Cali One-Off

This show invites curiosity by virtue of being the band’s debut in the Golden State. The Dogs had spent most of the month in Colorado for a massive residency before making the 17-hour trek out west. That’s a long trip for a one-off festival booking—they’d be back in the state for six shows in June and four in November (the latter thanks to PPPP)—but it precedes a much-needed two-week break from the band’s insane ‘23 touring schedule. They went on to pick out Cali for their base of operations for the ‘24 residency.

Skull & Roses is an annual Dead-themed fest based out of the Ventura County Fairgrounds in SoCal, just north of Los Angeles. This iteration featured quite the lineup: DSO, Oteil & Friends, Leftover Salmon, Melvin Seals, Circles, and 2 nights of Phil & Friends. The Dogs were billed 16th on the flyer, and played the penultimate afternoon of the four-day festival from the outdoor stage. A year after this show, I met two CO heads who caught the Dogs at this shindig, having no clue that the band had just played 10 nights on their home turf! It’s too bad they missed out on the residency—this show isn’t nearly as exciting as the preceding dates. It’s mostly hangs around “below average” territory, but still worth checking out for the final sequence. The full set was live-streamed on Fans.Live, but the VOD does not circulate.

One Set. The band opens with a truncated Watchtower jam, finishing off the work done by Brown Eyed Women—a Dead cover band made up of talented gals from the East Coast, including a bassist from the Dogs' home turf. The playing on this one lasts less than a minute, so it’s hard to quantify this as a proper jam. Brian swaps “the Dogs are back in town” with “Phil is back in town” in Can’t Wait before pulling out “Jerry on the road” instead of Huey (a nod to both the festival’s Dead roots and the lyric change on 4/5). Bucket is the first of two Dead tunes in the set—it’s the best standalone iteration yet, but I find myself more drawn to the Charlie sandwich from two shows back). There’s a dead stop after Ugly Song before Look Johnny. The next two tunes are the weakest in the set, but the band recovers from a mediocre Fenway with multiple climaxes in Let It Grow and Charlie—to date it’s the only time the former has been performed in consecutive shows. The latter is hotter than soup, and includes nearly twenty minutes of music with three peaks in the jam.

 

One Set: 4/10 

Overall: 2 stars

 

Highlights:

Let It Grow>Charlie - redeems a relatively weak set

 

Sources: The soundboard has you covered. A fan recording of Let It Grow is on YouTube, but the full show video isn’t available at the time of writing.

Fitting Finale

Lost Lake Lounge was like Church for the small but growing Colorado pound during spring ‘23. We’d arrive at the venue early to chat with the folks we had met at the previous dates, or try to hear a glimpse of the sound check whenever a crewmember exited the front door. I didn’t want the residency to end (none of the regulars did), but knew the final show had to come sometime. Apr. 19—Bicycle Day—was a fitting end to the 10-show mini tour. No worries, though. They’d be back in November.

Like the other 3 nights at the venue (Electronic/Dead/Frasco), this show had a clear theme. 14 artists are represented in the two sets, mostly other jam bands or psychedelic rock outfits to honor the date. It shares a lot of similarities with 4/14’s “Under the Covers” show, but this night stands above that event and the others from the residency—only 4/7 really compares. At nearly four hours of great musak, this is the longest show of the tour and among the longest of the year. 

For those reasons, the show is oft-cited among the pound. Five true debuts, many intricate lines, five sandwiches, and numerous teases reward attentive listeners. It also serves as an excellent starting point for new listeners who may be more familiar with the covers. With two continuous sets, this show is best experienced in its entirety—picking around to hear your faves won't have the same effect.

First Set. The band was roaring and ready to go, and delivered an opening sequence fit for a second set finale, triple-decker-sandwiching B4B (for the first time) with verses from the Allmans’ Southbound and Phish’s Funky Bitch. The ensuing interludes are nailed and give way to G Song, which summits one mountain, makes the trek down, and hits a raucous final peak after a Stranger tease. Run-Around starts on the final note, and Sam channels his inner Popper with photog Nick Codina providing the harmonica. For the final verse before the changeover, Brian throws in some lyrics from Sister Hazel’s All for You. Brian shines on China Cat, and uses the OBNE Dark Star for the first time in Craig&Pat. The lone taper of this show is a huge Biscuits fan, and was ecstatic to see the Dogs cover Home Again, with Sam delivering the lead vox, and Jimmy harmonizing with lyrics from Portal to An Empty Head. Sam brings it back to Run-Around to complete sandwich no. 2, and Brian continues sampling Sister Hazel. Joey makes sure to keep them on track in the transition to Craig&Pat to finish off the third sammy of the set, and features heavily in the intro to Voodoo Lady. Boogie On feels relatively tame compared to the rest of the set, but resolves into an extraordinary Linus&Lucy to finish off the first 90 minutes of the show.

Second Set. After a short break, Jack&Coke opens a set for the first time eva and leads into the second Let It Grow of the residency (they’d play it consecutively at the next show in CA). Creep feeds into an Uncle John’s Band outro jam before settling into Free, and the next sequence marks some of the best playing of the tour. Bugle is great, but you’ll need to remove the Harry Hood jam track when replaying the show in its entirety (the final 3m of the first Bugle track includes the entirety of the Hood jam). Nebraska was revived for the first time since 11/8/22 and ultimately returns to finish off Bugle (sandwich no. 4). Jerm busts out the flute to nail the intro to Goose’s Madhuvan, and the band immediately launches into Melting Lights after the demon wars before returning to complete the final split song of the show. Josh Fairman (Sunsquabi) replaced Sam on bass for the final 23 minutes of the jam, which features Jerm shredding the flute for a spell. We thought this ripping Charlie would be the final song of the set at the time, but the Dogs had one more trick up their sleeves and unleashed Helter Dust Skelter Torture to close off the sequence. The band’s spent by the encore, which is merely “average.” The band actually exited the stage after Julius—only Jimmy (mandolin), Brian (acoustic guitar), and Sam (bass) were present for Going to California, a fitting song selection end to the residency. It's a "had to be there moment," but worth a listen for the rarity.

1st Set: 9/10

2nd Set: 8/10

Overall: 5 stars

Highlights:

Whole Show sans encore 

Sources: This soundboard didn’t get released until the summer, so we had only Eric Foelske’s tape if we wanted to listen to the show in the first few weeks after the show. While the quality on the board is great, make sure to remove the extraneous “Harry Hood” track to avoid listening to the same jam twice. The show was recorded by the band, but the VOD does not circulate.

 

Penultimate CO

This is the third of three shows at Steamboat’s OTP in ‘23, and the performance acts as a good starting point to gauge the band’s sound during Spring ‘24. It’s the fourth show in as many days (the penultimate residency show), but still very jam heavy—there are nine(!) songs in the 10+ minute range if you include the split Stranger. Every member of the band shines at some point, and several songs from this show have remained in my listening rotation ever since.

A handful of us got to the venue pretty early—there’s not much to do in Steamboat once the sun sets. We split a table in the restaurant in the hopes that we’d get to hear the soundcheck like the night before, but they didn’t bother testing out anything this go-around. Sam, Jeremy, and Mr. Tooker were hanging around for part of the dinner rush. I got to talk setlists with the former, who mentioned that they were trying to play through as much of their catalog as they could before their trip to Cali. I noted that R&R was the only tune from the latest release that hadn’t been played in CO, and Sam said no promises. Like the preceding night, this show didn’t start until well after 10 PM.

First Set. No warm-up necessary, the heat’s already present for Westward (Jerm throws in some tasty fills in the back half) and Brian’s vox is much better mixed this night. This Nicolette jam is tight, but isn’t as adventurous as 4/8 in FoCo. The smooth-as-butter extended transition into IGB is well-timed and reminds us that Jerm’s latest entry into the Dogs’ canon keeps getting better, but we’re still almost 7 months out from Idaho’s whopper. Still, Jimmy and Jeremy both put in a great shift. Listen with headphones to catch the crowd wishing Brian a Happy Birthday right before Ugly Song—Jeremy’s solo helps to make this iteration the best one of the residency. The band teases Rikki Dont Lose That Number in the back half of Stranger after coming out of Around The World. The next one stumbles a bit thanks so some vocal flubs and equipment issues, but the band recovers and is firing on all cylinders by the conclusion. Way To Be is required listening—I have a hard time picking between this one at 4/7.

Second Set. The crowd was ready for the second set this time around, and B4B gets funky (check Jerm). Frosty keeps the energy up, and precedes a great example of a shorter Go Set (NY-bound)—listen as Jimmy throws in some unique fills during the verses. There are hints of Money For Nothing and Bird Song (both played earlier in the residency) in the jam out of Green Earrings. It sounds at first like the music will fall into Creep, but Jimmy revs up Bent Strange instead. The hoopin and hollerin around 6 minutes in comes after a crowd member handed Brian a massive hat fit for Tarrant Hightopp. The ensuing jam briefly samples Morning Dew, and Brian gives back the hat before they turn it up to 11 for the climax. The next one’s dialed back a touch, but there’s still plenty of good music to be played. S4S is standalone and up there with the best of ‘23—the crowd really dug this performance, and Brian+Sam feed off the energy (hit up the VOD to note the good vibes). Rum&Roses was originally planned to fill in the space before Mr.T, but was cut for time. See if you can pick out one of the staff members steering the crowd from the “one more song” chant to “one more set” before the encore. Say Something sent us home happy, well after 2 AM, still thirsty for more.

1st Set: 7/10

2nd Set: 8/10

Overall: 4 stars

Highlights:

Westward - tight

Ugly Song - best of tour

Way To Be - two distinct peaks

Blues For Brian>4th of July

Go set - short+sweet version

Green Earrings - great outro jam

Bent Strange - featuring a Morning Dew jam

Samba For Sam - contends with the best of the year, worth a spot in your Dogs playlist

Say Something - All left on the stage

Sources: With the vox issues mostly ironed out, the board is much better this night than the last (this board’s release was pretty delayed, perhaps to iron the mics out?). The entire show was livestreamed on YouTube, and the VOD is still up for your watching pleasure.

 

Three hour tour

It’s always worth checking out two nights of Dogs at the same venue. You can feel the band settle into the space and make it their own, and friendships develop amongst the Pound members that hit both (shoutout to Rob, who slept in his van to catch each night). You also always know you’re going to get four sets without repeats, so they’re good trips for those chasing the rarities you’ve missed live over the years. The next night has the more consistent show and the highest peak, but this one’s got the best set.

Freshly frustrated after missing the date-shifted night at the Fox, my partner and I checked the weather report, booked a hotel, and cut out of work early on Friday to make the 3-hour trek to Steamboat. It’s not the hardest drive from Denver—you get to cruise for an hour on I-70 before the windier stretches of CO-9 and US-40 get you to the promised land. Still, it’s Colorado in the “spring,” which still means you need to be on the lookout for freak winter storms (the Dogs will tell you themselves that the trek out of Steamboat last time didn’t go so hot). My RWD barely got me there, and it was good we left early—the snow started falling towards the end of our drive.

OTP acts as a restaurant during the day and a live music space/bar at night, and the owner is a big fan of the band (these two shows were booked after a great night on 3/30). When we arrived in town around 7, we headed straight to the venue, only to learn that dinner hours would continue until 9. We stuck around, grabbed some food, and noticed the staff clearing out the music space an hour & change later. The Dogs soundchecked a jam while the remainder of the restaurant’s patrons listened on in the bar, separated only by an incomplete wall. This show wasn’t announced as a sell-out—more than a few punters showed-up around 8 to grab dinner and tix after a day on the slopes.

The gig was originally billed as an “Under the Covers” night—the band announced when booking the show that they would be playing only covers, and encouraged concertgoers to dress in pajamas (Jerm was the only band member to participate). At some point before the show, they called an audible and decided to thread their own tunes in the mix (great choice).

First Set. TD2 is a warm-up, but they’re ready by the end of Voodoo. Jimmy’s tone on Dupree’s is sublime. Jerm recaps the setlist for the latecomers before a solid Boogie On>Fenway. There’s a few miscommunications during the early portions of the lone debut of the show, but Jerm still delivers a great synth+keys solo in Bennie. The x-factor emerges for a monster G Song before gliding effortlessly into the 2nd-ever Eastbound, a few vocal mishaps aside. Jimmy calls out the merch booth before Jerm starts a unique jam leading into a deliciously-dark Spun (you have to check the end of the previous track on the SBD to hear it all) that closes out the set.

Second Set. It’s after midnight (the show started a bit after 10 local), which means two things: it’s now tax day, and it’s Mr. Murray’s Birthday. Most of the crowd—not me—was still getting beer on the other side of the wall when the band came out, hence Jerm’s light hazing. Brian teases Money as Jerm regales him with Happy Birthday to You. The ensuing 90-plus minutes is a must-listen. The way they destroy Money for Nothing, leaving no survivors. You would never know it had been shelved since the turn of the decade. Time Stands Still hits just right before falling into a rippin’ After Midnight. There’s an extended intro for Jack&Coke because Sam’s mic wasn’t working, forcing him to piggyback off Jimmy’s. The outro jam goes into deep space and ends up in the first Too High in over three years. It’s the set’s “weakest” point (relative, it’s still solid and worth the listen for its rarity) and the main course is still to come. The transition between Time Loves and Charlie is exceptional, and the latter reaches an ecstatic peak before an In the Hall of the Mountain King jam arrives at Bucket and returns home. They debuted this cover nine days prior in Denver, and went on to play it the next week at their first Cali show—this is my fave of the six in ‘23 and the only 1 fully sandwiched by Charlie. The whole ending sequence matches up evenly with the other major Charlie of this tour on 4/7. The first Walkin’ On The Sun encore eva has a unique start, but this Trunk pales in comparison to 4/5.

1st Set: 5/10

2nd Set: 9/10

Overall: 4 stars.

Highlights:

Dupree’s Diamond Blues - Jimmy takes the wheel

G Song - exhaustive

Spun - spooky

Entire second set - in my regular listening rotation

Sources: The mic levels for Jeremy (too high) and Brian (too low) don’t sound quite right to me on the board, but it’s only really a problem when they attempt to harmonize on Eastbound. 2 of the 3 nights in Steamboat are on YouTube in full, except this one.

Date Change

This show falls smack-dab in the middle of a busy four night-stretch at three Colorado locales. It was the band’s third show at a Z2-owned venue, but was originally scheduled for 4/14 before shifting a day up to accommodate the next two nights at OTP. I had tix for the night as originally scheduled, but had to miracle them off to a first-timer due to the date change (I made up for it by trekking out to Steamboat for the next two). Like the show at The Ag, a local band (Mr. Mota) opened, truncating the Dogs’ portion to an extended single set. While it doesn’t reach the peaks of the following nights, there’s still a lot to appreciate about this gig.

The Fox shares a lot of similarities with the Aggie: it’s predominantly a venue that caters to the local student body (Buffs>Rams), and serves as a proving ground for jam acts. It’s right across Broadway from campus, and my partner and I used to walk to this venue from our apartment in the city to avoid parking headaches (we had to end this tradition after we moved out of Boulder, much to my chagrin). SCI, Billy Strings, and Goose all played memorable shows here, and the locals are always willing to sample the offerings of both up-and-comers and established niche acts alike. The sound at the venue is always exquisite—the qual here was second only to 4/7 during this tour—making the location a must-see for any live music enjoyers, even those that aren’t fully invested in the band(s) playing.

One Set. This is the best Can’t Wait of the CO tour, and the song kickstarts a great six-tune sequence without any drop in quality. Jimmy nails the outro solo on Little Things, leading into another soaring Royals. B4B starts after a dead stop, and feeds into a short Carpet Ride—this tune had been shelved for 77 shows, and wouldn’t return afterward until ‘24 (check 2/16/24 for a more developed jam). The sound takes us away into LJ1, which stomps on the 3/29 version from two weeks earlier. Appleseed—the only song repeated from the night before—is the fourth of five ‘23 renditions in Colorado, and concludes in a blissful jam. Go Set takes a minute to culminate, but the fireworks at the end are well-worth the wait. Things remain solid, if unspectacular, through G Song. Screwtop comes out for a second-straight night to deliver Clint Eastwood, which (as of the time of writing) hasn’t appeared on a setlist since. Bent Strange is also the fourth of five CO versions in ‘23, but not the best of the bunch (4/5). All The Same, however, is the best-ever rendition in the state. Listen to Joey during Bubble and be amazed. Jerm throws in some killer vocal FX into the encore, which ends the show on a great note.

One Set: 7/10

Overall: 4 stars

 

Highlights:

Can’t Wait for Tonight - best of tour

Little Things>Royals - check Jimmy

Look Johnny - extended jam, also best of tour

All The Same - beats 4/7

Bubble - Joey “The Hulk” Babick

The Music Never Stopped - Fireworks in the outro jam

No Quarter - Jerm on fire

 

Sources: The SBD sounds great. No recordings exist of Mr. Mota’s set, and no full vid of the show has surfaced (yet).

Ain't No Party Like a Frasco Party

Sit-ins are often hit-or-miss in this scene, and the Dogs' third show at Denver's Lost Lake Lounge during their '23 Colorado Takeover tour was no exception. The bulk of the Wednesday night event saw California blues rocker Andy Frasco link-up with the band alongside longtime collaborator Shawn Eckels on guitar and Denver-based saxophonist Nick Gerlach. The result is occasionally inconsistent—it’s probably the least-polished concert of the CO tour—but the show is still worth checking out for the rarities, including seven debuts and the two new numbers that were played for the first time five days prior at 10 Mile.

You could really tell that the band was trying to build a following in the Denver metro during their spring fling through the mountains, and the consistent midweek rock ‘n roll excursions at the club on Colfax were brought plenty of new fans into the fold. Tix quickly became scarce for the Lost Lake shows after the first night two weeks prior (thanks to BKellZ’s friends and family), and the three subsequent shows at the venue sold out well before doors opened. This is the first of five shows spaced across the eight final days of the Dogs’ residency—by far their busiest stretch of shows in the state. I caught four of em during this final run, including this one (see if you can spot me on the SBD album art). At 2:54 incl. banter, this is the shortest of the four Lost Lake gigs.

The Dogs announced the collaboration with Frasco after the Dead set show the preceding Wednesday—another event that brought in a handful of punters with little exposure to the Jersey boys. As Frasco mentions halfway through the sit-in, he and the band linked up the night before, staying up well through the early morning hours in a haze. Like the Dead-themed show the week before, the event brought out some of the more untoward elements of the jam scene. Nitrous tanks and discarded balloons were strewn across Colfax Avenue once everyone finally made their way out of the venue. Frasco himself mentions his choice to partake in the festivities during the set, and Lost Lake’s generous re-entry policy allowed showgoers to exit, buy a cold one outside, and return without issue. The result turned the concert into more of a party than the band’s earlier treks west to Frisco—the best show of the tour—and north to Fort Collins during the previous weekend. It’s full of “had-to-be-there” quirks, but the board gets you most of the way to those vibes.

First set. Brian’s lyric changes in the LJ2 warmup got anyone everyone up to speed on what was to come in the second set (“Why, Andy, why?”). IGB is still a few months away from hitting its stride, but this is a strong early iteration—check Jerm’s notes on the transition into Tillie. It’s a solid short version, albeit lacking in the gravitas of 4/7. Don’t miss the Ghost Riders tease at the end of Craig&Pat and the ensuing breakdown that resolves into Spun. There’s no break between Power Trip and EDM.

Second Set. Four Dogs tunes set the stage for Frasco & Co. After a standard Appleseed, Inchworm ends with the THX theme. Also note that Jerm plays his synth instead of the trumpet for this standalone PQP. YumpT adds a nice bit of separation between the Dogs’ work and the ensuing sit-in, and Jerm introduces Frasco “fresh off a Lakers' victory” (108-102 OT) after the song concludes. To this day, I still wonder how they managed to fit Frasco (keys), Eckels (guitar), Gerlach (sax), and the Dogs on the tiny Lost Lake stage—Jerm and Andy were basically sitting on top of each other behind the keys for most of the set. Struggle (a Frasco tune) is hot, and Nick’s sax alone makes repeated listenings a treat. Andy acts as coach, directing the band into separate reggae, Latin jazz, death metal, and disco jams before transitioning into Life During Wartime. Jim and Bri had almost no room to maneuver when accounting for Eckels, who entered the fray during this tune. The mix gets a bit too muddy at this stage, and Frasco makes an off-color comment in C Boogie. Gerlach departs after the tune, and Salty Balls is a textbook “had-to-be-there” moment—the energy couldn’t be captured magnetically. The coaching continues thru Talk About It, and Somedays acts as a reprieve from the chaos. They call an audible to end the set on Trunk Rum, but Frasco has trouble keeping up with the band. The first two encores are Dogs-only, but Frasco is back out for Break Stuff (feat. Brian on Bass) and the first Such a Night since 2/24 in the Springs.

1st Set: 7/10

2nd Set: 4/10

Overall: 3 stars.

 

Highlights:

It Gets Better>Tillie - great transition

Craig and Pat - with GRITS licks

Spun - unique placement 

Inchworm - culminates in THX

Por Que Pedro - standalone, without the brass

Struggle - Nick goes hog wild

Somedays - Frasco’s best song

Break Stuff - 1 of 2 in ‘23, better than the original, YMMV

 

Sources: Eric Foelske’s tape was the only option for relistening during the first few weeks after the show, but the band eventually put out the soundboard through Bandcamp and Nugs in May. The SBD is a welcome listen—Foelske’s tapes kick ass, but the sound at the venue is hard to capture. The direct recording from the band, like the other three Lost Lake shows, sounds better than the show did in person.

CO Midpoint

This date marks the end of a great stretch of three shows in the second week of the Dogs’ well-regarded Colorado residency. It doesn’t reach the heights of Friday’s barn-burner in Frisco, but still serves as a welcome complement to both preceding shows. It’s only one set—Knuckleball and Amoeba Swing opened—but still features well over two hours of the Dogs doing what they do best.

The Ag is owned by the same promoter that booked the Dogs for the Frisco show and the following week’s shindig at the Fox. For touring bands, it’s a natural stop for those looking to expand their footprint in the state outside Denver. The locals and students that make up the city’s population are always happy to catch a good show without having to make the trek down I-25. It’s downtown, within walking distance from CSU and three blocks from the Poudre River. Not as scenic as Summit County, but a good spot nonetheless.

There are no repeats from the previous two nights, and the end of this show marked the midpoint of the band's residency in Colorado. Some would argue the best was still to come.

One Set. This is the first set one Crazy opener since November, and Brian keeps up his teaser game from the preceding night by throwing in a Tweezer riff for Mr.C. Stranger>ATW starts strong, but meanders a bit too long for my liking before the finale. Jimmy makes history by becoming the third Dog to sing Didn’t Ya Know (dusted off after 181 shows). It’s an appetizer to the main course and a unique sequence. Trickery comes out of Little Things for the first time, and Nicolette goes to some dark places before resolving into Linus&Lucy—separated from Boogie On, also for the first time. This version rivals the tenacity of 4/19 and Joey gets some time to shine as the band transitions into Time Stands Still (I’m still shocked this is a Dogs original). The tune culminates with a funky space jam featuring an Inspector Gadget-esque jam in the tasty transition that becomes Jack&Coke (check Brian and Jimmy’s call-and-response in the intro), which peters to a dead stop before Let It Grow. Brian, on fire this week, drops Cake by the Ocean in Bubble before the satisfactory EDM Song>Bubble finale. I’m not privy to any connection between Little Shop of Horrors and Fort Collins, but won’t complain about this first (and only) Suddenly, Seymour. Bugle has an Angels We Have Heard On High tease.

 

One Set: 7/10.

Overall: Four stars.

 

Highlights:

Mr. Charlie - with unique contributions

Little Things>Trickery - rare pairing

Nicolette - dark dogs

Linus and Lucy - fireworks+joey

Time Stands Still - incredible transitions in and out

Jack & Coke - crowd loves it

Bubble - Brian on fire

Suddenly, Seymour - nailed

 

Sources: The soundboard has you covered for the Dogs, with the full vid available for consumption on YouTube. No recordings of the opening acts have hit the web.

Hot Week

This is a hot show from a hot tour in an even hotter week (which is saying something, considering the temps we endured outside the venues for these shows). It’s up there with the best of ‘23—to seasoned heads, it needs no introduction. It features well-rehearsed original debuts and outstanding fireworks in the Dogs’ classics.

The boys were really looking refreshed and energized from the relative respite their schedule in Colorado created—their total of eight shows this month is a far cry from their experiences in March and May. Unlike the ‘24 Cali residency, this run didn’t require many long trips from their base of operations in the state. Frisco’s just over an hour from the Western parts of the Denver metro, and only two hours from the next stop at the Aggie (weather permitting). More than a few members of the pound flew in for this week’s three shows, and—considering it featured some of the best playing of the year—were well-rewarded for their efforts (also note, no repeated tunes across the three night stretch). Those who remained out of state were able to tune in on Volume to catch the full show live.

The Runaway Grooms, based 1 hour down I-70 in Eagle, opened and got the crowd movin for an hour and change. Jimmy sat in on This Road and one other song to close out the set. I wasn’t familiar with the Grooms’ catalog at the time so I couldn’t place the second tune (check them out if roots rock jam is your thang). Unfortunately, no recordings of the set currently proliferate.

First Set. The first-ever YumpT is perfect, and the pairing with Westward is scrumptious. The debut IGB had me singing the refrain by the second chorus, but this is before the song developed so much in the fall. Brian and Jerm special sauce to LJ2 (just how in the “fuck” did you find your way back home?). I remember the audience being absolutely entranced by Jimmy during Power Trip and losing their marbles at the ensuing Apeman. The heat continues through the interlude (“bless you, apeman”), culminating in a monster Way To Be that defies further description.

Second Set. Inimitable moments abound from the first note to the last. Check the transition jams after both Appleseed and Today, the latter of which fed into one of the most exciting and unique Tillie jams to date (see if you can find Shakedown St). The peaks build before falling effortlessly into a phenomenal Charlie—the best since Mahall’s. Brian drops Royals, Stash, Chalkdust, and New Frontier teases throughout the sequence, which includes the first of 3 ‘23 Walkin’ On The Suns in Colorado (37.5%). 45 seconds of banter reminds you that there’s still one more quarter left to be played, and the x-factor still courses through Samba and Pedro (I’m still more partial to the standalones on 4/12 & 4/15). The 3rd-ever No Quarter was a welcome surprise to me—I didn’t know it was in their repertoire at the time. The band’s spent by All The Same, but sends everyone home happy well into the AM with Stadium Rave, a version which would be in my regular listening rotation if 3/30 didn’t exist.

 

1st Set: 8/10

2nd Set: 10/10

Overall: 5 stars

 

Highlights:

Yum. T Dum - well-rehearsed

Westward - FTP west of Texas

Look Johnny II - extra spicy

Power Trip - entrancing

Ape-Man - crowdpleaser

Way To Be - exhilarating

Entire second set

 

Sources: The soundboard is sublime, but Jerm is mixed a tad too high on the Volume stream (which is still available on the net).

Snowed In

After a brief jaunt into the mountains, the Dogs came back down southeast to Denver to return to the Lost Lake for their second of four Wednesday-night shows at the venue during their ‘23 “Colorado Takeover” tour. It apparently wasn’t an easy trip—the band nearly got stranded on a mountain pass between Steamboat and Crested Butte when a winter storm hit the mountains the night of the 30th, resulting in the cancellation of the 3/31 gig (which would have been the 21st of the month). The band got some much-needed rest as a result, which paid off in spades for this event, as well as the next show in Frisco. Unlike the last two and the next two gigs, there was no opening act or sit-ins. I remember the sound at the venue was being much better this night than 3/29, and that's reflected on the board, making repeated relistenings a pleasure.

The gig clocked in at three-and-a-half hours of music (note that there are three songs in the encore slot totaling a cumulative 30 min)—one of their longest of the residency, but not quite the 4-hour marathon of 4/19. I remember finally leaving the venue shortly after 1 AM. The show sold out before the day of, in part due to the band’s announcement that the first set would be a “Dogs Play Dead” set, the first since 6/18/22. That brought in a whole host of punters from the front range, many of whom ended up immediately buying the remaining tix for the following two Denver shows after having their faces stolen by the band. It was such a hot ticket that a few people tried to slip the box office a few bucks for a spot when doors opened.

While the Dead set is good (five debuts!), the true value in this show comes in the second half, which would have gone down as one of the best individual sets of the tour had the band not blown the roof off of 10 Mile two days later.

Dead Set. The Dogs blessed the crowd with three debuts to start the set, but things really start getting tight in Cumberland, which is red-hot (check 4/14 for a more refined rendition of Bucket). The Other One is the band's fourth and doesn't hit the peaks of 11/9, but the transition into Bird Song works perfectly. To date, this is the only performance of Victim, and Bobby would be proud of this rendition. Don’t skip Drums, which includes Jerm for a bit. Ship of Fools was an odd choice to close out the set, but it fits well here.

Dogs Set. This features two-plus hours of music—it’s organized more like an extended single-set Dogs show (a la 9/9) than a typical 2nd set. Can’t Wait is nailed, and features a lyric change to “Jerry on the road” (one of the audience members yelled “Play it like Jerry!” ad nauseam during the first set). The next two tunes served as a Frosty nod to the winter shenanigans: Snow Day has the reggae intro, and the jam makes this iteration a must-listen. Check Jerm’s role on B4B and the whole band’s contributions in G Song. Go Set goes to New York, then Denver, but Brian forgets Plandome Rd for a tick. Jimmy strikes gold in Fenway, and the heat continues through Bent Strange, which features Brian shredding through a Ghost Riders jam. Writing comes close to careening, but the boys stick the landing before departing the stage. All three encore tunes are nailed. Check the extended break after Jessica—the band originally intended to leave it there (Jerm says “I got nothin left!”). Eventually, the band relents to the prodding of the audience and lays down one of the fastest-paced Trunk Rums of all time.

 

Dead Set: 6/10

Dogs Set: 9/10

Overall: 4 stars

 

Highlights:

Cumberland Blues - red hot

Drums - Joey goes hulk mode

Can’t Wait For Tonight - 1 of 2 during the CO tour

Snow Day - up there with the best of ‘23

Blues For Brian>4th of July - Jeremy on fire

G Song - not 10/21, but still excellent

Fenway - Jimmy kills the solo

Bent Strange/Ghost Riders - multiple exceptional jams

Say Something - only missing the sax

Jessica - a personal fave

Trunk Rum - worth the price of admission

 

Sources: The sound-mixing on the board was much improved from N1 at LL. The Dead Set is on YouTube—worth watching to see how hard Joey works on Drums.

Triple threat

 

This show is notable for spawning two more—the venue was apparently so impressed with the playing that they booked two additional nights. Like the preceding show, Brandon Keller a/k/a DJ BKellZ opened—this time without the Dogs joining alongside.

 

OTP is an iconic venue in the CO jam space. It’s nestled in the mountain town of Steamboat Springs about 3 hours northwest of Denver, and has developed a reputation for snagging hot up-and-comers—Goose played a legendary show there in 2019 that still gets cited among rocky mountain heads. The venue serves as a church-like experience for locals, who will gladly wax eloquent on the shows of yesteryear hosted by the city’s most recognizable music space. It’s hard not to see why: good beer, good sound, and good company. The owner was apparently so ecstatic with this one-set heater that he booked the band for two more nights of two sets each for two weeks later. All three shows are worthy of your time.

 

The preceding night got me hooked on the Dogs, and I nearly made the trip up to Steamboat to see this one. Lacking reliable snow transportation, I skipped out (to my detriment—12 shows later and I’m still chasing some of these tunes) and a huge storm hit the mountains, which resulted in the canceling of the following show at Crested Butte. This night clicks in at just shade over two hours, but the band made every minute count.

 

One Set. Stevie>4MD is a great start. Despite the Colorado reference, the band doesn’t seem willing to play the latter in the Rockies often. To date, it’s the only rendition in the 17 Dogs shows in the state. TD2 is paired perfectly with Feel Like A Stranger, and Brian gets dirty on LJ2. This isn’t the best era for Applesauce (check Spring ‘24), but things quickly pick up again with a near-20 min Craig&Pat that goes deep into a mind-melting space. The Steamboat Whistle Blues debut (to date, the only time played) is an apropos moment for the occasion, but the main course of the show—Jack&Coke>Spun>Tillie>Trunk Rum—makes it clear why the venue wanted them back. The encore might be the best Jellyfish Jam of the year.

 

Set: 8/10.

Overall: 4 stars

 

Highlights:

Four More Days - CO rarity

Thomas Duncan, Pt. 2 - with two distinct jams

Craig and Pat - no left turn unstoned 

Jack & Coke>Spun>Tillie>Trunk Rum - esp. spun

Stadium Rave - one of the best to date

Denver Dogs

 

The Dogs were relative unknowns in the Denver area music scene prior to 2023. They played two after-shows for Phish Dicks ‘22 at the Cervs’ Other Side before hitting the Springs and Avon five months later during the ‘23 Winter Rescue Tour, but locals will tell you the Lost Lake performances and surrounding residency put the band on the map in the state.

 

Lost Lake is a tiny 75-cap room and bar on Colfax down the street from Denver’s main music theaters—your Bluebirds, Ogdens, and Fillmores. It’s a strangely proportioned experience, as the main standing area runs more parallel than perpendicular to the stage. The sound reverberates on the back wall separating the standing area from the bar, and pierces your eardrums even when using the best plugs. With no raised areas, us vertically-challenged folks had to get there early. But we tolerated the experience at the venue thanks to the excellent playing from the band, who used the room as their home base for the month-long residency that featured ten shows within driving distance of the Denver metro.

 

Night one was my first show, and the band’s first two-set concert in the state. I had only learned of the Dogs after hearing some reviews from the after-shows and wanted to make the trek down to the Springs for the show at Vulture's in February. A winter storm in the Denver area kept me grounded for a month, a period which I spent furiously listening to the soundboards the Dogs had put out after finding myself captivated by the music. At the time, there were probably around 30-40 shows available—the band had not yet nailed down their live recording setup, which kicked into gear during these shows.

 

This particular event came after a relatively “long” break of five days during their busiest month of the year that accumulated a massive count of 21 shows/13 states/3 time zones. The residency itself was a reprieve—they played only eight shows in April while in CO, before ratcheting it back up to 13 in May and 16 in June. 3/29 is not the best of the tour (see 4/7 or 4/19), but there are strong highlights throughout, and most of the band’s standards from this era are present (including three repeats from the preceding gig opening for the Disco Biscuits at the Cap). The result is a solid—if unspectacular —introduction to the Dogs for a curious crowd.

 

Electronic Set. This show sold out shortly after doors opened thanks to BKellZ—a local Colorado-based DJ whose friends and fans cleaned out the few remaining tickets available on Wednesday night (also tight with the Dogs thanks to Jam Cruise ‘23). Eric Foelske's tape on the Archive has the full set, though your enjoyment may vary depending on your preference for electronic music. The Dogs began joining one-by-one to add layers to the mix about 45-minutes in—this is where the soundboard recording begins. Joey came out first to lay down the beat, and I can immediately recall spotting the giant X on his hands and my subsequent shock at learning he was under-21. Sam, Jeremy, Jimmy, and Brian followed on stage about two-to-three minutes apart—all members are present around eleven minutes in, when Kellz announces the start of his final track. It’s a Respect Jam, with KellZ layering in a remix of the Aretha Franklin classic with supporting work from the Dogs. At 13:30, Brandon says the Dogs want to keep going, so they jam out the song into a unique dance beat—it’s worth at least one listen for the novelty.

 

First Set. BKellZ left the stage to join the crowd and the crew cleared out his mixing setup as the band launched into LJ1. I immediately recognized it as one of the band’s regulars from Beagle and from its appearance on many setlists—the night marked the 7th time played in their last 19 shows and was played with precision (though it lacks the adventure of 4/13). The catchiness of Nicolette caught me at the time, but I’m more partial to Steamboat’s outro jam. Go Set (Denver-bound) follows two Bloom singles, and the show really begins to pick up at the back end of the set with a well-worked Appleseed>Boogie>Dancin’ sequence that culminates with a return to Go Set before the break.

 

Second Set. The x factor is still present for Little Things>Royals, but Jimmy blows out his tube screamer during Hesitate, so the rest of the band picked up the slack by throwing in some interesting teases. They manage to recover by the end of Stadium Rave. The band’s more dancy numbers continued to fill out the back half of the set, with Let U Go>Bubble>EDM functionally acting as a reference to the show’s electronic start. The encore is nailed to perfection.

 

1st Set: 7/10

2nd Set: 5/10

Overall: 3 stars

 

Highlights:

Electronic Set - unique jam, worth one listen

Look Johnny - precise

Stranger - peaks

Appleseed>Boogie On>Dancin’ - great sequence

Little Things - great energy

Royals - Soaring solo, TD2 and Bugle teases 

Mr. Tooker - perfect finale, Bathtub Gin tease

 

Sources: Wookie’s tape has the opener, but you’ll want the board for the slightly-improved-but-still-frustratingly-mixed vocals (a product of the venue) once the band hits the stage. The entire Dogs portion of the show is on YouTube.

Full setlist based on the tape provided by wookie on archive.org:

Date: April 19, 2023[1]
Artist: Dogs In A Pile
Venue: Lost Lake Lounge
Location: Denver, CO

First Set: Blues for Brian > Southbound[2][3] > Blues for Brian > Funky Bitch[2][4] > Blues for Brian > Southbound[3] > Blues for Brian > 4th of July > G Song > Run-Around[2][5] > China Cat Sunflower[6] > Craig and Pat[7] > Home Again[8] > Run-Around[5] Craig and Pat, Voodoo Lady >[9] Boogie on Reggae Woman >[10] Linus and Lucy[11]

Second Set: Jack & Coke > Let It Grow[6] > Creep > Uncle John's Band Jam[2][6] > Free[4] > Bugle on the Shelf > Nebraska[12] > Jack & Coke Jam > Bugle on the Shelf Jam > Madhuvan[13] > Melting Lights[14] > Sunsquabi Jam[15] > Madhuvan[13] > Charlie, Helter Chalkdust Skelter Torture[16]

First Encore: Phish Kids, Julius[4]

Second Encore: Going to California[2][17]

Notes

[1] This was the final show of the Dogs' Colorado Takeover tour, and the event took place on Bicycle Day. In honor of the occasion, the band performed a cover-heavy set, playing homage to other psychedelic and jam bands.

[2] First (known) time played.

[3] The Allman Brothers Band cover.

[4] Phish cover.

[5] Blues Traveler cover.

[6] Grateful Dead cover.

[7] Brian used the "Dark Star" pedal by Old Blood Noise Endeavors that I gave him before the show during portions of Craig and Pat.

[8] The Disco Biscuits cover.

[9] Ween cover.

[10] Stevie Wonder cover.

[11] Vince Guaraldi cover.

[12] moe. cover. Second time played overall. Last played Nov. 8, 2022 (62 shows).

[13] Goose cover.

[14] Pigeons Playing Ping Pong cover.

[15] With Josh Fairman of Sunsquabi on bass. Sam briefly left the stage and returned to play keys with Jeremy.

[16] Mashup of Helter Skelter by The Beatles and Chalkdust Torture by Phish.

[17] Led Zeppelin Cover. The band left the stage after Julius. Jimmy, Brian, and Sam returned to the stage for another encore sans Joey and Jeremy (Nick Codina brought out three barstools while everyone was in the green room). Brian played acoustic guitar and Jimmy played the mandolin. Sam played his regular electric bass.