Dan England

85 stories · Page 3 of 5

FeaturesHungry for Humor: Comedy Fort Takes the Place of Hodi’s HalfNoteDavid Rodriguez’ first comedy set, more than five years ago, was at Hodi’s Half Note, the beloved FoCo rock club which recently announced its closing. He believes it’s fitting, then, that he will open Comedy Fort in the Hodi’s building, probably sometime in January. “When this opportunity came about, it just felt perfect,” Rodriguez said.Dan England · Sep 15, 2020FeaturesWriting on the Wall, Festival on the Screen: FoCoMX at the Drive-In and On the WebThis weekend, in lieu of the real, re-scheduled thing, FoCoMX will offer “A Digital Retrospective” of photos taken by fans as well as rare backstage shots by FoCoMX staff on September 4-5 via the festival’s social media channels. The festival wants to celebrate the fan perspective and involvement as well as host live, in-person music to folks in their cars every Tuesday via Drive & Jive, pulling from its scheduled lineup of more than 400 acts.Dan England · Sep 2, 2020FeaturesReunited and it Feels So Downtown – Greeley’s United Plaza and Socially Distanced DistrictDowntown Greeley’s been quiet since March, when the outbreak shuttered bars (for the second time now), restaurants and other fun places that made downtown as successful as it’s been in decades. But business owners hope to make some noise by closing 8th and 9th streets and putting open dining tables out. They also added an open container law that essentially extends the Go Cup law full-time until fall, only with loosened restrictions: Any alcohol is OK now, even if you have some from home, though the idea is to support the businesses on the blocks. The Greeley City Council approved the plan and began it July 1.Dan England · Aug 4, 2020FeaturesCan We Just Live? Devin Tremell Speaks Out with Hip Hop as a Tool of InfluenceDevin Tremell insisted to the crowd of hundreds looking up at him from the Lincoln Park gazebo in Greeley that he was just a regular Black dude.Dan England · Aug 3, 2020FeaturesHayden Farr: Love and the March of an Angry IntrovertUntil recently, the pandemic, and our directive to stay put, wasn’t all that hard for Hayden Farr, baritone sax player for The Burroughs and Trash Cat.Dan England · Jul 3, 2020FeaturesIf You’re Listening: Greg Carroll on the Black American Art Form with an Inherent Sense of DemocracyEven though it was the music that got Greg Carroll into his jazz career, he became a champion of the art form, teaching, preserving and protecting the history of it, because it is the music of his fellow black Americans. “It excites me to see everyone play it, but jazz was created by African Americans, born out of the experiences of people forced on this land as a way to honor their culture – the only thing that couldn’t be ripped away from them. It’s a gift to the world, and it’s welcome to everyone. But it’s historically black, and the more I got into it and learned the history of it, the more I appreciated that. It made me proud.”Dan England · Jul 2, 2020FeaturesGoing For It: Live Music Returns, At A DistanceThe Mishawaka Amphitheatre’s second live show during the pandemic happens at the night before Independence Day – and it’s not for the money. For independent music venues and clubs across Colorado, July 1 is perhaps as important as the day we celebrate our independence as a nation. Governor Polis’ new guidelines take effect that day, allowing the assembly of crowds which make live music possible, if not exactly feasible.Dan England · Jun 29, 2020FeaturesThe Fate Of Festival FutureEven right after she was the sickest she’d been in her life, Alison Hamling still cried after she essentially canceled Friday Fest in Downtown Greeley.Dan England · Jun 5, 2020FeaturesBand Together: National Independent Venue Association Saves Our Stages“There was no one to speak for us,” Stephen Chilton said. “Everyone was talking about the big events and festivals, and no one was talking about the mid-size venues and clubs.” Chilton heads the National Independent Venue Association which is fighting to #SaveOurStages in the fallout of coronavirus repercussions. “What is the most unsafe thing right now? It’s mass gatherings, and we produce mass gatherings,” he said. In two months time, more than 1,600 have joined NIVA, but it still pales in comparison to the thousands in the restaurant industry.Dan England · Jun 3, 2020FeaturesRedefining The Industry: Could Live Streaming be the Woodstock of the COVID Era?Coronavirus continues to devastate bar and club owners, restaurants and musicians, but there may be a bright spot: the power of streaming live concerts. Some are even making good money at it. “We’ve learned how to use the tools of social media better now. We are using them rather than just placing facades online,” said Tim Coons of Giants & Pilgrims. “If I can make $100 sitting on my couch, that redefines the industry for me,” said Brandon Harris of NoCo Band Meat & Potatoes.Dan England · Apr 29, 2020FeaturesInto The Original: Tyler Walker & John DeWitt at the RMCMAsAs the talent booker for the Greeley Stampede’s music acts, John DeWitt always liked the Tyler Walker Band.Dan England · Mar 6, 2020FeaturesJim Curry Is Not John DenverJim Curry is not John Denver. Well, no #@%*!, you say, but when you see him sing on stage, you may have doubts.Dan England · Mar 3, 2020FeaturesCover Story: Kyle Emerson – Coming Down and Into His OwnAt the end of every show on his first tour as a solo artist, Kyle Emerson found himself exhausted.Dan England · Feb 7, 2020FeaturesSultans of Shred: Greeley Teen’s World-Class Guitar Chops Run In La FamiliaGreeley’s Liam Garcia is 17, a junior at Greeley West High School, and by all accounts plays guitar better than just about anyone else in the world his age (and honestly, most people twice his age). He traveled to London in September for the Young Guitarist of the Year competition as the only American selected for the finals. He plans to study at the Berklee College of Music, but the biggest exhilaration is playing with his dad Socrates on stage.Dan England · Feb 5, 2020FeaturesTheo Katzman: Modern Johnny Explores The Darkness With The LightIn 2017, Theo Katzman’s father died, he had a bad breakup, and he lost a bunch of money on what he thought was a cool professional opportunity. This is how he discovered his sense of humor. “Out of the wake of all that was sort of this ‘f— it’ attitude,” Katzman said, and though a core member of the very funny Vulfpeck, he says: “I don’t think I’m making comedy music. If I’m doing my job right, the people in my audience at times will be insanely sad. You can explore the light along with the dark.” Katzman released Modern Johnny Sings: Songs In The Key Of Vibe mere days ago, “tackling the issues” of our times with unique poignancy.Dan England · Jan 15, 2020FeaturesHit The Ground Running – Hodi’s Half Note: 10 Years of the FoCo Music Mainstay“I have a deep love for music,” Daniel Mladenik, owner of Hodi’s Half Note says. “I feel like this is what I was put here to do.” Mladenik may be the big boss at Hodi’s now, but he began his time at the Fort Collins music mainstay as the “heavy” demanding derailed drunks to chill. This January 24, Hodi’s celebrates 10 years on North College Avenue with a performance by Dave Watts and Friends, a Motet / String Cheese Incident supergroup.Dan England · Jan 10, 2020FeaturesBreaking the Cycle – UPLIFT: FOCO Plucks For a Good CauseAndy Whilden knew exactly who to turn to when he was putting together a house band for his first music festival: bluegrass players.Dan England · Dec 13, 2019FeaturesThe Blasting Room: FoCo’s Punk Rock Heart Beats For 25 YearsThe Blasting Room didn’t start with a Big Bang, as you might expect, but a drunken nap.Dan England · Nov 11, 2019FeaturesRebirth Brass Band: Old Tradition, Different GrooveThe Rebirth Brass Band have to answer two questions every time they play a gig: 1 – Are you going to play some traditional stuff? 2 – Are you going to play your own stuff? “We’re not trying to recreate the wheel,” founder and and bass drummer Keith Frazier said, “but we want to do something different.” Catch the Grammy-winning band October 25 at Washington’s in Fort Collins and October 26 at The Ogden in Denver.Dan England · Oct 14, 2019FeaturesFirst Class: Greeley Arts Legacy’s Hall Of Fame“We do not want to forget what happened,” said Ed Rogers, chairman of the Greeley Arts Legacy board. “It’s easy to select what we know, but we also want to go back and make sure our past is remembered.” The Arts Legacy board did just that, honoring Ruth Savig, a visual artist for decades in Greeley, Hellen Langworthy who started Little Theater Of The Rockies 80 years ago, the Greeley Philharmonic and more. Friday, October 4 at Union Colony Civic Center, all 6 inductees will be celebrated.Dan England · Oct 2, 2019