Posted originally
December 4, 2023
and last updated
December 4, 2023
by
Chuck Miller
Sean
Kelly and The Samples played once again at Lulu's Downstairs
in Manitou Springs on Friday, December 1. I believe it's the
fourth winter outing by the group at the popular venue. It was a
memorable two-set show that had the crowd dancing and the band
playing rousing renditions of many of their most popular
songs along with a fair share of numbers written by other artists.
Lulu's Downstairs and the musicians who performed witnessed
a solid and enthusiastic turnout of fans on a cold, December
Colorado night. Local singer/songwriter Jeremy Facknitz with
David Siegal started off the festivities around 8 PM. Facknitz
has a wonderful voice and played mostly original
compositions on
acoustic guitar for his 45-minute long set. Siegal added tasteful violin
licks to many of
the songs, which kept the slowly growing, mostly older, music lovers
enchanted.
The Samples, playing as a four-piece, came out a little after 9 PM and started their
first hour-long set with "Taking Us Home" from the 1992
album No Room. Original Samples bassist/vocalist
Andy Shelton has been playing with the band again after a
long hiatus. I loved seeing him and hearing his unique bass
phrasing and harmony vocals that reminded me of how good the
band sounded with the original lineup.
Set one highlights included a "Giants" > "Steppin'
Out" (Steel Pulse cover) > "Giants" medley that got many of
the enthusiastic revelers off of their seats and dancing in front of the band.
As with most Samples concerts, there was an acoustic
break mid-set, which had Kelly performing solo "Close To the
Fires" from the band's first album. Kelly had a
"senior moment," forgetting some lyrics, actually
endearing him to the rapt audience when he asked for
assistance in remembering the lost line. He recovered with
gleeful applause from the faithful as he sang the forgotten
lyric. Shelton also treated us
to a cover of a Neil Young deep cut "For the Turnstiles"
with David Siegal accompanying on violin. This was the first
of four Neil Young-penned tunes Kelly and the group regaled
us with throughout the evening. Set one ended with one of my
favorite Samples tunes, "Suburbia" from the classic lineup CD
No Room. It had me singing the catchy chorus in my
head until the second set started.
The Samples iconic original "Nature" got the second half of
the evening off to a promising start. The song was the last
track on the band's first album that fans refer to as "the
blue album" and is always a pleasure to hear. Kelly then
introduced the band, and they treated us to another fan
favorite from the blue album, "My Town." It was a Neil Young kind of night as
Kelly and Shelton performed "Cowgirl in the Sand"
during the mid-set acoustic section. "Birth Of Words" with its poignant
and timely lyrics stood out to me and drew me in as the
second set rounded the bend.
The dance floor was covered by the end of the night, and the
band kept the dancers moving with a double shot of Neil
Young, "Powderfinger" and
"Like a Hurricane." "Powderfinger" is a song
that packs a punch, and the band did it justice with a
faithful reading of the hard rockin' Live Rust version of
that tune. The Samples rarely play encores, and this night
was no exception. So, it was all over before midnight, and I walked out into the crisp
Colorado air with a smile on my face and another great
musical memory swirling around in
my head.
The band and venue generously allowed me to record the
performance and I have made the recording available for
download or streaming via the
Live
Music Archive here:
The
Samples ~ 2023-12-01 Lulu's Downstairs, Manitou
Springs, CO
Posted originally
February 5, 2023
and last updated February 8, 2023 by
Chuck Miller
It
was a cool Friday night, February 3, when Colorado Springs'
own Edith Makes A Paper Chain brought their creatively retro
musical vibe to Lulu's Downstairs in Manitou Springs. The
doors opened at 7pm.
The evening started around 8:15pm with a standout
performance from Colorado Springs singer/songwriter Edie
Carey accompanied by John Standish on electric piano and
vocals. Carey's songs are well-crafted and memorable. Her
guitar playing and sultry singing were spot-on as was
Standish's tasteful contribution. They held the audience's
rapt interest through the 45-minute performance. The crowd
was unusually muted during the quieter portions, which was
much appreciated by my wife and me. I'd love to see Edie play
a full set of her music sometime.
The headliners took the stage a little after 9:15pm. Primary
songstress Sarah Hope launched into her original "Edelweiss"
after a brief introduction. Jeremy Van Hoy's plaintive horn
flourishes made it clear we were listening to Edith's
uniquely crafted music.
Another Edith original, "Fury," had the group settling in and
drawing the mostly seated audience into their world. Hope's
between song banter is always funny and entertaining and allows
the music fans to further bond with the band and performance.
"Laid-back"
doesn't adequately describe the vibe Edith Makes A Paper
Chain projects, though it's a start. "Seductive" is another
not perfectly appropriate
adjective. I feel like their music pre-dates the hippy music
of the sixties and belongs closer to the 1950's post world
war and pre-Vietnam era beatnik generation ethos.
String instrumentalist Matt Chmielarczyk's vibrato/tremolo-drenched hollow body
electric guitar tones further the retro vibe of Edith's
musical offerings. He plays mandolin and ukulele
when appropriate, too, which ties back to the ensemble's
1950's aesthetic.
The pop original "I Got Married" received a funny post-song
explanation, which had the concertgoers laughing. As one
of the most upbeat tunes of the night, it was a high point
for me. "Pearly Bones," which followed, had a similar short
story attached at the end as well.
Later, they also performed a cover of Radiohead's "Karma
Police," a surprisingly good fit with the originals-heavy set they played.
Another original, "Lead Me Astray," struck me as the
signature song for the band. The obscure lyrics and
melancholy delivery epitomize the nature of their music.
Hope also provided a bit of insight into that song, sharing
her daughter Miette's confused reaction upon hearing the
song while it was being written.
The six-piece band includes the previously mentioned
Hope, Chmielarczyk, and Van Hoy who plays brass
instruments and keyboards, along with Donovan Freeman on
drums and vocals, Melissa Joy Fuller on upright bass, and Hillary Studebaker
on violin and vocals. It was a reunion, of sorts, as
founding member Fuller, a new mother, travelled from
Lafayette, CO to perform with the band.
One
additional thing worth mentioning is the music venue itself. Lulu's
Downstairs (formerly Castaways Restaurant) has a very retro
vibe with heavy curtains and red vinyl booth seating. I'm
reminded of David Lynch movies like Wild At Heart and Blue
Velvet when I'm in there.
The menu has changed from pizza to Japanese cuisine
since the New Year started, too. For me, the change is
welcome. I had the Tebasaki wings, which were very good.
There is also another room upstairs that hosts music and
other performances as well. Parking is also free, which is a
plus for a Manitou Springs, CO, venue.
The beautiful night of music was over at 10:35pm with a band
introduction, and the final song "Bizarre Love Triangle"
followed with a bit of a post-performance banter from Hope
thanking the crowd and the opening act.
I made an audio recording
of the Makes A Paper Chain performance and took some
photos of both acts. Please access by following the links below.
Edith Makes A
Paper Chain ~ 2023-02-03 Lulu's Downstairs, Manitou
Springs, CO
Edith
Makes A Paper Chain - 2013-02-03
Edie Carey -
2013-02-03
Also, please check out the venue and band web and social
media pages:
Lulu's
Downstairs, Manitou Springs, CO (web) &
(Facebook) page
Edith Makes A Paper Chain (web) &
(Facebook) page
Edie Carey (web)
&
(Facebook) page
