Relentlessly winding upwards along Berthoud Pass, my brain lights up like a pinball machine in action and BAM my thoughts of needing to extol some elder wisdom on my co-hort becomes apparent. The event we are quickly approaching entry into, is unlike most of the "festivals" she has attended in the past. Sure you will find varied eclectic music, artsy wares, heady crystal wraps, camping in beautiful woods, cattle guards to funnel everyone in and out of the venue and lots and lots of PBR (it did win the Blue Ribbon after all), but Sonic Bloom has an unmistakably unique quality few festivals, if any, match up with.

My goal for the weekend was to see each and every second of music. However, that turned out to be a task near impossible. With workshops, yoga, art installations, live painters, human gyroscope, alpine slide and miniature golf, there were plenty of activities for those wanting a distraction from the music to enjoy. Another not so surprising quality of Sonic Bloom is how many "locals" attend. I never felt more than 5 feet away from people I knew well at any time throughout the weekend. To be surrounded by so many people you are acquainted with makes for quite the comfortable setting.

Spending any amount of time in Winter Park is not something I have yet to accomplish. I've known many friends who love skiing there and even have vacation condos, but most of my experience with Winter Park is driving through on my way to Steamboat or some other mountain destination near Rocky Mountain National Park. Not quite knowing what to expect I was surprised to find Sonic Bloom was being held on the actual resort, at the base of the chair lifts and gondola rides. During the day you found dumbfounded families watching the festivarians funnel in and out of the base of the mountain as they came to play miniature golf.

Last year, Sonic Bloom was held on a beautiful Colorado hideaway near Red Feather Lakes. It was a gorgeous property that everyone who attended will agree was meant to host last year's event. Although it was the coldest I have ever been camping, it was still worth the frozen tootsies in the morning. So you can see how from having the first Sonic Bloom at Mishawaka Amphitheater, then a resort near Red Feather Lakes, to a ski resort, we were all pretty spoiled in previous years and immediately I was negative that this venue could not match previous year's.

A sign displaying in large words "FESTIVAL" greet us at the first stop light. Every time I see the word festival I hear very clearly, in my head, Vince Herman, from Leftover Salmon, yelling "Festivaaaaaaal". We oblige the sign and turn into the first parking lot. What is odd is that no one is around. No one is walking the roads; we hear no music, no wooks with their fingers in the air pulling around puppies and certainly cannot determine where the "campground" is. So, in lieu of finding the campground we decide to just drive around the resort and see if we can find any concentration of people who could help us.

Finding the indoor late night music hub was not time consuming at all but did take going through a few barriers that were in place. Just past the Zephyr lodge, right at the base of the gondola is where they have set up a great multi level club style venue for all the late night shows. Which with the weather, turned out to be perfect timing at 11pm, just when it was getting almost too chilly to enjoy being outside.

Many complaints about the late night venue were relayed to me, but I was quite pleased with the set up. Granted where the stage was set up had limited space for everyone to listen, watch and dance, there were so many levels to get lost on and meet people it became an entertaining maze at times. Believe me, actually remembering how to get to the bathroom was like finding a Cracker Jack prize! All too often someone would open the doors to the bathroom level and you would hear jubilant cries of victory.

As I arrived inside late Thursday night, GSP & the Freestyle Movement, from Boulder were finishing their set. What struck me immediately was all the live painters and projection screen computer artists set up throughout the space. As an artist myself, I appreciate and make a point to support event's where collaboration between all sorts of artists and musicians (artists in their own right) are encouraged to come together.

Once checked in for the festival, I decided to treat myself to a Pabst before Pretty Lights came on. Pretty Lights is an amazingly talented duo hailing from Fort Collins, CO. With the release of "Taking Up Your Precious Time" in 2006, they're pushing their way to the forefront of diversified electronic music, with what seems like minimal effort outside of the buzz stemming from their live shows. I can confidently say that the most feedback I heard on any band, from festival goers, was how sick the Pretty Lights set was. Not just their carving of new beats into the audio landscape, but as well their light show and incorporation of the visual artists made this a set to not soon be forgotten.

Although I am somewhat accustomed to staying up all night and partying all day at events such as this, so as I don't miss out on anything hot happening, I felt after the energy of the Pretty Lights show, it was time to retire and find the campground. I was right that I needed every wink of sleep before the rest of the weekend kicked into full warp speed ahead!

Not the best laid out campground site but it worked for the weekend. Flat ground was a hot commodity and you could hear kids around the parking lot the first night looking to trade headies for flat ground to sleep on. When the realization hit us that we were not going to find flat ground in the dark the decision was made to nestle into the front seats of the rental car. Granted we did park by the biggest bonfire of the campground, I was still able to sleep very well that first night.

Day 2 arrives and so do many more familiar faces! Anahata Sound is playing her special blend of what I like to call super silly, highly spiritual, other dimensional music. Anahata Sound is often part of The Fungineers, whom I have seen live before and enjoyed immensely last year at Sonic Bloom. You can't help but be sent into a giggle seizure when you see The Fungineers.

Never having seen Anahata Sound on her own I found it to be quite a treat to catch an intimate daytime set with her and our fellow festivarians. At this time in the day the crowds were still very small as most seemed to be enjoying their time together with one another in the campground.

Sadly, my biggest regret of the weekend happened next. Rena Jones is someone who I have never had the pleasure of seeing create her gift live and I was very much interested in being part of that experience with her at Sonic Bloom. Please, take my advice; she is an artist you want to look into as she is so amazingly diverse and anything but typical. Recently, she has collaborated with ediT, adding her cello and violin mastery to a track on his newest album "Straight Heat" and working with David Phipps of STS9 for a compilation disc "Midnight Soul Drive". For anyone who knows how difficult it is to find reasonably priced classical instruments, please see her website to help Rena fund a new cello she is in desperate need of soon.

For Day 2 the real big buzz was surrounding the Praang compilation, featuring Steve Kimock, Michael Travis, Jason Hahn and Jamie Janover. Many started calling this collection of artists Kimeotover instead, referencing a similar show lineup in Denver in the past year. Throughout most of the Praang set, I felt it lacked much of a backbone, it was very airy and light without a lot of direction. Typical for me experiences of this collaboration. Wait, I should say it lacked much of a singular motivating backbone. I found myself rootless and drifting off into conversation rather than focusing on the creation being had on stage. Perhaps it is because I have seen this lineup several times prior to Sonic Bloom, but for my two cents, I felt it lacked much multiplicity at all, until the very end. The last two tracks they performed were spectacular and satisfied my desire to hear Kimock let loose more. It was less ambient and in the clouds than the rest of the set with more solid substance.

Immediately after Praang ended a local Boulder favorite Jantsen started off with a nasty DJ set that kept everyone engrossed until Lotus came on stage. If you are local to Boulder, Jantsen is the driving force behind the now Wednesday night electronic extravaganza music scene at what was once Trilogy Lounge, now B-Side Lounge, just off of Pearl Street.

Having seen Lotus in the past, but not recently, I was very intrigued to hear what they sound like at the present. For my tastes, unfortunately, they sounded just as they had last time I saw them and I only stayed for about ¾ of their show, which was a lot of effort on my part to stay that long. So so so much of their music is just guitar noodling that is off key I honestly have a hard time listening for long. Now don't get me wrong, Lotus has a huge following who adore their sound, I am just not one of them. If I can't dance to it, I rarely enjoy the music and with Lotus I could not dance to their sound. Plus, they didn't know who DJ'd before them and could not get Jantsen's name correct, which to me is just downright disrespectful.

After Lotus the late night sets started inside. Heavyweight Dub Champion, who as well are local to the Colorado Mountains. Their set was not a disappointment and kept me captivated throughout. After Heavyweight Dub was Vibesquad, the brainchild of Aaron Holstein, who states that he is "dedicated to making music that vibrates positivity, love and light…with ridiculous amounts of bass and a nasty-ass beat, of course." Check out the new Vibesquad ep titled "BASS LOVE" available from addictech.com.

Glitch Mob is a band consisting of Ooah, ediT, Boreta, and Kraddy, all accomplished DJ's and producers in their own right. Their sound is as unique as their name eludes to. Shredding through every, and all, sounds they can get their hands on, their show is something to behold, but admittedly is not for everyone. The aural assault Glitch Mob frequently unleashes to the many unsuspecting citizens in the crowd. I have seen Glitch Mob several times in the past so I only stayed for a few tracks before I retired to a condo party for the evening. Feedback from the show was that it was sub-par, but that Glitch Mob themselves seemed to be having a spectacular time performing!

Aww and finally on to Day 3 of Sonic Bloom, my favorite day musically hands down. I was thankful that even though my sleep was limited the night, er morning, before, I was able to make it to see Sasha Butterfly Rose. During her set, Lynx, also sat in to create a lovely collaboration early in the day between the two female artists.

Saturday was the day that was set up to host a Press Conference where musicians from the weekend would be available to answer questions. With some reservations, I did not know what to expect for this conference but was more than pleasantly surprised to find that everyone on the panel was engaging, forthright and informative with all their answer. Each musician showed their uniqueness with every answer. I would love to translate most of the press conference for you, but alas have not been able to get my hands on either the audio or video. (I do know that MoBoogie.net did record this press conference and I do hope it is available for all to take a gander at sometime soon.)

During the press conference I sadly missed the ediT live PA set, which I had high expectations for. Now after the fact I was able to listen to ediT's set and it was really tight! Granted it was so early on in the day, I wish they would have scheduled him for a sundown set another day.

After the press conference I stumbled upon SubID, a generally two piece outfit consisting of Brad, who mixes, and Alana, one of the most bad-ass sought after bass players. In the collaborative spirit of Sonic Bloom they invited Lane, from Pnuma Trio, to sit in. With Brad putting out some great percussive beats on top of the uber high energy from Lane's drum kit, it made for an interesting SubID set. Part improv, part composed, part electronica, part contemporary, part ambient, and part thrashing hard rock, SubID doesn't just beckon you to listen, they demand it with their sounds.

Halfway through the SubID show, Brad takes the mic and starts speaking about Alana. You come to find out through his story that she is his wife and is four months pregnant. Of course the whole crowd gave a rousing cheer and Alana went on to play some of the most booming bass parts of the whole set.

From a recommendation by a close friend, I knew that Bluetech was someone I should check out. When I took part in the press conference, I was able to meet Bluetech, and he captivated me instantly. Not quite knowing what his sound was akin to, I checked out his show without much prior knowledge so I had no preconceived notions. Hands down, without any doubt, Bluetech put on one of the most beautiful musical experiences I have been a part of, in my life! With the sun slowly setting, the sky starting to streak with hues of pinks and purples set against the blazing blue sky, I found a nice spot off to the left where I had ample space to watch Bluetech. What struck me most about his show was that although the music was not sonically roaring, it encompassed my aural capacity to the max. Some commented that it was ambient but I disagree. Although there are layers of ambient undertones that carry the songs, many of the supporting layers are portraying sounds from some of the deepest recesses of human existence. While you watch Bluetech create these endless layers, he appears to have a unique intensity about his calm delivery. I kept turning around and orientating my view towards the mountains, the trees swaying in the slight breeze with the setting sun, but would be smacked right back into moving my body to the sounds. My eyes wandered to the back of the stage where two young boys were dancing and when I say dancing, I mean these kids were getting down. I thought to myself "Now wait Tawny, if these two are treasuring this moment so much that they are allowing their bodies to move as passionately as they are, I need to recognize and get down myself!" I danced so hard I had little left for the other musicians that night.

The rest of Saturday comprised of Zilla, EOTO, Sonic Bloom Orchestra, Bassnectar, Nosaj Thing, and David Starfire. To be perfectly honest, I was so blown away by Bluetech that I had to leave the immediate venue, went and spent some time on the abandoned chair lifts with a friend an took in the sights and sounds. Zilla did sound amazing though. Having seen Zilla and EOTO more than any other band at Sonic Bloom I can confidently say that the Zilla set was of the highest quality. Aaron Holstein's blistering bass lines were relentless! And the smile on all of them was so precious of a site to see. I find there are few things more amusing in life than watching musicians find that blissed out joyous spot when they know and appreciate the moment they are in creating what they were gifted to create.

To say the caliber of live painters was superlative is an understatement of the highest degree! I was so blown away by the compositions each and every painter created all weekend long. You can see some of the creations as well by viewing the photos and video from the weekend. And of course there were fire dancers, hoopers and performers around every corner.

So the only lingering question in my mind after 2008's Sonic Bloom is, where will it be next year?

Lastly, a huge thanks need to be given as a way of honoring the hard work that Conscious Alliance does. With rising gas prices, it has become difficult for Conscious Alliance to be everywhere they would like to this year. Please continue to support their efforts to feed the hungriest, afterall you get a free poster if you do support them!

I realize more and more every day since the summer of 2008 started, that a sizeable number of people have never been to the Mishawaka Amphitheater, and a good portion of those that have never visited have never even heard about it. Gasp! It is becoming unfathomable to me that people have never heard of what most affectionately call The Mish.

So before I continue, just go. Here is the link to the Mishawaka Amphitheater:  Plenty of good music to kick off Fall. Links to camping in the area are also available on their website; I highly recommend camping at the Ansel Watrous campground.

When it rains in Boulder in the summer, I am overjoyed. I realize some who had diligently made plans for the weekend might be more than disappointed with the moisture. The entire drive from Boulder to Fort Collins was a bit wet, but mainly just from sprinkles. When we arrived at the Mishawaka Amphitheater it was noticeably cooler and as I parked the car it started to rain a bit heavier. Boo for me who didn't bring a rain jacket.

Arriving at roughly 6pm, I thought we would have been greeted by a slew of attendees already in the parking lot. Or my other thought was that because of YarmonyGrass Festival that same weekend the size of the crowd might be smaller than what would generally attend. The second thought was true. For my first time, I saw music inside the restaurant/bar. Sure, it's small. Sure, it's dark. Sure, it's not made to handle live music. But they have Galaga and Ms. Pac-Man, sit down style, arcade machines! Really, that was the only upside. The inside really just is a room off of the bar where they have a small stage and they can set up music. No fancy shmancy lights either. Most of the lights inside came from the three artists who were in attendance. Vort, Chris and M. Garfield. All three of whom I have admired their work for some time. Chris and Vort were working on collaborations. If I remember correctly Vort would lay down the background and Chris would add images in the foreground. I fell in love with an original that had a totem idea behind it.
After a nice quick sound check, Alex B. from Pnuma Trio played a DJ set. From second one he seemed relaxed and very comfortable behind his laptop and mixer. Working hard to fix any audio issues was first and foremost but eventually he caught his groove and the usual influx of bodies hearing the music from outside started to flood in. The whole set I really enjouyed and did not leave once to go outside on the patio. I really like Pnuma Trio, and really love Pnuma Duo and now think Alex B.'s DJ sets will only get sicker. He has a knack for picking interesting combinations of beats and sounds that don't sound familiar. I like that, I like that a lot. All too often DJ's get repetitive and it comes out sounding stale. Only twice he dropped a few beats into accidental silence for a second, but he'd smile and get everyone going even more.

After Alex B. was EOTO, Michael Travis and Jason Hann. As they are fine tuning their instruments I decide to head outside to the car. To my dismay of course it's freaking raining. Finally I borrow a far too oversized waterproof ski jacket so that I can spend time with my friends down by the river. The river at The Mish is quite something else, this time was especially distinct because of the music being inside you could hear the river rippling by much more clearly.

EOTO has worked tirelessly on the road this past year playing a huge variety of festivals. Previously, I've felt as though many EOTO shows sound too similar. For live music, again, what I enjoy is not the same show over and over just slightly reworked; I enjoy a show where it is completely different from the time before. Within five minutes of EOTO starting two friends both came up to me and asked "Is this what EOTO sounds like now?" Both were pleased that EOTO sounded different, liked what they were hearing and stayed inside to listen to the show for the majority of set. Great crowd that was getting down every second.  Overall, very good EOTO show, I thought Michael Travis did an amazing job switching between the keyboards, laptop samples, loops, and guitar/bass. What struck me the most was the live recorded audio he would use. Most of the samples sounded as if he were doing what I know to be a sort of tabla language. And as always Jason Hann is just a machine! Albeit machine that constantly finds smiles and laughs onstage.

Vibesquad, aka Aaron Holstein, was last to go on to close the night out. I've not seen Vibesquad for what I believe to be quite some time so was really looking forward to this set. He takes the stage with a huge smile, hugs Travis and Hann and gets busy working people into a funk. I'll admit I listened to the majority of his set from outside, it drizzled off and on but was just so beautiful and being I could still hear the music I kept rotating spots on the patio and then down under by the rocks. There is absolutely something to be said, at least in my view, for nice, wet, damp moisture filled nights. I guess that is something I miss living in dry Boulder! What struck me is how Vibesquad really had the crowd into the show. He was participating more than any other artist getting down himself behind his table. It's really a treat to see this man perform, he exudes bliss!

The night ends a bit abruptly and a few head down to the island, where there is once in awhile camping available after concerts. I say goodbye to a close friend who is moving to the Dominican Republic in a few short days and then settle in on the rocks down against the riverbanks to waste the hours, appreciating how much I love The Mish.

I'm blessed to have a solid group of friends who love live music, generally as much as me. There is little in life I find more enjoyable than watching close friends I've taken to a new group or artist turn and give me that look of excitement and say "Wow, you were right! These guys are amazing!" This look and this line happened more than a handful of times at the latest New Mastersounds show at the Fox Theater up on the good old Hill in Boulder, CO. "I know, I told you so!" was all I could quip back, with a grin.

I truly love all four gentlemen of the New Mastersounds; I can call them the tag of gentlemen because of a meeting with them after a show a little over a year ago at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom, in Denver.  It really is true that you don't find many artists as genuine, who are as ridiculously talented as these four British lads.

Hello, my name is Tawny, and I am a Funk-Aholic. I love funk, and I love 1970's style funk. Nothing gets my booty wiggling quicker than a fat jumpy bass line, some jazzy drums, and soulful keys alongside ripping guitar riffs. What sets the New Mastersounds apart is how they meld their immense knowledge of music with their imposing talent then adds a dash of something modernly retro that results in a sound that is new and fresh.

Eddie Roberts, guitarist and retro fashionista of the group, grabs my attention with his stylish suit and white loafers and a rather lovely 1965 Gibson 330 guitar, which he often plays with tambourine in hand. His charisma really does ooze from every orifice. His sound is almost loopy I guess is one way to describe it, he takes you up and then boom loops ya just as quickly back down. Sort of like a rollercoaster, but with more fluidity.

I'm a big fan of Hammond organs; their sound is so deliciously vintage. Now pair that with what is called a suitcase Rhodes amp, you have me in keyboard heaven! Delight is an understatement on how I was feeling when I saw that is what Joe Tatton would be playing that night. You really cannot get more of an old school sound than with that setup. (I am just glad I didn't have to cart that from merry old England!)

Out of all the entire lot, Pete Shand gives off the coolest demeanor. Standing confidently with his bass he stands ready and determined. His hands and fingers glide effortlessly along his strings, all along his feet are bouncing his body to the beats.

Now, drum roll please, there is Simon Allen. This man isn't merely a drummer; he is a gob of goody candy sent from heaven. Ok ok so I might be just a tad biased, as I find Simon more than intoxicating. Like most of the band, this man is a work horse, but does so with varied facial expressions that one cannot tell if he is having a seizure, thinking deeply about his next beats, or if he's merely enjoying himself so much he is losing control of some of his bodily functions. I suppose we may never know until I am able to speak with him in person.

Right away the show starts off with a sizeable crowd for a mid-week Fox show. Even with school just starting, I am surprised at how much of buzz there is for the band to get on stage. Also, what strikes me is that the crowd at the Fox ranges greatly in age. I saw people from age 21 to age 61. The older the fan, the quicker they got their boogie!

Song after song after song the New Mastersounds commanded the attention of everyone in the house. Brow full of sweat, I wondered if they would be so kind as to give the audience a set break. I was exhausted from getting down by the time they exited the stage. Making my way outside I realized just how excited so many people were to be seeing them for the first time. My friends with gushing with gracious comments for bringing them along, although it was with a bit of coaxing I did so.

I find it difficult to write a song by song review of this show because honestly, each song was just as solid as the one before. All four of these musicians are top notch; they never miss or drop a beat, at least not by my ears standards. The frenzy they work the crowd into is unbelievably refreshing, as well as their down to earth personalities. I guarantee you that not a single person walked out of there without having a stupendously great time.

Please, I beg of you, do yourself a favor and check out the New Mastersounds, especially if you can live. Not all that often do they travel to the United States, but when they do generally they try to schedule a few dates in a row. Their shows are almost always very reasonably priced, at interesting venues that showcase great live music, so you have little to stand to lose if you don't care for them. Plus, you can personally blame me if you don't care for them, but at least you can then say you've given them a listen.

September 4th, 2008, Boulder Theater

Family. Joyfulness. Community. Gettin' Down! These five words completely detail, although briefly, the majority of my experiences from the past Sound Tribe Sector 9 weekend.

Thursday started with a burst, instead of a bang. Arigato to open grabbed many's attention and people quickly filed into spots they would more than likely stay in for most of the set. With the vocal sample right in the beginning, Arigato is a recognizable song for even new fans. Rarely do I feel this song is boring, I always get down and am forced to listen intently to how they spin the song each time around. This night I felt as though the synth lines were replaced by actual "Beam Me Up Scotty" type of sounds. Were there lasers waiting to take me to the mothership I could conceivably have wondered. Instead it should be more along the lines of "Beam Me Up Yoko" With all the vocal samples there is a certain Japanese NASA feel to the song, obviously the title makes sense. The slow groove moves seamlessly into Monkey Music. Which builds and builds and builds and drops. Drops into a beautiful Ramone and Emiglio tease!

This whole show was full of jams. Full of risks from what is a lot of improvisation. Some risks were blunders sure. Improv jams are as Christmas gifts to me, you never know what is coming on the inside of that neatly wrapped package, but almost always you get at least one gift you want. And then some of the packages aren't so neatly wrapped, maybe with some brown grocery bags but still it's a gift and you smile politely and say thank you. I felt that way because even though many of the jams seemed a bit off kilter and even off key, the builds and drops were enjoyable and engaging.

Even though Phipps was laying on heavily the synthy sounding keys, there seemed immense time spent playing the very realistic piano sounds. Murphy appeared to be putting a lot of intention into his performance and was getting down with not only the crowd but other members of the band. Velmer of course was mesmerizing to many in attendance. Watch the crowd in front of Velmer sometimes and you will notice their gaze is transfixed on him, almost as if in a percussive trance! Hunter during Grow was nearly flawless, grabbing the main hook line perfectly. My only complaint is Grow felt really slow. Lerner the whole way through, as usual, added just what was needed from the percussions he brought along, usually helping to control the tempo seamlessly in those between jams.

Right as F. Word started my friend grabbed me and said, "This is my chance, I've never been anywhere close to the stage at a Tribe show, come up with me since you wanted to take some pictures!" Not wanting to be that girl who just pushes her way straight up front, I relented and followed her straight to the front left of the stage, a few feet behind Phipps. Standing that close to the band was something else. Normally I settle in happily, fairly far in the back with a large group of friends.

F. Word lagged until the very end but going straight into Peoples had the crowd gettin down all sorts of dirty! Mmmm Peoples. Great song done well this night, certainly not best ever but good version for certain. Generally I feel there is a harder, jumpy edge to this song; I didn't feel that this night. Granted at almost 12 minutes it also didn't keep everyone interested.

Ending with a Surreality> EB with an old friend rapper invited to join in, Scotty. I don't dig rap generally so even though it was latent in the encore, honestly it wasn't that bad. I've definitely heard worse rappers trying to get down with Sound Tribe. St. Andrew's Hall in 2004 I left the Sound Tribe Sector 9 show before set break because of all the rappers, just not my thing. This time I stayed through the whole song.

This night was filled with so many close friends, all of whom I am fortunate were able to make it to the show. Being Boulder has been my home for over four years, I feel fortunate to have venues like the Boulder Theater to have some of my most cherished musical experiences at. Not to mention I knew I had two nights at Red Rocks to look forward to.

Walking back to the Yellow House with the ROYGBIV crew (see group photo), I grabbed another hoodie and decided to trek over to the late night show at the Fox Theater. Most of my friends were most excited to hear STS9 play that weekend. My friend Backpack, who is as well an STS9 fan-boy, was absolutely most excited to see the rare appearance of the Eliot Lipp Live Band at the Fox Theater, featuring Eliot Lipp, Alex Botwin of Pnuma Trio on bass and Lane Shaw of Pnuma Trio on drums. Opening the show this night was Flying Lotus and Pnuma Trio.

Flying Lotus was dark, loud, repetitive and murky, to the point where I didn't enjoy what I was hearing and left several times to venture outside. Pnuma Trio was really good, but again I just have a hard time getting into how their keyboardist fits into their sound. I've said it once, I'll say it over and over that Lane is one of my favorite drummers. To try to put the airy, almost too classical sounding keys alongside him just does not work for me. That being said, please their new CD is still the heat, give it a chance and check it out. Dominic from The Motet and David Murphy from STS9 both sat in for one song during the Pnuma Trio set.

The Eliot Lipp Band certainly did not disappoint and best part was that most of the crowd stayed til they took the stage which had to be roughly 3:30am. Now I've seen some bright light rigs in my day, but wow wee the lights they had set up at the Fox this night were BRIGHT! I posed a question to my friend "Am I getting old, or are the lights getting brighter?" Best part was there was a large display of gigantic crystals in the front middle of the stage which kept reflecting all the colored lights behind the band.

Eliot Lipp I feel can lay down some of the sickest drum and bass beats to add to his perfectly timed synth parts. I wondered before the show what would happen with Alex and Lane, if there would be a clashing of sorts. There certainly was no clashing, but rather it left Eliot to focus even more intently on what he was working on, freeing up his creative space. Alex and Lane fit in seemingly very comfortably. When I've seen Eliot Lipp live in the past, I always thought he was one of the hardest working DJ's, always fiddling with this or that knob or pushing this or that button. Even with two others backing up his sound, he still seemed very hard at work and concentrated to fill our audio realm as fully as possible.

Exiting the Fox I was very very tired and looked forward to crawling into bed. "Woah, two more nights huh?" I said out loud. "Yep, two more nights!" they replied.

September 5th, 2008, Red Rocks Ampitheater

Please forgive my review from the get go if it is less focused on the music of this evening. I am blessed to be the mother of an amazing four year old boy, Judah. He actually enjoys STS9's music and was awaiting the Friday Red Rocks show for months. For the two weeks prior he would go to school and to friend's houses reminding them he gets to see "Sound Tribe Nectar 9 at Red Rocks!" With coordinating outfits all ready, we arrived with many friends at Red Rocks early so he could experience the whole night.

Parking in the south lot, we first ventured over to the Worland Warriors Bus, where DJ Blueberry Muffin was spinning. Spinning on top of the bus no less to a sizeable crowd below sure impressed Judah. Making our way through the crowd without being stopped every few people proved difficult. Every group of more than two people wanted to stop high five and pound it out with Judah before moving along. Judah was delighted to stop and confidently tell everyone about his excitement for the evening.
Now Red Rocks has a policy that generally everyone aged 2 and up has to pay for a full priced ticket for admission into that night's show. Although I had previously purchased a ticket for myself for the evening, I had forgotten to buy one for my son. All night Judah walked around with his finger proudly in the air asking nicely "Anyone have my extra, please?" Thankfully we were all able to secure tickets and hurried in, catching the end of Talib Kweli.

All parents please know that even in some of the back sections of Red Rocks the music is loud for young ears and could easily be damaging. Please protect them with earplugs every time! Even though Judah does not enjoy wearing his, he understands it is for the best and knows it is just too loud to enjoy the music if he were not wearing them.

As STS9 took the stage I looked all around me. Every angle I saw another face of someone who I can proudly call family. I've found to connect with my son it is important for me to share moments where I feel intense times of joy, and being at Red Rocks with so many people I cherish is certainly joyful. Add on top of that I am able to get down with the get down with everyone to one of my favorite bands, added joy points! To look over at Judah, see him boogieing with all my close friends was almost too much for me, I truly felt blessed. Both of us could not have felt more welcome and more loved by the community this night. This show was not even half sold out, which made it easier for me to navigate the crowd with Judah and find space for us.

Mindfullness and respect from everyone around us that a four year old was in their midst went on throughout the night. The most common comment was "I wish my mom would have taken me to Red Rocks when I was four!" Friends kept taking turns holding Judah on their shoulders so he could see the stage and music being created.

To a mother's delight, Judah immediately recognized Somesing, from when we listened to it recently at breakfast and was very excited! He even had a special dance for this song all planned out. The dance I thought made him look as though he was being stung by a jellyfish. He grabbed a friend's hand who was not dancing and said loudly "Come on let's dance!" His energy certainly permeated throughout most around us, making for a jubilant bunch.

During The Rabble, Judah and I started making our way further towards the top. As there was more room to move up top and so he could see the beautiful view of Denver below. He was impressed and commented that the houses look "like little stars on the ground." From that angle, they certainly do.

Dancing all the way until set break, Judah promptly fell asleep in Row 41 as Flying Lotus started. Quickly, friends started to gather around, some to help create a bit of a barrier to make sure Judah was not disturbed in his sleeping state. It was sweet how people were protective of him and nice for me to have others to dance with while Judah rested. Oddly enough, he slept rather comfortably, not waking until Instantly, GLOgli and Rent, three highlights musically of the Friday show for me. He woke right up, looked at me, said "Mama, time to dance right?" I said, "Oh yeah little man!" And dance we did!

Other highlights were One a Day with it's incredibly twitchy hook. Not the best Lo Swaga, but I still enjoy the hell outta this song, sorry Lowdown kids, I know how many of you feel about this song, and I just disagree. Admit it, when they do it right, they get everyone moving with Lo Swaga. Plus again it is a fairly commonly played live song so more recognizable for the newbies.

All in all, this night was musically my least favorite, but while I say that I have to admit the focus on this night was less on the music than it was on the community. People were skeptical about taking a four year old to an "adult" show at Red Rocks, but I was strong in my conviction to take Judah. The scene, the people, and the music did not disappoint. Everyone was very conscious, welcoming and friendly, many taking the time to introduce themselves and meet Judah and find out why he was there.

On our way back to Boulder, Judah and I stopped at my favorite gas station in Golden. Usually, the cashier will give me a free doughnut. Tonight he was so excited to see my young companion that he gave us not one but two free hot dogs and a whole box of doughnut holes for free! Can you imagine the look on both of our faces when he said we could have them for free, smiles from ear to ear. As we sat eating we talked about the show and Judah asked "Mama, when can we go see Sound Tribe again?" I replied with a sigh, "Let's hope soon."

Tucking Judah into bed, I got right back into the car and drove down to the Gothic Theater in Denver for the late night show. I arrived just as Simon Posford was taking the stage. The show was very sold out and there were no tickets to be had. Thankfully a close friend of mine who is a live painter was able to get me inside for the second half of Posford's show. It appeared as though a sizeable number of the crowd had left already to go home and sleep from the long day, night and early morning. Posford was in the midst of putting on a great show. Those still there at this hour were free to get their freak on! And freak they did....right up until curfew when hopefully everyone was able to get home safely. Many party buses were available throughout the weekend for those not wanting or not able to drive themselves.

September 6, 2008, Red Rocks Ampitheater

Perhaps from pushing my body to its limit the two days prior, but Saturday I woke up thinking I would be unable to attend that night's show. Coughing, sneezing and just wanting to sleep I thought seriously I might not make it. Pumping myself full of vitamins and some nutritious food I made the trek to Morrison. Upon arrival the Will Call and Ticket Purchase lines were out of control! There seemed to be more people in line than in the lots. Without even batting an eye, knowing if I didn't do what I did next I would miss the first few songs, I cut the line and obtained my photo pass for the night. I couldn't think of missing my opportunity to take photos up close for the first time at Red Rocks.

Parking the car in the south lot it was noticeably very empty. People later spoke of security parking people in the north lots and on the lower roads, perhaps to keep people from partying too hardy in the south lot, I'm not certain.

Peaceblaster, the newest STS9 album released this summer, was guaranteed to be featured more these three nights. Six songs from Peaceblaster were played Saturday night, showcasing how some of these new and sometimes very dark songs sound like live. Although still very shadowy and ominous at times, I enjoyed all six much more live versus their studio counterparts. However, that being said, a 15 minute Shock Doctrine was just silly, far too extended of a version.

Saturday also saw many friends of mine attend their first STS9 show. It is always a pleasure to take someone to either their first show of whatever band we are seeing. The theme of the night was sparkles and everyone jumped on the bandwagon and wore their sparkliest outfits, save for our friend who was Elvis. Many I suppose find our love of dressing up and getting into themes/costumes absurd, but I can say this, if it makes even a few people smile for even a minute, we've met our goal. Plus, admit it, we look good doing it!

Closing the weekend out with a Baraka created a mixed reaction from me. Yes, I love this song; however it is too slow of a weekend closer for me. I wanted one last song to rage to before bidding adieu to the five-some.

Wow, I'm really hungry I thought as we all exited Red Rocks. Next stop was most definitely the Denver Diner. Although I can enjoy Bassnectar, I've seen him enough to know it was ok to miss part of his set to nourish my body. Eggs, sausage, crispy hashbrowns and a plate of biscuits and gravy that was the size of the table did me very nicely. With full tummy we made way to the Gothic Theater.

Waiting anxiously I was ecstatic to see the lineup for the Conspirator show. Brownstein and Magner from Disco Biscuits were joined onstage by David Murphy of STS9 and to my surprise Lane Shaw of Pnuma Trio. What a show! I've seen Conspirator several times, of course with a different lineup in the past, and was never impressed. I always felt as though I was trapped in a Zelda game.

This show blew me away from beat one and I couldn't stop dancing no matter how tired my body was trying to tell me I was. Talk about high quality untz untz dance music, this was it, and better yet it was being created live right in front of our faces. At the end they took a few minutes to put together a completely improvisational track, which I loved every second of!

Many people were too tired to even stand at this show and thus were sitting anywhere they could which led to flow of traffic issues inside the Gothic and just in general I felt very crowded and too hot. After all, again it was a sold out show. Euphonic Conceptions hit another home run with their late night lineups.

Stagnant hot air from so many people inside and easy access to water was issues that could have been addressed more thoughtfully. Eventually I found a pocket near one of the side doors where a breeze was being let in, allowing me to lower my body temp a little so I could keep dancing into the wee hours of the morning.

I certainly won't miss another Conspirator or Disco Biscuits show for that matter anytime they come to Colorado! This Conspirator show blew me away. At first I'll admit I was a little bummed that the very special guest was Bassnectar, but once Conspirator started I didn't care in the slightest.

Making the drive back to Boulder, I thought to myself how fortunate I am to have access to the music and the community here in Colorado. Thank you to everyone who was part of this weekend! Namaste.

Check out more photos from the show.

The 1st Annual Tatanka Music Festival happened recently at the oh so beautiful Boulder Reservoir, just north of Boulder, Colorado. It was my pleasure to be on site both days to document a bit of what went down for the inaugural event.

Starting our Saturday off, it was decided by the group to take advantage of all that the festival had to offer, so we walked over to the Boulder Theater to take the Basics Fund shuttle bus out to the festival grounds. We were greeted with a friendly hello, then promptly after we boarded the bus, we left downtown Boulder towards the North East. This bus was a free shuttle that ran very often, we never had to wait more than a few minutes for a bus to show up and take us to where we needed to go, which is obviously very convenient (and eco-friendly).

Immediately arriving on site we were met by the Ticket tent. With our appropriate wristbands we walked down to the entrance. Security was very relaxed, they checked our bags, I am not sure for what and smiled and let us in. The army of porta potties lined the entrance to the sandy beach where both stages were located. Zero Hero was on site with their recycling and composting stations to help make the event as eco-friendly as possible.

For weeks leading up to the festival the talk with most people I knew was, "How many people will really show up on Saturday?" Most felt the lineup was more than weak and wondered who would pay the money to see bands scheduled on Saturday, when most spoke of only wanting to hear who was playing Sunday. After all, Boulder and Denver can boast having some of the best musical acts come through on a regular basis, so there are always high quality choices vying for our dollars.

It was sad when we all walked in and with gaping mouths realized we were literally 10 of the 35 people there, at the time. Of course this does not include those running the booths, security guards, wonderful trash picker uppers and those pouring the adult beverages. I really was disappointed to see the low turn out. Being as a lot of the people I wanted to be there, were there, in a selfish way, it was okay, even nice. As the day went on more people filtered in so by the time Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk went on stage, there was a sizeable crowd'.

When Tatanka was first announced, numerous friends of mine were ecstatic that The Disco Biscuits were on the lineup. The Disco Biscuits are a national touring band who are significantly popular here in Colorado, but unfortunately do not play more than once or twice a year in the state. All of these friends will tell you vehemently that it stated The Disco Biscuits were slated to play both days of the festival. Many went out and bought two day passes, plane tickets and hotel rooms in anticipation of this. When the final lineup and schedule was announced it showed that The Disco Biscuits would play just one day and for only two hours. You may be able to imagine their frustration. Whether this was a misconception on my friends' part, or because of slow ticket sales, perhaps pesonal commitments or what have you, I cannot say for certain. Having already purchased their tickets all still attended both days and in their words:

"I'm stoked. Haven't seen Biscuits in awhile."

"Can't suck too bad, right?"

Highlights Saturday were the Isaac Hayes Tribute Band and Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk. The Isaac Hayes Tribute Band was comprised of members from Papa Mali and Galactic (who played the Fox Theater in Boulder the night prior). Whether you think of him as Chef or Shaft, you can't deny how downright funky Isaac Hayes' music is. Although I haven't heard anyone who can replicate perfectly his voice, this lineup did a fantastic job embodying the funkiness of his music. Stantan Moore, as usual, executed his role on the drum kit perfectly. That man must have a PhD, in Drum-ology! Ya dig?

Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk knows how to throw a party onstage! At the end of their set they invited a handful of women on stage, a few whose birthday it was, to get down with them. Suddenly the whole stage was filled with women, of all ages, 4 years old to 64 years young, dancing their little booties off! All of the musicians were getting such a kick out of seeing their fans boogie with them on stage; their smiles were as the saying goes, ear to ear.

The biggest disappointment of the afternoon was the set by Todd Park Mohr, of Big Head Todd and the Monsters. Now, by saying I was disappointed you might think I was unhappy with his performance. That is not necessarily the case, I just feel it was poor timing to have him play at the time of day he did. The style of music was acoustic and mellow, singer/songwriter type covers and tunes which would have been perfect for an earlier day set for people to lounge on the beach and enjoy. Instead we went from a bumping Dumpstaphunk set to an overly mellow Todd Park Mohr set, it just didn't flow. Again, I feel this was very poor scheduling on the festival's part.

Honkytonk Homeslice Electric finished off Saturday's music at the Reservoir. String Cheese Incident fan as I am, I looked forward to hearing a few familiar songs. What struck me as unusual was that I enjoyed this lineup as electric far more than acoustic. The songs were generally slower paced than how they are played with the String Cheese Incident, but still enjoyable to sing and dance along to.

A late night show was held at the Boulder Theater featuring Aron Magner and Allen Aucoin of the Disco Biscuits, Billy Nershi and Michael Kang of String Cheese Incident, members of the Motet, and many others. This lineup was an Everyone Orchestra show, and for those unfamiliar with these shows there is a conductor who stands up front and directs the musicians throughout the show. I've seen many Everyone Orchestra shows and this one was quite typical, lots of yummy jams, some that went places and others that would take too long to fizzle out. What I love about these shows, is everyone gets to shine, and not just once, but many times over. Each musician is given solos, so to speak. All in all, fairly enjoyable show. For once it was nice to be at the Boulder Theater, at a show that was not completely sold out. Plenty of room to boogie around was such a pleasure!

The buzz for the whole weekend was on Sunday and specifically the Disco Biscuits set. Right upon entering it was evident more people were in attendance with many more coming. The parking lots had people mulling around, it almost looked like a real lot scene. Some wraps or shirts or hoops were being sold here and there but not too many vendors in the lot. Security again, as we walked in, was relaxed and very friendly.

Highlights Sunday musically were Rose Hill Drive, The Motet and The Disco Biscuits. Something else to point out about Sunday was there were many more visual artists in attendance adding to the ambiance.

Boulder Reservoir has numerous areas to walk around so after seeing a bit of Octopus Nebula I went on a small walk with a friend. Upon returning I hear thundering rock and roll only gods could create. To my surprise it was locals Rose Hill Drive. With long flowing blond hair flaying about as they thrashed their instruments, the sounds they produced were pure, unadulterated ROCK! I almost still can barely get the sound of their thwapping bass out of my head! Oddly reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, The Who, Black Sabbath and other rock and roll greats from the past, they put me into a head banging frenzy!

Although The Motet is local and I am fortunate to have the option to see them play, in some lineup form or another, fairly often, their set at Tatanka impressed me. With a few special guests in tow, their stage was full with musicians who put my butt into quite the wiggle. At times jazzy, at other times samba-esque and then funky, they can span a large range of musical genres proficiently.

During The Motet more and more people were arriving and the crowd doubled in size. The weather for much of the afternoon looked as though it was going to rain, but never did. It was again another very pleasant and mild day to see live music next to a beach! In Colorado no less.

*drum roll please* finally it was Disco Biscuits time! Since I last saw The Disco Biscuits full lineup in Vail early this year, I have anticipated seeing them again. Having seen a Conspirator show recently, renewed my musical zeal to see the full lineup. Did they disappoint? Hell no! Not in the slightest.

09/28/08 Boulder Reservoir

M.E.M.P.H.I.S.> Crickets¹> Shelby Rose, Crystal Ball, Rockafella, Story Of The World> Air Song²> Story Of The World, Magellan

¹ middle section only
² inverted

24 minute 'M.E.M.P.H.I.S.' starts it off. Gives the song time to encompass so many grooves. Early on, the untz untz vibe takes over to my thanks quickly after that sort of garage band punk shouting with your fraternity brother vocals, or reminiscent of Widespread Panic vocals, that is their vocal portion. Straight on from the untz to heavy metal thrash right into a sort of John Tesh, smooth light radio groove right into a super funky 80's esque dance groove with Brownie just pounding in the bass line. I can't not love this song because even though I might not care for one or two parts of it, it's 24 minutes long and where they are able to take the song, in an auditory sense, has me absorbed in the performance.

Right from the start 'Crickets' makes you want to get stretched out and ready, start jogging in place and just ready for something. It's energetic and fast and building. 'Shelby Rose' was pretty, bouncy and perfect for the time of the setting sun. During 'Rockafella,' I enjoyed the lyrics and singing far more than I have in the past. Nice change of pace for me. 'Story of the World' sandwich with an 'Air Song' middle was too stretched out for me and I became disinterested at times. Rounding the butt of the sandwich, this 'Story of the World' had a pep or liveliness to it the first part did not. Everyone was really getting down!

Dancing around the crowd you would notice the pockets of people dressed in costumes or themes, the most flagrant being the group with the coconut tree, astronaut, space monkey/traveler, purple Tele-Tubby and a girl with a unicorn if I remember right. That being said, tor the most part, the acceptable dress for men was a shirt, many with a baseball jersey, cargo shorts and flip flops. For as fluffy as some of their music may be, Disco Biscuits attract some manly men! Costumes are NOT their thing. However, breaking gender rules, neckties seemed to be a favorite only with the women this night.

Prayers of thanks and other blessings were said as a final parting by those of Native American decent, who were much honored to have the event take place. I listened and gave my attention and positive thoughts of intention into what they were saying. It was nice to say thanks at the end of the night, as I was thankful.

Walking back to the bus, we see our friend who has asked if we would like a ride back with him. We hang out in the parking lot for a little while, catching up with friends. While leaving we see people being good about picking up trash and feel glad as the beautiful grounds were not trampled on too harshly.

Honestly, I walked into the Boulder Theater this night expecting to hear more of a hip-hop show, which certainly was not the case. Although there were influences of hip hop, and with the keyboardist running a live audio editing software, perhaps Ableton, to me it came off as a classic rock sound. But, I was not even slightly disappointed! Mama’s Cookin’ delivers a sound that borders on replicating classic rock, think Zeppelin mixed with The Beatles, but with a modern flare.

More and more, the concerts I attend in the area have crowds that are close to capacity for the venue. Generally, this is perfectly fine with me, I’ve become accustomed to being shuffled, pushed and spilled upon. This night as I walked into the Boulder Theater, it was so refreshing to have room to move and boogie. The tables were even set up to have people casually sit at!

Unable to make it in time for the opening acts, I was fortunate to arrive just as Mama’s Cookin’ were saying their warm hellos to the crowd. Having previously resided in Boulder, this band certainly has a following. All night they were interactive with the crowd, talking to them, responding to song requests and stating they were playing certain songs for certain friends (especially a crew that flew in from Memphis).

Lights, smoke, fog, and lasers made for an even more entertaining stage show. What really caught my attention was guitarist and vocalist Zebuel Early’s charisma, something along the lines of Neil Diamond. Bass player Steve LaBella had quite the groove going on from all his bouncing and boogying all over the stage! His thundering, yet snappy bass lines fit in well with the other musicians. All the way in the back was very competent and driving drummer Mike Adamo, who was more of the man moving about in the shadows for the evening. Lastly, but not least was keyboardist extraordinaire Eric Matlock. From my perspective, Eric is really where more of the hip-hop influence comes from. Don’t get me wrong though, although he has a modern sound, he can lay down some really vintage piano-esque parts to complement to classic rock feel.

Through originals and covers, song after song they nailed it! As the crowd grew larger, they flipped on the lasers and silhouetted Mr. Early at the front of the stage. Segueing perfectly from an original into The Beatles' “Come Together” was a highlight musically of the evening. I was struck by how I really enjoyed their version of “Come Together”. I’ve listened to The Beatles all my life, both my parents being rabid fans, but this version sounded new and original. If I hadn’t known the song from its immense popularity, I really would have thought it was one of their originals.

Having moved from Boulder, CO and now residing in Lake Tahoe, CA, it was a pleasure having these four men back on stage at the Boulder Theater. Check Mama’s Cookin’ website often for updates on their tour, pictures, videos and music - http://www.mamascookinmusic.com/index.html

I want to thank Mama’s Cookin’ and the Boulder Theater for their hospitality!