It was an opening set that has now been turned into a full audio and video package. When The Garrett Young Collective opened for The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on July 19 at the I-Bar Ranch in Gunnison, their intent was to film the set for video preservation. However, when someone also showed up at the concert with the right gear to get a solid and release-worthy audio recording, the band jumped at the chance to document the show, resulting in the Garrett Young Collective’s concert video and live album titled “Live at the I Bar Ranch,” which will be released on Friday on all music streaming platforms for listening and on YouTube for viewing.
“We got really fortunate to have this incredible board, and this local Crested Butte guy had the compatible equipment to plug into this board and get us this multitrack recording,” Young said. “And one of my buddies was in town from Texas who is an incredible videographer, so our intention was to have him film this for us. But what would make it really cool was to combine that with pro-level, multitracked audio. So we got pretty lucky to be able to do that.”
The Garrett Young Collective – who in addition to guitar player and vocalist Garrett are his sister Callie Young on vocals and rhythm guitar; bass player Schyler Healy; and drummer Mike Owens – are a diverse and dynamic band, capable of banging out heady and hearty ballads along with aggressive, guitar theatric indie and classic rock or cow-punk rippers. It’s all solid rock music, the band laying down a thick foundation that supports Garrett’s solid vocals and sturdy guitar playing. Cuts like “Do You Hear My Cries” are big, catchy and ripe for rock radio, while “Stray Cat Call” are country-boogie fun, the band delivering a punky, locomotive rhythm underneath Garrett’s aggressive, surf and country-tinged guitar.
If you go
WHAT: Garrett Young Collective.
WHEN: 7 p.m. Feb. 2 (after Snowdown Parade).
WHERE: 11th St. Station, 1101 Main Ave.
TICKETS: No cover.
MORE INFORMATION: Call 422-8482.
While the live record and video will showcase the band’s original music, which includes the songwriting of Garrett and one from Callie who is currently kicking around Nashville, Tennessee, trying to break into the songwriting industry, they also play a solid set of interesting covers, anything from under the radar alternative country to classic rock; many you’ll hear at their next show, happening post Snowdown Parade on Feb. 2 at 11th Street Station.
Expanding the repertoire is all part of a musical challenge Garrett takes head on, as outside of writing original music he’s eager to tackle cuts from the catalog of Cake, Primus or even Jerry Reed, the latter’s guitar theatrics something Garrett admires.
“A lot of times if I hear something, I’ll say, ‘oh my gosh, that sounds really challenging,’ and that gives me this internal ‘I can do it, I have got to do it’ kind of thing, which would be Junior Brown or any Reverend Horton Heat. It’s a challenge, and it helps me learn a lot and progress a lot. I just love that. And when you play challenging songs live it gives you extra anxiety, and I love that, too.”
The Feb. 2 show is a set and slot the band relishes, as it’s a chance to play in front of an always eager audience ripe and ready for a good time because of the nature of the setting – it’s Snowdown.
“Right after the parade we’ll start our set. We did that in 2019, and it’s about as rowdy as it gets. I’ll never forget that gig. If this is even half of that, which of course it will be because everybody is partying it up,” Garrett said. “We love Snowdown, I’m so excited.”
Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager. Reach him at liggett_b@fortlewis.edu.
