Last August, BandWagon Magazine made the voyage to the ARISE music festival, located in Loveland, Colorado. It’s first year as a festival it had a few growing pains, but ultimately it provided the perfect opportunity for Northern Colorado to see what the festi scene is all about.
Among the many faces of country music, Martina McBride leads in an industry of widely known female voices. With a long standing career in the music world her ability to create songs full of meaning is something to be recognized and has been noted professionally in her awards as Female Vocalist of the Year and specifically Country Music’s Top Female Vocalist. With 11 studio albums this singer has plenty to say and a range of sound that evolves through the decades. More than 2/3rds of her albums have received gold certifications with over 14 million records sold in the US. McBride’s firm position in the history of country music continues with a mutual foundation between her the dedicated fans that inspire her, something that doesn’t seem to be fading away.
Quite possibly the most ostentatious music duo to come out of the country music scene in decades, John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin first hit it big in 2004 with their debut album Horse of a Different Color; the song the general public knows them for was the album’s number two single, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.”
Clearly the atypical rapper, he deals in fallen angels and atheism, which alone sets him worlds apart from most other MCs. He has a style that absolutely murders the competition; speedy raps that combine wicked, tricky wordplay with melodic hooks, an on stage presence that involves tribal face paint, a straight jacket and blood red hair, making him one of the most unique figures in the game. With a career spanning over two decades, including fourteen studio albums and over two million independent sales, he’s no slacker either. After becoming increasingly frustrated with major labels, Tech launched his own imprint, Strange Music, Inc. in 1999 with his manager.
Fake Four, Inc., a small independent record label in New Haven, Connecticut, has far surpassed the expectations of its founders, brothers Ceschi and David Ramos. Established in 2008, it was born out of a mutual passion for music and grown by the love and support of its fans. As Fake Four was gathering momentum, putting out album after album and touring the world, Ceschi Ramos found himself in a terrible predicament, one even Hollywood couldn’t make up.
It’s June again and that means one thing for the people of Greeley: it’s time for the Blues Jam. After ten years, the two-day event that turns quiet downtown Greeley into a Mecca for celebrating the blues continues to keep the blues alive and kicking in Northern Colorado. Local businesses see record sales, bands play anywhere a stage will fit, and Blues Jam feeds the flame to a weekly summer event called Go-Cup where the city pretty much gets to party outside. This year, the good people behind the Blues Jam have topped themselves with an incredible line up from across the blues genre. Sitting in the highly coveted headlining spot is none other than the legendary Tab Benoit.
