The evening began with promising weather, a balmy 84 degrees cooling to just below 70 as the night progressed. The regular summer rain had just passed, leaving a glowing rainbow in its wake as Christone “Kingfish” Ingram wrapped up his amazing Mississippi blues set. The atmosphere was set for what promised to be a memorable night.
P!NK soared to new heights at the Ball Arena in Denver on Wednesday night, delivering a spectacular show that left the audience breathless. The pop star, who is on her Trustfall Tour in support of her ninth studio album, showed off her incredible vocals, acrobatic skills, and charismatic personality in a two-hour performance that featured songs from her entire career.
Orebolo, the acoustic offshoot of the wildly popular jamband Goose, set up shop at the Boulder Theater last Wednesday and left the capacity crowd in awe. Featuring Rick Mitarotonda and Peter Anspach on guitars and Jeff Arevalo on stand-up bass, the trio presented stripped down versions of Goose songs with a focus on intricate guitar interplay between the two stellar players. The crowd was full of rabid fans, with the line forming hours before the doors opened.
At this point in my concert going career, it’s fairly rare for me to go to Red Rocks to see a band for the first time. A few years ago I saw my first Stevie Wonder show at Red Rocks, my one and only Van Halen show was at Red Rocks and so was my only Lionel Richie experience. I’m sure there have been others but the list is short. So, when The War on Drugs, a band I’ve been chasing since at least 2016, announced their Red Rocks debut I didn’t care that it was a Monday night. I made it my business to get there.
On the final night of the 2018 Wheels of Soul tour, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Drive-By Truckers, and Marcus King Band tore through Red Rocks Amphitheatre with a vengeance. The 22 year old wizard of the blues, Marcus King, kicked things off with his band and damn near brought the house down. The Rocks were nearly full when he started at 5:30 and only proceeded to get more packed as the boy-genius led his band through a scorching set of horn-fueled Blues.
While Telluride Bluegrass Festival is the granddaddy of music festivals in Telluride, The Ride Festival, now in its seventh year, has quickly become recognized for a diverse lineup and past heavy hitters such as Pearl Jam, Beck, and Widespread Panic. This year’s edition leaned a bit more on the jam band end of the spectrum, featuring headlining sets from The String Cheese Incident both nights of the festival.
Saturday night marked the return of the mighty Phil Lesh to the stage of the majestic amphitheater. The lots were full early, and with the near perfect weather and the Cinco De Mayo holiday, it felt a bit like a FESTIVAL! It almost goes without saying that a huge contingent in the crowd were Deadheads, both grey-haired and baby-faced, some of whom may have been in attendance 40 years ago when Phil first played The Rocks with The Grateful Dead.
The line wound well down Colfax long before doors opened on Friday and while it was unseasonably warm, guys were warming up their ladies, and winter finery abounded as fans waited patiently for the doors of The Ogden to open. From 20-something hipsters, to gray bearded veterans of the scene, it was clear that Nathaniel Rateliff’s popularity in Denver doesn’t follow any strict demographic lines and that he delights listeners from all walks of life. What a treat it was to see this powerful band on their home court in the heart of Denver where they have played so many times before.
The Wheels of Soul rolled into Red Rocks last weekend and featured two nights of Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Wood Brothers, and Hot Tuna. Despite some rain early on Sunday, the fans got a healthy helping of Roots, Soul, Rock and Blues that featured more collaborations and covers than anyone could have anticipated. It was a memorable night on The Rocks and one that will likely go down in the lore of the storied venue.
As is usually the case, Colorado has played host to some of the biggest names in music throughout 2016. From classic performers to contemporary pop stars, there’s been some impressive variety showcased all around the state. But one subtle factor that links some of the biggest acts that have come through the state this year is that several of them have songs that are about (or at least inspired by) gambling.