September 2010

Warm days, cool nights and smokin' hot music over Labor Day weekend at the
2nd annual Snowy Range Music Festival in Laramie. The Albany County
Fairgrounds was the site for three days of music that included significant improvements over last year like the rotating, side-by-side main stages.
There was little to no wait time between bands. They also placed artificial
turf over the dirt that tends to blow freely in the Laramie wind. It was like
carpet with plenty of room for lawn chair and blanket seating close to the
stages. Under the bleachers was the acoustic stage which provided a great
space throughout the festival especially after the main stage headliner sets.
It looked and felt like a cross between an Arkansas chicken shack, a Delta
juke joint and a Chicago blues club. Rick Estrin and the Nightcats played
a great set late Friday night and Billy Branch & the Sons of Blues did the
same Saturday night and were joined by SRMF favorite Carl Weathersby.
Friday nights lineup included Soulive.....really enjoyed their set
especially the Beatles medley. Rock N Roll Hall of Famer and Soul/Gospel
legend Mavis Staples put on an outstanding show with her band that included guitarist Rick Holstrom. You could tell she was a little winded between but
not during songs at 7000 ft. She sang one of her new songs, "Wrote a Song
for Everyone," the Band classic "The Weight" , "The Freedom March" and the
70's Staples Singers hit, "I'll Take You There." Mavis took us there, back
and beyond.

I saw most of Saturday's lineup which included a generous helping of New
Orleans gumbo from the Subdudes and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
There actually seemed to be a variation on a second line happening in
Wyoming during the Dirty Dozen set. Guitarist/singer Ana Popovic, originally
from Yugoslavia, proved the blues is worldwide belting out a great set.
She wore some pretty cool boots too. Los Lobos headlined Saturday night and
started their set with "Dream in Blue" from Kiko. They played a few older
tunes and seemed plenty warmed up by the time they got into songs from the
new CD "Tin Can Trust". Highlights included the traditional Mexican folk song
"Yo Canto" from Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo singing the title song and the Grateful Dead cover "West LA Fadeaway." They also did a covers medley that
started with the Temptations "Papa was a Roling Stone" and ended with
"Oye Como Va." The crowd loved it and the band responded in kind.
David mentioned they'd been playing for 36 years and this was their first performance in Laramie. So the whole band came out after their set and signed autographs.
Didn't get to see much of Sundays performances but what I did was
good. Carl Weathersby was one of the few returning from last year and put
on a great show. Anders Osborne followed with a high energy set which
included songs from the new CD "American Patchwork". He was followed by the
host band Blind Dog Smokin' with great guitarist Gino Mateo and Carl
Gustafson singing lead. Big thanks to Carl G. for organizing the festival,
all the volunteers, musicians and the weatherman. The bands seemed very
impressed and happy to play such a well organized festival.
Great Chicago harmonica man Billy Branch called it King Biscuit West
because we had the ultra-cool Jerry Pillow from Helena, Arkansas as
stage manager. Attendance was up a little over last year.
A little surprising it wasn't up more considering all the great bands.
We're counting on a breakout year for the 3rd Annual Snowy Range Music
Festival so mark your calendar for Labor Day Weekend 2011.