2001 | Welcome to www.kingkoncert.com!!

2001 Articles

by Tim Van Schmidt

The Changing Music Scene of Northern Colorado- Column

I’m not a Colorado native- I’ve only lived here for twenty years. Still, in that time I have seen Fort Collins area grow in many ways. Not the least of those ways is in the nurturing of a great live music scene.

In 1980- before Old Town Square was built- the downtown area of Fort Collins had a dark sense of adventure to it at night. The rag tag music venues that were spread generously around a four-block square included Sam’s Old Town Ballroom, the rough-hewn live music showcase for touring bands that included Commander Cody, Koko Taylor, Gil Scott-Heron and more. It wasn’t long after I moved to town that a bar called Kimsey’s, only a block away from Sam’s, turned into Linden’s, a much smaller, hole-in-the-wall that also attracted touring bands as well as great regional bands.

Another happening place downtown was an establishment called the Bear and the Whale. This bar was important to Fort Collins music fans because it was the home of an event called Blue Monday. Held, of course, on Monday nights- usually the slowest night on the night club circuit- Blue Monday gained the reputation of being the hottest blues jam night in the region. Bear, a co-owner, would step up to the mike and play his harp while a full roster of local players kept things hopping.

Then came the Old Town development project. As Linden Street became a construction warzone, changes came with rapid succession. The gritty side of downtown had to go as new businesses began to move in. Sam’s was turned into a lingerie shop. Friends, a popular nightclub right in the heart of the Old Town Square development, was evicted and the Bear and the Whale simply closed its doors, bottles on the bar gathering dust for years.

Fortunately, something else happened to keep the northern Colorado music scene alive. In 1987, a quartet of musicians from New Orleans, calling themselves the subdudes, left their warm delta home to relocate in Fort Collins. The idea was to cash in on the close proximity of the ski area nightclub circuit while working on their music so far away from the exciting but creatively stifling New Orleans scene.

But more than just getting their act together, the subdudes ended up proving themselves as international music sensations. In 1988, the subdudes were named among the top ten “Best Unsigned Bands” in America by Musician magazine. The subdudes signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records, they toured with the likes of k.d. lang and Huey Lewis and the News, and performers such as Eric Clapton and Boz Scaggs praised the band for its rootsy combination of rock, soul and New Orleans party music.

Most exciting for local residents, however, was the chance to see these Louisiana transplants on national television. The subdudes appeared several times on the David Letterman and Jay Leno shows. With such apparent success, the subdudes gave other musicians in the area confidence and pride and the music scene went through another welcome boom. Another New Orleans friend, singer Liz Barnez, also moved to Fort Collins, hearing that the town was receptive to original music. Some Fort Collins musicians ended up doing the exact opposite of the subdudes. Members of Fort Collins band the Jukebox Naturals took the subdudes’ advice and moved to New Orleans, where they added south of the border music styles with their blues-based rock to become the Iguanas, one of New Orleans’ most popular bands and recording artists on Jimmy Buffett’s record label.

The word about Fort Collins music scene spread and the next transformation was waiting in the wings. This began with a popular bar called the Mountain Tap. The Mountain Tap started with a neighborhood bar theme, but quickly became a favorite hang-out for the college-age crowd. Naturally, live music followed and promoters began to use the Mountain Tap for a regular outlet for touring underground bands. One of those promoters ended up buying the Mountain Tap and the Starlight was born. The Starlight has since become a major venue for punk, hard rock and metal for both national acts and local favorites.

Shortly after the Starlight opened, the old downtown movie theater, the Aggie Theater, was renovated and reopened as a live music venue. With all the old theater seats removed, large enough crowds could fill the Aggie to bring a new tier of bands to town on a regular basis. These have included performers such as Bruce Cockburn, the Wailers, former Grateful Dead members such as Bob Weir and Mickey Hart as well as controversial acts like the Insane Clown Posse and Ice T.

Today, Fort Collins continues to enjoy the best of both worlds. The Aggie and the Starlight are still cranking out shows that appeal to all tastes, while other local venues, such as Diamonds, the Vault and Lucky Joe’s, feature regional bands of all kinds. There’s even some of the old survivors still left in the downtown area like Linden’s, the Town Pump- and me.

Note: Of course, the northern Colorado music scene isn’t just happening in Fort Collins alone. There’s plenty of live music going on throughout the region. Loveland is the home of the newly refurbished Rialto Theater, an oldtime moviehouse that has been restored faithfully to its precious antique charm. The Rialto hosts concerts of all types, from classic performers like Leon Russell and Karla Bonoff to great regional acts such as Celeste Krenz and the 3 Twins (featuring John Magnie and Steve Amedee from the subdudes.) Clubs in Loveland include the Top Hat Lounge, the Cactus Grille and the White Buffalo.

Greeley is not only the home of the Union Colony Civic Center, an excellent performance hall that brings in acts as diverse as Stomp, Ian Tyson and BB King, but the Independence Stampede rodeo brings in some of the hottest names in country music and classic rock annually. In Evans, clubs include the New Plantation. In Timnath, visit the CF & G Roadhouse.

Liz Clark

Growth should be inevitable in anyone’s career, but it’s especially important for a musician who starts at an early age. Though still a teenager, Denver singer-songwriter Liz Clark has already put in five years of regional performances in coffee shops, bookstores and small clubs. The growth has come on all fronts- songwriting, recording and performing, her acoustic-based folk rock sound expanding from just a solo voice with a guitar or piano to a full band.

Clark’s music has become strong enough to attract the support of some powerful friends. That includes the legendary Denver concert promoter Barry Fey, who endorses Clark with high praise indeed: “Liz is really something special- she’s got the makings of a superstar.” Sharon Rawles, general manager of Herman’s Hideaway and Entertainment Director for the Capitol Hill People’s fair agrees: “She’s beautiful, plays piano and guitar, she’s a great songwriter, and a captivating singer. Liz…has the total package to make it to the top!”

Add in the fact that Clark has played gigs at some of the Denver region’s hottest spots- including the Soiled Dove, the Bluebird, and the LoDo Music Hall- and you’re getting the picture that this is both a talented and an ambitious young artist. Clark performs as a solo act, but also commands a “broken-down coffeehouse unit,” as well a full folk-rock band.

“The solo gigs are particularly geared toward the emotion in the songs,” Clark said recently in a phone interview. “With the unplugged coffeehouse version, there’s still a lot of the emotion, but I have to be careful that the fast songs stay peppy and the slow ones are not so slow…If I’m playing with a band, with a drum kit and guitar, I have to make sure that everything is as energetic as possible. It’s not so emotional as in a solo gig. Or rather, the emotion is more in the energy behind the music.”

Clark credits an early interest in the Beatles for teaching her to love the art of songwriting. But more than appreciating their work, Clark admits she liked the group for more than just the music.

“I love the Beatles so much,” Clark said. “I read every book and they really influenced who I am now. I took up guitar to be like the Beatles. I have always been a performer and worked in musical theatre, but when I was 12 or 13, I just fell in love with the Beatles in every sense. I didn’t need a boyfriend because I had them.”

On her independent CD release, “Love & War,” however, the influence that shows through much more than the Beatles, is tough, independent singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco. Throughout the album, Clark adopts several songwriting devices that strongly recall DiFranco’s work. The first is writing lyrics in a conversational tone, creating a kind of talk-singing that plays around inside the folk-like structure of the tunes. The second device is crafting her lyrics with an emotional honesty that brings the listener into intimate moments in Clark’s life.

“Listening to Ani DiFranco is what taught me to take some risks in my songs,” Clark said. “Looking back on her story, what’s also inspiring is her business woman attitude. She had basically no life for ten years, just traveling and playing to get to where she is today. She is a really strong woman.”

As with DiFranco’s writing, the honesty in Clark’s songs is not a one-way street. She doesn’t just offer confessionals, but is also looking for a response. The final track on “Love & War” sums up Clark’s attempt to connect when she offers what seems like a fair exchange when she sings “I’ll tell you what I’m thinking, if you’ll tell me what you’re thinking too.”

Clark may be young, but there’s no denying the power of the age-old subject of thousands of other songs- relationships. “Love & War” is full of the questions that “boys” create. But it’s not the questions themselves that make Clark a talent to watch, it’s how she deals with them. Honesty and direct communication are the solid foundations that have already been laid by this native Colorado musician.

“I write only about my personal experiences because that’s the only thing I really know,” she said.

Clark makes it a point when talking about her career to underscore the fact that one of the most important reasons for her artistic growth is the “amazing support” she has gotten from her parents. Thanks to their musical tastes and viewpoints of performing, Clark has become a professional with the desire to get better and better.

“My parents are the one and only people to honestly tell me how to improve myself,” she said. “I think they’re great.”

What comes next is, well, more growth. Clark looks forward to experimenting with more forms of music while developing her songwriting skills.

“I’m hoping to cross over to different genres of music. I’m becoming attracted to a little more of a melodic style,” she said. “Ultimately, an honest songwriter should be able to do any genre- whatever is needed. My favorite, though, is just my voice with a guitar or piano.”

Check out Liz Clark’s website at www.lizclarkmusic.com.

Global Web Concert

No budget, just sweat- that’s the short story behind the upcoming Global Web Concert for Youth scheduled for August 3-5 at the Duke of Windsor. The sweat belongs to Fort Collins musician Bobby Bensley who became the point man for an event that will feature a ton of rock and roll for a good cause.

“We’ve got some incredible talent lined up,” Bensley said. “It’s probably the biggest collection of indie music that has ever been presented on stage for any single event in Colorado.”

The roots of the Global Web Concert for Youth go back to several benefits Bensley played for Narcotics Anonymous at the Mishawaka Inn. While having trouble finding a date in August at Mishawaka, to showcase the bands he has been working with in CMAP (Colorado Music Allied Promotions), Bensley opened himself up to the idea of creating a benefit concert for a different cause at a different venue.

“I was checking around and contacted the City Council to see if they had any ideas for a good kid-based charity. They mentioned the fact that the Youth Activities Center was going to have to close because their lease was up,” Bensley said. “That changed the scope of what I was planning and I went after it.”

What Bensley has come up with is a three-day feast of not just local and regional bands, but also musicians from out of state. That includes Ric Swanson from San Antonio, TX, “eN” from Salt Lake City, Ian Charles from Nashville, Gaelen from New York City, Moodstack from San Francisco, Mere Imagery from Chillicothe, IL, Black Diamond from White Plains, NY and Tarot Kid from Atlanta.

“Everybody plays for free,” Bensley said. “Nationwide exposure is still the name of the game. Given a good cause, bands will travel in order to get their name out.”

Of course, there are plenty of bands who don’t have to travel very far who are also looking for exposure. Front Range musicians playing at the Duke of Windsor include Liz Clark, You Call That Art?, Joy Jackson, Love 45, Scott Allen, Rubber Planet, Dave Beegle, Danny Masters and many more. While the lineup is diverse, including acoustic folk, jazz, Celtic and electronic music, Bensley feels that if there is any overall agreement among the performers musically it must be to rock.

“Rock will never die,” he said. “The music is like the musicians themselves- very adaptable. The structure may be fairly straight forward, but it can bend and meld and shift with the times.” Bensley also sees another connection between the musicians. “Almost every one of them has a web presence. That’s significant in and of itself,” he said.

The Global Web Concert for Youth has not only attracted great musicians, but also great sponsors. That includes Riff Magazine, the Duke of Windsor, Hapi Skratch Records, Fender Guitars, the Colorado Music Association and the City of Fort Collins. Other sponsors are Business Express, Colorado Hip Hop Society, Rocky Mountain Bullhorn, Spotlight Music, Colorado Piano and Keyboards, Javamusic.com, Cozmo Dome Productions, Nightwing Productions, Best Western Transmission of Fort Collins and Clear Channel Communications.

The entire gig is being produced and hosted by CMAP. Colorado Music Allied Promotions is a full service promotions company for independent musicians aimed at supporting independent music worldwide. Utilizing traditional industry promotion as well as Internet options, CMAP has the philosophy that music should be shared with “as many people as possible.”

Bensley, who calls organizing the Global Web Concert for Youth a “real education,” has released two CDs of his own music. The most recent- “Bobby Bensley Live at the Rialto”- was recorded during a concert he opened in Loveland for Karla Bonoff. He has recently been hired by Javamusic.com to do A & R and will be moving to California after this year’s concert. However, Bensley says that with the help of partner Chris K, who will be remaining in the area, the show will go on again next year.

Since Bensley started working on the Global Web Concert for Youth six months ago, the Youth Activities Center has found a new home. That means money raised by the event will help move the facility and provide money that will directly benefit the kids. In addition to the three days at the Duke of Windsor, the concert weekend will also include an all-ages event in Fort Collins on August 4, featuring the Gravatones, Rubber Planet, You Call That Art? and more. Tickets for all events are available at the Finest, ABCDs, Osprey Guitars, Spotlight Music and Rocks Off Records. For more information, log on to cmapmusic.com or call 970-482-7910.

Smiling Dog Productions

As a concert promoter, John Punessen, owner of Smiling Dog Productions in Loveland, has to take the bad with the good. The bad comes from the reputation that concert promoters usually have- as a “necessary evil.” The good comes from helping regional musicians get wider exposure and from presenting childhood heroes on stage.

“Everybody hates promoters,” Punessen says, “Across the country, there are a lot of unsavory characters in this business. I find that the artists I work with are extremely appreciative if you do what you say you’ll do- like pay them.”

But more than just paying musicians to play, Punessen goes the extra mile to create compatible line-ups and to see that he keeps up to date with the audiences who attend his shows. That’s why Punessen considers himself a producer, more than a promoter. “It takes a little more creativity to match up the venue with the proper artist,” he says. “For example, you can’t put in a dance band at the Rialto.”

So far, Smiling Dog Productions has been using the Rialto Theater in Loveland as its home venue. The types of acts that Punessen books are mostly classic rock, country and folk artists whose names are most familiar to an older generation of fans who may still love to go to concerts, but are not interested in going to crowded stadiums. The Rialto serves as a comfortable environment that works well for both audience and performers. “There’s a certain relaxed feeling at the Rialto,” Punessen says. “It’s not a barroom environment and the seats are comfortable. The audience is facing the stage so the performer knows they have their attention. It’s like seeing a show in someone’s living room.”

Punessen started Smiling Dog back in 1997 when he took a personal interest in bringing Roger McGuinn, one of the original members of the Byrds, to northern Colorado. His first show, however, was with a contemporary version of the band Badfinger, which provided him with his first valuable lesson as a producer. “Unfortunately, that was on the same weekend as the Sculpture Show. I got killed. It taught me that you have to find out what else is going on,” he says.

Since that first show, Smiling Dog has hosted performers such as McGuinn, Leon Russell, Tom Rush, Richie Havens, John McEuen, Karla Bonoff and many others. All are survivors in an industry that does not value longevity as much as popularity. That means that performers such as Eric Burdon, the original leader of the Animals, requests Slim Fast diet drinks rather than bourbon or beer.

“Most of the folks who are still around from the Sixties and Seventies have decided at some point to start taking care of themselves. Those who haven’t usually are dead,” Punessen says. “I’ve found that most of the musicians are very professional and you don’t run up against egos as I expected I would. They all seem to appreciate their audiences more now than they did back when they were more popular.”

Once Punessen has booked the main act, however, his job has only just begun. For his opening acts, Punessen has taken to hiring talented area musicians who may not be as well known, but add plenty of flair to the concerts. For example, for the upcoming Dave Mason Band show Punessen is producing at the Rialto on September 27, area vocalist Joy Jackson will be opening. Fort Collins singer-songwriter Scott Allen will be opening for folk music icon Tom Rush on October 5. Loveland musician Christina Stone opens for Leo Kottke on March 22, 2002.

“A lot of the music in this area gets taken for granted because it’s in our own back yard,” Punessen says. “A lot of this stuff- like Dakota Blonde and the 3 Twins- should be national.”

Then there is the promoting part of producing his concerts. Punessen maintains a mailing list that keeps concertgoers in touch. He also provides free programs at his concerts that not only inform patrons about that night’s show and others on the calendar, but it also offers Punessen the opportunity to include advertising from the business sponsors he solicits to help make the concerts affordable for all. “To make this work out, either the ticket prices have to be fairly high, or a portion of the income has to come from somewhere else,” he says. “The ticket price usually covers about 75% of the costs. The other 25% comes from sponsorships. It’s not a bad deal advertising-wise because that little ad will go home with people and they’ll keep it for a long time as a souvenir.”

Despite all the work and the economic gamble, Punessen enjoys his job, especially when he hosts musicians he listened to as a kid. “It’s really surreal meeting some of the people I was watching on TV when I was young,” he says. “I’m in the middle of this adventure and I don’t know where this will lead. For the time being, I’ve been lucky to put everything I have into it.”

Other shows on the Smiling Dog calendar include a November 3 date with John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson, from the Nitty Gritty Dirt band, with Dakota Blonde opening. Karla Bonoff is slated for an April 6, 2002 date at the Rialto. For ticket information, call the Rialto at 962-2120.

Scene- Musicfest 2001

Fort Collins has something most cities don’t have. That is, a very active local music scene. We have great live music venues as well as an extensive community of talented musicians who not only play here, but live here. You can find just about any type of musician you can think of in Fort Collins- jazz, blues, rock and roll, punk, bluegrass and more.

Celebrating the diversity of Fort Collins music is the goal of the upcoming Musicfest 2001. This event is being produced by Public Radio for the Front Range, a group of community members working to put a public radio station on the air in Fort Collins. Along with sponsors such as Fort Fund, New Belgium Brewing and a number of other generous local businesses including the Rio Grande Restaurant and Mountain Music, PRFR takes pride in assembling some of the city’s best in festival-style programs that aim to offer a little bit of everything.

Musicfest 2001 starts on Friday, March 23 at Avogadro’s Number with a singer-songwriter showcase featuring Scott Allen, Barb Solow and Maggie Simpson. The late night shift at Avo’s belongs to the pop punk of Tip the Milkman and You Call That Art? A surprise guest is being booked to close out the night at Avo’s. Meanwhile, the Bluegrass Patriots and the 3 Twins will be joining forces for a special dance party at the Elks Club in Old Town.

On Saturday, March 24, Musicfest 2001 will kick things off with a children’s show, featuring singer Barb Patterson, at 1 p.m. at Children’s Mercantile. At 2 p.m., Steve Eulberg and the band JimJim and the Fatboys will be presenting a workshop for musicians, followed by performances by Russ Hopkins and JimJim and the Fatboys. Next, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Pamela Robinson will join TVS & two fingers for a show at Jon’s Bluenote, starting at 6 p.m. Saturday’s main event then starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Sunset Events Center, featuring two stages and continuous music from Lloyd Drust, Jeff Stephenson, the Dave Beegle Acoustic Band, the Dalhart Imperials, Meadowlark Jivin’ and more.

The action returns to Avo’s on Sunday, March 25 and starts at 11 a.m. with a brunch show featuring classical string music. Guitarist Jerry Palmer is next, followed by jazz with Our Mother’s Daughters, Carol Frazier, the Good Vibes Quartet and the Poudre River Irregulars. Then get ready for a final blast of bands, starting with Lalla Rookh followed by Liz Barnez and Union Break.

Musicfest 2001 continues the tradition set back in 1993 of an annual local music festival that benefits the public radio movement in Northern Colorado. It also continues the tradition of spotlighting local music.

Local Music Festival

How many different kinds of music can you think of? There’s acoustic-based music, jazz, blues and rock. There’s tough punk music and weird artsy stuff. There’s bluegrass, funk, swing, Celtic and kids’ music. This list only scratches the surface of what’s out there in terms of musical sounds.

Now think of how much of this musical diversity is being made by Fort Collins musicians. That’s right- all of it. If you watch the local music scene closely, you probably already know that. If you aren’t aware of it, then the time has come to get hip to the fact that Fort Collins is a community brimming over with musical talent.

Public Radio for the Front Range, a community group working to put a public radio station on the air in Fort Collins, is one group that believes in the power of local music. PRFR supports local music by including Fort Collins artists on its internet broadcast playlist. The group also produces an annual music festival that features nothing but regional artists. Along with sponsors such as Fort Fund, New Belgium Brewing and other generous local businesses including the Rio Grande Restaurant and Mountain Music, PRFR takes pride in assembling some of the city’s best in shows that aim to offer a little bit of everything.

The PRFR Musicfest 2001 will be celebrating the diversity of Fort Collins music beginning on March 23 at Avogadro’s Number with a singer-songwriter showcase featuring Scott Allen, Barb Solow and Maggie Simpson. The late night shift at Avo’s belongs to the pop punk of Tip the Milkman and You Call That Art? Also watch for a surprise guest to close out the evening. Meanwhile, the Bluegrass Patriots and the 3 Twins will be joining forces for a dance party at the Elks Club in Old Town.

On March 24, a children’s show, featuring singer Barb Patterson, will kick things off at Children’s Mercantile. At Avogadro’s Number, Steve Eulberg and JimJim and the Fatboys will be presenting a workshop for musicians, followed by performances by Russ Hopkins and JimJim and the Fatboys. Then, Pamela Robinson will join TVS & two fingers for a show at Jon’s Bluenote. The main event starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Sunset Events Center, featuring two stages and continuous music from Lloyd Drust, Jeff Stephenson, Don Watson and Dave Hardy, the Dave Beegle Acoustic Band, the Dalhart Imperials and Meadowlark Jivin’.

The action returns to Avo’s on March 25, starting at 11 a.m. with a brunch show featuring String Group Fantastique. Guitarist Jerry Palmer is next, followed by jazz with Our Mother’s Daughters, Carol Frazier, the Good Vibes Quartet and the Poudre River Irregulars. The festival ends with a final blast of bands including Lalla Rookh, Liz Barnez and Union Break.

Tune in to current PRFR programming- including local music- at PRFR.org. Also come out to support the festival!

Mishawaka

As you step off onto the big back porch of the Mishawaka Inn in the Poudre Canyon, you are greeted immediately by the hypnotic and soothing rush of an active mountain river. Big outcroppings of rock push out of the mountainside rising above the river while on the water’s surface a gaggle of kayakers might slide by.

Mishawaka itself is a funky, friendly building that has become as much a part of summertime fun in the region as any other place. Mishawaka is a bar and a restaurant as well as one of Northern Colorado’s most unique live music venues. Artists with plenty of national name recognition- like Bruce Cockburn, Billy Preston, Joan Baez, John Mayall, Los Lobos and many, many more- have braved the drive up the canyon to experience this special place for music. Music fans continue to make the journey because they know that any night at Mishawaka is usually a good one.

The Mishawaka Inn was first built in 1914 by a land grantor named Thompson. Thompson and his bride built the inn originally to serve the guards and prisoners working to build the canyon road. He ended up naming the new establishment after his hometown in Mishawaka, Indiana. While there are some darker, more mysterious things in Mishawaka’s past, including an old curse, modern owners have turned it into a destination stop for all who want to sample some laid-back Colorado living.

“I love the music and the canyon,” says Mishawaka owner Robin Jones. Jones is the dynamo who in recent years has increased Mishawaka’s reputation with both national artists and music lovers by building a new stage- with the audience facing the river- and improving the property. Thanks to Jones’ effort, artists like David Grisman will turn down dates at Red Rocks and Telluride, but leave room in their calendar for Mishawaka.

Despite recent rumors that Mishawaka will close, Jones assures area residents that the venue will continue to rock. “It’s basically going to be another normal, crazy summer,” he says. While the live music industry nationwide has been experiencing tough times, Jones credits the professional rapport he has developed with the artists he presents as the biggest reason he can still bring top notch acts in.

Dates are still being booked for this summer’s live music series at Mishawaka, but some have been confirmed. Those dates include Victor Wooten, of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, on May 26. The Marshall Tucker Band is set for June 15. The David Grisman Quintet will return to Mishawaka August 10-12. Colorado talent comes to Mishawaka with popular Grateful Dead-like jam band Shakedown Street scheduled for May 18-20, Liz Barnez slated for June 3, and Metal on the Mountain on June 23. Other special shows already booked include the Dark Star Orchestra, a band that specializes in recreating Grateful Dead concerts in their entirety, playing at Mishawaka on July 6-7. And “Yesterday: Reunion of the Beatles” will be at Mishawaka on August 25. Mishawaka is located at 13714 Poudre Canyon Highway. For information and updated concert information, call 970-482-4420.

The Downcide

Aaron Knight- drums
Ross Edsall- guitar
Bo Lyerla- vocals
Brandon Bosch- bass

There is always a beginning for every band, but not all beginnings are as ambitious as that of The Downcide. This Loveland, Colorado-based quartet has its roots in other regional bands but has quickly attained its own identity and its own sound thanks to creative songwriting and heavy instrumental skill. To introduce the band right, The Downcide has already released a five-song EP that puts their aggressive groove rock on the musical map. More, of course, is on the way.

The music starts with creative instrumental partners Ross Edsall on guitar and drummer Aaron Knight. The pair start with a musical nugget of an idea and from there they start building the platform that will act as a springboard for vocalist Bo Lyera to add lyrics and his own personal melodic vision. The newest member of the band, Brandon Bosch on bass, also contributes his own take on The Downcide’s sound. Even though the members of the band have decidedly different life philosophies and musical influences, when they act as a group, they all remain on the same page. The result is a thick, dark wash of guitar, dramatic rhythms and a vocal abandon that breaks through the barriers that the everyday world creates to inspire something new, something perhaps a little unnerving, something definitely intense.

On the five tracks making up The Downcide’s debut recording effort, recorded in Lakewood, Colorado by engineer Steve Avedis, you can hear the music unfold as it did to the band. The first track, “Deceit,” is the first song written by Edsall and Knight and each succeeding track is newer than the one preceding it. What starts with a wailing guitar sound, the slap of an electronic snare and the vocal roar of unleashed tension becomes steadily more concentrated, more complicated, time signatures mixing it up while the sound of each instrument changes with each tune. By the time you get to the fifth track, “The Fear,” the transformation is complete to a music that belongs only to The Downcide. “The Fear” shifts back and forth between moody, introspective moments and the full-on assault of vocal release and electric fire.

For other bands just starting out, an effort like The Downcide’s EP might use up the best of a group’s original material, sending them back to the woodshed to create more. But The Downcide is already several steps ahead of that cycle. The group already has plenty of other new songs thanks to the flood of creativity commitment to the band has inspired. Now add the constant songwriting to a six-night-a-week practice schedule- in a building that adds a mysterious “unseen force” to the group’s efforts- and you’re getting an idea of where The Downcide is headed. That is, to be leaders in the Colorado music scene and beyond. Don’t be surprised if the next hot and heavy band you hear on the airwaves is The Downcide.

I Know Jack

Jack was an alcoholic. Jack was a self-styled seer. Jack was a dancing fool. Jack was full of life. These are the things that songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Judy Avers discovered when she met Jack one night in a northern Colorado nightclub. Jack wanted to tell her fortune by looking at her ears. Jack laughed and wanted to burn up the dance floor. Jack became a song that Avers had to write.

When Avers brought her song about Jack to the musicians who were soon destined to bond together into a band, they all discovered that Jack was not only a familiar character, but they had all met him personally- always in the whirl of the nightlife scene. Harmonica ace Dan Barreras suggested that’s what they name the group- I Know Jack- and the band was born.

Jack passed away in 2000, but his spirit lives on with a folk-rocking quintet that freely mixes blues, country, rock and folk music with upbeat rhythms and a life-affirming attitude. I Know Jack, also featuring Billy Varn on lead guitar, mandolin and dobro, Carl Alexander on bass and Rudy Sanchez on congas, drums and percussion, have brought their infectious sound to venues all over the northern Colorado region and beyond for more than five years. Their self-titled CD release has defined their sound as both rootsy and uplifting at the same time.

“I Know Jack,” featuring 11 tracks of acoustic-based, groove-friendly original music, was recorded at the University of Northern Colorado Recording Studio in Greeley. The album was produced by I Know Jack and engineer Greg Heimbecker, who also mixed and mastered this debut release. On top of an earthy mix of back porch instrumental work, Avers’ vocals slip and slide with a bluesy lilt, while each tune reveals a little bit about humanity and the fine art of staying alive.

For I Know Jack, “alive” means taking one’s problems and concerns and staring them right in the face. In songs like “Down Like That” it becomes a matter of countering day job blues with a declaration of independence. In “Fool” infatuation is balanced with a demand for honesty. This is where the right attitude comes in. Avers offers a strong, upbeat view of life in her lyrics, the song “Waiting” clearly stating the case- “I may be of fool heart but I’m of able mind.” “Everything Sucks,” an I Know Jack fan favorite, confronts those who would rather complain than live.

The strength of I Know Jack’s music isn’t just in the words, however. I Know Jack invites celebration with its funky sense of rhythm. Barreras’ harp playing is especially prominent, giving the tunes an easy country flavor, while Varn propels the rhythm section with his diverse string work. The high-energy fun of the arrangements serves to accent Avers’ blues-tinged vocals. As a result, the band has become a popular draw on the northern Colorado nightclub and festival circuits.

Jack would be proud.

Carol Frazier

Smooth jazz, brassy swing, cool pop and slippery blues. These are the moods- and more- that move through the music of Colorado vocalist and songwriter Carol Frazier. The evidence is on a challenging new solo album, titled Life’s A Ride, produced and co-written by Taylor Mesple. From soulful acoustic introspection to broad showpiece band numbers, Life’s A Ride takes the listener on a musical journey that’s all based on jazz, but also reaches out to touch the beauty of the ballad as well as the bump of a funky back-beat rhythm. The subjects of the songs are just as diverse: love, loss, stress and living life in general. Jazz pop tunes such as “Break My Fall” and the title song, “Life’s A Ride,” have already attracted radio play from both standard and smooth jazz stations. But there’s more to discover, like the steamy, intimacy of “Escape To Breathe” and the upbeat, irresistible fun of “Holy Roller Swing,” an award-winning MP3 hit.

Frazier’s career in entertainment has also included work in film, television and off-Broadway theatre. Her current love, however, is for the seamless mixture of pop and jazz she has been playing in venues all over the Colorado region and in California. As part of the fertile Colorado music scene, Frazier came into contact with the full roster of talented musicians who helped turn Life’s A Ride into a recording triumph. These include producer, keyboardist and bandleader Taylor Mesple, who not only headed up the album’s production, but also co-wrote and arranged the music for Frazier’s finely crafted lyrics. Other Colorado musicians on the album include bassist Michael Olsen, guitarist Dave Beegle and sax master Nelson Rangell. Percussionist Steve Amedee, a former member of the band the subdudes, helped co-write two pieces on the album and performed a vocal duet with Frazier. Also appearing is pianist Eric Gunnison, former music director for Carmen McRae’s band. Life’s A Ride was recorded in several of the top studios in the Colorado Front Range region.

CD Review – Joe Kissell “Little Box”

Joe Kissell’s debut CD release, “Little Box,” is a deceptive piece of work. On the surface, you hear a gentle voice and light acoustic arrangements. But as you listen more closely, you begin to hear the depth in the lyrics and the passion in the song. With “Little Box,” Kissell emerges from the fertile Fort Collins music scene with a distinctive sound and strong original material.

Kissell is known in Fort Collins for his original music and for his work organizing monthly open mike events at Avogadro’s Number called “It’s All About the Music.” In the process he has met a whole world of homegrown talent, begun writing new songs and has honed them on stage. “Little Box” was recorded by Russ Hopkins at KIVA Records and features a full line-up of musical guests from the local music scene, including Jeff Hoffman, Beth Mosko, Hopkins and Kirsten Bolton.

Like both Bob Dylan and Bruce Cockburn, Kissell is not afraid to use his music to speak his mind. “Little Box” features 14 tracks of earthy acoustic-based songs that cover social and political issues, love of the environment and a life-affirming attitude. A passion for the environment, for example, is very clear in songs like the opening track, “River,” where the flow of the water mirrors the flow of life. The album also ends with a song about a river, “Empty My Pockets,” and imagery of mountain trails, summer storms and faithful dogs fill the world of Kissell’s songs.

Inevitably, environmental concerns lead to political issues and Kissell is not willing to step back when the subject is something he feels strongly about. The political statements on songs such as “Hail to Old Glory” and “Guns” are bold and challenging. “Hail to Old Glory” calls attention to the darker parts of American history while “Guns” takes no middle ground- Kissell states that they should all be melted down.

But more than politics, Kissell’s songwriting also expresses his values for living. That includes writing about relationships and love- and about the simple art of living. “Time Does Not Last” takes a wistful look at the cycles of human life while “Looking at the Stars” tries to put that human life in perspective with the rest of the universe. “Heart Like a Boat” recounts the breakup of a relationship while “Every Time” is about the warmth of a current love.

Despite all the ideas and words, the music itself remains the most important element to “Little Box.” “Pleasant Ride” is a light, energetic piece that celebrates “that beautiful side.” “Don’t Forget About the Action,” on the other hand, moves with a funky, organic acoustic groove that’s hard to get out of your head. This is contemporary American roots music that thrives with honesty and life-affirming passion.

“Little Box” is a creative triumph for an artist who truly believes it’s not about fame or fortune, but about human creativity and freedom. Authentic, heartfelt music is the result.

Artist Biography– Joe Kissell

Joe Kissell’s debut CD release, “Little Box,” is a deceptive piece of work. On the surface, you hear a gentle voice and the lightness of acoustic arrangements. But as you listen more closely, you begin to hear the depth in the lyrics and the passion in the song. With the 2001 release of “Little Box,” Kissell emerges from the fertile Fort Collins music scene with a distinctive sound and strong original material.

Kissell was born in Denver in 1954 and has lived most of his life in Colorado. He got his first guitar at age 12 and started playing “all of the Monkees’ tunes.” Kissell, the youngest of six, quickly graduated to the Beatles and the Doors. But it was when his older brothers brought home a Bob Dylan album that the true chord was struck. Music became a thing he shared sitting around the kitchen table with friends. Thanks to a solid work ethic instilled by his parents, Kissell got a job fresh out of high school, leaving music for those times in the kitchen.

But music wouldn’t let go. The occasional gig would continue to draw him back. He began playing open mike sessions in Fort Collins, where he has lived since 1981. Then Kissell forged a relationship with Avogadro’s Number, the most widely used acoustic venue in northern Colorado, to produce his own monthly open mike event, called “It’s All About the Music.” In the process he met a whole world of homegrown talent, began writing new songs and honed them on stage. The next step was to record an album of his original music. “Little Box” was recorded by Russ Hopkins at KIVA Records and features a full line-up of musical guests from the local music scene, including Jeff Hoffman, Beth Mosko, Hopkins and Kirsten Bolton.

Another major musical influence on Kissell is Canadian singer-songwriter and activist Bruce Cockburn. Like both Dylan and Cockburn, Kissell is not afraid to use his music to speak his mind. “Little Box” features 14 tracks of earthy acoustic-based songs that cover social and political issues, love of the environment and a life-affirming attitude. A passionate love for the environment, for example, is very clear in songs like the opening track, “River,” where the flow of the water mirrors the flow of life. The album also ends with a song about a river, “Empty My Pockets,” and imagery of mountain trails, summer storms and faithful dogs fill the world of Kissell’s songs.

But more than politics, Kissell’s songwriting also reaches to express his values for living. That includes writing about relationships and love- and about the simple art of living. “Time Does Not Last” takes a wistful look at the cycles of human life while “Looking at the Stars” tries to put that human life in perspective with the rest of the universe. “Heart Like a Boat” recounts the breakup of a relationship while “Every Time” is about the warmth of another love.

Still, despite all the ideas and words, the music itself remains the most important element to “Little Box.” “Pleasant Ride” is a light, energetic piece that celebrates “that beautiful side.” “Don’t Forget the Action,” on the other hand, moves with a funky, organic acoustic groove that’s hard to get out of your head. This is contemporary American roots music that thrives with honesty and life-affirming passion.

“Little Box” is a creative triumph for an artist who has finally heeded the call of his musical muse. For Kissell, it’s truly not about fame or fortune, but about human creativity and freedom. Authentic, heartfelt music is the result.

Big Black Cadillac

Many musicians have the same dream- to make their living from their art. But how many achieve that dream, let alone with an energetic flair achieved by playing the best of R & B and soul music with some great musical chops? That’s the reality for funky northern Colorado band Big Black Cadillac, a group that is filling both private and public dance floors as well as fulfilling the musicians’ dreams.

“My goal is to be a fulltime professional musician and to sustain that,” Big Black Cadillac bassist Jason Hollar said recently. “Right now, this band is in pretty good demand. We’re already booking dates into next summer and fall and it’s helping me just keep playing as a musician. Not just that, but to do it in style.”

To understand where the soul comes from in the music of Big Black Cadillac, you have to look to Philadelphia, one of the great cradles of soulful civilization. Both Hollar and longtime musical partner, lead vocalist Billy Hundley, spent their formative years in Philly and came to the west with a love for artists such as Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Al Green.

“That’s the music I grew up with, living in south Philly, and it’s the music that I have grown to love,” Hundley said. “In Big Black Cadillac, we like to keep it in the R & B vein. We try to keep the energy level up high.”

Big Black Cadillac also features the talents of several other fine area musicians. That includes Stephanie Lane, also on lead vocals, Andrew Vogt on saxophone, Russ Kerschner on keyboards, Brett Depew on drums and Ron Cottingham on guitar. Together, the band makes a full, strong sound that both works a groove and makes a point.

“We’ve gone to great lengths to collect great players,” Hollar said. “Some of this music is up to 40 years old, but its still fresh and it still works. The tunes have become standards like in jazz where there is still room to ask yourself- what kind of statement are you going to make?”

Since Big Black Cadillac tours throughout the Rocky Mountain region as both a popular nightclub band as well as a top level private function unit, that doesn’t leave much opportunity for playing at home. Still, Big Black Cadillac squeezes in regular gigs at Linden’s. Upcoming dates include Friday, October 5 and November 30.

For Hundley, also owner and operator of Gourmet Catering, the gigs are just as satisfying as cooking. “Working with food is an art. So is enhancing a tune. They both have definite spiritual aspects,” he said.

While Big Black Cadillac provides a bigger sound, the members also work together in smaller units that may play anything from Bach to jazz. The Jason Hollar Jazz Quartet, featuring Hollar, Kerschner and Vogt as the core members, is set for several upcoming area gigs, including October 18 at Pulcinella’s Ristorante as well as October 22 at Ciao Vino.

Review – Mark Van Ark

Just the title of the new local release by veteran blues guitarist Mark Van Ark and songwriter/vocalist Rick Berney- “Playboy of the Western World”- tells you plenty about the blues-based, big band music they have produced. It’s definitely got plenty of attitude and the true soul of Saturday night.

With plenty of help on the production of these seven tunes- including drummer Kyle Roberts, saxophonist Max Wagner and guitarist Creighton Holley- Van Ark and Berney create a world of swagger and romance. Here, the hero is a survivor of the nightlife scene and all the highs and lows that go with it. Songs like the title track relate the arrogant confidence that comes with the territory of being a successful playboy. However, the other side of the coin is expressed in songs like “A Married Woman” that tells of the aftermath of a torrid affair- sadness and loneliness.

Fortunately, playboys like Berney and Van Ark have a secret weapon at their disposal- the blues. Even the slower ballads on “Playboy of the Western World” have a sense that even though the woman may be gone, there’s always music to soothe the soul. Berney turns in a strong performance, especially considering how much instrumental power is in the backing arrangements.

Steve Eulberg & JimJim and the Fatboys CD Reviews

There’s a Frank Zappa album titled “Shut Up And Play Yer Guitar,” which features all instrumental Zappa. That title comes to mind after listening to Fort Collins singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Steve Eulberg’s latest release on Owl Mountain Music, “Soaring.” In this case, however, it would be more like “Play Yer Mountain Dulcimer.” It isn’t that the vocal songs Eulberg mixes in with the instrumental tracks on “Soaring” don’t have their appeal. It’s just that Eulberg is such a fine instrumentalist that the vocal material tends to pale in comparison.

Just like Zappa, Eulberg has a sense of humor that comes through in his lyrics. Songs such as “I Am A Pond” and “(6-string) Mail Order Bride” rely heavily on clever rhyming and unusual turns of phrase while expressing definite values. Not all of Eulberg’s vocal pieces on “Soaring” are humorous or dependent on word manipulation for effect. “Another Winter’s Day in Colorado” and “Orphan Train” are both finely crafted songs that touch the emotions. Others, however, take on an almost old-timey naivete that revels in rhyming narratives that reveal as much about the character singing as it does about the song’s subject. The instrumental work, such as the excellent opening title track on “Soaring,” is a different story- shimmering, clear and clean. Eulberg produces some of the finest acoustic instrumental recordings in the region- a music that goes beyond words.

But as Eulberg points out in the liner notes, this release was meant to provide the same balance of instrumental and vocal material that he presents in his live shows. The stuff on the goofy side, however, may be a delight when an audience is there to react, but it is something else again when the listener is experiencing it solo. For my taste, I’d rather delve into the mystery of Eulberg’s instrumental music when I’m listening at home and save the songs for later. But just like Zappa, that’s not all there is to Eulberg as an artist. So okay, a couple of goofy songs aren’t too hard to swallow.

The goofiness continues on another brand new Owl Mountain release by JimJim and the Fatboys, “Bottle Up & Go.” But in this case, I say, go ahead and sing- knock yourselves out. JimJim and the Fatboys are a band of Midwesterners that Eulberg hooked up with at the annual Winfield, Kansas festival they all attend. Here, the work is mostly vocal, again spinning yarns and admitting attitudes with the turn of the phrase in mind. You don’t mind so much that the vocals are kind of rough, because the songs are homegrown and aiming towards the light side. Tunes like “What the Hell (Winfield Song)” and “Fish Ain’t Bitin’” are designed for the chuckle and the tapping foot, not for the pensive moment.

On “Bottle Up & Go,” the material that seems out of place is the more serious stuff. The group takes tongue out of cheek for a precious few tracks- especially on an instrumental reading of “Greensleeves” and on a reverently religious vocal piece titled “Chechen Christmas.” This, however, serves to shift the listener’s attention away from the good times the band has already stoked up. That’s like dropping a scene of Shakespeare into the middle of a Monty Python movie. Well, maybe not that bizarre, but something like that. I think JimJim and the Fatboys have a serious-side album in them, but this production begs to keep it light and keep it friendly. So okay, a couple of introspective songs get thrown in, but for the most part, this is an album full of character, humor and the joy of the rhyme. Check out the lyrics and get ordering info for both “Soaring” and “Bottle Up & Go” at www.owlmntnmusic.com.

Jerry Palmer “Nevada Winds” Local CD Review

In music reviews, superlatives are usually easy to come by. How many times have you heard that this record was a “masterpiece” and that record is a “classic?” Well, no matter how hackneyed it may sound, you’re going to hear some more right now. Fort Collins guitarist Jerry Palmer’s new CD release, “Nevada Winds,” is truly a masterwork. Hands down, it’s one of the finest locally produced CDs I have ever heard.

What’s so great about it is not only the music- gentle, introspective melodies supported by rolling rhythms- but also the technique. Palmer’s use of the studio is as skillful as his manipulation of the song arrangements to create a shimmering, seamless sound. Over 14 tracks, Palmer creates a soundscape that is both inviting and relaxing. Nature sounds like wind, birds and rain augment pieces that meld together guitar, flute, cello and oboe parts. But Palmer doesn’t just arrange instrumental parts, he makes them communicate- melodies wrapping comfortably around pulsing rhythms. Pensive, deep, romantic, Palmer’s music is carefully crafted and fully nurtured.

“Nevada Winds” was recorded by Russ Hopkins at KIVA and produced by Palmer and Hopkins. Other local musicians- Bryce Wemple, Scott Rich, Charlie duChateau and Roger Barnhart- make guest appearances. But make no mistake- this is Palmer’s show and the rewards for listening are rich- each note a brushstroke on the canvas, each refrain a thread in a gorgeous tapestry.

“Nevada Winds” beats most of the major label instrumental stuff that I’ve heard. So what’s this guy doing in Fort Collins? Never mind- just buy his record, got to his gigs. This is great stuff. We need to keep this musician in business.

Wise Monkey Orchestra – CD Review

Why waste time? That’s the question San Diego band Wise Monkey Orchestra answers with nothing but nonstop music from end to end on their latest release on Lauan Records, “They Live.” There’s no messing around, no time-wasting here- just grooves and plenty of power. This is obviously a band that likes to play.

That’s why it’s appropriate that “They Live” is recorded live. What can you expect from a jamband that thrives on the thrill of the moment? Recorded in San Francisco, Ocean Beach and Lake Tahoe, the album serves up 11 tracks that seamlessly blend into each other. The grooves change but the intent seems to be clear- play with the rhythms, let everyone take extended solos and keep things moving in order to drive the crowd wild.

While the Wise Monkey Orchestra is more than willing to indulge in long sections of instrumental work, it can’t be ignored that vocalist Alley packs that needed punch necessary to bring the tunes back to Earth. Her tough, confident delivery dominates the sections of music that she is featured in and provides that necessary human counterpoint to the precision instrumental arrangements.

“They Live” features guest appearances by jazz-rock saxophonist Dave Ellis, known for his work with Ratdog, the Charlie Hunter Trio and the Other Ones. Ellis also appeared on the band’s previous studio album, “Pathways.” The band’s high-test mixture of rock, jazz, soul and more has earned the band three San Diego Music Awards in the past two years.

“They Live” is a debut release on the latest jamband label to hit the scene, Lauan Records. Based in Colorado, Lauan is “dedicated to building a community for the burgeoning jamband scene,” claiming to be more of an “artist community” than a record label. Check them out at www.lauan.com.

Confessions of a Local Music Addict

I can feel their cold stares every time I walk by a CD display at the store. I’m talking about the eyes of the biggest stars in entertainment- from Sting, Shania Twain and Celine Dion to Limp Biscuit, U2 and N Synch. The reason they are staring is because they know I just can’t be true. I refuse to stay mesmerized by their blinding talents. That’s right, the big time isn’t the only time. I listen to music that isn’t being sold by their big record companies.

Sure, I hear the red hot, on the spot, hip hop hits, all the hip jivin’, narrow-minded slop pop tunes that blast away out in the great big media world. You can’t get away from it. But that world isn’t really very much like my world and no matter what they do, they can’t do anything better than a bunch of the friends I’ve got right here in Fort Collins.

I call them friends because that’s exactly who these local musicians have become. They aren’t surrounded by security guards. They don’t have big, fenced-in compounds that become tourist attractions for psychos. As I’ve come to know them, they have become my friends and that’s good because they live right around the block. Our relationship is about community and art being made by flesh and blood people- not cardboard cut-outs selling discs like cold cuts. My friends serve up some real heart and soul.

That’s the kind of feeling that went into the effort to found a local music festival that returns again this March. It started back in 1992 with the idea that an entire weekend of showcases could spotlight local music- and be a blast. It seemed like a natural thing to do for a music scene that was community-minded in the first place. So an independent newspaper called Beat News and Music teamed up with KCSU-FM, which was a community public radio station at the time. By 1993, the Northern Colorado Musicfest was born. The festival was designed to celebrate Fort Collins music and benefit public radio.

A shift occurred at KCSU in 1995 when the CSU student body voted to take control of KCSU and run it as a student station. Supporters of the community public radio movement at KCSU then formed Public Radio for the Front Range and became the presenting agent for the Musicfest. PRFR remains a community group still working to get public radio back on the air in Fort Collins. Besides managing the tedious wrangling with the FCC over frequency applications, PRFR also broadcasts over the internet.

In 1997, the name of the festival changed to the Music City of the Rockies Festival, a name meant to call attention to the facts about the hot local scene. The Musicfest name returned in 2000 as the festival went back to its grassroots beginnings, avoiding the temptation to include bigger bands from out of town. All along, PRFR has remained committed to the public radio cause and to making sure local music continues to be featured- on the internet and during the annual Musicfest.

The PRFR Musicfest 2001, also sponsored by Fort Fund and New Belgium Brewing Company and other local businesses, will begin on March 23 at Avogadro’s Number with a singer-songwriter showcase featuring Scott Allen, Barb Solow and Maggie Simpson. The late night shift at Avo’s belongs to the pop punk of Tip the Milkman and You Call That Art? Also watch for a surprise guest to close out the evening. Meanwhile, the Bluegrass Patriots and the 3 Twins will be joining forces for a dance party at the Elks Club in Old Town.

Why do I know so much about this festival? Because I’m one of the people who started it and I’ve worked on it every year since. This year I did the booking and I wrote a lot of articles about local music to help promote it. In some ways, it’s a big job. But in others, it’s just like organizing a three-day party for friends. However it happens, though, I have to admit it- I’m a local music addict. That’s why Sting and Madonna look at me with such disdain every time I pass their records up on my way to hear something real.

NewWestFest/Linden Street Live

It’s been hard to believe, but area residents have been enjoying it nonetheless. That is, the annual free concert event called Linden Street Live that brings not only national touring bands to the streets of Fort Collins during the even bigger NewWestFest celebration, but also national headliners. Since the event was established four years ago, the Linden Street Live lineup has featured headlining performances by artists of the caliber of Dr. John, Little Feat, Roberta Flack and Robert Cray. Throw in supporting sets by groups such as the Radiators, the Derek Trucks Band, Clarence Gatemouth Brown and many others and you’re starting to get the picture.

This year, the concert lineup is even better than ever. On Friday, August 17, Linden Street Live presents the Iguanas and Marcia Ball. On Saturday, August 18, Joe King Carrasco, Kansas (yes, the hitmakers responsible for “Dust in the Wind”), the Cowboy Junkies and Koko Taylor will take the stage.

As good as the lineup is, however, there might not have been a lineup at all, thanks to some hitches in the city approval process. It seems that Linden Street Live has grown significantly enough for city officials, most notably the police department, to balk at the idea of producing another major concert on the streets of Old Town. The approval process snag was enough to delay the booking process for this year’s Linden Street Live. That means that performers such as Ray Charles and Bruce Hornsby, both of whom were available to perform this year, had to be passed over.

Linden Street Live has been supported each year by foundation funds, first by the Stryker Short Foundation and this year by the Tommy E. Short Charitable Foundation. President Tommy Short, who also owns Linden’s, sees the concert as a direct benefit to his work with youth, arts and the environment. “It’s a chance for the Fort Collins community to come out in a family environment to celebrate together,” he said.

The celebration has become big enough, however, to give the City of Fort Collins pause. “I have to applaud the city for not saying no,” Short said. “We’re putting it on this year and we can thank them for that. We lost some of our music, but the process brought up some important concerns.”

The lineup for 2001’s edition of Linden Street Live, despite the loss of Charles and Hornsby, is still top notch. The Iguanas, a band with roots in the Fort Collins music scene, has become nationally known for their mix of New Orleans R & B, Latin/Carribean rhythms, Tex-Mex conjunto and garage band rock. Marcia Ball is called “the bayou queen of piano,” playing boogie woogie and blues with infectious energy and soul. Those who remember the days when Linden’s was just a little hole-in-the-wall bar will also remember Joe King Carrasco for his unabashed party rock. Kansas, of course, spent the 1970’s and 1980’s producing radio hits that kept them on the Billboard magazine charts for over 200 weeks. The Cowboy Junkies are hard to categorize because their sound is so unique. Their folk and country rock songs are arranged creatively and have produced gold and platinum selling records. And Koko Taylor is quite simply the Queen of the Blues. Two queens, two party bands and two popular hitmakers make for a formidable lineup that area music lovers will be hard-pressed to ignore.

“We try to balance the show with different musical styles that can appeal to a wide range of ages,” Short said. “All the bands are fun. They’re great entertainers and add to the festival spirit.”

Of course, there’s plenty of other free entertainment during the NewWestFest- and I do mean free. Besides the Linden Street Live event, the NewWestFest also features three stages- Old Town Square, Library Park and the Kids World Stage- and plenty of area performers to fill the schedule.

“Fort Collins has the deepest well of entertainers. We have so many that it’s hard to decide who is going to play, especially when an event is as community-driven as the NewWestFest,” said Bryn Markle of the Downtown Business Association, the agency that produces the NewWestFest.

Promotion seems to be the name of the game for local artists who all play the NewWestFest for free. In fact, musicians of all genres- folk, country, blues, rock and roll and more- line up to sign up for a weekend event that draws nearly 100,000 people a year. Of course, music isn’t the only attraction- there are plenty of food and craft booths- but it is a major part of what the NewWestFest is. Local bands on the schedule include Poorhouse, Blue Diddley and Rodney James and the Blue Flames.

The questions that came up about the production of Linden Street Live for this year’s NewWestFest, although irritating to the immediate planning process, may well produce a better situation for all. Though Linden Street Live is set for this year, the event is expected to move to a different location next year. With enough forward-thinking, a permanent location- perhaps the soccer fields north of the Northside Aztlan Community Center- for the music festival may be developed.

“After the concert this year, we’ll look at moving it. We need to figure out what kind of infrastructure that will be needed. Such as rather than renting the production equipment each year, it might be better to buy it if we’re going to look at it ten years down the road,” Short said.

For now, however, there is no better place to rock in August than on the streets of downtown Fort Collins. Linden Street Live occurs on the 200 block of Linden Street. On Friday, August 17, the Iguanas play at 6 p.m. and Marcia Ball plays at 8. On Saturday, August 18, Joe King Carrasco performs at 2 p.m, Kansas plays at 4, the Cowboy Junkies take the stage at 6 and Koko Taylor cranks up her Blues Machine at 8.

Front Range Music Expo 2001

They are all around us- musicians, that is. Anyone who has lived in northern Colorado for any length of time is probably aware that this area is home to a large percentage of talented musicians. They are either making their livings in bands or as solo acts, or are playing at a professional level while making their money elsewhere.

Two of these talented musicians are Jeri Nichols-Park and Paul Park, leaders of the band Harmony Road. The pair has also been known in the area as an acoustic music duo called White Bird. White Bird has also become the name of their new non-profit production company that has already sponsored a Sunday afternoon series of free concerts in Old Town Square, faithfully spotlighting regional musicians in a friendly, laid back manner over the summer months. The next phase of White Bird’s efforts to bolster the area music scene is just around the corner.

On Saturday, October 6, northern Colorado gains its first professional musician trade show and showcase when the Front Range Music Expo 2001 comes to the Lincoln Center. Thanks to the efforts of Nichols-Park and Park, this one-day event will feature booths and tables for music-related businesses and musicians to display services and products. Various panel discussions, led by industry insiders, will cover topics of interest to the emerging musician and those involved in music as a business. Live music will be performed throughout the day, and food and drink will be available.

“This is a chance for people to see what it takes to put on a professional act,” Nichols-Park said recently. “This isn’t just for musicians, but for the whole community to see what’s available. We’re trying to link the community to the artists in a real public way.”

Part of White Bird’s effort at producing the Front Range Music Expo is to send a signal to area talent buyers that musical development remains stifled when they take advantage of the abundance of artists.

“We want to increase the status and reputation of the area music scene and raise the standard of pay,” Nichols-Park said. “Pay is low here because there is an enormous amount of talent in a small area. There’s a glut of artists living here and musicians will often play for next to nothing. Everybody has to get out and get jobs, lowering the quality of their work. If you increase the pay, you increase the quality.”

But the Front Range Music Expo is only the beginning of the kind of ambitious service White Bird productions is planning to offer to our community. Scheduled for November 7-8 at the Lincoln Center Mini Theatre is the Front Range Music Fest, a two-day event that will showcase regional musical talent in a formal setting. Also on the drawing board are plans for educational events.

“One of our goals is to help make fledgling bands into professional units through workshops and seminars,” Nichols-Park said. “We are looking at offering weeklong music camps in the summer months. We’re also looking for places in area nightclubs where we can introduce new bands.”

First things first, though. The Front Range Music Expo is an opportunity for musicians and members of the community to check out the state of one of our area’s most vibrant and active performing arts. Vendors include music-related businesses such as the Northern Rose, Ultimate Support and Natural Piano, as well as food by Rasta Pasta and Pueblo Taco Viejo. Absolute Graphics will exhibit t-shirts and other products and Web Your Business will present web design.

Performers at the Front Range Music Expo include Scott Allen, Tim Hunt, Michelle Roderick, Nighttrain, Nimbus and Tempting Fate as well as the Colorado Academy of the Arts. Tours will also be available of the Nightwing mobile recording studio. One of Colorado’s most talented guitarists, Dave Beegle, will cap off the day with a special concert performance. The Expo is scheduled to occur from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on October 6 in the Canyon West Ballroom and the Columbine Room in the Lincoln Center. For more information call 484-5764- or just attend. Admission is free.

Planet Bluegrass: Down-To-Earth Music, Beautiful Locations

A gentle rain is coming down on the grass and trees and rocky ridge that surround Planet Bluegrass in Lyons. There’s a guy wandering around on the big stage, dogs roam across a field and it’s quiet and peaceful. From this scene, you wouldn’t know that this was the center of the universe for acoustic-based music.

Not only is Planet Bluegrass a wonderful Colorado festival site, hosting events such as Rockygrass and the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, but it also houses the offices of Planet Bluegrass, the company that produces Rockygrass, Folks and the famous Telluride Bluegrass Festival. That event, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, has become known as one of the finest showcases of acoustic-based music in the world. While the office downstairs is temporarily choked with boxes of t-shirts for this year’s Telluride festival- scheduled for June 21-24- the upstairs office is buzzing with phone calls as the event fast approaches.

That means the partners of Planet Bluegrass are busy. Art Director/Artist Manager Sally Truitt calms her nerves by caring for her pet sugar glider while fielding many of those phone calls. Truitt not only oversees the artwork that goes into Planet Bluegrass brochures and CD projects, but she also “deals with the artists from the time they’re booked until the time they leave the festival.”

“The trouble we’re having now is that since Telluride recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, there are artists who are also celebrating their 25th anniversary of playing the festival. So and so wants to play because they want to keep up the tradition,” Truitt says. “A lot of them expect to come back. Eighty per cent of the artists want to return to the line-up and there just aren’t enough spots.”

Planet Bluegrass Vice-President Steve Szymanski helps book the acts, produce the Planet Bluegrass CD releases as well as organizes the more educational aspects of the festivals- such as the Song School at the Folks Festival and the RockyGrass Bluegrass Academy. These are opportunities for amateur musicians to learn along with the pros in relaxed, informal atmospheres. “When you bring people together like this, there’s usually a lot of growth and excitement,” Szymanski says. “As far as working with the artists, it’s like having a front row seat in someone’s mind.”

A lot of the responsibility for booking the stage acts falls on the shoulders of Planet Bluegrass President Craig Ferguson. Thanks to his experience as a lawyer, he is able to manipulate the complexities of booking contracts and add business expertise. In turn, he gets some enviable benefits. “I get to live here- the commute to work is really short,” Ferguson says. “As a music fan, it’s also great to get to put together a big portion of the lineup.”

Ferguson and Szymanski were the original partners who bought the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in 1988. Though Telluride was a money-losing endeavor at the time, the pair wanted to be involved anyway. “There was a union of different kinds of music magic there- it wasn’t just a bluegrass festival,” says Szymanski. They broke even the first year and have been building the Planet Bluegrass organization ever since.

Today, Truitt, Szymanski and Ferguson make a formidable team. They are not only maintaining and fine-tuning three major festivals, they are also working on developing several new events for 2001. That includes the Red Dirt Blues Festival, set for September 1-2 in Lyons. “We’re working on this with the Lyons Chamber of Commerce,” Truitt explains. “The first year, it featured local bands in Lyons. The next year, we hosted the event here. This year they let us take the ball and run with it.” So far, Jonell Mosser with Enough Rope and Kelly Joe Phelps have been confirmed for Red Dirt.

Also on the drawing board is the Festival of Mabon, scheduled for September 22 in Lyons. This festival is being designed to celebrate the Autumnal Equinox- with New Age intent and Celtic flavor- and the band Solas is the first confirmed act. While other plans for the future at Planet Bluegrass include building a theater, Ferguson sums up the effort this way: “We’re going to do whatever it takes to stay here and be able to answer that question again in another five years.”

Planet Bluegrass in Lyons sits comfortably on a 19 acre piece of land with rocky cliffs pushing high above and the calming sound of the St Vrain River running through. The grounds, maintained and beautified by a fulltime landscaper, are just around the corner from Lyons’ downtown area at 500 West Main Street. RockyGrass is set for July 27-29 and the Folks Festival will return on August 17-19. Get more information by calling (800) 624-2422 or by logging on to www.bluegrass.com.

RockyGrass

Bluegrass lovers agree- RockyGrass is a great music festival no matter which side of the stage you’re on. The performers dig it and so do the fans. Also throw in the fact that RockyGrass happens in one of the primo music venues in Colorado.

You want red rocks, you get them on the Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons. This is the home of not only RockyGrass, but also the Folks Festival and two new events- the Red Dirt Blues Festival and the Festival of Mabon. Along with great live music, you also get red rock cliffs, trees and the St Vrain River, winding lazily off to one side of the site.

But more than just a pretty spot, Planet Bluegrass hosts events that treat everyone right. For example, RockyGrass, has a great reputation among players. “They really take care of the performers,” says Glenn Zankey, of Fort Collins band the Bluegrass Patriots. “It’s fully catered and really wonderful. It’s a damn good festival.” The Patriots have played RockyGrass several times and Zankey characterizes the music as being “more traditional” than the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, another Planet Bluegrass production.

RockyGrass also fills the bill as far as positive fan experience goes. “It’s a small venue, it’s in a beautiful setting and it’s a family atmosphere,” says Fort Collins resident and longtime music fan Lee Williams. Williams was introduced to RockyGrass several years ago by a friend and now does not hesitate to purchase a three-day pass as soon as they are available. He enjoys the crowd, which he describes as “polite, willing to share and talk,” as well as the musical surprises that happen on stage. His favorite musical moment at RockyGrass so far was seeing Peter Rowan perform the song “Free Mexican Air Force”- along with everybody in the crowd and friends on stage.

This year’s RockyGrass festival, set for July 27-29 in Lyons, features headlining acts such as the Sam Bush Bluegrass Band on Friday, the Del McCoury Band on Saturday and Tribute to Old and in the Way on Sunday. Also appearing will be the Peter Rowan Band with Tony Rice, the Lynn Morris Band, the Seldom Scene, the David Grisman Quintet and many more.

RockyGrass also hosts the Bluegrass Academy in the days just prior to the festival itself. It’s a feast of workshops and special learning opportunities for most levels of acoustic instrument players. This year, for example, Nick Forster teaches guitar, Peter Rowan teaches vocals, Pete Wernick teaches banjo and Sally Van Meter teaches dobro. Unfortunately, the workshop space for this year is sold out, so check in early for next year’s schedule. Contact Planet Bluegrass by phone at 800-624-2422 or log on to www.bluegrass.com.eral times and Zankey characterizes the music as being “more traditional” than the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, another Planet Bluegrass production.

Folks/Red Dirt/Mabon

It makes sense that the producers of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival- Planet Bluegrass- would end up creating the Folks Festival. After all, Telluride has become a music festival where folk, bluegrass and progressive acoustic music meet. At the Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons, the producers have created another festival that features more traditional bluegrass music in RockyGrass. It follows that Planet Bluegrass would also create a special festival just for their folk music friends- the Folks Festival.

Of course, Telluride is also well known for its natural beauty as a venue. But so is the Planet Bluegrass Ranch. “A lot of people in northern Colorado are not aware that they have one of the prettiest sites in the country right here in their back yard,” says Planet Bluegrass president Craig Ferguson. The Folks Festival was first held in Estes Park, but after battling what Planet Bluegrass partner Steve Szymanski called “tough weather,” they began looking for a new site that became their own venue.

The lineup for this year’s Folks Festival is, of course, stellar for contemporary singer-songwriters. On Friday, August 17, Rickie Lee Jones headlines along with John Gorka, Lucy Kaplansky, Cheryl Wheeler and Cliff Eberhardt. Saturday will feature Arlo Guthrie as well as Greg Brown, Patty Larkin, Eddie from Ohio and more. Sunday, August 19 includes Bruce Hornsby, Peter Himmelman, Todd Snider and others.

But more than just a concert event, the Folks Festival, like other Planet Bluegrass events, also aims to serve the musician as well as the fan. That’s where the Song School comes in. For four days- August 13-16- songwriters will get together for “an in-depth, hands on experience of the art, craft and business of songwriting.” Instructors include Maggie Simpson, Christopher Williams and Paul Reisler. Planet Bluegrass also hosts the Songwriter Showcase, a songwriting competition that ends up placing ten finalists on stage at the Folks Festival.

Planet Bluegrass runs a particularly fan-friendly operation, and they have come to call festival attendees “festivarians.” One of the common things that Planet Bluegrass festivarians experience is the use of a tarp- for sitting, reserving space, or seeking shelter from mountain weather. So Planet Bluegrass is currently soliciting any creative efforts that somehow reflect this strange community of the tarp. Poems, stories, lyrics- or whatever- that tell what happened on your tarp are welcome.

Running three great festivals- Telluride, RockyGrass and the Folks Festival- just doesn’t seem to be enough for the folks at Planet Bluegrass and fans of other kinds of music get to reap the rewards. This year, two new festivals will debut. The first is the Red Dirt Blues Festival, set for September 1-2. The second is the Festival of Mabon, scheduled for September 22, an event that Planet Bluegrass partner Sally Truitt calls “New Age in intent, Celtic in flavor.” Planet Bluegrass freely uses the help of volunteers to make each of their productions run smoother. For information about volunteering or about any and all of the Planet Bluegrass shows, log on to www.bluegrass.com.

Afterword: U2

It’s no mistake that the great Irish band U2 conjures up the likes of the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Martin Luther King Jr. when they perform. For the band’s return trip to Denver at the Pepsi Center on November 7, the group used several Beatles songs to precede the opening of the show, performed an incendiary version of Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower,” and prominently featured film clips of King during an inspiring reading of “Pride (In the Name of Love.)” It all fits because the kind of resonance that has made King, Dylan and the Beatles revered cultural icons is what U2 not only aspires to, but achieves with its substantial body of work, bridging tunefulness and driving rock with meaningfulness.

Last April, U2’s first stop in Denver for their blockbuster Elevation Tour provided the band with a tentative victory. Returning to the stage without many of the huge stage settings that had marked the band’s touring in the recent past, the group also seemed to be lacking a certain focus that conjured the kind of intensity fans have come to expect from them. There was plenty of stage excitement and great songs but also a nagging feeling that singer Bono was working in a lower gear and that the rousing aspects of U2’s music had grown cooler. The events of September 11 seemed to change all that. In a national atmosphere where citizens are looking for inspiration, a band like U2 becomes all the more important with lyrics taking on a much more poignant meaning and the crowd-rousing aspects of the group’s stage presence becoming much more cathartic.

The U2 that returned to the Pepsi Center for a second sold-out show was a much better band. Seven months after their first show, the set was tighter, cleaner and the musicians had once again found a place where they were not only performing the songs, they had found renewed power in the material. The meaning that is rife throughout U2’s work can be political, as in “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” as well as personal, as in many of the songs on the band’s latest Interscope Records release “All That You Can’t Leave Behind.” Where the two intersect- even by accident, as in the new song “New York”- it provides an experience that not only provides good entertainment, but that long-term resonance that continues to inspire long after the concert is over. As Bono tenderly held an American flag handed to him from the audience at the Pepsi Center, he was also holding the hopes and fears of a people sorely in need of something uplifting. U2 delivered in full.

Other concert highlights at the Pepsi Center included “One,” an acoustic set that covered songs like “Wild Honey” from the new album, as well as “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Walk On,” and a pensive version of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” For some of the most thrilling electric guitar work in contemporary rock, there is no need to look any further than U2’s guitarist The Edge. An encore version of “Bullet the Blue Sky” achieved a heady psychedelic frenzy thanks to his groundbreaking style and flair. No Doubt opened.

Mudvayne

Welcome to the new millennium. As we move into a new era- at least according to the calendar- everything we encounter in our culture is a reflection of our present state of being as well as a signal for what is to come. Given that, the Peoria, Illinois band Mudvayne reflects a dark, intense and fatalistic side of humanity as the third millennium begins. They signal that music rooted in anger and aggressiveness is not going away, but will get tougher than ever.

It is appropriate that Mudvayne’s recent release on Epic Records, “L.D. 50,” begins with a piece inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s classic science fiction film, “2001: A Space Odyssey.” The track’s title is “Monolith” and presents a swirling mixture of found sound voices and electronic effects. This combination of sound returns throughout the album, but the noisy static that is created is the only perceptible tie to the introspective nature of Kubrick’s film.

The rest of Mudvayne’s music sounds more like a Wes Craven horror movie. It requires a set of steady nerves to listen to all 17 tracks in one sitting and that’s mostly due to the throat-shredding intensity whipped up by vocalist Kud. Still, Kud’s bandmates- Gurrg on guitar, sPaG on drums and Ryknow on bass- add plenty of dark, chunky electricity resulting in a music that wields knife-sharp guitar lines and unnerving vocal extremes like the grim reaper’s scythe.

Just like the timing of a horror movie, however, Mudvayne allows the listener frequent opportunities to catch their breath. This is when the more melodic side of the quartet is revealed. Tunes such as “-1” and “Severed” feature a vocal departure from the growling and screaming. You could even mistake the progress of the songs during these sections for alternative pop with a moment or two even approaching a sense of grandeur.

The moments in the musical sun, however, inevitably return to the cold bleakness of show-no-mercy rhythms and the mad barking of a voice lost in its own angry expression. There is most certainly a funky sort of hop to the songs, but strained through consistently minor key arrangements and production that puts Kud’s vocals out front, any kind of dancing to this music will have to be done in a sweaty mosh pit.

Most disturbing about Mudvayne’s music, however, is the underlying fatalism in the lyrics. Hope is hard to find within the screaming and the supporting layers of vocals that whisper messages that have little to do with positive inspiration. The song “Prod” appeals to a higher power to “drain us of life and cleanse the mess.” “Pharmaecopia” claims that “you can’t kill me, I’m already dead…already dead to this world.”

So the music of our future includes a ride to hell and back thanks to bands like Mudvayne. To help make that ride even more unsettling, Mudvayne’s members have adopted garish face painting to remind listeners that Halloween frights need not come only once a year.

The title of the album, “L.D. 50,” refers to the medical term pharmacologists use to measure how toxic a substance is. The record was produced by Garth Richardson, who has also worked with Rage Against the Machine and L7. Executive producer for the project was Shawn Crahan, percussionist for Slipknot, a band Mudvayne has toured extensively with.

Hot dates: Legendary drummer Buddy Miles is at the Fox Theater in Boulder tonight. Coming up at the Fox next week will be Charlie Hunter on Wednesday and Bernie Worrell on Thursday. The Dixie Dregs will join the Steve Morse Band at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Friday, January 12. Also on Friday, acoustic music duo the Cantrells open for tongue-in-cheek presidential candidate- and folk music icon- U. Utah Phillips at Swallow Hill.

Cheryl Wheeler

Audiences of contemporary acoustic music have come to know that there are two singer-songwriters named Cheryl Wheeler. Yes, they’re the same person, but she maintains dual identities as an artist.

The first identity is Cheryl Wheeler as a poet. Thanks to finely crafted ballads such as “Aces” and “Addicted,” Wheeler has gained a reputation as one of America’s most sensitive and sincere songwriters. So much so that her songs have become hits for artists such as Suzy Bogguss and Dan Seals and performers such as Bette Midler publicly praise her work.

The second identity is as a humorist. Along with a keen sense of the challenges of modern living comes the urge to not only soothe the soul, but also to take a few good pokes at it. Songs such as “Is it Peace or is it Prozac” not only demonstrate Wheeler’s more devilish side, they have also become fan favorites.

On her most recent release on Philo Records, “Sylvia Hotel,” both of Wheeler’s identities are in full swing. The poet takes a look at both personal and cultural pain. The title song, for example, eavesdrops on a woman’s lonely night of drinking and smoking in a hotel bar, trying to deny her pain. The song “If It Were Up To Me” analyzes the ills of society, specifically focusing on the proliferation of guns.

Wheeler as comedienne, however, also gets her chance on “Sylvia Hotel.” The song “Unworthy” catalogs things the singer feels guilty for- all with tongue-in-cheek. She also manages to turn “The Mexican Hat Dance” on its ear with the song “Potato.” Appropriately, the funnier material is presented live, the audience reaction an integral part of the success of the tunes.

Wheeler, who will be performing at the Sunset Events Center on Thursday, grew up in Maryland and started out as a regular at folk venues in Baltimore and Washington. After relocating to Rhode Island, she began performing with the likes of Tom Rush and Gordon Lightfoot. She also met Jonathan Edwards, who became Wheeler’s mentor as well as produced her first full-length album, “Cheryl Wheeler.”

After both Dan Seals and Suzy Bogguss turned two Wheeler songs into top ten hits, Wheeler was signed by Capitol Records. However, a staffing shake-up stalled her major label career, so she signed with Philo, who she has been recording for since 1993.

Bernie Worrell: It’s easy to get star struck when reading through keyboardist Bernie Worrell’s discography. After all, during the 30 years between 1968 and 1998, Worrell has recorded with such top shelf names as the Talking Heads, the Pretenders and Keith Richards, not to mention that, along with George Clinton, he was a founding member of the Parliament-Funkadelic dynasty.

But closer inspection also reveals a long list of other artists, maybe not as well known, but equally talented. That includes Colorado band Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Also add in Black Uhuru, the Golden Palominos, Public Image Ltd., Ryuichi Sakamoto, Victoria Williams, Ginger Baker and more.

There’s a reason why Worrell is one of contemporary music’s most sought after keyboardists. Not only does he have the chops- he began playing piano at age three and wrote his first concerto at age nine- he also has a wild and distinctive flair for whatever he plays. He tweaks the sound playfully and adds fills that can come from only one place. When Worrell is on a project, you can bet he will not just be a sideman, but become an integral part of the music.

But Worrell, a Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame member, is not satisfied with sitting back on his laurels. Currently, he is heading up his own band, the WOO Warriors. Their most recent release is a live album that serves up an endless stream of funky grooves. The group will be performing at the Starlight on Thursday. Call 484-4974 for information.

Keb’Mo’

With the help of only a handful of recordings, guitarist and songwriter Robert Johnson defined the nature of acoustic blues in the 1930’s. Even though Johnson’s songs, including such well-known tunes as “Crossroads Blues,” became staples for electric rockers and blues players, the pure root of Johnson’s blues power came from the combination of a single voice and a funky-sounding acoustic guitar.

Nearly 70 years later, the acoustic blues remains strong thanks to performers like Keb’ Mo’. But unlike the raw, unpolished recordings left behind Johnson, Keb’ Mo’s work is smooth and crystal clear. His voice is rich and warm, his songs remain close to personal experience and despite the fact that they are usually produced in a band setting, the extra layers of sound do not overpower the basics.

This is what has helped Keb’ Mo’ to become a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a leading figure in contemporary blues.

Keb’ Mo’s most recent album release on the Epic/550 Music/Okeh label, “The Door,” continues his explorations into the blues. As you might expect from a modern-day artist, the music Keb’ Mo’ includes on “The Door” is not pure blues. There are also strong elements of both soul and rock. This is underscored by the contributions of supporting players on the album, including such notable figures as drummer Jim Keltner and violinist Scarlet Rivera.

But the root of “The Door” remains the blues and, as fans have come to expect from this artist, the power of the music comes from Keb’ Mo’s expressive voice. The instrumental grooves are clearly effective but what connects this music to the past is the intimacy and personal quality of the words and the vocals- something sorely missing from much of contemporary music’s bombastic, heavily produced approach. One other element that remains constant in his work is the gentle strum of the acoustic guitar. This combination continues to spell success for Keb’ Mo’.

Like Johnson, the blues seem to be a natural fit for Keb’ Mo’. Unlike Johnson, however, Keb’ Mo’ had plenty of musical experience before he chose the blues as his best expression. Born Kevin Moore, Keb’ Mo’ grew up in South Central Los Angeles and played upright bass and steel drums in his first band. In 1973, Moore began playing guitar for violinist Papa John Creach, performing on three of Creach’s albums. From there, Moore joined A & M Records as a staff writer.

By 1980, Moore had released his first solo album on Chocolate City Records. After a short stint with vocal group the Rose Brothers, he began performing with the Whodunit Band, an ensemble of ace blues players led by producer Monk Higgins. Inspired by the blues, Moore began to develop his own style as a guitarist and began gigging in clubs around the L.A. area. He took the name Keb’ Mo’- a “streettalk” version of his given name- and was signed by the revived Okeh Records label.

Keb’ Mo’, who will be performing on Saturday at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, received his first Grammy Award in 1996 for Best Contemporary Blues Album following the release of his second album, “Just Like You.” His next album, “Slow Down,” also won a Grammy in 1998.

Pharcyde: Coming to the Aggie Theater on Thursday will be LA hip hop quartet, the Pharcyde. The band has its roots in dance group Two For Two, who appeared in numerous music videos as well as on the popular television show In Living Color. With the addition of Derrick “Fatlip” Stewart and producer J-Swift, the troupe became the Pharcyde in 1991 and have since come to challenge the hip hop world with a combination of music and dance. Their most recent release on Delicious Vinyl Records is “Plain Rap.”

Union Break

The blues, the whole blues and nothing but the blues. That’s the musical oath that members of Fort Collins quartet Union Break are willing to make to audiences when they get on area stages. Recently voted best local band in the Best of Fort Collins, Union Break continues the local blues tradition with both determination and style.

“The blues is where I started,” Union Break vocalist Nicole Zentveld said recently. “I’ve tried other styles, but the blues is where I’m most comfortable.”

On stage, Union Break displays the kind of communication that musicians develop only after playing together for a long time. While the band is only a little more than a year old, Zentveld, guitarist Chris Jackowski and bassist Johnny Kintzley played together in the local blues band Fat Sow. Now, they’ve added drummer Tom Cooley and are developing their own take on the blues.

“Our sound is more stripped down and raw,” Jackowski said. “There’s not as much Chicago-style blues and we’re adding more R & B and jazz. It’s a funky kind of blues with more changes.”

The diversity of Union Break’s blues is clear when you look at the band’s set list. That includes material by such blues greats as B.B. King, Robert Johnson, John Mayall and Koko Taylor. But it also includes songs by Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Jeff Beck and the Allman Brothers, as well as tunes by more obscure artists such as Shannon Curfman and Susan Tedeschi.

Once fired up, the real fun begins. That is, the soul and intensity that the members pour into their performances. Jackowski makes his guitar howl, Kintzley insures that the groove stays full and funky while Cooley plays around the beat with quick, deft flourishes. On top, Zentveld dominates each song like it were her own, her strong, sinuous voice knocking out the melody and accenting the fireworks when Union Break gets to jamming.

“We’re just a band that likes to play,” Zentveld said. “We’re a performing band that you’ve got to see live. That’s why we haven’t been too serious about recording a CD- yet.”

Union Break has been working on original tunes and expect to be in the studio recording this summer. Union Break will be performing at the County Cork today. They’ll also be at Linden’s on February 22.

Leftover Salmon: Colorado music innovators Leftover Salmon are still playing their fusion of bluegrass with country, Cajun, Southern rock, boogie and more. But their sound is expanding- literally. Leftover Salmon have recently added three new band members to their ranks- Bill McKay, from the Derek Trucks Band, on Hammond B3 and piano, Seattle jazz and R & B drummer Jose Martinez and bassist Greg Harrison, fresh off the road with the Motet. The new line-up will be performing at the Aggie Theater today and Saturday.

In review– Bernie Worrell: As keyboard legend Bernie Worrell took the stage at the Starlight on January 18, a friend told me that this was going to be the best P-Funk show we’re going to see this year. The comment was based on the fact that Worrell is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member thanks to his part in founding the Parliament/Funkadelic music movement that keeps several band groupings busy.

But Worrell and the WOO Warriors make a music that separates itself from other P-Funk operations touring the country. Sure, there was plenty of funk, but Worrell’s sound is chiefly electric rock in nature with heavy guitar, bass and keyboards meshing together into a thick wall of sound. On top of it all, Worrell adds his trademark tweaks and twists on the layers of keyboards that surround him on stage.

New to the WOO Warriors is spunky vocalist Jen Durkin, formerly from Deep Banana Blackout. Durkin not only provided a fresh visual counterpoint to the other musicians hunched over their instruments, but she also used her voice to cut through the electricity, single handedly adding the dramatic human element needed to push the band’s music to the next level. The Starlight will be hosting more great music in the next few weeks including dates with the original lineup of the Bad Brains, Merl Saunders and D.R.I.

Bad Brains

When the Washington D.C. quartet the Bad Brains recorded their first single in 1980, they were doing more than just leaving behind the jazz-rock they had been developing under the name Mind Power. They were also on the cusp of bringing together the disparate elements of hardcore punk and reggae in way that would put them into the history books.

The New Trouser Press Record Guide put it this way: “Bad Brains’ hardcore is a more distinctively modulated roar than most, but what really sets them apart are radically contrasting excursions into dub and Rasta reggae.” The hardcore edge was accentuated by Bad Brains guitarist Dr. Know. The reggae flavor came from the reedy vocals and Rastafarian-based words of singer H.R.

But the music wasn’t the only radical departure the Bad Brains pioneered with their rocky on again, off again career. Spin magazine’s Alternative Record Guide views the band as both racial and philosophical explorers: “Black in a thoroughly white scene, highly skilled in a genre that celebrated learning your instrument as you went along, and pioneering the synchronization of hardcore and reggae music and credos…Bad Brains gave hardcore kids a psychic alternative.” At the root of this “psychic alternative” was a thing the band called “P.M.A.”, or Positive Mental Attitude, truly a unique element in an often cynical and nihilistic form of expression.

After so many years and different band groupings, the original line-up of the Bad Brains has once again reformed and are currently on tour. The Bad Brains will be appearing at the Ogden Theatre in Denver on Saturday and at the Starlight on Sunday.

Bill Mize: On his latest CD release, “Coastin’,” Sevierville, TN guitarist Bill Mize reveals a painterly perspective to making his instrumental music. Starting with the mellow tone of his guitar melodies, Mize then adds dabs of musical color to accent and enhance. Most of the accenting is thanks to the efforts of cellist Martha Jacobs, but there is also sparingly small amounts of percussion and Hammond B-3 organ. The gentleness of the arrangements allows the musical emotion of the pieces to take flight. Besides featuring his original material on “Coastin’,” Mize also presents some creative covers of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” and the Beatles’ “Come Together.” Mize will be performing at Avogadro’s Number on Saturday. Fort Collins guitarist Jerry Palmer opens. Call 493-5555 for information.

More music: Boulder is gaining a reputation of having a “talent-rich music scene” thanks to events such as the upcoming Theory of Everything concert scheduled for tonight at the Boulder Theater. Featuring Michael Kang and Kyle Hollingsworth from the String Cheese Incident, Ross Martin from the Tony Furtado Band and Dave Watts from the Motet- all Boulder residents- Theory of Everything blends together backgrounds in jazz, rock, bluegrass and more. Other area shows coming up include saxman Maceo Parker at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver and famed Texas singer-songwriter Willis Alan Ramsey at Swallow Hill in Denver, both on Saturday.

In review- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: For the final night of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s five-show run at the Lincoln Center, there couldn’t have been a better place to enjoy the wonderful chaos of these new swing music stars than from a front row seat. Besides being engulfed in the energetic waves of snappy rhythms, the front row was nearly a part of the bandstand as the band’s horn players took every opportunity throughout the evening to come to the very edge of the stage and blow.

Other than just one or two medium tempo tunes, the order of the night was lively. With a wry smile, frontman Scotty Morris led the nine-piece band- including five horn players- from song to song without pause, all the while urging the audience to join in the fun. Even though the jazzman image is one of being cool and collected, these musicians stirred up an irresistible stew of jazz, blues, swing, Latin music and more that kept both the band members and the audience in constant motion. Who needs coffee when you have a group like this around? Too bad they had to go, daddio.

Steve Gillette

Steve Gillette is one of acoustic music’s most prolific songwriters. His original tunes include 1960’s folk standards like “Darcy Farrow,” recorded by dozens of artists including Ian and Sylvia and John Denver, and “Back on the Street Again,” recorded by Spanky and Our Gang. They also include songs like “The Old Trail,” recently recorded by Don Williams and Kathy Mattea and “Unto You This Night,” recorded by Garth Brooks.

Cindy Mangsen is a longtime Chicago folk star who has achieved the reputation as one of the finest traditional singers working today. Her repertoire includes Scottish ballads, old blues tunes, contemporary nursery rhymes and her own original compositions. Mangsen not only has a beautiful voice, but she also is a skilled musician, accompanying herself on guitar, banjo, concertina and mountain dulcimer.

Together, Gillette and Mangsen form one of contemporary folk music’s most respected acts thanks to the comfortable combination of their voices and the easy rapport they have developed between themselves and with their audiences. Their performances often cover a wide range of styles including folk, novelty songs, country ballads, satirical numbers, delta blues, western swing, Irish jigs, British music hall and Spanish poetry.

Gillette’s most recent solo release is “Texas & Tennessee.” Mangsen’s newest CD is “Songs of Experience,” a collection of story songs gleaned from the Catskills, cowboys and other “song treasure troves.” The pair’s most recent duo record is “The Light of Day.” Gillette and Mangsen will be performing tonight at Swallow Hill in Denver.

String Cheese Incident: Colorado’s hot bluegrass fusion band the String Cheese Incident have announced the lineup for their annual Winter Carnival, scheduled for February 15-17 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. It’s String Cheese’s policy to invite their favorite bands to play dates with them and the diversity of the group’s tastes are obvious. Bruce Hornsby opens on the 15th, the Blind Boys of Alabama open on the 16th and Little Feat do the honors on the 17th. String Cheese will also be performing at Dobson Arena in Vail with Del McCoury opening on the 19th and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe opening on the 20th.

Valentine’s Day concert: Through the release of three previous solo piano albums and constant touring throughout the United States and Canada, Fort Collins composer and pianist Calvin Jones has earned the reputation of being both a sensitive and passionate artist. However, Jones’ latest album release, “Acoustic Passion,” challenges the boundaries of his original instrumental music. It starts with Jones’ piano style that mixes rich melodies with purposeful playing. But with the addition of extra keyboard parts and sequencing, guitars and layers of vocals, the new compositions come on with the dramatic power of a rocking orchestra. “Acoustic Passion” was produced by Jerry Marcellino, who has also worked with artists such as Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, and features guitar work by Kerry Livgren of Kansas.

Recently Jones forged a deal with worldwide distributor City of Peace Records, starting with the release of “Acoustic Passion.” Although he has received critical acclaim nationwide, Jones rarely performs at home. However, he has scheduled a Valentine’s Day concert at the Lincoln Center Mini Theater on Wednesday, at 7 p.m. Joining Jones for this special Fort Collins date is virtuoso area guitarist Dave Beegle. Call 221-6730 for information.

Eulberg/Hopkins: Also on Valentine’s Day, local musicians Steve Eulberg and Russ Hopkins have formed a new acoustic duo called the Blind Monks and will be presenting a concert called “Blind Love: Songs from the Heart” at Avogadro’s Number on Wednesday. Using dulcimers, guitars, mandolin and mouth harp, the pair has created a sound that is described as “soulful and gentle” while drawing from traditional music including blues and folk as well as early pop rock songs and original tunes. Showtime is 7 p.m. Call 472-1352 for information.

Kelly Joe Phelps

Listen to what singer/guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps’ peers are saying about his folk-blues playing style.

Steve Earle said “Kelly Phelps plays, sings and writes the blues. Hold up before you lock that in- forget about songs in a twelve-bar three-chord progression with a two-line repeat and answer rhyme structure- though he can certainly do that when he wants to. I’m talking about a feeling, a smoky, painful yet somehow comforting groove that lets you know that you are not alone, even when you’re feeling blue.”

U2’s the Edge said “Kelly Joe Phelps is a great example of what modern blues is all about. His music has the authority of the great blues without any hint of rehash or re-tread.”

Since releasing his first album, “Lead Me On,” Phelps’ combination of folk, blues and country gospel has created a buzz that has not only kept his peers talking, but also the press. Acoustic Guitar magazine put it this way: “In an overcrowded field (of folk & bluesmen) Phelps stands out as one of the few players to find an original slant.”

Phelps’ latest release on the Rykodisc label is “Shine Eyed Mister Zen” and he is scheduled to perform at the Boulder Theater on Thursday. Appearing with Phelps will be “folk-on-steroids” band Eddie from Ohio. Mixing hand percussion with a blend of acoustic guitar, bass and harmonica, the band was named Best Contemporary Folk Group by the Washington Area Music Association in 1998.

Bluegrass: The 16th Annual Mid-Winter Bluegrass Festival is set to start today and run through Sunday at the Northglenn Holiday Inn (I-25 and 120th Ave.) This is one of the largest indoor events of its kind in the West and is produced annually by Ken Seaman, of Fort Collins’ own bluegrass ambassadors to the world, the Bluegrass Patriots.

Headlining this year will be Lynn Morris, voted Female Vocalist of the Year three times by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Other national and regional acts include the Issacs, Dry Branch Squad, Dan Crary, the Cantrells, Little Ryan Holladay, First Impression and the Faris Family. Colorado-based groups performing in the festival this year includes, of course, the Bluegrass Patriots, High Plains Tradition, South Wind String Band, Black Rose and more.

Other feature events include the Great Rocky Mountain Band Scramble, instrumental and vocal workshops, a vendor’s fair and Sunday morning gospel music. For more information, call 482-0863.

In review- Red Priest: English quartet Red Priest brought more than just three hundred year old music to the Lincoln Center to close out this year’s Classical Music Series on February 13. They also brought high style, energy and an unusual musical virtuosity.

The high style was evident from the moment the group filed on stage. The musicians were each dressed in flamboyant costumes and rather than remain rooted to their chairs like most classical performers, the members of Red Priest moved across the stage, synching in to each other’s parts at dramatic moments while keeping the visual aspect of the concert fluid and interesting. At one point, recorder player Piers Adams and violinist Julia Bishop left the stage and moved through the audience while playing, simultaneously breaking down audience/performer barriers while giving listeners a chance to experience Red Priest’s delicate acoustic sound up close.

The energy came not only from the group’s stage presence, but also from the music. The baroque compositions that Red Priest specializes in are rich and descriptive melodically and while there were occasional moments of introspection, most of the tunes were energetic. Between pieces, members of the group explained the origins of the music which included theater and folk dance influences.

While all of the musicians in Red Priest were obviously skilled, the standout talent on stage was Adams. Besides using his body to follow the swooping melody lines of the music, his fingers often turned into a blur as he reeled off dizzying amounts of notes. His expert breath control also meant being able to bend the notes at the end of phrases, creating a more contemporary sound for very old musical ideas.

Ramskellar

There’s plenty of live music action this week in Fort Collins. That includes the return of live music to the Ramskellar on the CSU campus. Back in “the day,” the Ramskellar, located in the lower level of the Lory Student Center, was known as a hot spot for live music from both regional and nationally touring bands. The flood of 1997, however, changed all of that, the water damaging the facility and forcing extensive remodeling.

Though the Ramskellar has been used for a number of local music events since then, tonight’s show, featuring Illinois punk band the Onlys, is a return to the glory days of full production dates. “There have been some smaller afternoon concerts, but this is the first big night show since the flood,” says Clint Skutchan, Music Director of KCSU and acting promoter for the Onlys show.

The Onlys’ music has become popular through airplay on KCSU and prompted the band to get in touch and book a date at CSU. Joining the Onlys will be local band Out of Your Element, a pop punk band that has been the number one band on the radio station in recent weeks, as well as Kip Nash and Stratus. That’s four bands for four bucks in an all-ages show that starts at 7 p.m.

Here’s what else is coming up in town this week:

Larkin/Love: Originally from Lincoln, NE, Laura Love has created a music style that is so unique, it requires the coining of new labels- like “Afro-Celtic,” “folk funk” or “hip-alachian.” Love has had this to say about her own music: “My mission in life is to put the ‘yo!’ back in yodeling…It feels really good to put a Middle Eastern melody with an Afro-pop groove and layer it with Celtic folk harmonies- they flow together naturally.”

Patty Larkin is well known as one of America’s most innovative singer-songwriters. Her latest release is titled “Regrooving the Dream.” Together, Larkin- touring with guitarist Marc Shulman and drummer Ben Wittman- and Love make for a concert bill that is too good to resist. They’ll be performing tonight at the Sunset Events Center. Call 493-3080 for information.

Bonepony: On Tuesday, Nashville trio Bonepony performs at Avogadro’s Number. Known as acoustic rockers, Bonepony uses acoustic instruments, a variety of exotic percussion sounds and electrified “stomp boards” to create their music. Their most recent independent release is “Traveler’s Companion,” which features guest appearances by Wilco’s Ken Coomer, Grammy-winning singer Lucinda Williams and former Stevie Ray Vaughan/Double Trouble member Reese Wynans. Due to the band’s environmental concerns, “Traveler’s Companion” was packaged using industrial hemp and non-petroleum-based soy ink.

Also coming up this week at Avo’s is singer-songwriter Louise Taylor. On her latest release, “Written in Red,” Taylor produces a rootsy acoustic music full of passion and energy and will be performing at Avo’s on Thursday. I Know Jack will be at Avo’s tonight. Call 493-5555 for information on all shows.

D.R.I.: The word is that D.R.I. chose to play their only regional performance on their current tour at the Starlight. The band was named after one parent’s colorful description of band members as “dirty rotten imbeciles” and have been a mainstay of the punk underground every since. D.R.I. will be playing the Starlight on Sunday. Call 484-4974 for show information.

“It’s all about the Music”

There are a lot of things that can get in the way of music. Ego is one thing. Money is another. For Fort Collins singer-songwriter and guitarist Joe Kissell, however, none of those things seem to matter as much as the music itself. The monthly open mic event he hosts at Avogadro’s Number is called “It’s all about the Music” and it’s clear that he means just that.

Instead of focusing on popularity or chops, Kissell is one of the rare breed of promoter-musicians who makes room for both beginning and experienced musicians in an atmosphere of encouragement and support. After all, Kissell counts himself among their numbers.

“I was playing the open mic circuit myself and I would see a lot of talented people out there,” Kissell said recently. “I just thought it would be fun to see some of them play in a nicer environment with a little more time.”

Kissell approached Avogadro’s Number- a non-smoking, all ages venue- about hosting the event he had in mind. With its separate showroom facility, Avo’s offered a different opportunity for an open mic gathering compared with the usual barroom setting.

“A lot of open mics are held in a kind of party atmosphere and a lot of times people are not paying much attention to the music. Avo’s is set up in such a way that people can listen,” Kissell said.

The first session of “It’s all about the Music” occurred in November 2000 and since then, Kissell has helped dozens of musicians take the stage. That includes some established area musicians such as Kevin Jones and Russ Hopkins, but also many beginners just working up the nerve to put their music in front of other people.

“I used to get very nervous when I got on stage and my best advice to others is to remember that the audience wants you to do well. They’re with you. You should try to make contact with them and play what you’re most comfortable with. People will appreciate it,” Kissell said.

Besides offering an open mic sign-up, Kissell also gathers together several feature artists to play during “It’s all about the Music.” For example, the next “It’s all about the Music” session, scheduled for Sunday, spotlights Denver singer-songwriter Liz Clark, folk-rock band Serendipidess and Acoustic Jukebox.

Even though still a teenager, Clark has already put in five years of playing in the Denver region. Her recent CD release, “Love & War,” reveals Clark’s passion for acoustic-based music, particularly reflecting influences such as Ani DiFranco. Serendipidess plays a rootsy and funky folk-rock in a full band setting. Acoustic Jukebox is a brand new performing duo. All three are a part of the biggest inspiration Kissell has experienced since hosting “It’s all about the Music.”

“They’re all pretty young folks,” he said. “It’s really heartening to see that people are still interested in the folk-rock genre.”

Kissell is currently at work on his own CD release. Sign-up for “It’s all about the Music” begins at 5:15 p.m. on Sunday at Avo’s. The show begins at 5:30.

Open Road

Colorado bluegrass band Open Road consciously keeps one foot in the past while keeping both eyes on the future.

Bluegrass is full of the traditions of the past, dating back to the sound created by Bill Monroe back in the 1940’s. Those traditions include the nature of the lyrics, which continue to resonate today with time-honored subjects.

“Bluegrass deals with some of the basic issues in life- things that haven’t gone away,” said Open Road mandolinist Caleb Roberts. “Those issues are loneliness, heartache and homesickness. These aren’t the happiest subjects, but they’re often presented in a way that sounds happy.”

The group’s nod to the past also includes using a single large element microphone on stage. Roberts described it as partly nostalgia- because that’s the way “it used to be”- but it is also a return to a performance style that naturally fits the nature of bluegrass.

“Part of the show is people stepping up to sing or play their instrument,” Roberts said. “Sometimes when everyone is playing together, it’s hard to hear any one instrument. By stepping up, it’s another way to connect with the audience.”

The future is in the way Open Road, also featuring Dan Mitchell on fiddle, Ben O’Connor on bass, Jim Runnels on banjo and Branford Lee on guitar, presents itself on stage.

“When you talk about bluegrass, people might get the image of a bunch of old guys playing together, who maybe can play the music, but otherwise put out kind of ho hum energy,” Roberts said. “We would like to promote the idea that bluegrass is a real lively thing. It’s full of a lot of swagger and excitement. This band has some younger people and we try to put some energy into our performance. If we’re more exciting to see, maybe we can appeal to a wider audience.”

It also helps to have the right environment to play in and Open Road feels that Avo’s is just about the perfect venue. “It’s very comfortable, like standing in my living room,” says Roberts. Besides playing a show at Avo’s tonight, which also features Fort Collins bluegrass group the T-Band, Open Road will also be opening for Sam Bush at the Gothic Theater in Denver on March 24.

In review- Bonepony: I haven’t seen it all, but I’ve seen a lot. There are two main things that continue to impress me in a live performance- no matter what genre of music it is. One is creative innovation- have the musicians developed a personal style through the way they use their instruments, voices and words? The other is passion- does the music “take off” for both performer and audience and transcend the confines of the setting?

Nashville trio Bonepony delivered on both counts- bigtime- during a show at Avogadro’s Number on February 27. With unflagging energy and a rich, dynamic mix of acoustic-based instruments and music, Bonepony was both an inspiration and a delight. Their “stomp revival” music, swirling together bluegrass, rock, country, folk, soul and funk with a pervasive, booming beat threaded through the bottom of it all was positive, solid and irresistible.

Bonepony starts with a rootsy combination of instruments that puts fiddle, mandolin and banjo next to big, resounding drums and rhythm guitar. But what drives the crowd wild is how the group begins with an intense shot of adrenaline and then rarely lets up. All three musicians work hard, but singer Scott Johnson is particularly riveting on stage and his incredibly powerful expression cannot be denied- by the end of the show, those lucky enough to attend were on their feet clapping, stomping, dancing and singing along. Watch for Bonepony- they will satisfy.

Gobs O’Phun

Start your St. Patrick’s Day celebration off right with the music of one of the Denver area’s most popular Irish music bands, Gobs O’Phun. According to press material, “gob” is slang for mouth and two brothers- Tim and Denis Sullivan- along with brother-in-law Martin Lambuth, serve up a “gobful” of traditional Irish folk in an energetic trio format. That means mixing together spirited ballads, sea chanteys and good old-fashioned drinking songs from their CD release, “Liverdance.”

The roots of the band go back to the early 1970’s, when Denis Sullivan and his brother James Patrick performed a cappella. Now Denis is joined by Tim Sullivan and Lambuth, adding guitar, bodhran and bones to their own blend of Irish and Scottish folksongs. Gobs O’Phun have been perennial performers at the Colorado Irish Festival and have also performed at the Longs Peak Irish/Scottish Festival in Estes Park. The group will be kicking off area St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at the Swallow Hill Daniels Hall in Denver tonight. Call 303-777-1003 for information.

On Saturday- St. Patrick’s Day itself- Fort Collins band the 3 Twins will be performing a special benefit concert for the Rose Window Experimental Theater and Art House. The Rose Window is a church built in the gothic revival style in 1904 at 328 Remington Street in Old Town. A nonprofit group called Friends of the Rose Window has been formed to renovate the building and turn it into a performing arts center. Says 3 Twins keyboardist John Magnie, “It’s a beautiful space with a personality all its own…We’d really like to promote the work they’re trying to do here because it offers some great opportunities to artists and musicians in the area. It’s very worthy work.” The show begins at 8 p.m.

Other activities on St. Patrick’s Day include the Dark Star Orchestra at the Aggie Theater, the Dalhart Imperials at Avogadro’s Number and the Clark Bennett Trio at Elliot’s. Also on Saturday, the Fort Collins Pipe band will be at the County Cork and Lalla Rookh will be at Linden’s.

Alison Brown: Before forming her own group in 1993, internationally recognized banjo player Alison Brown toured with Alison Krauss and Michelle Shocked. She has since recorded six albums and has earned a Grammy nomination while expanding the musical horizons of the banjo by incorporating bluegrass, jazz and Latin into her music. Brown has been featured in such diverse places as CBS Monday Morning, NPR’s All Things Considered and in the Wall Street Journal. She will be performing at the Rialto Theater in Loveland tonight.

Also coming up at the Rialto is a date with singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff. Bonoff cut her teeth in the folk-rock scene in Los Angeles in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. But it wasn’t until Linda Ronstadt included three of her songs on a 1976 release that Bonoff was signed by Columbia Records. What followed was a Top Forty hit, “Personally.” Other hits have included “Someone to Lay Down Beside Me” and “I Can’t Hold On” and her music has also appeared on the soundtracks of films such as “Footloose” and “About Last Night.” Bonoff will be performing at the Rialto on Friday, March 23. Other music coming up at the Rialto: the Chenille Sisters on March 24 and Steven Wiseman on March 30. Call 962-2120 for information.

More music: Erykah Badu will be performing tonight at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. moe. will be performing at the Fillmore on Saturday. On Monday, Zeke will be joined by Hog Molly, the Street Walkin’ Cheetahs and the B-Movie Rats at the Starlight. On Wednesday, Jeff Stephenson will be at the Vault and the Atoll return to Linden’s on Thursday.

John Hammond

There is an unmistakable quality to the music of Tom Waits. His words explore the grittiest side of humanity, etching portraits of people- some of whom you might not want to know- leading mysterious and dangerous lives. His performance style matches the mood of the lyrics- fuzzy, feedback drenched guitar filling the space left by deeply thumping drums, rich acoustic bass lines and a strange, earthy mix of blues, gospel, country and jazz.

Thanks to an unwavering commitment to his dark artistic vision, Waits has gained a reputation as an innovator. It’s no wonder then that other artists find inspiration in his raw, gutsy music. That includes veteran bluesman John Hammond. Hammond’s most recent release on Pointblank Records is “Wicked Grin,” a 13-track exploration into some of Waits’ most challenging songs.

“Wicked Grin,” however, is not just a Hammond recording project. In fact, it’s a combined Hammond/Waits production. Not only did Waits write all the tunes on “Wicked Grin” except one, he also played guitar, piano and even added some vocals. He also served as producer. That’s why this album takes on the full, deep flavor of a Waits release.

In the hands of blues guitar master John Hammond, however, something new comes out of the songs. Hammond’s voice is cooler and smoother than Waits’. The dramatic element of Waits’ lyrics is still there, but the edges are a little more rounded, perhaps more genteel than Waits’ sometimes seething, spitting presentation. Hammond’s own guitar work adds a stronger blues base in both rhythm and tone while adding some acoustic authenticity to the production mix.

As a project, “Wicked Grin” can be traced back to a song that Waits contributed to Hammond’s first Pointblank release, “Got Love If You Want It.” In 1999, Hammond also appeared as a guest artist on stage with Waits at a gig in New York City. But the relationship between the two musicians goes back much further. Waits and Hammond met at a show they were playing together in Arizona over 25 years ago, and they became friends as their paths continued to cross on the national music circuit.

The songs on “Wicked Grin” are like a greatest hits collection of Waits’ most vivid material. “Heartattack and Vine,” “16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought Six,” “Jockey Full of Bourbon” and “Big Black Mariah” all come on strong, conjuring up Waits’ two-fisted reality with a live, unpolished sound. The final song on the album is “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” a traditional gospel song that gets a full revival workout here. Throughout, Hammond’s voice adds just the right counterpoint to the grittiness, like a choirboy singing in the middle of a downtown bar.

Also appearing on “Wicked Grin” are several veteran musicians of note. That includes keyboardist Augie Meyers, known for his work with the Sir Douglas Quintet, bassist Larry Taylor, of Canned Heat fame, and drummer Stephen Hodges of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Harp ace Charlie Musselwhite appears on the song “Get Behind the Mule.”

Hammond is currently on tour with the core group on “Wicked Grin”- including Meyers, Taylor and Hodges. The Swallow Hill Music Association will be bringing Hammond and band to the Gothic Theater in Denver on Wednesday. Other Swallow Hill shows this week include Steve Hancoff tonight, mixing Jelly Roll Morton stomps, Sousa marches, Joplin rags and other historical jazz. Award-winning children’s performer Bonnie Phipps will be playing for ages 3-10 on Monday. On Thursday, Ed Contreras and Chad Johnson present “Rhythm: A Multi-Cultural Music Experience & More!” Call 303-777-1003 for all show information.

After the Fire

Although Fort Collins band After the Fire has spent the last twelve years performing for benefit causes, the group’s two-night stand this week at the Sunset Events Center is going to be more of a celebration of the band’s long-running career than a benefit performance. Tonight and on Saturday, After the Fire will be hosting a CD release party for their new self-titled album featuring a collection of 14 tracks full of blistering guitars, blasting horns and wailing vocals.

After the Fire is a big band in the sense that it is made up of a long roster of local singers, drummers, guitarists and horn players. But this “big band” doesn’t play swing music. Rather, their set list is filled with upbeat hits from the rock and soul era. That includes tunes by Sly Stone, Rare Earth, Bonnie Raitt, the Average White Band and more.

What After the Fire brings to the table is high energy arrangements and a passion for pushing the musical envelope. That means putting special emphasis on the dramatic climax of each song, something that drives people on a dance floor crazy. That’s a key to After the Fire’s music- they are popular in the area as a live act because at the heart of it all, they’re a dance band.

It’s hard to offer a complete list of the many musicians who participated in the recording of “After the Fire,” because there are 18 of them. Add the 26 names of past members listed on the insert and you have a total of 44 local musicians who either are involved or have been involved in After the Fire. In the face of the collective nature of this project, it would be unfair to print even a highlights list, so lets just say the musical power behind this band is regionally significant. That means that an After the Fire reunion celebration would have to be a pretty major party.

Leave it to After the Fire to also come up with a neighborly way of getting their CD to the fans. Admission price for After the Fire’s CD release party dates includes a copy of the CD- $10 admission and CD for individuals, $15 admission and CD for couples. Just For Kicks opens the 7 p.m. show today. After the Fire performs at 9 p.m. on Saturday. Call 221-1849 for more information.

Point One: The tricky part of instrumental music- especially in pop music- is that the usual fuss created by an energetic singer has to be taken up by the musicians. Since most listeners are trained to expect a certain amount of sound, instrumental music must find ways of engaging the ear without the aid of all that wailing.

On their live-in-the-studio demo CD, recorded last June, Fort Collins instrumental band Point One engages the listener’s ear first by establishing a strong, funky groove. Bassist Ken Lahti is the key player in accomplishing this, applying thick, warm bass tones to bouncy rhythmic figures that end up propelling each piece. The rest of Point One, Joe Cardador on drums and percussion and keyboardist Joe Fyfe, then build on top of Lahti’s grooves. Cardador deftly syncopates the rhythm while Fyfe rolls on top of it all with sweeping keyboard runs.

Point One’s music, however, is closer to jazz fusion in intent than funk. Despite the deliberate emphasis on rhythm, it’s the play in between the rhythms that turns Point One’s music loose. It’s fusion music because Point One covers a wide variety of styles- including soul, Latin and, of course, funk. It’s jazz because the group isn’t satisfied with just making the groove work, they are working the groove into something more thanks to jamming improvisation.

Although primarily an instrumental band, Point One has recently been featuring guest vocalist Carolyn Mohler during segments of their shows. Point One will be performing tonight at Diamond Billiards and Pub at 1213 W. Elizabeth. Music starts at 9 p.m. Call 484-9988 for information.

Today is U-day. That is, the great Irish quartet U2 will be playing at the Pepsi Center in Denver tonight. Of course, anyone knows that who has spent any time on the radio dial over the last several weeks. What I mean is that, unlike the genre limitations of the vast majority of artists, U2 is one of the few contemporary bands you can hear on modern rock stations, classic rock stations and everything in between. That the group is coming to the area has been the cause of a major onslaught of U2 radio presence.

There are several reasons why U2’s music works so well for so many, even when today’s music scene is so divided into specialty formats that celebrate niche rather than overall acceptance. These reasons are some of the same elements that help turn just another band into towering superstars.

The first key to success for U2 is in the “cult of personality” department. Thanks to the undeniable charisma of U2 vocalist Bono, U2 not only is an electrifying live act, but they also make great news. Part artist, part preacher and part swaggering rock star, Bono provides one of the coolest and most enduring public faces in contemporary music. Along with his bandmates, Bono has maintained a kind of vaulted integrity, writing songs about human issues that stretch from politics to relationships and by speaking out about serious personal convictions in the press.

Another key to making U2 legendary is truly unique musicianship. That’s where U2’s guitarist, the Edge, comes in. The Edge can be ranked among the most innovative pop guitarists of our time, working layers of guitar effects over stinging lead lines to create an otherworldly atmosphere for the group’s songs to roam. When your rhythm section is the likes of bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen, there is most certainly room for a creative mind like the Edge to play.

Unique musicianship also means style. U2 has the ability to write songs that are uncannily familiar, even when you’ve never heard them before. That’s why in the recent U2 radio blitz, songs from the band’s newest release, “All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” mix so easily with songs from every other phase of the band’s career. This is the mark of finely crafted tunesmithing and an indication that this band has known where it wanted to go musically for a long time. The familiarity that U2’s songs breed brings us back to Bono. His distinctive voice, coupled with the Edge’s characteristic wash of guitar, makes for a sound that is instantly recognizable.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that success has created an environment of cooperation between U2 and the music corporations of the world. No matter how good a band is, you still need a huge commercial support system in order to get the overwhelming presence U2 has maintained recently and throughout their career. U2 has become one of the few consistently bankable bands of the last twenty years. The evidence is clear- tonight’s concert sold out immediately.

In review- John Hammond: With a seasoned band in tow, bluesman John Hammond brought his “Wicked Grin” tour to the Gothic Theater in Denver on March 28. This line-up, including veteran bassist Larry Taylor and keyboardist Augie Meyers, is touring in support of Hammond’s album “Wicked Grin,” a collection of Tom Waits’ songs featuring Hammond’s smooth, mature voice bringing to life Waits’ artsy vignettes of the gritty side of humanity.

The most important thing in Waits’ music, beyond the gritty lyrics, is not the downbeat, but the offbeat. This is something that Hammond and band played with lovingly throughout the evening at the Gothic. Each musician played just enough of the arrangement to establish the groove, but held back just enough to give it a halting, unbalanced feel. Then drummer Stephen Hodges would whack something to further accent the offbeat, or Hammond would dig into his guitar and pull out some wickedly tortured lead line to make it deliciously strange. Opening the show was solo bluesman Ben Stevens.

Paco de Lucia

Guitar virtuoso Paco de Lucia’s first performance was on the radio in 1958 in his hometown of Algeciras, a city on the southernmost tip of Spain- at the age of eleven. The next year, he was awarded a special prize in a flamenco competition and by the age of fourteen, he was touring with the flamenco troupe of fabled dancer Jose Greco. While on tour, de Lucia met the great flamenco guitarist Sabicas, who encouraged the young musician to avoid imitation and to achieve his own style.

By 1969, with the release of his classic recording, “Fantasia Flamenca,” De Lucia had indeed created his own playing style and has since become known as one of the world’s greatest living guitarists. His flamenco recordings have had a revolutionary impact on music worldwide, infusing new life into the art form, while his groundbreaking collaborations with jazz artists- such as John McLaughlin and Al DiMeola- and his participation in notable soundtracks have brought him the attention of a broad audience.

De Lucia’s recent release, “Luzia,” is a return to the more recognized flavors of flamenco, but with a twist. The album combines both traditional and nontraditional elements to create some of De Lucia’s most personal and emotional music. The traditional elements have to do with form- playing various flamenco rhythms on a solo guitar. The nontraditional elements have to do with arranging innovative harmonies and including new guitar figures that only a master could fuse with older styles. The emotion comes from dealing with his mother’s death, to whom the album is dedicated. De Lucia will be performing with his septet at the Paramount Theater in Denver on Tuesday, April 24.

In review- U2: No show by U2 is going to be a small, unimpressive affair. Even without the many stage props and effects that fans have gotten used to seeing in the band’s massive stadium shows, their latest “Elevation Tour,” featuring the group in a “stripped down” format, was big. But what the April 6 show at the Pepsi Center in Denver revealed was more about the fans than the band. The most emotional moments of the evening came when the entire room joined together to sing along to U2’s meaningful, personal rock. Lead vocalist Bono spent much of the night acting like the facilitator for one big therapy session, coolly holding back while everyone around him was going nuts.

This isn’t to say that U2 didn’t produce- it was a generous helping of modern rock’s most distinctive music, played with style and flair. The Edge’s guitar work was consistently flavorful and Bono was in fine voice. But there seemed to be an understanding that they didn’t have to artificially solicit excitement- it just follows them wherever they go. Fortunately, the emotions U2 stirs up are positive, dwelling on personal and social issues with integrity and honesty. The results- even without eye-popping stage tricks or theatrics- are a lot of happy people. PJ Harvey opened with a set of brooding electric rock.

In review- Collective Soul: What is most irresistible about Georgia rock band Collective Soul’s music is its ability to straddle the gap between the traditional pop song format and hard rock. On record, that gap is filled by tuneful songwriting and production play. On stage at the Coors Event Center in Boulder on April 7, that gap was filled by the showmanship of lead vocalist and musical mastermind of Collective Soul, Ed Roland. Roland was commanding and exuberant while remaining both personable and accessible. Of course, tight clothes helped- one female fan screamed “Hot pants!” in reaction to his leather garb.

Musically, Collective Soul’s set was as aggressive in a live environment as it is on record. Lead guitarist Ross Childress created wonderfully convoluted solos in between Roland’s dramatic vocal parts, while the rest of the band maintained a wall of rhythm. The melodic elements of Collective Soul’s music were still there, but it was the barrage of electricity- and Roland’s physical antics- that mattered most. Collective Soul’s current tour is in support of their new Atlantic Records release, “Blender.” Fastball and Unsound opened.

Keller Williams

Thanks to an irrepressible style, singer-songwriter and guitarist Keller Williams has become one of the most prominent solo performers on the circuit today. His most recent release, “Loop,” was drawn from recent live gigs up in the Pacific Northwest and shows just how much music one man can make. Williams has added electronic loops and samples to his fast fingerpicking and quirky vocals to create a new live performance sensation.

Do you remember those rounds the music teacher used to make you sing in music class, those songs with melodies and lyrics that sounded cool when singers started singing at different times? Well that’s pretty much what Williams is doing on “Loop,” electronically creating rounds of rhythm, guitar and vocal parts that sound cool on top of each other.

The recording is deceptive because without explanation, it often sounds like a band backing Williams up. That he is able to create these layers with just vocal percussion, vocal horn sounds and guitar treated with effects is a testament to this musician’s creativity. That he keeps the sounds changing and the rhythms rolling is a testament to this musician’s showmanship.

That means that the best way to experience Williams’ unique musicmaking is as a live act. In his liner notes for “Loop,” Williams is clear about this. After describing the looping process, he admits that “it’s a lot easier to understand when you see it for yourself.” Williams will be coming to Colorado for several area dates including Thursday at the Fox Theater in Boulder, Friday, April 27 at the Bluebird Theater in Denver and on Saturday, April 28 at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins.

Also coming up at the Aggie is a date with Project Object, featuring vocalist Ike Willis. Willis was lead vocalist for Frank Zappa’s band during the “Joe’s Garage” era. Project Object is an East Coast band that specializes in covering Zappa music. The two have joined forces to widen the band’s touring base and give Zappa fans a treat. Willis and Project Object will be at the Fox in Boulder on Wednesday and at the Aggie on Thursday.

Avo’s: With unflagging energy and a rich, dynamic mix of acoustic-based instruments and music, Nashville trio Bonepony was both an inspiration and a delight at a recent show at Avogadro’s Number. Their “stomp revival” music, swirling together bluegrass, rock, country, folk, soul and funk with a pervasive, booming beat threaded through the bottom of it all was positive, solid and irresistible.

Bonepony starts with a rootsy combination of instruments that puts fiddle, mandolin and banjo next to big, resounding drums and rhythm guitar. But what drives the crowd wild is how the group begins with an intense shot of adrenaline and then rarely lets up. All three musicians work hard, but singer Scott Johnson is particularly riveting on stage. Bonepony’s return to Avo’s on Monday is easy to recommend knowing that this band will satisfy.

Bonepony’s appearance is only part of the action at Avo’s this week. Starting tonight, Avo’s will be celebrating Earth Day with a weekend-long combination of food, music and information. Tonight, speakers will focus on water issues here and overseas. Music groups Gourmet East, Mandomonium (a 12-piece mandolin orchestra), Nashville Mandolin Trio and Zero Capo will perform throughout the festivities, which includes free food and refreshments.

On Saturday, Chuck Pyle, the “Zen cowboy,” will sing songs about “The River” at 8 p.m. following a free cultural program on India throughout the day. On Sunday afternoon, there will be a free symposium with local and international speakers. The final event will be a concert by Robin and Linda Williams and Their Fine Group, performing at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call 493-5555.

Gary Numan

There were several times in his career that listeners didn’t pay much respect for the work of electronic pop music pioneer Gary Numan. One time was in the late 1970’s, when the 20-year-old ex-punk declared his vision for a “synthesizer star.” It sounded outlandish, but Beggars Banquet Records took a chance and released Numan’s “Tubeway Army” album in 1978. This set the stage for a follow-up album, “Replicas,” featuring the song “Are Friends Electric?” which managed to squeeze itself into the number one position on the charts.

In the autumn of 1979, Numan’s new album, “The Pleasure Principle,” featuring his most recognized song, “Cars,” topped the charts again and his vision of a modernistic rock star was finally fully realized.

Another time Numan felt disrespect was after he had released three successive number one albums, declared that he would retire from performing live, and took time off to pursue fast cars, airplane piloting and the other advantages of money. Numan lost his Midas touch for crafting new art song hits and his 1981 release, “Dance,” was hardly greeted with enthusiasm by the press or the fans. Following this period, Numan attempted to regain his million-selling status, but found himself caught in a downward spiral of dwindling interest in his music.

Time, however, once again proved that Numan’s musical vision remained highly influential. In the 1990’s, performers such as Beck, Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson and the Foo Fighters covered Numan songs. “Cars” has been revived on the charts several times- as well as being licensed for several computer games and advertisements- and Numan songs were featured prominently in films such as “Dark City, “The Astronaut’s Wife” and “Romeo Must Die.” He has even been turned into a comic book sci-fi character. Numan will be making a rare area appearance on Tuesday at the Fox Theater in Boulder. Opening is Gwenmars.

Steve Eulberg: Award-winning Fort Collins dulcimer player Steve Eulberg has begun a weekly lunchtime gig at the Déjà Vu Coffeehouse. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Wednesday, Eulberg will focus on a single instrument: hammered dulcimer, mountain dulcimer or guitar. One of Eulberg’s instrumental recordings has been included in the recently released album, “Great Players of the Mountain Dulcimer,” an all-instrumental collection of tunes from 16 mountain dulcimer artists. Call 472-1352 for more information.

Roots of the Blues: This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Swallow Hill Music Association’s Roots of the Blues festival, scheduled for today and Saturday in Denver. Today, Swallow Hill will present Del Rey. Rey plays concerts worldwide and also presents a concert/lecture on women musicians called “Women in American Music.” She also writes about music for Acoustic Guitar magazine and other publications. Best of all, however, her guitar playing combines country blues, stride piano, classic jazz and hillbilly boogie with post-modern lyrics. Her latest CD is titled “X-rey Guitar” and she will be joined at Swallow Hill by A.J. Salas.

On Saturday, the Roots of the Blues festival features “the grand gentleman of the blues,” John Jackson. Jackson is more of a songster than a bluesman, playing a repertory of rags and reels, blues ballads, country blues, country and gospel music reflecting the diverse sounds made by family and friends along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge where he was born in 1924. He was “discovered” in 1964 and has since recorded six albums, played every major blues and folk festival in America and performed his music in more than 60 countries worldwide. Jackson will be joined at Swallow Hill by David Jacob-Strain. Call 303-777-1003 for information about the Roots of the Blues festival.

Black Crowes

Rock and roll- the good old-fashioned stuff that features raucous guitar work and wailing vocals – will always live on thanks to bands like the Black Crowes.

Lead by brothers Rich and Chris Robinson, the Black Crowes not only have the numbers, but also the chops to keep them on top of the contemporary rock and roll heap. For starters, they have achieved sales exceeding 15 million albums. That includes their gold-certified release “Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes, Live at the Greek,” a record that captures the band playing Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes and classic blues tunes with one of the legends of the genre.

The Black Crowes’ most recent release, “Lions,” is their debut on the V2 Records label and features a wide diversity of rock. Produced in part by the legendary Don Was, the album was recorded in old Yiddish theater in New York City’s Lower East Side. The Black Crowes have recently relocated to New York and the theater, now a recording studio, was known for its unusual acoustic qualities. The new material was recorded right from the stage and the resultant tracks run the gamut from highly textured production approaching an acoustic grandeur to stripped down basics that serve only to rock.

In support of “Lions,” the Black Crowes, also featuring Steve Gorman on drums, Eddie Harsch on keyboards and Audley Freed on guitar, are currently on tour with Oasis for “The Tour of Brotherly Love.” Spacehog opens when the tour stops at Fiddler’s Green in Denver on Thursday. Tickets available at Ticketmaster locations. Call 303-390-TIXS or search on the internet at hobconcerts.com for information.

Farewell: I have written a farewell column for readers in the Coloradoan before. That was back in 1996, the year I turned 40 and thought I would “retire” from music writing. My “retirement” lasted about a month before I was writing features for the paper again. The columnist who had replaced me moved on only a few months later and I was back in business, covering the Colorado concert scene on a regular basis.

This time, the farewell column is not my idea. My editor recently informed me that non-staff writers were being cut. I hadn’t done anything wrong- in fact, my column was a favorite with readers- but company policy dictated a change. This is my last scheduled column in Ticket, a publication I have been writing for since its very first issue. That’s more than ten years of columns- more than 500 of them.

When I add it all up, it’s been a good ride. I’ve covered a whole decade of popular music- of all genres- in print. I’ve interviewed hundreds of interesting musicians- both international stars and talented locals. I’ve seen more than a thousand bands live and I’ve photographed all of my rock heroes- the Stones, McCartney, the Who, the Grateful Dead, Page and Plant, Roger Waters and scores more. I’ve also amassed a great CD collection. Not bad for a full-blooded rock and roller.

The star power of the experiences are a distraction from the real thing, however. I am drawn to the live music experience because there is something incredibly powerful about people and sound getting together. Musicians begin the process, but everyone who wants to hear and/or dance can become a part of a strange, primitive and beautiful thing. Life just naturally gets transformed through music. That’s why it maintains a timeless and ancient appeal for me, no matter what the current trends are.

This column may end, but not my belief in the power of the musical moment. For my last words here, I’d like to quote a guy who careened over to me at a recent reggae show to yell “Never give it up!” in my ear. Right on.

Recommended

Actor and playwright Sam Shepard has often been cited for his profound understanding of American life and his plays typically feature rich imagery and rhythmic dialogue. In “Curse of the Starving Class,” Shepard portrays a family torn apart by poverty, alcoholism and infidelity. To escape, the mother of the family plans to sell their house without the consent of her husband, not knowing that he has already sold the property.

The mature themes- and language- of “Curse of the Starving Class” makes the upcoming production playing at Poudre High School a challenging and ambitious project. It was made possible by community donations and has been assembled and created by students from all three high schools. Director Nicholas Vaughan is personally presenting the production, which will be playing in the Poudre High School Auditorium January 25-27. Showtime is 8 p.m. Call 481-5270 for information.

More theatre: OpenStage Theatre & Company will be presenting mystery queen Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” at the Lincoln Center Mini-Theater now through February 3. “The Mousetrap was originally written as a BBC Radio show and was adapted for the stage by Christie herself. Performed first in 1952, the play is the longest running production in history with a record of over 9000 performances in one theater. Of course, “The Mousetrap” features an intricate plot as well as the famous “Agatha Christie switch finish.” Performances are on Friday and Saturday evenings, with one Thursday performance on February 1 and two Sunday matinees scheduled for January 21 and 28.

The Bas Bleu Theatre Company presents Eric Prince’s “Red Roses,” opening on January 19. The play is a love story that takes “an enigmatic journey into intimacy with some strange surprises along the way.” The production is being directed by the author, an award-winning writer from the UK, and is a world premier. “Red Roses” will run through March 3. Call 498-8949 for information.

Also coming to the Aggie will be LA hip hop quartet, the Pharcyde on Thursday, January 25. The band has its roots in dance group Two For Two, who appeared in numerous music videos as well as on the popular television show In Living Color. With the addition of Derrick “Fatlip” Stewart and producer J-Swift, the troupe became the Pharcyde in 1991 and have since come to challenge the hip hop world with a combination of music and dance.

Lincoln Center: There’s plenty of action coming up at the Lincoln Center this month. That includes a five performance run by energetic modern swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. From playing at the Superbowl to being featured in the movie “Swingers,” Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has established itself as a leader in the new big band movement. Their latest album release is titled “This Beautiful Life” and the group will be performing January 22-25 as part of the Lincoln Center Showstopper Series.

The Passport Travelogue Film Series continues at the Lincoln Center with John Wilson’s “Galapagos.” This production portrays the wildlife of several of the islands in the Galapagos chain. That includes footage of the famed tortoises for which the islands are named and the resident colonies of land iguanas. Showings will be at 2:30 and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30.

The Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra presents “Tales from Hot Climates” on Saturday, January 20. The program will feature steel pan drummer Liam Teague, who will also be presenting a “January Soiree” on January 21. For information call 482-4823. Coming up soon at the Lincoln Center will be the start of the SuperSeries for Kids. Gregory Popovich’s Comedy and Pet Theater will kick things off on February 1-2. Call the Lincoln Center box office at 221-6730 for information on all upcoming shows.

Rialto Theater: The Rialto Theater in Loveland has announced their schedule for upcoming months. In January, the Rialto will feature Fort Collins’ own, the 3 Twins, along with Denver singer-songwriter Celeste Krenz on Friday, January 19. Don Edwards and the Prickly Pair will be at the Rialto on January 20 and Hank Troy and Molly Kaufman present ragtime piano on January 26. Other music coming up at the Rialto includes the Cantrells on February 3, Terrance Simien on February 25, Perpetual Motion on March 3, Karla Bonoff on March 23 and the Chenille Sisters on March 25.

As always, the Rialto also has a full schedule of films, including “Life is Beautiful” on January 24 and Buster Keaton silent films on January 25. For more information about Rialto events, call 962-2120.

Modest Mouse

Some bands are destined to achieve cult status- adored by hipsters with discerning taste and unknown to the masses. One group currently deserving cult band status is Modest Mouse, from Issaquah, Washington. The trio has been recording since they formed in 1994 and their recent Epic Records album, “The Moon & Antarctica,” reveals that they have plenty in common with other musical explorers such as Pink Floyd and Camper Van Beethoven.

With heavy use of mixing and sound effects, the music on “The Moon & Antarctica” takes the time to drift around, then allows itself to morph into something new. Acoustic songs are underscored and balanced by fully electric rockers. Even the cover is a dada-esque melange of photographs designed to create an ambiance of mystery. It’s a trippy production, bursting with handmade journey music.

Part of being a cult band is in having a kind of private mythology. In the case of Modest Mouse the mythology includes the story behind the music on “The Moon & Antarctica.” It seems a crazed fan from Laramie, Wyoming- self-named Ugly Casanova- loved the music of Modest Mouse so much that he began to write songs in much the same vein. He was also sinking into mental instability. The writings that Ugly Casanova ended up passing on to the band before disappearing became the inspiration for the 15 tracks of moody, psychedelic rock on the album.

That’s what should make Modest Mouse’s upcoming concert at the Gothic Theater in Denver an interesting event indeed. Besides the appearance of a contemporary cult band, maybe their real life piece of group mythology- Ugly Casanova- will reappear. Modest Mouse will be performing at the Gothic Theater in Denver on Sunday, September 10.

Bela Fleck: One of progressive acoustic music’s finest bands is on its way to the area. Tonight, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones bring their fresh fusion of bluegrass, funk and jazz to the Mishawaka Amphitheatre. Fleck, as a former member of the New Grass Revival, is a progenitor of bluegrass fusion music. With his current bandmates- Victor Wooten on bass and Futureman on electronic percussion- Fleck has taken the music into new and unexpected territory. Their latest album release is titled “Outbound.” Call 482-4420 for information.

In review- The Who: As the crowd filtered out through the cavernous hallways of the Pepsi Center after the Who concert there on August 24, loud, spontaneous bursts of yelling and whooping filled the air. It was understandable. After all, these fans had been treated to a nostalgic- and fully powerful- party with one of rock music’s greatest bands.

Yes, nearly the full length of the Who’s concert was used for their tried and true older material. Anything new came from the way the band rearranged some of the songs and in the jamming segues between the vocal pieces. Still, you can’t get classic rock like this anywhere else and age was put aside in favor of good, old-fashioned electricity.

By the time the Who cranked up their 1978 hit “Who Are You,” it became clear that the band still had plenty of fire. Add the majority of the “Who’s Next” album, some chestnuts from their earlier catalog- including “Substitute”- as well as “Pinball Wizard” from “Tommy” and “The Real Me” from “Quadrophenia” and you’re putting together a set list aiming to please. Of course, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” worked as the group’s biggest pay-off number, especially in an election year.

Who guitarist Pete Townshend in particular worked hard to offer edgy solos and a manic stage presence. His conversational tone with the audience between songs was offset by his instrumental passion, flailing at the guitar and stalking the stage with wired intensity. Bassist John Entwistle also produced a riveting solo spot. The Who encored with a medley of Johnny Cash songs and a long version of “My Generation,” complete with a jam section full of unexpected twists and turns.

Recommended

On his latest album release, “Acoustic Passion,” Fort Collins composer and pianist Calvin Jones challenges the boundaries of where instrumental music can go. It starts with Jones’ piano style that mixes rich melodies with purposeful playing. But with the addition of extra keyboard parts and sequencing, guitars and layers of vocals, the original music comes on with the dramatic power of a rocking orchestra.

Through the previous release of three solo piano albums and constant touring throughout the United States and Canada, Jones has earned the reputation of being both a sensitive and passionate artist. Still, “Acoustic Passion” is a daring departure, not only giving his music a band sound, but doing it with style. The album was produced by Jerry Marcellino, who has also worked with artists such as Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, and features guitar work by Kerry Livgren of Kansas.

Recently Jones forged a deal with worldwide distributor City of Peace Records. Although he has received critical acclaim nationwide, Jones rarely performs at home. However, he has scheduled a Valentine’s Day concert at the Lincoln Center Mini Theater on Wednesday, February 14 at 7 p.m. Joining Jones for this special Fort Collins date is virtuoso area guitarist Dave Beegle. Tickets range in price from $14-17. Call 221-6730 for information.

Blind Monks: Also on Valentine’s Day, local musicians Steve Eulberg and Russ Hopkins have formed a new acoustic duo called the Blind Monks and will be presenting a concert called “Blind Love: Songs from the Heart” at Avogadro’s Number on February 14. Using dulcimers, guitars, mandolin and mouth harp, the pair has created a special sound that is described as “soulful and gentle.” The Blind Monks draw from traditional music including blues and folk as well as early pop rock songs and original tunes. Showtime is 7 p.m. Cover is $5 with children under 12 free. Call 472-1352 for information.

String Cheese Incident: Colorado’s hot bluegrass fusion band the String Cheese Incident have announced the lineup for their annual Winter Carnival, scheduled for February 15-17 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. Bruce Hornsby opens on the 15th, the Blind Boys of Alabama open on the 16th and Little Feat do the honors on the 17th. String Cheese will also be performing at Dobson Arena in Vail with Del McCoury opening on the 19th and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe opening on the 20th.

Lincoln Center: The Classical Music Series closes on Tuesday, February 13 with a performance by Red Priest. Hailed as a “dynamic, theatrical and outrageously different Baroque ensemble,” Red Priest combines the talents of Piers Adams on recorders, Julia Bishop on violin, Angela East on cello and Julian Rhodes on harpsichord, playing music of the 16th to 18th centuries. Other classical music at the Lincoln Center includes the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra’s pops program “Fateful Fantasies” with Makoto Nakura on marimba on Saturday, February 10.

The Lincoln Center Dance Series will continue on Thursday, February 15 with the Parsons Dance Company. Founder David Parsons is a famed choreographer who has contributed to the repertoires of the American Ballet Theatre, the New York City Ballet, the Hubbard Street Dance Company and the Paul Taylor Dance Company. His own company maintains over 30 of his original works as well as a reputation for high energy, athletic performances.

Comedian Steven Wright performs at the Lincoln Center on Saturday, February 3 as part of the Anything Goes Series. Besides being a regular guest on television shows with hosts such as David Letterman, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien, Wright has also appeared in such feature films including “Desperately Seeking Susan,” “So I Married an Ax Murderer,” and “Mixed Nuts.” Also coming up at the Lincoln Center is the Foothills Pops Band program “Love and All That Jazz,” scheduled for Sunday, February 11. Call the Lincoln Center box office at 221-6730 for information about all shows.

Art: There’s still time to catch the current featured artists at the Benson Gallery in Fort Collins. Award-winning artists Bob Child, Bill Zelt and Dick Myhre have produced a show focusing on wildlife and the West in varying media. Child is an avid outdoorsman and horseman who expresses himself- sometimes humorously- through pen and ink drawings and watercolors. Zelt is a sculptor whose detailed bronzes range from paperweight to tabletop size. Myhre is a photographer whose work helps “reflect our Western values.” The trio’s work will be showing through February 6. The gallery is located at 215 Foothills Parkway. Call 223-6450 for information.

The Bas Bleu Theatre will be exhibiting work by artist Susan Shapiro-Holleman. Shapiro-Holleman has been exhibiting throughout the Chicago area in solo and group shows since 1986 and this will be her first solo exhibition since moving to Colorado. The show opens on February 2.

February Concert Preview

Colorado’s hot bluegrass fusion band the String Cheese Incident have announced the lineup for their annual Winter Carnival, scheduled for February 15-17 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. Bruce Hornsby opens on the 15th, the Blind Boys of Alabama open on the 16th and Little Feat do the honors on the 17th. String Cheese will also be performing at Dobson Arena in Vail with Del McCoury opening on the 19th and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe opening on the 20th. This Colorado run comes fresh on the heels of a successful New year’s celebration in Portland, Oregon, which sold 21,000 tickets over three days. Call 303-544-5875 for ticketing information on upcoming shows.

Calvin Jones: Through the release of three solo piano albums and constant touring throughout the United States and Canada, Fort Collins composer and pianist Calvin Jones has earned the reputation of being both a sensitive and passionate artist. On his latest album release, “Acoustic Passion,” Jones challenges the boundaries of where his instrumental music can go. It starts with a piano style that mixes rich melodies with purposeful playing. But with the addition of extra keyboard parts and sequencing, guitars and layers of vocals, the original music comes on with the dramatic power of a rocking orchestra.

“Acoustic Passion” is a daring departure for this artist, not only giving his music a band sound, but doing it with style. The album was produced by Jerry Marcellino, who has also worked with artists such as Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, and features guitar work by Kerry Livgren of Kansas.

Union Break: On stage, Fort Collins blues quartet Union Break displays the kind of communication that musicians develop only after playing together for a long time. While the band is only a little more than a year old, Vocalist Nicole Zentveld, guitarist Chris Jackowski and bassist Johnny Kintzley played together in the local blues band Fat Sow. Now, they’ve added drummer Tom Cooley and are developing their own take on the blues. They were recently voted Best Local Band in the Best of Fort Collins for their efforts.

More music: Former Grateful dead bassist Phil Lesh begins a two-night stand at the Fillmore on Friday, February 9. Singer/activist Holly Near will be performing at the Cameron Church in Denver on Saturday, February 10. Also on the 10th, Eric Johnson will be joined by Derek Trucks at the Ogden Theater in Denver. Pantera, Soulfly and Morbid Angel play the Denver Coliseum on February 13, the Long Beach Dub All-Stars are at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on February 15. Eve 6 and V.A.S.T. will be at the Gothic Theater in Denver on February 21, Kelly Joe Phelps will be at the Boulder Theater on February 22 and Everlast will be at the Ogden on February 27.

March Recommended

A tradition among Fort Collins musicians is to share their talents for good community causes. In fact, the band After the Fire was formed to play nothing but benefit concerts. Well, that’s not completely true because members also come together to have a great time playing pop and soul tunes in a big band, big bang atmosphere. Still, in the process, After the Fire has raised thousands of dollars for a variety of local causes.

After the Fire’s upcoming two-night stand, on March 30 and 31 at the Sunset Events Center, is going to be more of a celebration of the band’s long-running career than a benefit performance, however. After the Fire will be hosting a CD release party for their new self-titled album featuring a collection of 14 tracks full of blistering guitars, blasting horns and wailing vocals. The songs are plenty familiar, including tunes by Sly Stone, Rare Earth, Bonnie Raitt, the Average White Band and more. What After the Fire brings to the table, however, is high energy arrangements and a passion for pushing the musical envelope.

Admission price for After the Fire’s CD release party dates includes a copy of the CD- $10 admission and CD for individuals, $15 admission and CD for couples. Just For Kicks opens the 7 p.m. show on Friday, March 30. After the Fire performs at 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 31. Call 221-1849 for more information.

Acoustic Open Mic: Fort Collins guitarist Joe Kissell has been hosting a monthly acoustic open mic at Avogadro’s Number called “It’s all about the Music.” The upcoming session, scheduled for Sunday, March 4, not only gives budding local artists the chance to play, but will also include several special featured artists. That includes Denver teenager Liz Clark, who has been quickly establishing herself as a skilled songwriter and a passionate performer in the Front Range region. Also performing for “It’s all about the music” will be Serendipidess and Acoustic Jukebox. The show starts at 5:30 p.m.

Lincoln Center: The Lincoln Center’s 2001 season remains in full swing while presenting a wide variety of entertainment this month. That includes the continuation of the SuperSeries for Kids with a nationally touring production of “The Wizard of Oz” on Thursday, March 1 and Friday, March 2. On Sunday, March 4, there’s chamber music in the Lincoln Center Mini-Theater as the Front Range Chamber Players present a program titled “Why Does Music Do That?” The music will underscore a talk by Walter Royal Jones about the effect of music on all of us and how music moves from one generation to another.

The Lincoln Center Anything Goes Series also returns for its final two dates. The rock group America- known for hits such as “Horse With No Name” and “Ventura Highway”- will be playing the Lincoln Center on Thursday, March 15. Since 1971, America has recorded more than 17 gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums and their greatest hits collection continues to sell 100,000 copies a year. On April 4, Robert Dubac’s comic character study “The Male Intellect: An Oxymoron?” comes to town to try to answer the age-old question- what does the opposite sex really want in life?

The Showstopper Series at the Lincoln Center will present a high energy musical production of “Footloose,” March 26-29. Based on the 1980’s film, “Footloose” is “a wild ride through the teenage rite of passage.” Nine new songs join the movie’s multi-platinum hits- “Footloose,” “Almost Paradise” and “Let’s Hear It For the Boy.” The Dance Series closes on Saturday, March 31 with a performance by Alonzo King’s LINES Contemporary Ballet. King has collaborated with such diverse artists as jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders, gospel artist Bernice Johnson Reagon of Sweet Honey in the Rock and table master Zakir Hussain. He has also choreographed works for Dance Theater of Harlem, Joffrey Ballet of Chicago and the Hong Kong ballet. Call 221-6730 for information on all shows.

Theatre: Patrick Marber’s comedy “Dealer’s Choice” takes a look at both the obsession to gamble and at the relationship between a father and son. It all takes place in a restaurant where the owner also runs a weekly poker game in the basement. The owner’s son is also a gambler, but hides his habit until a professional shows up to demand the money the son owes him. This leads to a high stakes game that forces the father to admit his own obsession. The Bas Bleu Theatre Company’s production of “Dealer’s Choice,” directed by Mark Liermann, begins with a preview night on Thursday, March 15 and will run on Fridays and Saturdays through April 28. There will also be performances on April 19 and April 26 as well as Sunday matinees on April 8 and April 22. Call 498-8949 for information.

Also playing in Fort Collins is the OpenStage Theatre & Company’s production of Federico Garcia Lorca’s “The House of Bernard Alba.” The great Spanish playwright’s lyrical tragedy sets a powerful matriarch against her five passionate daughters in a struggle between honor and love, duty and freedom. Performances continue on Friday and Saturday evenings through March 24 in the Lincoln Center Mini-Theater. There will be one Thursday night performance on March 22 and two Sunday matinee shows on March 11 and March 18.

March Music Preview

Buddy Guy is perhaps one of the few blues guitarists on the circuit today who can truly be called legendary. To understand why, shift yourself back to 1957, when Guy moved from Louisiana, where he was raised, to Chicago. There, Guy was employed as a session player at the Chess Records studio, also serving as an apprentice to blues masters like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.

Then, for more than thirty years, Guy toured with Junior Wells, becoming part of a blues tag team that has been acknowledged as one of the most explosive combinations in blues history. Guy is now on his own, continuing to prove that he is truly “the greatest living electric blues guitarist.” Guy will be making a rare nightclub appearance at the Boulder Theater on Monday, March 13. Tickets are available at the Boulder Theater and at Ticketmaster locations or order by phone at 303-786-7030.

John Hammond: “Wicked Grin” is bluesman John Hammond’s 30th recording. Produced by Tom Waits, the release features songs by Waits- 12 out of 13 tracks- as well as the all-star band that will be touring with Hammond. That band includes Augie Meyers on keyboards, Larry Taylor (formerly of Canned Heat) on bass, Steven Hodges on drums and Frank Carillo on guitar. While primarily known for his solo performances, Hammond is no stranger to all-star groupings, since over the years he has played with the likes of Jimi Hendrix, John Mayall, Eric Clapton and Duane Allman. Hammond and the “Wicked Grin” band will be performing at the Gothic Theatre in Denver on March 28. Call 303-777-1003 for information.

America: As one of the most popular groups of the 1970’s, America helped establish a new genre of music which fused free-wheeling rock ‘n’ roll with elements of folk and country. Known for hits such as “Horse With No Name” and “Ventura Highway,” America has recorded more than 17 gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums and their greatest hits collection continues to sell 100,000 copies a year. The group’s most recent release is “Human Nature” on Oxygen Records, featuring guest appearances by Phil Jones, of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Timothy B. Schmit, form the Eagles, Robert Lamm and Jason Scheff, from Chicago, and the late Carl Wilson from the Beach Boys. America will be playing the Lincoln Center on Thursday, March 15. Call 221-6730 for information.

Karla Bonoff: Singer-songwriter Karla Bonoff cut her teeth in the folk-rock scene in Los Angeles in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. But it wasn’t until Linda Ronstadt included three of her songs on a 1976 release that Bonoff was signed by Columbia Records. What followed was a Top Forty hit, “Personally.” Other hits have included “Someone to Lay Down Beside Me” and “I Can’t Hold On” and her music has also appeared on the soundtracks of films such as “Footloose” and “About Last Night.” Bonoff will be performing at the Rialto Theater in Loveland on March 23. Other music coming up at the Rialto includes Alison Brown on March 16, the Chenille Sisters on March 24 and Steven Wiseman on March 30. Call 962-2120 for information.

After the Fire: After the Fire is a Fort Collins band that has spent the last twelve years performing for benefit causes. The group’s upcoming two-night stand, on March 30 and 31 at the Sunset Events Center, is going to be more of a celebration of the band’s long-running career than a benefit performance, however. After the Fire will be hosting a CD release party for their new self-titled album featuring a collection of 14 tracks full of blistering guitars, blasting horns and wailing vocals. The songs are plenty familiar, including tunes by Sly Stone, Rare Earth, Bonnie Raitt, the Average White Band and more. What After the Fire brings to the table, however, is high energy arrangements and a passion for pushing the musical envelope.

More music: The R. Carlos Nakai Quartet- featuring native American flutist Nakai and jazz vocalist Mary Redhouse- will be performing at the Boulder Theater on March 10. Leftover Slamon will be at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver on March 10. Other shows coming up at the Fillmore include Weezer on March 14, Erykah Badu on March 16 and moe. on March 17. Sam Bush will be at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on March 23 and at the Gothic Theatre on March 24. Nick Cave will be doing a solo performance at the Buell Theatre in Denver on March 28.

March Recommended

Local author Keith Kimmel’s new novel, “Jeremy’s Prophecy Dot Com” combines the latest in internet advances with the traditional paperback novel. Readers can interact between the live website (Jeremy’sProphecy.com) and the trade paperback version of the novel, treating participants to a multi-dimensional adventure with “endless possibilities.” The E-book version of “Jeremy’s Prophecy Dot Com” enhances the interactive event even further by linking the computer desktop directly to the internet.

“Jeremy’s Prophecy Dot Com” documents the story of grandiose mental patient Jeremy Jacobs’ hospitalization and the subsequent web page created by his friends in an effort to facilitate his healing. The book attempts to “release the stigma” associated with mental illness. The book and website “provide a forum for those who deal with mental illness and heightens awareness for those who want to learn more.” The novel is being published by Veneer Publishing, from Florida, and Kimmel will be celebrating with a book signing event at Avogadro’s Number on April 9 starting at 7:00 p.m. Call 493-5555 for information.

Keller Williams: Thanks to an irrepressible solo style, singer-songwriter and guitarist Keller Williams has become one of the most prominent solo performers on the circuit today. His most recent release, “Loop,” was drawn from recent live gigs up in the Pacific Northwest. Williams has added electronic loops and samples to his fast fingerpicking and quirky vocals to create a new live performance sensation. Williams will be coming to Colorado for several dates in April, including April 26 at the Fox Theater in Boulder, April 27 at the Bluebird Theater in Denver and on April 28 at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins.

Lincoln Center: The Lincoln Center SuperSeries for Kids continues on April 5 and 6 with “visual comedian” Pete Geist. Geist combines vaudevillian skills with props, masks, juggling, physical comedy and audience involvement. The Series closes on April 26 and 27 with the Theatre Company’s production of “The Many Adventures of Snow White.” After a classic “once upon a time” beginning, this retold tale continues with a musical production that “gives the audience a few details that were left out “ of the famous story.

On April 8, two Fort Collins music groups will be presenting concerts at the Lincoln Center. The Front Range Chamber Players Chamber Choir will present “Two Rich Cultures,” featuring works from some of the finest 20th Century choral composers at 3 p.m. in the Mini Theater. The Larimer Chorale presents an evening of Easter classics with “Let Sweet Hosannas Ring!” a program that will include selections from Mozart, hymns and popular selections as well as a narrative from a special “historical guest.” The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The 2000-2001 Showstopper Series closes with a nationally touring production of the hit Broadway musical “Chicago” on April 16-19. Created by Bob Fosse, “Chicago” brings the roaring 20’s back to life in this spoof on gangsters and nightclubs of the era. Call 221-6730 for information on all Lincoln Center shows.

Singers: The Choice City Singers are a 25-voice, 3-piece ensemble nonprofit group of men and women who volunteer their time and talent to further the arts in the Larimer County area by singing at various functions throughout the year. On April 21, the Choice City Singers will be presenting “The Best!” a program of love songs, blues, jazz and more performed in vocal jazz, swing, pop and a cappella styles. Forty percent of the ticket sales for this event will be donated to Friends of KUNC. Showtimes are at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m. at the Heart of the Rockies Christian Church at 6501 Brittany Dr. in Fort Collins. Call 204-6678 for information.

Theater: The OpenStage Theatre & Company continues its “world theatre tour” with Lee Blessings “Fortinbras,” opening on April 7 at the Lincoln Center Mini-Theater. Taking up where William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” left off, Blessing’s farce is “a riotous take on literature and politics” and was chosen by Time magazine as one of the ten best plays of 1991. “Fortinbras” plays on Friday and Saturday evenings through May 5, with one Thursday performance on May 3 and two Sunday matinee performances on April 22 and 29.

Actors take note: OpenStage will be holding its annual auditions for the upcoming 2001-02 season on Saturday, April 7. Roles are available for 39 men, 26 women and 4 either sex, ages late teens to 80’s for six productions including William Shakespeare’s “Henry IV Part I” and Neil Simon’s “Rumors.” OpenStage is also accepting apllications for designers and technicians. Call 484-5237 for information.

Still playing at the Bas Bleu Theatre, “Dealer’s Choice” through April 28. Call 498-8949 for information.

Art: The Northern Colorado Artists Association will be presenting their 10th National Art Exhibition and Sale at the Lincoln Center. The exhibit runs from April 16 through May 18. The opening reception will be held at the Lincoln Center on April 21.

April Concert Preview

Thanks to an irrepressible solo style, singer-songwriter and guitarist Keller Williams has become one of the most prominent solo performers on the circuit today. His most recent release, “Loop,” was drawn from recent live gigs up in the Pacific Northwest. Williams has added electronic loops and samples to his fast fingerpicking and quirky vocals to create a new live performance sensation. Williams will be coming to Colorado for several dates in April, including April 26 at the Fox Theater in Boulder, April 27 at the Bluebird Theater in Denver and on April 28 at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins.

Other shows coming up at the Aggie include an April 26 date with Ike Willis, former lead singer for Frank Zappa. Unconfirmed at press time, but dates in progress are Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Iggy Pop.

String Cheese: On Sunday, April 8, the String Cheese Incident will be making a special appearance at the Boulder Theater for a taping of the nationally syndicated radio show E-Town. They’ll be playing two three-song sets and participate in a Q & A with host Nick Forster. Also performing for E-Town on April 8 is Maura O’Connell. Call 303-786-7030 for information. More String Cheese news includes the imminent release of the band’s fifth studio recording in three years. The album is titled “Outside Inside,” was produced by Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin and hits the streets on May 15.

Lloyd Cole: In the 1980’s, British-born Lloyd Cole was heralded as the heart throb behind Lloyd Cole and the Commotions, loved for such hits as “Perfect Skin,” “Brand New Friend” and “Lost Weekend.” In the 1990’s, Cole relocated to New York and soon gained wider critical acclaim as a stunning singer-songwriter.

Today, Cole is back with a new recording and a new band. Both are called “The Negatives” and features Cole on vocals and guitar, Dave Darby on bass, Michael Kotch on guitar, Rafa Macieja on drums and Jill Sobule on guitar. Guests on the album produced by Stephen Street (Blur, the Smiths) include Neil Clark from the Commotions and Robert Quine from the Voidoids. Cole and the Negatives will be performing at the Soiled Dove in Denver on Wednesday, April 11. The Soiled Dove is located at 1949 Market Street. Call 303-299-0100 for information.

Paco de Lucia: Guitar virtuoso Paco de Lucia’s first performance was on the radio in 1958 in his hometown of Algeciras, a city on the southernmost tip of Spain- at the age of eleven. The next year, he was awarded a special prize in a flamenco competition and by the age of fourteen, he was touring with the flamenco troupe of fabled dancer Jose Greco. While on tour, de Lucia met the great flamenco guitarist Sabicas, who encouraged the young musician to avoid imitation and to achieve his own style.

Roots of the Blues: This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Swallow Hill Music Association’s Roots of the Blues festival, scheduled for Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 in Denver. On April 27, Swallow Hill will present Del Rey. Rey plays concerts worldwide and also presents a concert/lecture on women musicians called “Women in American Music.” She also writes about music for Acoustic Guitar magazine and other publications. Best of all, however, her guitar playing combines country blues, stride piano, classic jazz and hillbilly boogie with post-modern lyrics. Her latest CD is titled “X-rey Guitar” and she will be joined at Swallow Hill by A.J. Salas.

On April 28, the Roots of the Blues festival features “the grand gentleman of the blues,” John Jackson. Jackson is more of a songster than a bluesman, playing a repertory of rags and reels, blues ballads, country blues, country and gospel music reflecting the diverse sounds made by family and friends along the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge where he was born in 1924. He was “discovered” in 1964 and has since recorded six albums, played every major blues and folk festival in America and performed his music in more than 60 countries worldwide. Jackson will be joined at Swallow Hill by David Jacob-Strain. Call 303-777-1003 for information about the Roots of the Blues festival. Other Swallow Hill shows on the calendar for April include the Battlefield Band on April 12, Dave Van Ronk on April 13 and Robin and Linda Williams and band on April 20.

May Recommended

You can do much worse than keeping company with the likes of Minnesota singer-songwriter John Gorka. Gorka is known as one of America’s preeminent performers of contemporary acoustic-based music and his songs stretch the distance between insightful to humorous with a consistently warm and friendly tone.

Gorka’s most recent release on Red House Records is “The Company You Keep,” a collection of 14 tracks that not only features Gorka’s wry wit and superb songwriting, but also a stellar cast of guest musicians. That tells the story of what kind of company Gorka himself has been keeping: Ani DiFranco, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Larkin, Lucy Kaplansky, Peter Ostroushko and Michael Manring.

In support of the release of “The Company You Keep,” Gorka will be performing on Thursday, May 17 at the Sunset Events Center. Opening will be singer-songwriter Alice Peacock. Tickets are available at Finest CDs and at the Sunset. Gorka will also be performing at the Swallow Hill Music Hall in Denver on Friday, May 18.

Other upcoming music includes a date with the Poudre River Irregulars with Bob Jackson at the Mulberry Inn on Sunday, May 1 at 2 p.m. Fort Collins guitarist Steven Wiseman will be performing at the Rialto Theater in Loveland on Friday, May 25.

Mishawaka: You know the summer concert season is just around the corner when live music returns to the schedule at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre in the Poudre Canyon. Already confirmed at Mishawaka is a three-night stand for popular Grateful Dead-inspired band Shakedown Street, May 18-20. Bela Fleck bassist Victor Wooten is scheduled for May 22 at Mish. Other upcoming dates include Liz Barnez on June3, Metal on the Mountain on June 23 as well as the annual three-day visit by the David Grisman Quintet, August 10-12. A lot more is coming up at Mishawaka. Call 482-4420 for up to date info.

Alice in Wonderland: This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Debut Theatre Company and the troupe is celebrating with a production of “Alice In Wonderland.” The Debut Players are certainly unique because the 18 young people who make up the cast create their owns shows in all aspects of theatrical design, staging and production. This adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s famous story of a topsy turvy world was written by local playwright Gregg Osterhout, who is also serving as technical director for this production. Debut Theatre’s “Alice In Wonderland” is scheduled for May 11-13 and May 18-19 in the Lincoln Center Mini Theater. Call 221-6730 for information.

More Lincoln Center: There’s plenty more action this month at the Lincoln Center. On Friday, May 11, the High Performance Dance Theatre presents “Journey, an evening of dance and soul.” Choreography by artistic director Kim Lang has been set to original music by Ralph Neumann to “explore the development and enlightenment of spirituality both in the physical and non-physical plane.” On Tuesday, may 15, the Lincoln Center Passport travelogue Film series continues with “Bavaria and the Black Forest” by Fran Reidelberger.

On May 16, cellist Marc Johnson will join the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra for the final performance of “A Season of Symphonic Stories.” The Front Range Chamber Players will be performing with guest artists the Poudre River Irregulars in the Canyon West Room on Sunday, May 20. The highly acclaimed original dance and musical production “Turtle Island” returns to the Mini Theater on May 25. And OpenStage Theatre’s production of “Harvey” opens in the Mini Theater on May 26 and runs through June 23.

Theatre: Openstage Etc. presents the wartime drama “Cry Havoc” by Allan R. Kenward May 11-12 and May 18-20. This poignant production is a portrait of the unique and personal reactions of military nurses to the anonymity of war. Set in Bataan during the Second World War, “Cry Havoc” is “a compelling, caustic revelation of human beings under fire.” “Cry Havoc” plays at C.S.U. in Johnson Hall, room 120 on May 11 and 12. On May 18-20, “Cry Havoc” will be performed at the American Legion, 2124 N. U.S. Hwy 287. Call 484-5237 for information.

Mother’s Day: The Fort Collins Wind Symphony will be presenting a special Mother’s Day concert on Sunday, May 13 in the McNeal Performing Arts Center at Fort Collins High School. Works by Bach, Gershwin as well as selections from “Porgy and Bess” will be included on the program. Call 223-6263 for information.

May Concert Preview

Planning your summer concert schedule is kind of like planning that summer vacation- you want to get the biggest bang for your bucks. And with the price of concert tickets these days, that’s becoming more and more important. This is nothing that a little advanced planning won’t take care of, however. Of course, now is the time to do some of that planning because the summer concert dates are already piling up.

Which tickets do I have already in my drawer? I couldn’t resist picking up seats for the Mark Knopfler concert scheduled for Saturday, May 12 at Red Rocks. I was never in a position to see Dire Straits, so I’m not going to miss this one. But it’s the Offspring, with special guests including Stabbing Westward, who kick things off at Red Rocks on Friday, May 11. Only a few days later, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers join up with the Wallflowers for a two-night stand at Red Rocks, May 15 and 16. Other Red Rocks dates already on sale include Big Head Todd and the Monsters with Keb Mo on June 19, Ani DiFranco on June 27, and the String Cheese Incident on June 30 and July 1. Willie Nelson and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band are set for July 14 and Journey, along with Peter Frampton and John Waite, will be at Red Rocks on July 24. James Taylor is set for two nights at Red Rocks on September 1-2.

At Fiddler’s Green in Denver, my first show is going to be the “Tour of Brotherly Love” featuring the Black Crowes and Oasis. Styx and Bad Company will be at Fiddler’s on Thursday, May 24 and Jimmy Buffett returns on May 31. Other shows already announced for Fiddler’s include Aerosmith on July 23.

Of course, Red Rocks and Fiddler’s aren’t the only gigs in town. Other upcoming summer shows on the books already include Rod Stewart at the Pepsi Center on June 18 and Ozz Fest, featuring Black Sabbath, Slipknot, Papa Roach and Marilyn Manson at Mile High Stadium on June 22. Besides their Red Rocks dates, the String Cheese Incident will also be playing two dates up in Steamboat Springs- on July 3-4. Blues Traveler joins String Cheese on July 3 and Ben Harper will be doing a solo set with String Cheese on July 4. Pantera will be playing the Denver Coliseum on July 11, the same day the Dave Matthews Band plays Folsom Field in Boulder. Nsynch is at Mile High on July 13.

So get out the calendar. Tell the boss you’re going to be sick on those “special” summer days- and rock! The season is almost here!

John Gorka: Minnesota singer-songwriter John Gorka is known as one of America’s preeminent performers of contemporary acoustic-based music and his songs stretch the distance between insightful to humorous with a consistently warm and friendly tone.

June Recommended

The price is right and the music is plentiful when the free summer concert season returns to Fort Collins. Already in gear is a new Sunday series in Old Town Square. Colin Paul, Bobby Bensley and Nymbus are scheduled for June 3 and Blue Diddley, the Better Half and Russ Hopkins are set for June 17. The series will present music on a weekly basis through September, starting at 12:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the traditional Downtown Live Thursday night series in Old Town Square cranks up on June 7 with the rock ‘n’ roll sounds of Kenny Cordova. Also appearing in Old Town in June will be Hazel Miller on June 14, Liz Barnez on June 21 and the Rio Grande All-Stars on June 28. Noontime Notes returns to Oak Street Plaza on June 5 with Steve Eulberg. Also coming in June will be Rodney James and the Blue Flames on June 12 and Steven Wiseman on June 19.

The Lincoln Center’s “Out to Lunch” concert series will open on Friday, June 22 with popular Fort Collins dance band, the 3 Twins. Also appearing in June will be the Acoustic Roots Trio, featuring Nancy Cook, Bonnie Carol and Randy Kelley. The shows run from Noon to 1:00 p.m. on the Terrace Sculpture Garden Stage.

Ani DiFranco: Over the course of the last decade, hip folk diva Ani DiFranco has released 13 solo albums on her own record label, Righteous Babe Records. While publications such as Acoustic Guitar magazine call her “one of the defining artistic voices of our time,” other artists have been lining up to collaborate with this self-styled success. That includes recording projects with Prince, Maceo Parker, John Gorka, Bruce Cockburn and Jackie Chan. You read that right- one of DiFranco’s recent projects was to record a duet with Chan on a Nat King Cole cover.

What has worked so well in attracting fans to DiFranco’s music, however, isn’t star power, but honesty. Her music mixes free flow spoken word and energetic song arrangements with a deft, unique acoustic guitar style. Her lyrics seek to break down barriers between people and aims at arriving at the bottom line, no matter how uncomfortable it may be to state. DiFranco will be returning to Red Rocks for what is becoming an annual tradition on June 27. Call 303-786-7030 for ticket information.

More music: Known as one of the leading jambands in the country, Ozomatli will be making a rare Fort Collins appearance at the Starlight on Monday, June 4. Also coming to the Starlight in June is Jonatha Brooke on June 6 and Liquid Soul on June 21. Call 484-4974 for info. Guitar sylist Ed Gerhard will be returning to the Rialto Theater in Loveland on June 23. Also coming to the Rialto is the Rainbow Chorus production, “The Dream Goes On,” on June 9, “Opera Ala Mode” by Opera Fort Collins on June 10 and hot Celtic band Clandestine on June 16. Call 962-2120 for information.

Leftover Salmon are set for a three-day stand at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre, June 1-3. The June 3 gig will be a special acoustic performance. Also coming to Mishawaka this month is Wyoming singer-songwriter Michael DeGreve on June 10, the Marshall Tucker Band on June 15 and bluegrass fusion master Tony Furtado on June 16. There’s more on the schedule including a June 29 date with Tab Benoit. Call 482-4420 for info. Ottmar Liebert will be at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder on June 13. Also coming to Chautauqua will be the Afro-Cuban All-Stars on June 20 and Richard Thompson on June 28. The String Cheese Incident play Red Rocks for two dates- June 30 and July 1.

Theatre: The CSU Department of Music, Theatre and Dance is celebrating its 25th anniversary of Summer Café Theatre with three productions- “Tuna Christmas,” “Miss Firecracker Contest” and “Prelude to a Kiss.” The three shows play in repertory, beginning on June 26 with ‘Tuna Christmas,” another tale from “the third smallest town in Texas.” “Miss Firecracker” opens on June 27, and “Prelude to a Kiss” begins on July 3. The plays are produced in the courtyard of the Clark Building on the CSU campus. In an “informal café setting,” drinks and snacks are available at your table, before the show and at intermission. Tickets are already on sale. Season packages are available. Call 491-5116 for information.

Other area theatre includes the Bas Bleu Theatre Company’s Summer Festival, which will get underway with “Love Letters,” written by A. R. Gurney and directed by Morris Burns, June 28-30 and on July 6. Late night shows at the Bas Bleu open after June 29 with Will Kern’s “Hellcab,” Call 498-8949 for information. Still playing is OpenStage Theatre & Company’s production of the American classic, “Harvey.” This Pulizer Prize winning play was written in 1944 by Denver native Mary Chase and continues in the Lincoln Center Mini Theater through June 23.

Arvada Center: The Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a celebration party and opening reception for several new exhibitions. The festivities occur on Thursday, June 7. Since opening in 1976, the Arvada Center has increased its annual attendance from 12,000 to 360,000 patrons. The Arvada Center continues its award-winning children’s theater program with “Aladdin and the Glass Slipper”, June 12-Aug. 2. Tex-Mex band Little Joe Y La Familia will perform in the Center’s outdoor amphitheatre on June 23. Call 303-431-3939 for information.

June Concert Column

While publications such as Acoustic Guitar magazine call singer-songwriter, producer and performer Ani DiFranco “one of the defining artistic voices of our time,” other artists have been lining up to collaborate with this self-styled success. That includes recording projects with Prince, Maceo Parker, John Gorka, Bruce Cockburn and, believe it or not, Jackie Chan. DiFranco has earned so much respect by releasing, over the course of a decade, 13 solo albums on her own record label, Righteous Babe Records. It also helps that her music is full of an in-your-face honesty and integrity. DiFranco’s latest release is the two-disc “Revelling/Reckoning” and she will be returning to Red Rocks for what is becoming an annual event on June 27. Sekou Sundiata will open. Call 303-786-7030 for ticket information.

Ottmar Liebert: On his latest Epic Records release, “Little Wing,” guitar stylist Ottmar Liebert takes the time to look back at his musical influences and reflect. That’s why the album includes not only originals, but also versions of classic rock tunes such as Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing” and the Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black.” As you might expect, Liebert has also managed to give each of these familiar songs a new musical interpretation that can only belong to a master of musical styles. Liebert, whose 1989 album release “Nouveau Flamenco” has become the biggest-selling guitar album of all time, will be returning to Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder on June 13.

Also coming to Chautauqua is the International Guitar Night, featuring two Americans, a Brit and an Italian. Most prominent is UK guitarist Laurence Juber, former lead guitarist for Paul McCartney and Wings, joined by Antonio Calogero from Italy and Americans Andrew York and Brian Gore. The four musicians are offering a series of workshop seminars for guitarists on June 7-8. The concert is scheduled for June 9. Other shows include the Afro-Cuban Allstars on June 20 and Richard Thompson on June 28. Call 303-440-7666 for information.

String Cheese: Could the String Cheese Incident be the kings of the Colorado summer concert season? So far the band has the most dates booked for major concerts in the area. That includes two nights at Red Rocks- June 30 and July 1- as well as two dates up in Steamboat Springs- on July 3-4. Blues Traveler joins String Cheese on July 3 and Ben Harper will be doing a solo set with String Cheese on July 4. Also String Cheese mandolin player Michael Kang will be joining other Colorado-based musicians in the Theory of Everything at the Boulder Theater on June 1. In other String Cheese-related news, Colorado-based DJ Harry has just released “The String Cheese Remix Project,” a 66-minute chunk of House music derived from String Cheese recording archives, on Instinct/SCI Fidelity Records.

Free concerts: The free summer concert season in Fort Collins is already in gear with a new Sunday series in Old Town Square. Colin Paul, Bobby Bensley and Nymbus are scheduled for June 3 and Blue Diddley, the Better Half and Russ Hopkins are set for June 17. Downtown Live on Thursday nights in Old Town Square cranks up on June 7 with the rock ‘n’ roll sounds of Kenny Cordova. Also appearing in Old Town in June will be Hazel Miller on June 14, Liz Barnez on June 21 and the Rio Grande All-Stars on June 28. The Lincoln Center’s “Out to Lunch” concert series will open on Friday, June 22 with popular Fort Collins dance band, the 3 Twins. Also appearing in June will be the Acoustic Roots Trio, featuring Nancy Cook, Bonnie Carol and Randy Kelley.

More music: Known as one of the leading jambands in the country, Ozomatli will be making a rare Fort Collins appearance at the Starlight on Monday, June 4. Also coming to the Starlight in June is Jonatha Brooke on June 6 and Liquid Soul on June 21. Call 484-4974 for info. Leftover Salmon are set for a three-day stand at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre, June 1-3. The June 3 gig will be a special acoustic performance. Also coming to Mishawaka this month is Wyoming singer-songwriter Michael DeGreve on June 10, the Marshall Tucker Band on June 15 and bluegrass fusion master Tony Furtado on June 16. There’s more on the schedule including a June 29 date with Tab Benoit. Call 482-4420 for information

In review- Mark Knopfler: As the cloud cover over Red Rocks on May 12 slowly moved away to reveal a night sky full of stars, Dire Straits guitarist Mark Knopfler treated a full house to an evening of restraint and flourish by one of contemporary rock’s most distinctive guitarists. Of course, this house- Reds Rocks- is special and Knopfler’s stage production made the most out of the surroundings. Superb lighting and great sound supported Knopfler’s efforts to both touch the soul and rock the hips. Finely textured material from his latest release, “Sailing to Philadelphia,” mixed with the best of his Dire Straits material for a full ride from pensive ballads to rock intensity. This had to be a highlight for the musicians as well as for the audience.

In Review- Oasis/Black Crowes: The cloud cover never cleared for the opening of the concert season at Fiddler’s Green on May 17, when Oasis and the Black Crowes brought their Tour of Brotherly Love to Colorado. Advanced buzz was that this was the hottest rock and roll package to hit the road this year- celebrating the tenuous relationships between brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis and Chris and Rich Robinson of the Crowes. An insistent cold rain couldn’t stop fans from rocking out to the barrage of guitar rock that blasted from the stage. It started by a short, sharp set of pop punk from Spacehog, also featuring a brotherly duo- Royston and Antony. Oasis followed with a ragged, stiff set that nonetheless achieved psychedelic intensity- especially in the final cover of the Beatles’ “I am the Walrus.” Finally, the Black Crowes served a hard-edged rock while singer Chris Robinson worked the crowd with a dominating stage presence.

July Recommended

Singer-songwriter and bandleader Sally Taylor doesn’t have to be an independent artist, she wants to be. Taylor, daughter of James Taylor and Carly Simon, no doubt has enough connections to have just about any record deal she wants. Instead, this adventurous artist has forged her own career with her own ideas. That includes recording and touring with her own band as well as writing road diaries- full of humorous anecdotes- that end up on her web site.

Taylor will be celebrating the release of her latest CD, “Shotgun,” at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre on Sunday, July 1. Also coming up this month at Mishawaka is the Big Wu, bringing their “alternative groove culture” from Minnesota on July 27, with special guest star Merl Saunders. Other dates include Seven Nations on July 12 and the Poorhouse River Festival, featuring Fort Collins “musical Zen” band Poor House along with Moving Matter and Changes, on July 14. Legendary reggae band Toots and the Maytals will be at Mish on July 22. Call 482-4420 for info.

Siucra: After spending much of the last eight months performing in Ireland, Boston and the Midwest, Boulder-based band Siucra returns to Fort Collins for their only local gig in July. Acoustic Guitar magazine calls the band “full of hot musicianship, confidence and unstoppable energy” and the group will perform at Avogadro’s Number on Friday, July 20. Also coming to Avo’s is a Bluegrass and BBQ Extravaganza, featuring the T-Band, Open Road, Capo Zero and the Dalhart Imperials on July 13. Fort Collins guitarist Jerry Palmer celebrates the release of his latest CD, “Nevada Winds,” at Avo’s on July 14, along with Russ Hopkins and Lloyd Drust. Wendy Woo will be at Avo’s on July 21. Call 493-5555 for info.

Mike Clark: Legendary drummer and former member of Herbie Hancock’s the Headhunters, Mike Clark, is hitting the road with an ensemble super group called Mike Clark’s Prescription Renewal. The group is comprised of four of the jazz scene’s top young talents, including Charlie Hunter on 8-string guitar, Robert Walter on keyboards, Sherik on “saxophonics,” and Fred Wesley on trombone. The group will be performing at the Starlight on Sunday, July 1. Also coming up at the Starlight this month is Jerry Cantrell, of Alice in Chains, on July 5 and the Voodoo Glow Skulls on July 17. For info, call 484-4974.

Humane Society Benefit: Steven Wiseman has made a successful career by merging his melodic guitar music with animal and nature sounds. On July 21, Wiseman will be paying nature back by headlining a benefit event for the Humane Society for Larimer County at the Rialto Theater in Loveland. A reception will be held at 6p.m. and the concert, also featuring other guest artists, will begin at 7. Call 970-226-3647 for info. Wiseman will also be the opening performer for a new series of music at the Environmental Learning Center. The series is called “Classical Arts on the Prairie” and begins with Wiseman on July 1. Also scheduled will be Cindy Haraway and the Forest Hills Woodwind Quintet on July 8, Victoria Loran on July 15, Opera Fort Collins on July 22 and Scott Schlup and the Linden Street Brass Quintet on July 29. Call491-1661 for info.

Free concerts: The free summer concert season in Fort Collins continues with Noontime Notes, featuring the Hot Club Catz performing in Oak Street Plaza on July 3. Also playing in July will be Quartetto Maggiore on July 10, Sharon Docherty on July 17, the Main Street Brass Quintet on July 24 and Perpetual Motion on July 31. The Thursday night Downtown Live series in Old Town Square features Chris Daniels and the Kings on July 5, Zeut on July 12, Cabaret Diosa on July 19 and the Bluegrass Patriots on July 26. The noontime Out to Lunch series at the Lincoln Center continues on July 13 with the 101st Army Dixieland Band. Marty Jones and the Pork Boilin’ Poor Boys closes the series-held on the Terrace Sculpture Garden Stage- on July 27.

RockyGrass: The Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons is the home of not only the upcoming RockyGrass bluegrass festival, but also the Folks Festival and two new events- the Red Dirt Blues Festival and the Festival of Mabon. Along with great live music, you also get red rock cliffs, trees and the St Vrain River. This year’s RockyGrass festival, set for July 27-29 in Lyons, features headlining acts such as the Sam Bush Bluegrass Band on Friday, the Del McCoury Band on Saturday and Tribute to Old and in the Way on Sunday. Also appearing will be the Peter Rowan Band with Tony Rice, the Lynn Morris Band, the Seldom Scene, the David Grisman Quintet and many more. Contact Planet Bluegrass by phone at 800-624-2422.

More music: Rounder Records artist Natalie Macmaster will be at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder on July 28. The World Class Rockfest returns to the Winter Park Ski resort on July 21-22. Sheryl Crow headlines with Semisonic, Ozomatli and more on Saturday. Melissa Etheridge headlines on Sunday along with Sonia Dada, Joan Osborne and more. The Swallow Hill Folk Festival is set for July 21-22 at Four Mile Historic Park in Denver. The lineup includes Chuck Pyle, Pete Wernick’s Live Five and much more. Call 303-777-1003 for info.

Café Summer Theater: The CSU Summer Café Theatre series continues throughout July with three rotating productions- “Tuna Christmas,” “Miss Firecracker Contest” and “Prelude to a Kiss.” The series is celebrating its 25th anniversary this summer. Call 491-5116 for information.

July Concert Check

In the early 1990’s, the ringleader for alternative music was Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction. In the new millennium, the ringleader is none other than electronica pop star Moby. With a clear desire to create a “Lollapalooza-like” festival for today’s new pop music, Moby has pulled together a line-up that does indeed echo the strong diversity that Lollapalooza introduced in 1991. The festival is being called “Area: One” and the artists include, of course, Moby plus Nelly Furtado, the Roots, Incubus and the Outkast. A second stage will be featuring other artists including the Orb. It’s all being hosted by Channel 93.3 (do they still call it KTCL?) for this year’s Big Adventure concert event at Mile High Stadium-one of the last events at the old facility.

Free concerts: The free summer concert season in Fort Collins continues with the return of live music to the lagoon area at CSU. Stylish traditional bluegrass band Open Road plays on July 11, the Atoll is on July 18 and Kenny Cordova and the Olde Rock Band are scheduled for July 25. The schedule for free concerts in Old Town Square on Sundays includes Krutch, 5 Mark 3, Jeff Stephenson and Harmony Road on July 8 and Tim Hunt, Dale Cisek, Jerry Palmer and Wild Fire on July 15. Also coming to Old Town will be Little Fish, Ben Wah and Harmony Road on July 22 and Kevin and Terry, Michael Murphey, Serendipediss and Lost in the Woods on July 29.

More local music: Coming up this month at Mishawaka is the Big Wu, bringing their “alternative groove culture” from Minnesota on July 27, with special guest star Merl Saunders. Other dates include Seven Nations on July 12 and the Poorhouse River Festival, featuring Fort Collins “musical Zen” band Poor House along with Moving Matter and Changes, on July 14. Legendary reggae band Toots and the Maytals will be at Mish on July 22. Call 482-4420 for info. Coming up at the Starlight is Jerry Cantrell, of Alice in Chains, on July 5 and the Voodoo Glow Skulls on July 17. For info, call 484-4974.

In review: According to the band’s web site, Ozomatli means “monkey” in Aztec. To music fans, it has also come to mean “celebration.” When this high-energy band from Los Angeles appeared on June 4 at the Starlight- out among the audience, over by the pool tables- they started with a bang, playing horns, drums and percussion as they proceeded to the stage. From there, the 8-piece group swung on a multi-cultural pendulum- mixing Latin, hip hop and funk in full measure. This was delivered with a swaggering confidence that was invigorating and inspiring- break dance enthusiasts spinning on the floor near the back bar and the stage room jammed with moving bodies.

With the help of colorful banner backdrops, stage risers and a full lighting rig, flamenco/world music guitarist Ottmar Liebert and his band Luna Negra turned Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder into an intimate showroom on June 13. Luna Negra consists of two horns, a drummer, a bassist, a percussionist and a flamenco rhythm guitarist, leaving Liebert the leisure to add those clean, clear guitar melodies that ride on top of the irresistible grooves. Together, they have achieved a smooth, seamless sound that also has some rhythmic teeth. The extra heat was needed on a cold, humid night.

Richard Thompson’s set at Chautauqua on June 28 was more like a meeting of old friends- Thompson and his die-hard fans that is. They keep coming back for several reasons. One is Thompson’s funny, tongue-in-cheek stage presence- like a coffee pot percolating over. Another is the man’s nimble guitar playing, adding quick flourishes here and deeply bent notes there. Thompson also has an expressive voice that can roar and whisper as well as drip with sarcasm and twist with pain. Add in the ability to write fine songs with both attractive melodies and engaging lyrics and you’re getting the picture. All of this was in full supply at Chautauqua and Thompson’s performance was strong. Another great thing about Thompson is his prolific songwriting pace and this set was full of newer songs, although he didn’t mind dipping back as far as his Fairport Convention days for the older chestnuts. The evening began with a hypnotic, entrancing set by Malian bluesman Boubacar Traore. Along with a percussionist who clicked and thumped on a white dome, Traore set up intoxicating grooves with his guitar, adding lead lines between the chords and singing on top with a high, sweet and melancholy voice.

June’s best live music treat, however, was Ani DiFranco’s gorgeous concert at Red Rocks. DiFranco’s summer concerts at Red Rocks have become a tradition, and this year’s edition featured excellent lighting effects and the new jazz sound of DiFranco’s “Revelling/Reckoning” release. The new songs- performed with passion and precision- and the first rate production underscored the fact that DiFranco’s maturity as an artist is the audience’s gain. She has riveting lyrics, stunning delivery, expressive body language and a crack band at her fingertips, so continued success seems inevitable for this staunchly independent artist. Sekou Sundiata, playing an ever-shifting blend of jazz, funk, blues and hip hop, opened.

August Recommended

The number one free concert event of the summer season is the annual Linden Street Live music festival during the NewWestFest. This year the lineup is top notch. On Friday, August 17, Linden Street Live presents the Iguanas and Marcia Ball. On Saturday, August 18, Joe King Carrasco, Kansas (yes, the hitmakers responsible for “Dust in the Wind”), the Cowboy Junkies and Koko Taylor will take the stage.

Linden Street Live has been supported each year by foundation funds, first by the Stryker Short Foundation and this year by the Tommy E. Short Charitable Foundation. Linden Street Live occurs on the 200 block of Linden Street. On Friday, the Iguanas play at 6 p.m. and Marcia Ball plays at 8. On Saturday, Joe King Carrasco performs at 2 p.m, Kansas plays at 4, the Cowboy Junkies take the stage at 6 and Koko Taylor cranks up her Blues Machine at 8. Of course, there’s plenty of other free entertainment during the NewWestFest. Besides the Linden Street Live event, the NewWestFest also features three stages- Old Town Square, Library Park and the Kids World Stage- and plenty of area performers to fill the schedule.

Joe Kissell: Just a little more than a year ago, Fort Collins singer-songwriter Joe Kissell started playing the regional open mike circuit. Soon after, he forged a relationship with Avogadro’s Number to produce his own monthly open mike event, called “It’s All About the Music.” Kissell is now set to release his debut CD, “Little Box,” on Sunday, September 2 at Avogadro’s. “Little Box” was recorded by Russ Hopkins at KIVA Records and features a full line-up of musical guests from the local music scene, including Jeff Hoffman, Beth Mosko, Hopkins and Kirsten Bolton. The album features 14 tracks of earthy acoustic-based songs that cover social and political issues, love of the environment and a life-affirming attitude. Joining Kissell on stage will be musicians performing on “Little Box” as well as other special guests. There is no cover charge. Showtime is at 7 p.m. For information call 493-5555.

More music: The lineup for this year’s Folks Festival in Lyons is, of course, stellar for contemporary singer-songwriters. On Friday, August 17, Rickie Lee Jones headlines along with John Gorka, Lucy Kaplansky, Cheryl Wheeler and Cliff Eberhardt. Saturday will feature Arlo Guthrie as well as Greg Brown, Patty Larkin, Eddie from Ohio and more. Sunday, August 19 includes Bruce Hornsby, Peter Himmelman, Todd Snider and others. Planet Bluegrass freely uses the help of volunteers to make each of their productions run smoother. For information about volunteering or about any and all of the Planet Bluegrass shows, log on to www.bluegrass.com.

The Guess Who has reunited and will join Joe Cocker at Red Rocks on August 20. Al Jarreau is at Fiddler’s Green on August 21 and the Backstreet Boys are at the Pepsi Center on August 22. Erykah Badu is at Red Rocks on August 23. On August 25, Reggae on the Rocks returns to Red Rocks and Ringo Starr brings an all-new all-star band, featuring Sheila E, Ian Hunter and Greg Lake, to Fiddler’s Green. The So Many Roads Tour featuring Keller Williams, Ratdog, Rusted Root and more will be at Red Rocks on August 27. Leftover Salmon do an acoustic gig along with Pete Wernick’s Live Five at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder on August 30. Habib Koite is at the Boulder Theater on September 2.

Local dates to keep in mind: The Mishawaka Amphitheatre hosts Grass Sandwich on August 17, Victor Barnes, Drag the River and Llama on August 18, and the Tony Furtado Band on August 24. The David Grisman Quintet is scheduled for September 6-7. At the Starlight, the Samples will be playing an acoustic show on August 23, Moving Matter celebrates the release of their new CD on August 25 and the Specials will be at the Starlight on September 5.

Lincoln Center: The word is finally out for the various arts and entertainment series at the Lincoln Center. That means that season tickets are now available for the Showstopper Series, the Anything Goes Series, the Dance Series, the Passport Travelogue Series and Children’s Series. The most notable dates on the calendar are a four-day stay for Emmylou Harris, scheduled to perform at the Lincoln Center October 8-11. The Anything Goes Series has experienced a little shuffling- the Amazing Johnathan has had to cancel and the multi-media performance group Squonk will begin the series on October 13. Comedian John Pinette has been rescheduled for November 3. Call the Lincoln Center box office at 221-6730 for information about all shows.

Art: Inspired by an exhibition of Australian aboriginal art, Fort Collins artist Pat Hartman has created her own version of the mythical state called “the Dreamtime.” Her paintings, mostly created with paint and a twig for a brush, are not an American’s view of Australia, but a view of her surroundings- Fort Collins- and other places in the American West presented with aboriginal creativity. Hartman’s “Urban Aborigine” exhibition is currently on view at the Parks and Rec Building at 214 N. Howes through August 31. Hours are 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Theatre: Escape is the theme for OpenStage Theatre & Company’s 29th season, opening on August 25. Three sisters escape the past in “Crimes of the Heart” by Beth Henley in the company’s first production. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the New York Drama critics Circle Award, “Crimes of the Heart” runs through September 22 at the Lincoln Center Mini Theatre. Call 221-6730 for information.

The Bas Bleu Summer Festival concludes with “A Most Notorious Woman,” running August 16-18 and 23-25. Based on the life of 16th century Irish queen and sea captain Grace O’Malley, “A Most Notorious Woman” is accompanied by a musical score. Call the Bas Bleu Theatre at 495-4989 for information.

August Concert Column

The annual free concert event called Linden Street Live that brings not only national touring bands to the streets of Fort Collins during the NewWestFest celebration, but also national headliners, returns this year with a top notch lineup. On Friday, August 17, Linden Street Live presents the Iguanas and Marcia Ball. On Saturday, August 18, Joe King Carrasco, Kansas (yes, the hitmakers responsible for “Dust in the Wind”), the Cowboy Junkies and Koko Taylor will take the stage.

The Iguanas, a band with roots in the Fort Collins music scene, has become nationally known for their mix of New Orleans R & B, Latin/Carribean rhythms, Tex-Mex conjunto and garage band rock. Marcia Ball is called “the bayou queen of piano,” playing boogie woogie and blues with infectious energy and soul. Joe King Carrasco is the king of unabashed party rock. Kansas, of course, spent the 1970’s and 1980’s producing radio hits that kept them on the Billboard magazine charts for over 200 weeks. The Cowboy Junkies have blended folk and country rock sounds to produce gold and platinum selling records. And Koko Taylor is quite simply the Queen of the Blues.

Charles Sawtelle: The late Charles Sawtelle was the kind of musician that other musicians admired- for his skill as one of the finest flatpicking guitarists in bluegrass and for his professionalism. With the band Hot Rize and with his own group the Whippets, Sawtelle was at the forefront of defining the sound of contemporary bluegrass. The recent Acoustic Disc release, “Music from Rancho deVille,” features Sawtelle along with guest musicians including Laurie Lewis (who produced the album along with Sawtelle,) David Grisman, Norman Blake, Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan and many, many more. In tribute to Sawtelle’s contribution, that impressive roster of artists will also be gathering for a one-time concert event at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder on Monday, August 6. The songs will be drawn from “Music from Rancho deVille” as the cream of the acoustic music world gathers to honor one of its own. Also coming to Chautauqua in August is African reggae and rap artist Baaba Maal on August 15. Leftover Salmon and Pete Wernick’s Live Five play Chautauqua on August 30. Call 303-440-7666 for information.

Joe Kissell: Just a little more than a year ago, Fort Collins singer-songwriter Joe Kissell started playing the regional open mike circuit. Soon after, he forged a relationship with Avogadro’s Number to produce his own monthly open mike event, called “It’s All About the Music.” The next step was to record an album of his own music. Kissell is now set to release his debut CD, “Little Box,” on Sunday, September 2 at Avogadro’s Number. “Little Box” was recorded by Russ Hopkins at KIVA Records and features a full line-up of musical guests from the local music scene, including Jeff Hoffman, Beth Mosko, Hopkins and Kirsten Bolton. The album features 14 tracks of earthy acoustic-based songs that cover social and political issues, love of the environment and a life-affirming attitude. Joining Kissell on stage will be musicians performing on “Little Box” as well as other special guests. There is no cover charge. Showtime is at 7 p.m. For information call 493-5555.

Folks Festival: The lineup for this year’s Folks Festival in Lyons is, of course, stellar for contemporary singer-songwriters. On Friday, August 17, Rickie Lee Jones headlines along with John Gorka, Lucy Kaplansky, Cheryl Wheeler and Cliff Eberhardt. Saturday will feature Arlo Guthrie as well as Greg Brown, Patty Larkin, Eddie from Ohio and more. Sunday, August 19 includes Bruce Hornsby, Peter Himmelman, Todd Snider and others. Planet Bluegrass freely uses the help of volunteers to make each of their productions run smoother. For information about volunteering or about any and all of the Planet Bluegrass shows, log on to www.bluegrass.com.

Global Web Concert for Youth: The upcoming Global Web Concert for Youth scheduled for August 3-5 at the Duke of Windsor will feature a ton of rock and roll for a good cause. CMAP (Colorado Music Allied Promotions) is producing the event that will benefit the Youth Activities Center. What they have come up with is a three-day feast of not just local and regional bands, but also musicians from out of state. That includes Ric Swanson from San Antonio, TX, “eN” from Salt Lake City, Ian Charles from Nashville, Gaelen from New York City, Moodstack from San Francisco, Mere Imagery from Chillicothe, IL, Black Diamond from White Plains, NY and Tarot Kid from Atlanta.

Of course, there are plenty of bands who don’t have to travel very far. Front Range musicians playing at the Duke of Windsor include Liz Clark, You Call That Art?, Joy Jackson, Love 45, Scott Allen, Rubber Planet, Dave Beegle, Danny Masters and many more. Since CMAP started working on the Global Web Concert for Youth six months ago, the Youth Activities Center has found a new home. That means money raised by the event will help move the facility and provide money that will directly benefit the kids. In addition to the three days at the Duke of Windsor, the concert weekend will also include an all-ages event in Fort Collins on August 4, featuring the Gravatones, Rubber Planet, You Call That Art? and more. Tickets for all events are available at the Finest, ABCDs, Osprey Guitars, Spotlight Music and Rocks Off Records. For more information, log on to cmapmusic.com or call 970-482-7910.

More: David Lindley will be at Mishawaka on August 5. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will be at the Starlight on August 9. The Eagles will be opening Invesco Field at Mile High on August 11. Lynyrd Skynyrd and Ted Nugent are at Red Rocks on August 13. BB King, Buddy Guy and John Hiatt headline a night of blues at Fiddler’s Green on August 14. Erykah Badu is at Red Rocks on August 23. On August 25, Reggae on the Rocks returns to Red Rocks and Ringo Starr brings an all-new all-star band, featuring Sheila E, Ian Hunter and Greg Lake, to Fiddler’s Green.

September Recommended

In the liner notes to the recent Red House Records release, “A Nod to Bob, An Artists’ Tribute to Bob Dylan on His Sixtieth Birthday,” singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson says Dylan “irreverently and irrevocably turned the suburban backyard of folk music into a mysterious tangled forest of unlimited possibilities.” For her part in the tribute, Gilkyson leads off the album with her own version of Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” and has attracted worldwide attention as a result. Gilkyson’s latest solo recording is “Hard Times in Babylon” and she will be performing at Avogadro’s Number on Friday, September 9. Also coming up at Avo’s: the Poudre River Irregulars on September 7, Open Road on September 14, Ray Bonneville on September 16 and Cheyenne Lonesome on September 22. Call 493-5555 for information.

David Grisman: Not only does mandolin master David Grisman lead his own quintet- making some of the coolest bluegrass fusion music on the planet- but he is also the head of contemporary acoustic music’s leading record company- Acoustic Disc. Added to that, he has been all over the place as a featured player- at the recent RockyGrass Festival in Lyons and at the tribute to the late Charles Sawtelle at Chautauqua. Recent Grisman news includes the release of a jazz album with keyboardist Denny Zeitlin, “New River.” Also, Sony Pictures Classics will soon be releasing a film and soundtrack album titled “Grateful Dawg,” an extensive look at the musical friendship between Jerry Garcia and Grisman. Meanwhile, the David Grisman Quintet will be playing a two-night stand at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre, September 6-7. Call 482-4420 for info.

Comotion: A huge roster of top notch players make up the all-star collaboration band Comotion. That includes Darol Anger on violins (Anger-Marshall Band), Michael Kang on electric and acoustic mandolins (String Cheese Incident) and Mike Marshall on guitars, cello guitar and ouditar (David Grisman Quintet, Anger-Marshall Band). Also add in Paul McCandless on saxes, oboe and bass clarinet (Paul Winter Consort, Oregon), Tye North on electric bass (Leftover Salmon), Jeff Sipe on drums (Leftover Salmon, Aquarium Rescue Unit) and Aaron Johnston on drums and percussion (Anger-Marshall Band.) That’s a lot of talent. The group released a CD last year on WAR?, “Head West,” and their 9-date West Coast tour received rave reviews. Comotion will be reuniting for two area gigs- Friday, September 21 at Mishawaka and on September 22 at the Boulder Theater.

More music: Hard rock heroes Anthrax will be at the Starlight on September 12. Also coming to the Starlight this month: Mike Watt on September 21 and the Dave Brockie Experience, September 22. Australian music sensation John Butler brings his Trio to Colorado for the first time for several gigs, beginning on September 13 at the Fox Theatre in Boulder. South African cultural ambassadors Ladysmith Black Mambazo will be performing at the Boulder Theater on September 19. Johnny Connolly and Aidan Brennan play traditional Irish music at the Bas Bleu Theatre on September 23.

Lincoln Center: The Dance Connection presents “Sacred Spaces/Familiar Faces,” an evening of contemporary dance featuring Open Door Dance Theatre of Boulder and northern Colorado dancers. The program will be presented on September 28-29 and October 5-6 in the Lincoln Center Mini Theatre. Also coming to the Lincoln Center: The annual evening of desserts and opera called “Cantare e Dolci,” this year featuring the debut performance of CSU’s new faculty tenor, will be in the Canyon West ballroom on September 14. The Fort Collins Symphony opens their new season with “Episode in the Life of an Artist” at the Lincoln Center on September 22. The Passport Travelogue Series opens on September 25 with “China- the 21st Century.”

More events: “Comedy and Country” comes to the Rialto Theater in Loveland when comedian Karyn White joins Dustin Bogue & Catch .22 on September 8. OpenStage Theatre & Company, who has just recently become a member of the Theatre Communications Group, presents “Crimes of the Heart” at the Lincoln Center through September 22. “Tuna Christmas,” “Prelude to a Kiss” and “Miss Firecracker Contest” continue at CSU’s Johnson Hall Mainstage in September. The Bas Bleu is presenting “The Complete Hoistory of America (Abridged)” through October 13.

Afterword: For the price of admission- free- there was no better place to rock in northern Colorado than at the two-day Linden Street Live music festival during the NewWestFest, August 17-18. On Friday, the Iguanas opened with their steamy mix of Tex Mex sounds and New Orleans rhythm and blues. Boogie woogie keyboard queen Marcia Ball then took the stage with goodtime swagger. On Saturday, Texas party boy Joe King Carrasco opened things up with his infectious rock- and by jumping into the crowd. Kansas served up their dramatic, progressive rock next, filling Linden Street by 4:00 in the afternoon. The Cowboy Junkies then treated the crowd to a set that began with their characteristic restraint but finally developed into full-bodied electric rock. Blues queen Koko Taylor finished off a great two days of music with raw, barroom blues, her band the Blues Machine churning up the rhythms while Taylor stomped and growled. Thanks to the organizers for giving Fort Collins such a great musical present!

September Concert Check

Will someone please grab mandolin master David Grisman, and tie him to a chair. Not only does this musician lead his own quintet- making some of the coolest bluegrass fusion music on the planet- but he is also the head of contemporary acoustic music’s leading record company- Acoustic Disc. Added to that, he is just all over the place as a featured player (see “In Review” below.) Recent Grisman news includes the release of a jazz album with keyboardist Denny Zeitlin, “New River.” Also, Sony Pictures Classics will soon be releasing a film titled “Grateful Dawg,” an extensive look at the musical friendship between Jerry Garcia and Grisman. Meanwhile, the David Grisman Quintet will be playing a two-night stand at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre, September 6-7. Call 482-4420 for info.

Eliza Gilkyson: In the liner notes to the recent Red House Records release, “A Nod to Bob, An Artists’ Tribute to Bob Dylan on His Sixtieth Birthday,” singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson says Dylan “irreverently and irrevocably turned the suburban backyard of folk music into a mysterious tangled forest of unlimited possibilities.” For her part in the tribute, Gilkyson leads off the album with her own version of Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” and has attracted worldwide attention as a result. Gilkyson’s latest solo recording is “Hard Times in Babylon” and she will be performing at Avogadro’s Number on Friday, September 9. Call 493-5555 for information.

Comotion: You’ve heard of jam bands? Well, how about a jam orchestra? That’s essentially what the group Comotion is when you look at the huge roster of players. That includes Darol Anger on violins (Anger-Marshall Band), Michael Kang on electric and acoustic mandolins (String Cheese Incident) and Mike Marshall on guitars, cello guitar and ouditar (David Grisman Quintet, Anger-Marshall Band). Also add in Paul McCandless on saxes, oboe and bass clarinet (Paul Winter Consort, Oregon), Tye North on electric bass (Leftover Salmon), Jeff Sipe on drums (Leftover Salmon, Aquarium Rescue Unit) and Aaron Johnston on drums and percussion (Anger-Marshall Band.) That’s a lot of talent. The group released a CD last year on WAR?, “Head West,” and their 9-date West Coast tour received rave reviews. Comotion will be reuniting for two area gigs- Friday, September 21 at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre and on September 22 at the Boulder Theater.

Archer’s: Contemporary rock returns to northern Colorado every Friday and Saturday night when Archer’s hosts some of the area’s top bands beginning in September. That includes Tick 60, Danny Masters, Love 45, Tequila Mockingbird and Pride’s Bane. Archer’s also showcases area bands such as Moving Matter, Poorhouse, Wall of Dogs, Tip the Milkman and many more on Thursdays and Scott Allen hosts an acoustic open stage on Wednesdays. For info, call 223-1195.

In Review: The summer concert season yielded plenty of thrills and a few surprises. The Area: One Festival, the last concert held at the old Mile High Stadium in Denver, provided the thrills on July 28. Besides a main stage featuring bands such as the Roots, Incubus, Outkast and Moby, the festival also included a smaller portable building that served as a steamy rave club. While acknowledged masters of the electronica genre- including Carl Cox, Paul Oakenfold and the Orb- cranked up the volume and the dance beat, lights flashed, images played across a dozen different kinds of screens and those brave enough to suffer the rising temperature and crowded conditions went nuts. Still it was Moby on the main stage who ended up having all the best toys. The entire structure was outfitted with lights and while Moby darted across the stage to play different instruments or simply just to rouse the crowd, the visuals remained stunning. Though the stadium was not even half full for the event, it was fitting that this modern festival, pulling together hip hop, rock and electronica fans into one happy crowd, was the last music event.

The next day, I trekked to Lyons to see the final day of the RockyGrass Festival. This took me from some of the most technological music of our time to some of the simplest. It also took me by surprise because I didn’t just admire the experience as a musical tourist, I really ended up loving it. Every group that hit the stage- starting with a gospel bluegrass set from Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver and including the Lonesome River Band, Nickel Creek and the Tony Rice Unit- had the chops to create fast, clean and even inspiring music without all the production trickery that made Area: One so alluring. Talk about fun- Mike Marshall and Chris Thille introduced their new mandolin duo unit with grace and flair. The three veteran pickers in Bluegrass Etc. just let the notes fly. Dan Tyminski, known for contributing the musical vocals for George Clooney’s character in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” joined Tony Rice for a superb set of jazz flavored bluegrass. As an added bonus, Peter Rowan, David Grisman and Vassar Clements revived their band Old and in the Way, originally formed with Jerry Garcia- and filled the night with great songs and soaring vocals. It was especially fine to hear Clements play, his violin lines threading perfectly through each tune. For music that leaves posturing behind in favor of musical precision and a venue environment that includes rugged red rock cliffs and a meandering river- check out next year’s RockyGrass festival.

I continued my bluegrass education by seeing the fabulous collection of acoustic music stars gathered to pay tribute to the late Charles Sawtelle at Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder on August 6. That included Peter Rowan and David Grisman (again,) Laurie Lewis, Michael Doucet, Norman Blake, Tim O’Brien and more. In constantly shifting combinations, the assembled roster covered songs that Sawtelle, former member of Hot Rize, treasured, insuring an evening of emotional and musical bonding. The picking was on the polite side- everybody but Grisman holding back a little. But the vocal work was excellent. During the tune “Aragon Mill,” mandolinist Tom Rozum had Laurie Lewis on one side and Mollie O’Brien on the other, creating a spine-tingling beauty with their voices. By the end, when all 12 musicians on stage were singing “Angel Band,” the power of the human voice did what the instrumental work only hinted at: put in a direct call to heaven to tell Sawtelle he was sorely missed.

October Recommended

For more than 20 years, seven-time Grammy winner Emmylou Harris has achieved overwhelming success as a singer-songwriter in pop, folk, country and alternative music. She has released 25 albums and has won numerous awards, most recently the 1999 Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for “After the Gold Rush.” Harris opens the Lincoln Center Showstopper Series, October 8-11, with a mantinee performance on October 10. Single night tickets are currently available at the Lincoln Center Box Office at 221-6730.

Happening: Australian storyteller, didjeridoo player and Kiva Recording artist Paul Taylor returns to Fort Collins to host the 6th Neo Beatnik Happening at Avogadro’s Number on Saturday, October 13. Besides a performance by Taylor, area poets are invited to read with musical accompaniment by local talents such as Jerry Palmer, Lloyd Drust, Doug Shald, Dave Kontak, Steve Eulberg and Russ Hopkins. This is a free, all-ages show. Also coming up at Avogadro’s is the monthly acoustic open mic hosted by Fort Collins singer-songwriter Joe Kissell, on October 7, featuring Lauren Michael and Russ Hopkins. Open Road is scheduled on October 12 and Wendy Woo will perform at Avo’s on October 25. Call 493-5555 for info.

More music: The Dave Mason concert scheduled for September 27 at the Rialto Theater in Loveland has been rescheduled for December 7. In the meantime, folk icon Tom Rush will perform at the Rialto on October 5. Also Women Rock the Rialto for the Women’s Center of Larimer County on October 19. John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson, from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, perform at the Rialto on November 3. Also coming up: The Poudre Canyon String Fest, featuring Shanti Groove, High on the Hog, Sugarloaf String Band, Single Malt Band and more is set for Mishawaka on October 6. Singer-songwriters Ellis Paul and Susan Werner will be at the Sunset Events Center on October 28 and Eddie From Ohio is at the Sunset on November 4.

Lincoln Center: In writing her “opera in one act,” composer Amy Beach reached into the Louisiana heritage, using Cajun folk music as the core of the work. The Front Range Chamber Players will perform Beach’s “Cabildo” at the Lincoln Center Mini Theatre on October 7 to open their 2001-2002 season. Other shows coming to the Lincoln Center include the multimedia performance of Squonk Opera on October 13, presenting a “cornucopia of golden song, graceful dance, comic intrigues and visual gimmickry.” The Foothills Pops Band presents a “Harvest Swing Dance” in the Canyon West Ballroom on October 19. And the Fort Collins Symphony presents “A Russian Interlude” on October 27, featuring 1999 Young Artist Piano Competition winner Chu-Fang Huang.

Theatre: “The Complete History of America (Abridged” continues at the Bas Bleu Theatre through October 13. “Stop Kiss” by Diana Son opens at Bas Bleu on October 25. The CSU Department of Music, Theatre and Dance presents Thornton Wilders’ “Our Town” at the Johnson hall Manistage October 25-27 and November 1-3. OpenStage Theatre presents Lanford Wilson’s “Hot L Baltimore” in the Lincoln Center Mini Theatre, opening on October 27.

Dance: The Dance Connection presents “Sacred Spaces…Familiar Faces,” an evening of contemporary dance featuring Open Door Dance Theatre of Boulder and northern Colorado dancers at the Lincoln Center Mini Theatre on October 5 and 6. The Lincoln Center Dance Series opens on October 16 with a performance by Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico. On Friday, October 19, the High Performance Dance Theatre presents “Scared Stiff V: Slumber Party Scare!” at the Lincoln Center.

Art: Featuring 126 vintage photographs, letters, sworn affidavits, notarized napkins and other artifacts, “Dear Mr. Ripley: Treasures from the Believe It or Not! Archive” displays items that were used to substantiate and enliven the outlandish claims submitted to Robert Ripley. The exhibit is currently at the Loveland Museum through October 14. Other activities at the Loveland Museum include poetry events- “Autumn’s Closet” on October 13 and “Words from the Heart: An Evening of Poetry” on October 18. Joan Wells, women’s world champion trick roper will perform at the Loveland Museum on October 20. Other art in the area includes “Generations in Czech Poster Design” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Fort Collins through October 19. Opening at MOCA on October 19 will be “Landscape Legacies,” featuring work by David Dietermann, Bill Wylie, Pam Furumo, Skip Whitcomb and others.

Afterword: On September 9, singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson ended a tour of Colorado and New Mexico with a performance at Avogadro’s Number that was both informal and highly dramatic. Gilkyson was running her own sound at Avo’s and felt compelled to tell free flow stories and share off-the-cuff philosophizing with the small, but appreciative crowd. But when it came time to sing, her voice filled the room with the kind of musical power only a seasoned professional can wield. Gilkyson’s son Cisco joined her on stage, playing an amplified wooden box as a percussion instrument with amazing dexterity and sensitivity. Meanwhile, Gilkyson exhibited first rate vocal control while reading through original songs that mixed a soft country influence with a folk music love of words. Hard times and poor choices gave way in the songs to the power that comes from remaining alive and being able to sing about it.

October Concert Update

Modest Mouse: Some bands are destined to achieve cult status- adored by hipsters with discerning taste and unknown to the masses. One group currently deserving cult band status is Modest Mouse, from Issaquah, Washington. The trio has been recording since they formed in 1994 and their recent Epic Records album, “The Moon & Antarctica,” reveals that they have plenty in common with other musical explorers such as Pink Floyd and Camper Van Beethoven.

That’s what should make Modest Mouse’s upcoming concert at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver an interesting event indeed. Besides the appearance of a contemporary cult band, maybe their real life piece of group mythology- Ugly Casanova- will reappear. Modest Mouse will be performing at the Fillmore on October 10.

Emmylou Harris: For more than 20 years, seven-time Grammy winner Emmylou Harris has achieved overwelming success as a singer-songwriter in pop, folk, country and alternative music. She has released 25 albums and has won numerous awards, most recently the 1999 Grammy for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals for “After the Gold Rush. Harris opens the Lincoln Center Showstopper Series, October 8-11. Single tickets are currently available at the Lincoln Center Box Office at 221-6730.

Music Expo: On Saturday, October 6, northern Colorado gains its first professional musician trade show and showcase when the Front Range Music Expo 2001 comes to the Lincoln Center. This one day event will feature booths and tables for music-related businesses and musicians to display services and products. Various panel discussions, led by industry insiders, will cover topics of interest to the emerging musician and those involved in music as a business. Live music will be performed throughout the day, and food and drink will be available. One of Colorado’s most talented guitarists, Dave Beegle, will cap off the day with a special performance. The Expo is scheduled to occur from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the whole community is invited. For more information call 484-5764.

More: The Dave Mason concert scheduled for September 27 at the Rialto Theater in Loveland has been rescheduled for December 7. In the meantime, folk icon Tom Rush will perform at the Rialto on October 5. Also Women Rock the Rialto for the Women’s Center of Larimer County on October 19. John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson, from the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, perform at the Rialto on November 3.

Also coming up: The Poudre Canyon String Fest, featuring Shanti Groove, High on the Hog, Sugarloaf String Band, Single Malt Band and more is set for Mishawaka on October 6. The Damned will be at the Bluebird Theater in Denver on October 7. Black Uhuru is at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on October 13. Ray Davies, of the Kinks, performs at the Boulder Theater on October 14. Sister Carol is at the Gothic Theater in Denver on October 15. Midnight Oil performs at the Paramount Theater in Denver on October 16. DC Talk is at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver on October 19. Bob Dylan plays the Denver Coliseum on October 21. And the Donnas will be at the Bluebird on October 23.

In review: Cool weather and lots of stars greeted the big crowd gathered to listen to the jazz fusion music of Comotion on September 20. Comotion is a unit made up of some of the brightest players on the progressive instrumental scene, including Darol Anger on violin, Mike Marshall on guitar, Michael Kang on mandolin, Paul McCandless on reeds and more. The group formed last year to record an album and do a limited date West Coast tour. This year, the group took the opportunity to as Kang explained at the beginning- “to get back to what we really love to do.” That is, to play dynamic instrumental music full of drama and intense soloing. The tunes included flavors from a wide variety of music, including folk, reggae, bluegrass, progressive rock and Celtic, but the intent was almost entirely jazz-oriented. Musical themes were initially stated, then the group got on with trading licks and solos. Kang, in particular, explored the furthest edge of the material, but since the whole set was more or less new to everybody, there remained a sense of heading into unexplored territory for all. Opening was Fort Collins singer-songwriter Tara Lee, who sang an energetic folk music positioned somewhere between Ani DiFranco and Victoria Williams.

November Recommended

The Aggie Theater is back in business, under new management. On November 3, the Aggie hosts Julian “Junior Gong” Marley along with the Ghetto Youth Crew, featuring Damien and Steven Marley. Leftover Salmon plays the Aggie on November 16. A member of the band has recently been diagnosed with melanoma and while the group has cancelled their upcoming East Coast tour, they will be playing a select few Colorado dates to help with medical expenses. Other shows coming to the Aggie in November include Deep Banana Blackout, Shakedown Street, Merl Saunders, Robin Trower and ekoostik hookah. Call 407-1322 for information.

U2: Earlier this year, rock superband U2 brought their Elevation Tour to the Pepsi Center in Denver. What ensued was an inspirational performance that dispensed with much of the band’s usual stage setting tricks and presented the Irish quartet more as musicians than as showmen. The special effects here were in the group’s rousing songs and the way the crowd responded with respect and adoration. What more can the group do for Denver area fans? Why, come back for an encore performance, scheduled for Wednesday November 7 at the Pepsi Center, of course. Touring on the strength of new material on their recent Interscope Records release, “All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” U2 has been busy reestablishing themselves as one of the few rock bands left that command superstar status. No Doubt opens.

Starlight: Popular Fort Collins band Twelve Cents for Marvin is celebrating their fifth anniversary by throwing a party extravaganza at the Starlight on November 10. Former and current members of the band will be gathering to celebrate with the upbeat, ska-oriented music that prompted CSU students to vote them Best Local Band two years in a row. Denver band Judge Roughneck opens. The Starlight has plenty more coming up: The Big Wu plays November 3-4. Punk progenitors the Misfits celebrate 25 years along with All on November 8. Railroad Earth pulls in on November 9. Call 484-4974 for info.

More music: Acoustic guitarist Steven Wiseman presents a concert benefiting the United Way at the Rialto Theater in Loveland on November 2. John McEuen and Jimmy Ibbotson return to the Rialto on November 3. Eddie from Ohio, mixing folk music spiced with jazz, ska, Latin and gospel, play the Sunset Events Center on November 4. Singer-songwriter Lucy Kaplansky plays the Sunset on November 15. And please do yourself a favor: if you enjoy energetic, infectious, footstomping American roots music, go see Bonepony at Avogadro’s Number on November 27.

Lincoln Center: Coming up in November at the Lincoln Center: Comedian John Pinette continues the Anything Goes Series on November 3. The Front Range Chamber Players present a program of Bach, Beethoven and Brahms in the Mini-Theatre on November 4. The Classical Music Series opens with pianist Per Tengstrand on November 7. Country music hitmaker Don Williams performs on November 8. Call 221-6730 for information.

Theatre: Korean-American writer Diana Son’s “Stop Kiss” is playing at the Bas Bleu Theatre through December 1. OpenStage Theatre presents “Hot L Baltimore” at the Lincoln Center through November 24. Loveland Community Theatre presents “Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean” at the Rialto Theater in Loveland November 9-10 and November 16-18.

Art: The Jean Wilson Gallery presents on-location oil paintings by Jeanne Mackenzie in a new show titled “Painting Belgium,” opening on November 2 and running through December 3. Other art in the area includes “Landscape Legacies,” continuing at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Fort Collins through November 30. “Colorado Landscapes in the New Age of Discovery” opens at the Loveland Museum on November 3.

In review: If music truly reflects the personality of the performer, then Emmylou Harris must be a steady, intense person, given as easily to reminiscing about the past as to chuckling about the present. Performing multiple shows at the Lincoln Center for the Showstopper Series, October 8-11, Harris presented a very even, steady set of music that never strayed far from a low key, folksy country/bluegrass sound. The intensity was in the stories that the songs told, about relationships, about people and about times gone by. The artful words combined with Harris’ distinctive voice to create a mood that was more like an intimate heart to heart talk, than a stage production. The humor came in between the songs. At the October 11 show, Harris became more and more animated during the segue introductions between pieces. By the end of the evening, she had revealed as much about her own personality with spoken stories and humorous comments as she did with the music. Joining Harris on stage were Buddy and Julie Miller, who added guitar and lightweight percussion- as in different sized cardboard boxes- as well as keen, emotional vocal harmonies. Coming next in the Showstopper Series: “Ragtime,” November 1-2.

On October 16, the Ballet Concierto de Puerto Rico opened the Lincoln Center Dance Series with a lively, rousing performance. The music was consistently upbeat, maintaining a Latin flavor, the costuming was colorful and stylish and the choreography walked a fine line between formal movement and some shimmying and shaking from the street. Two duets provided comic relief by combining precision dance moves with sexy sight gags. The rest of the program provided a kaleidoscope of group movement, bodies interweaving in an energetic celebration that climaxed with the full company dancing to Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca.” Next in the Dance Series: Jennifer Muller, “The Works,” February 9, 2002.

November Concert Update

If you haven’t gone to see one of America’s most powerful roots music bands, Bonepony, then you just haven’t been treating yourself right. Okay, there’s ten thousand bands out there, so big deal, another “great” band is coming through. But imagine a synthesis of techno, rave, bluegrass and rockabilly. They call it “stomp music,” because there is no escaping the pervading beat that starts when the band hits the stage and doesn’t stop until it’s time for them to get back in the van and speed on to the next town- where that beat just starts up again. Bonepony features multi-instrumentalist Tramp (who turned his back on playing with bluegrass god Bill Monroe so he could play music his way,) guitarist Nick Nguyen (who is also responsible for keeping their unique “stomp shoe” going,) and singer Scott Johnson. Johnson is one of the most powerful vocalists I’ve seen in years and is a pretty damned good percussionist as well. What’s best about Bonepony is that the energy level never flags. That could be why they have toured with the likes of Crosby, Stills and Nash, Santana, Blob Seeger and many more. So mark the calendar- Bonepony is returning to town on November 27. They’ll be playing at Avogadro’s Number and the cover charge is only five bucks. Go!

Twelve Cents for Marvin: In 1996, Twelve Cents for Marvin was conceived in Ingersoll Hall at CSU. Originally composed of six students, they released their first album, “Yellow Raincoat,” in September 1998. Twelve Cents began touring and playing shows throughout the state while continually writing new material. This led to their second release, “King of the Ring, released in the Fall of 2000. Voted Best Local band in the Rocky Mountain Collegian for two years in a row, Twelve Cents has developed a strong and loyal following in the region and beyond. On November 10, the group will be celebrating their fifth anniversary with a “true live show extravaganza” including performances from both current and former members of the band. To sweeten the deal, Denver band Judge Roughneck will be opening the show scheduled for November 10 at the Starlight.

Railroad Earth: The Starlight has plenty more coming up: The Big Wu plays November 3-4. Punk progenitors the Misfits celebrate 25 years along with All on November 8. Railroad Earth pulls in on November 9. Fusing traditional bluegrass with rootsy folk and rock influences, Railroad Earth has blasted out of rural western New Jersey (yes, there is such a place) to go from unknowns to playing some of the country’’ most prestigious music festivals- like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival- in much less than a year. Their debut release is “The Black Bear Sessions,”on the bos music label, which features an upbeat, positive sound full of breakneck instrumental speed and soaring vocal harmonies. Call 484-4974 for info.

Aggie Theater: The Aggie Theater is back in business, under new management. On November 3, the Aggie hosts Julian “Junior Gong” Marley along with the Ghetto Youth Crew, featuring Damien and Steven Marley. Leftover Salmon plays the Aggie on November 16. A member of the band has recently been diagnosed with melanoma and while the group has cancelled their upcoming East Coast tour, they will be playing a select few Colorado dates to help with medical expenses. Leftover Salmon will be bringing some special guests along with them, including Peter Rowan, John Cowan and Tony Furtado. Other shows coming to the Aggie in November include Deep Banana Blackout on November 8 and two shows with Roomful of Blues on November 15. Call 407-1322 for information.

In review: On October 6, the northern Colorado music scene was treated to a most unique event indeed. That event was the Front Range Music Expo, a combination music trade show- with plenty of booths featuring instruments, performers and professional services- and a performers’ showcase at the Lincoln Center. Exhibitors included area recording operations such as the Blasting Room and Nightwing Recording, CD manufacturing outfits such as Hapi Skratch Records, local newspapers such as Riff and Rooster Magazine, as well as lots of gear suppliers such as Boomer Music, Ultimate Support, the Northern Rose and many more. The music- featured on two stages- ranged from the electric rock of bands like Nitrain and Nymbus to the acoustic stylings of Cornerstone. My favorite act was a noontime performance by the Michelle Roderick Band, featuring a sultry and dramatic acoustic-based rock. The entire event was organized by White Bird Productions, a new non-profit company dedicated to “promoting music in northern Colorado.” This event not only promoted music, but it also brought the music scene together for a full day of face-to-face camaraderie. Well done!

December Recommended

The “Queen of American Folk Music,” Odetta, will join the Larimer Chorale for a unique holiday concert at the Lincoln Center on Sunday, November 16. “Messiah and Carols” will first feature portions of Handel’s “Messiah” followed by Christmas spirituals sung by Odetta, finishing with a sing-along that promises to add warmth to everyone’s holiday season.

Odetta was born in Birmingham, Alabama and was raised in Los Angeles, where she studied classical music and voice starting at the age of thirteen. After touring with a Broadway show, she landed in San Francisco in the 1960’s and began appearing at popular folk music clubs. Since then she has influenced the careers of artists such as Joan Baez, Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin and established a reputation for singing a widely versatile repertoire including spirituals, blues, jazz, hymns, Appalachian folk and more. Odetta will be joining the Larimer Chorale at the Lincoln Center at 2 p.m. on December 16. Call 221-6730 for information.

More Lincoln Center: The Canyon Concert Ballet will be presenting their annual production of “The Nutcracker” at the Lincoln Center, December 6-9. Also at the Lincoln Center, the Passport Travelogue Film Series continues on December 13 with “Royal England,” by Charles Hartman. Hartman’s latest film highlighting Great Britain covers the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Palace of the Parliament and the Tower of London. Showings are at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Call the Lincoln Center box office at 221-6730 for information.

Art: The Bas Bleu Theatre Company Art Gallery is exhibiting the paintings of Rebecca Riley, from New York, and the photography of Tony Umile, from Longmont, through December. Opening on December 6 at the Bas Bleu will be “Confusions,” by Alan Ayckboum. The Bas Bleu Poetry and Prose Series continues on December 11 with Lisa Zimmerman and Blair Oliver. Call 498-8949 for information.

Other art in December includes “Mirror of the Mind: Contemporary Portraits,” a group show including Frank Born, Alice Matzkin and Stephan Kleinschuster, opening at the Museum of Contemporary Art on December 11. “Colorado Landscapes in the New Age of Discovery” continues at the Loveland Museum through January 6, 2002. Also coming up at the Loveland Museum, a poetry reading with Loveland resident Roger Steigmeier on December 6.

Afterword

December Upcoming Concert Check

On vocalist Nikka Costa’s latest release on Virgin Records, “Everybody Got Their Something,” the music is hot and heavy. Heavy bass and rhythms, that is, with lots of production full of fiery vocal tracks and challenging arrangements. It’s all steeped in funky soul, but producers Justin Stanley, Mark Ronson and Costa turn it into some other kind of slick, electric dance pop music. To feel the heat that this album creates, you can start with the sultry photos of Costa in the packaging. But the music creates much more with twelve tracks of heady, busy sounds. Costa lays claim to show business connections through her arranger, producer and composer father Don Costa, who worked with such notables as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand. Nikka began singing at age five- with Don Ho in Hawaii- and was opening up for the Police by the time she was 8. “Everybody Got Their Something” is certainly the stuff that proves that Costa will be making alluring- and incendiary- music for years to come. Costa will be joining Jessica Simpson, Jewel and the Barenaked Ladies at the Pepsi Center on December 20 for the KISS FM “KISSmas Freedom Bash.”

More music: On the local scene, see Dave Mason at the Rialto Theater in Loveland and acoustic music fusion band Victor Barnes at Avogadro’s Number on December 7. Andrew Holbrook will be at Avo’s on December 8 and Mother Hipps will be at the Starlight on December 11. Gaelic Storm is at the Aggie on December 13 and the Starlight hosts Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise on December 14. Cabaret Diosa is at the Aggie on December 15, the Kotton Mouth Kings are at the Starlight on December 16 and Ahimza plays jazz, rock and folk at Avo’s on December 20. Carol Frazier is at Avo’s on December 23 and the Young Dubliners bring their Celtic rock to the Aggie on December 27. Open Road will be at Avo’s, All and Drag the River will be at the Starlight and Big Black Cadillac will be at Linden’s on New Year’s Eve.

Other shows in the region include New England-based power trio Dispatch at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver on December 7. Sting will be performing at Magness Arena in Denver on December 10, the KBPI “Mistletoe Jam,” featuring System of a Down, Sevendust and Alien Ant Farm, is at the Fillmore on December 11 and Cake is at the Fillmore on December 14. Mannheim Steamroller is at the Pepsi Center in Denver on December 16. Stanley Jordan is at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on December 20 and at the Bluebird in Denver on December 22. Little Feat is at the Fox on December 28. On New Year’s Eve, Big Head Todd and the Monsters are at the Fillmore, Sam Bush is at the Boulder Theater and Sound tribe Sector Nine is at the Fox.

Holiday concerts: The “Queen of American Folk Music,” Odetta, will join the Larimer Chorale for a unique holiday concert at the Lincoln Center on Sunday, December 16. “Messiah and Carols” will first feature portions of Handel’s “Messiah” followed by Christmas spirituals sung by Odetta, finishing with a sing-along that promises to add warmth to everyone’s holiday season.

Other upcoming holiday concerts include a special Christmas concert at the Rialto Theater in Loveland by Fort Collins guitarist Steven Wiseman on Sunday, December 8. Wiseman is the first recording artist to receive the prestigious Artist in Residence Award at Rocky Mountain National Park and the upcoming concert will benefit the Untied Way of Loveland, Berthoud and Estes Park. Showtime is 7:00 p.m. Fort Collins singer-songwriter Lloyd Drust presents a special holiday show, “The Gift,” at Avogadro’s on December 22.

In review: U2. Last April, U2’s first stop in Denver for their blockbuster Elevation Tour provided the band with a tentative victory. Returning to the stage without many of the huge stage settings that had marked the band’s touring in the recent past, the group also seemed to be lacking a certain focus that conjured the kind of intensity fans have come to expect from them. There was plenty of stage excitement and great songs but also a nagging feeling that singer Bono was working in a lower gear and that the rousing aspects of U2’s music had grown cooler. The events of September 11 seem to have changed that.

The U2 that returned to the Pepsi Center for a second sold-out show was a much better band. Seven months after their first show, the set was tighter, cleaner and the musicians had once again found a place where they were not only performing the songs, they had found renewed power in the material. The meaning that is rife throughout U2’s work can be political, as in “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” as well as personal, as in many of the songs on the band’s latest Interscope Records release “All That You Can’t Leave Behind.” Where the two intersect- even by accident, as in the new song “New York”- it provides an experience that not only provides good entertainment, but that long-term resonance that continues to inspire long after the concert is over. U2 delivered in full at the Pepsi Center the second time around.

In review: King Crimson. In Denver this year, fans have been able to take advantage of a feast of King Crimson music. The group performed in the area three times- once at the Gothic in Denver, once at Red Rocks with Tool, and then again recently at the Paramount Theatre in Denver on November 19. To expect a show in the traditional sense- with theatrical timing, multi-media effects and popular songs is to misunderstand the purpose of King Crimson. That is, to create art- sometimes dissonant, oftentimes mindbending in its complexity- out of highly electric rock music. Crimson high priest guitarist Robert Fripp, guitarist and vocalist Adrian Belew, touch guitarist Trey Gunn and drummer Pat Mastelotto delivered fully, covering material stretching back to albums such as “Red” and “Discipline” as well as new stuff from the current “Level Five” EP. Crimson is in the process of recording a new full-length album.

Opening the show was John Paul Jones, of Led Zeppelin fame. Jones moved from electric bass (complete with lights), pedal steel guitar, mandolin and even ukulele to turn in a set that ranged from heavy riff-based instrumental numbers to a sensitive reading of Zeppelin tune “That’s the Way.” What pleased the crowd most, however, were the instrumental versions of “When the Levee Breaks” and “Black Dog,” with Jones peeling off rough-edged leads on the steel guitar. Jones’ three-piece format, featuring drums, stick and Jones worked well as a warm-up for Crimson for an evening of progressive art rock that continued to thumb its nose at contemporary pop.

Carmina Burana- Like You’ve Never Seen Before

The Larimer Chorale has often performed the popular Carl Orff ballet “Carmina Burana.” In fact, the 20th Century masterpiece has become one of the Chorale’s signature pieces over the years. For the group’s 25th anniversary season, however, the Chorale decided to present the work as it was originally intended- with dancers and as a full stage production.

“’Carmina Burana’ is most often done now as a concert piece, but it was written as a ballet,” Larimer Chorale conductor James Brink said recently. “For our 25th anniversary season, we wanted to present music that is of the Chorale’s heritage, but we wanted to do it in a new way- plus the fact that it has never been danced in Fort Collins before.”

For this special October 21 concert of “Carmina Burana,” the Larimer Chorale has teamed up with Impact Dance to present Orff’s vision of human love and passion in the face of fate. The choral group and dancers will be joined on stage by a percussion section and two pianos. The production is expected to challenge listeners with dynamic sounds and engaging ideas.

“In its original form, Orff meant it to be a total theatre experience,” Judy Bejarano of Impact Dance said. “We are creating contemporary choreography for this production. It’s a different approach but we are trying to find the essence of each section. We’re just having a ball because it is such an epic piece of work.”

While most people would probably say they are not familiar with “Carmina Burana,” Brink insists that listeners will recognize Orff’s music from a variety of sources. Recently, for example, Orff’s music was used for a television commercial promoting the Mountain West Football Conference. Other familiar places the music has been used is in films such as “Excaliber” and “Gladiator.”

“Carmina Burana” was inspired by a collection of thirteenth and fourteenth century poems discovered in a monastery in Upper Bavaria. The ballet is divided into 25 sections, with the first and last movements reflecting the human condition on “the wheel of fate.” In between are sections about springtime and love, some of it being as bawdy and rowdy as young men carousing in a tavern. Orff’s work was first performed in Frankfurt, Germany in 1937. The first American premier was held in San Francisco in 1954 and has since been hailed as “one of the most fascinating and delightful works this century has produced.”

“I expect this to be a spectacular performance,” Brink said. “It will be a dynamic memory for anyone that comes.”

The Larimer Chorale consists of 90 singers, all of whom are professionally trained. All the singers volunteer their time, pay dues, buy their own music and concert robe and attend rehearsals every Tuesday evening from September through May. Volunteers contribute over 30,000 hours per year to the Larimer Chorale.

“We’re very appreciative of the level of artistry of the Chorale,” Bejarano said. “They are doing high quality work and we are so happy to be a part of it.”

The Larimer Chorale and Impact Dance’s stage production of “Carmina Burana” is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 21 at the Lincoln Center. Call 221-6730 for ticket information. Next up for the Larimer Chorale will be a holiday concert, “Messiah and Carols,” featuring guest artist Odetta on December 16.

Afterword

For the price of admission- free- there was no better place to rock in northern Colorado than at the two-day Linden Street Live music festival during the NewWestFest, August 17-18. On Friday, the Iguanas opened with their steamy mix of Tex Mex sounds and New Orleans rhythm and blues. Boogie woogie keyboard queen Marcia Ball then took the stage with goodtime swagger. On Saturday, Texas party boy Joe King Carrasco opened things up with his infectious rock- and by jumping into the crowd. Kansas served up their dramatic, progressive rock next, filling Linden Street by 4:00 in the afternoon. The Cowboy Junkies then treated the crowd to a set that began with their characteristic restraint but finally developed into full-bodied electric rock. Blues queen Koko Taylor finished off a great two days of music with raw, barroom blues, her band the Blues Machine churning up the rhythms while Taylor stomped and growled. Thanks to the organizers for giving Fort Collins such a great musical present!