It’s no easy task to silence a crowded bar room with a quiet song, but that’s exactly what Reed Foehl did during nearly every song last Friday night in the basement of the Meadowlark.  I have two of Reed’s solo efforts (2004’s Spark and 2007’s Stoned Beautiful), which were primarily recorded with full bands.  While I enjoy both albums, I feel that he shines most when it’s just A Man and His Guitar.  This set contains one of my favorites, “St. Johns Smith Square”, and also boasts plenty of new material.  As an added treat, Gregory Alan Isakov joined on acoustic guitar for the last two songs.

Reed Foehl
8.22.2008
Living Room Series
The Meadowlark, Denver, CO

Source:  DPA 4060s (Core-Sound HEBs) > battery box > Lunatec V3 > M-Audio Microtrack 2 >
CF > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. intro
2. Strange Days
3. St. John’s Smith Square > Far From Me
4. Good Company
5. ?
6. ?
7. Only in Your Arms *
8. Beautiful Life *

Notes:
* = with Gregory Alan Isakov

FLAC files and several other audio formats are now available over at the Live Music Archive.

Chris Adolf (of Bad Weather California) put on a blistering solo performance this weekend at the Meadowlark, appropriately livening up the back patio with political and personal rage, on the eve of the DNC here in Denver.  Chris was one of dozens of Denver musicians who convened this weekend for the notable Living Room Series, an event that attempted to showcase the best singer-songwriters along the Front Range.

Many thanks to Jonathan Bitz for working so hard to make the Living Room Series a success!  More from this memorable weekend will be posted as I find time.

Chris Adolf (Bad Weather California)
8.23.2008
Living Room Series
The Meadowlark, Denver, CO

Source:  Microtch Gefell M300’s > Lunatec V3 (opti-mod) > Nomad JB3 > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. Dead Flowers
2. You Be the Jesus
3. “Jesus Christ”
4. “I’m on Fire”
5. I’m Not the Poet
6. “Two Ways”
7. “Needle and a Spoon”
8. “Bad Things”
9. My Brave Friend
10. “My Country Too”

As usual, a zipfile of the entire show is available here.

This year marked the first time I’ve made it down to the Denver Post Underground Music Showcase (DPUMS), and the short two-day festival down on Broadway is all it’s hyped up to be.  With nearly a dozen stages running concurrently, the hardest part was deciding which acts to see!  I ended up spending most of Saturday enjoying the singer-songwriter sets upstairs in Sufi Rugs, but bounced around on Friday evening.

One of the most unique venues was South Broadway Christian Church, whose Rev. Dr. Mark Pumphry was kind enough to host a number of diverse acts, from Roger Green to Drag the River.

Widowers‘ frontman Mike Marchant put on an intimiate performance on Friday night, joined by pals Cole Early (Wetlands) and Crawford Philleo (Vitamins).   The set is provided here for you enjoyment.  Widowers are taking a few months off to focus on their next album, but expect to see them around town later in the fall.

Mike Marchant and Friends
8.01.2008
Denver Post Underground Music Showcase
South Broadway Christian Church, Denver, CO

Source:  DPA 4060s (Core-Sound HEBs) > battery box > Lunatec V3 > M-Audio Microtrack 2 >
CF > WAV > Adobe Audition 3.0 > CDWave > Flac16

Setlist:
1. Space Never Strays
2. Moonshining
3. Daft Days
4. Funeral Home (Daniel Johnston cover)
5. “Terrible Ideas”
6. Bone Collecting Ghost

Lineup:
Mike Marchant (Widowers) – acoustic guitar and vocals
Cole Early (Wetlands) – acoustic 12-string and backing vocals
Crawford Philleo (Vitamins) – vibraphone
Mark Shusterman (Widowers) – backing vocals

A zipfile of full set: via sendspace.