The Infamous Stringdusters & The Drunken Hearts 12.5.14

-

Aggie Theatre
Fort Collins, CO

Words & Photos By Nicholas Stock (Fat Guerilla Productions)


The Infamous Stringdusters were set to co-headline the Hoppy Holidays show with Kyle Hollingsworth Band at the Fillmore in Denver. They took the opportunity to host a concert of their own the night beforehand at the Aggie Theater. The Stringdusters had been on a break since their performance on Halloween in NYC. The show at the Aggie was a reunion of sorts for the band. The Dusters invited local jamgrass heroes, The Drunken Hearts, to open up the night. They took the stage early around 8 PM. Unfortunately, I didn’t arrive until they were performing their set closing song with Andy Hall. The lack of a substantial crowd at The Aggie let me know I wasn’t the only one who thought the show started at 9 PM. The fact remains that The Drunken Hearts have truly progressed into a full-blown musical spectacle capable of powerful performances. The Hearts are firmly establishing themselves in the upper echelon of Colorado bluegrass. Zebulon Bowles remains a fascinating focal point for this band. The Drunken Heart are an impressive group with limitless potential. Check them out if you haven’t seen them live.

The Infamous Stringdusters are dominating the bluegrass scene. They have been on a relentless tour schedule that has brought them through Colorado several times in the last year. They even performed with Governor Hickenlooper at the Viva Lyons celebration. At the Aggie they played two superb sets of music. They opened with a perfect bluegrass rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice It's Alright.”

Set One: Don’t Think Twice It's Alright, Time To Part> 17 Cents, Rivers Run Cold, Night On The River, Well, Well, Middlefork, Thirsty In The Rain, Paddy On The Turnpike, Tragic Life

Set Two: Hobo Song, High Country Funk Tease> In Gods Country, The Place That I Call Home, You Can’t Stop The Changes> Home Of The Red Fox, Scarlet Begonias> This Weary Heart You Stole Away, Like I Do, How Far I’d Fall for You, No More To Leave You Behind, Love Grown Cold, One More Bridge, Gentle On My Mind, Machines

Encore: Bar Tender, Uncle Pen

By the time The Stringdusters took the stage the room had filled in nicely and there was still quite a long line of people waiting to get inside the venue. The first set was bit shorter than the second, but it was full of fan favorites. They gave us a pair of aquatic tunes with “Rivers Run Cold” into a beautiful “Night On The River.” They performed a driving version of Peter Rowan’s “Thirsty In The Rain.” They closed the first set with “Tragic Life.” Every member of this band is a musical virtuoso. Each and every time The Infamous Stringdusters take the stage they play from the heart with a special brand of vibrancy and skill that is truly extraordinary.

They began their second set with their homage to vagrancy, “Hobo Song,” before teasing “High Country Funk.” They treated fans to a wide array of originals as well as a couple of covers. Pulling from a bit deeper in their catalog they performed “You Can’t Stop The Changes” into the instrumental “Home of The Red Fox.” Jeremy Garrett was center stage much of the show including a huge solo on “Red Fox.” Not to mention the way these guys interact while pickling together. It’s obvious that each member of the band is happy to be there as they swing their instruments around the stage. They delighted fans with a rendition of The Grateful Dead’s “Scarlet Begonias” before Andy Falco took the microphone on the lively “Like I Do.” The Stringdusters went back to their debut album Fork In The Road with “No More To Leave You Behind.” After a picturesque Travis-sung “Gentle On My Mind,” they closed with “Machines.” The Dusters hastily returned for a two-song encore that included Bill Monroe’s classic “Uncle Pen.” I can’t really say it enough; The Infamous Stringdusters are in contention for being the best bluegrass band touring today. They play from the heart with intensity. They are incredibly talented and yet gracious at the same time. They have quickly landed on my not-to-be-missed list. Their show at The Aggie would act as the perfect warm-up for Hoppy Holidays the following evening.

Nick’s Photo Gallery

www.thestringdusters.com

www.thedrunkenhearts.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Keeper of the Flame: How I Lost My Religion & Found My Soul at Burning Man

-
Image
Black Rock City, NV Words & Photos by Andrew Wyatt The first time I was born again, I was no more than a 12-year-old tadpole of a kid wriggling his way through chilly baptismal waters of my father’s tiny, rural Southern Baptist church. The first time I was born into the narrow confines of evangelical religion. The second time I was born again, I was a gangly young man born into the big, wide, roiling sea of the infinite universe. And it all happened on a pirate ship and a wacky dance club at Burning Man. In 2002, I was a self-doubting preacher unsure whether to continue a fledgling career calling, when a voluptuous mountain guide neighbor asked if I would join her on a week-long experience at Burning Man. “After the week is over, and you still want to preach. Then great. If not, then you’re welcome!” she piped up. Hesitantly I agreed. “Burning Man,” wrote journalist Daniel Pinchbeck in his book, Breaking Open the Head , “is more decadent than Andy Warhol’s Factory, more glamoro
Read more

Shakti & Bela Fleck 9.14.23

-
Image
Hill Auditorium University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Words & Photos by J. Picard In the early 1970s the music world shifted with the coming of a transformative collaboration between John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain. The result was a relatively short-lived but incredibly impactful project that grew from the chance encounter. Shakti, from its inception, was destined to change not only the sound of Indian music and jazz, but the possibilities of musical collaboration as a whole. Nearly fifty years later, the impact of this project that began in 1974 and concluded in 1978, is immeasurable and spans generations of listeners. 2023 marked the return of Shakti, the release of a new album ( In This Moment ) and an extensive tour that wrapped around the globe from Europe to the United States. From the announcement of the American tour dates, it was decided that we would be making the long journey from Denver, CO to Ann Arbor, MI for a show at Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan
Read more

Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin & Jinjer 8.23.23

-
Image
Bank of NH Pavilion Gilford, NH Words & Photos by Arlene Brown What happens when you have 9,000 people attending the biggest group therapy session of our lives? You get almost every single person at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in tears for an experience none of us will never forget. Disturbed’s “Take Back Your Life” tour swept through Gilford, NH with so much raw and honest emotion led by the breathtaking David Draiman, vowing to each and every person there that our lives matter and that our lives are important. Mental health affects everyone; either ourselves or someone we know who is living with depression, anxiety, and/or other debilitating issues.  “We are not alone.” Disturbed’s night started with their normal “Hey You,” “Stupify,” and the pyro backed “Ten Thousand Fists” in which everyone was pumping their fists (not phones) in the air. Every single person was singing every single word to every single song. The whole night. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve seen a crowd
Read more

5 Artists Not To Miss at Cascade Equinox Festival

-
Image
Deschutes County Fairgrounds Redmond, OR Words by Ryleigh Hutson & Alexander Fornes We are counting down the days to the first-ever, Cascade Equinox Festival taking place September 22-24th. As we close out the summer months and welcome in the fall, we come to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond, OR & explore a diverse and eclectic blend of music including Jam, Electronic, Funk, Bluegrass, and Soul acts. With so many artists and genres to explore, it may be overwhelming to plan which are a must-see, and which sets you’ll spontaneously stumble upon. This could be one of the greatest line-ups Central Oregon has yet to see. The following are 5 artists not to miss at Cascade Equinox! 1. Pretty Lights Electronic music pioneer Derek Smith (Pretty Lights) is following a five year hiatus and Cascade Equinox is boasting its headliner as his only Pacific Northwest performance on his Soundship Spacesystem Tour . Pretty Lights took the hiatus at the top of his game after his 10th ye
Read more