On a picturesque summer evening by the lake, Dillon Amphitheater was packed with fans eagerly awaiting a sold-out performance by the renowned singer-songwriter Jason Isbell and his band, the 400 Unit. With Deer Tick as the opening act, the stage was set for an unforgettable night of music.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit have become an institution at the greatest venue on earth, even requiring two nights this year at Red Rocks to satisfy the ticket demand. This year’s Wednesday night show was a spectacle from start to finish with hail that blended into rain before yielding to a double rainbow and finally perfect weather during the show. It was meant to be!
Patterson Hood, frontman of the Drive-By Truckers, played his next-to last show of the decade at Globe Hall for a devoted Denver audience as he wrapped up his solo acoustic tour. As he made his way through the set he spoke candidly to the audience as he always does, an endearing trait that has helped build his fanbase over the years.
Tedeschi Trucks Band rolled into Red Rocks with their Wheels of Soul tour with authority for the first night of the two day run! As has been the tradition the last few summers, TTB was joined by two other powerhouse bands for the duration of the summer. This lineup was perfect from first note to final bow, they came out and bitchslapped the audience, no one stood a chance.
It was yet another great year in Telluride and Steve Gumble and his crew outdid themselves again. Falling in mid-September, Blues & Brews always brings with it that bittersweet realization that Summer doesn’t last forever and Fall is right around the corner as fans are delighted by old favorites, turned on to up-and-comers, and reminded again why Telluride is one of the most special places in the world.
They say opposites attract, and this was the case last Friday at Chautauqua in Boulder as the hard driving Rock act known when the Drive-By Truckers showed up for a two-night stand at the historic venue. The venue is plagued with cranky neighbors complaining of noise issues, so the band bent to the rules and unplugged their electric instruments and played acoustic with the volume dialed way back in an attempt to meet the low noise threshold.
When Drive-By Truckers took over The Ogden for two nights this past weekend, they brought with them the politically charged attitude of their most recent album, ‘American Band,’ and the blistering Southern Rock attitude that fans have come to know and love. With a set that spanned more than two hours, touched on eight of their albums, and even showcased a brilliant version of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World” to close things out, The Truckers delivered!
Drive-By Truckers have always been outspoken, telling a distinctly American story via craft, character, and concept, all backed by sonic ambition and social conscience. Founded in 1996 by singer/songwriter/guitarists Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood, the band have long held a progressive fire in their belly but with AMERICAN BAND, they have made the most explicitly political album in their extraordinary canon.
Just beyond the Albertson’s parking lot we parked our car at Lowry’s premier Applebee’s rival, the Tavern Lowry. Below this chicken finger basket and artichoke dip destination lies the Soiled Dove Underground, a high-polish 300-person club. While having one of the most suburban locations imaginable, the little club is actually a pretty decent place to see a show and an especially ideal place for an acoustic show with Drive-By Truckers frontman Patterson Hood.
