In its short existence, the Animas City Theatre has given a nod toward the Durango region’s local acts.
After opening its doors three months ago, they’ve hosted some major events, in addition to booking double and triple bills featuring a growing number of local bands. In the dicey profession of owning a music venue and hosting concerts, actually making a profit booking shows can be a game of roulette, at best. Venues that get behind the local bands, while also trying to book regional and national bands, are not only investing in the musicians improving their talents and creating their sound, they’re also investing in a vibrant and growing arts community in their own town. It’s like an art gallery for your ears, and supporting local arts, especially music, is something this writer can’t plug enough.
Saturday’s bill of local bands will feature local funk band The Durango Funk All-Stars, as well as rock, reggae, blues, jam, funk – and then some – by Elder Grown.
Elder Grown practices at convenient times such as the morning to mid-day, because they all, as most local young people do, hold night jobs. (I live next door to them.) I’m pretty bulletproof when it comes to noise going on around my house at odd hours, but their choice to practice at times other than midnight to 4 a.m. is greatly appreciated.
Led by brothers Josh, John and Paul Hoffman, who alternate from guitar to bass to vocals, Elder Grown is a band of multi-instrumentalists at times joined by saxophonists Sam Kelly and Brian Stoneback, Josh Dikes, Grace Wagner or James Mirabal depending on what city or state the stage they’re standing on happens to be in. Their debut at the Animas City Theatre late last year was a sell-out event.
The Durango FUNK All-Stars are led by drummer Aaron Lombardo, who is joined by Chris Ross on trumpet, Evan Suiter on bass, Ryan McCurry on keyboards, Jeff Nelson on guitar and Dougie Fresh on percussion. Collectively, this outfit brings decades of musical experience to the stage, with three alumni of the music department at Fort Lewis College. All of the Durango FUNK All-Stars have bounced around numerous Durango bands. They formed a short year ago when Lombardo was asked to throw a band together for an event in Silverton. The musicians that Lombardo ended up with are those he refers to as Durango’s “cream of the crop.” Improvisation was a necessity because it was an ad-hoc outfit, and it worked so well that the players insisted on forming a proper band with a mission of creating an auditory example of high-energy improvisation. It is perfect for the danceability of the genre of funk.
“We decided as a group to keep it fresh every show by doing all improvisational gigs,” Lombardo said. “It keeps us on our toes and is a new and exciting challenge every time we play.”
The Durango FUNK All-Stars will play first, but look for a rotating cast of musicians from both bands to sit in during each band’s set.
Liggett_b@fortlewis.edu. Bryant Liggett is a freelance writer and KDUR station manager.
Bryant’s Best
Saturday: Baby Toro plays for Hardison Collins’ art show, 7 p.m., no cover, Mancos Valley Distillery, 116 N. Main St., Mancos, 946-0229.
Saturday: Durango FUNK All-Stars and Elder Grown, 10 p.m, $5, Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, 799-2281.
