Posts made by FreshTracks

Enter me, and yeah--make sure you vote!

@Johnny-Love Thanks for the kind words. Glad I’m not alone in savoring every opportunity between obligations. It’s the common binding of people like me and you.

How do you get your live dose of Spafford?

Some of you Nerds get to go on tour, hit multiple shows, and maybe squeeze in a summer festival. Congratulations, I salute you for soaking in as much jamming as possible. For others, despite the desire for more, more, more we have to be satisfied with a single show squeezed in between work and family commitments. These days, I'm a member of the latter group. Which means when I do get my Spafford fix, I savor every guitar solo, cling to every cymbal crash, and absorb every bass vibration. They have to last me months.

With my touring days relegated to the rearview mirror and the band eschewing Denver for Colorado ski towns this winter, the Barkley Ballroom show was my lone opportunity to catch a show on this tour and share my enthusiasm with other Nerds. I was fortunate enough to catch the Aggie rager on the Fall Tour, and anticipation for the Frisco show was intense, as it was one of the only shows on the tour to sell out months in advance (Atlanta was the other).

I was able to convince my high school friend Scott to fly out from the East Coast for a show, a day of skiing, and a family visit. It would have been his first show, but he one-upped me by sneaking out to check out his home state show in January. I was only mildly jealous that he was treated to a gorgeous Red’s Jam opener and the tragically underplayed Sweet closer at his very first show.

After picking Scott up at the airport, we headed into the Colorado high country for dinner and drinks up the road in Breckenridge. When I saw the setlist from the previous night in Steamboat, I confess my heart sank slightly. I sensed that the Frisco show was probably going to be overshadowed by the previous night, but that admission hardly tempered my enthusiasm.

The Barkley Ballroom is a small nightclub tucked into the lower level of a shopping plaza. What it lacked in charm it made up for in intimacy. I just can't imagine the band playing venues of this size for very much longer, certainly not in Colorado. We pre-gamed at a bar/pizzeria across the way, where we had another beer and chatted with other enthusiastic Nerds who were waiting for the doors to open at 9. We met several folks who had attended their first shows on this Colorado run and were already hooked.

Since we got there early, I positioned myself right on the "rail," smack dab in between Red and Jordan. As a short guy, I love having an unimpeded view of the interplay between the band members. After introductions with my neighbors Lance, Amy, and a few others, we settled in for the ride. The mix up front was outstanding, and everyone in the first few rows was friendly, eager, and intently focused on the music. A distraction-free listening experience in a sea of positivity-- a sharp contrast to the rail scene that generally surrounds a certain foursome from Vermont.

It was the band’s 3rd show in a row and 13th show in 17 days— yet they barely showed signs of exhaustion, though there were signs that they may have been feeling the venue’s 9,000 foot elevation. Focused and deliberate, they dove right in.

Set 1-- Love holds us together....

The show opener People caused me to break out in a shit-eating grin. This is the song I sing to my 6-year-old daughter, who responds to the catchy hook and doesn’t have the patience for long jams. This version had some extra mustard on it as well, with a very nice middle jam that boasted a psychedelic tinge before exploding in a high-energy climax.

Aeroplane— Aside from its debut performance on New Year’s 2016, this cover has only been in the rotation for about 5 months. Nonetheless, it's already become a great jamming vehicle. Ignore the mislabeled tracking on the Nugs release, as this version winds down into a quiet, bubbly jam that eventually builds back up into a funky, bass-driven departure. Call it "Barkley Jam" or an extended Aeroplane, but regardless of what you call it, this improvisation simply soars. This flight eventually descends for a smooth landing, sliding seamlessly into All My Friends at the 20 minute mark.

With all the great Bee Jams out there, this one might wind up being relegated to the forgotten pile. It doesn't feature the wild, extended improvisation of other versions and the band takes some time to find a groove. Eventually, a quiet theme that echoes the Doors' "Riders on the Storm" emerges. The final two minutes are fiery, but this version is standard when compared to its legendary brethren.

This was my first Leave the Light On in the three shows I've attended, and it was one of the first Spafford songs that really caught my ear. Words are insufficient to describe the ebb and flow of this version, but it holds up nicely against other versions from the tour.

I was all but certain that LTLO would close the set, but instead we got a bonus song. I wasn't familiar with The Man, which was busted out for the first time in 95 shows, complete with a birthday dedication to Spaffnerd Chris Ogor-Lopez (@Lopez .)

At setbreak, I find Scott relaxing, bleary-eyed, in the back of the venue. He was exhausted and fading, clearly feeling the effects of the 5am East Coast time start, the beers, and the altitude. I drove him down the road to our hotel, returned to the venue, and found my spot on the rail for set 2.

Set 2 -- I don't like sleeping at night...

It's hard to ask for a better second set opener than Todd's Tots, one of those idiosyncratic Spafford tunes that is part of their signature sound. The feedback drenched journey never wandered, a focused batch of tots if there ever was one.

The Remedy (which was subbed in for Levilan Shores on the setlist) meandered for some time before getting going. The wandering jam included several moments that sounded to these ears like the introduction to the Grateful Dead’s “The Wheel". By around the 14 minute mark, things heated up significantly as the band locked back into a jubilant major key groove that had the entire venue grinning from ear to ear.

Since its introduction on New Year's Eve, the Lovesick Melody > Soil combination has proven extremely fertile. This outstanding pairing didn't disappoint in Frisco, with the Soil jam a contender for best version to date. Cam switched to the e-drum for the first time of the night, Red got futuristic with the synth sounds, and Brian followed with some downright dirty, extremely danceable funk that transitioned into high-energy rock and roll.

The Postman delivered the goods for the second set closer, the contemplative opening section allowing me to ruminate on all that had brought me to this night, and what future might await this talented foursome on the live stage. The build up was funky and fierce, eventually bringing Brian to the edge of the stage, his foot on the monitor, egging on the crowd in front of him. A fierce, high-energy special delivery.

The short but high-energy Electric Taco Stand encore was icing on the cake, a gift of one of the band's signature songs to send us off into the night. For the discriminating listener, check out People, the Aeroplane jam, Soil and the Postman-- all contain outstanding band interplay, and the entire night was a celebratory ride.

Walking out of the venue, I had no doubt in my mind that the days of connecting with the band in intimate venues such as these are numbered. The band is simply too talented, and will continue converting fans one at a time. This summer, they'll have the opportunity to play to thousands of new ears at a time and convert even more fans. The ascent continues, and it's going to be a fun ride. Invite your friends!

Our heartfelt thanks to Tara Gracer Photography for the amazing photos

The Old Town Jam from Steamboat Sprigns, 3/15/18.
Around 38:00 they begin playing a theme that sounds just like Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill". They jam on this theme for a couple of minutes.

@Cody Was just about to post this but you beat me to it. Gorgeous is the first word that comes to mind.

@Night-Train Agreed, this one jams right out of the gate.

Right now, Mind's Unchained, It's a Bunch and My Road stand out as originals, just because (like someone else said), they've gotten so much play. I like the Radio jam a lot, but the song is in its infancy.
As far as new covers, Sweet is far and away my favorite. Soulful, beautiful melody and catchy. I thought it was an original until I learned that it's a Cheektones song, although the Cheektones version I've heard sounds completely different. Runner up's are Those Shoes (let's see if it gets into rotation or was a one-off) and Breakdown.

Great review. Glad to see that they didn't turn in the typical festival set. Hopefully converted a few new fans without sacrificing their own identity.

Interesting that they'd do the ski towns in Colorado and not book a show in Denver or Boulder. I'm going to try to hit Frisco, but kind of hoping they add a city date after Winter Park.

As a Deadhead who saw has seen his share of GD shows, I can completely relate to the parallels you mentioned in your review. In fact, it was the band's unique selection of covers (not just GD) that initially raised my eyebrows, even before I'd heard what they were truly capable of live. Great review, thanks for sharing.

Setlist, Attendance, and Recordings for: 2017-11-10 - Aggie Theater, Fort Collins, CO

Before delving into this review, a little background is in order. Any concert review is by definition personal in nature and the peak experience I had at the Fort Collins show is the result of a unique combination of factors. I discovered Spafford sometime in 2016, the result of a continuing effort to listen to new improvisational rock bands. Someone actually conducted an online study that determined that people stop listening to new music at age 33, but I’m trying to not let my ears go stale, even though I’m a decade past that deadline date -- old enough to have seen Jerry Garcia play with the Grateful Dead, to have watched Phish grow from a club band to playing MSG and to have seen bands like String Cheese Incident and moe. improve, peak and plateau.

One of the things that struck me initially about Spafford was their dynamic range, versatility, and songwriting. Here was a band that could deliver blistering rock and roll, incorporate electronic elements at times, but wasn’t afraid to engage in patient exploration in small bars. I liked Red’s presence in the mix and was obviously impressed by Brian's guitar-playing talent. When someone on a message board shared Cabin Jam 2, I realized these guys had a gift for collective improvisation that equaled or exceeded many bands that had been playing together for much longer.

I truly believe in the transformative power of live music. However, my life is very different than it was two decades ago when I had no responsibilities and could jump on tour and catch a run of shows at will. My family demands combined with the birth of my twin sons means that every show I can squeeze in is a gift. I have to hope that on the night I can get away, a band is "on". As I jokingly tell my 5-year-old daughter, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit." That doesn't mean I'm not critical if a band doesn't live up to expectations, but I try to be grateful every time I get to a show.

Over the past year, I listened to A LOT of Spafford recordings and grew extremely familiar with their catalog. In March, I saw them for the first time at Hodi’s Hideout in Fort Collins, a sold-out bar show that had some solid moments, but was a bit inconsistent (unfortunately, no recording has yet been made available).

When Fall Tour was announced, my original plan was to attend the Ogden Theater show, but when the Fort Collins show was added I opted for the Aggie instead as it’s only a 40-minute drive from my house up the road in Wyoming. I was even happier about my decision after seeing the Ogden setlist, which was missing most of my favorite material and seemed to be more song-oriented with special guests. I was also fervently hoping that they wouldn’t be too tired on their 4th show in a row and 8th in 9 nights. It turns out I had nothing to worry about.

The Aggie is hardly a charming venue, basically a giant box with a bar in the back and a capacity of 650. It’s known to get very hot in there when it’s packed, and while the venue was pretty full, it wasn’t sold-out and the floor had enough room to move comfortably. After putting my kids to bed, I drove down to meet my friend Eric, who had driven up from north Denver to see them for the first time at my urging. He got there early enough to secure a prime rail spot right in front of Red. The sound quality from that spot was perfect. We had no chompers nearby and were surrounded by friendly, engaged fans that left me free to focus on the music without distractions.

One thing that I had noticed during the 2017 festival sets and even at the late-night BB Kings show this past summer was that the setlists they were constructing seemed to have some flow issues. This wasn’t a problem tonight in either set. Instead we got well-polished heavy hitters, placed perfectly. This show was uptempo and high-energy, from beginning to end.

It’s A Bunch kicked things off and it immediately was clear that the band was clicking. About four minutes into the traditional song structure, they departed into a different, completely improvisational groove. It was exactly the type of detour I was hoping for, with Red alternating organ-sounding leads at a relaxed pace at first before they picked up the tempo and then slowed it down for a smooth segue into Mind’s Unchained.

You Don’t Know How it Feels was well-executed for being only the third version ever and the placement was perfect. I mean, who doesn’t like Tom Petty? The room had filled up by this point and the crowd was completely on board.

I think Slip and Squander is a beautiful song, a testament to the band’s songwriting abilities. There’s a Red recording out there of a solo set he played in 2016 where he performed Running on Empty, and the beginning of SnS reminds me a little of Jackson Browne. It also contains many of the hallmarks of the band that I enjoy – a slower, quiet piano intro and a slow build-up with introspective lyrics. In fact, the more I listen, the more I realize how critical Red’s patience, presence, and vocal abilities are to the “X Factor” that distinguishes Spafford from other bands in the genre.

It’s hard to go wrong with Windmill and this version "turned effortless". I thought Cam really pushed them along well during the middle jam section here as he and Brian are clearly getting more and more comfortable with each other. Brian’s searing leads were simply gorgeous, and the re-entry to the verses was smooth. While it doesn’t go into the outer reaches like some Windmills, the execution was flawless.

All In wasn’t on the printed setlist, so I like to consider it a bonus closer. I particularly connect to the lyrics of this song and love the exploratory middle section. Some versions of All In it feel like they’re spending a lot of time just searching for something to click, but this one never suffered from that problem. Instead it sounded like Spafford was a full-fledged prog rock band, majesticly channeling Yes or King Crimson. In all honesty, the closing chord sequence is a blatant homage to 20th Century Schizoid Man, but I don't consider that a bad thing.

At setbreak, I asked Eric his thoughts so far, given it was his first show. He was enthusiastic, but commented to me that while he liked the keyboardist, he felt he relied too heavily on the piano sound. "He should be more psychedelic," Eric said. Fair enough.

The second set plunged immediately into the abyss with the tastiest Virtual Bean Dip I’ve ever had. This sounded like a Disco Biscuits-inspired dance party in places. Perhaps the recent sit-in by Magner reinvigorated their inner Bisco fandom. It also literally seemed like Red had heard my friend talking, as he shifted gears multiple times with multiple synth sounds. The pace was being pushed and the electronic-influenced jamming that I felt had been largely missing over the summer as Cam got settled in finally seemed to be present again.

At about 11 minutes in, things got quiet as the band searched for a new direction. Eventually a new jam emerged organically, with a segue into Backdoor Funk that was as seamless as anything I’ve heard on this tour. Jordan turned on the filter and things started getting dirty and funky. The bass drove the jam, Red went for the organ sound eventually and once again they built to an absolutely raging climax. No subtlety here, just pure power -- Brian shredding and the band keeping pace.

The crowd practically exploded when the band started Electric Taco Stand. When the electronic drum sounds kicked in at four minutes, I was extremely pumped. Red started mixing up the synth sounds and it was full-on disco dance party time. It didn’t last too long, but just long enough to remind me how effortlessly they can shift from rock to electronica.

Just to prove that the can't be pigeonholed, they followed this dance party up by bringing out Dave Bruzza from Greensky Bluegrass for their fast-paced, bluegrass interpretation of The Red Hot Chili Peppers classic Soul to Squeeze. Even though it stood in stark contrast genre-wise from the previous song, this call didn’t hurt the flow of the set a bit and was welcomed by the bluegrass-friendly Colorado crowd.

America was simply shredded—Brian in full rock-star mode playing impressively clean leads and the band raging in perfect time behind him. It was so well polished it didn't matter that it wasn't stretched out more. The Reprise attached itself so perfectly to America, it almost feels like one song-- a great high-energy closer to an unbelievably upbeat set.

To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of Shake You Loose. In fact, it’s one of my least favorite originals. I just don’t get that excited by standard blues-based songs. I was ready to head for the door because my kids get up at 5:30 am and I figured I might as well try and get a few extra minutes of sleep. But Eric didn’t want to leave, so I hung around for the end of the song and I’m glad I did. When Shake You Loose wrapped up, Brian looked at the rest of the band, nodded and kicked into Galisteo Way. I love this song. Yes, the intro sounds like Chalkdust Torture, and the middle section is reminscent of NICU, but it's such a catchy party song that I'll forgive them for wearing their influences on their sleeves. Eric said it just reminds him of straightforward ska and I couldn't argue his point.

I walked out of the Aggie completely satiated. They executed some of their strongest material to perfection and delivered two energetic sets that never stalled and jams that never meandered. It’s an absolute joy to watch a band still improving like this one is right now-- it's hard to believe Cam has only been with them for 7 months. I bought a T-shirt on the way out the door, something I haven’t done at a show in probably 15 years. They deserved my merch dollars and they deserve continued success. I'm all in it for the ride.

Special thanks to Tara Gracer Photography for the jaw-dropping photos from The Aggie!!

Video is unavailable-- did it get pulled for some reason?

I liked the last few minutes of Backdoor. The drums are a little low in the mix so it's hard to get a good feel for the new drummer.