Boulder Theater
This week the stage at the Boulder Theater was eclipsed by the looming shadow of a performer with a gigantic reputation, one who has been in the spotlight for over three decades. Dressed in his signature black jeans and black tee, Henry Rollins took center stage, adopted a rocker-like stance, and firmly wielded his weapon of choice: the microphone. Initially it was difficult hard to behold this lone veteran of guitar rock without a metal band backing him up.
It’s everybody’s birthday at an Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros show, where several dozens of fans are welcome on stage to dance and take over the vocals, more or less, as they are struck with the desire to do so. Among the young hippies, hipsters, gypsies and all other people gathered at the Boulder Theater for the sold out show, the very few not shaking their limbs about were the odd men out.
Zach Deputy brought his creatively branded “island infused, drum ‘n’ bass, Gospel-Ninja-Soul” to the Fox Theatre this week. Part gospel, because he is a disciple in the way of the one-man-band. Part ninja, because his music attacks you with dizzying techniques. Part soul, because whether or not you choose to surrender to his music, your soul cannot escape. Ok, that might not be the meaning Zac
Bob Weir, Chris Robinson, and Jackie Greene have decided to embark on a very special journey together, and will no doubt be a treat for anyone lucky enough to catch this once in a lifetime performance.
With a touring history that has made him one of the most traveled road musicians of all time and a restless music personality that has kept him occupied for over 50 years, Weir knows a thing or two about staying fresh and living in the moment.
In the build up to their five-night run at The Boulder Theater, Yonder Mountain String Band announced that a guest musician would be sitting in with them each evening.
If there were to be a declared “newgrass” hub for the 1990s-2000s resurge of popularity, most would undisputedly agree that Colorado is that place. Sure the great states of California and Oregon have their fan base and head venues, and lets not forget that the Nashville scene is still souring with talent young and old. But all those Nashville folks never miss a single year of Colorado’s Planet Bluegrass Festivals (Telluride Bluegrass, Lyon’s Rockygrass and Folks Fest).
Having lived and worked in Boulder, CO for almost 20 years now, I can’t help but reminisce about how my life has changed since I first moved here from the East Coast in 1992. In July of 2012 I will have officially lived here longer than where I grew up.
Going to a Trace Bundy show is like going to a family dinner that you actually want to be at. The first time I listened to Trace Bundy’s music was in college. A friend had a copy of his “Adapt” CD and I used to play it when I needed to relax. This was the 3rd time I have seen Trace perform.
I first heard of Elephant Revival when I met Bridget Law at a fiddle contest five years ago. She had a magnetic personality and played the fiddle with the best of them, so I made sure to look up her band when I got home. The first Elephant song I listened to was "Ring Around the Moon", and it was stuck in my head for days. Since then I have seen them play many times.
I had never seen Elephant Revival before tonight. And sometimes, ignorance is bliss, and the best way to see a live band. Having no expectations or prior convictions of how a show will sound or make you feel is liberating. After all, music is foremost an innate emotional reaction to rhythms, melodies, and lyrics, and when you have no existing mental model, your mind is forced to make one, which, in its synthesis, is one of the best parts of man’s love affair with music.
