Category: The West

Disney Begins Casting for ‘Frozen’ on Broadway

Disney’s Frozen is joining Aladdin and The Lion King on Broadway. Based on the hugely popular movie that made Idina Menzel a household name (and one John Travolta will never forget), the musical adaptation begins its Broadway run in Spring 2018.

Prior to the Broadway opening, an out-of-town premiere will take place at Denver’s Buell Theatre in the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in August 2017.

The show is directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers and features music and lyrics from the film’s score creators, Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, as well as from the book by Jennifer Lee.

Frozen is loosely based on a Hans Christen Andersen fairy tale. It tells the story of a princess named Elsa who sets out on a quest to find her sister Anna. The film version spawned a slew of Elsa imitators and parody versions of its Oscar-winning song “Let it Go.”

Casting is ongoing and Disney has yet to release dates or which theater will host the production.

February 22, 2016
Madison House, AEG Live Nears Approval for Big Music Festival

This summer a brand-new music event could be hitting the festival circuit — although New Yorkers will have to travel west to Colorado. Madison House Presents and AEG Live announced plans for a four-day event with the possibility to host 20,000 people on a ranch near Buena Vista, Colorado. The expected run for the weekend event is Aug. 4 through 7.

According to the Denver Post, commissioners in Chaffee County, Colorado, seem likely to approve the proposal for the annual festival at a meeting in early March. “I don’t see having challenges we could not overcome. I have faith in Madison House that is well earned that they can do what needs to be done,” said Chaffee County Commissioner Dave Potts, as reported Tuesday in the Denver Post.

Photo from Facebook

Last August, the Boulder-based Madison House Presents organized a two-day Mumford and Sons Gentlemen of the Road festival in neighboring Salida, Colorado; other artists included the Flaming Lips, Dawes, Jenny Lewis and Blake Mills. Madison House is known for putting on such music festivals as Electric Forest Festival and Rothbury Festival and managing bands like the String Cheese Incident and JJ Grey and MOFRO, while AEG Live produces the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, among others, and Goldenvoice, a Southern California-based regional division of the company, organizes Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Stagecoach Country Music Festival.

For this new event, the organizers hope to schedule performances until 1 a.m. on Thursday and Sunday, and 2:30 a.m. on the other two days. The festival’s headliners and lineup will not be released until early spring, but Madison House Presents and AEG Live promise a diverse group of acts to attract a wide range of ages. Stay tuned for updates as this story further develops.

H/T Jambase

February 19, 2016
March Fourth! & Diego’s Umbrella Blaze Boulder’s Fox Theatre

Last year about this time, March Fourth! played a show so raucous that the capacity crowd started chanting, “Holy Shit!” for several minutes. Moments before their return to the Fox Theatre in Boulder, CO last week, another capacity crowd greeted M4 band members with the same chant. It’s all that the band needed to deliver another explosive carnie steamfunk performance that included stilt walkers, acrobatics, and some of the brawniest, live music ever in the state.

Before March Fourth! took the stage, one of their percussionists lit the audience as a member of a gypsy punk band called Diego’s Umbrella. Their lively, “ants-in-their-pants” style lit up the cold, Colorado crowd with bonfire intensity. Their performance was just a precursor of things to come.

In part, the March Fourth! act has always been part vaudeville/burlesque stage show. To their benefit, however, this time around, when the band took the stage, they focused more on blistering melodies and percussive jams that launched the crowd into a booty-shaking frenzy. During the encore, members of M4 could barely contain themselves, and the entire band jumped and body surfed their way into the crowd. The Fox show marked their first stop in their winter tour, and they performed with unbridled passion and energy. In the words of one concert-goer, “That was one hellava spicy meatball of a show!”

February 17, 2016
Fest Food: Phish Dick’s 2014

“We love Dick’s. We love it! Jennifer and Natalie, do you love Dick’s?” asked Trey before launching into Suzy Greenberg with the ladies on horns. Everyone loves Dick’s – the music from Phish, the mountains, the legal weed and the Phish food.

The first order of business was stocking up on canned goods for the Conscience Alliance food drive and finding a cake to celebrate my friends’ honeymoon. With some low-sodium black beans and a double layer, fruit-filled, crème Chantilly covered confection in tow, we set off for Commerce City.

The first treat on lot was “fire cider,” a concoction of vinegar, garlic, and organic honey, bottled up as a daily immune supplement. It was spicy, sweet, and sour. The next morning proved it’s also a magical hangover cure with a couple splashes in ice water. Late summer is prime stone fruit season in Colorado and one guy was hawking luscious, $1 peaches from a crate on his shoulder. It tasted like the culmination of all summer’s sweetness, juice running down my arm with each bite. The biggest favor you can do your body on tour is eating fruit and veggies daily, so be sure to eat a peach this weekend!

On night two the scent of smoked meat wafted over the lot, luring us to Baker’s BBQ. Pitmaster Blade was laboring over 5 pork butts for post-show sandwiches accompanied by his impressive array of sauces, including homemade ketchup, southern style and raspberry BBQ. Blade told us his specialty was BBQ sticky buns, stuffed with pulled pork and slathered in the raspberry sauce.

Kids were queued up on Shakedown for Phenominal Falafel from Steamboat Springs, delivering a sublime wrap of harissa, pickled carrots, red onion, spring mix and a drizzle of tzasiki over crispy chickpea fritters. I met my fiance at Phish when he offered to share his falafel, so this sandwich has a special place in my heart. The other frontrunner for superior savory snack was McDevitt Taco Supply from Boulder, advertising the “buy 4, get one dab free” special.

On Sunday we enjoyed a delicious lunch at Watercourse Foods, the original vegan restaurant in Denver. The pastry case was full of tempting treats, so I grabbed a hostess-style cupcake for the road. From there on out, it was a no holds barred sugarfest. Arriving at Dick’s, I had an organic strawberry margarita with a double splash of tequila, which was definitely the best cocktail of the weekend. Next up was a scoop of homemade strawberry compote over fresh whipped cream, garnished with short bread biscuits. The chef behind the berries had cooked in France for many years and wanted to share his passion for fine food with fellow fans.

We tried jasmine flower-flavored ice cream sandwiches made of hemp, and couldn’t resist a couple chicks wearing chocolate chip cookie costumes, selling their baked goods out of a pink wagon. At the show I headed to WaterWheel with the Hostess cupcake for my friend’s birthday. As luck would have it, his lovely lady brought the perfect pairing- a vegan Twinkie! Phish loves Dick’s and so does Fest Food, as every year it’s an all out smorgasboard.

February 8, 2016
Maurice White, Founder of Earth, Wind and Fire, Dead at 74

Yet another Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has passed. Maurice White, founding member of soul legends Earth, Wind and Fire passed away in his sleep last night, according to a post by his brother and bandmate Verdine White on the band’s Facebook page. White was 74:

My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep. While the world has lost…

Posted by Earth, Wind & Fire on Thursday, February 4, 2016

TMZ reports that White was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 1992, and the effects of the disease took him off the road with the band in 1994. He was still active in band decisions.

Maurice was born Dec. 19, 1941 in Memphis, and he was a childhood friend of Booker T Jones. He later moved to Chicago and became a session drummer at Chess Studios. He played drums on the Fontella Bass classic “Rescue Me.”

A move to Los Angeles in 1969 prompted a name change for his band The Salty Peppers. This was the beginning of Earth, Wind and Fire and a hall of fame career that included such hits as “Shining Star,” “September” and “That’s the Way of the World.”

Earth, Wind and Fire will be honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys later this month.

White leaves behind a wife and two children.

February 5, 2016
Mighty Diamonds, Highway 50, Mono Verde Shine at the Fox Theater

The atmospheric weather phenomenon known as El Nino has blown more snow over Colorado than the state has seen in several years. One recent show at the Fox Theater on January 22 in Boulder, CO featuring a trio of roots reggae/ska bands, including reggae pioneers, the Mighty Diamonds, provided a brief respite from winter with a night full of warm, tropical melodies from Jamaica.

Two area favorites, Mono Verde, and Highway 50, helmed by former Samples keyboardist Al Laughin, jumpstarted the evening with a series of percussive world beat and roots ska melodies. Highway 50’s elevated the languid, easy-going style of reggae melodies with a powerful horn section and brawny lead guitar riffs.

The night’s headliners, the Mighty Diamonds, featuring Lloyd “Judge” Ferguson, Fitzroy ”Bunny” Simpson and Donald “Tabby” Shaw, formed in 1969 in the Trenchtown area of Kingston, Jamaica. They showed, even after 46 years, that they can jump, spin, and belt out Motown-infused reggae with unbridled enthusiasm.

February 3, 2016
Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner Dies at 74

Iconic San Francisco musician Paul Kantner died Thursday, Jan. 28, of multiple organ failure and septic shock.

A founding member of the Jefferson Airplane, Kantner, 74, suffered a heart attack earlier this week, reported the San Francisco Chronicle, adding that he had experienced many health problems in recent years.

With Jefferson Airplane, Kantner defined the mid-1960s psychedelic sound and created hits like “Somebody to Love” and “White Rabbit” featuring Grace Slick’s narcotic vocals. Most notably, the band was the first headliner at Bill Graham’s legendary Fillmore Auditorium and performed at Woodstock. Kantner and Slick transformed the group into Jefferson Starship in 1974; Kantner departed 11 years later, although the couple had a daughter together.

In 1996, Kantner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and he continued touring up until his death. Most recently, Steve Malinski witnessed Kantner perform with several bandmates for a 50th anniversary celebration at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut this past August:

The Starship’s presence on stage was bold and cohesive – original members of the Airplane Paul Kantner and David Freiberg kept the sound true and original to the Airplane along with longtime Starship drummer Donny Baldwin, keyboardist Chris Smith and guitarist Jude Gold. The animated and exhuberant Cathy Richardson fulfilled the big-shoes role created by Grace Slick’s powerful vocals, to whom she gave a tip of the hat to near the end of the set. Together they made the performance feel engaging to the audience with down to earth, unscripted banter and humor between songs, which has been a consistency for the group through the past several years.”

Paul Kantner at the Woodstock 40th Anniversary Concert, Bethel Woods Aug. 15, 2009

Paul Lorin Kantner is survived by three children: sons Gareth and Alexander, and daughter, China. At press time, funeral arrangements had not been released.

January 29, 2016
Dino Takes Hiatus from The Werks

Dino Dimitrouleas, bassist from The Werks, announced he will take a hiatus from the band and will not join them for their upcoming tour.

Dino The Werks

The Werks, whose former keyboardist Norman Dimitrouleas recently passed away, will head out on tour this week with a change to their lineup. Bassist — and older brother of Norman — Dino Dimitrouleas will be temporarily replaced by Jake “Baby Hands” Goldberg. Through a message posted to The Werks’ Facebook page, the elder Dimitrouleas announced that he will be taking a hiatus from the band.

I hope to return after this tour but at this junction in my life I am taking things one day at a time.

I want to thank Jake for keeping the show on the road as well as thank my family, friends, band mates and fans for being so supportive during this difficult period in my life. I also want to encourage all of our fans to support The Werks in my absence as this is a very difficult time for them as well.

The Werks tour will take them through parts of the Midwest, the Northeast and Colorado, ending in the South. Their one New York date is Feb. 6 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. Other Northeast dates include Feb. 4 at Brighton Music Hall in Boston and Feb. 5 at Stage One in Fairfield, Connecticut.

January 24, 2016
Blast From the Past: YMSB Rings in New Year With Nostalgic Covers

They didn’t have 3-D projections, laser lights or massive stage props, but Yonder Mountain String Band (YMSB) brought plenty of energy, heart and even a little Motown soul to the Boulder Theater during their four-night residency in Colorado to celebrate the New Year. In addition to guest performers each night, the local bluegrass favorites picked and jammed through cover songs from different decades each night.

Thursday night, mandolin impresario Sam Bush joined the band in covering a number of 1960’s classics like The Rolling Stones’ tune “Jumping Jack Flash.” But it was fiddler Allie Kral’s soaring vocals that provided the first night’s highlights by belting out Chuck Berry’s “You Never Can Tell” and Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man.”

New Year’s Eve highlighted 70’s classics like the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” and a percussion-led version of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust.”

Local fans went foot-stomping mad on Friday night when dobro master Jerry Douglas joined Yonder for a night of 80’s-themed tunes, including Black Sabbath’s “Crazy Train” and the Cyndi Lauper favorite, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” Along with his trademark improvisational stylings, Douglas sported 80’s spirit by donning an oversized black wig.

Saturday night’s YMSB set was boosted by the presence of jazz guitarist Stanley Jordon. With dazzling and introspective fret work, he lent an introspective flair to 90’s-themed music that included old Yonder standards like “Hole” and covers like Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon.” Yonder Mountain String Band’s sound is as polished and vibrant as ever in its history even when the band reaches back into history to celebrate the future.

January 8, 2016