In Fort Collins, CO there is no doubt that the local music scene reigns superbly. Every night of the week it is easy to find a show to attend no matter your musical preference and it is easy to find some band members floating in and out of different projects and displaying versatility. To give a (very) brief inside look at the Fort Collins music scene I attended two shows last week (5/1/2012) held at the Aggie Theatre and the small Moe’s Bar-be-que.
The first night local jam band favorites ReaLifeActual took the stage at the Aggie Theatre for their spring hometown show. In the past year and a half ReaLifeActual has gone from an idea between friends who were also members of different bands to gaining positive feedback in the public eye and even booking their first festival appearance at Look Out Below Festival in Georgetown, CO this August. If you’re looking for a quick Umphrey’s McGee/STS9 fix then ReaLifeActual is right up your alley as guitarist Matt Newhard gives off a very progressive rock vibe through his riffs and the use of two percussionists(Brandon Johnson and Kyle VanBuskirk), a mad-scientist keyboard player(Ryan Husted), and a well-rounded bassist and rhythm guitarist(Bartow Mills and Aaron Holsapple) provide a spacey yet funky sound that is quick to capture the movement of your feet.
The second night up-and-coming country/blues/rock trio 2StarMotel played a very intimate show at Moe’s Bar-Be-Que opening up for the Sawyer Family. There is one very simple thing one should know about 2Star Motel: they are honest and they know how to play their hearts out. Smack dab in between rowdy drummer Nate Cook and singer/guitarist John Erik is the tiny yet kick ass bassist Cerise Rocheleau whose sultry yet bluesy feel give the band that hint of appeal that is easy to fall in love with. 2StarMotel is recommend for those who love bands such as Lucero and Arless Nancy and who also love a band who is stripped, real, and know how to really tap into the music they love.
By: Ashleigh Smith
