The Year That Was

The first summer of the new millennium saw me thrust into an new environment. I had moved my base of operation 1600 miles east (From Syracuse to Colorado) at a time when "Phish" was at the zenith of its popularity. The move also introduced me to a vast musical scene. In many ways Colorado would serve as the bridge between the old guard ("Phish, the Dead, Allmans, and Jefferson Airplane") and the new generation, which Phish’s hiatus would create.

In August my roommates and I caught "Widespread Panic" at the River Run in Keystone. The two-day trek up to the small ski town was one of the most enjoyable concert experiences (although not the best from a strictly musical perspective). "Karl Denzon" and the "Dirty Dozen Brass Band" opened and put proper meaning to the term acid-jazz. What impression struck me the most was the pulse of the fans. Many toured with Panic and carried a devotion and loyalty that rivaled "Phish" or the Dead in their prime.

In September a date (that had been ingrained into my unconscious psyche since the Spring) came to pass. "Phish" had rolled into Fiddlers Green in the Denver Tech Center for a Wednesday show. It carried a sentimental theme. The second set of the performance ended with the "Rolling Stones" cover Lovin Cup. What made it more than a coincidence was that it had been played as the final encore in August of 1996. That show would mark the last show "Phish" would ever play at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. This show at its worst satisfied me, and at best radiated some interstellar funk, which floored me.

The fall saw me go low-key while I began exploring the subtler aspects of the western music scene. The "Disco Biscuits" was one band frequently mentioned in high esteem that caught my attention through their signature brand of trance-fusion. Later, a trip to see Panic in Wyoming was thwarted by poor seating at the University. In November I ended the year with an introduction to the Fox Theatre (Boulder). Tim Reynolds was speaking the language of guitar with his majestic 12 string acoustic piece.

2001 musically began with word of mouth from my roommates and the illustrious Fee. Bands like "Leftover Salmon, Moe, Galactic, and DJ Logic" began to enter my regular rotation. "The String Cheese Incident" I had only heard sparingly through Fee in the weeks leading up to our Saturday odyssey at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. The urban jungle of traffic, cluttered streets, and cops didn’t deter the spirits of the people in attendance on that chilly February day. Heads we looking for tickets, slinging goo-balls, and “kind trades.” The performance was wonderful. "Little-Feat" opened and SCI’s second set felt like a 50 minute hippie dance waltz.

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