THANKS TO ALL WHO JOINED THE 2016 SUMMER IN THE CITY SERIES LAUNCH AND TURNED OUT FOR DYNAMIC SHOWS
IN 2017, 2018 & 2019 + Virtual Versions in 2020 + in 2021, 22, 23 & 24
Hot Fun in the Summertime and all year around
with Music and More in Five Points, Live!
Check out the videos, pictures, and band info from past shows, below...
Past Concerts: Scroll Down for Views and Reviews of Past Shows by Sémplice Baroque, Carla Sciaky, Frontier Ruckus, Hal Aqua and the Lost Tribe, Jill Sobule, Cameron Dye, Todd Prusin & Alex Commins, Beth Wood, Tsibele, Shear Shazar, The Flyin' A's, Scott Mulvahill & Alanna Boudreau, the return of Jill Sobule, Mollie O'Brien & Rich Moore, Alec Ounsworth, Rabbi Jack Schechtman Gabriel, the return of Carla Sciaky, a mini-concert by Edgar Papke, a benefit show with LIAT and Annie Aqua, a dynamic double bill with Letitia Van Sant and Jackson Emmer, a stunning performance by Peter Case, a vital solo show by Kayla Marque, a rare, duo set from Florea, an evening of story, poetry, and song with Claudia Schmidt, and Libbie Schrader to end our third season. Zoë and Annie Aqua & Friends kicked off 2019, followed by David Burchfield's Quartet, a packed house for The Hydes and Dave Curely, and a powerful community concert by Rebecca Folsom, a visit to The Land of Deborah, Ley Line at Goodman's Gazebo, The Flyin' A's return, an amazing evening with Scott McCaughey and Peter Buck, big fun for Doug's Big Birthday with Five Letter Word, a special Shofar Sounds show by LIAT and Annie Aqua, and a celebration of Maggie's birthday with the return of Mollie O'Brien & Rich Moore. 2020 presented new challenges and opportunities, and we presented our first-ever virtual concert with David Wax Museum for a great, stay-at-home crowd, followed by another remote show with Zoë and Annie Aqua, a third with the return of Jill Sobule, and #4: Austin's own Anthony Garcia. In the summer of 2021 we dipped a toe back in with an outdoor show by subdude Tommy Malone, plus two, limited-capacity indoor living room shows by Anya Hinkle and a dynamic evening with Liz Barnez opening for Maia Sharp. 2022 began with a private, pop-up concert by the inimitable Nellie McKay and our first show 'On the Road' in Carbondale, Colorado, by Jackson Emmer, then BLT rocked the house, and Megan Burtt joined by her producer John McVey pulled back the curtain on song craft with tunes new and old, and finally we celebrated Doug's birthday with the return of Anya Hinkle... To kick off 2023 we welcomed back Jill Sobule for a show in Boulder and two in the Denver home she grew up in (WOW!), and then The Pairs played a magical show to a full living room, then back to the Gazebo on Father's Day with The Flyin' A's and Strangebyrds, and the living room for a return show by Anya Hinkle featuring Billy Cardine and another by finger-style guitarist Hiroya Tsukamoto, then the return of The Pairs for our largest ever show on Doug's birthday at The Savoy Denver, and a mystical musical excursion with Gayan Gregory Long and friends, followed by Maggie's birthday celebration with Mollie O'Brien & Rich Moore ... and our 2023 concert season ended with Five Points Live! On the Road in Boulder and a show by Dan Bern and friends! We launched 2024 by presenting Ladino songwriter Nani Vazana at the home of Hal & Risa Aqua, and kicked off the living room year with two sold-out shows by One for the Foxes. The summer concert season commenced with a Gazebo show by worldgrass trio Tanasi, and we went on the road for a Boulder show by Rain Parade, then Zoë Aqua and Nani Vazana brought a Klezmer Meets Ladino show to The Lodge at Woods Boss in Central Denver, troubador Tim Easton played a Boulder show, and hometown hero Jill Sobule packed The Savoy to end 2024...We began 2025 back at the Savoy with a pop-up, global sounds show by Katlan + Zoe Aqua, then booked and managed a tour for Nani Vazana in Colorado and New Mexico...(Keep scrolling to see them all... as the list of performers grows, so does this page.)
2016 Video Recap ~ Photos by David Weinhacht, Roger Marks, Karen Marks, Anna Lee, Doug Gertner. Music: "Counterfeits" by Frontier Ruckus.
2017 Video Recap ~ Photos by David Weinhacht, Tim Yip, and Doug Gertner. Music: "Almost Great" by Jill Sobule
FIVE POINTS LIVE! came to life on Mother's Day 2016 with a brunch and house concert by Sémplice Baroque, a talented quartet consisting of Miriam Rosenblum, recorders, Carla Sciaky, baroque violin, Ben Cohen, lute and harpsichord, and Elinor Saragoussi, bass viol. A full house of family and fans, including many moms, were treated to delicious, handmade brunch foods, and a tasty program of baroque music, during this benefit concert to raise funds that helped Sémplice attend a baroque institute in Ohio the next summer. Thanks to all for a successful launch. Get more info on their music at www.SempliceBaroque.com
The good times and great music continued on a warm night in early June when local Denver balladeer Carla Sciaky made a rare solo appearance at Five Points Live! A packed house of over 40 fans were treated to “The Story to the Song,” as Carla connected the dots between her favorite songs and how she came to know and sing them. Get more info on her music at CarlaSciaky.com
Wednesday, July 13, 2016, was a truly special evening at Five Points Live! as we were delighted to host a family favorite, Michigan-based, indie recording artists Frontier Ruckus, taking a break from their national tour to play our living room. Their music is lyrically intensive and driven by guitar, banjo, trumpet, musical saw, keys, and harmonies. Learn more @ FrontierRuckus.com
On Sunday, July 17, 2016, the evening began with a nod to the Beatles' famous 1969 rooftop concert on the deck, as Hal Aqua and the Lost Tribe were joined by special guest Liat Arochas for a set of Fab Four tunes. The fun continued with a wild set of klezmer fusion party music. For more info and to book a klez fest of your own click here.
Jill Sobule returned to her hometown August 12th and delighted an audience of family, friends, and fans with her stories and songs both new and old. We sang along to "America Back" and "Margaret," and heard memories of a local battle of the bands and favorite spots and such, plus news of Jill's latest project, "My Song is My Weapon." For more about this wonderful artist, go to her website.
Cameron Dye brought his one-man tribute show, Last of the Hardcore Troubadours, from LA to Five Points Live! to round out our August offerings. It was a far-ranging celebration featuring music by Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Johnny Cash, Jeff Tweedy, John Fogerty, Gram Parsons, Buddy Holly, Jerry Garcia, Paul Simon, John Prine, Tom Petty, Steve Earle, Hank Williams, Bruce Springsteen and Eddie Vedder.
Todd Prusin & Alex Commins, Atlanta’s Stunning Guitar-Bass Duo, returned to Denver on September 11, fresh from their Swallow Hill show in January, and enriched by their recent workshops with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Jorma Kaukonen. The audience at FIVE POINTS LIVE! was treated to the interplay between Alex’s acoustic fingerpicking and Todd's melodic bass, on old-timey, country blues tunes and more. Click here for more about Todd & Alex.
On Sunday, September 18, 2016, Five Points Live! concluded our Summer in the City Series with Oregon-based singer-songwriter Beth Wood. A believer in the power of song, Beth’s exceptional musicianship, crafty songwriting, and commanding stage presence brought out longtime friends and fans and won over many new ones. Beth’s music is a soulful, organic, intelligent, barefoot, high-energy communication of joy, and you can learn more at www.bethwoodmusic.com
Who knew so many music lovers would come out for a concert on Christmas Day, 2016... but come they did! Tsibele (Yiddish for "onion”) is a new-traditional klezmer band based in Brooklyn, New York. Their music explores the limits of the klezmer idiom through improvisation and songs from the edges of klez. The band features Denver natives Zoë Aqua (violin), and Hannah Temple (accordion), along with Eleonore Weill (vocal/flute), and Eva Boodman (trumpet), and their intimate afternoon concert the day after an appearance at Denver's annual KlezFest, joined by special guest players, found a packed house marveling at this unique voice in the vibrant New York klezmer scene. Learn more about Tsibele here.
We are still pinching ourselves to wake up from the dream of having long-time favorites Jules Shear and Pal Shazar play our living room for our first show of 2017. Jules Shear wrote the Cyndi Lauper hit single "All Through the Night," The Bangles' hit "If She Knew What She Wants", and his first solo album was produced by Todd Rundgren. After more than 20 LPs, his most recent releases are as Shear Shazar, duets with his wife, Pal Shazar, who was a founding member of the 1980s new wave pop group Slow Children. Their music, tender and true, was presented in wonderfully crafted, insightful songs during a rare appearance at Five Points Live! in April, en route from their home in Woodstock, NY, to perform in Los Angeles.
The husband-and-wife duo of Hilary Claire and Stuart Adamson - better known as The Flyin’ A’s - had recently released their third independent album, You Drive Me Crazy, which made it onto the first round Grammy ballot. Based in the music mecca of Austin, TX, the A's perform a mix of original Americana, folk, and "Texified" jazz that’s been attracting fans in honky-tonks coast-to-coast and across the pond. At Five Points Live! on July 15, 2017, we heard for ourselves their considerable talents as both songwriters and vocalists, as The Flyin' A's delivered a spirited and soulful explosion of distinctively original music. A foot-stomping good time was had by all!
After five years as a full time member of Ricky Skaggs’s band Kentucky Thunder, Scott Mulvahill is stepping into the spotlight as a singer-songwriter. He’s shared the stage with some of the greatest artists of modern music - Alison Krauss, Barry Gibb of the BeeGees, Bruce Hornsby, Brad Paisley, Peter Frampton, Emmylou Harris, and many more, and his unique and wonderful talents are about to explode with the release of Scott Mulvahill's EP Top Of The Stairs. Alanna Boudreau’s latest release, Champion, reflects a woman richly gifted, both naturally and supernaturally, and she pushes beyond the pulse of things and into the very marrow of human experience. Five Points Live! welcomed these two up-and-coming artists to our intimate listening room for a memorable evening of music on September 9, 2017.
The Return of Jill Sobule to Five Points Live! on October 3, 2017, was a sweet, full-circle celebration of Jill's Denver roots and her storied career. Friends and family, fans new and old, were treated to favorites including "I Kissed A Girl" (and the story behind that groundbreaking tune), "America Back," and an encore of "All The Young Dudes." Plus we helped her write a song on the spot! Jill called this "The Breakup-Vagabond-Where-to-Move-Next House Concert Tour," and the poignancy of her real life events made for an intimate evening of music.
Our 2017 concert season wrapped up on November 18 with a spectacular show by Grammy winner Mollie O'Brien, and her husband, guitarist Rich Moore. For nearly 30 years, Mollie and Rich have quietly made it their mission to find, mine, and reinvent other artists' songs. They are geniuses at the craft of interpretation in the way that great singers, since the beginning of popular American music, have made the songs of their era their own. As songwriters, they add their own tunes to the canon of American roots music they inhabit and show us they’re completely at home with their musical selves. Mollie and Rich grace stages coast-to-coast, and we were delighted to have them here for a pre-holiday treat.
American indie rock musician Alec Ounsworth founded Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (often abbreviated CYHSY) in 2004, and the band has enjoyed worldwide acclaim ever since. Fresh back from full-band gigs in Spain, Ounsworth played solo at Five Points Live! on Thursday, February 8, 2018, in collaboration with Undertow Music Collective, and the show was over-the-top AWESOME! A housefull of fans enjoyed to a bunch of acoustic treatments of CYHSY faves plus covers of Tom Petty and Tom Waits, and impromptu Q&A and convo with Alec.
Jack Schechtman Gabriel, a self-described 'stealth Canadian,' is bringing it all back home in his return to Colorado, with nods to Bob Marley, Reb Shlomo Carlebach, Dion and the Belmonts, and E modal Ragas. He's recorded eight albums, spent a decade as musical Dean of the Obscure at the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., and has sung with memorable musicians like The Jerry Garcia Band, Ben Mink, Claudia Schmidt, Leon Redbone, Mark Sloniker, Bobby McFerrin, and Jerry Lieber and Michael Stoller. Rabbi Jack brought amore', duende, and the musicianship that's delighted audiences in Toronto, Kailua-Kona, Santa Rosa, Vail, Capetown, D.C., and Melrose Park, to Five Points Live! in Denver on February 11, 2018.
With true joy and delight, we welcomed back to Five Points Live! a friend and favorite singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Carla Sciaky, on Mother's Day, two years to the day after she helped launch our house concert series. A packed house enjoyed Carla's curated songs selected from years of recording and touring, made deeper by the stories she added for each tune. Themes of motherhood, struggle, history, and revelation made this return visit a truly special evening, and a packed house hung on every word.
We were honored to host a special event to feature and raise funds for the 40th Anniversary of KGNU Community Radio. On May 19, 2018, dozens of dinner parties were held along the Front Range; the celebrations, dubbed "DINING ON AIR," included a curated soundtrack broadcast from KGNU's Boulder Studios. As we dined, drank, and socialized, the tunes accompanied our merriment, and the evening ended with a very special mini-house-concert by longtime friend and favorite, Edgar Papke.
Five Points Live! regulars were joined by longtime fans of David Wax Museum for this rare, intimate performance by founders Suz Slezak & David Wax. For this special concert, the duo returned to their acoustic roots, playing tunes from throughout the band's 10-year-catalog, adding a unique, sensory-shifting song experience, plus sweet touches for our 24th wedding anniversary. Among the most energetic evenings we've offered, this show on July 3, 2018, stands out as a true celebration, capped off by rooftop viewing of holiday fireworks from nearby Coors Field.
VIDEO by RICK PHILLIPS
We were pleased to host a house concert in support of our spiritual community on Friday, July 13, 2018, when LIAT and Annie Aqua joined their considerable talents for this event in support of B'nai Havurah. A nice group who bid on this event at the recent fundraiser auction were treated to fine original tunes plus a cover and singalong of Melanie's "Brand New Key." Both artists are worthy of greater exposure. Photos by Rick Phillips
Emerging indie-folk and Americana artists, Letitia VanSant from Baltimore, MD, and Jackson Emmer from Carbondale, CO, offered a rare, intimate evening of music with purpose for our Five Points Live! audience, in a KGNU Presents concert, on August 8, 2018.
Videos by Jeff Lawhead
We're not using the term lightly in calling Peter Case a legend. As a member of the 70's vanguard L.A. power pop band The Nerves (Hanging on the Telephone), the founder and frontman of The Plimsouls (A Million Miles Away), and with 20 solo releases to his credit (plus a tribute album and three Grammy nominations), Peter Case carries the mantle of singer-songwriter from rock n' roll and blues, to folk-rock and solo acoustic performance, with time-honed chops and rare wisdom. It was a dream come true for us to present this longtime musical favorite at Five Points Live! on 8/26/18, and the SOLD OUT house was treated to an incredible show. Enjoy the many photos by David Weihnacht, Rick Phillips, Dylan Dawson, Kim Schweisberg, Scott Replogle, Arlo White, and Doug, plus Dylan's videos.
Fresh from a cover story and performance at the Westword Music Showcase, singer-songwriter, and Denver native Kayla Marque is poised for a big break. "Marque is a rising star in Denver and part of the local songwriting movement that draws inspiration from folk, soul, hip-hop, indie rock and R&B — though she dislikes being bound to any genre." Her beguiling voice and lyrics were on display for fans, family, and friends on September 21, 2018, as Kayla took a break from recording her next album, Brain Chemistry, to perform in this rare, living room setting. Those in the house will bear witness to this rising talent, who opened her heart at this KGNU Presents show with a journey through her beautiful, powerful catalogue of music.
Etched into the ebbs and tides of Florea's dark + delirious Americana rock is a traveler's wistful longing. They came as a duo to Five Points Live! on a warm, October evening (10/19/18), spinning tales from desert dreams to sinners in the swamp. Florea features Megan Fong on vox/guitar, and Eli Saragoussi on vox/bass, and we were lucky to get a rare, up-close appearance by this in-demand local favorite, fresh from a full-band performance at Ophelia's Electric Soapbox. Check out photo's by Eli's dad, Rick Phillips, plus a few shots by Dan Fong, father of Megan, and a renowned rock photographer.
To say that Claudia Schmidt is simply a performer with a talent to entertain would be a huge understatement. Claudia Schmidt delivered a quirky and wonderful evening of music, poetry, story, laughter, drama, and celebrating the moment with a message of compassion, hope, and a call to action during her KGNU Presents show here on October 26, 2018. Her songs and stories took us from a cold winter night on Beaver Island, Michigan, to recording in an art barn in Connecticut, and resisting on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. Claudia surprised us with songs from her brand new release, Concinnity, and added her mountain dulcimer talents to the guitar, acapella, and spoken word delights.
Our 2018 house concert season ended with a special visitor from the East Coast. Libbie Schrader is a recording artist and a scholar, an award-winning singer-songwriter with a passionate alt-pop/rock style, who fronted the group Think of England, opened for Jewel, and had a song on an episode of the Gilmore Girls. The title track of her fan-funded album, “Magdalene," led to Schrader doing research about Mary Magdalene in the Gospel of John, and to two master's degrees in theology. Now a doctoral candidate in Early Christianity at Duke University, Libbie was in Denver for an academic conference and dropped by Five Points Live! to share her music and perspectives on her fascinating research.
We called it a "pop-up" concert, a special show with special friends, to start the new year. On Saturday, January 5, 2019, our largest crowd ever packed the living room, kitchen, and dining room, and they were not disappointed. New York-based Klezmer master Zoë Aqua and Denver-based Annie Aqua, served up a delicious program of original works, and music from Eastern-European, Balkan, and Middle Eastern traditions on their violins, plus special guests Chris Aiello (from Brooklyn) and Mark Diamond (from Boulder) delivered a tasty, improvisational 'jazz dessert.' We hope they pop in again soon! (Photos by David Weihnacht + special guest on guitar and soundboard: Hal Aqua!)
When we saw Colorado's David Burchfield perform his raw, emotive Americana music at the recent One Epic Night event in support of Swallow Hill Music (one of our favorite venues), we knew he'd be a great fit for our intimate living room shows. David plays American folk music that’s not content to stay within traditional genre boundaries, rich with details that bring the listener right into the scene of his passion. We were delighted to launch our fourth season of house concerts on January 27, 2019, with David Burchfield as a quartet, playing stripped-down, straight-ahead versions of David's tunes as they're meant to be heard. With the fireplace glowing, this rising talent warmed a winter's night with a powerful candor, exploring tragedy found and narrowly escaped, and the sounds of joy by a man who knows how close the dark can creep to the light’s edge.
The Hydes are sister-brother duo Joanna and Iain Hyde, Denver natives now living in Dublin and D.C. respectively, who warmed a cold night as they wove creatively and decisively through an eclectic musical landscape of Americana, Irish, bluegrass, and beyond, joined by multi-instrumentalist, singer and dancer Dave Curley from Galway, Ireland. Our most international bill ever was also the largest turnout of fans, friends, and family, who came to celebrate the Hydes' homecoming on Monday, March 4, 2019, en route to their appearance at the Durango Celtic Festival. Thanks to David Weihnacht and Rodger Hara for photos.
“What a voice…” Rebecca Folsom’s music is about liberation. Her songs crack open hearts, inspire hope, and leave listeners with a deeper perspective. Rebecca’s world-class voice traverses a near-four-octave range. Her impressive vocal range and expressive songwriting were on full display, up-close, as our Five Point's Live! audience connected deeply with both song and songwriter on Saturday, March 30, 2019. Thanks to Rebecca for creating a special show, for inviting Leeann Roberts and Kim Crecelius to offer up beautiful harmony vocals, and with gratitude as well to Hal Aqua who left his soundman seat to sit-in on blues guitar.
The Land of Deborah is an award-winning singer-songwriter with a unique take on life, love and the pursuit of fair trade chocolate. Born and raised in England, Deborah is a world traveler who calls Vancouver home when she’s not hanging out in Denver. The Land of Deborah made her Five Points Live! debut on May 6, joined by Neil Zimmerman, for an evening of song and the first rooftop visit of 2019.
To launch a new concert location, we welcomed Ley Line, an all-female, multilingual folk and soul band from Austin, Texas, on June 16, 2019. Members Kate Robberson (ukulele, vocals, bells and whistles), twin sisters Madeleine Froncek (stand up bass and vocals), Lydia Froncek (percussion and vocals), and Emilie Basez (guitar, ukulele and vocals), bring four voices that coalesce, rooted in rhythm, and transcending language and genres to create a sound that seems to emerge from deep within the earth. They were the perfect band to inaugurate this new venue, Goodman’s Gazebo in Southeast Denver, which began with a potluck dinner, and an evening filled with world music in the great outdoors. Thanks to KGNU Presents for helping to promote the show.
When we first hosted The Flyin' A's in 2017, their infectious music-making turned our living room into a juke joint, and we were so delighted to welcome back this husband and wife duo who hails from Austin, Texas, performing Americana music with a Lone Star kick. The high energy pairing of Stuart Adamson's outstanding lead guitar work and gritty vocals, and Hilary Claire Adamson's powerhouse vocal gymnastics and lilting melodies, is known for their top notch songwriting, breathtaking harmonies, and exceptional live performances, and they lived up to that billing as a packed house was treated to a batch of original tunes (including previews from a forthcoming record) and with covers of Townes Van Zandt and Roger Miller. Coming off an interview on KGNU's Honky Tonk Heroes show, the A's were joined for a few songs by visiting troubadour George Kilby, Jr., to top off a special night of music in our living room.
Have you heard of Scott McCaughey? Maybe you've heard of his bands Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5, Filthy Friends, or perhaps you know The Baseball Project? Of course you've heard of R.E.M. with whom Scott toured and recorded from 1994 until the band's break-up in 2011. We were delighted to host this rare living room show by one of rock-n-roll's unsung heroes, and thrilled that Scott brought his friend and bandmate Peter Buck to join him for the set. A packed house of fans were witness to a tremendous display of song craft, camaraderie, and musical history as this dynamic duo treated us to an array of tunes including some from the new Minus 5 release, Stroke Manor. This show was on July 12, 2019, and booked via Undertow Shows.
Mix three singer-songwriters, several stringed instruments, and a variety of percussive techniques, and you get Five Letter Word. This Portland, OR-based trio of powerful women includes Leigh Jones (guitar, percussion), Clara Baker (fiddle, guitar, banjo) and Audra Nemir (bass), blending their signature harmonies into songs from folk to bluegrass to blues and beyond. Winners of the 2018 Northwest String Summit Band Competition, Five Letter Word joined us on August 5, 2019, to celebrate Doug's big birthday week with a stellar show and a few surprises. After all, 'sixty' is a five letter word...
HEA Shofar Sounds are monthly pop-up concert events to engage young Jewish Professionals (and their partners) through exciting, innovative, Jewish programming, in collaboration with the greater Denver and Boulder music community. On Saturday, September 28, the eve of Erev Rosh Hashanah, Five Points Live! played host to some local favorites as LIAT and Annie Aqua returned to play our living room. The evening began with Havdalah on the rooftop, led by Hal Aqua, and also included a service project and topical talk, and concluded when Hal joined in for a requested reprise of Liat’s powerful cover of Grace Slick’s Jefferson Airplane classic “White Rabbit,” first performed at 2019 Jews Do Jew event.
There was no better way to celebrate Maggie's birthday on October 11, 2019, than with local favorites Mollie O'Brien and Rich Moore, bringing their vast catalogue drawn from the canon of American Roots Music to a packed living room of friends and fans. And with special guests Carla Sciaky and Harry Tuft each taking a turn to sit in with Mollie and Rich, it was a birthday gift not soon forgotten by Maggie and everyone in attendance.
The COVID crisis cancelled our first two scheduled concerts of 2020 by Strangebyrds and One for the Foxes. We'd been watching a lot of streaming shows since stay-at-home was imposed, and the first and most consistent artist we enjoyed was David Wax Museum. Suz Slezak and David Wax played our living room on our wedding anniversary in July of 2018, and we were delighted to present them again as our first-ever virtual house concert, a very special show, from their living room to ours and yours, on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. Concerts in the time of virus are a brave new world, and it was a joy to venture there together with over 30 other computers logged in, easily more than 50 people joining in for the love of live music and virtual community, in the spirit of keeping the flame burning bright. Check out the pictures below and also a setlist; screen shot of David & Suz by Karen Marks.
I tried to capture the setlist in real time during the show, and here’s what I can up with: (One cool thing about it is that it's all songs I requested, plus an extra Dead tune because, well you know.)
I tried to capture the setlist in real time during the show, and here’s what I can up with: (One cool thing about it is that it's all songs I requested, plus an extra Dead tune because, well you know.)
- Big Sur (from Line of Light)
- Harder Before It Gets Easier (from Knock Knock Get Up)
- Uncover the Gold (from Line of Light)
- Equal in the Darkness (from Line of Light)
- Yes, Maria, Yes (from Everything Is Saved)
- If I Had the World to Give (Grateful Dead cover)
- "Te Recuerdo Amanda" by Victor Jara (A cover tune in Spanish)
- At Least I Tried (from Electric Artifacts)
- Every Time Katie (from Guesthouse)
- Cassidy (Grateful Dead cover)
- Guesthouse (from Guesthouse)
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Our second Virtual House Concert was on Sunday, May 10, at 12 noon. It was a special program that both commemorated moms on Mother's Day, and also renewed cross-border friendships and collaborations. Returning to Five Points Live! were Zoë Aqua and Annie Aqua, the Aqua Sisters Fiddle Kapelye (an ensemble of klezmer musicians). Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, USA, Zoë and Annie Aqua both started classical violin lessons at age 4, and continued studying classical music through college, eventually becoming experienced in folk genres. Their duo is inspired by old archival klezmer recordings, Yiddish songs, Transylvanian string band repertoire, and more. This Mother's Day celebration featured some genres that may've been a bit unfamiliar to American ears: folk music from Hungary and Transylvania, and the players invited friends they've met during travels to those regions to tune in along with all of us across the US. Over 75 computers Zoomed-in and were treated to some klezmer, Greek, and middle eastern music as well, along with some originals, during this celebration of live music, world music, moms, and the 5th anniversary of Five Points Live! Photos below along with the whole show video which is also here.
Player Bios:
Annie Aqua currently lives in Denver, CO, and works as a professional violinist, artist, and teacher. She can be seen regularly playing klezmer with the Lost Tribe, Greek/Balkan fusion with Hadgaba, Arabic music with Zuruna, and pop-classical with Spinphony.
Zoë Aqua makes her home in Brooklyn, New York, and works as a professional violinist, teacher, and composer. She is a founding member of the bands Tsibele and Farnakht. Zoë has taught at Klezkanada and Yiddish New York, and is currently teaching an online klezmer course through the Brooklyn Conservatory.
Player Bios:
Annie Aqua currently lives in Denver, CO, and works as a professional violinist, artist, and teacher. She can be seen regularly playing klezmer with the Lost Tribe, Greek/Balkan fusion with Hadgaba, Arabic music with Zuruna, and pop-classical with Spinphony.
Zoë Aqua makes her home in Brooklyn, New York, and works as a professional violinist, teacher, and composer. She is a founding member of the bands Tsibele and Farnakht. Zoë has taught at Klezkanada and Yiddish New York, and is currently teaching an online klezmer course through the Brooklyn Conservatory.
A highlight of our kick-off season in 2016 was a living room show by local hero Jill Sobule, and her return the next year continued the celebration with her fun, folk-inflected compositions that alternate between ironic, story-driven character studies, and emotive ballads that are always timely and engaging. We were making plans for Jill to be our first, three-time artist with a show in June, 2020, but you know what happened, so we were thrilled to present Jill Sobule again, this time for a virtual house concert via Zoom, on the evening of June 15. Over 45 screens Zoomed in for a fun show of all-time favorites and brand new tunes, plus selections from Jill's musical theater show called "Fuck 7th Grade." A few photos are below and you can watch a video of this show here.
Take a classically trained pianist and vocalist from Lubbock, Texas, put a guitar in his hands and move him to Austin (Music City!), Texas, where he develops a cinematic Americana style and writes a bunch of songs that pay homage to Townes Van Zandt and Leonard Cohen, mix in solos reaching back to the guitar hero tradition of Zeppelin and Hendrix, and you've got some idea of what happened at our fourth virtual house concert by Anthony Garcia. He was due to play our living room later in August, just after the release of his new album, Acres of Diamonds, and when we pressed pause on live shows, Anthony agreed to show up via Zoom to showcase these diverse talents for anyone seeking a Thursday evening musical treat, and a session of community listening and celebration, for the love of live music as available in the age of virus. Photos and video below:
Tommy Malone has had a musical love affair with fans for over 30 years. As the 'heart and center' front man of the legendary Colorado-based band the subdudes, he has carved his way as a gifted singer, player and songwriter with a distinctive musical voice. Tommy punctuates soulful, heart-felt vocals with playing that is at turns joyful, incendiary and melancholic. His ability to perform his own stories and turn them into vivid musical images sets him apart from other performers, and we were invited to join the story when Five Points Live! re-launched our concert series on Sunday, August 8, 2021, in a very special outdoor location, Goodman’s Gazebo in Southeast Denver. This KGNU Presents show was held under smokey skies and began with a delicious potluck dinner as hosts Mike and Emily served up burgers, hotdogs, and hospitality before Tommy took the stage to serenade with his originals, a Ray Charles cover tune, and a few subdudes gems, plus harmonies with the singing cicadas. It was a truly glorious evening and return to Five Points Live!
With vivid storytelling, vibrant musicianship and arresting honesty, Anya Hinkle explored the beauty of song craft through the lens of the Appalachian string band tradition for our return to the living room at Five Points Live! on August 20 & 21, 2021. Originally from the mountains of Virginia, Anya’s music is steeped in the tones of folk and bluegrass and seasoned by travels across the world. A founding member of Asheville-based bands Dehlia Low and Tellico, Anya played tunes from her recently released first solo album "Eden and Her Borderlands" (Organic Records), along with her song that won the MerleFest Chris Austin Songwriting Competition in 2019, “Ballad of Zona Abston.” Joined by her cousin, Troy Robey of Boulder-based band Taarka on bass, 40 lucky (and vaccinated) music lovers were treated to super-special shows in a safer, limited-capacity setting with all of the intimacy that makes Five Points Live! the place to enjoy house concerts for the love of live music. Photos below by Dean DeFreitas, Jeff Kirsch, Tina Axelrad, and Doug Gertner
Maia Sharp’s latest release, Mercy Rising, is her boldest, most confessional offering to date. After living in the Los Angeles metro area for most of her life, Maia moved to Nashville at the beginning of 2019, partly to be in an unapologetically songwriter centric town and partly as a personal life reboot. Her songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, The Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Keb’ Mo’, Cher, Edwin McCain, David Wilcox, Art Garfunkel, Paul Carrack, Lisa Loeb and more, and Maia has continued to record her own albums, eight solo releases in all. Five Points Live! was thrilled to welcome Maia Sharp with special guest Liz Barnez for an evening of song-craft and community on Wednesday, October 13. Vaccinations were required for all and masks worn at the show.
Nellie McKay has released seven stellar albums, starred on and off Broadway, written a trio of acclaimed musical biographies, been heard on Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Weeds, Grey’s Anatomy, NCIS, and Nurse Jackie, has appeared on TV shows including The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, Ferguson, and The View, and is recipient of PETA’s Humanitarian Award and the Humane Society’s Doris Day Music Award in recognition of her dedication to animal rights. Nellie appeared with piano and uke in our living room on May 9 to kick off the 2022 season with an evening of music and merriment that was unique and unparalleled. This rare, solo show by a true multi-talent featured originals and choice covers by Frank Zappa, The Beatles, and The Cyrkle.
Five Points Live! went On the Road to Carbondale, Colorado, to present local fave Jackson Emmer on June 9 at the home of our friends Joan and Abbott Wallis. Jackson is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer whose songs are often compared to that of John Prine and Guy Clark, and he treated the large, friendly audience to a delightful collection of original tunes including several co-written with folk music legend Tom Paxton. Jackson's wife and baby daughter also joined the gathering to make for a sweet, family affair, and we hope to return to the Casa Wallis for another show soon!
Liz Barnez started her musical career in the clubs on Bourbon Street in her hometown of New Orleans, and she was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2019 as a member of the Mother Folkers. Texas-born, Colorado-based duo Bonnie and Taylor Sims are well known for their work in the bands Spring Creek, Bonnie & the Clydes, Big Richard, and Everybody Loves an Outlaw. Their song "I See Red" currently has over 150 million streams on Spotify alone. Together the powerhouse trio known as BLT offered a dynamic evening of music in a rare, living room performance, on 6/24/22, including their originals and tunes my CSN and The Beatles.
Megan Burtt is a performing songwriter who has played at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater, been featured with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, toured Europe, across the US, supported many well-known artists, and won the nation’s most prestigious songwriting contests. At Five Points Live! this hometown favorite was joined by guitarist/ producer John McVey for a very special evening that included songs currently in production for Megan's new albums plus songs from her back catalogue, enhanced by the personal stories of their origins. This intimate show, in advance of Megan's appearances at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, and the Charles Sawtelle Memorial Mountain Jam, was well attended, very appreciated, and featured an impromptu rendition of two Happy Birthday songs in honor of an attendee.
What a special night on August 9, 2022, as Anya Hinkle returned to our living room, accompanied by her cousin Troy Robey on bass, to celebrate Doug's birthday in a KGNU Presents show with liquid refreshment compliments of Ratio Beerworks. Anya premiered some new tunes that are in consideration for her next album, and delighted the audience with her stories and songs both serious and light-hearted. This was the first date of their Colorado tour and the duo picked right up where they left off last year and left everyone wanting more. See the slide show below for great memories (thanks to David Weihnacht for the photos plus one by Ashley Albright) and look for the return of Anya Hinkle in 2023.
Jill Sobule grew up in Denver's Hilltop neighborhood and played our living room in 2016 and 2017 plus a virtual set in 2020. Jill recently mounted a successful run of her autobiographical musical, “F*ck7thGrade,” in New York, and when it closed in early 2023 she headed back to Denver to play the house she grew up in! Our friends Laura Michaels and Jeff Olson opened their home, which also happens to be Jill Sobule's childhood home, and two nights sold out instantly. These very special evenings of music and stories on Friday & Saturday, February 24 & 25 found a mix of Jill's middle school classmates and rabid local fans, plus special guests who had also lived in the house before and after the Sobule family. Jill delivered inspired shows each night, highlighted by monologues, commentary, and tunes from the New York musical, along with stirring up memories of local eateries, attractions, old teachers and forgotten friends. WOW, what a night, both nights!
The Pairs, a quirky, queer, women-led, three-part harmony indie folk group from London, Ontario, Canada, known for “their infectious energy, joy, and talent,” graced our living room stage on March 18, 2023, in a show that delighted the packed house. Family is what ties The Pairs together, and their soaring harmonies and stories of life’s hope, hilarity, and hardship, along with an honest, unique stage presence and their unbottled chemistry quickly connected them with the audience. Powered by three classically trained vocalists, The Pairs special blend of music that hugs the eardrums, engages the heart, and inspires feet to dance, made for a memorable evening to kick off our season at Five Points Live!
Video by David Weihnacht
On June 18, 2023 it was back to the backyard of Mike Goodman and Emily Roet for a KGNU Presents show by Austin-based duo The Flyin' A's in a return to town to co-bill with their friends, Colorado's Strangebyrds. Americana with a Texas Kick and Blue-Collar Folk under a gazebo beneath the stars in a spacious yard along a wild greenway in Southeast Denver with a potluck dinner and free beer on Father's Day... it doesn't get much better than that. (Photos by Hilary Claire Adams, Cari Minor, Vicki Phillips, and Doug Gertner.)
Asheville, NC-based songwriter Anya Hinkle made her fourth appearance at Five Points Live! on Sunday, June 25, 2023. After playing songs from her first full-length album, “Eden And Her Borderlands,” in our living room in 2021, and an encore show here the next year, Anya shared tunes from her newest album, OCEANIA, to be released in 2024. We were thrilled to welcome back Anya Hinkle along with innovative slide guitarist Billy Cardine, to play those new tunes and our other favorites, in a KGNU Presents show that truly rocked the house.
iPhone photos and videos by Doug Gertner
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Hiroya Tsukamoto is a one-of-a-kind guitarist and composer. Born in Kyoto, Japan, he attended Berklee College of Music and has been performing internationally for over 20 years. Hiroya has released 6 albums and placed 2nd in the International Finger Style Guitar Championship just weeks before delivering his outstanding performance on July 15 in a KGNU Presents show.
In March of 2023, when The Pairs were on tour from their home in London, Ontario, Canada, we hosted their first-ever Denver show which filled to capacity (see above), and we arranged for The Pairs to play a second time at a local venue. As their star continues to rise, The Pairs were en route to perform on the main stage at this year’s Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, when they stopped by to play a very special concert on Doug’s birthday at a wonderful, historic venue, The Savoy Denver in Curtis Park. Their soaring harmonies, and stories of life’s hope, hilarity, and hardship were enjoyed by nearly 100 in attendance, and proved to be the perfect way celebrate music, community, and #64 on August 9, 2023.
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LEFT: Full concert audio from soundboard mix by George Figgs + photos from show ------------ RIGHT: Soundcheck video by Doug's iPhone
Gayan Gregory Long is an internationally performing drummer, composer, story teller, and musician. His live shows feature rhythms, songs, and stories from around the world. In every role, Gayan dedicates his life to awakening human potential through music and community celebration, on Thursday, August 31, 2023, Gayan was joined by Marcy Baruch (vocals) Yoshi Aono (guitar), Bill Giebler (keyboard), Eddy Lieberman (bass), and Dexter Payne (wind instrument magic) for an evening of to delight, inspiration, and moments of precious participation.
Mollie O'Brien and her husband, guitarist Rich Moore, returned for their third appearance at Five Points Live! on Saturday, October 14, to help us celebrate Maggie's big birthday (which was actually October 11), and we had a full house for great music and a joyous occasion, plus gluten-free blondies, and a new liquid sponsor, Block Distilling Co, joined Ratio Beerworks to add to the festivities. See photos of this show below.
Dan Bern has released 30 albums and EPs, and played thousands of shows across North America and Europe. He is a captivating live performer with a loyal, multi-generational following. Bern’s songs have appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including original songs for the films Walk Hard — The Dewey Cox Story, Get Him to the Greek, and many other uses big and small. This rare house concert at the Bouldet home of Andy & Jodi Zicklin found us up close to a masterful troubadour, as Dan Bern was joined by Orit Shimoni, Eben Grace, and Colin Mahoney for a memorable evening of music and merriment on Saturday, October 21, 2023, to conclude the Five Points Live! House Concert season.
Dan Bern (& Friends), Black Tornado @ Five Points Live! House Concert, October 21, 2023, in Boulder, by LJ Hammer
Nani Vazana is one of the few artists in the world who write and compose new songs in the endangered Ladino language (Judeo-Español). On her album ‘Ke Haber’ (What’s New) she captures the spirit of the ancient, matriarchal language and culture and propels it into the 21st century with socially relevant lyrics, celebrating migration, gender and female empowerment. Born in Be'er Sheva, Israel, and now based in Amsterdam, Nani's program of vocal, piano, and trombone tunes, performed in her first-ever Denver house concert on March 2, 2024, kicked off our new season at the home of Hal & Risa Aqua and delighted a packed house. The show included a jam with members of the host family.
One for the Foxes features Ireland’s Tadhg Ó Meachair on piano and accordion, and Dave Curley offering vocals and playing guitar, alongside Denver native Joanna Hyde who handles vocals and fiddle. Each brought their varied backgrounds in Irish and American folk musics to the Five Points Live! living room and delighted two sold out audiences on March 26 & 27, 2024.
Anya Hinkle has graced our stages several times in recent years, and we were thrilled to have her back this summer on June 30 along with TANASI, an award-winning worldgrass trio of celebrated Asheville, NC-area roots artists, to play at Goodman's Gazebo. Their sound features tight sister harmonies as Anya is joined by Mary Lucey (Biscuit Burners, Uncle Earl) plus the inimitable dobro musings of Billy Cardine, and they were joined for a few tunes by Nabanita (Bonnie) Sarkar from Kolkata, India, on her first-ever visit to the US. All of this combined for a compelling musical experience for our largest-ever audience in the expansive backyard of hosts Emily Roet and Michael Goodman. Sam Armstrong-Zickefoose with Joe D'Esposito opened the show with banjo and fiddle magic and joined on a closing tune from Hawaii, a fitting end to this festive extravaganza.
Paisley Underground legends Rain Parade played a rare Colorado house concert in Boulder on Saturday, September 7, at the home of Andy and Jodi Zicklin. Hot on the heels of their successful European tour and the re-mastered release of their classic album, Emergency Third Rail Power Trip, Matt Piucci and Steven Roback were joined by drummer Stefan Junca, and Bob Kite sat in making it even better. Thanks to 105.5 The Colorado Sound for presenting the show.
ZOË AQUA WAS JOINED BY NANI VAZANA for a Klezmer Meets Ladino show at The Lodge at Woods Boss in Central Denver on September 18 -- Zoë Aqua is a violinist, composer and educator born and raised in Denver. She was awarded a Fulbright research grant to study Transylvanian folk music pedagogy in Cluj, Romania for the 2021-2023 academic years and released a full-length album of original compositions recorded with Eastern European musicians entitled “In Vald Arayn” (Into the Forest) in 2022. Zoë is a co-founder of klezmer bands Tsibele and Farnakht and served as the full-time understudy for the Klezmatics’ Lisa Gutkin in the Broadway production of “Indecent.” Nani Vazana is one of the few artists in the world who write and compose new songs in the endangered Ladino language (Judeo-Español). On her new album "Ke Haber" (What’s New) she captures the spirit of the ancient, matriarchal language and culture and propels it into the 21st century with socially relevant lyrics, celebrating migration, gender and female empowerment. Born in Be'er Sheva, Israel, and now based in Amsterdam, Nani's program of vocal, piano, and trombone tunes is a unique experience. 75 family, friends, and fans turned out for this concert at The Lodge at Woods Boss, a local brew pub event space. All photos in the slide show and video by David Weihnacht; graphic design by Hal Aqua.
Design by Doug Gertner
On Friday, December 13, 2024, Five Points Live! + KGNU & 105.5 The Colorado Sound Presented AN EVENING WITH JILL SOBULE at The Savoy Denver -- Jill Sobule grew up in Denver's Hilltop neighborhood and in November she remounted her autobiographical musical, “F*ck7thGrade” in New York (based on her experiences at DPS Hill Middle School). When the show closed, Jill headed back to Denver for a very special hometown concert at The Savoy in Curtis Park. We filled the room with family, friends, and fans to celebrate the return of this hometown hero and 100 attendees enjoyed a night of tunes we love, stories and songs from her recent New York theatrical run, and a few surprises including songs with Lannie Garrett, Jerry Kazzaz and superfan Eryn. Photos by David Weihnacht, enjoy...
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PRO TIP: Click on the V in the lower right corner to view a full-screen Vimeo
KATLAN + ZOË AQUA MELDED ROMANIAN FOLK WITH AMERICANA FOR A TRANSYLVANIAN EXTRAVAGANZA IN DENVER ON 1/28 - Hailing from the Transylvania region of Romania, Katlan brought their unique sound of traditional Transylvanian music synthesized with American bluegrass and country vibes, to the Savoy in Denver on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Led by Attila Dezső (violin) and Budapest-native Lőrinc Mohácsy (bass), both virtuosic players with infectious energy who studied at Morehead State University in Kentucky on a Romanian cultural exchange, they are equally at home playing Transylvanian folk or Nashville blues. Katlan's lineup includes multiple fiddles, bass, and brácsa, a viola not often seen outside of Hungary and Transylvania. Joined on stage by Denver's own Zoë Aqua, a Fulbright scholar in Romania and accomplished klezmer violinist, for a program of music that featured the rhythmic propulsion and harmonic individuality of traditional Transylvanian infused with Americana, country, and bluegrass sounds, inspired a standing ovation from the sold out crowd.
NANI VAZANA US TOUR STOPS IN COLORADO & NEW MEXICO COMBINE JAZZ AND LADINO SHOWS TO GREAT ACCLAIM
Born in Be'er Sheva, Israel, now based in Amsterdam, Nani Vazana is one of the few artists in the world who write and compose new songs in the endangered Ladino language (Judeo-Español). Combining powerful vocals, adept piano and trombone, Nani also plays and sings jazz. Her recent US tour in March, 2025, stopped in Colorado and Mew Mexico, supported by Five Points Live!, and included her Nani Sings Nina Simone program at Dazzle Jazz in Denver, plus Muse Performance Space in Lafayette, along with stops in Santa Fe and Arroyo Seco, NM. For the Simone shows, Nani was joined on stage by Ben Cohen on piano and bass, and Jaik Hakkarinen on drums (with special guest Jillian Olivar-Hakkarinen on sax). In Santa Fe, Nani played a classy venue called Unit B with a nice menu and cocktail program. Her accompanists were Joaquin Gallegos, guitar, and Jesse Parker on drums, and the venue celebrated the festival of Purim by sharing hamantaschen with the house.