OSU vs YSU

Met Ray at Croc's downtown at 9 am for the Buckeye game. 10 am kickoff here makes for an early morning. Ray told me Croc's is the place to watch OSU football in Denver and was he spot on. It reminded me of Varsity Club. Standing room only with everyone sporting OSU gear. Felt like I was in Columbus the entire time. Hope Beanie isn't hurt too bad. Next week's game is against OU where Ray & Sharon went so it'll be a big day at Croc's once again!
Go Buckeyes!

Gov't Mule / Umphrey's McGee at Red Rocks

Gov't Mule / Umphrey's McGee
Sunday, August 31, 2008 — 7:00PM
doors open at 5:30PM

With
$43.00-$60.00, 2-Day Ticket $85.50 - Ticketmaster - plus applicable service charges.
AEG Live is excited to announce GOV’T MULE featuring UMPHREY'S McGEE performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sunday, August 31, 2008. Showtime is 7:00 PM. Doors open at 5:30 PM.

Big riffs, massive grooves, and expansive improvisations are the hallmarks of Gov't Mule's legendary live shows. Likewise, their well-crafted songs feature larger-than-life characters bearing life's heaviest burdens, performed by four musicians guitarist/vocalist Warren Haynes, drummer Matt Abts, keyboard player Danny Louis, and bassist Andy Hess whose powerful musicianship and chemistry along with their tireless work ethic have earned them the respect of their peers.
We are pleased to announce that Gov't Mule, will be returning to Red Rocks in Morrison, CO, as part of an incredible Labor Day Weekend of music, on Sunday August 31st with very special guests Umphrey's McGee.

The Allman Brothers Band / Bob Weir & Ratdog at Red Rocks

The Allman Brothers Band / Bob Weir & Ratdog
Saturday, August 30, 2008 — 7:00PM
doors open at 5:30PM

With
$43.00 - $60.00, 2-DAY TICKET IS $85.50 - Ticketmaster - plus applicable service charges.
AEG Live is excited to announce THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND & BOB WEIR & RATDOG performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Saturday, August 30, 2008. Showtime is 7:00 PM. Doors open at 5:30 PM.

The Allman Brothers Band have a 39 year tradition of blending the new and the old... playing the songs that stir our souls because they bring back so many great memories, casting classic blues tunes in a new light, and then hitting us with something completely fresh and new that is destined to become a classic. The group will resume its touring schedule in August with co-headliner Bob Weir & RatDog as part of an incredible Labor Day Weekend of music.

Bob Weir already has a secure place in rock history as the Grateful Dead's co-vocalist and what Andrew Clarke (in one of England's leading newspapers, "The Independent") called the genre's "greatest, if most eccentric rhythm guitarist." When you have a modest, anti-promotional personality - and when you spend 30 years next to an icon - it's easy to fall under the radar. Taking the stage with the multi talented line up of drummer Jay Lane, keyboardist Jeff Chimenti, lead guitarist Mark Karan, reeds man Kenny Brooks, and bassist Robin Sylvester that is RatDog.

Dierks Bentley at Red Rocks

Dierks Bentley
Friday, August 29, 2008 — 7:00PM
doors open at 5:30PM

With Rodney Atkins, Cross Canadian Ragweed
$42.50 RES & GA - Buy Tickets Online - plus applicable service charges.
AEG Live is thrilled to announce 98.5 KYGO’s 2nd Annual Summer Chill Out with DIERKS BENTLEY and special guests RODNEY ATKINS and CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED performing live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre Friday, August 29, 2008.
Dierks Bentley (who was given a family name as a first name) grew up in a nonmusical family in Phoenix AZ. He got his country music education on his own listening to recordings. He moved from listener to player when he picked up an electric guitar at age 13. He moved to Nashville at the age of 19, but he quickly grew discouraged by lack of public and professional interest coming his way. It all changed when he walked into the Station Inn, a bar where the bluegrass faithful hang out. An all-night jam session recharged his batteries and he started pursuing gigs again. He landed a job at the TNN television doing research on classic country music and by night he worked on his demos. Capitol Records heard the artist, signed him, and released his self-titled debut in 2003. Bringing his love of Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings to the forefront, “Modern Day Drifter” followed two years later and became a Top Ten hit. In 2006, he returned with Long Trip Alone, with the hit “Every Mile a Memory”.

DNC acceptance speech

Since I didn't get the tickets after applying online I decided to work the event and take my chances. It was quite and ordeal but worth it. I drove to the aquarium to get my credentials (clocked in at 8:37 am) then drove to Elich Gardens to park and took a shuttle to Invesco. Hundreds of people standing around looking and waiting for something to do. Since I signed up at the last minute I didn't have a supervisor to report to so people tried to get me on their teams. I'm asking them what my role would be and they weren't too forthcoming so I said no. I told Kay I'd join her team since she runs the floor at the Pepsi Center and they host the Avs, Nuggets and a few other teams.

We were shuffled to section 117 outside to get out of the way - just in time for Stevie Wonder's sound check. Then Cheryl Crow's sound check. Got some sun and hung out for an hour or so. Then we were sent back downstairs where they had food. We weren't told it was for us and it was kind of secrative so I walked up and asked what was up. They said it was for us. So why weren't we eating? Then Kay said we would be needed and we only had time for a quick snack. Whatever - I chowed. 2 plates as I knew it would be the only food we would see all day. And I was right.

I waited around for 2 more hours and then she told me she didn't need me. This was 2 pm! I saw Doc (from Red Rocks - he works with me) and asked if he needed help. He told me to change my shirt and join his team. I joined Tiffany (Red Rocks - see how this works?) and we were to walk on the ADA aisle to keep it clear. We were Roamers. We had 1/4 of the stadium to watch. Prime spot! Most everyone else had to work outside, underground or some other shitty location. I scored! We walked around, talked, and told people to move. That was it.

Saw Al Gore speak, Bill Richardson too and saw Stevie Wonder & Cheryl Crow again. Then we found a prime spot for Obama and cleared people out of the way so we could see ;) Seriously - "Keep moving", "You can't stand here", whatever it took to get them out of our way. I had one guy move so an Officer could stand next to me and take pictures. The guy was pissed - his look was priceless! Tiffany pulled the best one though - she walked up to a gentleman in a suit and told him to move along. He showed her his credentials and she kept telling him to move until she read them - US Secret Service - so she let him stay. HA! This is the same person who, at the Garrison Keiler show last week wouldn't let a woman throught the stage door (she didn't have a pass) and I looked up as the show started and she was one of the star performers. I still give her shit about that one. Now I can tease her about the Secret Service.

The crowd went crazy and it was like being at a concert. He spoke for quite a while and we got to listen to most of it. I'm glad I was there to witness history, and things went pretty smooth considering all of the security. Long day though and I'm beat. I have work to do today, All the ski stores have their sales today (I need ski boots) then I'm working at Red Rocks Fri Sat & Sun.

Livin the dream ;()

DNC Protest

Since I only had one day to enjoy the DNC from an outsiders perspective I decided to ride my bike downtown this afternoon to see what was going on.

Not much.

I eventually rode to Civic Center park to rest and make a few calls. All of the sudden I hear someone yell "Bikers ready!" and everyone got up and started to ride away. What the hell, I'll go too I thought. So I hopped on my bike and away we went. Turns out it was planned and we had a police escort blocking intersections and following us. We took over the streets of Denver for over an hour. Almost made it down 16th street mall but apparently that was not to be as the cops put a stop to that idea after 2 blocks. It was a cool experience and only one idiot was arrested for spitting on a cop.

It was a great afternoon and I rode around from 1-8 pm.

Tomorrow I am working at Invesco for Obama's acceptance speech. It'll be a long day but it's the only way I have to get in the stadium. Not sure if I can take pics but I'll try!

Durango / Silverton

For my birthday I decided to take Ambereen to Durango for a backpacking trip. We left on Friday and drove to Durango which is in the Southwestern corner of CO. We took the scenic route so we came in from near Silverton and entered the San Juan Range - spectacular! The mountains looked so different from what I've seen.

Found a great campground outside of town and set up camp then drove in to town for some dinner. Got back and built a fire - rare these days. Got some sleep then made it to the train station in the AM to catch the Durango Silverton Narrow Guage. It's the real deal - coal fired steam powered locomotive. We boarded and settled in for the trip to the Needlton stop where the backpackers exit.

6 mile hike with a 3,000' elevation gain (challenging for most - trust me) and we set up camp at 11,000'. Got some shut-eye so we could attempt a fourteener in the am. Hit the trail at 8:30 (that time will be relevant later) and hiked for a few hours until we got to Twin Lakes. Ran into a few hikers on their way down. Hikers (experienced ones anyways) have a funny habit of not telling you what to do or what they think you should do. Instead they'll give cues like asking where you're going and when you tell them they nod, look at their watch, look at you, look at their watch and say something like "good luck". Which really means "you should have gotten your ass out of the tent three hours earlier than you did, dumbass". Lesson learned. We made it to the saddle next to Windom Peak (one of the three fourteeners in the immediate area) when Trevor (whom we met on the train) came bounding down having bagged Windom and Sunlight that morning. He told us about the clouds he saw and how ominous they looked. I had a discussion with Ambereen about turning around. Let's just say one of us is a little more conservative than the other. After 15 minutes of talking about it, we turned around just as two hikers came screaming down from near the peak and thunder roared through the valley. Let's just say we made it down a hell of a lot faster than we made it up. Got back to the tent and took a long nap. Made dinner and went to bed - it's hard work hiking that shit! Got up the next morning and hiked back to the pickup point where we flagged down the train - which kept on going....turns out it was the early train running way late - so we caught the next one. Cool ride to Silverton where we had lunch and I got a few birthday gifts (metal sculptures) from a local artist. Wish I took a pic of him and his shop.

My Morning Jacket / The Black Keys @ RR

Great show!

My Morning Jacket - The Black Keys
Thursday, August 21, 2008 — 7:30PM
doors open at 6:00PM

With The Black Keys
$40.00 RES, $36.00 GA - Ticketmaster - plus applicable service charges.
AEG Live is excited to announce MY MORNING JACKET featuring THE BLACK KEYS performing at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Thursday, August 21, 2008.

My Morning Jacket explosive sound garners mighty praise. David Fricke reviewed My Morning Jacket’s recent SXSW , he said “You could keep biting your nails, waiting for a Zeppelin-reunion tour. Or you can see My Morning Jacket, here and now, make their own Physical Graffiti in your face.”

“There’s a theme of moral confusion that runs through the whole record,” says Jim James, frontman of My Morning Jacket, explaining the title of the band’s new album, Evil Urges. “The world today is such a confused place. Things that people think are good values are obviously twisted, but there are other things considered evil that obviously aren’t. There is real evil out there, but Evil Urges is about how all of these things that you’ve been told are evil really aren’t, unless they’re actually hurting something or somebody.”

It’s ambitious territory for the group’s fifth full-length studio album, and it’s matched by the most far-ranging, surprising, and satisfying sounds of their career. From the freak-funk electro-slam of “Highly Suspicious” to the contemplative “Sec Walkin’,” which could almost be a Nashville standard, on Evil Urges, My Morning Jacket displays the scope and fearlessness that demonstrates their growth into one of the world’s great rock & roll bands.

GARRISON KEILLOR’S A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION at Red Rocks

Suzy Bogguss - Garrison Keillor
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 — 7:30PM
doors open at 6:00PM
With Fred Newman, Guy's All-Star Shoe Band
$64.00, $44.00, $29.00 ALL RES - Ticketmaster - plus applicable service charges. AEG Live is thrilled to announce GARRISON KEILLOR’S A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION “Home of the Heart” Rhubarb Tour featuring Suzy Bogguss at Red Rocks Amphitheatre Wednesday, August 20, 2008. Doors 6:00pm || Show 7:30pm

The 2008 A Prairie Home Companion “Home of the Heart” Rhubarb Tour kicks off on August 10th for a 16-city run that will take the troupe from coast to coast. Garrison Keillor describes the ramble this way: “The Home of the Heart Tour is the soul of A Prairie Home Companion — stories from Lake Wobegon, passionate duets, the philosophy of Guy Noir, wild radio dramas starring sound-effects genius Fred Newman, and the incredible Guy’s All-Star Shoe Band.

“This is the show I'd do if I could only do one more show. It's the essence of everything from the past 34 years of Prairie Home that was funny and heartbreaking and made for great radio. The terrific Suzy Bogguss joins us for the singing, and Guy Noir reminisces about his salad days in the P.I. business, and I'll tell about the little town that time forgot and State Fairs and the first girl I loved, and we'll all sing ‘America the Beautiful’ and go home.”

Beginning its 35th season in September 2008, A Prairie Home Companion is heard by some 4 million listeners on more than 500 public radio stations nationwide, as well as on XM Radio, the Armed Forces Network Europe, the Far East Network, and in dozens of European cities via the Astra satellite network.

A Prairie Home Companion is produced by Prairie Home Productions and presented by American Public Media. The show is sponsored nationally by General Mills, Inc. and by the Sleep Number Bed by Select Comfort. Audio clips, scripts and more information on A Prairie Home Companion can be found online at www.prairiehome.org.

Freakin shoot me..........

Bruce Hornsby at Botanic Gardens

Scored some tix to the Bruce Hornsby show at the Botanic Gardens last night. It sits right on the edge of Cheesman Park and I walked over to meet Cathy who saved our place in line all afternoon. It was a mad dash to grab a prime spot when the gates opened but I grabbed a prime spot and all 6 of us enjoyed a wonderful show. I saw Bruce when he played with the Grateful Dead years ago at Buckeye Lake and boy, can he tickle the ivories.
Working a show tonite and tomorrow then off on a 5 day backpacking trip to Durango. I hear it's beautiful - will keep you posted.

Jack Johnson at Red Rocks

Did I mention that it rained on the Slightly Stoopid show Friday night and got down to the 40's? Punk ass kids were wearing shorts and T's all night.

Thankfully the weather was decent for Jack Johnson. Doors opened at 5 and the first act started at 7 so we had some time to kill. Or so I thought. Jack is a big time environmentalist and they had booths set up at the top near the visitor's center so he decided to play an unplugged set at 6 pm before the first act. I was selected to escort (along with a few others) him from the top parking lot (where my car was hit earlier this year ;) to the stage. He was a cool dude - jeans, flops and a T - walking with his two bandmates and they were talking about what songs to play. It was so low key hardly anyone recognized him. Stood guard at the front of the stage then we escorted him through the visitor's center and back to the van. pretty cool gig. I noticed a sign at one of the booths advertising a contest where winners would get to watch the show from on the stage so when I got back to my post I told my Supervisor what I saw. He took off then came back a few minutes later and said he wanted me and one other person to be on the stage with the winners to keep an eye on them. Next thing you know we are on the stage, behind the performers, jamming away. No worries and just hanging out. It was a cool view and we had the best seats in the house. Great show too. First set was fantastic then for his encore he did a solo acoustic set. Wish I could get a copy of the audio for the show. At least I got a free T for helping out backstage.

Made up for Friday, that's for sure.

Slightly Stoopid & Pepper at Red Rocks

Has anyone heard of these bands? I didn't before working the show. Sold out show with thousands of punk ass kind stoned out of their minds and fighting authority. I wouldn't have minded so much had I not been the authority they were fighting. Punk ass kids. My buddies Bill and Xavier got into an altercation with an unruly patron who body slammed Bill into the ground dislocating his shoulder. Kid was 17 and ready to start college on a full scholorship. Wonder if an assault conviction will impact his collegiate career. Probably not. Rowdy crowd for sure.

Busy busy busy

Whew - where do I start? Drove to Silverthorne last Friday and stayed at a friend's condo (nice indoor hot tub)as Ambereen had a wedding to attend. We got up on Saturday and wandered around town and found the location for the wedding. After getting ready we hit the Tiki Bar at Dillon Lake for a pre-wedding beverage. The ceremony was short and sweet (I had haircuts that took less time) then we enjoyed drinks and dinner. Drove back to Denver to attend a pool party at Dennis and Kenny's homes in Wash Park. Ended up in the hot tub until 3 am. I'm getting way too old for that! Slept in til nearly 11 am on Sunday! Enjoyed big paper day as much as I could then we had a progressive dinner cruise around City Park that evening. Four houses surrounding City Park so we rode our bikes.
Didn't do too much on Monday but rest.
Worked the Jethro Tull show at Red Rocks last night. What a prima donna Ian Anderson turned out to be. Worst one yet. Signs posted from the entrance to the park to the venue itself requesting that everyone sit down during the performance, no whistling, shouting or other loud noises. Oh, we were told the audience could stand for the encore. Also, patrons were not allowed to move to their seats during a song. I was seated at the front of the stage and after the opening act a roadie came out and barked "who was the security guard sitting in this chair?" I said it was me, to which he replied "you're sitting right in front of Ian's speaker and he won't be able to hear properly. That is not good. You need to move your chair further in that direction." Whatever. WTF was this, a concert performance?
Lot's coming up over the next two weeks and I'll do my best to keep you updated.

Cruiser

Finally picked up a cruiser bike today. A buddy of mine has something like 16 bikes and came to the realization he could unload a few. I gave away my Specialized Rockhopper before leaving Ohio - but I wouldn't have it now anyway. It's going to give me some freedom to tool around town and check things out.
I applied for two tickets to see Obama at Invesco field as they gave away 50,000 tickets to Colorado residents but I haven't heard anything yet. Should be quite a party.

James Taylor at Red Rocks

Ray's wife Kerry asked me if I would attend the JT show as Ray was on a business trip. What a performance! A little info though - her tickets were at row 69. There are only 70 rows at Red Rocks.....so I thought I should go for an upgrade. One of the perks of my part time gig is that I can usually get a pretty decent seat. What would you say to that Kerry?

They played a great set, took an intermission then before the second set JT signed autographs at the front of the stage. Haven't seen a performer do that yet. Then for the encore apparently someone yelled out to the front row to come up to the barricade - haven't seen that before either. Up close and personal for sure. So Kerry got to sit in the front row, got JT's autograph and got to stand at the front of the stage for the encore. SCORE!!!!

Rafting on the Southe Platte

Ray and I made plans to soak in the cool waters of the South Platte on Saturday -
(The metro area is headed for not only the hottest year in the record book but also the driest. The temperature at Denver International Airport on Saturday afternoon climbed to 103, the hottest Aug. 2 since 1878, when the National Weather Service started keeping records. And Friday’s 104 degrees was the hottest day of any August since 1878, when the all-time high of 105 was recorded. We’re also on track for the driest year in recorded history (since 1878) and by a substantial amount.
The driest year on record was 2002, when 5.34 inches of precipitation fell at DIA between Jan. 1 and July 31. This year, only 3.28 inches have fallen at DIA, just 60 percent of 2002’s precipitation.
“I don’t think we’re going to get out of this for a while,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Benton. “We’re more than 2 inches behind the driest year ever. This will be hard to make up.”
As if to throw dust on our wounds, Benton said the last month with above-average precipitation was October 2007.
Denver has now withered through 21 consecutive days of 90-degree weather or hotter, breaking the record of 18 consecutive days set in 1878 and tied in 1901. The forecast calls for at least two more days of 90 degrees today and Monday. Tuesday’s high is forecast in the mid-80s, with a 20 percent chance of rain.
So far this year, we’ve sweltered through 38 days of 90-degree-or-hotter weather.) - so we drove to the park, inflated his tubes and set off for a 4 mile run down the lazy river. We did hit several rapids which were fun to float through and nothing to worry about. Nice way to kill an afternoon! We're trying to figure out if we could take the river all the way downtown (about a 15 mile trip). I'll let you know how that works out!