Anticipation builds as we wind through the mountains along highway 70 from Denver to Aspen on the way to see arguably the best live band on the circuit today: Umphrey's McGee.  It is somewhat trademark of Umphrey's to not just play these remote venues, but to make everyone who came all the way out ...view article

The appreciation for the genres encompassed into electronic and experimental scene is certainly one that can be hard to come by and accepted for some. Yet one major feeling which cant be denied is the way it gets a crowd moving. Something about the beats, the buildup and the flow which are all combined ...view article

Its delightful to come across a band with mass amounts of emotion and passion in their playing, expressing it in live performances. Tea Leaf Green is one of those bands, that gathers a unique life force through their music. They have redefined present day jam-rock and appealed to audiences accustomed ...view article

The sun seemed to smile upon the Rockies as the clouds broke driving into Denver from Aspen for the continuation of the Colorado edition of the Umphrey’s Mcgee saga.  Still feeling the bitter pangs of last night’s bender at the Belly Up and craving more than the five hours of sleep we were ...view article

Rare Blend has garnered an undisputable reputation for creating unique multi-genre progressive instrumental music that dates back to the release of their independent debut, Cinefusion, in 1993. The past fifteen years have seen the band expand from core duo Vic Samalot (electric/acoustic guitar) and ...view article

In the previous volume of the Umphrey's McGee Colorado Chronicles, I mentioned that Umphrey's made it possible for me to spend almost my entire day in Denver with them.  I didn't get to hang out backstage and shoot the breeze while drinking Colorado micro brews and smoking Denver nuggets, or take ...view article

Traveling down the winding one way streets in the town of Elgin, IL; to the hip, venue- bar in the downtown area called Mad Maggie's. Family Groove Company played there Friday evening thundering music through the streets. The Chicago based band drew attention to this city's suburbia, a reverse transit ...view article

Kicking off the weekend with an energy surge of powerful instrumentals and improvisational beats, The New Deal wowed the Chicago scene with their style. Traveling and reaching out to audiences in combining electric genres, this band really brought a fabulous display of electronic based jams. Playing ...view article

Ahh, Colorado in San Francisco.  Couldn’t feel any more comfortable at The Independent last night as famed Boulder, Colorado native band Leftover Salmon took the stage to bring everyone into the realm of Rock and Roll.  The Colorado connection running deep and the true pride of the Rockies ...view article

My first exposure to the avant-garde jazz trio Medeski Martin and Wood (conveniently known as MMW) was at the State Palace Theater during a Jazz Fest weekend in 1999 New Orleans.  MMW was still relatively new, but had the distinction of opening for Phish in 1995, which stamped them with the Phish ...view article