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MUSIC: It's all in the atmosphere |
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Written by Erin Frustaci
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Thursday, 22 February 2007 |
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 We all know the big name concert venues of northern Colorado — The Aggie, Hodi’s Half Note, Mishawaka, The Bud Center — but what about more intimate settings? Coffeehouses, bars and restaurants in the area are also serving up live music in generous portions.
From jazz to rock, live music can be found any night of the week. Pairing live music with food, coffee or booze can create a new experience for the business, the patrons and the musicians.
“The intimate setting really allows for almost a mystical contact between the performer and the audience, to the point that they are almost in the living room,” said Rob Osbourne, owner of Avogadro’s Number in Fort Collins.
THROUGH THE OWNERS' EYES
If done right, bringing in live music can also bring in more customers.
Avogadro’s has featured live music regularly since 1987. Osbourne said the nightly music does draw in more business.
“When we first got started it was hard to find people, but now we have national acts contact us daily,” Osbourne said. “The beautiful thing is, Fort Collins has a sea of talent available.”
The restaurant has live music Wednesday through Sunday and an open-mike night on Tuesdays. The downside to offering so much entertainment is the work involved.
“I get spread thin,” Osbourne said. “The last couple of years I’ve been more focused on the music and not as focused on the kitchen. That is not something you can lose sight of. You have to make sure the kitchen is running well. The important thing is the food.”
Matt Lake, manager of Stonehouse Grille in Fort Collins, said live music gives customers something to listen to and can make dinner more enjoyable.
Stonehouse has offered live music on Tuesdays for about three months. In addition, the restaurant brings in bigger bands to its second floor on select Fridays and Saturdays.
“We want to promote the local music scene and establish ourselves as a place where people can come sit in the bar and listen to light music,” Lake said.
Although the restaurant gets the occasional request to be seated in the back, where it is quieter, the music also keeps many people there longer.
Still, not every restaurant, bar or coffee shop is ideal for hosting live music.
Mike Hoffman, owner of Starry Night Coffee Co. in Fort Collins said his coffee shop will discontinue the Thursday night live music. Hoffman and his wife Becky bought the coffee shop in July and started the live music nights in August.
“A lot of people come in to study on Thursday nights,” Hoffman said. “We’ve had some great musicians though.”
He said he is considering moving the music to Fridays instead.
THE MUSICIAN’S VOICE
 Dave Kimball, a 43-year-old musician from Lakewood only plays the small stuff.
The Colorado State University alumnus has played guitar for decades and has performed at more than 60 locations in Fort Collins.
“This is what I do three to six nights a week,” he said. “And I love it. I get to joke with the audience, sometimes even in the middle of a song. It’s not like I’m up here and you are down there. Everybody’s in the same pool. You make friends that way.”
Kimball performs regularly at Lucky Joe’s in Fort Collins and recently at Stonehouse Grill in Fort Collins. Smaller venues like these give the musician a place to practice his craft and a way to earn a paycheck.
“It’s nice having all these little places understand the value of live music and all the blood, sweat and tears musicians put in over the years to do what they do,” Kimball said. “It definitely adds to the overall quality of the town.”
An acoustic performer with a guitar in hand can play just about anywhere, but that’s not always the case for larger bands.
“There’s not a lot of small venues left for bands like us to play at,” said Ehren Crumpler, Wasabi guitarist. “We’re loud, there’s six of us and we take up lots of space. We need lots of room conducive for not blowing out people’s eardrums.”
One of the most intimate shows Wasabi has played was at Rasta Pasta three or four years ago. The band has also played at bigger venues like The Aggie and is about to release a new album.
Greta Cornett, trumpet player for 12 Cents for Marvin, said the big thing about smaller venues is that musicians are able to get closer to the audience.
“You are able to mingle with the crowd more,” she said. “People enjoy talking to people who play music.”
Cornett also books shows for Road 34 and said the smaller venues have stepped up to offer musicians a place to play.
“They kept the music scene floating for awhile,” the 29-year-old from Fort Collins said.
THE LISTENERS' EARS
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Click on the intimate music venues picture above to download a PDF of NEXTnc's venue picks.
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Kristin and Larry Glenn have been listening in Fort Collins for years. In fact, Kristin said she has been listening to Dave Kimball for 22 years.
“We’ve followed him around” Larry said. “He’s one of our favorite singers.”
One thing they like about the restaurant setting is that it is family friendly. They can bring their kids along without worrying, or they can make it a date night if they choose.
“It’s a two-for-one deal,” Kristin said. “We get entertained and have dinner. It’s a whole night.”
They recently listened to Kimball during dinner at Stonehouse Grill — a place they probably wouldn’t have gone otherwise.
Nora Prazan, 21, of Fort Collins also has a great appreciation for music. She’d rather go see live music than just go to a bar. Prazan is particularly fond of the Jazz Night every Monday at Road 34.
“There’s not much of a jazz scene in Fort Collins, but Road 34 is a good way to get a younger crowd into jazz,” she said.
Prazan has been to Jay’s Bistro, Avogadro’s and several other places in Fort Collins for music.
“It’s fun to see bands you like live and there’s also a social aspect,” she said. | Only registered users can write comments.
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