Les Claypool’s career is constantly evolving and getting weirder every day

:: Les Claypool ::

:: Fox Theatre :: February 13 ::

:: Ogden Theatre :: February 14 ::

By Joe Kovack

For the past 20 years, Les Claypool has given America some of its most eclectic and ethereal music it could ever imagine.

Since the early days of Primus, Claypool has been warping the minds of music lovers with his infinitely intricate bass styling and strange but good natured sense of humor. Permeating the counterculture scene, Claypool has become an iconic member of music’s elite, creatively evolving every step of the way and forging a career that would rival that of imaginative wizards Tom Waits or Frank Zappa. Continue — Read more »

With new album By a Thread out, Haynes refocuses on Gov’t Mule for 2010

:: Gov’t Mule ::

:: Gothic Theatre :: February 12 ::

:: Fillmore Auditorium :: February 13 ::

By Hap Fry

The early-morning phone calls have become a thing of the past for Warren Haynes.
Now, any time the guitar-playing virtuoso ends up at a hotel, Haynes makes sure to go by an alias, not unlike many entertainers.

“One too many times, I’ve had someone call me at 5 a.m., or even 8 a.m.,” Haynes said during a recent phone interview with The Marquee from the Sheraton Riverwalk in Tampa, Fla. “My schedule’s bizarre. I go to bed late and sleep late. It’s hard to get off that rock and  roll schedule once you’re used to it.” Continue — Read more »

Stockholm Syndrome set to release live album and studio album this year

:: Stockholm Syndrome ::

:: Fox Theatre :: February 26 ::

:: Bluebird Theater :: February 27 ::

By Cornelia Kane

When Widespread Panic’s bass player, Dave Schools, and acclaimed singer/songwriter Jerry Joseph, of Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons, first decided to collaborate back in 2003, each initially thought that their new musical side project would be a fun temporary change of pace. Now, with one studio album behind them, a new studio album and a live album both set for release this year, plus a new tour on the horizon, Stockholm Syndrome has transcended being just a side project. Stockholm Syndrome is a band.

The Marquee’s recent interview with Joseph got off to a late start. The relatively-newly clean and sober vocalist was getting a tattoo that morning, and the session ran longer than expected. When Joseph’s voice finally crackled through the line, slightly muffled from the sounds of the streets of Harlem, New York, where he resides during the brief respites between touring with his two primary bands, he was in pain.

“They’re only supposed to let you go for two hours and I must have been there for five,” he said with a touch of pride.  “My arm hurts like hell right now.”

That Joseph is tougher than the average musician will come as no surprise to anyone who has ever listened to his music, whether it be a Jackmormons tune, a cover of one of his songs by legendary Southern rockers Widespread Panic, or a track from the first, and to date only, Stockholm Syndrome album, 2004’s Holy Happy Hour, released on Terminus Records.

The unusual choice for a name, Stockholm Syndrome, refers to the psychological phenomenon in which a hostage bonds with his or her kidnappers. It seems an apt moniker for Schools’ and Joseph’s somewhat convoluted relationship. Schools has produced Jackmormons records; Joseph has written songs that Widespread Panic has made so popular that some people are not even aware that the songs are actually covers. All the pair needed now was a band. Continue — Read more »

Bela Fleck brings the African Stars of Throw Down Your Heart To Boulder

:: Bela Fleck  - The Africa Project ::

:: Aggie Theatre :: February 4 ::

:: Boulder Theater :: February 8 ::

By Ryan Lappi

At first glance it may seem odd that a banjo could act as a bridge between cultures. Yet for Bela Fleck, the possibilities are always endless, especially when they are through music.

Fleck has, after all, made a career of carving out a comfortable place for the instrument in such diverse realms as classical music, jazz fusion, bluegrass, and Indian classical. The scope of his musical achievements is truly stunning (he has won 11 Grammys and holds the record for being nominated in more different categories than anyone in history) — proving the banjo remains viable in almost any 21st Century setting. Yet his most ambitious project to date may be found in his search to reconnect the instrument with its African past. Continue — Read more »

Jim Page, Elephant Revival, B.A.S. and more band together for Buffalo Heart benefit

:: Buffalo Heart Benefit ::

:: Jim Page :: Elephant Revival :: Boulder Acoustic Society :: Reed Foehl :: Laura Goldhammer and Silver Nail ::

:: Boulder Theater :: February 5 ::

:: Jim Page :: Blue Owl Books :: February 6 ::

By Brian F. Johnson

To say that the people of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota have it rough is an understatement beyond comprehension.

Their ancestors were part of the horrific Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890 — the last armed conflict between the Great Sioux Nation and the United States of America — which left  146 men, women and children dead. Continue — Read more »

Ultraviolet Hippopotamus brightens the future of the jam scene

:: Ultraviolet Hippopotamus ::

:: Aggie Theatre :: February 17::

:: Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery :: February 21 ::

:: Sancho’s Broken Arrow :: February 22 ::

:: First Street Pub & Grill :: February 26 ::

:: Oswley’s Golden Road :: February 27 ::

By Jeffrey V. Smith

Michigan has unleashed a beast, and it’s headed straight to Colorado.  There’s no need for alarm, however, as this Great Lakes monster only has an appetite for funky jams that mix jazz, electronica, reggae, bluegrass and rock.

While it may sound like something you’ve experienced before, Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, as the name implies, is unquestionably an animal of a different color. Continue — Read more »

Denver’s Tauntaun warms local metal community in its steamy belly

:: Tauntaun ::

:: Larimer Lounge :: February 26 ::

By Joe Kovack

With a prominent jam-folk scene and with hip-hop infused electronica growing steadily, one wouldn’t think that there’s much room left for metal in Denver. But it’s here and it’s strong.

Beginning in 2006, the guys of Tauntaun wanted a release that only playing metal could satisfy. Each of the Denver natives had their respective bands before becoming friends and spontaneously deciding that it was time to rock. Continue — Read more »

The Entrance Band finds fans rallying behind their tribute song “M.L.K.”

:: The Entrance Band ::

:: Hi-Dive :: February 8 ::

By Timothy Dwenger

Forty-two years ago, at the age of 39, civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. King’s work and strong beliefs paved the way for many of the sweeping civil rights advances that have been made in this country since his death.

Today, our country honors his legacy with a national holiday on the third Monday of January each year, and many individuals and groups around the world pay tribute to him each day in their own way. Continue — Read more »

Five years ago this very month, Gov’t Mule was on the cover of The Marquee with the headline, “Gov’t Mule Carries Rock.” I didn’t have to go back through the archives to remember that. It’s embedded in my brain.

You see, five years ago this very month was the first ever issue of The Marquee in the form you see it now — it was the first month where we went from being 100% newsprint to having that sexy glossy cover that is now such an identifying element of the magazine.

So it’s really fitting to have an interview with Warren Haynes, once again, in this issue because, like Haynes, 2010 is the year I’m going to focus on my baby again. As our writer Hap Fry explains in his story, the Mule is Haynes’ main focus this year, after several years of working on other projects — and it’s a feeling I can relate to.

Like Haynes, I put my life’s passion on hold in recent years, to explore other possibilities, see other perspectives and learn (or at least try to learn) along the way — and I’m happy as can be that I did. Being away from The Marquee full-time made me miss the hell out of it and made me realize how much more could be done with this humble little magazine.

Early in my career, I was a reporter for a community newspaper in a tiny little town. The paper was a true mom and pop shop, with a husband and wife team that ran the show. I always wanted to own that paper, but now many years later, I find myself having an even better reality.

In recent months, The Marquee has become a mom and pop shop itself, with my wife, Jess, officially joining the front lines of the magazine (she’s been a long-term behind-the-scenes supporter, of course). So now, instead of a family-owned business that covers school board meetings and planning commissions, like that other paper I worked for, we get to have that same community feel, while covering our community, the music scene.

With 2010 upon us, here we are: revitalized, rejuvenated and ready to nurture this little beast into the publication that it can become.

Thankful for the lessons learned in our past, and the opportunities we were able to experience along the way, and with great optimism and hope for the future, The Marquee is like the little indie band that has once again found its roots and its voice.

See you at the shows.

Joe Pug

Messenger

Lightning Rod Records

4 out of 5 stars

With a million dollar voice and a songwriting pen torn from the fingers of the old-school folk tradition, Joe Pug has created one hell of a debut album. Messenger delivers on all levels and with Pug’s current success sitting on the laurels of two EPs, I can officially say the man’s got the talent to carry one’s interest for a full-length album.

A college dropout, Pug (whose real name is Joe Pugliese) worked as a carpenter by day and spent his nights practicing his musical craft.  Eventually, those nights morphed into recording sessions at a Chicago studio where a friend snuck him into the late night slots after other musicians had cancelled. The outcome, Nation of Heat EP, drew critical praise almost immediately upon its release in 2008. While gigging in Chicago, Pug decided to take a grassroots approach to self-promotion. The plan was simple: At concerts and through his website, Pug offered existing fans unlimited copies of a free two-song sampler CD to pass along to their friends.  To the new fans that contacted him via email, he would also send out CDs at his own expense, even paying the postage.

Inside each package was a personal note thanking the fan for helping to spread the word. The response was overwhelming—to date, Pug has sent out over 15,000 CDs and seen his fan base grow ten-fold. Without the backing of radio, Pug managed to turn his small dedicated fan base into a daisy chain of Pug-promoters that stretched across the country.   Having created a substantial fan base to tour on, Pug played more than 200 shows, recorded another EP, 2009’s In The Meantime, and finally got the backing from Lightning Rod Records to settle down to record his debut album, Messenger.

Messenger is a to-the-point affair featuring 10 songs, clocking in at just under 38 minutes.

There are no extended solos, no songs over five minutes in length and no fluff. It is all about Pug’s songs, voice and acoustic guitar. While most of the songs are delivered in an acoustic fashion similar to both his previous EPs, a few do feature full-band backing, including drums. The album’s title track is an upbeat affair and will most likely be the album’s lead single. While the track sounds like something that could be played on country radio, it still has Pug’s unmistakable lyrical charm and swagger which floats in and out of the musical passages.  “The Door Is Always Open” starts out with Pug’s voice and guitar until a barrelhouse rhythm section propels the song into its chorus. In all, the accompaniment works just fine and shouldn’t irk Pug fans too much. If anything, it makes his music even more accessible, which I believe was the goal for this release. The accompanying musicians don’t distract from Pug’s acoustic charm — the ethereal pedal steel guitar that creeps into “The Sharpest Crown” being a perfect example.

The most striking thing about Pug has to be his age and the maturity he shows beyond it. While he is only a tender 25 years old, his vocal delivery and songwriting gives the illusion you are listening to someone much wiser than you will ever be.

Hard to believe this is only his first full-length album.

— Jonathan Keller

Brian Jonestown Massacre

Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?

A Records

3.5 out of 5 stars

Brian Jonestown Massacre is a very beautiful thing. The band, which centers on the musical leadership of notable eccentric Anton Newcomb, is probably never going to glide into the mainstream. They have been around in various incarnations for nearly 20 years and seem fine floating under the mainstream radar. In a way similar to Frank Zappa’s recording philosophy, Brian Jonestown Massacre seem fine with creating music only for themselves — disregarding the temptation to create engaging singles. In their tortured process they have been able to create some of the most interesting experimental music in recent memory.

Formed in 1990 by Newcomb, The Brian Jonestown Massacre floundered in relative obscurity in the 1990’s, releasing seven albums while struggling with personnel changes mostly brought on by Newcomb’s own struggles with heroin addiction. The 2004 documentary film DIG!, chronicled the band’s struggles and quickly immortalized Newcomb as a tortured artist and as a narcissistic asshole incapable of keeping it together. Although the film provided a surge in the band’s underground popularity they soon slid back into relative obscurity, releasing only two full-length studio albums and a few EPs since the documentary’s premier.

After Newcomb’s apparent success in rehab, the band reconvened to record 2008’s My Bloody Underground. The album showcased the band’s avant-garde approach to producing and recording with its space-rock/neo-psychedelic sounds. When listening back it is clear to see how that album was a musical prelude to Who Killed Sgt. Pepper.

Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? continues that musical pattern with the introduction of electronic elements, industrial sounds, creative production, and cohesive ideas.

With a current lineup consisting of nine members, Brian Jonestown Massacre recorded Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? throughout 2009 in Iceland and Berlin. The album is full of industrial elements and, for the first time, finds each song centering on a hard beat-driven groove.

The album’s first track, “Tempo 116.7 (Reaching for Dangerous Levels of Sobriety),” really sets the stage for the entire album. It opens with textured feed-backed guitars, hand drum rolls and a looped drum beat. Soaring over the top is an obscure keyboard melody line and electronic sounds that roll from speaker to speaker. The track breaks down with various vocal samples, enters sonic chaos, then comes out clean on the other side, refraining the gentle intro. It is highly interesting, engaging and a total shock to hear. It is like nothing the band has ever done before.   Granted some of the songs on Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? simply border on the edge of experimental mess (“White Music,” and “Detka! Detka! Detka!”), many of the album’s tracks work extremely well, including the upbeat and pulsating “This is the First of Your Last Warning (Icelandic),” the guitar driven “The One,” and “Super Fucked,” which is a perfect mix of acoustic guitars and hard industrial beats.

Brian Jonestown Massacre is not going to change the face of music as a whole, but they have a knack for making interesting music. Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? is not going to appeal to large audiences, but it is an album that should be noted as one of the more interesting releases of the year thus far. I can’t wait to see what this band does next.

— Jonathan Keller

For a full version of this review, visit

www.marqueemag.com and click on CD Reviews.

INU

Monster (EP)

Independent

2.5 out of 5 stars

The San Francisco based producer “Count,” who has worked with DJ Shadow, Radiohead and New Order, has been the mad scientist in the indie super group Inu on their latest LP. They’ve just released an EP entitled Monster, a precursor to their full-length release due later this year.

Monster has a “sound” for sure. It kind of reminds me of something that would’ve come out in 1988, or maybe 1998? Inu’s sound is fairly simple and “poppy” in its production. There are textural synth patch pads and dry rhythm guitar tracks throughout. There isn’t much instrumental flash as the prominence of vocals and drum beats outshine the rest of the production — a slightly sad thing because the vocals are fairly monotone.  It’s not that the vocals are bad per se, but from what I can tell, none of the melodies sung are outside the range of an octave, and this ain’t Billie Holiday.

Trying to figure out a good comparison isn’t easy, but I’d have to say they sound a little like a really mellow version of Nine Inch Nails mixed in with essence of The Cure, or maybe a more simple blend of Radiohead and fellow UK rockers, Spiritualized, with a dash of Coldplay.

— Chibo Acevedo