Puddles Pity Party Baby

Take Your Baby By The Hand   And Make Her Do A High Handstand   And Take Your Baby By The Heel  And Do The Next Thing That You Feel    We Were So In Phase  In Our Dance Hall Days   We Were Cool On Craze   When I   You   And Everyone We Knew   Could Believe    Do    And Share In What Was True  I Said   Dance Hall Days Love    Take Your Baby By The Hair    And Pull Her Close And There  And Take Your Baby By The Ears    And Play Upon Her Darkest Fears 

Wang Chung

Points On The Curve 1984 

FOXIE FLO:

We played a gig and WoW. We were asked to open for a headliner on short notice. No big deal. We were asked to play a quick 30 min set , almost a tweener set if you will , and we decided to simply whip out our originals and pass on any covers. We were ready right at 7pm , the sound guy allows us a quick check , and we hit the first note at 7pm. Just as we began , the house lights when down. I was totally screwed!! My old eyes , couldn't see the sheet music. My old eyes , couldn't see my fretboard. Instead of panicking , I just played. After the first song , I whispered to Misty and explained that I am keeping my end very simple. Very basic I played. I concentrated on whole notes and every once in awhile played on the 3 & 4 & of the count. We wrapped up our set and they asked us to play a couple of more as the band isn't quite ready. So we did. We ended up covering a full hour. Now , I didn't think much of it. We didn't pull out any obscure covers , I played simple bass patterns , and we didn't go over the top at all. As we stepped down from the stage , we were swarmed. Everyone treated us like rock stars and hugs and questions and PHOTOS!! Thats right , multiple "fans" asked for photos with the two of us on each side of them. It was wild. It was a surreal moment for me. Not big headed by any means , just a first is all. Maybe someday we will have an autograph session. Just Joking 

THE SHOW:

Hands down , best show of 2025!! And without doubt , best show ever at the Los C Amphitheater!! Arguably the best concert of this first half of a decade here in the 2020s so far. Puddles Pity Party is way better live than on YouTube.  If you are unfamiliar with PPP , watch this VIDEO now , then return for this uncomplicated write up here below. PPP's Live version of David Bowie's Lazarus watered my pretty little brown eyes as I sang along with. His Live rendition of Stairway Gilligan's Island mash up added depth , soul , and the playback video screen capturing clips housed my attention span. This also includes the water to the face feature while singing away. Thank You Puddles Pity Party !! Thank You  

His improv was over the top , his monstrous voice was remarkable , and his famous cover tunes on YT were smashing live. If for some reason , you pass on the above PPP Video , listen to this War Pigs tune while scrolling along. His talents are flipping unbelievably sensational. Puddles performed this whole Kevin Costner tribute on the big screen while singing that cracked us all up. Just those little attributes made the set. He pulled folks up from the audience to sing with or play his pretend instruments during Stairway To Heaven or this guy dressed in a Modelo Beer Bottle while Puddles serenaded the young man with his Spanish version Estoy Sentado Aqui. My only complaint was that he only performed for 30min. Even a full hour would not have been enough to satisfy my desires. Hilarious  

And another highlight was that The Dude and I sat front row without knowing any better. These two seats were perfect for Puddles. Then during the last song , two dipSh*t yahoo's walk up and were livid that we were in their seats. " We paid top dollar for these tickets!" the lady shouts without an once of pedigree. The Dude and I oblige with a course of action towards the back row of the VIP area and thankfully we did. #1) The sound was noticeably clearer. #2) Our unimpeded line of sight of the entire video screen from this advantage point was a true bonus. #3) The folks next to us were a hoot. #4) My neck was crocked now. You will notice in the upcoming photos how all the lined up guitars , equipment power box/travel case , Drum Kit , and keyboard blocked half of the video screen from those front row "top dollar" seats. The Dude even says to me ,"Could you imagine how bummed we would be if we actually paid for those seats up front?!?" Classic 

Now Weird Al , a whole other level of showmanship. I felt as if I knew enough about him to know him. Sh&t F*re Was I Ever Wrong. First of all , the guy opens his show from the Green Room , singing throughout the hallways , nails Puddles with a pie in the face , comes out from behind the amphitheater IN THE crowd , singing through the crowd , walks up the stage steps , and continues sings without missing a beat. Outstanding Entrance

As you can see the rather large video screen in this above photo , Weird Al created a Robot Chicken effect of interviews , channel surfing , interviews , funny A$$ Sh&t , the entire band would change outfit. The whole band changed costumes about every third song. My kind of band and I truly wish that I was on tour with these guys. Remarkable 

And these guys are aging , at elevation , and never missed a beat. To even remember the janitor during Teen Spirit , or as Weird Al sings it , Smells Like Nirvana. Busting out the DEVO appearance was a blast and way high energy. Loved It 

Full on nails eBay , just for me. Dukes Of Hazard Ashtray on the screen , White & Nerdy , just for me , I Love Rocky Road , just for me , Canadian Idiot , for all of us!!! It was as if I wrote his setlist as he checked them off one by one , just for me. Party in the CIA in the below photo. Stoked 

His Micheal Jackson sets were earth shattering!! For me , I aired these parodies on KAFM 15 , if not 20 , years ago and to hear and witness them live , magical for me. I mean , in the photo below , Weird Al is fully kicking his leg out like MJ was famous for. And for all the members on stage to be locked in , Phuc Yes I Tell Ya. And the crowd singing right back at him note for note , magical. Pure Magic 

In this video below , these two gangsters were influencing Weird Al to eat more to be a proper associate of the club. The video was broadcasting while Weird Al came out like ... 

That's right!!! I'm Fat. The parody from MJ's I'm Bad. We all know this one and check out that get up there. Again , he is fully aerobic , singing his heart out , and at elevation. Below was his famous Eminem Couch Potato parody while rolling around stage on a Segway to boot. And once again , the crowd sang damn near every word to every song. Engaging 

The Amish Paradise hit home for me. When this jam first debuted in 1996 , I wore that cassette out. Remember when cassette tapes released singles?? Remember those?? But again , the whole band dressed , played their parts , and danced during every song. Beautiful 

And that video screen , at one point while the band changed off stage , they project all the animation clips that Weird Al has been featured in. Simpsons , Family Guy , Futurama , etc. That screen was a performance in itself and Weird Al was sort on when singing or matching the scene with the storyline. Never missed a beat , AT ELEVATION. Brilliant 

Then , for the encore , our own GJ Star Wars Club shows up for the delightful YODA parody hit!! At another point of changing outfits , on the video screen , they broadcasted his movie when he meets John Deacon from QUEEN and delivers Another One Rides The Bus. If you saw that movie , you would be on board with my giggles right now. Legendary

So I was asked this question , I hate this question , what was my favorite. Why do folks ask," What is your favorite song? What is your favorite color? What's was your favorite team?" That question is impossible for me to answer with any given inquiry. Whats your favorite beer? Well , is it summer or winter when you asked me that question. Anyway , I apologize for that rant. I did answer them with this," My favorite aspect was when Weird Al stopped singing , the audience was dead still." Every concert you attend these days , audience members talk throughout the whole Phuc'n show. But with this live performance , everyone was in tune and in my case , on the edge of their seat. Well Done Weird Al 

I pulled up the rest of the tour , all of the VIP Tix are sold out for the month of September and a majority of his upcoming shows are also sold out. Now , that is saying something. If you ever have a chance to catch Puddles Pity Party OR Weird Al , do not pas up that opportunity. Don't Be Left Out As Musicians Aren't Getting Any Younger 

LAST MAN:

It is time once again for our Last Man Standing League , as the defending champion that is. Now , our league is beyond elementary. We have a member that only picks by the mascot , we have a member that only takes a team on Monday Night , and we have an entire family that picks as well. Meaning , this league is more about bragging rights than anything. Really!! Last year was the first time that I ever claimed top dog as I usually bounce out by about week 10. Thursday game Eagles vs Cowgirls , excellent first half , Fridays game in Brazil , way exciting , Sundays games , Oh Baby , Sunday Night ( only game I caught on Sunday ) speechless , and MNF was another rowdy come from behind. Call me nutz so but I dig Football. Knowing that The New Orlean Saints are a train wreck and the AZ Cardinals are a team I normally shy away from in this league , I picked AZ and sneaked in a W for Week 1. Dynamite 

Think Snow !!

Cheers 

P.S. The downside here for a second of your time. The amount of hours workin in August curved my appetite for reindeer games as the 13th was my only nothing scheduled day. 

The other piss me off is this whole Robot BS Ai HorseSh*t under this FREE blogging format. My normal viewing numbers run between 200 and 300 per post. As you have all recently chatted about , this new ramp of numbers totally sucks. Like I have 3,000 readers. Like I have 19 hundred followers. Bummer Bot 

Where Did August Gallivant Off To

When I Met You In The Restaurant   You Could Tell I Was No Debutante   You Asked Me What's My Pleasure   A Movie Or A Measure   I'll Have A Cup Of Tea   And Tell You Of My Dreaming   Dreaming Is Free   Dreaming   Dreaming Is Free   I Don't Want Charity   Pleasure's Real Or Is It Fantasy   Real To Real Is Living rarity   People Stop And Stare At Me   We Just Walk On By   We Just Keep On Dreaming 

Blondie 

Platinum Collection 1979 

COLORADO STREAM: 

Our mighty Colorado River is nothing more than a regular old obscure creek. But a majority of folks still lack basic recycling skills. Question: in your town/city/community , do cars idle when parked? Do you see drivers sitting in their autos with the AC running while starring down at their phones?? Just Wondering 

For the first 25 years of claiming GJ as my permanent residency , August was when we received the much welcomed Monsoon rains. The past three years , clouds only. The Monsoonal Patterns are still in motion , clouds aloft , just zero drops of rain. Sucks 

This Storm Above Produced Some Totally Righteous Lightning Bolts 

Yup , No Rain For The Valley 

This Cell Moved Through And Soaked Me During My Commute On The Bike. YES 

The cloud cover is welcoming from the dog days of summer heat but sure would enjoy a few drops here and there. What is really eye opening is watering over at the three homes that I care take for , the soil is bone dry by the evening. The owners of one home sort of questioned my thoroughness a few weekends back. I completely understood where they were coming from as the evaporation is striking. Once they watered "for" me , they realized what an arid desert we truly reside in. One home has four girls out back and they are dank as can be but the rich soil remains dry as can be within hours of a healthy drink. Telling ya , this Sh*t is real. I happily contest as I have been watching these two particular homes since 2020 and this half of a decade has been spooky. The other home I manage , this is my second season so I am not basing my information off that place. However , I venture a bet that it marries the other two properties. Dyeing Earth 

BIKE NIGHT:

Still rockin the Ol Bike Night Shenanigans and having fun with that. These four years of Friday Night Bike Night have been the catalyst for survival I tell ya. Truthfully 

Friday Night Bike Night is a casual ride around town and gives us all a reason for a chat. A reason to feel communal in our community. The costumes not only bring a smile to my heart but there is something rewarding to witness a random stranger walking downtown and a smile grows across their still face when we shout ," Happy Friday!" Its Beautiful 

Plus , the gathering to convey unity becomes infectious for sure. Most riders pass on the dress up theme and that is a OK by me. Just showing up and express positivity is all that is ever asked. Well , that and stopping at intersections. Following rules took some time. Some real time!! But these days , our tribe stops when our light turns yellow. Just Stop Please 

Sure makes the world a better place when everyone plays by the rules and watches out for one another. You know , be the better human. Please 

So we all happily celebrated 4 years of bike night and I sure hope to celebrate another 6 years. Would throughly love to see this grow into an event. Would love to see everyone dress up. Would love to see everyone decorate their bikes. Would love to see everyone smile. Would love to see more first time riders. Would love to see someone park their damn car and go for a ride with common folks simply looking for entertainment. And these rides are a pleasure to share with The Dude & random friends as well. Let's Ride 

DOGS:

PHOTOS:

So this picture below and the photo at the top are pretty dang cool. This one below was intentional and the top photo was a happy accident. I say that because my iPhone was in my pocket and somehow found this portrait setting with a blacked out feature. Correct , the background was blacked out and that was totally new to me as I will be using this setting a lot more for sure. This cartoon bottom photo only happens when sending a photo from my contracts. Meaning , I am unable to go through my library album and change photos to cartoon filters. Dancing Along 

Wake Up And Smile ,

Cheers 

On Tour 2025

Take Time To Give Thanks    Make Time To Be Giving   I'm Gonna Stop And Think Twice About The Way That I Am Living    Did I Say A Kind Word      Am I Proud Of My Actions      You Know A Job Well Done Gives Me Satisfaction        Can I Earn Your Trust    Your Love And Affection   Just One Step At A Time In The Right Direction    I'm Gonna Aim For The Sky    Keep My Feet On The Ground    Raise My Voice To The Heavens    Make A Joyful Sound   na na na na na na na nah 

The String Cheese Incident 

Outside Inside 2001 

DANIEL: 

As I previously mentioned , first night of the tour materialized Wednesday Evening at the atrocious Mesa Theater. Well , technically I never waltzed through their front doors and that saved me some righteous $$$$. The sound inside was deafening!! I was able to comfortably enjoy the music from a bench on Main Street minus the undesirable tinnitus. Which is a bummer because I would have happily paid the day of charge. Daniel and the Cosmic County Band are worthy of catching for sure. No Worries

LEFTOVER:

Thursday was a night of thunderous bluegrass and way more unequaled than I anticipated as The Dude & I were hooked up with VIP/Backstage passes from Kalinderrrrrrrrs. Total Score

The extraordinary Infamous Stringdusters opened for Leftover Salmon and both bands brought their A-Game for the tiny GJ Crowd. And just check out that mesmerizing sunset to boot. Obviously Leftover threw out a few Dead Cover Tunes in honor of the SF Shows. I have an iPhone clip from their cover Deal that showcases a gorgeously awe-inspiring sunset from that side stage perspective. But under an almost full moon , free VIP TIX , and night number two of a five night run was pretty whipping. Yes Please

Day two on tour and I am already ahead of the stokeage curve. Below is a photo of The Blue Z checking his phone when I sent a few photos to himself. He couldn't believe that The Dude & I were side stage for the show. The highlight for me was when Drew Emmitt turns our way , he definitely recognizes me but doesn't recall from where , gives me a quick head nod of Whats Up Man. If I explained my short residency in Crested Butte to him , he would certainly recall our many encounters. But on this night , he only knew my face but politely made my night as if we were brothers in arms. Way Cool 

BIKE NIGHT:

Friday Night Bike Night was off the flipping hook like a fighting slippery wet rainbow trout!! 

137 rides took part as we rolled through Main Street ringing bike bells , north on 10th street as we socialized , through the college campus to cheer on the mens soccer team in action , and west to Sherwood Park for some casual meeting and greetings. One of my favorite routes for sure. Might have spent more time at the park than we should have and back towards town we rode. Dig It 

The ending brewery location was Trail Life on Main Street. After a few brief interactions , our tribe became restless , another adventure began. Keep in mind , my plan was to go easy this night as I have about a three hour drive Saturday morning. A Three Hour Tour - Sing Along - A Three Hour Tour 

Rounding off the cruise around GJ , we found ourselves at the Warehouse 2565 for an outdoor country western show. All the local rednecks were in attendance. This band claimed to have a #1 hit song back in 1991 but did the Ludacris thing all night. Sing only 20 seconds of an iconic song and then talk Sh*t. At one point , kid you not , they covered Neil's Sweet Caroline for a few bars and then the front man started talking about earwax. No Sh*t , Earwax 

SATURDAY:

In the middle of the night , thanx bladder , I awoke to smoke. The LEE fire that I previously mentioned in my last post vaulted to 45,000 acres and filled the Grand Valley with coking smoke. Sucked 

The Dude & I were motivated to boogie out and we hit the road by about 10:30am. Give or take a half of an hour or so. The drive was a complete blur as The Dude downloaded a bunch of information into my already fully loaded gigabyte mind. Heavy 

Without racing , maintaining my lane , and refusing to pay for any speeding tickets for stupidity , we made the trip to Red Cliff in two hours and forty minutes. Somehow the flow of traffic caused us to make excellent time. This photo below was off the front deck at Stacy and Justin's place and clearly you all are able to make out the hazy smoke scene there. It wasn't bad but it was aloft unfortunately. Check out my new shades that I purchased for myself as a birthday gift back in July. Joe Cool 

Stacy went above the call of duty and supplied all of her friends from Houston , Blake from the front strange , Mike 's crew , and us with endless amounts of party snacks , heated brie with cranberry sauce , beautifully homemade humus , and pounds of chicken legs off the slow cooked BBQ. We were offered plate after plate after plate until the high end party bus arrived. Yes , Stacy is a veteran party goer and ordered a bus!! We all bounced into our comfy seats with a stocked ice chest and Vail here we come. Rock Star Status 

This would be my first time at the swanky Presidential Gerald Ford Amphitheater and I was absolutely ecstaic. Well , there was one missing piece. The bus parked just above the amphitheater and within minutes of walking , hello front gates. Easiest to and from for a show ever. First Class

Stacy decided that a group photo was essential as we paraded our way along the meandering path towards the entrance. A random gal offered to snap off commemorative digital photos and these are the two best shots that she captured of us. From here on out , magical evening. Simply Magical 

This would be my Madian Voyage to this exclusively fashionable amphitheater and what a prominent feature my friends. And I am here to witness The Cheese Live!! Little did I know , I was actually there to see long lost friends. The Dude & I originally walked up to this grassy area for a simple overview and for gaining our bearings before locating our seats. Gorgeous 

Now , I purchased these birthday tickets for The Dude back in February when Stacy disclosed the inside information. She explained that I needed Pavilion IV tix and directions is exactly what I followed. I bought the Pavilion 4  E 5 and 6 tickets. However , I had no clue that The Dude & I would be five rows from the stage. Marvelous 

After opening with Sweet Spot , Little Hands was next and that song merged with Turn This Around for a three song banger to start the show off right. Midnight Moonlight is also a main staple for the occasion and On The Road totally made sense for a travel day the next day. At least that is how I perceived it anyway. I mean , the whole first set wasn't predictable by any means , wasn't built for me , but all the tunes resinated with my happy A$$. More?? Yes Please 

Finishing off that first set , where did this song come from , Trip The Light Fantastic. Thats a new one on me and what a delight. I even vividly recalling right now as I type away just how bummed I was when that song ended and they were announcing another big set and we love you and be right back and all that. I definitely wasn't ready for that song to end. In A Trance 

Incredibly versatile first set , full moon rising through the fire red cloud cover , and then locating our California posse was rather simple, Boom shakalaka Boom. So at set break , The Dude & I wandered on over and that is when the starship took flight. Back here on earth , The Cheese were creatively getting after it. When somebody over analyzes or makes the assumption that you might need to speak with a therapist , nope , you just need friends , dancing , and The String Cheese Incident. Highly Recommended 

Every time I took a quick photo or look towards the stage , two members of The Cheese were smiling at each other. The Cheese is clearly in a good place and making amazing jams together. Back like in the 2003 era in my humble opinion. And this ( HERE and jump to the 2:30 time stamp - this is a NUGS YouTube link in HD ) is the first song titled Sweet Spot for opening the first set at the Ford Amphitheater. If anything , please watch that link for the toe tapping beat and for checking out the stage , flowers , and how happy the band members appear to be. They were feeding off each other all night long!! You could easily comprehend how much they enjoy one another and how synced up they made us all feel.  Love That 

The venue is ideal for any musical act , the backstage floral arrangement brought out the depth of the stage itself , the lights accented all aspects of the evening , The Cheese were on wordless communication of higher powers , and countless times my eyes would come back into focus and here stands before me is another wonderful face of a friends from years , if not tens of years ago , starring right into my eyes. Endless amount of times I heard " Cant Believe You're Here " and " I Love You " and " Where Have You Been " and " It Is Really You" and once I heard " Holy Sh*t , It's The Padre" and I always focused with all my might to shout back ," You Look So Good " and the hugs were on. Big Hugs

SUNDAY:

The morning was a little rough but not bad. The Dude & I crashed out in Stacy & Justin's trailer after an evening on the deck of story telling , stargazing , and eventually solving all the world problems the way that we do after hours. All I could hear as my eyes rolled back into my head were the serenading sounds of the creek washing over the river rock just below the camper. Deep Sleep 

Inside the house , not a creature was stirring. Thankfully , the kitchen is perfectly laid out for easy navigation as I fired up the coffee marker for all. Once the humans caught wind of fresh ground coffee , the kitchen was full of life as we reminisced over our personal highlights from the night before. Giggles were exchanged , relived excitement built once again , heated breakfast burritos were served , hugs were shared , and The Dude & I were back on the road towards the Big City of GJ. The down side would be , the LEE fire had doubled in size and reached 120,000 acres overnight!! We chatted that the band is going to cancel the GJ show for sure. Glenwood Springs was awful and from the canyon you literally couldn't even make out the towering rock walls. Then , at the top of Debeque Canyon before dropping onto the valley , we bust through the smoke to Blue Bird Skies!! It was just like a cinematic war movie the way we drove through the last bit of nasty forest fire smoke to open blue skies of beauty. Totally Beautiful 

Here is the first song ( HERE and jump to the 9:12 time stamp for another NUGS YouTube video in HD ) from the GJ Show titled Song In My Head. This performance blew my mind. You have to understand , we thought that the fires would cause a cancellation. We then thought that the show would just be a canned show after the spectacular Vail experience. We figured that it would be a traditional Sunday Bluegrass first set and then a quick second set before they boogied on out to the Northeast for the rest of their tour next weekend. NOPE 

The Cheese blew this Los C Amphitheater off the map. I interpreted that it was just me and my preconceived attitude about how much I love these guys. And I am bias when it comes to The Cheese. I enjoy The Panic , I so dig Moe , big fan of UM but The Cheese does it for me. And it wasn't even like they played ALL my favorite Cheese tunes or anything. It was just them!! Exquisitely Praiseworthy

Think reggae , Kieth Mosley breaks out the best improvised lyrics while covering Steve Miller Band's Joker with "Shake Those Palisade Peach Trees" instead of wanna shake your trees. I mean , class act by The Cheese. They even dropped into an original greasy jam Rhythm Of The Road and morphed that into Other One by The Grateful Dead without missing a beat. Like legendary acts while working back into another original It Is What It Is for about a 20 minute non stop jam of three songs. Personally , my favorite journey started with a nonstop mix of Sirens > Birdland > Lonesome Road Blues > Birdland. Mind Melting 

MONDAY:

This photo below made my weekend. I was already having the time of my life when Susan busted out this surprise. Way back in about 2002 we shall say , we all lived together at Amber Acres. During one of our Holidaze , I stitched the bottom of the appropriate shirts for the appropriate human for a reusable laundry bag. Susan brought hers out from California and here it is. Slapped Me Way Back In Time

Pure validation here folks. Hippie Jim , Sweet Susan , Uncle Karl , DC , Lisa B, Snowmass REED , Erin & Jack are all texting friends with the band and obviously CrackBooking friends. All day Monday , everyone was chatting about how unexceptionally good the GJ show was. The band was texting back about how much they enjoyed GJ. Kyle wrote a CrackBook post about playing on fire with his brothers in the band and on and on and on about GJ. See , it wasn't just my gravitas. The Cheese vibrated the Los Colonias Amphitheater with life and substance. The String Cheese Incident intertwined a full spectrum of notes from a Caribbean vibe to a rock vibe to a jam band notion to a reggae infused feel to a bluegrass traditional sound with a hint of classic rock and roll after a dancing jazz fusion tease. All in one set!!! They literally played a song for anyone and everyone no matter your musical preference. All Encompassing 

And to hear from the band , to hear from friends , and to contribute with my own twisted insights , unimaginable evening with The Cheese. Speaking of astonishing , the above photo captured the not so Mighty Colorado River. Yes , that is the boat dock! J & K even mentioned that they have NEVER seen the river this low and they bought their place back in 1992. Shocking 

So I hope that you enjoyed this write up as much as I enjoyed reliving it. My soul fundamentally begged for this five night run of musical stimulations. Dancing while connecting with friends was momentous and beyond meaningful for all parties. I am thankful for the golden opportunity and so thankful for the golden ticket to do so. Thank you Stacy & Justin , Thank you Cheese family , and Thank you for reading along. And if you would be so kind , Please watch this 5 min video from the weekend with The Cheese. Thanx In Advance 

Spread Love ,

Cheers