael Martin Murphey “Wildfire” from Blue Sky Night Thunder (1975)
Jon Chandler “I’m Going Home” from Sepia Soul (2002)
(D) SHEL “Please Come Home” from The Lab Sessions (2015)
(D) Toad In the Hole “Drifting” from Wallflower (2015)Peter Sommer “The Fruit” from Crossroads (2008)

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.