:: Bruce Hornsby :: Vilar Center For The Arts :: September 14 ::

:: Chautauqua Auditorium :: September 15 ::

:: Telluride Blues and Brews :: September 16 :: 

By Jonathan Keller

Bruce Hornsby is a simple man with a delicate southern drawl, but don’t let that fool you. He is also an intellectual and extremely studious musician. He is a musician’s musician and uniquely original. It would be safe to say Hornsby is an American music original because he embraces all forms of music with no prejudice, and that is what America is supposed to be all about — a melting pot of everything. Hornsby’s musical career has been and still is a melting pot of musical styles and genres. His new boxed set, Intersections 1985-2005, is a testament to that. 

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:: Von Skinny :: Trilogy :: September 7 ::

::: South Park Music Festival ::

:: Hapi Skratch/Marquee Magazine Colorado Showcase ::

:: September 9::

:: Larimer Lounge ::

:: September 28 ::

:: Buffalo Rose :: October 4 :: 

By Marisa Beahm 

Amp volume cranked to max: check.

Slight attitude and an aversion to school: check.

Litany of failed band names: check.

Long hair to thrash around during jams: check.

On the rock and roll artist checklist, Von Skinny has hit all the marks. Comprised of three powerful, zealous musicians, this Boulder-based band is paying their dues as they work their way up in the local music scene.

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:: Eric Bachmann & Richard Buckner :: The Walnut Room :: September 29 :: 

By Timothy Dwenger

Whether performing as Crooked Fingers or under his own name, one thing is for sure: Eric Bachmann is an outstanding singer/songwriter.  His masterful manipulation of language conjures intricate images of hope or heartache as effortlessly as his delicate finger-picking sets the mood.  Standing well over six feet tall and built like a lumberjack, Bachmann is an imposing figure on stage. However, his soft-spoken banter and haunting vocals quickly shatter any preconceived notions as his audience hangs on his every word.

Bachmann’s most recent release, To The Races, is a solo acoustic record in the style of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska. Like The Boss, he has stepped away from his band for this record.  “Crooked Fingers has really become a band over the years and it would almost be a lie to say this is a Crooked Fingers album because it is really just me. Releasing it as Eric Bachmann just seemed like the obvious thing to do,” Bachman recently told The Marquee while preparing to head out on the road for a string of shows with Richard Buckner.

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:: White Whale :: Larimer Lounge :: September 19 :: 

By Timothy Dwenger

Earlier this summer the Kansas State House of Representatives declared July 26, 2006 to be White Whale Day in the state of Kansas.  Had there recently been a discovery of an ancient fossil?  Had Moby Dick been hunted down in Kansas? No, the day was established to commemorate the release of Lawrence band White Whale’s debut album on Merge Records. While buzz about bands of an indie nature usually stays at a relatively low level and makes its way only to the ears of those ‘in the know,’ White Whale is apparently a favorite at the Kansas State House.

With lyrical themes that, at times, call to mind The Decemberists, and music that has drawn comparison to The Arcade Fire, it is easy to see why White Whale’s debut album, WWI, has drawn such widespread attention merely months into the band’s existence.

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:: Virginia Coalition :: Fox Theatre :: September 13 ::

:: Quixote’s True Blue :: September 16 :: 

By Alex Samuel

 Who can get hundreds of girls (okay, and a few guys) to scream “Yes, we feel like getting it on!” in unison and mean it? Unless you guessed D.C.’s own Virginia Coalition, chances are you’re wrong.

From the second Virginia Coalition (VACO to friends and fans) step on stage until the end of their last sweaty encore, the crowd is standing, grooving and fueling the irresistible VACO energy that is flowing over the country faster than it takes you to pop in their new album, Live at the 9:30 Club.

The members of Virginia Coalition, Andrew Poliakoff, Paul Ottinger, Jarrett Nicolay and John Patrick met at T.C. Williams High School, the extremely diverse Alexandria, Va. school where Disney’s Remember The Titans was filmed. While the boys’ high school music tastes included radio standards, ‘go-go grooves’ (which are indigenous to D.C.) and some good old Virginia gospel helped create a very unique (and talented) group.

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:: Split Lip Rayfield :: Fox Theatre :: September 1 ::

:: Bluebird Theatre :: September 2 :: 

By Kathy Foster-Patton

How many musicians react to the diagnosis of terminal cancer with a decision to go on tour one last time? That’s just what Split Lip Rayfield vocalist and guitarist Kirk Rundstrom decided to do after going through surgery, chemotherapy and then the news that his illness was not curable. As the band cruised down the road to Manhattan, Kansas for yet another sold-out show on their “final” tour, Rundstrom spoke with The Marquee about his health, his music, and how much he wants to live life. 

“I’m doing good, you know. Yeah,” Rundstrom said. He started with a reassurance to someone he doesn’t know and when asked what he would like to talk about, turns the conversation to his excitement over returning to Colorado. “Colorado is one of my favorite states in America. I just absolutely love it. I love the mountains, I love skiing. I love our fans there. I’m really excited about getting to go play there one more time. I have a lot of really close friends in Colorado and I’m excited about seeing them.”

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:: Pearl Street Allstars :: Funky Good Times Benefit :: Boulder Theater :: September 8 :: 

By Matt Marty

As summer draws to an end and the CU kids return to school, the depression sets in of having to wait nine months for next summer’s concert series. But before the summer actually draws to a close, the Mountain Sun’s birthday party (nicknamed the Funky Good Times Benefit Bash) will make an interesting segue from outdoor festival to indoor party with the help of the Pearl Street Allstars.

Who are these Allstars, you might ask? With an ever-evolving line-up year to year, this year’s line-up looks to be one of the most solid gatherings to date.

The two staples of the Funky Good Times event are bass legend George Porter and String Cheese Incident member Kyle Hollingsworth. The Marquee recently caught up with Porter, who is entering his third year as an Allstar. “One day, my phone rang from Colorado and it hasn’t stopped,” said Porter.

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:: Boulder Acoustic Society :: Avogadro’s Number :: Sept. 8 ::

:: South Park Music Festival :: Sept. 10 ::

:: Trilogy Lounge :: September 15 ::

:: Estes Park Autumn Gold Festival :: Sept. 24 ::

:: Boulder Farmer’s Market :: Sept. 27 :: 

By Lisa Oshlo

Boulder Acoustic Society is revising American roots music, taking contemporary Americana and infusing it with just enough weirdness to turn it on its head. 

For the past three years, BAS has been impressing audiences on the Front Range and beyond with their twisted take on traditionalism. The core instruments played are upright bass (Aaron Kiem), guitar (Brad Jones), violin (Kailin Yong), and marimba (Scott Higgins). However, each  member is a multi-instrumentalist, and it is not uncommon to hear ukulele, banjo, washboard and mandolin at one of their shows.

The Marquee spoke recently with Aaron Kiem about what informs their music, and just what it is about them that is unlike anybody else. He began by describing the music as “diverse for the string band world,” an accurate if conservative assertion, seeing as the audience is just as likely to hear Frank Zappa as Doc Watson.     

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You can hardly go a day in this region without someone commenting about the amazing phenomenon that is the Colorado music scene.

The Front Range is awash with top-notch local acts, and it’s a haven for nationally and internationally touring artists who travel through.

Venues (be they bars, large concert halls or eateries) who host the music are the infrastructure that allows the magic to happen on such a regular basis. Without that network, bands would struggle to find places to play that fit them.

The Marquee’s Front-Row-Center Awards are, in part, designed to praise these pillars of live music. But a lot more goes into a good concert than just the venue.

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I generally don’t use this space to do reviews, but a lot of good stuff went down last month that must be re-hashed.

Shortly after wrapping up a tour with his band The Supersuckers, Eddie Spaghetti returned to Denver to play a solo show at Bender’s Tavern with his friends the Railbenders. No offense to Eddie whatsoever, but the Railbenders made this gig. Eddie came out and played a few quiet tunes that felt a bit uninspired, but when he finally invited Denver’s best country band on stage, things got cool, and stayed that way. What an amazingly fun night! Thank you Benders, Eddie and the Railbenders.

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Gov’t Mule Hauls its ass into the studio and comes out with a gem called High & Mighty

Gov’t Mule

High & Mighty

ATO Records

4 out of  5

The Mule Train has arrived and it is flying High & Mighty. 

Following up 2004’s Deja Voodoo, Gov’t Mule’s latest release, High & Mighty, is a step in the right direction with a now solidified lineup of four incredible musicians. Warren Haynes’ soulful voice and extraordinary guitar chops stand as the centerpiece for drummer Matt Abts, bassist Andy Hess and keyboard player Danny Louis to work around. 

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