In a time where any musician can self-produce and release their own independent album, up-and-coming talents need to set the bar extra high, or at least posses image marketability. The story behind music industry insider Matt Reynolds’ debut release is far from this trend. The longtime road manager for Grateful Dead tribute favorite Dark Star Orchestra has released his impressively diverse Been Long Gone after years behind the scenes.

There’s something about Grateful Dead tunes that no other song, lyric or melody can really duplicate. There’s something about a Grateful Dead song that reminds you of every happy moment, every smile you’ve seen from a stranger, and makes you want to dance. I was lucky enough to roll in the New Year with that warm, comforting feeling of the Grateful Dead with the longest touring Grateful Dead cover band, and one of my greatest muses, Dark Star Orchestra.

There’s something truly special about a New Year's show.  Everyone puts on their best and celebrates a long year of work. Every year Colorado is particularly lucky to host a number of great bands who seem to compete for the coveted “Best Show” among fans. In epic fashion, The String Cheese Incident returned to the 1^st Bank Center for a ritual 3 set show.  Filled with unique surprises, this show elevated the possibility for live music.

Cornmeal revved the engines for high energy bluegrass in Chicago on New Year’s Eve, 12/31/2015.  They opened up the evening at The Vic Theatre with Edge of the World, an ordinary Cornmeal song with an ambition to fall off the edge of the world to see what happens next.  It was an appropriate choice for the kick off of such a holiday show.  From there, they did some more Cornmeal classics – River Gap and Jenny.  It was a welcome home for th

Every year a large group of musicians from across the country travel to Denver to ring in the New Year with multi-night runs. One such group was The Chris Robinson Brotherhood. 

With a quick turnaround on the heels of a three set New Year’s Eve show, The String Cheese Incident spoiled friends and family to more of that cheesy goodness on their second night at Broomfield’s 1^st Bank Center. While the costumes and elaborate spectacles were reeled in (as much as they can be at a SCI show), the 3D screen was stunning and the music seemingly more engaged. Hangovers be damned, the band and crowd came to jig.

Dead & Company, the latest Grateful Dead-family arena band, has made its way to California, for two shows at San Francisco’s venerable Bill Graham Civic Auditorium before heading to Los Angeles to close out the year.

In Handmade Moments’ second album, Eye in the Sky, you’ll find a wonderful array of classy beatboxing, great rhythms and a smattering of political commentary. The beatboxing acts as a subtle foundation for their melodies. Their rhythms are interlinked between South and Central American sounds, classic bluegrass and modern folk with a few twinges of slide guitar. And the commentary – it’s subtle as well. There are no overbearing opinions, just lightly dancing hopes for a better world.

This past February, Perpetual Groove announced that they would be back from a two year hiatus, and in the summer they got back on the road again to the delight of fans around the country. As part of the giving of gratitude Thanksgiving this year, the band came to Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver, CO for a pair of nights of jamming.

One of Denver’s hottest new venues turned up on Friday, November 6^th with the Disco Biscuit side band, Conspirator. Sadly, this was one of the last shows at the 1up on Colfax ever. The venue closed the music venue section to stay faithful to its arcade bar roots, and ironically RAQ was the last shows there. Conspirator is far from a stranger to the area, as the Disco Biscuits play in Colorado more than anywhere else, Lotus just played in Colorado a couple months ago, and RAQ even more recently.