Karl Denson Brings His Tiny Universe to Denver With Special Guest Robert Randolph
KARL DENSON’S TINY […]
KARL DENSON’S TINY […]
WORRELL, BURBRIDGE, JORDAN […]
Groove Music and Arts Festival weighed heavy with Funk, with a liberal helping of Bluegrass and Jam on the side. It also included camping, at a very modest price, and several workshops. Families were strongly encouraged to come; children were free and there was a special camping area for families near the main stage area. While the placement of the bands on the schedule wasn’t perfect, the musical selection was fantastic, the venue was gorgeous and the people who came were equally beautiful. All in all, it was an amazing weekend.
It’s simple, it’s summertime and there is an overabundance of festivals here in Colorado. It is a blessing and a curse for local audiophiles: while there are always fun things to do, not all festivals are created equal, and discerning one from another can be tricky. For the old school veterans and young flower children of our Coloradical music scene, we’d like to introduce you to the Groove Music & Arts Festival. Check out our preview for what’s in store as well as an exclusive Q&A with one of the festival’s creators.
The air was thick with hype as the 1stBank Center filled to a healthy volume early last Sunday. Smiling fans of The String Cheese Incident poured in the doors as the locally-loved band prepared for the second night of their three-part NYE run armed with The Flaming Lips as an explosive opening act and the horns section of Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and other special guests during the main act. Together, the varied acts offered a ticket that offered spectacle, musical variety, and amazing talent.
Just like last year, the first night of String Cheese Incident’s New Year’s run at 1st Bank Center was relatively sparsely attended. The room was a little over half-full and though it allowed for plenty of room to dance and move freely from the floor to the stands, the room lacked the electric energy that can make a String Cheese show such a magical experience. There were flashes of brilliance and some powerful horn fueled jams, but when all was said and done this was just an average incident.
Telluride Blues & Brews has grown from a niche, genre specific festival to one of the countries most well respected destination festivals. It has steadily gained recognition and the lineups are well thought out and hard hitting. If you are a lover of Blues based music, Funk, Soul, Rock, and Jazz then this is the festival for you. Congrats to Steve Gumbel on 20 years of realizing a vision, and thank you to Bill Kight, Courtney McClarey and the rest of the SBG Productions crew for making it all happen. We will see you next year, rain or shine.
Karl Denson brought his Tiny Universe to Denver again this Halloween and this time he funked things up a bit with a night of Disco classics that brought the costumed masses to the dance floor. With a set that touched on everything from Barry White to Blondie to the late Donna Summers, KDTU definitely went to “Funkytown” and took The Ogden with them! It wasn’t Studio 54, but it was as close as we’re gonna get here in Denver in 2012!
The 18th annual Westword Music Showcase took over Denver’s Golden Triangle on the 23rd as 15 venues hosted hundreds of local and national bands in the 104 degree heat. On the blacktopped area in front of the main stage, people’s shoes sizzled in the sun and the music was as hot as the pavement. We sweated, smiled and danced to a wide array of sounds. The nationally touring acts on the main stage added power to the event, and the energy Girl Talk put out at the end of the night nearly surged the grid.
The building was electric; with a packed house of super fans singing along to a laundry list of Beastie bests, Kyle, OG, and DeLa of Slightly Stoopid handled their roles as MCA, Ad Rock, and Mike D perfectly. Their showmanship undoubtedly outshined the stage lights as Karl Denson and the rest of his “Tiny Universe” provided the musical backdrop for the best tribute we’ve heard since MCA’s tragic passing.