1. The Last Waltz Again: Friday November 29 at Washington’s –If you ask me, THIS is the way to spend the day after Thanksgiving! More than 30 Ft. Collins artists playing The Band’s final concert. washingtonsfoco.com for more.
2. New Music Book Releases – Whether for yourself-gifting or getting holiday shopping for loved ones done early, new tomes from Elton John, Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, Liz Phair, Flea and more have just hit the bookstore shelves!
3. Colorado Music Hall of Fame Induction Event: Going Back To Colorado – The Colorado Sound Presents this epic night at the Mission Ballroom on Tuesday, December 3 where Joe Bonamassa, Warren Haynes and more pay tribute to Tommy Bolin & Zeyphr, Otis Taylor and Freddi Henchi Band.
4. In Tune: A Conversation About Mental Health & Creatives – Continuing the conversation from the October event, Ft. Collins Musicians Association and The Colorado Sound will host another night of conversation about mental health in the music world.
5. 14th Annual Rocking In A Winter Wonderland– You’ve seen Lisa Siciliano’s great photos on our site & social pages. Every year she prints and displays several for-sale photos at this fun, music-filled night in Boulder. Pick up her truly great prints Thursday, December 12 at The Riverside.
1. Old Town Fort Collins Lights – Each town in Colorado has really cool holiday light displays, but I’m fond of the Fort Collins lights since I live there and the first time I saw Old Town FoCo it was lit up for the holidays!
2. Dead Man’s Pop (Box Set), The Replacements – This is manna from heaven for ‘Mats completists. The box set includes a remix of their 1989 album Don’t Tell a Soul known as Don’t Tell a Soul Redux, and previously unreleased recordings of the band with Tom Waits.
3. Blue World, John Coltrane – 52 years after his death, unreleased Coltrane recordings are still being discovered. The music on Blue World featured was in the 1964 film, Le Chat Dans Le Sac (The Cat in the Bag) but because the recording date had gone un-noted in session recording logs, it was only recently (re)discovered.
4. Watchmen, HBO – The adaption/reimagining of the classic DC comics Watchmen graphic novel airs on HBO as a limited series. Who watches The Watchmen? I do!
5. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13¾, Sue Townsend – I read the original release in the early ‘80s and recently revisited it. Set in Margaret Thatcher era England, it’s written diary style in the voice of English teen Adrian Mole who fancies himself an intellectual, quite frequently getting it wrong.
1. New Mastersounds: Shake It – This September’s release celebrates 20 years of being funky, featuring Atlanta vocalist Lamar Williams Jr. and a host of other guests including Thievery Corporation’s Jeff Franca. Recorded at Denver’s Color Red Studios, it sticks to their traditional soulful grooves; a perfect hold you over ‘til you catch them live!
2. Color Red Studio & Label – Eddie Roberts is the musician, philanthropist and mastermind behind Denver’s Color Red. Introducing us to Dragondeer, Analog Son, Greyhounds, J.E.D.I., The Burroughs, Gabriel Mervine and his own New Mastersounds, Color Red records and presses vinyl, but also supports The Payback, a non-profit committed to breaking the cycle of juvenile delinquency. Hit color-red.co for more.
3. Altin Gün: Gece – Psych-folkers Altin Gün blur traditional folk and pop via their Amsterdam, Indonesia and Turkey origins. Their sophomore release Gece is a fun, funky listen almost as good on wax as it is live. Currently touring with Tame Impala, they made a splash on this summer’s festival circuit. Thanks to sister station KUNC’s Luke Runyon for the intro to this band! Listen at atorecords.com/artists/altin-gun
4. Zombieland: Double Tap – Disclaimer: I haven’t seen this yet! That being said, I went to the original Zombieland thinking I’d hate it. Suffice to say, I didn’t! Can’t wait for the glorious return of Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock in, what is sure to be, a stupid-fun, zombie-killing time!
5. Sampa the Great – The Return – Zambian singer, songwriter and rapper Sampa the Great (Sampa Tembo) just released her debut full-length LP The Return. Raised in Botswana, she now calls Australia home, and is taking the Hip Hop community by storm. She has previous releases dating back to 2015, but this longer record showcases her poignant voice.
1. Jack Broadbent: Wishing Well – Broadbent was hailed as the next big thing by the Montreux Jazz Festival after his recent, scorching performance. Bootsy Collins says “He’s the real thang” which you can hear for yourself on his first single “Wishing Well.” A blues player taking the genre in a whole new direction, he’s not afraid to push boundaries and create new soundscapes. If you see him live don’t be surprised to see him using a flask as his slide.
2. GA-20: Lonely Soul – GA-20 is a Boston trio with blues flair. Taking their name from a retro Gibson amp, the band has a nostalgic feel and lo-fi approach to recording. Reminiscent of classic garage rockers The Sonics or The Count Five, you can almost hear pops and scratches coming off this LP even though it was made in the digital era.
3. Paul Cauthen: Room 41 – One of the most compelling albums of the year, Room 41 was recorded over the two years Cauthen spent living out of a suitcase in Room 41 of the Belmont Hotel in Dallas. Like a combo of Johnny, Willie and Kristofferson, Cauthen lived every line of the songs on the record. It’s a miracle he stayed alive to finish the project.
4. Beware Of Mr. Baker Documentary – I didn’t know a lot about Ginger Baker prior to his death on October 6. Jay Bulger’s documentary Beware of Mr. Baker is an excellent place to learn about the iconic drummer’s impact. Even for non-fans of Classic Rock, this entertaining doc gives great insight to the music business and staying true to oneself.
5. Thanksgiving – A holiday based on eating is something most of us can get behind. Throw in Football, The Macy’s parade and a chance to get together with friends and you have a recipe for perfection. Save a piece of pumpkin pie for me!
