Colfax Radio is Riding High

      Colfax Radio live and direct is now in its eighth month of existence and we are moving forward and leaving a big wake behind us.  The Colfax Radio Kick Off Party this summer was a huge success thanks to our friends the Whappers and Dorian Vibe.  Since then we have been booking bands, promoting tons of local music and working on some great events we have coming up.  You fellow rock n roll junkies need to pay attention.  This week our very own Little Mikey Colfax will be joining the stage with the Whappers on October 6^th as they help support CR Gruver and his Voodoo Groove.  Tori Pater, Damon Wood,  Chadzilla, Fleeb and CR will be rocking the soulful sounds from the best city in the dirty, New Orleans!  This is a show you will not want to miss.  CR will also be playing the 6^th Annual Parkinson’s Benefit with Poly Toxic Sunday October 9^th at Quixote’s True Blue. Poly Toxic will be performing the Rolling Stones Boulder show from 1981.  All proceeds will go to the Parkinson's Alliance.  The show starts at 12 PM.  Also, this Friday, the Dank City All Stars featuring The Heavy Heavies will be playing to raise money to help Jeff Donovan recover from a recent stroke.  Please come out and help Pete support his friend in his time of need.

As most of you know Pete Penzenstadler, the owner of Pete’s Monkey Bar, has taken Little Mikey Colfax and myself under his wing and he has been kind enough to show us the way of supreme sarcasm and has been a surrogate father to the both of us.  Most of all he has been Colfax Radio’s biggest supporter.  We are now planning our third Colfax Radio event at Pete’s Monkey Bar. Our goal here at the radio station is to bring the music, art, culture, and the people of Colfax crashing into your living room.  Well our  next event is going to do that accept you will have to get off the couch for this one. Two Nights Celebrating Art and Music on Colfax will bring to Pete’s Monkey Bar art work from some of Denver’s best, yet to be discovered artists.  Kenny and Ryan Hughs from The Tattoo Saloon will be tattooing each other.  We will have a live painter each night and the music will be fantastic.  Friday, October 21st the Gristle Gals will rock the house.  October 22nd, Co-Headlining is Jet Edison and Ground Up.  Each night we will kick off the event around 7:00pm, with tasty beverages and  an artist reception. Five dollars gets you in the door and Colfax Radio has some great door prizes to raffle off both nights.  This will be a weekend to get out and celebrate this wonderful life.

A few short days later, Saturday, October 29th, Colfax Radio presents The Jesus Dealer and the Apostles of Fire Halloween show at Pete’s Monkey Bar.  We will have a costume contest with an amazing prizes going to the winner.  

Last but not least I want to thank a few people that have played a pivotal part in our success.  Pete of course, and the rest of his staff, Keli Ramirez, Morgan Coley, Jim Jones, Scotch Chaplinski, Grant Stuart, and Joe Damron.  I want to give a huge thanks to Diana Crowley, our new directer of sales and marketing.  We are thrilled that you have become a part of the Colfax Radio family.  I want to thank Greg Mault for handling all the Twitter processes I cannot understand and Joe Fuchs for getting us into The Onion and educating us on the world of advertising.

Cannot wait to see all of you soon!  GO SEE LIVE MUSIC!!!

My Rock n Roll Fantasy!

      There are many interpretations of what people consider rock n roll.  If you are reading this I would go out on a limb and say that you and I probably agree on what we consider rock n roll.  Also if you are reading this it is safe to say that somewhere along the way you have day dreamed of being a rock star of some sort or thought of all the songs you would like your favorite band to cover.  If you are lucky enough maybe you have had the opportunity to meet some of your favorite musicians and if you are really lucky you have had a backstage pass or two over the years.  All of this would fall under the Rock n Roll fantasy umbrella.  My fantasy happens to be two pronged if you will.
      The first part of my Rock n Roll Fantasy pertains to the bands I have yet to see or never had the chance to.  The bands would be Led Zeppelin of course, Guns n FUCKING Roses and Black Sabbath.  If all things in life were possible I would have a time machine big enough to fit myself and my dear friend Rusty Snow, who by the way might be the only person that hears rock n roll the way I do.  We would pick the high point years of each of these bands and bang our heads without any thought of tomorrow and the consequences that might come later.  I would spend any amount of money to obtain two front row tickets for Led Zeppelin in late 77 so my friend and I could witness rock n roll perfection.  I can only imagine what it would be like with my whiskey in my hand, my friend by my side and "No Quarter" blasting right in my face.  These are things dreams are made of for sure.  The next stop on my fantasy tour would be Black Sabbath 1978 some where along the Never Say Die tour.  There is nothing like Ozzy Osbourne in his prime.  If you do not believe me just you tube Snowblind 1978 and you will become a believer.  A little taste of the times and a few hours with Ozzy, Tommy Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward blaring their anti war and occult tunes will surely make one a stronger and weirder person and I am all in!  The last stop on our fantasy tour would be the two nights in 1989 when Guns n Roses opened for the Rolling Stones at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. I would love to up the anti on this one to have not only front row seats but back stage passes so I could be a fly on the wall when Jagger and Clapton approach Axl and confront him about kicking Bowie's ass the night before for hitting on his girlfriend.  Shortly followed by one of the best GnR shows ever. How wild would that night be?  GnR opening for the Rolling Stones with front row seats and backstage passes!  I am sure that would be a story for the ages. All of this of course is more about the opportunity to see these great moments in rock n roll history with my close friend than anything else!
     The second part of my Rock n Roll fantasy has come true, sort of.  As an aspiring writer there is nothing I would love more than to be able to spend time with rock n roll musicians, favorites or not, and to be able to work with them in any shape form or fashion. Since Michael Cole (Little Mikey Colfax) and I started Colfax Radio back in February this dream has come to fruition.  We have interviewed countless bands most local some not.  We have started streaming all the shows at Pete's Monkey Bar.  We are planning our second officially sponsored show, which I have been able to pick the bands along with being a part of planning the set lists.  For those of you that came to the Sweet Home Alabama benefit you know the Colfax Radio Kick Off Party "A Night in the Life on Colfax" Featuring the Whappers and Dorian Vibe will blow your doors off.  Steve Homan (Dorian Vibe) and I had a long conversation about the All-Star Super Jam we are planning and the songs that are going to be played.  Now in some folks eyes this might seem like small potatoes.  For those of you that know me well, you know this is a dream come true!  So please mark your calendars accordingly for July 15th.  I promise you this is a show you do not want to miss.  Stay tuned to Colfax Radio for more details.  Our special guests will be announced soon!
      One last thing.  Be sure and get your asses out to Pete's Monkey Bar tonight for CR Gruver's Voodoo Groove. The first set will be CR solo, playing songs by Dr. John, professor Longhair, James Booker and others.  The second set will be a full band featuring Chadzilla on drums, Damon Wood on guitar and Fleeb on bass.  This is going to be a high-energy swampy funk experience.  Show starts at 9 PM!  See you all tonight!


Go See Live Music!

Sweet Home Alabama: A Day of Music for Tornado Relief!

 

               For those of you that do not know me I can be quite emotional and passionate about certain things in my life.  Friends and family obviously take the highest precedent...  I have been known to cry a time or two at a Widespread Panic show, hugging the people close to me while telling them how much I love them.  I am quite comfortable in my own skin and have no problems admitting that I am a bit of a crier. On May 3rd I sat down to watch the news and was blown away by the devastation that record breaking tornadoes caused from Mississippi to Virginia the day before. I soon realized that there were tears running down my face in awe of the destruction I was watching.  Even though Denver is now my home, I still have very strong ties to the south.  I immediately called my good friend Eric Hood, a Birmingham native, and asked him his thoughts on putting together a benefit concert at Pete's Monkey Bar.  He admitted that he too was moved by what he was seeing on the news and agreed we had to do something to help these people. I quickly hung up and called Pete and he agreed.  And the race was on.  We had eleven days to put together Sweet Home Alabama: a Day of Music for Tornado Relief.

                Despite the short amount of time we had, the perpetual naysayers, and every other issue that becomes a problem when planning a benefit May 15^th finally arrived and went off with out a hitch.  I will say with out a doubt that Eric Hood put together the best music in Denver for the weekend.  The show opened up with a strong, burly set from The Longest Day of the Year out of Boulder, Colorado.  Sean Lamborne’s growl belted out of the speakers loud enough to impress some of rock n roll’s mighty up in heaven.  Now that the music had started and folks were filing in the door and the whiskey was flowing freely, I could relax a little bit.  Next up was the Mighty High Band.  These guys never fail to rally the crowd with their versions of Jerry Garcia tunes.The crowd was starting to feel the booze, dance, and bid on the items which were up for silent auction.  By the time Dorian Vibe took the stage the crowd was in full force and ready to rock.  Steve Homan and the boys belted out songs by the Band, The Allman Brothers, and some of their own material.  Now, I was as happy as could be.  The place was packed, the food was great, the music was amazing and we still had two more hours to go.  With Dorian Vibe on stage Eric Hood started to rotate musicians, including himself, in and out for one stellar Denver All Star Jam.  The musicians included, Michael Stork Caprara, Aaron Rose, Michael Weeze Dewald, Joe Damron, Adam Stern, and Morgan Coley.  All these guys closed out the set with a rocking rendition of Sweet Home Alabama that would have made any southerner in snake skin boots and leather pants proud!

                All in all it was a fantastic day.  We sold all of the items that were donated for auction.  People had a great time and danced the afternoon away for a great cause.  I want to thank a few other people that made this event possible.  First and foremost I want to thank Pete Penzenstadler for letting us use Pete’s Monkey Bar for this event.  I also want to thank his staff, Grant Stuart, Aby Hauser, Joe Damron and Stevie Gregory.  These guys worked hard and we greatly appreciate it.  I also want to thank Corey Zylstra for putting together the Amazing prints for the event.  A very big thanks to Pete OEP Evers for making sure our community donated items to be auctioned off.  You are the man.  Once again Colfax Radio’s Little Mikey Colfax did a fantastic job as the MC.  I do not thing I have ever heard so many people laugh over and over again at syphilis jokes while being awarded their raffle prize!  I also want to thank Belle Naugher for her fantastic job on her live painting!  Thank you Don from Yazoo BBQ for the food, it was wonderful.  I do apologize if I left any one out.  THANK YOU EVERY ONE THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE!

                I am going to close with something my parents always taught me.  Serving those less fortunate than your self will always bring joy to your heart because it is what you are suppose to do! 

GO SEE LIVE MUSIC!

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4/20 and Losing my Rock n Roll Virginity

                Well here we are getting ready for the huge Denver celebration of 4/20.  I am not sure who made this the official Marijuana holiday but I will take it.  Even though I am not a huge smoker I am definitely a supporter of the fine green plant and its magical powers.  Now that Colorado has joined the ranks of legalized medicinal marijuana, 4/20 celebrations are epic.   This of course is great for me as a rock n roll lover, a writer, and lover of a great party no matter what the cause.    There is always great music and plenty of debauchery for material in my writing, whether it is my own actions or others in their wasted state.  So this Wednesday if you are planning on going out to celebrate the great Weed with your bong in hand stop by Pete’s Monkey Bar for Frogs Gone Fishin’ with Whiskey King Coalition.  I guarantee it will be a smokin good time!

                While I sit here at my desk writing this I am listening to Jason Isbell’s smooth as butter voice on the Drive by Truckers Goddamn Lonely Love and it sparks the thought, years ago I would have not been caught dead listening to this song or anything else even remotely in the Country genre.  As I look at this mornings rotation which includes Son Volt, DBT, Lucero, Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, Blind Melon, and Brute I realize how much my musical tastes have evolved over the years.  When I say over the years I mean from 1980 to today.  Now of course I was only six years old in 1980, but it was the year I officially knew I was in love with rock n roll and that I would be for ever.  My best friend in 1980 in Smyrna, Georgia was also six and had an older brother who I think was a junior or senior in high school.  My friend and I would spend hours in that bedroom playing all of his older brother’s albums, tapes, and eight tracks over and over.  There were posters of Rush, Farrah Fawcet, and Corvettes on the walls and on the record player was Van Halen’s first album (which I consider their best), KISS ALIVE, and the Scorpions.  I can remember staring at the KISS ALIVE album for hours almost as if I was under some sort of rock n roll spell.  Over the next few years with my friend I was introduced to the likes of Little Feat, Black Foot, AC/DC, and Motley Crue.  All of which are still some of my favorite bands today.  Looking back over the years I have had my phases of bands and genres that I was stuck in for a certain amount of time.  From the Doors and Led Zeppelin, R.E.M. (Which I hate now with a passion) and Drivin and Cryin’, Guns n Roses,  Alice n Chains and the whole grunge scene, eventually leading to the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, and other various hippie jam bands to my now present full on addiction to Outlaw Country and their offspring for the last six years.  With the exception of R.E.M. and a few others most of these bands still make it into the rotation and of course I will not miss a home town Widespread Panic show.  Maybe losing your rock n roll virginity at a young age is much like getting drunk at a young age causing almost certain addiction later in life.  I can fully admit that I, Erin Drello, am a certified Rock n Roll junkie, and if you are reading this your probably are too.  I can only recommend playing your favorite band really loud and getting to a live show as quick as possible to get your fix.

GO SEE LIVE MUSIC

Colfax Radio, The Fox Street All-Stars, Eric Martinez and The Drive by Truckers!

   What an amazing few weeks Colfax Radio has had.  We have reached over five hundred thirty listeners on our pod cast page and over one hundred forty friends on Facebook and have officially launched www.colfaxradio.com.  We also had what Little Mikey Colfax called “our two biggest interviews to date” with Jonathan “Skippy” Huvard from the Fox Street All-stars and Eric Martinez of Bloodkin and The Dyrty Byrds fame.  We also were lucky enough to get a few minutes backstage with Pete from the New Mastersounds.  Both The New Mastersounds and the Fox Street All-stars put on a great show and rocked the house.  I do believe that I will not be missing another Fox Street All stars show ever again!
          Michael had the chance to interview one of the first musicians I met when I moved to Denver.  Eric Martinez sat down with Little Mikey Colfax to discuss his role with one of the dirtiest southern rock bands of all time Bloodkin.  They also discussed the future of the Dyrty Byrds and what that has been like playing with Sam Holt and Eric’s partner in crime Tori Pater.  When I first moved to Denver fellow Widespread Panic fans told be to go belly up at the bar at Highland Pacific which is where I had the distinct please of meeting both Eric and Tori.  Now this is not my first time meeting local musicians in any state that I have moved to yet this experience was quite different in the fact that both of these local celebrities some how managed to remember my name. Even after my constant begging for Eric and Tori to play Rotgut or Quarter Tank of Gasoline.  This is to me is a testament to the kind of people these two guys are and to the honest, soulful rock n roll that they play.  Despite Tori and I not seeing eye to eye on Guns and Roses these two are greatly dedicated to the music they play and those that enjoy it just as much.  Make sure you get out to see the last Dyrty Byrds show ever April 1.
       To continue with the best week ever for Colfax Radio, my favorite band the Drive by Truckers were at the Ogden Theatre Friday and Saturday nights.  For those of you that were at the show on Friday night should have been as blown away as I was.  All the new songs such as Mercy Buckets and Everybody Needs Love were as great as I thought they were going to be.  The highlight of Friday night was getting to take my great friend Pete Penzenstadler to his first DBT show.  It put a huge smile on my face to see him rocking out to the very awesome new song Go Go Boots.  When I asked Pete about what he thought about the show afterwards his exact words were, “That shit rocked!  How can you go wrong with a three guitar attack?”  This made my weekend!  I had made another believer!  The Saturday night show was good but no where near the show from the night before.  I was thrilled to have the show end with Hell No I Ain't Happy, Let there be Rock, and Angels and Fuselage. The weekend finally came to an end Saturday night with the Fox Street All-stars with Stanton Moore at the Galactic after party at Pete’s Monkey Bar.  The place was packed, the music was rocking, people were dancing hot and sweaty, and my friend Pete was as happy as I was!

      Till next time, GO SEE LIVE MUSIC!

Colfax Radio! The beginning!

     If you have ever spent any time on Colfax Ave. in Denver, Colorado you are quite aware of the fact that anything can happen, and I truly mean anything.  You can catch a great local band, get extremely loaded and participate in any form of illegal activity and maybe catch a glimpse of the state capitol while fending off your pack of cigarettes from passers by.  From experience I do know that after a while on Colfax Ave. and weeding through a good deal of rif raf you will find an amazing place where truly great thing happen!  Sure you will have to scrape through the grime and tight knit circles of Colorado uber headiness, which I like to, call "bullshit".  Once past this rough exterior you will find that there are some very interesting and amazing people, as well as a completely underrated local music scene that has the power to completely knock you out of your boots!
      I met my business partner, Little Mikey Colfax, almost a year ago to the day, standing outside of Pete's Monkey Bar bullshitting about one thing or another and trying to insult each other with out pushing things to far and throwing one another into oncoming traffic.    We quickly became great friends, brothers from different mothers if you will.  After a year full of shows ranging from the Drive by Truckers, Widespread Panic, Juno What, Damon Wood's Harmonious Junk, Mighty High Band and Whiskey Tango and The Whappers of course we figured it was time to start something of our own. Soon after Colfax Radio was born.

            Mikey and I had managed to throw an amazing benefit back in August 2010 at Pete’s Monkey Bar and have since become great friends with the bar owner Pete Penzenstadler.  After hours of late night banter we decided that we could use Pete’s Monkey Bar as home base and studio to interview bands since there is a plethora of great music coming through the bar ever week.  As of today, March 7, 2011 we have interviewed fifteen bands that include the likes of Mighty High Band, Whiskey Tango, The Funky Monks (including member of Kinetix), Damon Wood’s Harmonious Junk, Juno What, and various others. We are currently working on our sixth pod cast which will include music and interviews with Fried Grease and a few others I cannot name yet. 

            Hopefully after reading this you are as excited as we are and will stay tuned to Colfax Radio for great local music and what we consider the true essence of Colfax Ave.

Thanks for all your support!