Steamboat Announces 2018 Rock The Boat Free Concert Series Lineup
Ten bands will bring their sound to the Steamboat Stage this spring for the Rock the Boat free concert series, including Waterloo Revival kicking off the series in January and Robert Randolph and the Family Band performing on closing day. In between, fans will enjoy a range of musical styles from an ’80s cover band to folk to roots rock.
“We are incredibly excited for this year’s lineup of free concerts,” said Katie Brown, vice president of sales and marketing for Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp. “The unique variety of bands, musical styles and performances are sure to get all our guests on their feet dancing.”
The Bear River Bar & Grill terrace provides the ultimate viewing location for all the free Rock the Boat concerts. For more information, check out Steamboat.com/concerts. The following outlines the full schedule of concerts as part of the Rock the Boat free concert series:
Jan. 15: Waterloo Revival
Waterloo Revival bandmates Cody Cooper and George Birge met in middle school and began writing songs together. The duo continued playing together through high school but parted ways to pursue higher education. While playing together during visits back home, their musical chemistry was undeniable, and the pair decided to focus all their energy into music in 2012. Choosing the name WATERLOO as homage to the original name of their hometown Austin, the band recorded its first five-song EP in 2013. In 2016, Waterloo Revival teamed up with Toby Keith for his world tour and signed his record label, Show Dog Nashville.
Feb. 10: Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution
Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution recently won the Independent Music Awards “Best Live Performance” category. BroJo is an international musical collective having performed with more than 200 members from around the globe. The main visionaries of this 10-piece band — Brother Joscephus and the Right Reverend Dean Dawg — create a musical gumbo rich with old-school soul, roots, classic rock styling, New Orleans rhythms and feel-good “secular gospel” music. When you combine the music and the message of acceptance and loving one another with one-of-a-kind, high-energy stage spectacle, you got yourself one hell of a revolution on your hands
March 3: Donavon Frankenreiter
Donavon Frankenreiter’s new album, “The Heart,” officially marks the start of the singer-songwriter’s second decade as a solo recording artist. It’s been over 10 years since the release of his self-titled debut, and in that time, he has grown and learned what makes him tick. And so, naturally, he named his album after his ticker. “All these songs are as close to me singing from the heart as I can,” Frankenreiter said. The southern California native was a protégé of fellow surf rock musician Jack Johnson prior to embarking on his solo career. Among his albums are “Move by Yourself” (2006 and “Glow” (2010).
March 10: Ripe
Ripe is seven musical soulmates who refuse to believe in a single definition of dance music. They are an unstoppable groove, an extended moment of ecstatic release, the catalyst for taking “just another night” and elevating it into something else entirely. Ripe is the swagger of fun filtered through a rock anthem, a musical journey that somehow gets stuck in your head as your favorite pop banger. They are the anchors of a rapidly growing community, a series of new friends becoming good friends becoming part of the extended family as their sound spreads and their world deepens. They are here to look at joy with the same depth as most people look at sadness, to find a happiness that is heavier and more meaningful than simply a distraction from the negative. Born all over, formed in Boston, Ripe is ready to bring the whole world to its feet.
March 17: Turkuaz
Turkuaz is a nine-piece “powerfunk” outfit from Brooklyn, N.Y., whose modern take on the classic funk sound has established the group as a leader in the funk revolution. Blending elements of pop, R&B and soul with their distinct aggressive funk core, Turkuaz sounds like the musical love child of Sly & the Family Stone and Talking Heads. With the release of their album “Digitonium,” Turkuaz’s sound is more accessible than ever. The group’s coast-to-coast touring since 2012 has earned it a passionate and dedicated national fan base that’s constantly growing. A dance band at its roots, Turkuaz’s live shows are high-energy, floor-shaking, visually appealing events filled with colorful clothing and choreographed dance moves that always leave attendees wanting more.
March 24: The Suffers
The Suffers are Houston’s award-winning eight-piece ensemble that have redefined the sound of Gulf Coast soul. Established in 2011, The Suffers’ lineup was curated by bassist Adam Castaneda and vocalist/keyboardist Pat Kelly, who brought on trumpet player Jon Durbin, trombonist Michael Razo, guitarist Kevin Bernier, percussionist Jose “Chapy” Luna and drummer/vocalist Nick Zamora, with frontwoman Kam Franklin topping off the group. The past two years have brought the band to new heights playing 300+ shows across the world and live TV performances on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Jimmy Kimmel Live. The band is putting the final touches on a full-length release in 2018.
March 31: The Goonies
Based in Boulder, this four-piece rock band will rip your shirts off with its shredding guitar solos and unravel your sense of space and time. Founded in 1985, after escaping a kidnapping by a large sasquatch, the young rock stars decided to travel through time and come light up the 21st century. While you may wake up with crimped hair, a sore neck and no recollection of the last 12 hours, The Goonies never EVER say hangover. The Goonies have performed in Steamboat numerous times, with ties to the mountain town and always bring a big, ’80s themed crowd.
April 7: The Commonheart
With gritty vocals over rock riffs and horns, The Commonheart delivers an emotion-packed, soulful sound that lights up any stage. Frontman Clinton Clegg is a powerhouse who commands full attention with his limitless onstage energy and vocal range. The new album “Grown” is a remarkable display of each member’s talent interlacing heavy blues, soul and gospel influence across trumpet, saxophone, keys, guitar and singers. The Commonheart’s sound is a true testament to the past while completely holding its own as one of today’s most promising acts.
April 14: The Last Bandoleros
The Last Bandoleros are a four-piece outfit blending Tex-Mex, country and rock ‘n’ roll. Recognized for their high level of musicianship, Sting called upon them to sing backing vocals on his “I Can’t Stop Thinking About You” single, which soared to the heights of radio charts around the world. Rolling Stone wrote The Last Bandoleros’ “music caroms wildly from rock and country to conjunto and pop, adding up to a sound that’s hard to get out of your head.” And People Magazine dubbed the band “ones to watch.” The Last Bandoleros combine their unique cultural experiences with rare musical camaraderie and, as audiences will continue to discover, their exuberance and joy are contagious.
April 15: Robert Randolph and the Family Band
The renowned pedal steel guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Robert Randolph led such a cloistered childhood and adolescence that he heard no secular music while growing up. If it wasn’t being played inside of the House of God Church in Orange, N. J. — quite often by Robert and members of his own family who upheld a long but little known gospel music tradition called sacred steel — Randolph didn’t know it existed. It wasn’t until he was out of his teens that Randolph broke away and discovered rock, funk, soul, jazz and the jam band scene, soon forging his own sound by fusing elements of those genres. Robert Randolph and the Family Band has produced four studio albums and a live set since 2002, and Randolph was named one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time by Rolling Stone. Randolph is an inspiration to the likes of Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana and Derek Trucks, all of whom have played with him and studied his technique.
