Here's a good article, from 2002, about the history of music in Boulder dating from the 1960s.
Boulder Musicians Make Music and History: "For years, Boulderites have bemoaned the fact that the town, nestled against the Flatirons, never developed the music scene they expected. But the truth is, Boulder has had an impact on the national music industry ever since the Astronauts launched their career from Tulagi on the Hill in the mid-1960s, and Boulder's local recording and live music scene has been a thriving, vital cultural force despite the moaning and groaning."
Showing posts with label boulder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boulder. Show all posts
Monday, July 02, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Colorado Music Scene History
Right now is probably the best time ever in the history of Denver rock. There are a ton of great local bands on the scene. And the major label success of The Fray has finally gotten the labels (what is left of them) to actively look at Denver bands to sign.
This is a look at Colorado music from about 1980 to 2000. It's not comprehesive (because no person could have been everywhere and involved with every band), but it's one man's look
The Colorado Music Scene - History
This is a look at Colorado music from about 1980 to 2000. It's not comprehesive (because no person could have been everywhere and involved with every band), but it's one man's look
The Colorado Music Scene - History
Saturday, June 02, 2007
America's 40 Best Music Venues
Paste Magazine :: Feature :: America's 40 Best Music Venues: "Sometimes it’s the view—you’re at Denver’s Red Rocks, your eyes darting back and forth from the band to the landscape, and the music seems changed by the surrounding beauty. Sometimes it’s the history—a young band, onstage at The Fillmore, stands on the shoulders of the giants whose music helped reshape the world. Sometimes it’s the sense of discovery—you’re at L.A.’s Hotel Cafe, and you suspect the night’s opening act is headed for stardom. And sometimes, like with The Bowery Ballroom in New York, it’s simply the fact that on any given night, you know they’ve booked another great show.
To help find America’s best music venues, we went to the experts—you. In addition to our many contributors scattered across the country and many of the artists driving from club to club, Paste readers nominated more than 500 different venues at PasteMagazine.com—from hole-in-the-wall rock clubs to elegant theaters, legendary halls to brand new bars, quiet listening rooms to rock extravaganzas.
We weighed history, setting, sound, character, comfort, atmosphere, vibrancy, uniqueness, and their roles in helping launch careers. Among hundreds of worthy choices, these 40 venues rose above their peers. Our picks for the best music venues in America follow in this special section..."
To help find America’s best music venues, we went to the experts—you. In addition to our many contributors scattered across the country and many of the artists driving from club to club, Paste readers nominated more than 500 different venues at PasteMagazine.com—from hole-in-the-wall rock clubs to elegant theaters, legendary halls to brand new bars, quiet listening rooms to rock extravaganzas.
We weighed history, setting, sound, character, comfort, atmosphere, vibrancy, uniqueness, and their roles in helping launch careers. Among hundreds of worthy choices, these 40 venues rose above their peers. Our picks for the best music venues in America follow in this special section..."
Monday, April 30, 2007
Denver indie labels
Denver has seen an explosion of talented indie bands in recent years and this article mentions some of the local labels working with them
The Denver Post - Local bands in tune with indie spirit
The Denver Post - Local bands in tune with indie spirit
Monday, January 29, 2007
How to kill a music scene
This article talks about why live music venues are to be found outside Naples, Florida rather than within the city limits.
What it really addresses is the challenge of a mixed use neighborhood (the new trend in urban design) where people live among the businesses. So they don't want loud music after they have gone to bed.
A dance studio in Boulder ran into the same problem recently because it located in a new development where there are apartments above the studio and the residents complained about the noise.
Along somewhat similar lines, the neighborhood right next to the University of Colorado, the Hill, has been having trouble getting any new music venues because local residents (the ones who own the expensive houses in the neighborhood -- not the students who also live in the neighborhood, but in rentals) don't like the noise and the drunken students that such places attract.
naplesnews.com, 1/28/07 - Fight for your right: "But there’s something conspicuously lacking in what Neapolitans have labeled the nightlife hot spot: good live music.
“There’s nowhere to go to see something new and original and live,” said 26-year-old music promoter and bartender Adam D’Zurilla. “As far as music at bars goes there’s nothing but DJs and Jimmy Buffett and Jack Johnson covers.”
If the city of Naples’ elected officials have anything to say about it, things will stay this way. Though not explicitly stated, the general rule of live entertainment in the City of Naples is fairly clear: only solo musicians, and only before 11:30 p.m. If you want to hear a band or DJ play past midnight, you’ll just have to go somewhere else. You’ll have to go north or east."
music scene
economic development
live music
clubs
University of Colorado
Boulder
mixed use
What it really addresses is the challenge of a mixed use neighborhood (the new trend in urban design) where people live among the businesses. So they don't want loud music after they have gone to bed.
A dance studio in Boulder ran into the same problem recently because it located in a new development where there are apartments above the studio and the residents complained about the noise.
Along somewhat similar lines, the neighborhood right next to the University of Colorado, the Hill, has been having trouble getting any new music venues because local residents (the ones who own the expensive houses in the neighborhood -- not the students who also live in the neighborhood, but in rentals) don't like the noise and the drunken students that such places attract.
naplesnews.com, 1/28/07 - Fight for your right: "But there’s something conspicuously lacking in what Neapolitans have labeled the nightlife hot spot: good live music.
“There’s nowhere to go to see something new and original and live,” said 26-year-old music promoter and bartender Adam D’Zurilla. “As far as music at bars goes there’s nothing but DJs and Jimmy Buffett and Jack Johnson covers.”
If the city of Naples’ elected officials have anything to say about it, things will stay this way. Though not explicitly stated, the general rule of live entertainment in the City of Naples is fairly clear: only solo musicians, and only before 11:30 p.m. If you want to hear a band or DJ play past midnight, you’ll just have to go somewhere else. You’ll have to go north or east."
music scene
economic development
live music
clubs
University of Colorado
Boulder
mixed use
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Rich People and Nerds
According to Paul Graham, "you only need two kinds of people to create a technology hub: rich people and nerds."
This is a very cool article on the why some cities can become Silicon Valleys and others cannot.
Having lived in Boulder since 1991 and having written about the local VD/technology/startup scene I agree with him that Boulder has the right stuff.
Graham mentions sunlight and until recently I didn't realize to what extent good city planning has played a role in making Boulder more liveable. The Pearl Street Mall in Boulder is a pedestrian mall and one of the best in the country. Lots of shops, outdoor cafes, places to sit, etc. There is a long-standing height limit on buildings in Boulder, which this means there is sun everywhere you walk, plus mountain views. Boulder feels more like a small town than a big city, even though we have many big city resources.
Paul Graham: How to Be Silicon Valley: "Nerds don't care about glamour, so to them the appeal of New York is a mystery. People who like New York will pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment in order to live in a town where the cool people are really cool. A nerd looks at that deal and sees only: pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment.
"Nerds will pay a premium to live in a town where the smart people are really smart, but you don't have to pay as much for that. It's supply and demand: glamour is popular, so you have to pay a lot for it.
"Most nerds like quieter pleasures. They like cafes instead of clubs; used bookshops instead of fashionable clothing shops; hiking instead of dancing; sunlight instead of tall buildings. A nerd's idea of paradise is Berkeley or Boulder."
economic development
creative class
third places
Boulder
This is a very cool article on the why some cities can become Silicon Valleys and others cannot.
Having lived in Boulder since 1991 and having written about the local VD/technology/startup scene I agree with him that Boulder has the right stuff.
Graham mentions sunlight and until recently I didn't realize to what extent good city planning has played a role in making Boulder more liveable. The Pearl Street Mall in Boulder is a pedestrian mall and one of the best in the country. Lots of shops, outdoor cafes, places to sit, etc. There is a long-standing height limit on buildings in Boulder, which this means there is sun everywhere you walk, plus mountain views. Boulder feels more like a small town than a big city, even though we have many big city resources.
Paul Graham: How to Be Silicon Valley: "Nerds don't care about glamour, so to them the appeal of New York is a mystery. People who like New York will pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment in order to live in a town where the cool people are really cool. A nerd looks at that deal and sees only: pay a fortune for a small, dark, noisy apartment.
"Nerds will pay a premium to live in a town where the smart people are really smart, but you don't have to pay as much for that. It's supply and demand: glamour is popular, so you have to pay a lot for it.
"Most nerds like quieter pleasures. They like cafes instead of clubs; used bookshops instead of fashionable clothing shops; hiking instead of dancing; sunlight instead of tall buildings. A nerd's idea of paradise is Berkeley or Boulder."
economic development
creative class
third places
Boulder
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Partying for "art" and maybe music?
Here's an article on the convergence in LA of the art, hipster, and entertainment crowds at various parties.
Local music events could probably learn a bit from this.
But throwing a good party is not easy.
The best parties I have every been to have been in conjunction with the University of Colorado's Conference on World Affairs.
Here's why I think they work:
1. Everyone who attends has been hand-selected and is considered a leader in his or her field. Every year the conference invites about 100 movers/shakers/creative types from diverse fields to a week-long conference where they are put on panels and discuss a variety of topics, all of which is free and open to the public.
Both the level of accomplishment and the diversity of backgrounds are important. This gives you quality interactions that aren't narrowly defined.
2. People are there because they want to be there. Since everyone who is invited to the conference pays their own way, they are interested in participating. This means they are open and eager to meet each other. Few, if anyone, is is standing around trying to be too cool or disinterested to talk to everyone else. And since they know everyone has been handpicked, they make the assumption that they will be engaged in quality conversations with anyone they happen to be standing next to.
3. The group is a mix of familiar faces and new faces. A certain number of invitees have been to the conference before, in some cases for many years. Others are there for the first time. So the old-timers know enough people to give the parties a family feel, but the newcomers trigger new conversations.
I've been to other parties/events that have not been as good and here are some of the reasons:
1. Not an interesting mix of people. If no one has much to say, there's no energy in the room.
2. Too in-bred. If it's a group of people all in the same industry, you pretty much know what to expect in terms of conversation.
3. Too cliquey. Some parties, particularly certain groups of elites/hipsters, are cold because everyone there is trying too hard to be cool. (No pun intended.)
4. No one knows anyone. When everyone is a stranger, there's too much time spent on introductions and trying to scope everyone out. People spend all their time trying to decide who to meet and how to break the ice rather than jumping into a good conversation.
Putting the 'art' in party - Los Angeles Times: "In recent weeks, however, several art-related events — in Hollywood, Elysian Park, West Hollywood and Culver City, respectively — have signaled an evolution in how Los Angeles will party in the name of art.
"Each event derived a cerebral glamour from differing points on the pop-art continuum, crossing time-honored social divides in the process and raising both money for and awareness about Angeleno cultural life in the process."
creative class
Conference on World Affairs
CWA
University of Colorado
Local music events could probably learn a bit from this.
But throwing a good party is not easy.
The best parties I have every been to have been in conjunction with the University of Colorado's Conference on World Affairs.
Here's why I think they work:
1. Everyone who attends has been hand-selected and is considered a leader in his or her field. Every year the conference invites about 100 movers/shakers/creative types from diverse fields to a week-long conference where they are put on panels and discuss a variety of topics, all of which is free and open to the public.
Both the level of accomplishment and the diversity of backgrounds are important. This gives you quality interactions that aren't narrowly defined.
2. People are there because they want to be there. Since everyone who is invited to the conference pays their own way, they are interested in participating. This means they are open and eager to meet each other. Few, if anyone, is is standing around trying to be too cool or disinterested to talk to everyone else. And since they know everyone has been handpicked, they make the assumption that they will be engaged in quality conversations with anyone they happen to be standing next to.
3. The group is a mix of familiar faces and new faces. A certain number of invitees have been to the conference before, in some cases for many years. Others are there for the first time. So the old-timers know enough people to give the parties a family feel, but the newcomers trigger new conversations.
I've been to other parties/events that have not been as good and here are some of the reasons:
1. Not an interesting mix of people. If no one has much to say, there's no energy in the room.
2. Too in-bred. If it's a group of people all in the same industry, you pretty much know what to expect in terms of conversation.
3. Too cliquey. Some parties, particularly certain groups of elites/hipsters, are cold because everyone there is trying too hard to be cool. (No pun intended.)
4. No one knows anyone. When everyone is a stranger, there's too much time spent on introductions and trying to scope everyone out. People spend all their time trying to decide who to meet and how to break the ice rather than jumping into a good conversation.
Putting the 'art' in party - Los Angeles Times: "In recent weeks, however, several art-related events — in Hollywood, Elysian Park, West Hollywood and Culver City, respectively — have signaled an evolution in how Los Angeles will party in the name of art.
"Each event derived a cerebral glamour from differing points on the pop-art continuum, crossing time-honored social divides in the process and raising both money for and awareness about Angeleno cultural life in the process."
creative class
Conference on World Affairs
CWA
University of Colorado
Monday, October 02, 2006
Why people love live music
Don Strasburg is a major fixture on the Colorado music scene. He is co-owner of the Fox Theater and until recently was vice president of Live Nation’s Rocky Mountain Region. He has just gone to work for rival AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group) Live.
He's been involved in booking most of the major acts coming through Colorado over the last 15 years, first as part of his responsibilities for the Fox Theater and then more recently for Clear Channel/Live Nation.
Here he explains what has motivated him.
Marquee Magazine, October 2006: "Strasburg: To me this is a culture of people who love music and love the live music experience and love to dance. And it’s a culture of people that feel that it’s their job to produce these events and make sure they’re done properly. We can make a living doing it, but there is also a sense of personal pride in knowing that we’re responsible for helping our community have that kind of outlet and I feel like it’s a political outlet. I believe that hundreds or thousands of people dancing in a room together is inherently a political statement, even if it’s just one of having fun. It says that we believe in being human people with love and communicating with each other and letting go of the bullshit to just enjoy each other and be together in a larger group. Sometimes people want to go listen to punk rock and vent and God bless that they can vent together and it’s a great outlet to express it. I’ve always felt I was given a God-given responsibility to protect our community’s live environment and as I get older, my role changes and I go from being on the front lines to the back room, but either way my job is to nurture the other people that do what I’ve done and set an example for the community."
____
Here's some info on Strasburg's background with the Fox.
Westword 2002-02-28: "The Fox's early detractors now have about ten years' worth of crow to eat. In the course of producing approximately 4,000 shows at the theater, Strasburg has morphed into one of the city's more daring promoters, with an ear for emerging talent. The Fox was the first venue in Colorado to book bands like Radiohead and White Zombie, and among the first small halls in the country to feature Phish as a headliner. It was also one of the only Colorado venues willing to take a chance on the then-burgeoning hip-hop movement. Nowadays, the Fox has a reputation as a proving ground for underground acts like Jurassic 5, Kool Keith and Ludacris (who sold out the theater last Sunday), artists that stop in Boulder on their way up. (As a consultant to Clear Channel Entertainment, Strasburg helps place bands that have graduated from Fox-sized spaces to larger ones, such as the Fillmore.)"
He's been involved in booking most of the major acts coming through Colorado over the last 15 years, first as part of his responsibilities for the Fox Theater and then more recently for Clear Channel/Live Nation.
Here he explains what has motivated him.
Marquee Magazine, October 2006: "Strasburg: To me this is a culture of people who love music and love the live music experience and love to dance. And it’s a culture of people that feel that it’s their job to produce these events and make sure they’re done properly. We can make a living doing it, but there is also a sense of personal pride in knowing that we’re responsible for helping our community have that kind of outlet and I feel like it’s a political outlet. I believe that hundreds or thousands of people dancing in a room together is inherently a political statement, even if it’s just one of having fun. It says that we believe in being human people with love and communicating with each other and letting go of the bullshit to just enjoy each other and be together in a larger group. Sometimes people want to go listen to punk rock and vent and God bless that they can vent together and it’s a great outlet to express it. I’ve always felt I was given a God-given responsibility to protect our community’s live environment and as I get older, my role changes and I go from being on the front lines to the back room, but either way my job is to nurture the other people that do what I’ve done and set an example for the community."
____
Here's some info on Strasburg's background with the Fox.
Westword 2002-02-28: "The Fox's early detractors now have about ten years' worth of crow to eat. In the course of producing approximately 4,000 shows at the theater, Strasburg has morphed into one of the city's more daring promoters, with an ear for emerging talent. The Fox was the first venue in Colorado to book bands like Radiohead and White Zombie, and among the first small halls in the country to feature Phish as a headliner. It was also one of the only Colorado venues willing to take a chance on the then-burgeoning hip-hop movement. Nowadays, the Fox has a reputation as a proving ground for underground acts like Jurassic 5, Kool Keith and Ludacris (who sold out the theater last Sunday), artists that stop in Boulder on their way up. (As a consultant to Clear Channel Entertainment, Strasburg helps place bands that have graduated from Fox-sized spaces to larger ones, such as the Fillmore.)"
Saturday, September 09, 2006
A music venue as a community resource
I just got into an online discussion about a venue in Boulder. It isn't open every night of the week. It's available for concerts, to rent for private parties, and as a movie theater. It is also the home venue for "eTown," the nationally syndicated radio show that is taped there.
The other person suggested that it is underbooked and surely the venue owners don't want that.
Personally, I'm not sure the goal is to have it open every night. By opening the venue only when there is a suitable event, the owner can keep variable costs to a minimum.
And by being primarily a music/community auditorium (with beverage service on the side and food only when it is catered) rather than a food/drink venue with music on the side, I think the result is a much better entertainment experience.
This gives some background on the Boulder Theater. "[In 1995] when it looked as though potential buyers might turn the Boulder Theater into a brew pub or pool hall or--worse still--office space, Doug Greene stepped in and paid $1.725 million for the 1,000-seat landmark, turning it into an unofficial community center that today hosts everything from concerts to debates to conferences for this Colorado city of 96,000 residents."
As you can see, the owner, who runs a variety of businesses, got it for less than $2 million about 11 years ago. There are condos going for that in downtown Boulder these days. I don't think the owner ever intended to keep the place fully booked, nor does he need to.
If you go to the Boulder Theater website, you'll see that the venue was purchased to be a resource/meeting place for the community -- not a rock club.
"New Hope Communications, purchased the theater in 1995, with plans to operate it primarily as an entertainment venue, while also bringing in non-musical and community events. Recent renovations have expanded the Boulder Theater's capabilities as a multi-use facility. It has featured top acts such as Tori Amos, Blues Traveler, Branford Marsalis and Johnny Cash, some of which have performed on E-Town, the nationally syndicated radio show that makes it's home at the theater. The versatility of the Boulder Theater makes it perfect for events ranging from meetings and conferences to live theater, private parties and concerts. Classic in design, with prime sound and an impressive tradition of the best in entertainment, the Historic Boulder Theater unites the past with the future in one exceptional space."
The other person suggested that it is underbooked and surely the venue owners don't want that.
Personally, I'm not sure the goal is to have it open every night. By opening the venue only when there is a suitable event, the owner can keep variable costs to a minimum.
And by being primarily a music/community auditorium (with beverage service on the side and food only when it is catered) rather than a food/drink venue with music on the side, I think the result is a much better entertainment experience.
This gives some background on the Boulder Theater. "[In 1995] when it looked as though potential buyers might turn the Boulder Theater into a brew pub or pool hall or--worse still--office space, Doug Greene stepped in and paid $1.725 million for the 1,000-seat landmark, turning it into an unofficial community center that today hosts everything from concerts to debates to conferences for this Colorado city of 96,000 residents."
As you can see, the owner, who runs a variety of businesses, got it for less than $2 million about 11 years ago. There are condos going for that in downtown Boulder these days. I don't think the owner ever intended to keep the place fully booked, nor does he need to.
If you go to the Boulder Theater website, you'll see that the venue was purchased to be a resource/meeting place for the community -- not a rock club.
"New Hope Communications, purchased the theater in 1995, with plans to operate it primarily as an entertainment venue, while also bringing in non-musical and community events. Recent renovations have expanded the Boulder Theater's capabilities as a multi-use facility. It has featured top acts such as Tori Amos, Blues Traveler, Branford Marsalis and Johnny Cash, some of which have performed on E-Town, the nationally syndicated radio show that makes it's home at the theater. The versatility of the Boulder Theater makes it perfect for events ranging from meetings and conferences to live theater, private parties and concerts. Classic in design, with prime sound and an impressive tradition of the best in entertainment, the Historic Boulder Theater unites the past with the future in one exceptional space."
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Clubs for rich rockers
Although most music marketing is directed to audiences 25 and under, it may be much more profitable to go older. Not only is there a market for clubs catering to grown up audiences, there appears to be a market for clubs accomodating equally mature musicians.
This 7/28/06 Wall Street Journal article discusses CEOs who play in rock bands on the side.
WSJ.com - CEOs That Rock: "Gregg Raybin, a former corporate lawyer in New York, helped form a 'dating service for musicians,' which is aimed at professional workers who are amateur players. The service has resulted in 20 to 30 bands in the New York area, about half of which play public gigs. Formed with a $100,000 initial investment pooled from about 25 member-partners, the organization offers match-making services and rehearsal time in midtown Manhattan for $349 a year per bandmate. Of the 250 members, about 80% are male.
"NAMM, a trade group for instrument makers and retailers, has created a program called Weekend Warriors, billed as a way to get 'non-active musicians back on stage to relive their fantasies of superstardom.' The program's 21 locations, in cities such as St. Louis, Boulder, Colo., and Louisville, Ky., provide space and instruments -- partly as a way to entice participants to buy new equipment. ...
"Taylor Guitars considers baby boomers 'the core of the business,' says Jonathan Forstot, director of marketing. Buyers over 35 account for 75% of the company's customers, while buyers over 50 account for a third of all sales ..."
This 7/28/06 Wall Street Journal article discusses CEOs who play in rock bands on the side.
WSJ.com - CEOs That Rock: "Gregg Raybin, a former corporate lawyer in New York, helped form a 'dating service for musicians,' which is aimed at professional workers who are amateur players. The service has resulted in 20 to 30 bands in the New York area, about half of which play public gigs. Formed with a $100,000 initial investment pooled from about 25 member-partners, the organization offers match-making services and rehearsal time in midtown Manhattan for $349 a year per bandmate. Of the 250 members, about 80% are male.
"NAMM, a trade group for instrument makers and retailers, has created a program called Weekend Warriors, billed as a way to get 'non-active musicians back on stage to relive their fantasies of superstardom.' The program's 21 locations, in cities such as St. Louis, Boulder, Colo., and Louisville, Ky., provide space and instruments -- partly as a way to entice participants to buy new equipment. ...
"Taylor Guitars considers baby boomers 'the core of the business,' says Jonathan Forstot, director of marketing. Buyers over 35 account for 75% of the company's customers, while buyers over 50 account for a third of all sales ..."
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