Reviews

It was Sunday night, and the proud nerds were lined up to get into the Boulder Theater to see Weird Al Yankovic on his White & Nerdy Tour. It was an all-ages show, and I was surprised to see so many children in the audience.

On a last minute whim, my friend and I decided it had been far too long since we had seen our homegrown boys, Widespread Panic. With a passion for the exhilaration of live shows and the surprises a band like Panic brings, once the thought entered our minds, we knew we couldn't fight it. So, we gathered a few others and set out towards Pelham, Ala.We drove quickly, but it was inevitable that we would not make it on time.

South Bend, Indiana progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee has made quite a name for themselves in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area over the years. In the beginning the band played at venues like the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheatre and The Cabooze, building a reliable fan base that grew every time they returned to the Twins Cities. As they gained popularity, Umphrey’s McGee began to headline shows at the legendary First Avenue Nightclub, playing as many as three nights in a row to sold out crowds.

Once again members of the Disco Biscuits come to Colorado in one shape or another to play for a very dedicated fan base. On two mid-week days in the middle of July, Disco Biscuit fans and fans of electronic music in general packed the Fox Theater for two pretty different shows.

Nice work fellows! For those unaware of Town Mountain, expect the excellent playing of the banjo, fiddle, upright bass, guitar and mandolin along with the rich vocals on Town Mountain’s album, Leave The Bottle, to grab your ears and spirit immediately.  From pulling off the New Grass practice of taking pop songs and putting a traditional bluegrass spin on the tunes such as Bruce Springsteen’s I Am On Fire (From 2008’s Heroes and Heretics) while keeping the traditional bluegrass sound on lock is another ace up Town Mountain’s sleeve.

Power-pop pioneers Cheap Trick kicked off the 2013 Seaside Summer Concert Series, which celebrates its 35th—and possibly last—anniversary this year. While the show didn't feel very summery due to the rain, it was a rousing start to another season packed with music legends such as Smokey Robinson, The Go-Go's, and Huey Lewis and the News.

I’ll be honest: Chicago is probably the last place I tend to think of when we’re talkin’ bluegrass.

The Mother Hips have been around for twenty years, and I’ve never heard of them—I think—actually, on second thought, they do ring a bell. But that might just be residual from my Acid Mothers Temple salad days...In any case, Behind Beyond is the band’s latest disc, released in celebration of their platinum (or china, if you’re old school) anniversary.

Southern Rockers Widespread Panic has come a long way since their humble beginnings in Athens, George in 1986. Well, actually, the sextet is still humble. Steering clear of mainstream record labels, never overselling themselves to anyone but their loyal fans, playing discrete destination festivals while keeping a cool and accessible demeanor; by basically being themselves.

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