Paper Bird is the Colorado band I’m most excited about right now. There, I said it. Someone gave me their CD last winter and I fell for it hard - I’m probably up to at least 40 spins on it. It’s catchy, joyous, and a musically vibrant listen from start to finish. Awesome 3-part female harmonies, backed up by trombone, banjo, guitar, bass and the occasional trumpet. 1920s jazz/pop meets modern songwriting.
While you’re reading this, fire up a song or two on their myspace
I’ve seen them live a couple times. And every time I’m knocked out by how great the vocal harmonies are. How good the songs are. And by just how fun their whole scene is. Lots of hyper-kinetic crazy dancing (like what Amos Lee called the Dr. Seuss Dance at Folks). At their sold-out show at CU’s (tiny) Old Main last winter, one of their fans kept circling the crowd waving a mideval-meets-hippie flag for much of the show. Festive to say the least.
The Colorado music critics have all fallen for this band. They were named Best Americana/Roots band at the Westword Music Showcase, and #3 in the Denver Post’s Underground Music Poll. They opened for The Waifs at the Boulder Theater last spring, and Donna and Vicki from The Waifs couldn’t stop talking about them. I really think the festivarians are going to be the next to fall in love with them…
Paper Bird been touring the country this summer with New Belgium’s Tour de Fat, so we haven’t been able to hear them much around Colorado. But they’ll be back in September for a show at the Wildflower Pavilion on Sept 11 (before they play the Monolith Festival at Red Rocks). Beer and wine. A post-show bonfire. A fantastic sounding room. With the cliffs of the St. Vrain visible behind the stage.
Give a listen to a couple songs. You’ll be hooked. All of us here at Planet Bluegrass certainly are. Once you’ve listened to a track or two, here’s an interesting front page article about the band from The Daily Camera.
Sorry for the long ramble. I’m just really excited about this show. Anyone else out there excited about this show?
Sweet harmonies, fill me up like a good meal. I’m Always looking forward to hearing something new and fresh, the acoustics and intimate size of the Wildflower Pavillion will make this xtra special…:flower
Yet another reason to be excited abouto the Wildflower show on Sept 11…
We just confirmed that Gregory Alan Isakov will be playing an opening set at 8pm. Gregory won the 2007 Telluride Troubadour Contest, and he played a great set to a packed Wildflower Pavilion on Saturday of Folks this year. He has this amazing way of using space in his songs - that draw you to the edge of your seat to hang on every note. Definitely the real deal. He’s toured extensively with Kelly Jo Phelps and he’ll be one of the guests on the nationally-broadcast etown radio show in a couple weeks. His CD, That Sea the Gambler, is a brilliant, intimate listen.
Also, if you haven’t heard Paper Bird yet, they’ll be performing live on KGNU (88.5fm in Boulder, 1390am in Denver, streaming at www.kgnu.org) on Monday, Sept 8 at 7pm. You’ll be able to listen to that show archived at their website as well.
the show was great. The band has developed nicely on their summer tour with Tour de Fat. Great harmonies, lots of energy, and genuine banter from the stage.
…gonna make it down for the Packway Handle Band next week? :8