Musical gold rush
October brings roots, funk, folk and 30 years of the Schoolhouse

Greetings, dear readers! October has finally arrived in Durango, and with it comes the gold rush of fall colors, cooler evenings and an absolutely stacked calendar of live music. I was DJing a wedding in Placerville last Saturday and saw the snow with my own eyes. Winter is coming! Whether you’re chasing new sounds in our listening rooms, heading out to the Schoolhouse for some PBR-fueled fun, or gearing up for a funky Halloween blowout at the Animas City Theatre, this month’s offerings are sure to keep you warm and moving. As always, check the Telegraph or KDUR’s concert calendar for the full run-down, and mark your planners accordingly. See you on the dancefloor! 

• Garrett LeBeau, Lightbox at Stillwater Music, Fri., Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. – A rare chance to catch the soulful stylings of Garrett LeBeau in Stillwater’s intimate Lightbox venue. The Austin, Tex.-based, artist’s roots-driven blend of blues, soul and desert vibes makes for a perfect autumn night soundtrack.

• Maddy O’Neal & Homemade Spaceship, Animas City Theatre, Fri., Oct. 3, 7 p.m. – Longtime Durango favorite Maddy O’Neal has been burning up festival stages with her future bass and funk-inspired beats. Add Denver’s Homemade Spaceship to the mix, and ACT turns into a late-night dance temple, yet again.

• People We Know, Horseshirt & Shallow Eddys, Olde Schoolhouse, Sat., Oct. 4, 5 p.m. – Can you believe it? The Olde Schoolhouse celebrates 30 years with a stacked local lineup. Expect pizza, beer, bluegrass and rock & roll in true North County fashion as three bands take over our legendary mountain haunt. Plan ahead to make sure you’ve got a sober ride to and from this epic party you won’t want to miss.

• Nu Bass Theory, iNDIGO Room at iAM Music, Sat., Oct. 11, 8 p.m. – If you’ve been craving a fix of groove-heavy jams, look no further. Nu Bass Theory brings its dazzling blend of soulful, funky, downtempo electronica into high definition at the iNDIGO Room. It’s worth pointing out that when you support shows at iAM, you’re supporting all of the incredible work they do to help local youth find creative expression through music. Good on you, iAM fam!

• Riddy Arman & Nathan Schmidt, Toast Records, Tues., Oct. 14, 6 p.m. – Singer-songwriter Riddy Arman delivers stories straight from the American West with grit and grace. Paired with the heavy-hitting talent of Nathan Schmidt in the cozy confines of Toast Records, this is one for the folk lovers. If the last several shows have been any indication, you’ll want to hop over to Toast and snag a spot on the RSVP list ahead of time. These shows are selling out well before the performance date, which makes me wonder if we’ll ever see Toast take a stab at a larger local show! 

• Cardinal Bloom, Animas City Theatre, Thurs., Oct. 16, 7 p.m. – Rising indie rock outfit Cardinal Bloom out of SLC makes a Durango stop, bringing sharp hooks and some good, old-fashioned rock and roll to the ACT stage. Local indie favorites Ragged Oak are up first. Remember, if you see a midweek show at the ACT, it’s always worth checking out these rising talents who are criss-crossing to larger markets on the weekend. See them before they blow up!

• Frank ‘n’ Stein Music Festival, Joe Stephenson Park (Bayfield), Sat., Oct. 18, 12 noon – Stillwater Music and the Be Frank Foundation team up for an afternoon of family fun, hot dogs and student orchestra magic from Bayfield and Durango. It should be a feel-good day of community and music to celebrate and support local youth who want to make music.

• Afrobeatniks & BluePhunk, Animas City Theatre, Fri., Oct. 24, 7 p.m. – Mancos-based world rhythm masters Afrobeatniks meet local funk heroes in a night made for dancing. Both will keep you grooving well into the autumn night.

• Squeaky Feet & Desiderata, Animas City Theatre, Fri., Oct. 31, 7 p.m. – Halloween in Durango means costumes, confetti and jam bands. The last several years have featured EDM acts, but this year marks a return to some of the best bands to grace the ACT stage. Denver jam band Squeaky Feet teams up with former Durango-based Desiderata for a high-energy double bill guaranteed to turn ACT into a funky, spooky, groove factory.

• ORA, Fort Lewis College Chapel (on Rim Drive), Sat., Nov. 1, 5 p.m. – I’d be remiss if I didn’t let you know that ORA (a band I play in) is making its return to Durango after a short hiatus for frontwoman Annie Brooks to welcome her new son to the world. Close out Halloween weekend with an ethereal All Saints Day performance from ORA in one of the most atmospheric venues in town: the chapel on Rim Drive.