Tag: Greeley

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)

News, Notes & Spins – October 1, 2011

Can you believe it’s October already?  In all of about the next 60 days (from Oct 1) we’ll be asking what your favorite titles are from the past year … and I’ll post the year end charts; that of course at the end of the year – but to do that means a month of work in advance…. And a lot of reviewing for those who might be a bit behind in listening to what’s up in Colorado in 2011.  It will be interesting to see what titles our on-air programmers and others pick as their favorites / most played of 2011.

Plenty of radio news this month, including two NEW “radio” stations on the horizon, one AM based and one Internet based.  I got the chance to sit and talk to Mike Flanagan, the new program director for OpenAir 1340, set to launch Oct 31.  Mike’s planning a unique mix of contemporary music, buffered with in studio performances and interviews with both Colorado acts and acts performing in Colorado.  In-studio sessions coming up from the likes of Candy Claws and others are apparently already set up and ready to go.

I have to give a HUGE thumbs up to the CPR (Colorado Public Radio) performance/recording studio; it is truly a world class facility, geared to a very high standard of sound, recording capabilities, and contemporary aesthetics.

Also taking place – Former Indie 101.5 music director John “Whip” Wilbur and ex-Lipglosser Tyler Jacobson have teamed up to launch Post303Radio.com, featuring contemporary indie and alternative music not heard on most commercial stations, with a heavy dose of Colorado music mixed in.  Could Dave Herrera be willing to reprise his old local music show?  Hmmm….

In either case, we can expect to find more Colorado music of all varieties on the air in the near future along the Front Range and online.

Danielle Hastings has joined the KRFC staff as the new Fund Development Specialist. Danielle’s known in Fort Collins for her work with FoCoMA (Fort Collins Musicians Association) and Bohemian Nights at New West Fest. Danielle is a very passionate supporter of Colorado music and KRFC’s new more Colorado focused format.  Her primary responsibility this fall will be to develop the KRFC underwriting program and sponsorships and she will be playing a big role in creating more community connections and shaping the future of Development and fund raising at KRFC.

KGNU’s 33 1/3 birthday is coming up.  They’ll have a vinyl celebration on Monday 10/17, during their next membership drive, 10/12-10/22

KRCC presents a live broadcast of Garrison Keillor’s A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION Saturday, October 29 at the Colorado Springs World Arena.  Doors open at 2:45pm with showtime beginning promptly at 3:45pm

If you plan on trying to reach KDNK asst. music director Lynette O’Kane from now til Nov, you’re SOL LOL … she’s off on a five wk vaca in Morocco, Spain & France.  Hmmmm … I wonder how many times she’s been asked if there’s extra space in those travel trunks … ALSO at KDNK — news reporter Mat Katz has moved on to another job in New York. Ed Williams is on board.

Here’s the charts …

TOP 40 ALBUM SPINS – September 2011
(133 titles reported played / 317 titles tracked)
(LM) TM / [date added]
(D) = debut, first time on chart)
(R) = re-entered chart)

(3) 1. Spring Creek – Hold On Me (self) Bluegrass [Jul-11]
(2) 2. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5 (self) Bluegrass [Apr-11]
(D) 3. Driftwood Fire – How To Untangle A Heartache (self) Folk [Aug-11]
(17) 4. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee (Blank Tape) Americana [May-11]
(D) 5. Bare Bones – Bare Bones (self) Rock/Folk [Sep-11]
(D) 6. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder (Music Maker) Blues [Aug-11]
(R) 6. Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams – Sinners & Saints (self) Americana/alternative country-rock [Aug-10]
(21) 7. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco (self) Rock/alternative country-rock [Jul-11]
(20) 8. Jim Stranahan – Free For All (Capri Records) Jazz [Apr-11]
(R) 8. Brad Goode – Tight Like This (Delmark) Jazz [Sep-10]
(7) 8. Jami Lunde – Big Black Birds (self) Americana/folk-rock [Jun-11]
(D) 8. The Raven and the Writing Desk – Bonedale (self) Rock/adult alternative [Sep-11]
(R) 8. The Whiskey Bottles – Ain’t No Crime (self) Americana/alternative country-rock [Apr-11]
(D) 9. El Toro De La Muerte – Dancer These Days (self) Rock [Aug-11]
(D) 10. Petals of Spain – Late Night Visitor (self) Funk/R&B/Soul [Sep-11]
(8) 11. Cassie Taylor – Blue (Hypertension) Blues/R&B/Rock [Aug-11]
(D) 12. 3 Twins Broadband – 3 Twins Broadband (Cook Music Group) Americana [Aug-11]
(R) 13. Adam Bodine Trio – Up ‘N Hear (self) Jazz [Jul-11]
(24) 14. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis (self) Blues [Aug-11]
(24) 15. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson (Ryko) Blues [Jan-11]
(24) 15. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Spools of Thread (self) Rock/alternative/indie [Sep-10]
(4) 15. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty (Free School) Rock/adult alternative [re-entry Apr-11]
(24) 16. Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day (self) Rock/blues-rock [Sep-10]
(R) 16. The Hickman-Dalton Gang – The Hickman-Dalton Gang Vol II (self) Americana/alternative country-rock [Jun-11]
(D) 17. Andy Palmer – Sometime Around (self) Rock/adult alternative [Sep-11]
(D) 17. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down (Moraine Music Group) Folk/Pop [Sep-11]
(12) 17. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity (Woomusic) Rock/adult contemporary pop [Jun-11]
(4) 17. Zach Heckendorf – The Cool Down (self) Rock/acoustic pop rock [Jul-11]
(1) 18. Devotchka – 100 Lovers (Anti-) Rock/adult alternative [Dec-10]
(R) 18. Katey Laurel – From Here (Roaring Twenties Records) Americana/folk-rock [Jan-11]
(R) 18. My Body Sings Electric – Step Into the Light (self) Rock/modern alternative [Jan-11]
(D) 18. Petals of Spain – Lady Luck (single) (self) Funk/R&B/Soul [Sep-11]
(D) 19. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Sineater (Greater Than Collective) Rock/indie-alternative [Sep-11]
(R) 19. Whiskey Blanket – No Object (self) Hip-Hop/adult-progressive [Dec-10]
(R) 20. Jeff Brinkman – To the Bones (Devonshire Records) Rock/adult alternative [Jul-10]
(R) 20. Jim McTurnan & The Kids That Killed The Man – Joie De Vivre (self) Pop/indie-alternative [May-11]
(5) 20. Paper Bird – Carry On (Long Spoon) Americana/folk [Jul-11]
(D) 20. Roniit – Roniit (self) Pop/dark-electro [Sep-11]
(11) 20. The Dirty Lookers – Audio Voyeur (self) Rock/garage [Aug-11]
(R) 21. Kevin Dooley – Moonlight Highway (self) Americana/country-folk [Jun-11]

Fell Out of Top 40 – September
(6) Gabrielle Louise – Mirror the Branches
(8) Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
(8) H2 Big Band – You’re It!
(9) Kim Jones – Lucky Girl
(10). The Holler! – Gratitude
(11) Pat Murphy – The Paul Howard Project
(12) Dotsero – Storyhouse
(13) Justin Roth – Now You Know
(14) Carmen Sandim Sextet – Brand New
(15) Fox Street Allstars – Welcome to the Mighty Pleasin’
(16) Rose Hill Drive – Americana
(17) Fingers of the Sun – Fingers of the Sun
(18) Danielle Ate the Sandwich – Two Bedroom Apartment
(18) Gary Bragg – High Plains Storm
(18) White Water Ramble – All Night Drive
(19) Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Rocksteady
(19) Houses – Winter
(19) John Oates – Mississippi Mile
(19) the Still City – Brittle Bones
(20) Grant Gordy – Grant Gordy
(21) The Chain Gang of 1974 – Wayward Fire
(22) Nathaniel Rateliff – In Memory of Loss
(23) Stray Grass – Written in the Stars
(24) John-Alex Mason – Jook Joint Thunderclap
(24) Jonny Barber & the Living Deads – Jonny Barber & the Living Deads

Added – September
Andy Palmer – Sometime Around
Andy Thorn – Fire In the Sky
Bare Bones – Bare Bones
Big Jim Adam & John Stilwagen – Tippy’s Barn
Breathe Carolina – Hell Is What You Make It
Ian Cooke – Fortitude
Mosey West – Vaca Money
Papa Juke – Out of the Blues
Pikes – Pikes
Popcult – Popcult EP
Dawson James – Plaid Shirt Livin’
Dubskin – Release from Fear
Eric Shiveley – Crybaby (single)
Honey Gitters – Poor Gitters’ Almanack
Lizzie Huffman – Pretty Old Soul
Mark’s Midnight Carnival – Mark’s Midnight Carnival
Melissa Axel – love * humanity * metamorphosis
Petals of Spain – Late Night Visitor
Petals of Spain – Lady Luck (single)
Roniit – Roniit
Saints – Dark Country (single)
SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down
Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Sineater
The Don’ts and Be Carefuls – Sun Hits
The Raven and the Writing Desk – Bonedale
Tommy & the Tangerines – Main Squeeze

REPORTING STATIONS
No Report this month = KGNU (Boulder), KBUT (Crested Butte), KCSU (Fort Collins)

KAFM (Grand Junction)
1. Driftwood Fire – How To Untangle A Heartache
1. The Whiskey Bottles – Ain’t No Crime
2. Elephant Revival – Break in the Clouds
3. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
4. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson

KDNK (Carbondale)
1. Halden Wofford & the Hi Beams – Sinners & Saints
2. Beth Quist – New Moon
2. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty
2. Spring Creek – Hold On Me
3. Andy Palmer – Sometime Around

KRCC (Colorado Springs)
1. The Chain Gang of 1974 – Wayward Fire
2. El Toro De La Muerte – Dancer These Days
2. Tennis – Cape Dory
3. Grant Sabin – The Homesick EP
3. Jami Lunde – Big Black Birds

KRFC (Fort Collins)
1. The Patti Fiasco – The Patti Fiasco
2. Cary Morin – Sing It Louder
3. Musketeer Gripweed – Dyin’ Day
4. Devotchka – 100 Lovers
4. John Common and Blinding Flashes of Light – Beautiful Empty

KUNC (Greeley)
1. Wendy Woo Band – Austerity
1. Zach Heckendorf – The Cool Down
2. Driftwood Fire – How To Untangle A Heartache
3. Justin Roth – Now You Know
4. SHEL – When the Dragon Came Down

KUVO (Denver)
1. Judy Wexler – Under A Painted Sky
2. Jim Stranahan – Free For All
3. Adam Bodine Trio – Up ‘N Hear
3. Andrew Vogt – Cats Afoot
3. Brad Goode – Tight Like This

KVNF (Paonia)
1. Paper Bird – Carry On
1. Spring Creek – Hold On Me
2. Finnders & Youngberg – FY5
3. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee
4. Big Head Todd and the Monsters – Big Head Blues Club: 100 Years of Robert Johnson

The Colorado Sound
1. Lionel Young Band – On Our Way to Memphis
2. The Haunted Windchimes – Live at the Western Jubilee
3. Bare Bones – Bare Bones
3. Driftwood Fire – How to Untangle a Heartache
4. Jami Lunde – Big Black Birds

MISC. (includes specialty shows on The Mountain, KTCL & Radio 1190)
1. The Don’ts and Be Carefuls – Sun Hits
2. Popcult – Popcult EP
2. Snake Rattle Rattle Snake – Sineater
3. Bare Bones – Bare Bones
3. Bop Skizzum – Beauty Queen

Please consider donating to the cause.  DONATE HERE
Much love and appreciation — goat

KUNC-FM – seeking a Morning Edition Host/Reporter.

KUNC-FM in Greeley, Colorado is seeking a Morning Edition Host/Reporter.

We are looking for a person with an engaging and conversational hosting style as well as credible news delivery and judgment. KUNC’s Morning Edition Host is responsible for preparing all station originated material including hourly newscasts, underwrites, promotional, and public service announcements . A successful candidate has at least two years of hosting, public radio news and fundraising experience. College degree preferred.

This is a great opportunity to grow with an award winning station that covers northern Colorado, mountain and resort towns, and areas along the eastern plains. Full job description and application is available at KUNC.org.

Please submit a cover letter, resume and CD or MP3 files with examples of hosting, news anchoring and reporting to: Community Radio for Northern Colorado, Human Resources, 1901 56th Ave. Suite 200, Greeley, CO 80634 humanresources@kunc.org. KUNC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Salary DOE with exceptional benefits. Deadline for applications is September 30th, 2011.