:: Railroad Earth::
:: Ogden Theater ::
:: January 24, 2015 ::
Photos by: Elliot Siff
Review by Nessa Fried
Railroad Earth began their annual winter Colorado run with a special event at eTown Hall in Boulder. On Wednesday, January 21, eTown premiered Railroad’s new Live at Red Rocks DVD, filmed last summer at the famed venue. The intimate experience began with a catered reception with the band members, followed by a short acoustic performance. eTown Hall provided exceptional sound, as the slow tunes of “Mourning Flies” and “Lovin’ You” reverberated throughout the venue’s church-like walls. The event concluded with the celebration of the DVD release. Guests were treated to over an hour of highlights from the film, revisiting that Red Rocks summer night.
Railroad Earth made their return to The Ogden Theater Thursday through Saturday. Each night embodied its own theme and flavor, while sticking to Railroad’s folksy, damn-good progressive jamgrass sound. Railroad came out with several covers from The Band, The Doors and Traffic that were a delightful sugarcoating to top off a great weekend of shows.
Thursday night’s setlist consisted of an eclectic array of songs. The band alternated between upbeat tracks the crowd could chant to like “Mission Man” and “RV,” as well as classic slow Todd Sheaffer ballads such as “Came Up Smilin” and “Black Bear.” “Head” was the leading jam of the night; a woman even felt inclined to do a five minute headstand at the foot of the stage! Regardless of the tempo, the crowd was on their feet nonstop, singing along with the frontman. Fiddle player Tim Carbone stole the spotlight for a few tunes, singing “Crossing the Gap” and “Any Road.” But the real stars of the night were the covers. “Acadian Driftwood” by The Band closed out the first set, while the encore was a heartfelt rendition of “Peggy-O.”
Friday night was filled with classic bust outs from Railroad’s large catalog. The show opened with the foot stomping tune “Lordy Lordy,” followed closely by Railroad’s homage to their hometown, “Donkey For Sale.” Bassist Andrew Altman took the spotlight in “Walk Beside Me,” creating a funky mood with his dance-inducing bass line. The second set raged fan favorites such as “Mighty River,” “Black Elk Speaks,” “Like A Buddha,” and “The Jupiter and the 119.” Friday night’s show was a classic display of Railroad’s talent.
While Friday night boasted popular Railroad hits, Saturday featured a jazzier, more experimental side rooted in some of their newer material. In the first set, the instrumental “1759” introduced a huge energy with cohesive beats and complex solos, setting the tone for the rest of the show. Things got heated when the band incorporated pieces of their newest instrumental composition, “All That’s Dead May Live Again” and “Face with a Hole” off their most recent album, Last of the Outlaws. The sax and keys combination provided a funky jazz element uncommon for the band. John Skehan’s growth on the keys added a new dimension to the band’s ensemble. The jazz sound was at its height during their first ever performance of Traffic’s “Glad.” The audience was then treated to a grooving “Warhead Boogie,” and a classic closer of “Colorado,” where the crowd clapped on beat until the lights went out. The final encore of the weekend was an energetic, animated delivery of The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues”. Todd’s Jim Morrison vocal impressions were nothing shy of entertaining. Colorado’s Railroad Earth Hobos will be waiting in anticipation for the band’s return to Red Rocks this summer!
January 21, 2015 E-Town Hall Boulder, Colorado
Special acoustic performance prior to premiere of Railroad Earth’s DVD from their Red Rocks show on August 2, 2014:
Chasin’ a Rainbow
420
A Day on the Sand
Mourning Flies
Lovin’ You
Monkey
January 22, 2015 Ogden Theatre – Denver, Colorado
Set 1:
Lone Croft Farewell Mission Man Bowling Green Came Up Smilin’
Little Bit O’ Me
Any Road
The Cuckoo –>
Tore Up Over You
Acadian Driftwood
Set 2:
The Forecast –> Long Walk Home RV Stillwater Getaway Black Bear
Said What You Mean
Crossing the Gap
Grandfather Mountain
Head
New Lee Highway Blues –> Fiddlee
Encore:
Peggy-O
January 23, 2015 Ogden Theatre - Denver, Colorado
Set 1:
Lordy, Lordy
Drag Him Down
Donkey for Sale
Mourning Flies
Mountain Time
Walk Beside Me
Gold Rush
Monkey
Happy Song
Set 2:
El Cumbanchero Mighty River When the Sun Gets in Your Blood Daddy-O For Love Too Much Information Black Elk Speaks –> Spring-Heeled Jack –> Like a Buddha –> Through the Gates
The Jupiter and the 119 –> Cuckoo Medley
Encore:
Elko
January 24, 2015 Ogden Theatre - Denver, Colorado
Set 1:
Long Way To Go Bread and Water Potter’s Field –> 1759 Goat Old Dangerfield Just So You Know Bird in a House Dance Around Molly –> Dandelion Wine
Set 2:
Chasin’ a Rainbow Old Man and the Land Bringin’ My Baby Back Home Saddle of the Sun –> Tuba Mirum Butterfly and the Tree Hangtown Ball Glad (A) –> Warhead Boogie –> Face with a Hole Colorado
Encore:
Roadhouse Blues
(A) First time played, written by Steve Winwood
