Frozen Dead Guy Days Mixes Top Local Music With its Morbidly Fun Theme
By Jeffrey V. Smith
Known as one of the most unique and quirky festivals in the country, Nederland’s Frozen Dead Guy Days has gotten worldwide recognition this year as the freakiest festival along the Freak to Freak Highway.
The event pays homage to Bredo Morstol, who is frozen in a state of suspended animation inside a Tuff Shed above Nederland.
While Colorado’s “most frigidly fun festival” features outrageous events like coffin races, a polar plunge, ice turkey bowling, a frozen t-shirt contest, brain freeze contests, a parade of hearses, the frozen salmon toss and ice break dancing, the musical lineup provides three days of outstanding Colorado-based acts in an extremely festive atmosphere.
The musical performances – which include everything from rock, blues and funk to bluegrass, Americana and folk – are spread out over two stages during the day, one in Chipeta Park and the other on East First Street, and in the town’s bars and restaurants at night. Below are a few highlights of the musical lineup. A complete schedule of events and musical acts can be found by visiting www.frozendeadguydays.org
:: Various Artists ::
:: The Blue Ball @ The Black Forest ::
:: Friday, March 2 :: 8:00 — 1:30 ::
Some of Nederland’s finest and most popular musicians will come together Friday night to properly kick off the festivities. Three separate bands will play, but with sit-ins and special guests, the night will be, in typical Nederland fashion, a community experience.
Adam Pause, formerly of Mountain Standard Time, will bring his new four-piece the NoGo Gilbillies in for a modified single mic style pick, followed by another Mountain Standard Time alum, Nick Dunbar and his group The Square Groupers.
The Blue Ball will then take time to crown the 2012 Ice Queen and host the Grandpa look-alike contest, before The Big Blue Ball Band caps the night.
The local all star Big Blue Ball Band, hosted by Jon “Blackdog” Ridnell, Dr. Phil Good and Bruce Lish, will feature the five-piece Horns From Hell and special guests will share the stage all night long.
:: The Longest Day of the Year ::
:: The Reanimate Yourself Tent ::
:: Friday, March 2 :: 4:45 — 6:00 ::
Boulder’s own The Longest Day of the Year is a roughneck, guitar-driven explosion of new-fangled and old-timey Americana-rock music. The band, which calls its sound “outlaw Americana,” claims to be one-part Split Lip Rayfield, one-part Lucero, and one-part Tallest Man on Earth, or so they have been told. With rock and roll fervor, the act delivers timeless stories that tug the sleeve of shifting relationships between a man and his family, religion, vices, nature, and himself.
:: Smooth Money Gesture ::
:: The Reanimate Yourself Tent ::
:: Saturday, March 3 :: 5:00 — 6:30 ::
Nederland based Smooth Money Gesture is a Front Range favorite thanks to its infectious groove funk featuring “ear-twitching space jams, face-melting solos and tight rhythmic changes.” Made up of brothers Doug and Dan Diminico, on guitar and bass respectively, Josh Gitlin-Rich on guitar, Pete Goldberg on keys, Cody Wales on drums and Nathaniel Haas on percussion, the sextet’s sound is rooted in rock and roll and includes elements of funk, bluegrass, metal, and electronica that feed the improvisational groove. These influences are mixed together to generate a completely original, jam-based, high energy psychedelic musical creation. And with the majority of members contributing to vocals and songwriting, the band’s music and sounds remain fresh.
:: Jet Edison ::
:: Brain Freezer Tent ::
:: Saturday, March 3 :: 4:00 — 5:30 ::
Boulder based quartet Jet Edison is anything but a traditional rock band. With its distinct blend of genre-defying music, the band’s members bring together individual influences from across the musical spectrum, creating original songs with strong technical musicianship and thought provoking lyrics. Word of Jet Edison’s captivating performances has been spreading rapidly, and gaining the act recognition all across the Rocky Mountain region and beyond.
:: Ground Up ::
:: Brain Freezer Tent ::
:: Saturday, March 3 :: 6:00 — 7:30 ::
Formed in the summer of 2009, Ground Up is a four-piece Denver-grown improvisational band that creates unique live musical experiences with its diverse, original and exciting jamming style and ability to open up the musical potential of their songs using elements taken from a wide range of genres. The band is known for its high energy and has the perpetual goal of getting people out of their seat and shaking their butt. The group seamlessly switches between funky riffs, high-energy improvised jams, and grooving mini-suites.
:: She Said String Band ::
:: The Reanimate Yourself Tent ::
:: Sunday, March 4 :: 4:30 — 6:00 ::
After many years of playing acoustic music together, the She Said String Band officially formed and has provided a “sweet relief” to the Front Range bluegrass scene. The band features Sal Clark on old time, claw hammer banjo; Julie Gussaroff’s singing, songwriting, and mandolin chops; the tunes, vocals and guitar picking of Allison Weiss; and Ashley Authement on upright bass. The harmonies developed within their songs are as equally charming as their enthusiasm for picking; the ladies will close FDGD’s live music in the Reanimate Yourself Tent.
:: Danny Shafer ::
:: Brain Freezer Tent ::
:: Sunday, March 4 :: Noon — 1:00 ::
Called a “born troubadour,” singer/songwriter Danny Shafer is the quintessential Colorado musician, and with years of experience playing and booking Boulder and Nederland venues, he has become one of the state’s most skilled and beloved musicians. With over 100 shows a year and booking music in multiple venues, Shafer is known as one of the hardest working musicians in Colorado. Part of his appeal is his well-polished performance and songs that vary from troubadour finger style to country blues, to a full Americana sound.
:: Stanton Sutton & Friends ::
:: Brain Freezer Tent ::
:: Sunday, March 4 :: 3:30 — 5:00 ::
Stan Sutton, a former member of Nederland’s Mountain Standard Time, assembled a group of top players for a set of high energy, bluegrass-based music to top off Frozen Dead Guy Days live entertainment in the Brain Freezer Tent. The band is comprised of Sutton on guitar, mandolin and vocals, and his friends include drummer Zack Scott and guitar and mandolin ace Nick Dunbar (both also former Mountain Standard Time members), bassist Joel Searls of Bob Molly and other surprise guests.
