Reviews

On the crisp evening of October 16th, the Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles became a melting pot for two generations of EMO music aficionados. The air was thick with nostalgia, reminiscent of the iconic Warped Tour days. The electric atmosphere intensified as legendary bands The Used and Sleeping with Sirens graced the stage, promising an unforgettable double bill.

I just returned from a Musical Sojourn in Porto, Portugal, a weeklong musical experience featuring ALO’s Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz, Natalie Cressman and Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band and multiple other projects), Nikki Bluhm, members of Greensky Bluegrass, Fruition and Railroad Earth, and many other artists from the extended jam and bluegrass world. This was a unique and intimate event with six days and nights of musical tourism in one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. (The entire musician list is at the end of this article.)

The first time I saw Phish live was at the band’s famed Rupp Area show in Lexington KY, in November 1996. (The Four Horsemen of the Psychedelic Apocalypse unspooled a stratospheric, 25-minute “Bathtub Gin” jam that night which immediately entered Phish pholklore as one of the all-time best versions. As a dazzled, newly-minted Phish convert at the time, I certainly thought so, and it was my first time hearing the song!

Under the mystical glow of the Griffith Observatory, the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles transformed into a haven of psychedelic wonder on the night of October 14th, as Joe Russo's Almost Dead took the stage. This iconic venue, with its amphitheater-like seating, ensured that every note reached the ears of eager fans, turning the evening into an enchanting journey through the Grateful Dead's timeless catalog.

The beauty of music lies in its ability to evoke emotions, memories, and a profound sense of connection. On a night filled with nostalgia and revelation, Pat Metheny, one of the world's most cherished guitarists, took the stage at the Boulder Theater, offering an evening that transcended the barriers of time.

Concertgoers at the Chumash Casino Resort on September 29 were treated to an electrifying performance by the legendary band Foreigner despite the absence of any original members. Yet, the absence of the original lineup was scarcely noticed as the band's current iteration proved their mettle with a stellar show that would rival any with the founding members.

WOW, what a lineup of incredible musical talent the Mighty Mishawaka Amphitheatre presented Friday night at the Poudre Canyon venue. The amount of diversity and talent each musician brought to the stage was staggering on many levels. The uniqueness of this show was that all of the artists know one another and are friends and some of them collaborate together on musical projects. That alone presented a fun family communal vibe on site and magical moments on stage.

At the end of September, with the changing leaves and cool breeze, the solid improv experience that is Eggy brought its colorful array to warm the hearts of Colorado to close out the month with back-to-back shows.

Scott Tournet is best known as the frontman for Elektric Voodoo, a founding member of Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Blues & Lasers, and a producer. On September 9, 2023, he brought his solo act to The Bitter End in New York City, also known as the oldest rock club in the Big Apple, giving his fans an intimate setting for his work. This short but sweet set was full of tasty blues and alternative rock.

Somewhere in the mists of the early 1970s, a prog-rock enthusiast I rubbed musical elbows with for a brief time used to frequent an import record shop here in Cincinnati. In this enticing, below-street-level section of a multi-level downtown bookstore, he would find and retrieve pirate’s gold in the form of albums from emerging British and Euro prog-rock artists. Quite often, they were ones that the adventurous local underground FM rock station had somehow overlooked. Of course, he was also surely reading the British music papers for his inside track.

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