Sound Check w/ Brother's Keeper, APR and John Popper.

John Popper let it all hang out in Aspen.Just another pre-season Wednesday in Aspen and my non-smart phone was blowing up.  AspenSpin's friends at Aspen Public Radio called to invite me to the Brother's Keeper sound check at Belly Up Aspen.   Aspen Public Radio an affiliate of NPR was debuting their new live broadcast radio program called Sound Check.  APR is planning a series of live radio Sound Check shows at local music venues featuring a wide variety of artists.

Click 4 pix.  Brother's Keeper w/ Popper

My first question was "who's Brother's Keeper"?  Brother's Keeper is new band featuring a bunch of local and semi-local professional musicians.  Their collective "Americana" or "Roots" sound has been honed by years on the road and in countless studio sessions. The  Brother's Keeper  line-up in Aspen includes special guest JOHN POPPER, the singer and harp player of Blue's Traveler fame, JONO MANSON on vocals & guitar, MICHAEL JUDE on vocals and bass, JOHN MICHEL on drums and vocals.  singer-guitarist SCOTT REDNOR and ripping guitarist ROB EATON, Jr.  Popper needs no introduction to Aspen or to music fans.  Manson is a veteran of the NYC music scene.  Jude and Michel have played with John Oates for several years and can boast about their long list of musical collaborators.  Rednor, a veteran player is well known in the Vail Valley and Rob Eaton, Jr. the youngest member of the band simply rips on the guitar.   Brother's Keeper is a collaborative effort and they have been playing regularly at Shakedown Bar in Vail...which Jude called the "mini Belly Up".

Brother's Keeper started as a side project for the guys...but has evolved into much more.  The band is influenced musically by classic rock, rhythm and blues and folk music. Manson described their sound as Americana.   Every man in the band loves to sing and they love to sing together and they revel in their own harmonies.

The Aspen Public Radio radio show and the sound check went very smoothly for this group of musical vets.  Host Daniel Shaw interacted with the band in between songs.   The whole thing was broadcast live on APR, 91.5 on your radio dial in Aspen and 90.9 in Snowmass and various other frequencies in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond.

The show that followed at Belly Up was awesome. A full house of locals made it seem like home. Brother's Keeper played a vast selection of their original tunes, a couple of Blues Traveller numbers and some covers.  My favorites were Keep on Burning, Days Go By,  Love the One You're With and The Weight.  

Brother's Keeper has a new record in the can.  It's coming out in February but has not yet been officially named.  The songs were composed by 5 guys sitting in a room at Manson's studio in Sante Fe.  Then Brother's Keeper went South to record.  They camped out in a Civil War era plantation near Memphis and recorded at the famous Ardent Studios that has produced albums for Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan and White Stripes.

Pre-season in Aspen was quiet...but inside The Belly Up the musical fire was burning bright.

Click 4 pix.  Brother's Keeper w/ Popper

John Popper and Brother's Keeper in Aspen.

Brother's Keeper doing the first ever Sound Check...a live radio show from Aspen Public Radio.

Brother's Keeper team photo at Belly Up Aspen.

Save Wagner Park

FULL DISCLAIMER:   I live near Wagner Park in the center of Aspen.  I love Wagner Park.  My dog and I have played ball in Wagner Park almost every day for 11 years.  I believe that open spaces should be cherished and protected.   I want to save Wagner Park.

I have lost complete confidence in our elected officials and the City of Aspen to make well informed and reasonable decisions, especially concerning Wagner Park. They always seem to sell out to the highest bidder.  My Mom & Dad taught me to stick-up for myself, but warned me not to be a complainer.  Every once in a while those two traits come to loggerheads.   I don't want to sound like a complainer....but here's my take.

Polo Models...heeyyyy.SNOW POLO.  What the f*#k is Snow Polo?   It's a made up sport. In Aspen, it's a bunch of marketers trying to draw the seemingly upscale polo crowd to town in December (not exactly off season) .  I've attended  the snow polo matches several times... in Wagner Park, Rio Grande Park and Marolt Open Space.  Does Aspen really benefit from Snow Polo in the center of town?  What does Snow Polo bring to Aspen?  The crowd that attends breaks down as follows, A few rich older guys who are passionate about their expensive hobby.  Two Ralph Lauren male models...you know the guys...Nacho and Nick.  A few super hot chicks.   The rest is a  pack of freeloaders and hangers on who can drink almost anybody under the table...especially at a posh sponsored bar. A couple of years ago you may recall the White House wedding crashers were in town for Snow Polo and left a trail of unpaid bills behind them.

Wagner Park has never recovered from the last Snow Polo event held there in 2009. The turf was decimated...and no one disputes that.  When there was a lot of snow around here, before climate change, my dog and I found frozen horse turds in Rio Grande Park for months.   Hey...I'm not putting down Snow Polo...it works great at Marolt Open Space...except for one problem.   Everyone was too drunk to drive home...oh yeah,  and one of the horses had to be put down.  

PARKING STRUCTURE.  There has been a lot of talk  on & off about digging a parking structure under Wagner Park.   I will lay down in front of the bulldozers before that happens.  We already have a parking sturcture that nobody uses.  It's "off the beaten track"...fully...wait for it... 2 blocks from the center of town.  You want a parking structure?   Go to Vail.  And if you're a tea partier...go to Vail too.

Riots; Hopefully not in Aspen.X GAMES CONCERTS.  Have you been to X Games?  I have.  It's not exactly a tame crowd.  The town is packed, in fact its over packed.  One motel room easily sleeps 8 to 10 extreme sports fans.  A condo secured on VRBO can sleep 40-50 party mongers.  Lots of kids sleep in their vans...or just pass out face down in a pool of their own vomit. Yeah, I've been to X Games.   I love music.  I especially love outdoor concerts.  But a plan that calls for 6 foot chain link fences, 8 days of road closures,  huge spot lights and 50 extra security guards seems a bit extreme.

 Sure Disney...throw a show.  Bring in the Beatles.

Remember the last Winter concerts we had in Wagner Park in 2006 ?  it was a near riot.  The band was pelted off the stage with ice balls thrown in a drunken fury by many of our "guests".  So many people got wasted, that it looked like a battle field.  Oh yeah... the weather cooperated by giving us a sleet storm the night of the show.

We did get one concession from ESPN  this time around...a 10 x 10 detox tent.  The line for that will be staggering. I've heard it's sold out.

FOOD & WINE:  Wagner Park closes down for 3+  months in preparation for this bacchanal.  The streets are closed for 2 weeks.  Sure, its a good time...I know.   Many Aspenites feel F & W is a "great event" for the town.  Maybe it is?  I won't argue against that.  Is it good for the park??   Do we really need to "sell out" the park for more than 3 plus months for 2 days of F & W.  You would think there could be some sort of a compromise reached and F & W could be facilitated on the cement...where it belongs.  Watching 70 year olds stumble home in a drunken stupor is not new for me.  It's just not a pretty sight in the light of day.

USA PRO CHALLENGE:  Hey, I like the bike race.  It's a good time. I'm even OK with subsidizing it within reason.  Do I think the entire town should be shut down for 2 days?  No I don't!!!  You sure wouldn't want to get sick...or have a baby...or plan to fly or drive in or out of Aspen on those days.  Sorry.... the road is closed.

I keep hearing about how USA Pro puts Aspen on the "international stage" and of the millions of dollars in p.r. value we get from the USA Pro Challenge.  This past Summer I missed the USA Pro Challenge. Ironically, on day 1, the HUGE first stage..."live" from Aspen, I happened to walk into the Trek Superstore in Solana Beach, California. It's the #1 Trek bicycle dealer in the USA.  They had a TV playing in the store...but it was not tuned into NBC Sports and the USA Pro Challenge.   I asked the clerk " hey, who won the first stage of the USA Pro?". He looked at me blank faced...he didn't even know the race was happening.   I think the bike race is very cool...but does the entire town need to be closed down...I think not.

Do I sound cynical?  Do I sound angry? F#*k it...those are two of my best qualities. 

Let's audit the T & E. ACRA.  I laughed out loud at the recent article in the Aspen Daily News about ACRA's marketing budget.  ACRA gets an extra $1.9 million over and above their operating budget each year. The "extra" money is earmarked for marketing and originates from the lodging tax that was increased to 1.5% in 2010.  According to the ADN, ACRA spent $350K on advertising and $210K on p.r. last year.  That leaves $1.34 million for travel and entertainment.

 Niiiiiiice!!!   Boondoggles for journalists? Trips to NYC and California and Australia and South America for staff?  Awesome!!!   What is ACRA's marketing campaign?  Do we even have a slogan or a tag line for Aspen??   Like... Virginia is for Lover's...that kind of thing.  ACRA describes their success in nebulous terms and with projected and formulaic calculations about the actual reach.  Conclusions like " lots of eyeballs", "targeted story angles" and we had a "very strong summer" would not cut it in the real world.  

Lower occupancy rates...albeit higher average room rates does not translate into success as far as I'm concerned.   Placement in USA Today...wow??? I know a lot of people in the Forbes 400...not one of them reads USA today.  You can get a free USA today at any Hampton Inn.  ACRA's website set a new record in August with 75 ,000 visits??? Are those unique visits or page views? Either way, is that even impressive???  Not in my world it isn't.  Do they even know who their customers are?  Has ACRA targeted legitimate potential customers?  They seem to be going for "broad" coverage.  Thats one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of, especially with today's targeted ads.  Do they even look at the data and analyse it?

As a former member of ACRA, it appears to me that ACRA is most interested in ACRA. They are desk protectors who often put their own selfish goals ahead of their members.  Every year they pat themselves on the back for a "successful"  marketing program that yields very few tangible results.   Yet Aspen City Council continues to nod  their heads and rubber stamp ACRA's marketing contract.   If they put that thing out for competitive bids...I'd be willing to bet that Aspen could get twice the marketing coverage for half the price.  Who wants to bet?

So that's it.  That's my take.  Soon, Aspen Mountain will be open and I can re-focus on skiing and other recreational activities instead of all the transparent political bullsh*t that has been part of everyday life here in Aspen for more than 50 years.   

Why do I care so much??  I'd be better off if I didn't.

DENVER SNOW SOIREE for USSA. November 23, 2013

 

 The DENVER SNOW SOIREE is the best way for Coloradans to support the U.S. Ski Team, U.S. Snowboarding and U.S. Freeskiing. And it's the most fun too.  What could be better than a huge party to support our athletes...and to meet most of them.  AspenSpin has been assured that a stellar turn-out of U. S. Athletes is expected at the Denver Snow Soiree on November 23, 2014 in Arvada.

The 2014 Olympics are coming up fast and our teams need your support.  Please join us on NOVEMBER 23, 2013 for The Denver Snow Soiree.  It's a fantastic way to kick off  ski season 2013/14.  Eat, drink, dance, bid on auction items and and best of all... you can meet your United States snow sports athletes.

Click for information and tickets:  DENVER SNOW SOIREE

Aspen Scream

Aspen is a costume town.  At the drop of a hat, the locals want to dress up.  Whether its opening day or closing day or St. Paddy's Day or Valentine's Day or Ground Hogs Day.  If its a day, Aspen locals want to break out the fantasy garb.  Halloween is always a wild time in Aspen, sort of like New Year's Eve for the locals.  2013 was no exception.  There are very few tourists in town...so the place just goes kind of haywire.  The costumes are top notch.

See the pix, Click  ASPEN SCREAM.

In conjunction with Halloween...one of our town's Most Valuable Partiers...Kori Davidson celebrated a milestone birthday with an intimate private party at Casa Tua. After sucking the marrow out of that party,  A-Spin made a quick stop at the Sky Hotel.  Drinks were flowing like the swallows flocking to Capistrano...or the German's invading Pearl Harbor...or whatever.

We capped the night off at the infamous Caribou Club.   The place was so packed that I had a panic attack and no one even noticed.   Sexy cops, sexy squaws, sexy teachers, sexy nurses, Miley Cyrus, sexy cats...they were all there.   The freezing temps outside did not stop the Aspen ladies from wearing body suits, fishnets, mini skirts...or whatever it took.  Most revelers left their inhibitions at the door.

It was a great night.   After 11 Halloweens... it's safe to say, costumed Aspenites like to get busy with Izzy.  Yeeeeah Baby!!!!!.

Click for pix:  ASPEN SCREAM

Keep on Blogging in the FREE WORLD

AspenSpin has been publishing continuously since 2006.  That makes me an O.G. in the blogosphere. AspenSpin was the very first "powder blogger" and now all that hard work has paid off.  In 2011, AspenSpin was named the #1 winter sports blog in the world by Cision, a large international P.R. firm. We now get between 50 and 100 P.R pitches per week.  Sometimes from very unusual sources.  

We've has some great sponsor's over the years who have been very loyal to us.  KJUS, KASTLE, NEVE, GORSUCH, HESTRA and others have supported AspenSpin and we thank them.  Honestly, I don't normally like to do product reviews...unless its a product or service or brand that we actually use and truly believe in, like the ones mentioned above.  Most of the 50-to 100 p.r. pitches get deleted with the other spam.  They're impersonal and not relevant, interesting or authentic to the mountain lifestyle, Aspen or skiing.    No!!  I'm not interested in "spreading the news" about adult diapers, or broadcasting info about above ground pools or jamming with a band I've never seen...or heard...or even heard of.  It's not that easy to make someone else's agenda or their product or service seem cool.   It takes time and effort.  

So why does AspenSpin continue to document the lifestyle.  We do get to ski every day and party every night...so there's that.

Honestly, it's not for the cash (blogging is soooo lucrative).  It's not for the chicks (there are tons of them).  It's not for the accolades ( non-stop awards).  We blog for the Love, and we love to get the FREE STUFF.

Every once in a while we get an invite from an interesting, relevant, authentic source.  Something that catches our eye.  Last week it was a stampede of FREE STUFF.  Here's my take on the best of the best.

Flips Audio. headphones & amp'd speakersFLIPS AUDIO HEADPHONES:  I can't count the number of free headphone's I've received...but FLIPS AUDIO are the coolest by far.  Cooler than Skullcandy, cooler than Beats.  FLIPS Headphones are also speakers. You can just flip the ear pads around...and you have portable, amplified speakers that sound awesome. Whether you wear them on your head or not...Flips offers tremendous sound in a durable, well designed, stylish package.   Give them a try for free... Click FLIPS AUDIO.

Picture Organic Clothing. 100% Re-Cycled ski & snowboard gear.PICTURE ORGANIC CLOTHING:  Skiing and snowboarding merge together with PICTURE ORGANIC CLOTHING, one of the few outer-wear brands that totally crosses over.  RIDE, SHARE, PROTECT is the moto of this French gear manufacturer that produces its garments with an organic and environmental mission.  I received a fantastic outfit made of fully RECYCLED material.   The Welcome Jacket was a Gold Medal Winner at the 2012 IPSO show.  Picture is new to the U.S. and I can't wait to try it out on the mountain.  Click: PICTURE

GoBites. nom nom nomGOBITES:  Healthy snacks delivered.  The "snack packs" from GoBites are 100% natural and USDA certified organic.  No preservatives or additives either.  Best of all they're tasty and they get delivered to your door every month.  GoBites offers 25 varieties of healthy, portion controlled snack packs.  mmmmmm good.  Nom Nom Nom.  Order here, Click GOBITES.

Robetowl. SuperabsorbantROBETOWL:  By Cascade Designs the folks who brought you Packtowl.  Robetowl is a highly packable, ultra-soft, superabsorbant robe.  It's a robe and a towel in one.  Robetowl is a fabulous product for travelling, at home, for guests or just toss it in your gym bag.  It's machine washable and antimicrobial. A great piece of gear for anyone.  Click: ROBETOWL

Bootlegger by Camelbak

BOOTLEGGER: By  Camelbak.  Bootlegger is a low profile hydration pack designed to be worn under your ski jacket.  It's lift-friendly, lightweight (200 g) and carries 1.5 liters of hydration.  The Bootlegger is designed specifically for skiing and riding...but it can be used anytime that you want to stay hydrated.   Its a great product...perfect for hiking the Aspen Highland Bowl.  Get one, Click: BOOTLEGGER.

*AspenSpin recieved promotional considerations for this posting.