As time passes, we lose more and more of the greats, so no matter what flaws the show might have had, it was still a privilege to see Nick Mason on stage bringing those classics to life. There will never be another Pink Floyd, so any piece that still exists must be held onto until the very end.
Fans may have waited more than two years for this performance, but it was worth it. If Waters never tours again, this show go down in history as it set the bar higher yet again and may well live to be the litmus test against which all other arena shows are judged. What a incredible experience.
For many fans in attendance, it had been about 18 months since they had purchased their tickets to this show so what better way to kick things off than by having the man himself, Mr. Billy Strings, open this mammoth four night run by taking the stage alone and delivering a mesmerizing take on “Guitar Peace” from his stellar Home album. This may have been the first night of a four night run, but it was by no means a warm-up. This band is firing on all cylinders right now.
Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets rolled through The Paramount Theatre on Thursday night and dazzled fans with a two hour set that featured many of the underplayed gems of the early Pink Floyd catalog. This is a show worth checking out for any fan of early Pink Floyd, or really, any fan of the psychedelic rock that the band pioneered.
Last Friday night, the burgeoning young band Aqueous tore into Steamboat and delivered a scorching show in the intimate confines of The Old Town Pub. With a show that featured extended jam sequences that took us deep into the prog-funk dimensions that are home to this band, alongside crowd-pleasing covers of David Bowie’s “Fame” and Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell,” and teases of Dr. Dre, Rage Against The Machine, and Phish, the four-piece whipped the room into a frenzy as they played well past one AM.
Last Saturday night the Fillmore played host to a six hour Reggae-thon featuring some fantastic performances. The evening opened with Denver Reggae Social Club and hot on their heels was Roots of Creation with a special set that featured some stellar Reggae interpretations of Grateful Dead songs.
Telluride Blues & Brews is always a one-of-a-kind weekend in paradise, but with bluebird skies, beautiful weather, and a notable line-up, this year was special. While it’s tough to complain about anything when in Telluride, stellar sets from the likes of Don Bryant, Marcus King Band, Monophonics, Gov’t Mule, and Robert Plant really pushed this one over the top!
Last Saturday Pigeons Playing Ping Pong threw down a show at The Ogden Theatre that left many in the sold-out crowd gasping for air. After a rousing open set from Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers, Pigeons took the stage for their largest headlining show to date to a deafening roar and immediately dropped into “Walk Outside” from their fan favorite 2016 album Pleasure. It was a coming out party of sorts for Pigeons and they did not disappoint. These boys are the real deal and they will be on the scene for a long time to come.
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.
The rocks filled in quickly last Thursday with a wide variety of fans; there were Country leaning cowboy types, hipsters, buttoned up 9 to 5ers, and more than a small contingent of Punk fans waiting on the second opener Frank Turner to soothe their souls. All in all it was about the perfect night in Morrison and the diverse line-up pleased the masses.