:: Vail Snow Daze ::

:: Various venues around Vail :: Dec. 8 – 14, 2008 ::

By Brian F. Johnson

Photos by Soren McCarty andSusan Etter

Just to make things clear, so that no one can claim a lack of journalistic integrity later on, I have to admit this out in front: I got styled for this festival. Now, I’m a lucky guy and get styled a lot for shows and festivals but this was almost picture perfect.

We got a late start on Friday afternoon – already having missed several days and nights of music that started the week-long festival, including a blow out by Big Head Todd and the Monsters on Thursday night. The reason we got the late start was a much-needed stop at a tire store, and while it put us behind, we were thankful for the new car-sneakers the rest of the weekend.

Snow was dumping long before we hit the Eisenhower Tunnel, and by the time we pulled into Vail it was a full-on winter storm, the perfect setting for a festival that bills itself as the “largest early season, winter resort party in North America.”
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:: The Smashing Pumpkins ::

:: Ogeden Theatre :: Dec. 5, 2008 ::

By Timothy Dwenger

Photos by Lisa Siciliano

The press has not been kind to The Smashing Pumpkins on their recent 20th Anniversary Tour causing even the band’s new guitar player to make note of the negative reviews on his blog buzzbands.la/2008/11/21/smashing-pumpkins-greetings-from-chicago. “It’s been difficult to write these entries amidst the somewhat unenthusiastic press (can we still call it that?) surrounding our current tour . . . The negative reactions have been, for the most part, fairly consistent, and with little or no difficulty, one can find these on the Internet or in your local papers (for those of you who still like to do it the old way).”
Despite the reviews, and the fact that the band announced the show a mere 10 days before they took the stage, the show was completely sold out when the tour landed in the Mile High City and scalpers and ticketless fans lined the sidewalks near the venue.

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:: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals ::

:: Broomfield Event Center :: December 8 ::

:: supporting Oasis ::

                                                 Photo by Chris Dodge

There’s a reason that Ryan Adams refers to his band as the “MFC” (Mother Fuckin’ Cardinals), because the band is, in fact, a bunch of mother fuckers, who have taken their rock/jam/alt-country sound and shaped it into one of the most interesting and impassioned acts on the road today.

With heavy snow falling outside, a down-right dismal crowd inside, and an opening spot for Oasis, The Cardinals could have easily phoned in their set Monday night at the Broomfield Event Center, but the rose-logoed rockers approached the set with great fervor, and ended up putting in one of the best sets of music that I’ve ever seen at the Denver area’s oddest music venue.

I missed the first song, due to the ridiculous parking set-up (more on that later), but as I went through security (more on that later too) and found my seat (ditto) “Crossed Out Name,” off the band’s latest album Cardinology, echoed through the seemingly empty ice rink.

Many folks, even good fans of Adams, continually expect him to play soft acoustic rock, a la his breakout release Heartbreaker. But with the Cardinals behind him, Adams rarely delivers that these days. His track “Everybody Knows,” off last year’s Easy Tiger, is an acoustic-based track, but little of that came through, as the band tore through it with a rocking edge not heard on the album.

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North America’s Largest Early Season Mountain Kick-off Festival

Big Head Todd & the Monsters Thurs. Dec. 11

Leftover Salmon Fri., Dec. 12

The Fray Sat., Dec. 13

Daytime and After Dark Events Include: Dummy Gelunde World Championships, Demo Daze, On-mountain DJs, Snowball Eating Contests, Snow Jam Rail Jam and Bar Parties

VAIL, Colo., -December 6, 2008- Vail Snow Daze, the country’s largest early season mountain bash, kicks-off Monday, December 8 and offers a weeklong super charged mix of non-stop music including three nights of headliner concerts, on-snow events, Demo Daze and a wide variety of après and after-dark parties. This year’s renowned performing musical groups include The Fray Saturday, Dec. 13, Leftover Salmon Friday, Dec.12 and Big Head Todd & the Monsters Thursday, Dec. 11.

“Vail Snow Daze is a jam-packed week of on-mountain and in-town happenings,” said Jeff Brausch of Highline Sports & Entertainment. “From daily on-mountain activities like Demo Daze and live DJs to the competitive Rail Jam comp to the wild and wacky Dummy Gelunde World Championships to the awesome concert line-up, Snow Daze is the biggest mountain kick-off festival in the U.S.”

Monday through Saturday, live DJ’s will be spinning at the Vail Mountain base areas, snowball eating contests as well as après and after-dark bar parties at a variety of in-town bars. Demo Daze, Vail Snow Daze’s annual ski and snowboard demo and expo event will be held Thursday through Saturday at Eagle’s Nest on Vail Mountain. The Snow Jam will be held Wednesday at the Golden Peak base area on Vail Mountain from 4-8 p.m. The Snow Jam entry fee is $20 in advanced and available online at vailsnowdaze.com or $25 on-site at Golden Peak with all proceeds benefiting Vail’s non-profit SOS Outreach. And, the legendary Dummy Gelunde World Championships will take place at Golden Peak from 2-4 p.m., prior to The Fray concert at Vail’s Ford Park. Registration for this event has been capped at 25 entry teams.

Headliner concerts kick-off Thursday night with Big Head Todd & the Monsters performing live at Dobson Arena in Lionshead Village from 7-10 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m. Leftover Salmon will take center stage at Dobson Arena on Friday from 7-10p.m., doors open at 6 p.m. Saturday’s headliner act, The Fray, with opening guest Meese will debut their new single “You Found Me” at their first public performance at Vail’s Ford Park from 6-10 p.m., gates open at 5 p.m. Tickets for all concerts and Festival Passes for entry to all shows are available online at vailsnowdaze.com or in the Vail Valley at Bottle & Cork in Edwards and Marketplace on Meadow Drive in Vail Village.

“Snow Daze’s Colorado musical line-up is fantastic,” said James Deighan of Highline Sports. “These bands are going to absolutely kill-it here in Vail. We’re thrilled to host them.”

A detailed schedule of events can be found on the Vail Snow Daze website at vailsnowdaze.com or by calling Highline Sports & Entertainment at (970) 476-6797.

Enjoy the early season snow and events in Vail with Ski Free Stay Free lodging and lift packages starting at $353 per person. With two nights of lodging and skiing, the third night and lift ticket are free. For availability and restrictions, call 800-825-9689 or visit http://www.vail.com.

Vail Snow Daze 2008 is brought to you by Vail Resorts, Bud Light, Town of Vail, Jack Daniel’s, SKI Magazine, Volvo and Mountain Dew Amp. Brought to you in part by Aspen Harley Davidson, Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Smith Optics, BlackBerry, Liberty Skis, Redfeather Snowshoes, Destination Sewn, Cricket Wireless, Vail Dentistry, Vail Daily, KVBA TV8, KZYR The Zephyr, KBCO World Class Rock and KTCL Modern Rock.

:: Widespread Panic ::
:: with Yonder Mountain String Band ::
:: Pepsi Center ::
:: December 30 & 31 ::

By Timothy Dwenger

A raging juggernaut of gritty testosterone fueled southern jam rock, Widespread Panic has clawed their way up through the small dive bars and clubs of the Southeast to become one of the most successful touring bands in the country, routinely filling arenas and amphitheaters with throngs of rabid fans. The journey has not been without setbacks, defeats and heartbreaking losses, but the experience as a whole, “the rollercoaster,” as percussionist Sunny Ortiz calls it, has been an amazing ride that looks like it will continue for years to come.

Ortiz took some time out to speak with The Marquee during a busy week which found Panic turning back the clock, in a manner of speaking, when they took the stage at the intimate, 1,000 person capacity, Irving Plaza in New York City. “It was such a treat to be able to perform at Irving Plaza again. It is kinda nice to go back and play a little bitty intimate venue like that,” said Ortiz. “The energy level was incredible, it was just raging, it was wild and ridiculous which it should be in New York City.” The show was a benefit for The Bill Graham Memorial Foundation and took place during Billboard magazine’s annual Touring Conference, where Panic were the recipients of Billboard’s inaugural Road Warrior Award, recognizing the band’s “work ethic, steadfast dedication to touring and commitment to the art and craft of live performance.”

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:: Brian F. Johnson :: Publisher/Editor ::

:: Rage Against the Machine ::

:: Denver Coliseum :: August 27 ::

Held during the Democratic National Convention, this show goes down in my book as not only one of the best shows of 2008, but as one of the best shows I’ve ever seen — period.

This was mid-day in a hot Coliseum, with no alcohol sales, and the crowd didn’t mind one bit once Rage stepped in front of the lights.

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:: Mercury Rev::
 :: Fox Theatre :: December 14::

By Timothy Dwenger

Often in the world of indie-rock, a band explodes onto the scene with one major buzz-soaked album and then, in many cases, gradually fades off into the wings as critics focus their attention on new cutting edge acts that sprout up every day. Once in a while a band comes along that bucks that trend and matures right out there in the open, warts and all. Mercury Rev is one of these bands.

Formed in the mid-’80s in upstate New York, Mercury Rev exploded onto the scene in Europe in 1991 when their debut album Yerself Is Steam was hailed as one of the year’s best records in the U.K. But things simply didn’t catch on the same way here in the States. Mercury Rev was nearly 10 years and a full three albums into their existence before they were taken seriously by American fans and critics. Continue — Read more »

:: Squirrel Nut Zippers ::

 :: Boulder Theater :: Dec. 17 ::

 :: Cervantes Masterpiece :: Dec. 19 ::

By Chibo Acevedo

If you so much as ear-glanced at mainstream radio in the mid- to late-’90s, you might remember the swing revival that was happening. The movie Swingers came out in 1996 and featured a big-band playing swing at the no-longer-in-existence Derby dancehall/bar/lounge in La-la Land — or as some call it, the city of Los Angeles. That scene was one of the more memorable moments of the film, and seemed to help ignite an explosive renaissance of the ’40s swing era.

The Lindy-Hop was back. There were swing bands everywhere; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue and, of course, Cherry Poppin’ Daddies. Ironically, of all the bands in that revival, one band that made an impressive mark was never really a swing band perse — Squirrel Nut Zippers.
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:: Lotus ::
:: Fox Theatre ::
:: Dec. 30 & 31 ::

By Lisa Oshlo

Now on the scene for nearly a decade, the boys in Lotus have really begun to hit their stride. Spending much of those years on the road, the band has garnered a large following due to its energetic shows and enthusiastic fans.

Formed at Goshen College (a Mennonite school) in Indiana in 1999, the band consists of Steve Clemens on drums, Chuck Morris on acoustic and electric percussion, Mike Rempel on guitar, and brothers Luke Miller on guitar and keyboards, and Jesse Miller on the bass and sampler.
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By Mike Hedrick

:: Flobots ::

:: Gothic Theatre :: Dec. 29-31 ::

Flow is a thing that, try as they might, not all hip-hop groups possess — especially when it calls for social action, but the Flobots have mastered the skill. Denver’s own socially conscious hip-hop group that made their name by using real instruments instead of beats will return home this New Year’s Eve for not just one, but a run of three shows at the Gothic.

:: Slim Cessna’s Auto Club ::

:: Bluebird Theatre :: Dec. 30 and 31 ::

If this band were a real auto club the only rides admitted would be lifted Gremlins, creepy vans and tricked out hearses. This defiance of convention is what has made SCAC great as they literally throw out the rules as if they were last week’s leftover pizza. Their gritty liquor-soaked style is something which must be seen to understand. Bluebird Theatre. Continue — Read more »

:: Fox Street Allstars ::

:: Post-Black Crowes show ::

:: Dulcinea’s 100th Monkey :: Dec. 13 ::

::Non-denominational Holiday Party ::

:: Herb’s Hideout :: December 26 ::

By Brian F. Johnson

Adaptation may be one of the most crucial survival skills necessary, and it doesn’t matter if you’re talking about Darwinian theory or life in the music industry. Either way, without the ability to morph and change to fit its circumstances, no creature, band or otherwise, can flourish.

It was with that unique perspective in mind that Denver’s Fox Street Allstars — named after Fox Street in the Baker neighborhood of Denver — formed late last year. On the surface, the group is a trio of two guitarists and a drummer — all accomplished musicians on their own who’ve known each other and made music with each other on and off since middle school. But under that cursory facade is a revolutionary adaptation which sets the Fox Street Allstars apart from other forms of band species. See, the Fox Street Allstars were set up by their very design since their inception to be an ebbing and flowing creature that can adapt to anything from a small, intimate stage, to a huge blowout band replete with a horn section and enough musicians to qualify for group status on even the most stringent of insurance policies.

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Guns N’ Roses

Chinese Democracy

Geffen Records

5 out of 5 stars

It’s a fact that Axl Rose didn’t bring the original Guns N’ Roses to an early demise all by himself. Slash’s and Duff McKagan’s substance problems, coupled with the band’s aversion to further musical exploration — particularly Slash and the monosyllabic Matt Sourum — were just as destructive.

That doesn’t mean Axl (I have written about this album so much I have declared myself on a first name basis with Mr. Rose) gets a total pass; his domineering attitude and probable mental issues certainly didn’t help. In fact, the biggest challenge with the release of Chinese Democracy is going to be winning back fans that thought Axl’s acting out was intentional disrespect instead of understanding it as the catharsis of a man wrestling his demons. The catch? Those very demons made Guns N’ Roses the powerhouse they once were (and will be remembered as). Imagine “Patience” without Axl’s manic breakdown at the end or “Out Ta Get Me” without his genuine paranoia and anti-social middle finger of a persona. Without him, the original lineup of Guns N’ Roses just wouldn’t hold the same power. Sure, Duff is a beyond solid bass player, Slash brought his own unique style, Izzy was easily the superior songwriter of the bunch and Steven Adler’s drumming was the musical equivalent of reckless endangerment. Still: AXL ROSE IS GUNS N’ ROSES. Continue — Read more »