The acoustic Goose offshoot Orebolo (“Acoustagoose” as my 10 year old daughter calls them) returned to Colorado this past weekend for three nights at two beautiful venues. The first night’s festivities took place at the Gerald Ford Amphitheater in Vail, while the second two nights of the run were held in the old barn at Chautauqua Park in Boulder.
Orebolo, the acoustic offshoot of the wildly popular jamband Goose, set up shop at the Boulder Theater last Wednesday and left the capacity crowd in awe. Featuring Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach on guitars and Jeff Arevalo on stand-up bass, the trio presented stripped down versions of Goose songs with a focus on intricate guitar interplay between the two stellar players. The crowd was full of rabid fans, with the line forming hours before the doors opened.
The tradition of the Sunday afternoon matinee as a grand finale to Widespread Panic’s annual Red Rocks stand is damn near timeless and, this past Sunday, the band and their fans proved why yet again. Beach balls bounced around a hot and sweaty crowd that smelled like “ladies lying in the sun” due to all the sunscreen applied to fend off the baking mid-day sun, and there was a carefree, beach party attitude in the air.
A sold out crowd packed the Ogden on Thursday night for indie music’s biggest smartass, Father John Misty. The unpredictable performer was more calm and less talkative than shows past, but he still delivered a fantastic show full of humorous lyrics and perfectly executed songs from both Fear Fun and his newer masterpiece, I Love You, Honeybear. Tillman paced the stage was the grace of a seasoned Vegas crooner and his flawless vocal sat atop the mix. After the show, he thrilled some hardcore fans by sticking around for fifteen minutes, shaking hands with fans across the barricade.
Hometown hero and troubadour Gregory Alan Isakov has been on near constant tour since last July in support of the critically acclaimed ‘The Weatherman;’ a tour on which Isakov managed to squeeze eleven Colorado dates including last week’s string of three nights from the Springs up to Fort Collins.
In his sixth decade of producing critically acclaimed music, Leonard Cohen remains at the top of his game and is arguably one of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. Citing W.B Yeats, Irving Layton and Walt Whitman as literary influences Cohen first shot to the forefront of the music industry in the 60’s and has remained an inspirational talent and contributor to the industry since he first emerged. His lyrics of lust, love, religion, death and seclusion have enlightened fans and musicians worldwide.
You don’t want to miss this very special opportunity to see one of the decade’s rising stars in the intimacy of Chautauqua Auditorium. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and now calling Colorado home, Gregory Alan Isakov has been traveling all his life. His songs reveal a masterful quality beyond his years, and tell a story of miles and landscapes and the search for a sense of place.
Brandi Carlile’s progression as a musician over the last seven years, from Colorado’s most intimate venues to the world’s best outdoor venue has been meteoric. Her path has included four studio albums, endless touring (including a symphony tour), good ol’ fashion fan engagement, two live albums and an unrelenting, and unmistakable, drive to stay true to herself. If Carlile’s first headlining Red Rocks show is any indication of what’s next for her, there is little doubt that whatever it is, it will be special.
Last year, Colorado folk music fans had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with Anais Mitchell’s music. In April she opened up for Graham Nash and David Crosby at The Paramount Theatre, late summer brought her to the mainstage of The Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, and Swallow Hill Music Association presented her “Folk-Opera” Hadestown in October. Her new album, Young Man in America, will be released on February 28th.
Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Gregory Alan Isakov’s song-craft lends to the deepest lyrical masterpieces. With hints of his influences, Leonard Cohen, and Iron & Wine, Isakov has been described as “strong, subtle, a lyrical genius” and has shared the stage with touring artists such as Calexico, Mumford & Sons, DeVotchka, and Brandi Carlile. Reed Foehl will join Isakov on this intimate pre-Christmas bill.