Silver Wrapper, Live Nation and JAM Productions are proud to present THE BIG WEEKEND, three nights of music across five venues in Chicago from Oct 4 – 6. Following the model of a city takeover, the inaugural festival will feature performances from Umphrey's McGee, Lettuce, Emancipator Ensemble, Leftover Salmon, Papadosio and more. Early and late performances allow for multiple venue visits an evening and afternoon surprises with artists are also in the works.

“It’s Tuesday night baby, and we like to party on Tuesday nights!” -Casey Russell, the Fat Tuesday event creator and a master keyboardist for The Magic Beans.

For the past quarter-century, Colorado’s Leftover Salmon has established itself as one of the great purveyors of Americana music, digging deep into the well that supplies its influences; rock ‘n’ roll, folk, bluegrass, Cajun, soul, zydeco, jazz and blues. They are firmly settled in the long lineage of bands that defy simple categorization, instead setting their own musical agenda.

Fresh off the release of their Shapeshifter 1: Construct EP and riding a train hell-bent on metamorphosis, New York’s mesmerizing instrumental quartet TAUK took over Denver’s Ogden Theatre this past weekend, showcasing their unique ability to blend elements of jazz, rock, and funk to captivate the minds of audiences across the country.

The Motet and Dopapod are thrilled to announce a co-headlining Fall Tour.  The two bands will  join forces for twelve shows throughout the months of October and November that will take them all along the East Coast and into the Midwest.  No strangers to collaborating, both bands have sat in with each other numerous times, but this Fall Tour marks the first time both bands will be sharing an extensive bill.

For the second year in a row, Colorado’s own funk powerhouse The Motet headlined Red Rocks Amphitheatre Friday night, this time with a little help from hip-hop hitmakers Jurassic 5 and the California Honeydrops.

If you have not heard of Katharsis yet, consider this your warning to get on the bandwagon fast. This super group is the latest installment of power, brilliance, and diversity of music led by band leader of the Motet and Felabration, drummer Dave Watts.

The Motet started as a band the exact year that I moved to Boulder, 1998. I used to see members busking in the streets or see Jamie Janover playing the dulcimer on Pearl St. entertaining tourists and making a few bucks. Now, Jamie runs one of the most transcendental music festival in the country, Sonic Bloom and plays in Zilla, and the Motet is on a nationwide tour tearing up the country.

“If you book them, they will come,” says the fictionalized, desert dwelling Jim Morrison in “Wayne’s World 2.” Pretty sound advice when you’re booking top end talent like Aerosmith circa 1993 for an inaugural festival, but what about a band that’s never performed together?