One of the big stories of the year in the jamband world has been Connecticut’s Goose. Simply put, the band is on a tear and are drawing sold-out crowds across the country. Is the hype justified?
The Summer Solstice has always been a significant time of year for celebration in many cultures and that holds true for Bluegrass “festivarians” as well. Each year, more than 10,000 music lovers, many of them repeat offenders, congregate in one of the most picturesque box canyons known to man, Telluride Colorado. This unique town has been host to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival since its inception in 1974. That’s 45 years of perfecting a balance of bluegrass, hippies, outdoor enthusiasts.
First of all, before we get too far down the road, each and every person who was in Steamboat for WinterWonderGrass last weekend is to be commended. From employees and organizers to fans and musicians, this was a dedicated bunch. Temperatures plunged down into the single digits as they worked, danced, poured, and played, but those who played music up on the big stage have to be singled out as the most hardcore of them all. While many could bundle up and put on the heaviest of ski gloves to keep fingers from freezing solid, those musicians had to keep their fingers dancing on the strings, skins, and keys in a vain attempt to keep the blood flowing.
Margo Price has earned her place as one of the most buzzworthy independent country music stars to emerge in the last few years. Late last year, she released her second record on Jack White’s Third Man Records, has played just about every TV show you can imagine, and has been universally praised, often by places that tend to overlook Country Music. Her current tour includes three nights at Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and The Bluebird here in Denver.
The ambiance at The Fillmore for last Tuesday’s “An Evening with John Fogerty” was much calmer than usual with a crowd who was relaxed and seated, in actual chairs, on the floor. Though the audience may have been laid-back, the music was not, and Fogerty got his tame yet loyal crowd hyped up on their trip down memory lane. With a 2-hour performance that covered the old, the new and the unpredictable, we can come to one conclusion: Good Golly, he’s still got it.
The light from the large windows on the church turned venue known as eTown Hall poured out into the pitch black Boulder neighborhood for a sold out eTown show with ALO and Kate Earl as families got their houses ready for The Holidays. Though the crowd was not what we expected for one of Southern California’s premiere party bands, eTown never disappoints! From the first notes of “Dead Still Dance,” through the rousing version of “Proud Mary” that closed the night, the musicians gave it their all.
