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Building a Bigger Box: The Irreverent Wisdom of James Hunter

Estimated read time 9 min read

In the past decade or so, old school R&B has seen a resurgence in popular culture that seems to have started in the U.K. but has bounced over the pond to America in that timeless game of musical ping pong the two countries play. But James Hunter has been playing R&B for 30 plus years and by his own admission even he was 20 years late to the game. Hunter, however, is pushing the boundaries of R&B by upending the genre’s normal tropes and motifs while still somehow operating within them.

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Wilco – July 14th – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Estimated read time 3 min read

Though the forecasts leading into the night were for thunderstorms and rain for much of the evening, aside from a brief shower early in the night, nothing of significance ever materialized. Instead what the nearly sold-out crowd got was a night of damn near perfect weather as the clouds parted and allowed Jeff Tweedy and Wilco to strut their stuff in front of legions of Denver’s music connoisseurs as they proved that, even after twenty years in the business, they are still absolutely at the top of their game.

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Joan Baez – July 10th – Denver Botanic Gardens

Estimated read time 3 min read

A long line of silver haired patrons holding mini lawn chairs filed all the way around the corner and down Ninth Avenue last Thursday for folk legend Joan Baez. The singer-songwriter was in good spirits, full of energy and easily appearing ten years younger than seventy-three. She played an hour and half set consisting primarily of covers of her contemporaries leaving fans satisfied but slightly disappointed by the very tiny amount of her own work that she played.

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Joe Pug and Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer – May 23rd – eTown Hall

Estimated read time 4 min read

eTown Hall, the home base of the nationally syndicated eTown radio broadcast, was the scene of yet another outstanding pair of artists last month, Joe Pug and Anais Mitchell. Neither artist is a stranger to Colorado, but seeing them on the same stage back-to-back, with interviews in the mix, made for an extra special show for no more than 200 lucky fans.

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Rocky Mountain Folks Festival – August 17th, 18th, 19th – Planet Bluegrass Ranch, Lyons, CO

Estimated read time 13 min read

I think it’s become a goal of the team up at Planet Bluegrass to out-do themselves from year to year with the line-up of the Folks Festival. While last year featured headliners Jackson Browne, The Weir Robinson Greene Trio, and Brandi Carlile, this year brought Iron & Wine, Amos Lee, and Lyle Lovett to the intimate stage by the river in Lyons and each one mesmerized and surprised as they entertained the sold-out crowd.

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Emmylou Harris, Steve Martin, & Arlo Guthrie – July 18th – Red Rocks

Estimated read time 10 min read

Last Wednesday’s Emmylou Harris, Steve Martin, and Arlo Guthrie show made us realize that fancy light rigs and all the smoke and mirrors aren’t always necessary. The stage at Red Rocks looked much larger with only a few people and a few instruments. The night consisted of pure, unadulterated music. Everyone from infants to octogenarians were represented and each performer expressed the utmost gratitude for being back in Colorado at what is easily one of the most beautiful venues in the world.

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The Jayhawks – January 27th – The Ogden Theatre

Estimated read time 6 min read

When The Jayhawks and Justin Townes Earle took over The Ogden on Friday, the night had a stark contrast to it. It started off with a man who is on his way up, and ended with a band that is somewhere in limbo. Earle displayed passion, soul, and meaning with his performance, while The Jayhawks seemed like it was all just a job. The audience seemed to be completely blown away by The Jayhawks set, but we think they were just drunk on nostalgia.