No Comments »
“It’s all part of the situation, It’s all part of the show!”
A line from the song No Explanation by Turbine, and a great lyrical description for my first thought of choice as I start in to explain my epic travels on tour with the band Turbine over this past week. For really, there is no (bonified) explanation that can convey the extent of epicness that resides within my frame of reference for putting experiances into words but i’m going to try. Being that i’m still reeling from the affects of that in which the adventures entailed and since I still feel like i’m there, the process of explanation always feels so intangible when you’re coming right out of a week straight of non-stop bustle and travel encompassed by a hurricane of fun. This occurance I speak of is a tale of such that brings intrigue to the still swaggering rhythm in my step and the sparkle in my smile, while also bringing me the desire to entertain a review of course. So I go to archive.org and start streaming a live show while I sift through my senses and reccollect.
This is the kick ass show that I am listening to as I write: http://www.archive.org/details/turbine2008-08-01.zoomh4flac16 
I mean really, what a perfect time of the year to set sail on a week long tour across the stunning state of Colorado. And true to its colors, its gorgeous sights paved the way for a van full of music conquistadors to take the towns by storm and rock the residents with their sound and intent. The band drove out from their home in NYC et al and I flew out from California and we met up on the center of the country for a week of music that will revel in infamy and more good times than you can fit in a monkeys cage.
Our tour schedule consisted of a 5 night run more like a journey; A trek starting with 2 nights in the city of Denver, then on to Boulder, then up to Brekenridge and then the finale show at the intrepid mountain town of Telluride. Throughout our trail I had come to gain a serious appreciation for Colorado because of how the music scene in so revered there and how fans flourish in favor of live shows. I was really impressed with how much fun these people were too, none pretentious nor crude, just high spirits and in attendance for a damn good time. Everyone I met along the was a true connoisseur and many of them are now in my book of friends.
So we started out in Denver on Tuesday for the first gig. My flight landed later than I expected and Rob and Kelly were there to wisk me away with the direct route to the venue asap. Arriving in excitement, we were quick to get down to business. I was stoked to see that a few friends from TLg world had made it out too, Bkark, Terese and Froey all were there with big smiles and open minds to enjoy the show per my reccomendation. The venue was named after a Cervantes book called Dolcinea’s 100th Monkey and it was a nice sized tavern for the start of the run. The show was a rocker and the sound was really great due to having a sound guy who was on for the whole tour sans Telluride. I remember being on Justin’s side as the show started and being blown back a bit by the bass and how it was jumping out at me like a monster that wanted to hug me. I was stoked on the thick bassy goodness for days to come as well. I like to switch sides sometimes to get a sound differenciation and there’s such an eclectic element to each member of the band that makes this task awesomely rewarding. Ryan holds it down on the left side, my usual habitat, and if I never saw with own eyes what he does with his instruments than I would be pleasantly confused with questions about how the hell he does what he does and damn he does it so good. As a drummer, I always find myself tuned in to Eric and how he holds the groves together on the skins and I’m always grateful for a solid rhythm section because that is the feel of my moves and the sound that beats in my pulse. And of course, front and center, Jeremy on electric guitar has the tones and pristine sound that can set the soul on fire. Very moist. So, where was I… (puts hand to forehead and pats off beads of sweat).
The next night was another show in Denver but at another club called Owlsley’s and this club was like a nightclub straight out of 1972. The sound diffusion was on key but the dancefloor was not made for me. It was a mulit-layered monstrosity that fortunately did not take me down. What was cool here was the large wooded outside patio with several DJ’s spinning great tracks while we were setting up and during setbreak. After Wednesday nights show we stayed another night in Denver at Rob’s and then headed up to Boulder.
Now, Boulder is one helluva town and I guess I should’ve know by now but it appears to be the music capital of the state. We arrive at the venue called Redfish which is a NOLA themed brewery in back and resturant in front with an overall colorful and lively vibe. After soundcheck we had some time to stroll around the main part of downtown and Pearl Street and enjoy the surrounding mountainous views all around us. As showtime neared, the placed was pretty packed. We had many recruits that were coming out to get down with us and then there were those that were just there for the delicious beer who were in for a real treat. As the first song started in, the dancefloor filled in and it was on! Everyone in the room was dancing away, fist pumping, smiling and stoked. A few tunes into the set, the trumpet player from The Motet and Pangea, Danny Spears graced the stage and set things full steam ahead with wreckless abandon. Danny obviously is a great canidate for sit-ins and and he is absolutely explosive on the brass meanwhile melding so well with every song and transition. And as I watched the boys tear it up, I realized just how seemlessly they command their art with imporov when necessary; And that lays the pallate for the magic to be cooked on. I can’t wait to hear the recording of this show for sure.
The next day was world’s apart from the days before as we ascended the city scapes up to the mountain peaks.
You can imagine it, a summer day leaving the city and watching the scenery beautify with every kilometer. Vast ranges of trees greened every angle of my sight unto the horizon and the rocky mountains grew closer and closer in the crisp cooled air that somewhat seemed to be scented with fresh cut cilantro. At almost 10,000 feet in elevation, the altitude felt like a qualude, and as entertaining as it was to witness every conversation get jumbled, we were also enlightened as Jeremy exposed his passion for geological knowledge of mountain peaks in hilarious detail…bonus. We arrived in Brekenridge and were instructed to drink a lot of water and for a rock band, that kinda sucks; we like our beer and bourbon but we were fine and the funny thing was that the venue Three 20 South had an oxygen tank in the green room for us, never seen anything like that before…classic. Fantastic venue too, kind of an underground lair and we were the lions that were to inhabit it for the night. The awesome owner, Rocco, gave us a nice tour around and shared some history of the place and the story of recent renovations. This venue used to be the infamous Sherpa and Yeti’s and I recall the name from years ago but I was here now and as it stood as the newly named Three 20 South and was in stance to make some new history, and we were glad to help it along.
As the band was setting up the stage I set out on the town to gather some local newspapers that featured Turbine in a full page preview. Earlier that day the guys were INVITED to do a couple radio interviews on 2 different stations and at that time they showed us the paper so I wanted to find a few for the archives.
Showtime beckoned and if I were to explain how much fun this dance floor actually was then i’d have to put a rating on this post. And so it was, Turbine brought down the house and colors flew. <— And at this point in this post a smiley face is due. Ah-ha.
Knowingly understandable to the notion of the night, dig that I will skip ahead, and 10am the next morning came rather too soon to bail out of town again for tour accounts for every moment. Leaving behind a trail of good times and minds satisfied with infiltration we roll on.
Telluride was the next gig and the finale of the tour and be it the luxury of the location we were primed to perform. And when I say we, I mean us as a team, because although I’m on the other side, you know what I mean. ~
Destination Bubble Lounge, a place i’ll always hold so dear, for if within a place like this perception seems so clear. 3 sets shot the crowd so hot up to the harvest moon, dancing like lightening with faces enticing and no desire to return to earth anytime soon. Shout out to Joe, Lisa, Cupcake, Blake, Rocco on sound and Troy and Kelly for sure, this venue and the all the folks who I met there catered to such a fantastic way to take in the whole run and sum it up while rockin out together and causing trouble together. Next and like a cherry on the sundae, a huge shout to Turbines new Manager Rob! To watch this man in action was one of my most impressive feats I’ve seen in the industry; everything was taken care of with so much on it-ness and then some and homie is really one of the coolest motherf*ckers out there, thanks for everything Rob and I appreciate your vision which is parallel to mine so let’s do this. And as the drum roll thickens, my biggest shout out since I’m dealing them out, absolutely goes to the guys behind the reason for my enthusiasm, my four road trippin’, rock starin’, troubadors- TURBINE! Seriously, you know how much I love you guys. I wholeheartidly had such an amazing trip because you have hearts of gold and music talents so f’n off the hook and such an orginal style that absolutely melts me, so what can I say except I really can’t wait until we can do it again!
Oh yeah…, haha, It’s hard to end this review just like I didn’t want to go home from this radical tour but one more musical mention…before the show, Rob and I headed to the Blues and Brews Festival that was nestled in a forested area with a lot of history and catch Gov’t Mule set with a Susan Tedeschi sit in and the last show with their bass player (name? Muleman knows) and watched the full moon rise between two mountains and I turned around 360 to take it all in and was breathless as to where I was at. Phenomenal. Multiple adjectives played a large role in my interpretation throughout the excursion and if there was any other way that I could convey, I wouldn’t want to have the key to that conversion.
Bam….
What a run, So much fun!
Cheers!
Notible mention: writing this and getting east coast updates from the TLG show in Richmond, Va, almost setting Chris’s kitchen on fire as were cooking and rockin out, hahaha, thanks for the call update setbreak Focker, so glad you all got the new and improved asphalt funk tonight!!!!
Airing out the kitchen with glory!
Love to you all!
-B
Filed under: General by phoreal
