Music is like a fern on the Forrest floor always shifting and bending towards the light. Music is a reaction to all things and a byproduct of what society is experiencing at any given point in time. We are living in some dark times and music is both a reaction and an antidote to all our troubles. I’m noticing a distinct and propitious trend bubbling to the surface of today’s live music scene. Bands are spreading joy and positivity and focusing on living in the moment rather than the hate that seems to be so prevalent in all aspects of our day-to-day lives. Artist, musicians, and full bands are looking at the love and expressing it from stages across this great land. I noticed that in particular from The People Brothers Band who were recently added to the Summer Camp lineup. They announced a run through Colorado with a stop at Hodi’s Half Note. If they are on the lineup chances are they are pretty good, so I headed down to the show. I was utterly unprepared for what I experienced. Did I mention it was St. Paddy’s Day?
I arrived at Hodi’s as Home Fried Boogaloo was getting the crowd warmed up. This band serves up some hometown funky goodness with elements of soul, R&B, and rock dribbling into the mix. Home Fried Boogaloo is the brainchild of bandleader Dale Kern who has bounced around the country performing live before landing in Northern Colorado in 2014. Their set lasted about an hour and towards the end they invited up a singer to accompany the band on a version of Frank Zappa’s “Cosmik Debris.” Home Fried Boogaloo was a fun way to start the night.
The People Brothers Band original hails from Madison, Wisconsin and they will be rocking Summer Camp 2019. Their music could best be described as neo-soul outfit with a flair for the funky and a yearning to spread positivity. They are an 8 piece band anchored by the vocals of Teresa Marie, Bobby G, and Craig Baumann. I found their show to be incredibly uplifting and audibly powerful. This is also a community focused band who supports multiple philanthropic organizations back home in Wisconsin and beyond. Not to mention they are the proprietors of the Driftless Music Gardens which hosts their own festival among other events. Their set at Hodi’s was jawdroppingly good and an eye opener for the uninitiated. Fans traveled from around the country to join the band on this Colorado run that included stops in Crested Butte, Denver, as well as Fort Collins. Their set featured a slew of amazing and poignant original music as well as some serious covers. The whole band pitched in on an amazing version of the Grateful Dead’s “Shakedown Street” that went more funk than rock. If you are heading to Summer Camp this year take the time to catch The People Brothers Band. You won’t be disappointed.
]]>
