Previously published at the DailyCamera.com
Happy Birthday Fox Theatre
Boulder’s Fox Theatre kicked off their 20thAnniversary celebration Thursday with the first of several shows planned to highlight the venues unique and amazing history. Reveled
Matt Flaherty
by many bands as one of the best sounding clubs of its size, the Fox has not only solidified Boulder as a music hub; it has also left an indelible mark on the Colorado music scene. In the past twenty years the venue has been host to a myriad of top name acts of every genre.
From the Fox Theatre Blog: “Over the past 20 years, the sheer number of artists who performed on the Fox stage is staggering. Over 10,000 artists graced the stage at The Fox, many on their way to international stardom. Radiohead, The Dave Matthews Band, Phish, The Black Keys, Bon Iver, The String Cheese Incident, Ray LaMontagne, 311, Jack Johnson, My Morning Jacket, Deadmau5, Taj Mahal, Coldplay , Run DMC, Moby, The Killers, Wilco, John Fogerty, Bonnie Raitt, Common, Willie Nelson, Dr. John, Gilberto Gil, Femi Kuti, Skrillex, The Black Crowes, Ben Harper,
Adrian Engfer
Atmosphere, Counting Crows, Burning Spear, Widespread Panic, Ween, Social Distortion, Michael Franti and Spearhead, The Flaming Lips, Warren Zevon, Kings of Leon, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, The Fray, 3oh!3, Pretty Lights, Ryan Adams, Modest Mouse, The Shins, Gil Scott Heron, John Butler, Robert Palmer, Death Cab for Cutie and No Doubt are just a snippet of incredible performers who started their illustrious careers at The Fox. Whether a young, up and coming local act or a legend, the Colorado community enjoys the best music the world has to offer at The Fox.” Note: If you head over to the Fox’s blog there is a link for Spotify and a playlist from bands that have performed at the venue.
Thursday’s celebration started with a local favorite band, Hot Soup. Front man and guitarist Matt Flaherty thanked the Funky Meters and Fox Theater for being a part of their anniversary celebration.
Don Strasburg
Next up part owner and long time music promoter Don Strasburg offered a brief history of the Fox Theatre, gave the celebratory birthday toast (the venue was offering up glasses of champagne) and introduced a 4 minute film that both celebrated the venues rich history and offered congratulations for the twenty year milestone.
Moments later the audience was treated to a rousing performance by the Funky Meters, the very same band that opened the venue twenty years earlier. The Funky Meters kicked the audience into full party mode with everybody dancing and having a great time. Many of the Theatre’s current and past employees were there, this time as guest. By half way through their set the Funky Meters had the audience singing along with their songs.
The Funky Meters
Funky Meters Set List March 1, 2012 Fox Theatre:
George Porter Jr.
Hear Come The Meter Man
Message From The Meters
Keep on Struttin’
Hang ‘Em High
He Bite Me
Look-Ka Py Py
Rock and Roll Medley
Hey Pocky A-Way
Name up in Lights
That Ain’t The Way
Cissy Strut
Jungle Man
People Say
Fire on the Bayou
E. It Ain’t No Use
The party Continues
Leftover Salmon at NedFest
The party continues Tuesday evening with the first of two Leftover Salmon Shows. Leftover Salmon is only a couple of years older than the Fox and in the early days they considered the Fox their living room.
In an article by Colorado Daily writer Ashley Dean, Leftover Salmon’s mandolin, guitar, fiddle player and vocalist Drew Emmitt explains, “It’s always a great time playing at the Fox, it’s one of the best-sounding venues of its size in the country. Everybody there is always really professional and we always get treated well. At one point we played there at least once a month, so it got to feel like our living room. It’s definitely kind of a big deal for us to come back.”
Read Dean’s article on the Fox’s twentieth here.
Tickets are still available for the Leftover Salmon shows, I recommend going… they will be fun shows and it is even better to celebrate one of our true treasures in Boulder, The Fox Theatre. I hope to also be checking out shows at the Fox twenty years from now! Happy Birthday Fox!
Check out this video of Hot Soup’s Baby Bumps from the show.
