In true form, Denverites made a hasty recovery from last week’s sub-zero temperatures in the form of live music. Particularly de-frosty conditions occurred around 44th and Tennyson—a likely result of the love pouring out of the , where Strings and Wood Concerts celebrated its 2nd anniversary on Friday night.
Strings and Wood Concerts is the unexpected love child of local photographer, Art Heffron, visionary singer/songwriter Steven Delopoulos (front man of Burlap to Cashmere) and songwriter and Highlands Church pastor, Mark Tidd. Over the last two years, with Heffron at the helm, the trio has parleyed its initial vision of bringing more awareness of live music and the arts to the community into a full-on promotional concert series and artistap agency.
With its non-profit status, Strings and Wood strives to maintain a haven for local artists by organizing and promoting “living-room style concerts” at top local venues and passing on 90% of total ticket sales to featured musicians. Additionally, the group provides free wall space at various locales for artists to display their work and enjoy 100% of the commissions from their sales.
Friday nightap concert welcomed headliner and Strings and Wood first performers from 2009, . The Ft. Collins sisters’ 45-minute set included numbers from their EP “Mad King,” the fantasy-inspired “The Dragon Song” and their wildly, lost-in-the-moment take on Led Zeppelin’s “Battle of Evermore.” With uncanny skill, 17-year-old drummer/percussionist Liza Holbrook knocked out a rhythm that would bring a tear to the collective eye of Plant and Company.
The anniversary show also presented a songwriter showcase that featured local favorites Tidd, Megan Burtt, David Rynhart, Rob Drabkin, Dave Preston, Dave Tamkin, Ayo Awosika and drummer Carl Sorenson lined up on stage in a best-of challenge. More supportive than competitive, each guitarist (with Sorenson supporting on drums) took a turn in two rounds of solo performances.
The showcase was an inspired approach to presenting a lot of big talent in a small package. Skirting the obvious possibility of becoming too burdensome with heavy and too-similar variations on the same theme, the musicians changed it up with some laughs, unique arrangements and lyrics and spontaneous jams. An especially sweet jam between Preston and Sorenson drew a roar from the roughly 150 guests.
Burtt also changed it up a bit, choosing to play electric guitar. Her bluesy “Itap My Time” showed why she was last year’s winner—among hundreds of participants—of the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival. Look for Burtt at this summer’s Festival, opening for Brandi Carlile.
Jen Korte and the Loss picked up a late set that started around 10:30 and kept her devoted fan base attentive and lively till evening’s end.
Additionally, Heffron invited visual artist Laurie Maves to present her work throughout the venue, massage therapist Shannon Cortner and redesigner Jeanne Connolly who refurbished the vintage stools used onstage by the musicians. A silent auction featured one of the stools signed by all the musicians.
Follow our news and updates on , our whereabouts on and everything else on . Or send us a telegram.
Jackie Lomibao is a Lakewood-based writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
Jennifer Cohen is a Lakewood-based freelance photographer and regular contributor to Reverb. Check out her .
