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
Showing posts with label colorado. Show all posts
Showing posts with label colorado. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Colorado has a new song
Colorado now has a second official song, "Rocky Mountain High," by John Denver.
I've never been a huge John Denver fan (though I really liked Peter, Paul, and Mary's vesion of "Leaving on a Jet Plane"). Mainly I didn't like the fact that he co-opted the state's image for commercial purposes.
Still, reading the lyrics of the song, and occasionally hearing it on the radio, I have to admit it is very appropriate. It does capture the essence of what many of us feel for the state. Outdoors, mountains, love of life, etc.
music scene
Denver
Colorado
I've never been a huge John Denver fan (though I really liked Peter, Paul, and Mary's vesion of "Leaving on a Jet Plane"). Mainly I didn't like the fact that he co-opted the state's image for commercial purposes.
Still, reading the lyrics of the song, and occasionally hearing it on the radio, I have to admit it is very appropriate. It does capture the essence of what many of us feel for the state. Outdoors, mountains, love of life, etc.
music scene
Denver
Colorado
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Think: Local, Local, Local
This blog is all about developing local music scenes. Noise:Floor is a multi-media concept about local music.
This blurb also talks about the future of local media.
Let me take this a step further. Local media needs to highlight their local talent as much or more than they do national/international talent.
It has been happening here in the Denver metro area. There is an unprecedented amount of coverage of local music.
And it is warranted. There's an explosion of local talent.
But there's still a bias toward bands that are going to break away from the local scene and make an impact nationally or internationally. There's more buzz about the bands that are being checked out by major labels and about bands being invited to the most prestigious festivals.
Perhaps a true local focus will equally tout talented bands that have no interest in leaving the area.
The Consolidation of Local Media - SeekingAlpha: "None other than The Kraft Group and Pallotta's The Raptor Fund have ponied up $20 million of investment capital in Plum TV, the network of local stations in high-powered markets like The Hamptons, Martha's Vineyard, Aspen and Vail -- 6 stations currently, with two more awaiting FCC approval.
"Media powerplayers Robert Pittman [Time Warner's (TWX) AOL] and Tom Freston [Viacom's (VIA) MTV] also led the round. While not yet public, a group this smart must know something. In the end, who really wants the 'pablum' of mass produced media in an age of consumer control and customization [think Starbucks (SBUX) and Apple's (AAPL) iPod, where the consumer controls everything about the end product]. And, who really wants the YouTube antics of candyies dropped in Coke bottles (except for momentary entertainment value and a good chuckle).
"Perhaps the future of media -- and the investment dollars that follow it -- will be refocused on local markets and local communities. Like MTV and Freston's vision earlier, Plum is really about influence, not reach. Do more 'eyeballs' matter? Or do the RIGHT eyeballs matter? Most savvy marketers vote for the latter. So do Kraft, Pallotta, Freston, Pittman.
"Consolidation of local media -- while keeping the local content -- may be what the likes of ClearChannel and others ultimately missed."
denver music
music scene
indie
economic development
music festival
live music
clubs
creative class
Denver
Colorado
This blurb also talks about the future of local media.
Let me take this a step further. Local media needs to highlight their local talent as much or more than they do national/international talent.
It has been happening here in the Denver metro area. There is an unprecedented amount of coverage of local music.
And it is warranted. There's an explosion of local talent.
But there's still a bias toward bands that are going to break away from the local scene and make an impact nationally or internationally. There's more buzz about the bands that are being checked out by major labels and about bands being invited to the most prestigious festivals.
Perhaps a true local focus will equally tout talented bands that have no interest in leaving the area.
The Consolidation of Local Media - SeekingAlpha: "None other than The Kraft Group and Pallotta's The Raptor Fund have ponied up $20 million of investment capital in Plum TV, the network of local stations in high-powered markets like The Hamptons, Martha's Vineyard, Aspen and Vail -- 6 stations currently, with two more awaiting FCC approval.
"Media powerplayers Robert Pittman [Time Warner's (TWX) AOL] and Tom Freston [Viacom's (VIA) MTV] also led the round. While not yet public, a group this smart must know something. In the end, who really wants the 'pablum' of mass produced media in an age of consumer control and customization [think Starbucks (SBUX) and Apple's (AAPL) iPod, where the consumer controls everything about the end product]. And, who really wants the YouTube antics of candyies dropped in Coke bottles (except for momentary entertainment value and a good chuckle).
"Perhaps the future of media -- and the investment dollars that follow it -- will be refocused on local markets and local communities. Like MTV and Freston's vision earlier, Plum is really about influence, not reach. Do more 'eyeballs' matter? Or do the RIGHT eyeballs matter? Most savvy marketers vote for the latter. So do Kraft, Pallotta, Freston, Pittman.
"Consolidation of local media -- while keeping the local content -- may be what the likes of ClearChannel and others ultimately missed."
denver music
music scene
indie
economic development
music festival
live music
clubs
creative class
Denver
Colorado
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Outdoor recreation also lures the Creative Class
As it turns out, having outdoor recreational opportunities can be another way to lure the creative class (something we've already known in Colorado). It isn't just urban scenes.
According to a recent study:
"The creative class is growing most rapidly in areas that are mountainous, with a mix of forest and open area (but with relatively little cropland), and where winters are sunny."
"Counties with a relatively large number of bicycle and sports stores jobs per capita have gained more than their share of the creative class."
This should be reassuring to musicians who are more at home among action sports enthusiasts than among inner city hipsters.
According to a recent study:
"The creative class is growing most rapidly in areas that are mountainous, with a mix of forest and open area (but with relatively little cropland), and where winters are sunny."
"Counties with a relatively large number of bicycle and sports stores jobs per capita have gained more than their share of the creative class."
This should be reassuring to musicians who are more at home among action sports enthusiasts than among inner city hipsters.
You can download the study here.
creative class
economic development
tourism
Colorado
Sunday, October 29, 2006
A tiny town that survives on live performance
Twenty-seven years ago I lived in a small Colorado town, Silver Cliff. I had friends who made the trek over the mountains to hang out in Creede. People who live in these little towns are a mixed group of locals, artists escaping the big cities, and wealthy folks. If you ever watched "Northern Exposure," you'd get a sense of it. People are both isolated and creative, which lends itself to music festivals and theaters and the like.
On the Rio Grande, the World: "Only a handful of the three block’s worth of businesses in Creede — Mineral County’s seat and only incorporated town — stay open year round, among them the True Value Hardware, the Kentucky Belle Grocery and San Juan Sports, where two workers, Annie Butler and Alan Thomasson, are killing time playing poker on the counter with a tiny set of cards designed to be tucked into a backpack....
"The Creede Repertory Theater, which recently celebrated its 40th season, is the cultural, recreational and economic heart of Creede. Each May, the artistic director, Maurice LaMee, and four other year-round employees welcome 70 professional company members who produce nine plays on two stages. According to a study commissioned by the theater, Mineral County makes 70 percent of its living in four months of tourism, and 20 percent of that income — more than $4 million — is theater-related. In the six years since Mr. LaMee took over, the theater’s budget has more than doubled. 'When the company is here there is an insane energy,' he says. 'When it goes away it is both sad, and an enormous relief.'
On the Rio Grande, the World: "Only a handful of the three block’s worth of businesses in Creede — Mineral County’s seat and only incorporated town — stay open year round, among them the True Value Hardware, the Kentucky Belle Grocery and San Juan Sports, where two workers, Annie Butler and Alan Thomasson, are killing time playing poker on the counter with a tiny set of cards designed to be tucked into a backpack....
"The Creede Repertory Theater, which recently celebrated its 40th season, is the cultural, recreational and economic heart of Creede. Each May, the artistic director, Maurice LaMee, and four other year-round employees welcome 70 professional company members who produce nine plays on two stages. According to a study commissioned by the theater, Mineral County makes 70 percent of its living in four months of tourism, and 20 percent of that income — more than $4 million — is theater-related. In the six years since Mr. LaMee took over, the theater’s budget has more than doubled. 'When the company is here there is an insane energy,' he says. 'When it goes away it is both sad, and an enormous relief.'
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Even smaller communities can have active music organizations
I lived in Pueblo from 1989 to 1991. This was before the Pueblo Songwriters and Musicians Association was formed, but my then-husband played in bluegrass jams just about every week (many of them at our house).
Pueblo was once a major steel town, but when the steel mill closed down, it was looking for a new identity. When I lived there, I met many of the artists in town, who were drawn to Pueblo in part by cheap housing and inexpensive studio space. My daughter did a summer internship at the Sangre d Cristo Arts and Conference Center.
Pueblo has a little over 100,000 people. This music association sounds more active and more cohesive than in many other communities, perhaps because there is less to do in town and more incentive to work together.
The Pueblo Chieftain Online: "From the ashes of the Acoustic Cafe rose the Acoustic Gallery, to this day a mainstay of the PSMA agenda. Started in May 1998 at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, the Cafe - which spotlights musicians playing unamplified instruments - is held at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at Zippers.
An amplified cousin to the Acoustic Gallery is the Electric Gallery, which marks its six-year anniversary this month. Like the Cafe, the Electric Gallery also takes place at Zippers, at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
Other events that have had a PSMA presence include the Riverfest, the Colorado State Fair and the Chile and Frijoles Festival.
While PSMA members are dedicated to the local music scene and its players, lending a helping hand to the less fortunate through music has always been a paramount goal. To this end, PSMA for six years has staged the Wayside Cross Homeless Benefit, a multi-day event featuring a parade of bands and musicians volunteering their time and talent for the local homeless mission.
Another priority is the Adopt A Music Student program, started in 1999 to provide musical instruments and support to underprivileged schoolchildren. Through the years, the association has donated instruments and funds to music programs at Corwin Middle School, Cesar Chavez Academy, Central High School, Desert Sage Elementary and Beulah School."
Pueblo was once a major steel town, but when the steel mill closed down, it was looking for a new identity. When I lived there, I met many of the artists in town, who were drawn to Pueblo in part by cheap housing and inexpensive studio space. My daughter did a summer internship at the Sangre d Cristo Arts and Conference Center.
Pueblo has a little over 100,000 people. This music association sounds more active and more cohesive than in many other communities, perhaps because there is less to do in town and more incentive to work together.
The Pueblo Chieftain Online: "From the ashes of the Acoustic Cafe rose the Acoustic Gallery, to this day a mainstay of the PSMA agenda. Started in May 1998 at the Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center, the Cafe - which spotlights musicians playing unamplified instruments - is held at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at Zippers.
An amplified cousin to the Acoustic Gallery is the Electric Gallery, which marks its six-year anniversary this month. Like the Cafe, the Electric Gallery also takes place at Zippers, at 7 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
Other events that have had a PSMA presence include the Riverfest, the Colorado State Fair and the Chile and Frijoles Festival.
While PSMA members are dedicated to the local music scene and its players, lending a helping hand to the less fortunate through music has always been a paramount goal. To this end, PSMA for six years has staged the Wayside Cross Homeless Benefit, a multi-day event featuring a parade of bands and musicians volunteering their time and talent for the local homeless mission.
Another priority is the Adopt A Music Student program, started in 1999 to provide musical instruments and support to underprivileged schoolchildren. Through the years, the association has donated instruments and funds to music programs at Corwin Middle School, Cesar Chavez Academy, Central High School, Desert Sage Elementary and Beulah School."
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Frisco CO finds support for its music events
Summit Daily News : "The Town of Frisco just released results from its 2006 community survey, which gathered input in July from more than 700 Frisco voters, homeowners and business-owners....
"The town's special events ... garnered healthy levels of support. A majority of respondents from all three groups (voters, homeowners and business-owners) felt that a continued wide variety of festivals and events were the best way to support the local economy. The most popular special event was the July 4 festivities, followed by the Colorado Barbecue Challenge, Town Clean-Up Day, Music on Main, and Music at the Marina."
"The town's special events ... garnered healthy levels of support. A majority of respondents from all three groups (voters, homeowners and business-owners) felt that a continued wide variety of festivals and events were the best way to support the local economy. The most popular special event was the July 4 festivities, followed by the Colorado Barbecue Challenge, Town Clean-Up Day, Music on Main, and Music at the Marina."
Thursday, September 28, 2006
If restaurants can attract people, why not music venues?
I just saw this. DenverPost.com - Your table is ready: "San Francisco has a population of 791,684 and 4,375 restaurants, according to the most recent figures available. John Cohen, executive director of Durango Tourism Office, says Durango has a population of 16,000 and 100 restaurants, which means San Francisco has a restaurant for about every 180 residents to Durango's 160. ...
"In less than a decade, Durango has built a gastronomic spectrum of Japanese, Italian and French restaurants, not to mention breweries, coffeehouses, a Mediterranean restaurant and one serving Himalayan. You can dine upscale, middle-of-the-road and downscale at such places as the Durango Diner, which is very much worth finding, if only for its green chile."
While Durango does offer skiing and other outdoor activities, it's never been considered one of the premiere ski areas in the state. And it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere when it comes to nearby population:
Albuquerque 215 miles
Colorado Springs 302 miles
Denver 333 miles
Grand Junction 169 miles
Phoenix 461 miles
Santa Fe 216 miles
Salt Lake City 413 miles
I think this shows that if you offer something people want, you can bring them in. I'd like to see more music venues become visitor-friendly.
"In less than a decade, Durango has built a gastronomic spectrum of Japanese, Italian and French restaurants, not to mention breweries, coffeehouses, a Mediterranean restaurant and one serving Himalayan. You can dine upscale, middle-of-the-road and downscale at such places as the Durango Diner, which is very much worth finding, if only for its green chile."
While Durango does offer skiing and other outdoor activities, it's never been considered one of the premiere ski areas in the state. And it's pretty much in the middle of nowhere when it comes to nearby population:
Albuquerque 215 miles
Colorado Springs 302 miles
Denver 333 miles
Grand Junction 169 miles
Phoenix 461 miles
Santa Fe 216 miles
Salt Lake City 413 miles
I think this shows that if you offer something people want, you can bring them in. I'd like to see more music venues become visitor-friendly.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Culture within walking distance
As part of a new $750 million residential, office and retail development in Lakewood, Colorado (built on a site that was once home to an aging shopping mall) a 11,500-square-foot creative center, with exhibition space and a lecture hall, has been established.
What appeals to me about this is the idea that a cultural center was incorporated into the planning of a new mixed-used development and is supported in part by public funds.
Art galleries and concert halls are often developed with a grand vision, but for lots of popular music, there is relatively little thought about building and integrating a venue into the fabric of the community.
9/14/06 - DenverPost.com - A new intellectual and cultural community: "The Laboratory of Art and Ideas at Belmar, the newest addition to the Denver metropolitan area cultural scene, can lay claim to at least one first.
"It seems safe to say that it is the only art institution, at least one with international ambitions, to be located down the street from a Foot Locker, Jamba Juice and Victoria's Secret in a suburban retail development...
"[Said executive director Adam Lerner] 'We need to figure out ways of creating high culture in areas that are not traditionally served well by cultural institutions.'...
"Lerner estimates The Lab will have a budget of about $750,000 in its debut year. About half its funding will come from property taxes and parking-meter fees via the Plaza Metropolitan District, which was created as part of the Belmar development."
What appeals to me about this is the idea that a cultural center was incorporated into the planning of a new mixed-used development and is supported in part by public funds.
Art galleries and concert halls are often developed with a grand vision, but for lots of popular music, there is relatively little thought about building and integrating a venue into the fabric of the community.
9/14/06 - DenverPost.com - A new intellectual and cultural community: "The Laboratory of Art and Ideas at Belmar, the newest addition to the Denver metropolitan area cultural scene, can lay claim to at least one first.
"It seems safe to say that it is the only art institution, at least one with international ambitions, to be located down the street from a Foot Locker, Jamba Juice and Victoria's Secret in a suburban retail development...
"[Said executive director Adam Lerner] 'We need to figure out ways of creating high culture in areas that are not traditionally served well by cultural institutions.'...
"Lerner estimates The Lab will have a budget of about $750,000 in its debut year. About half its funding will come from property taxes and parking-meter fees via the Plaza Metropolitan District, which was created as part of the Belmar development."
Thursday, September 07, 2006
More about the history of the South Park Music Festival
westword.com | Music | The Hills Are Alive: "A native of Indianapolis who grew up playing in hardcore bands and promoting shows, [Matt Fecher] reached for the brass ring when he decided to launch the inaugural South Park Music Festival in 2004. Several years earlier, Fecher's family had relocated to Fairplay from Indiana ... When Fecher's mom heard that the town was talking about putting together a festival, she alerted her son, then working as the co-executive director of the Midwest Music Summit and helping oversee IndianapolisMusic.net. Fecher volunteered his services that first year.
"'The town handled the back end of everything and let me book all the bands and do some promotions,' he recalls, 'so it was kind of a joint partnership with the town. Then it was kind of like, ŒHey, this could be for real.' There was a whole new staff of people, a new mayor and a new town clerk. So we put together a proposal for me to put on a festival in the town, and it seemed to work out last year and this year. There's still a major interface with the town, through the town clerk. They're still very, very supportive.'"
"'The town handled the back end of everything and let me book all the bands and do some promotions,' he recalls, 'so it was kind of a joint partnership with the town. Then it was kind of like, ŒHey, this could be for real.' There was a whole new staff of people, a new mayor and a new town clerk. So we put together a proposal for me to put on a festival in the town, and it seemed to work out last year and this year. There's still a major interface with the town, through the town clerk. They're still very, very supportive.'"
Sunday, August 27, 2006
One small town's successful music festival
The South Park Music Festival is happening this year from September 7-10. Just three years old, it's already quite successful in terms of industry support, press coverage, and band applications. Here's an article from last year giving some history of the festival and some of the challenges to putting it on.
I'll be doing my own interview with founder/executive director Matt Fecher very soon.
PopMatters Music Feature | Rocky Mountain High Hopes: South Park Music Festival 2005: "As a financial lure, festivals of any stripe offer a quick infusion of out-of-town cash and tourism opportunities into the local economy, and help cement a town's reputation as a worthwhile destination in the future. The problem Fairplay faces is that it's hardly a vacation hotspot in its natural state. A small, sleepy town in the vast open valley of Park County (an area roughly the size of Delaware), it doesn't have the one key ingredient critical to big mountain bucks: a ski resort."
I'll be doing my own interview with founder/executive director Matt Fecher very soon.
PopMatters Music Feature | Rocky Mountain High Hopes: South Park Music Festival 2005: "As a financial lure, festivals of any stripe offer a quick infusion of out-of-town cash and tourism opportunities into the local economy, and help cement a town's reputation as a worthwhile destination in the future. The problem Fairplay faces is that it's hardly a vacation hotspot in its natural state. A small, sleepy town in the vast open valley of Park County (an area roughly the size of Delaware), it doesn't have the one key ingredient critical to big mountain bucks: a ski resort."
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