Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox has no need for an opener for the concert which turned out to be a musical variety show in the vein of televisions Lawrence Welk Show or the Dean Martin Show.
In the song “Bad Luck,” Mike Ness sings, “Thirteen’s my lucky number, /To you it means stay inside. /Black cat done crossed my path, /No reason to run and hide.” I feel bad for the people with Triskaidekaphobia, because they missed one hell of a split bill on Friday the 13th.
Despite an energetic and out of the box opening performance by Gainsville Florida’s Less Than Jake last Thursday at the Ogden Theatre, this show fell a little flat. Reel Big Fish’s performance was best described by a longtime fan that said that the performance was almost exactly the same performance as the last three times she had seen the band. In a word: predictable.
The Los Angeles band Flogging Molly sold-out the Ogden Theatre last Tuesday, and the enormous group of fans was not disappointed. People lined the balconies and crowded the floor, resulting in an incredibly hot venue. There were several kilts spotted in the crowd, a few European accents were heard, and newsboy hats were the accessories of the night. The band played a long set that spanned the bands’ fifteen-year (and counting) career.
Since 2001 local Punk-based band Synthetic Elements have been making the kind of music that makes a once-punker nostalgic for days past. Their high-energy tempo, entertaining lyrics and catchy vocal harmonies are as impressive as their technical prowess, on their four studio albums and in live performances alike. They met in high school and grew up as a band in Denver, and have worked just about every stage in town. We sat down with drummer Brett Carson to hear his answers to our 20 Questions.
Fresh off an epic summer tour, Yonder Mountain String Band cruised into Red Rocks Amphitheater on Saturday for another heartfelt Colorado homecoming performance. Banjo virtuoso Danny Barnes and Whiskeygrass pioneers The Devil Makes Three provided support and initiated quite the party in the waning hours of a steamy August day on The Rocks as hoards of strings aficionados packed The Rocks with an urgent desire to wildly dance the night away beneath Creation Rock..
When Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band took to the stage at The Bluebird they certainly confused more than one onlooker as there were only three people on the stage. There was Breezy Peyton on washboard and back-up vocals, Aaron Persinger on drums (a stripped down drum kit that included a 5 gallon plastic bucket), and Reverend Peyton himself on guitar. How could they call this a Big Damn Band? Where was the bass player, and the other guitar player?
The Devil Makes Three is currently touring in support of their newest LP, Stomp and Smash; a live release recorded over two sold out nights in Petaluma, CA and they give new meaning to the phrase “tour machine.” They played Wakarusa in the middle of a national tour with Flogging Molly and dates with Gogol Bordello before heading to Bonnaroo. Despite their busy schedule they took some time to talk to us at Listen Up Denver! about their music, touring, and what flavor of ice cream Wakarusa would be.
Two weekends ago, Wakarusa, and it’s army of party people and music lovers, lit up Mulberry Mountain in Arkansas. With acts ranging from The Weir, Robinson, Greene Acoustic Trio, to the electro madness of Pretty Lights, the festival offered something for everyone. The Listen Up Denver! crew had such a blast that we are going to split our report into two articles. The first focuses on days one and two of the festival, and there is more to come. Read on to take a journey into the wonderful and wacky world of Wakarusa with us!
Colorado was blessed again this year with a place on Flogging Molly’s “Green 17 Tour,” the group’s 8th annual run of 17 shows leading up to St. Patrick’s Day. With St. Patrick’s right around the corner, the sold-out Ogden Theatre was filled with the energy of a crowd three times its size. The seven piece attack of Flogging Molly came out swinging right out of the gate and the rabid crowd erupted into a frenzy and the roof literally felt like it was going to blow of the theatre. Needless to say, it was an amazing evening of music!