Everyone knows how much music means to me and how much I value seeing live music. When I lived in Denver there were so many venues within 20 minutes of my apartment that seeing live music any day of the week was completely feasible. Even Red Rocks, which is a monumental pain in the ass to get in and out of, was only 30 minutes away. While living in Eagle County for the last decade has made seeing live music a little bit more challenging, and having a young kiddo puts a different spin on it as well, I will always find a way.
Of course, there are some acts that are only going to play arenas and you have to go to them. Wookie and I saw Bruce Springsteen in March 2023 which was one of those “show of a lifetime” nights because, well, he’s The Boss. In February 2024 we took Fleet to his first official ticketed live show – STOMP at the Vilar – and then a few days later Wookie and I saw Grace Potter at the same venue. Last month we took Fleet to his first music festival which was set up perfectly for families/kids as it consisted of five acts who played between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. We were there to see Ally Venable Band and Ben Harper and it ended up being an extremely memorable day in Winter Park.
Fast forward to last night. Wookie and I were back at the Vilar where southern rock band Blackberry Smoke tore the roof off the 530-person venue. In fact, the show was so great that it made me want to write about music on this platform for the first time in a long time. A little background: I initially heard Blackberry Smoke a few years ago while hiking with Sedona and Zephyr and listening to the Chris Stapleton Pandora station on my phone. The first Blackberry Smoke song I heard was “Shake Your Magnolia” and when it came on I thought it was a new Black Crowes song. After checking the artist’s name, and doing a little research, I was surprised to learn that – with their southern rock/country/blues sound reminiscent of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, and the Black Crowes – Blackberry Smoke has been around for 20 years. So, when I saw they were coming to Beaver Creek, I immediately bought tickets (this was in October 2023) for the March 8, 2024 show. A few days prior to the date, I received an email saying the show was postponed because their longtime drummer Brit Turner passed away from brain cancer. He was 57 years old. The next day we said goodbye to Sedona and it just felt like death was everywhere. I remember every detail of that first week of March but it also feels like a blur.
So here we were, four months later, finally seeing this band that was 100 percent worth the wait. Led by charismatic lead singer Charlie Starr, Blackberry Smoke brought southern rock to the Vilar in the best way. Clad in a 1970s-inspired shirt, pants, boots, and ascot, Starr and his band kept the audience on their feet and put smiles on everyone’s faces. People were very excited to be there. The band’s set was exactly what I what I was hoping for – lots of rocking tunes that I’ve been gravitating to since I heard “Shake Your Magnolia” for the first time. I’m so glad they played that song, as well as “All Over the Road,” “Six Ways to Sunday,” “Waiting for the Thunder,” “You Hear Georgia,” and “Leave a Scar.” They also integrated snippets of three covers – Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out,” Tom Petty’s “You Don’t Know How It Feels,” and Little Feat’s “Willin.” So good. Two exceptional highlights: 1) Yesterday was Starr’s 50th birthday so the audience sang to him as a cake was presented. 2) Starr brought out a special guest aka his 10-year-old son (who was dressed like Fleet in camo pants and black t-shirt) to sing “Run Away From It All.” This kid was incredible – singing so bravely in front of all those people. I still have goosebumps.
Starr didn’t do a whole lot of chatting between songs but, when he did talk, he was telling stories about his songs, making fun of how expensive the Beaver Creek General Store is (hilarious and accurate), introducing his sweet son, and introducing his band members (during which current drummer Kent Aberle paid tribute to Turner). About halfway through the show, I lost count of the number of guitar switches that took place over the course of their two-hour set. I can only imagine what the instrument compartment of their tour bus looks like. Wow!
What’s exceptional about Blackberry Smoke is that the band has something special for every rock and roll fan. A guitar player who appreciates and understands musicianship will love the guitar-heavy lineup, those who simply like to dance to rock tunes will have a blast, and anyone who admires a band that writes authentic lyrics about real life that showcase longevity, thoughtfulness, and fun will enjoy this band. These stories are definitely worth hearing and seeing live. Long live rock and roll.
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