8/20/2011 Steve Canyon & The Steep Canyon Rangers, Pepsi Amphitheatre at Fort Tuthill Park, Flagstaff, AZ


 10 years ago today...

August 20, 2011 - Flagstaff, AZ

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers combined comedy and banjo-driven bluegrass music in a outdoor performance at the Pepsi Amphitheatre at Fort Tuthill Park.
Steve had always incorporated banjo into his comedy shows when he was a Wild and Crazy Guy with an arrow through his head asking to be excused. Now he was playing with the Steep Canyon Rangers, a North Carolina-based bluegrass band.
A few months before this show, Steve and the Steep Canyon Rangers released their first collaborative album, "Rare Bird Alert," with cameos from special guests Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks. The album was nominated for a Grammy and included a bluegrass version of Martin's memorable "King Tut."
The between-song banter was classic Steve, dropping some hilariously funny bits while showcasing his substantial chops on banjo. The band is tight. We really enjoyed this pairing of comedy and music.
Thanks to the promoter, we were able to score a copy of the new CD signed by Steve and the band. We will be seeing the SCR (sans Steve, sadly) next month at this same venue when they appear at the annual Pickin' In the Pines bluegrass festival.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

7/10/21 Super Bowl of Rock: Ted Nugent, Lynyrd Skynyrd, REO Speedwagon, Journey, .38 Special, Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

Image
 44 years ago today... July 10, 1977 - Chicago, IL The "Super Bowl of Rock" headlined by Ted Nugent and Lynyrd Skynyrd was held at Soldier Field. The day opened with a then-relatively unknown .38 Special followed by a new version of Journey and one of the first ever appearances by Steve Perry. Regional favorites REO Speedwagon came on next and then Skynyrd, at their live show peak and the best band of the day. Ted Nugent, also arguably at his career peak performance-wise, closed the festival. In this pre-bottled water era, each of the 60K+ in attendance at Soldier Field could bring in a gallon jug. When Nugent took the stage, the empty jugs were thrown from the back and upper levels of the stadium down to the main floor and toward the stage. Jugs were tossed at the band with Nuge egging it on. So many gallon jugs accumulated on stage the show was stopped and staff with push brooms worked to clear the area.
Read more

3/31/1998 Arizona Diamondbacks Inaugural Game vs Colorado Rockies, Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, AZ

Image
 23 years ago today... March 31, 1998 - Phoenix, AZ Arizona made it to the big leagues when the Diamondbacks made their Major League Baseball debut at the opening of Bank One Ballpark. Arizona had hosted MLB Cactus League spring training since the 1950s, but the market only had a Triple A minor league baseball franchise until this date. The NBA Phoenix Suns were no longer the only professional sports team in Phoenix. This was an important day in Arizona sports history. Bank One Ballpark was a grand new addition to downtown and the sports landscape. With seating for 48,500, the "BOB" as it became known, was the only ballpark at the time with its own swimming pool. The retractable roof and levered panels across the outfield allowed for an open-air park for early and late season, while being a model of modern air conditioning through the hot summer months. The inaugural year opening day ticket was a unique souvenir, featuring a holographic image that reflect the roof opening
Read more

10/24/2008 Tina Turner, Jobing.com Arena, Glendale, AZ

Image
 13 years ago yesterday... October 24, 2008 - Glendale, AZ Tina Turner brought rock, soul and blues in a concert at Jobing.com Arena. This was billed as Tina's 50th Anniversary Tour, her first live shows in nearly 10 years. This tour was her last and supported a Greatest Hits album. Tina had amazing energy and great dance moves in mile-high stilettos. She was 68 years young at the time and had the look and attitude of someone half her age. Tina rocked it in a terrific show. Here's a link to the setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/tina-turner/2008/jobingcom-arena-glendale-az-bd6a51a.html
Read more