The first “offical” (unofficially speaking) festival weekend of the month has come and gone … with what appeared to me to be record crowds at FoCoMX (Fort Collins Music Experiment) #6. That at least from my vantage point at Equinox Brewing on Fri and Sat. On Sunday, my wife and I purchased a vendor space at the Root 40 Music Festival. Some very good friends also happened to be there.
Award winning producer/engineer John Macy (pedal steel – Casey James Prestwood & the Burning Angels) and I spent a LOT of time taking about the new “house” he’s in – called Park House, it occupies the space on E. Colfax and Madison (actual address is 1515 Madison) once adorned by the Normandy Restaurant.
John has opened up the NEW Macy Sound Studios in part of the building, and suggested that live recordings and live-streaming shows are in the works. There are a few videos at the venue website … well worth checking out this “new” venue (guess it’s been open over a year now?) … and some crazy good artists/bands playing the room. John also told me he’s remixing the second release from The Congress – and that the new Richie Furay record will be self released sometime this summer.
In a sign to take our mortality, and our health, seriously, both Dan Treanor and Johnny O wound up in the hospital this past month. Dan and Johnny both seem to be none-the-worse for the heart problems that put a smack-down on our friends, and the out pouring of support from musicians all over the region was genuine and heartfelt by everyone.
Also in news this week … it dawned on me that this is the 30th Anniversary of some auspicious happenings in our scene … 30 years ago Candy Givens from the band Zephyr died after drowning in her hot tub, from a deadly combination of alcohol and Quaalude.
Zephyr c0-founder David Givens is releasing a number of recordings from the Zephyr catalog, including the 1982 “Heartbeat” record, and a box set that contains the “Rainbow In the Bathtub” record from ’69, a live show from Tulagi’s in Boulder, and a cd of outtakes and demos. Amazon shows it will be available on May 27, and a limited numbered run is currently available for pre-order. David also let me know he’s got other Zephyr and Legendary 4Nikators records he’d like to release this year as well.
Other 30th Anniversaries include Chris Daniels & the Kings, who will be releasing a new disc in time for summer that will feature legendary Denver (by way of Phoenix) soul master Freddi Gowdy. Chris is also finishing up recording the new Magic Music release – from the band that started it all for Chris in the early 70s. And finally – Airshow Mastering celebrates their 30th anniversary also. Lots of love to all our friends celebrating this year.
APRIL VIDEO PICKS
Great American Taxi is featured dominantly in this month’s video picks with two tracks from them … Euforquestra, Esme Patterson, Katie Herzig, the Symbols, and Chemistry Club round out the top 7 picks.
TOP 40 Spins APRIL 2014
315 titles tracked 164 (52%) titles were reported as played at least once.
(CC) = Colorado Connection
(D) = album/ep debut on chart
(R) = reenter
[date] = Date added to reporting list
(1) 1. Eurforquestra – Fire (self) Urban Contemporary/funk, reggae [February 22, 2014]
(5) 2. The Motet – The Motet (self) Urban Contemporary/funk [January 4, 2014]
(14) 3. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the Sun (8 Minutes 20 Seconds) Urban Contemporary/EDM [July 2, 2013]
(3) 4. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies (Thirty Tiger) Folk [August 1, 2013]
(D) 5. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head (SCI Fidelity) Rock/jamband [March 17, 2014]
(2) 6. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive (Shout! Factory) Rock/AAA [January 25, 2014]
(R) 7. Nathaniel Ratefliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run (Mod y Vi Records) Folk [September 1, 2013]
(4) 8. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters (self) Bluegrass [October 1, 2013]
(6) 9. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman (Suitcase Town Music) Folk [June 22, 2013]
(R) 10. Katie Glassman & Snapshot – Dream A Little Dream (self) Americana/country [November 30, 2013]
(12) 11. Young Ancients – Y/A (self) Americana/roots [February 22, 2014]
(D) 12. Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires (self) Rock/AAA [March 29, 2014]
(10) 13. DeVotchKa – Live with the Colorado Symphony (Cicero Recordings) Indie/New Alternative [November 1, 2012]
(7) 14. Honey Don’t – Heart Like A Wheel (self) Americana [November 1, 2013]
(R) 15. Monocle Band – Monocle Band (self) Folk/folk-rock [September 1, 2013]
(R) 16. Kristina Murray – Unravelin’ (self) Americana/country [November 2, 2013]
(20) 17. Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Western Branches (self) Bluegrass [June 1, 2013]
(36) 18. Esme Patterson – Woman to Woman (Greater Than Collective) Indie/New Alternative [March 1, 2014]
(R) 19. Grant Sabin – Anthromusicology (Blank Tape) Rock [January 10, 2013]
(D) 20. Katie Herzig – Walk Through Walls (Marion-Lorraine) Pop/adult contemporary [March 21, 2014]
(17) 21. Dragondeer – Don’t That Feel Good EP (self) Rock [March 14, 2014]
(R) 22. The Patti Fiasco – Small Town Lights (self) Rock [July 23, 2013]
(9) 23. Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Love Runner (Remington Road Records) Americana/folk-rock [December 21, 2013]
(16) 24. Jeff Brinkman Band – Strange (self) Rock/AAA [December 1, 2012]
(R) 25. Drag The River – Drag the River (Xtra Mile Records) Rock/AAA [October 1, 2013]
(32) 25. Various – SpokesBUZZ Vol. IV Band Together (SpokesBUZZ) Rock [December 14, 2013]
(R) 26. Changing Colors – Joan & the King (Blank Tape) Folk [April 27, 2013]
(18) 27. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone (Telarc) Blues [January 20, 2013]
(R) 28. The ReMinders – Born Champions (self) Urban Contemporary/hip hop [November 1, 2012]
(R) 29. Fierce Bad Rabbit – Maestro and the Elephant (self) Rock/AAA [ January 5, 2013]
(8) 29. Tallgrass – Better Than Medicine (self) Americana/roots [March 1, 2014]
(27) 29. Yonder Mountain String Band – EP13 (Frog Pad) Americana/bluegrass [September 1, 2013]
(26) 30. Mosey West – Bermuda (self) Rock/alt-country-rock [November 2, 2013]
(D) 31. Chain Station – Dancin’ With the Law (self) Bluegrass [March 14, 2014]
(26) 32. Finnders & Youngberg – I Don’t Want Love You Won’t Give Until I Cry (Swingfingers Records) Bluegrass [August 1, 2013]
(R) 33. WhiteWater Ramble – Roots & Groove (WWR) Rock/jamgrass [February 16, 2013]
(36) 34. Tennis – Small Sound (Communion Records) Indie/New Alternative [November 1, 2013]
(D) 34. Von Stomper – Von Stomper (Cottonwood) Americana/roots rock [April 5, 2014]
(13) 35. 3 Twins – De Nada (Sleeping Elephant Music) Americana/N’Orleans [June 20, 2013]
(R) 35. Lawn Chair Kings – Zombies Wake! (self) Americana/alt-country-rock [November 18, 2013]
DROPPED OUT OF TOP 40 APRIL
11. Dianne Reeves – Beautiful Life
15. The Wild After – Lesson Learned EP
19. Five Iron Frenzy – Engine of a Million Plots
21. Cassie Taylor – Out of My Mind
23. Paper Bird – Rooms
24. Mike Clark & the Sugar Sounds – Round and Round
25. Arthur Lee Land – Cracked Open
27. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Time (You’re Doing Fine)
28. The Fray – Helios
29. The Samples – America
30. Bobby Walker – Feelin’ Good
31. Blue Canyon Boys – Next Go Round
32. Kristi Stice – Under the Willow
33. Halden Wofford & the Hi*Beams – Rocky Mountain Honky Tonk
34. Head for the Hills – Blue Ruin
35. Megan Burtt & Friends – In Good Company: Vol I: The Colorado Sessions
ADDED TO TRACKING APRIL
Bonnie & the Clydes – Music for the People: Part I EP
Caribou Mountain Collective – ‘Til The Sun Gives Us A Day
Crucifix – The Beginning EP
Dinero – Blind Owl
Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires
Von Stomper – Von Stomper
Wovenhand – Refractory Obdurate You, Me and Apollo – Sweet Honey
STATION BY STATION
Airplay tabulated from March 28 2014 – April 29 2014 for titles released Nov 1 2012 – April 28 2014
STATIONS REPORTING FEWER THAN 10 COLORADO TITLES DO NOT SHOW UP IN THE STATION BY STATION LISTING, BUT ARE INCLUDED IN THE OVERALL SPINS DATA
KAFM (Grand Junction) [20]
1. Eurforquestra – Fire
1. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
2. Bad Brad & the Fat Cats – Take A Walk With Me
2. Williams Brothers Band – Live at the Mesa Theater
3. The Motet – The Motet
KDUR (Durango) [16]
1. The Motet – The Motet
2. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
3. Eurforquestra – Fire
4. Various – SpokesBUZZ Vol. IV Band Together
5. Jeff Scroggins & Colorado – Western Branches
KGNU (Boulder) [20]
1. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
2. Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore – Love Runner
2. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the Sun
3. Chain Station – Dancin’ With the Law
4. Eurforquestra – Fire
KRCC (Colorado Springs) [12]
1. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the Sun
2. The Motet – The Motet
3. Eurforquestra – Fire
4. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
5. Changing Colors – Joan & the King
KRFC (Fort Collins) [100+]
1. Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires
2. Von Stomper – Von Stomper
3. Mama Lenny and the Remedy – Time (You’re Doing Fine)
3. Young Ancients – Y/A
4. Big Head Todd & The Monsters – Black Beehive
KSUT (Ignacio) [10]
1. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
1. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
2. The Motet – The Motet
3. Eurforquestra – Fire
4. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive
KUNC (Greeley) [12]
1. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive
2. Nathaniel Ratefliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
3. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
4. Arthur Lee Land – Cracked Open
4. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
KVNF (Paonia) [12]
1. Honey Don’t – Heart Like A Wheel
1. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
1. Young Ancients – Y/A
2. Danny Shafer – Wherever You Are
2. Eurforquestra – Fire
OPEN AIR 1340 (Denver) [60]
1. Esme Patterson – Woman to Woman
2. Katie Herzig – Walk Through Walls
3. DeVotchKa – Live with the Colorado Symphony
3. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
4. Dragondeer – Don’t That Feel Good EP
THE COLORADO SOUND [60]
1. Katie Herzig – Walk Through Walls
1. String Cheese Incident – Song in My Head
2. Drag The River – Drag the River
2. Kristina Murray – Unravelin’
3. Crucifix – The Beginning EP
GENRE/PROGRAM FORMAT
AMERICANA / ALT-COUNTRY / BLUEGRASS
1. The Railsplitters – The Railsplitters
2. Katie Glassman & Snapshot – Dream A Little Dream
3. Young Ancients – Y/A
4. Honey Don’t – Heart Like A Wheel
5. Kristina Murray – Unravelin’
Blues/R&B
1. Otis Taylor – My World Is Gone
2. Cassie Taylor – Out of My Mind
3. Bad Brad & the Fat Cats – Take A Walk With Me
4. Mama Lenny & the Remedy – Time (You’re Doing Fine)
5. Cary Morin – Streamline
Folk / folk-rock / singer-songwriter
1. Elephant Revival – These Changing Skies
2. Nathaniel Ratefliff – Falling Faster Than You Can Run
3. Gregory Alan Isakov – The Weatherman
4. Monocle Band – Monocle Band
5. Changing Colors – Joan & the King
Indie/New Alternative
1. DeVotchKa – Live with the Colorado Symphony
2. Esme Patterson – Woman to Woman
3. Tennis – Small Sound
4. Land Lines – Land Lines
5. Paper Bird – Rooms
Jazz/Instrumental
1. Jim Stranahan – Migration to A Higher Ground
2. Brad Goode – Chicago Red
3. Manuel Lopez Trio – Searching Out
4. Tom Gershwin – Sweet Pastimes
5. Aakash Mittal Quartet – Ocean
Pop / Adult Contemporary / Crossover
1. Katie Herzig – Walk Through Walls
2. OneRepublic – Native
3. Ivory Circle – Equilateral
3. Katey Laurel – Periscope
4. The Fray – Helios
Rock / AAA / ALT
1. String Cheese Incident – Song In My Head
2. Big Head Todd & the Monsters – Black Beehive
3. Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires
4. Grant Sabin – Anthromusicology
5. Dragondeer – Don’t That Feel Good EP
Urban Contemporary/EDM/Funk/Hip Hop/Soul/Reggae
1. Eurforquestra – Fire
2. The Motet – The Motet
3. Pretty Lights – A Color Map of the Sun
4. The ReMinders – Born Champions
5. P-Nuckle – The System
Support for the Colorado Sound Courtesy of
Colorado Case Company: Colorado made insulated soft cases, gig bags, case covers and rigid cases for most instruments. This premium, professional grade, brand is designed, engineered and tested to provide incredible thermal protection for your valuable musical instrument. We specialize in unusual and hard to fit instruments. Info at www.coloradocase.com 
SpokesBUZZ, a Colorado 501C3 with a mission to DEVELOP THE PROFESSIONALISM OF ARTISTS, PROMOTE AND CONNECT PROGRESSIVE CULTURAL DESTINATIONS, AMPLIFY MUSIC SCENES and GROW LOCAL ECONOMIES. Please visit the website for information on bands that SpokesBUZZ supports, as well as shows and more. www.spokesbuzz.org.
The Colorado Sound Presents Head for the Hills with guests Grant Farm & Gipsy Moon, at the Mishawaka on May 17. Tickets at www.themishawaka.com Check out this performance from H4TH at the Mish in 2012 ….
Chris K's Colorado Playlist 