Made it out to see local singer-songwriter Brent Coles open for Kentucky gentleman Ben Solee at The Armory in Fort Collins a couple of nights ago. First time I saw Brent play was with the now-defunct You, Me and Apollo at an Illegal Pete's showcase at the Summit Music Hall in Denver. They played the side stage about halfway through the night. Despite my ex trying everything she could to monopolize my attentions, I managed to catch at least most of their set. The two things that impressed me the most about YM&A were 1) Their instrumentation, and 2) Their soulfulness. They had 3 guitar players on stage and, despite the precedent set by groups like Collective Soul, they actually managed to make use of all of them in a very productive way. Their arrangements were obviously well orchestrated. Everyone knew their part and they performed it flawlessly.
The other thing that floored me was their soulfulness. Brent was the frontman, and his lyrics combined with his vocal prowess were absolutely moving. Even though they've since broken up, you can still listen to them on Spotify, and I would encourage you to do so.
So the other night, he opened for Ben Solee, a nationally-renowned touring singer-songwriter whose instrument of choice just so happens to be the cello. In the back story he gave about growing up in Kentucky, it's easy to see where his musical roots lie: all over the place. With an R&B playing father, a singer for a mother, a grandfather who plays bluegrass fiddle, and the mandatory classical instruction of the education system, his tone is sort of inevitable. It's the best combination of all of the above elements.
I'm kind of pressed for time, so I'll just end with some pictures I took.
In addition, I have to say that The Armory appears to be a very nice event space. I was a little taken aback when we showed up and the attendants were dressed as well as they were. It's definitely an event space/concert hall and not your average bar venue, but the acoustics, equipment, and appointments were all top-notch. Not the place you go to get drunk and see some band you don't care about while chatting with your friends. Someplace you go to see someone you want to listen to while maybe having a beer or two. I hope to see more shows there, though I'm not sure how many bands to my taste are likely to pass through that venue.
