Ian Tyson is a cowboy, sure as Hell. And with Raven Singer, the 78-year-old songwriter’s second album following a near-debilitating throat infection, he makes certain to remind his listeners of just that.For the uninitiated, Tyson began his prolific career as one-half of the folk duo Ian & Sylvia in the early ’60s, penning classic standards… Continue reading Ian Tyson | 'Raven Singer' | CD Review
After 17 years pursuing other passions, Hairball Willie is reuniting for a weekend of shows on May 18th & 19th, 2012. The first show will be in the ‘burbs on Friday at Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora, IL and the second is at Martyr’s in Chicago. The band’s full length studio album Just Defying Gravity… Continue reading Hairball Willie to Reunite for Two Shows in Illinois
Nestled high in the foot hills of the Poudre Canyon, the legendary Mishawaka Amphitheatre rests on the rocky banks of the Cache de la Poudre River. For the past 8 years, the Mish has served as the spring stopping ground for Ft. Collins’ favorite sons. And once again, this Saturday, May 12th, opening weekend arrived.… Continue reading Head for the Hills Open the Mishawaka Amphitheatre
The good folks at the Hi-Dive in on Broadway treated Denverites to a line-up of great music last night. On the bill were three relatively new groups, all having been founded after 2009. More than worth the ten bucks to get in the door! Once inside, we were greeted by the creative sampling sounds of… Continue reading Suckers | Young Man | The Raven and The Writing Desk | Hi-Dive
Unyieldingly pleasant, that’s what it is. Lisa Biales‘ “Just Like Honey” is nearly the perfect companion to a rainy day on the couch, a sunny day in the garden, a road trip or a night on the town. It’s the record’s strength and maybe its weakness, too. That depends when you’ve got the blues.The sixth… Continue reading Lisa Biales | 'Just Like Honey' | CD Review
Boulder was rocked off its ass this week when Social Distortion came through town, bringing with them their infamous brand of rockabilly a la punk rock. Frontman Mike Ness and crew were on hand to deliver the Social D experience, greatest hits and then some. Sporting a fedora like the gangster straight outta the prohibition-era… Continue reading Social Distortion | Boulder Theater | 5/10/12 | Review & Photos
Classic. The word more properly evokes a feeling than a concrete meaning. The meaning would be flatly explained as something from the past that has gained a memorable status. When applying “Classic” to the bluegrass genre a whole new set of meanings and associations surface. Bluegrass is classic Americana. A genre that is wholly American… Continue reading Larry Keel | 'Classic' | CD Review
Yarn is a true workhorse of a band. The Brooklyn, NY outfit plays an average of 200 shows a year and their cohesion as a band is tried and true. On Friday, they brought their alt-country/bluegrass blend to Quixotes in Denver for a two-night run of outdoor performances. The primary vocal duo of Blake Christiana… Continue reading Yarn | Quixotes | Denver, CO | 5/4/12 | Review
As the bartender made his last call, Todd Snider knew his evening with his hero Jerry Jeff Walker was coming to a close. They finished their drinks and slipped out the exit into a still dark night. It was the hour in which a busy city was fast asleep and only the air made a… Continue reading Todd Snider | L2 Arts & Culture Center | Denver, CO | Review
Two and a half months ago, I was fortunate enough to get my first glimpse of Elephant Revival, the Lyons band whose sound is so unique, a reporter coined the term “Transcendental Folk” in an effort to capture it. In my review of that e-Town appearance, I tried to unpack this enigmatic neologism by exploring… Continue reading Elephant Revival | Ogden Theater | Denver, CO | 4/27/12 | Review
