Reviews
There’s no doubt Colorado was the place to be this past New Years, and the three-night Umphrey’s McGee run at the Fillmore Auditorium was absolutely no exception. Night two of the stand featured plenty of bust-outs, sit-ins, and surprises that had the exuberant Denver crowd grooving from start to finish.
Music is a ubiquitous part of my life because it has the power to make it better. On countless occasions, it has demonstrated the ability to rejuvenate me when I’m sapped of energy and to will me out of a funk when I’m frustrated or down in the dumps. It even has the power to enliven my spirits for weeks without even yet being heard – anyone who lives for the music knows what it’s like to anticipate a show weeks, or even months, ahead of time.
It was another really cold night in Boulder after night one of an amazing five-night run tradition in the band’s hometown venue, the fabulous Boulder Theater. This band has grown so much in the last decade, and they deserve all the success that they achieve. About fifteen years ago, I was searching for a band to play at my wedding.
Yonder Mountain String Band graced us again this holiday season with a five night run at Boulder Theater. Each night featured a different master musician as a guest for the entire show, and on the third night, December 29, Jerry Douglas, the dobro virtuoso, was our guest star.
In 2012 String Cheese Incident threw their first ever New Years Eve Celebration in Colorado. It was a grand event that left Colorado fans hopeful for another hometown showdown.
Rowdy, raucous, and filled to the brim. That’s how Lawrence, KS rings in a new year. Split Lip Rayfield killed it with a sold-out show at The Bottleneck for New Year’s Eve joined by Granny Tweed and The Sunflower Colonels. With plenty of champagne to go around and barely any standing room, navigating this crowd was a task in and of itsel
The String Cheese Incident celebrated its 20th anniversary as a Boulder band during a three-day New Year’s Eve run at the 1st Bank Center. Out of all the big name jambands that got their start in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I can say with certitude that SCI has evolved the most from its incipient incarnation. On its first night, it opened with a Sgt.
New Year’s Eve 2013 was going to be a special night for the Colorado jamband scene before any notes were even played. String Cheese Incident was about to tie a bow on their 20th anniversary as a Boulder band. Yonder Mountain String Band would soon cap off their 15th year as a Nederland quartet. And for a certain faction of music lovers, recreational marijuana would become legal to purchase at the stroke of midnight.
Last September a devastating “100 Year Flood” about fifty years overdue devastated parts of Colorado, in particular Boulder County. The historic town of Lyons, a beautiful gateway town to Rocky Mountain National Park and precious wilderness was affected worse than most. The St. Vrain River and other waterways turned the town into a riverbed, destroying and displacing many homes and lives. One of the worst hits was the Planet Bluegrass Ranch. Festivarians celebrated their 41st Rockygrass Festival last summer a little over a month later the property was underwater.
