Music Reviews
by Tyler Blue
Kyle Ledson: Left it All Behind
You know that feeling where music completely sweeps you away? Time ceases to exist, the worries of the world evaporate, and you just want to drive with no destination. It keeps happening to me every time I listen to Kyle Ledson’s new album, Left it All Behind. The...
Streaming Live from the Crazy Horse:
The Next Best Thing to Being There
What do you make of the concept of the multiverse? Is it possible for a person, or say a band, to exist in multiple realms simultaneously? Thanks to the marvel of video streaming technology, this has become a regular part of our reality over the past 15 years. It’s...
Andy Frasco: Nothing to Be Afraid Of
“He’s going to destroy your venue.” “I hope you’re well insured.” “I heard he almost burned the place down last time.” “Do you have any idea what you’re in for?” These musings were expressed with a genuine level of concern as the days ticked down to Andy Frasco’s...
Crazy Horse on the Road Presents…
Wham! Bam! Thank You Jam…Base
It wasn't Pink Floyd, Dire Straits or The Talking Heads. No, for this crowd it was something even better. On Sunday, June 2 of 2019, The Slip reunited to play its second set of the last seven years. This was the only thing that could have been meaningful enough to cap...
Crazy Horse on the Road Presents…
Ghosts of the Forest: If You Want to Fly, Let Go
We've all lost someone special in our lives. In the midst of the pain and sadness, perhaps we made a pledge to ourselves to translate those emotions into fuel for positive change. That's what happened to me when my dog Jiboo died tragically almost ten years ago. "Live...
Pink Talking Fish: The Age of Miracles
You won't find it in your TV Guide, but there is an irresistible new show sweeping the nation: "Everybody Loves Cal." That's right ladies and gentlemen; we're talking about overnight star, Cal Kehoe. We're not sure how adept he is at comedy, but we can...
Chum: More than Halfway to the Moon
There are good reasons why very few Phish tribute bands exist on the scene. The challenge of playing such a wide array of intricate compositions is daunting enough. Winning over the notoriously critical fans is a whole other thing. Don't even bother...
Rocktober was SOULed Out at the Crazy Horse
October 2018 will go down as one of the most legendary months in Crazy Horse music history. The consistency of top-tier performances matched by large, enthusiastic crowds summed up everything that fuels our reputation as one of the hottest little venues in the...
Magic in the Other: Delighting in the Process
We have no qualms about proclaiming music as a form of escape here at the Crazy Horse. Life can be tough and often the best medicine is to immerse one's self in a live performance. The more engaging the music is, the more likely we are to leave all our worries behind...
The Loyal Scam: Vocals are Overrated
If you name your band after a Steely Dan song, you've already charted a course for greatness in my book. If you have Eric DiBerardino on bass, Jeremy Korpas on guitar and Corey Sheridan on drums, consider yourself signed, sealed and delivered. DiBar, as he is...
Bone Diggers: Angels in the Architecture
It's not every day that you see Jonny Mojo dancing amidst an audience. In fact, it's a sight most people have never witnessed. That's because he's always onstage, pushing the limits of his guitar and imagination. Before the ginger jam giant had his opportunity to be...
Pink Talking Fish: The Sacred Creed Will Be Yours
It's a Monday afternoon at 2pm and we're in the legendary Crazy Horse Saloon in Nevada City, CA. There are wide-eyed people drinking Bloody Marys, a pair of hipster parents holding infants and people scattered about with twinkles in their eyes. There's a band onstage...
The Higgs: From Here to the Moon
When The Higgs made their Crazy Horse debut last December, it was immediately evident that they are one of the most promising new talents in the jamband universe. It's one thing to have a high level of musicianship, but these guys have something no amount...
The Horse and the Wheel: The Magic is Real
Achilles Wheel had an extremely tough act to follow on Saturday, December 30 at the Crazy Horse Saloon: Themselves.
Yarn: This is the Year, This is the Moment
When you wake up with a band’s songs in your head for a week straight, it’s an undeniable sign they have left a powerful impression. In the case of Yarn, it might be something of a survival strategy.
We Are Already Powerfully Impressed
The first couple months of 2017 are in the books and March is already making a powerful impression at the Crazy Horse. Time flies when you’re having fun and we didn’t want all these shows to go by without a little bit of commentary.
Reed Mathis & Electric Beethoven: Awakening of Happiness
The Sunday night crowd milled around the room with anticipation seeping out of its pores. Or was that just the musk of the hill dwellers who hadn’t seen a shower in several days?
Eric McFadden Trio with Queen delphine: A Marathon of Musical Alchemy
It's not every day the dance floor at the Crazy Horse turns into a mosh pit. This phenomenon was no surprise. You could feel it coming. By the time the band was playing The Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog," the frenetic energy in the room was vibrating with reckless...
2016 at the Horse: Musical Highlights So Far
February 25 - Roosevelt Collier's California Get Down When this band played here back in November, many people declared it the best show they'd ever seen at the Crazy Horse. It's not a stretch to suggest that this one was even better. Without a second...
Blue Lotus: Across the Canyon and Beyond the Horizon
Basking in a steady stream of some of the country's finest music is a privilege. If you take it for granted, it could easily blend together into a palatable blur of complacency. Fortunately our philosophy here at the Crazy Horse is more akin to an adventurer forging...
Kyle Hollingsworth Band: Bam!
Three Thursdays in November; Three musical milestones for the Crazy Horse Saloon. The most recent of the bunch finds us searching for superlatives yet again. From the moment the show was announced two months ago, anticipation for the Kyle Hollingsworth Band blazed...
Yarn with Tim Carbone: Big City Americana Makes a Splash in Gold Country
You've gotta love it when a band no one has heard of comes to town for the first time and is greeted by a sold out venue. How might this happen you wonder? Well, it helps when you have a special guest from an acclaimed band on the bill. Railroad Earth is a household...
Roosevelt Collier’s California Get Down: Somehow the Crazy Horse is Still Standing
Everyone knows that autumn is the most happening time in Nevada City. The leaves change, rain finally starts to fall, the population surges exponentially and many of the best bands tend to be on tour. When the calendar flipped into November, the music...
Built to Spill: How Soon is Now?
"How the hell did you get these guys to play here?" Such was the frequently repeated inquiry posed at the front door on April 21 and 22 as fans streamed in to see Built to Spill. We've hosted a few bands which are accustomed to playing much larger venues, but none...
Jeremy Jones Band: (A Star is) Born on the Bayou
Mardi Gras Sunday in Nevada City is one of the most anticipated days of the year. Starting with a street fair, leading into a parade and culminating in free-for-all revelry, it's the embodiment of our town's celebratory spirit. This year's event was especially festive...
The Saints of Circumstance: A Tale of Two Sets
Some recipes are guaranteed for success long before the cooking begins. On Friday, February 13 members of three regional bands - Shining Star, Jerry Duty and Achilles Wheel - distilled their talents into a new group called The Saints of Circumstance. With a name like...
GrooveSession: Standing on the Verge of Getting it On
The Beatles at the Cavern Club, The Ramones at CBGB, Prince at First Ave....GrooveSession at the Crazy Horse Saloon. Who knows? It's not insane to imagine that we might look back on this pairing of band and venue as another one for the history books. Audacious as it...
Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons: Let it Blossom, Let it Grow…Let it Rock!
Anyone who contends that rock 'n roll is dead hasn't seen Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons recently. Their show on Saturday, November 8 was one of the most anticipated performances we've had at the Crazy Horse. Most people have never heard of Jerry Joseph, but those...
Achilles Wheel: Rising Up to Paradise
Less than a week after Shining Star helped us celebrate Jerry Garcia's birth, Achilles Wheel was back to honor the anniversary of his passing. Still fresh off their June CD release shows, it was a treat to see a totally different side of them. Taking a break from...
Shining Star: Opening the Garcia Portal
The love and reverence that so many of us feel for Jerry Garcia is hard to quantify. We embrace his legacy and all the music he left us. His work with the Grateful Dead earns the bulk of the attention, deservedly so. He spent a vast amount of his time playing a...