Denver, Colorado 22, 23 September 2015
Tuesday the 22nd was a day off here in Denver . One of the pitfalls of keeping these notes going tour after tour is that I tend to be a creature of habit, generally stopping at familiar places that satisfy. The upshot being, I write about the same things over and over like an elderly uncle repeating himself. Today’s no different. I made a return to the gym after a week away due to feeling so poorly. After being away from it for a week combined with Denver’s mile high altitude, I definitely was working hard to get through it. A slightly truncated treadmill session but managed through all the rest. Following that and a shower I made a bee line to…and here comes more redundancy part…. Sam’s No. 3 Diner and Bar. Established in 1927, Sam’s is a a fixture in Denver and has been featured on America’s Dives and Diners. An amazingly broad menu and full bar service. Maybe the only place in the world you can order pancakes and a martini for breakfast. One of Sam’s specialties is green chilli and pork. I’m quick to admit that I am a green chilli snob. You can’t get it everywhere which makes it even more special…only in Arizona, New Mexico and parts of Colorado. I grew up eating this green stew in Phoenix and have since learned how to make it myself in the foreign lands of Tennessee. I’ll stand up on anyone’s coffee table and announce Sam’s green chilli is great. A large bowl with two warmed flour tortillas and a draft Pabst Blue Ribbon cost me less than 7 bucks and could not have been a tastier or more satisfying lunch. So.. once again, here it is: Sam’s No. 3 Diner & Bar located on the corner of 15th and Curtis. I’m going back
I thought I’d take this opportunity to plug a few things my children are up to on the musical front. My youngest son Jeremy, writes and records music under the alias Saurus. He has an album ready for release and has posted several things here on Soundcloud. This is good stuff… brave stuff.
My other son, Nick, has a band with his better half called PANGS. They’re continually writing and recording. Their latest, Already Dead, can be found here www.pangsband.bandcamp.com This single snagged PANGS Band of the Week from New Musical Express in London a couple of months ago.
That great voice you hear on Already Dead, has just become studio manager and booker for a fantastic recording studio in Nashville called Welcome to 1979. A large facility dedicated to the fine art of analogue recording, from tube consoles, outboard gear, vintage microphones, tape machines, lacquer mastering to equipment repair and restoration…Welcome to 1979 has it all. Check out their website for a full tour, pics and client list. www.welcometo1979.com If you are interested in booking, rates or would like a little more information, you can reach Lindsay at booking@welcometo1979.com.
Finally, I love having and using my Benado Deluxe Black effects pedal on stage every night. I have my own signature model called the RB Deluxe and consists of a simple set up of Benado effects in one pedal, tremolo, delay and over-drive, the very same one that I use. They are simple, straight forward, no nonsense, built like tanks, hand assembled and wired and most important…. they sound deep, rich and analogue. When the effect is not in use, it is by-passed. Check out Benado Effects here: www.benadoeffects.com
That brings us to Wednesday the 23rd. A dear pal and genius musician John Hobbs and his mate Elizabeth spent the day here in Denver and I had lunch and a walk around town with them this afternoon. John and I go back to the old L.A. days doing session work together and we both ended up in Nashville doing more of it. John and Glenn Worf have logged thousands of hours in studios together as have John and Jim Cox before Hobbs moved to Nashville. John recently retired and moved to Elizabeth’s home in Taos, New Mexico and they’re happy as clams. It was great seeing them both in Denver today and at the show at Red Rocks tonight.
Red Rocks is one of the most beautiful of all outdoor amphitheatres, a natural towering of massive red rocks to either side of the audience seating. Presentations going back to 1908 have been staged here. My first time to play Red Rocks was with Neil Diamond in September of 1972. I never tire of coming back here. It’s an honour to perform at this venue. Everyone involved is top drawer from the staff to the caterers and we love playing here.
A capacity audience of 8,500 tonight and a wonderful show from the down beat of the first song to the final chord of the last. Mark & Co. fully on form, relaxed and having a great time playing to an audience that could not have been better. Thanks Red Rocks.
Tomorrow is another day off in Denver. Maybe another bowl of green chilli at Sam’s? Definitely a swing at the gym and a good long walk around town.
So long,
Richard