SCI Memories: Boulder

Hey Hey, so I am closing out this run at Boulder Theater tonight, and I wanted to dig in a bit and reflect on some of my early SCI memories from this great venue. I think it was here, where I first played music with String Cheese. I remember seeing them at the Fox earlier that year and being impressed. In fact, I was blown away by the “kid” on acoustic guitar. Not only by his playing, but also by the tone of his instrument. I had never heard an acoustic guitar sound so present and “real.” So later that year, when my band Durt was asked to open for them at the Boulder Theater, we all loved the idea.

I had been jamming with Kang and other local musicians (including Dave Watts) for a while, so we were familiar with each other’s playing. Durt was mainly a rock outfit and I was probably only carrying my Roland D-50 keyboard at that time. The sounds in this board were, to say the least, very ‘80s. So when the SCI boys asked me to sit in that night, I was super pumped, but a bit hesitant as to how my sounds would fit their vibe. I have no idea what I played. Probably “Bigger Isn’t Better “ and “Jellyfish.” Those were the first ones I learned.  And I’m not sure how it came across, but I must have passed the audition because they asked me to hop on tour for a few more shows.

Since then, we have played almost every venue in the area from the Fox to Fillmore, but the Boulder Theater is one of the classic venues. And haunted or not, we always had a fun time playing here. This town has a great history of supporting live music and it seems to be a vortex for musical creativity. So many bands have gone on from here to become nationally known. There must be something in the water. And as for String Cheese, it was always nice to come back to Boulder after a long tour. It’s nice to come home.

Boulder has been my home now since 1993 and I have loved every year. It seems this area has been a hot bed for great music over the decades. String cheese is just one of the many bands that has been born from the creative forces in this area.

West Coast Memories: San Diego

Heading to San Diego tonight. KHB is playing the Belly Up. SCI performed there the year that I joined (1997). Man, that was a whirlwind year. I just looked back at all the dates and there seemed to be no downtime at all. We were serious road dogs back then. We had just come from a long run starting in Gainseville, FL, through New Orleans, Houston, Santa Fe and Flagstaff. So I have scattered memories of that gig, but I do remember walking randomly on the railroad tracks looking for a laundromat (I probably never found one). Also, that night, I met a keyboard player that I had admired from my Baltimore days. He played with a band called New Potato Caboose. They were a great group that fell into the early “jam band” genre. The keyboard player would do this killer percussion jam on his Hammond B3 with the drummers - very inspiring.

SCI has come back many times since then though. I recall a great show at the RIMAC Arena in 2002. I’ve heard that the “San Jose” from that show was pretty slamming. We also played with RatDog in 2006 at the park. That whole run with them was so much fun. I had a blast talking and jamming with all the guys. Plus I got to dance my ass off watching their set every night. I am psyched to in SoCal. again and looking forward to another great night of music.

HOP ON TOUR: Final Count Down

So we're heading into the last three shows in Chicago. What ? How did that happen so fast? There have been some pretty slamming moments (also some scary ones) in the last couple of weeks. But overall it's been feeling really good. It's been wild being back in this world again. Though every day does start to feel the same. Wake up on the bus in a new town, go to sound check, then start rehearsals and begin “the great set list debate.” Off to catering for a quick bite and then we jump on stage for the show. And it ends with late night mayhem on the bus. Kind of fun actually. I’m going to miss it.

Meeting great fans and breweries across the country as part of the Hop On Tour experience has been a new treat as well. We've shared a lot of great craft brews, and some awesome meet & greets. It all comes together at my sold-out Kyle's Brew Fest CHICAGO as the Hop On Tour finale, again supporting food banks and impoverished communities through Conscious Alliance.

We are psyched to be out again and are ready to rage these last few nights!

I have included some photos and a video from the last week on the road. Enjoy.

See ya soon. I heart Ambien.

Kyle

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xap6AtKXZoQ&w=560&h=315]

HOP ON TOUR: Homeward Bound

Greetings from the road - Day 6: What the hell. This is great!! So much fun. The band is feeling solid and we are really connecting on so many levels. This is what music is about. Also, it's been super exciting to walk out onto stage and feel the appreciation from the fans every night. It’s good to see that the fans are as pumped as we are to be back at it. Musically it has been a blast. We have been able to play through much of our wide repertoire. That’s the advantage of doing this many shows in a row. It permits us to dust-off some of the older stuff and breathe new life into them.

So we are heading to Baltimore on a long haul drive about 13 hours. And as I stare out the bus window and see my hometown come into view, it's hard not to reminisce. I left here 18 years ago to become a forest ranger in Colorado. And although the ranger part didn’t pan out, it still turned out to be a good choice. It is amazing how some decisions can turn your life in a whole new direction.

But it is great to see my family again (all 7 of them) and get a chance to feel that sibling connection. But it does make for one hell of a guest list when I come back home.

I have gathered some photos and videos thus far. Check them out. See ya soon.

Kyle

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA05L-xNNIo&w=560&h=315]

HOP ON TOUR: Brewing for Hop On Tour Kick-Off

Hop On Tour is an interactive fan experience. Throughout The String Cheese Incident’s Roots Run Deep tour and Kyle’s kick-off shows in Colorado, Kyle will connect with fans via his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/kylehollingsworthmusic) and blog (www.kylehollingsworth.wordpress.com) to provide a behind the scenes look into life on the road as well as the craft beers and brewing that come into picture along the way. To top it off, fans will have the opportunity to win an invite to exclusive meet & greets and tastings with Kyle and others through various contests at select SCI shows. Stay tuned to Kyle’s Facebook page for regular Hop On Tour updates...

BREW DAYS! After a night of raging to the motet on Halloween, I woke up at 6:30am, hungover, and drove to Odell's, in Fort Collins, to brew some beer for the Hop On Tour kick-off in November. Some good stuff going on here!

Hop On Tour Kick-Off Kyle Hollingsworth Band feat. Michael Kang with Roster McCabe 11/18 Hodi's Halfnote | Fort Collins, CO 11/19 Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO

Both shows will feature these two one-time-only craft brews - a vanilla porter from Odell Brewing & Kyle and Solstice Spice from Dry Dock Brewing & Kyle. Cervantes' will also feature Hoopla Pale Ale from Boulder Beer & Kyle. In addition, all Kyle drafts (Odell, Dry Dock) will be FREE in Denver until 9pm.

Hop On Tour

Hop On Tour is an interactive fan experience. Throughout The String Cheese Incident’s Roots Run Deep tour and Kyle's kick-off shows in Colorado, Kyle will connect with fans via his Facebook page (www.facebook.com/kylehollingsworthmusic) and blog (www.kylehollingsworth.wordpress.com) to provide a behind the scenes look into life on the road as well as the craft beers and brewing that come into picture along the way. To top it off, fans will have the opportunity to win an invite to exclusive meet & greets and tastings with Kyle and others through various contests at select SCI shows. Stay tuned to Kyle’s Facebook page for regular Hop On Tour updates.

Lots of Great Music and Not Much Sleep

Damn...this was a serious summer. SCI rehearsals and shows in June and July (which were sooo much fun). Then I was out with my band for a spell, traveling around the festival circuit. And, in between, I was invited to participate a few unique lineups including a super group with Bill Kreutzman, Steve Kimock and George Porter. It was a lot of great music with not much sleep, but maybe its better that way. On the beer front, it was big year as well. Kyle's Brew Fest sold out again and was another successful benefit for Conscious Alliance. The beer I made with Boulder Beer, Hoopla Pale Ale, has been getting a lot of great reviews from all over the country. Get it while you can! Also it was fun to add my new Brewru Experience at festivals, discussing beer and brewing with fans - trying to connect the dots between my passion for brewing and my love of music.

And now I am psyched to be home with the fam for a few weeks. While at home, I‘ve been forcing myself to dig in a bit and do some more writing. As inspiration, I have been playing through the Beatles songbook. Man, they were great songwriters. Some of those chord changes come out of nowhere and the modulations are seamless. The melody drives everything on that stuff. Listening to this music gets my mind thinking in different directions.

So this fall is mostly chill. Though I do head out for a long weekend with my band September 8-11 in the Midwest. We are going to hit some new towns as well as a couple of festivals. The Macpodz will be joining us in Cleveland and Kalamazoo. I dig their stuff and I think it will be a good musical combination. Also, we are playing one of my favorite breweries: Bell's. Yes! Great beer, great music. Yum.

And, of course, SCI is about to rev-up again for another big run of shows in December. And this time it’s a real tour. Like “get-on-the-bus-and-roll-” style. It's going to be awesome! Stay tuned for more on this on upcoming blogs

But for now, I’ll just enjoy the last weeks of summer. Sitting on the porch, drinking a beer and writing songs.

See you out there.

Kyle

In case you missed it, I did a "remix" of an argument we had on the road this summer. My band, KHB, had just finished a gig deep in the mountains of West Virginia. So at 4am we started driving around looking for our hotel. Tensions started running high as we came to the conclusion that we were hopelessly lost. I recorded some of our banter and then auto-tuned it and added music. Check it out (Beware it does contain some “moonshine-induced” mature language).

[soundcloud width="100%" height="81" params="" url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/22167316"]

Brew Fest and Beyond

Festival Season is here!! And now with “the rapture” out the way, it looks like it’s going to be quite the Summer. With Cheese back at Bonnaroo and then Electric Forest, it will for sure keep me busy for the majority of the summer. Then I continue forward with lots of unique musical formations and events. From collaborating with Steve Kimock to jamming with George Porter and Bill Kreutzman, plus doing clinics on beer and home brewing, it is going to be a diverse few months. But I’m looking forward to the challenge. Also, my band KHB will be working hard this summer. We’re heading to Electric Forest as well as local and national touring. Including my 2nd annual Kyle's Brew Fest here in Boulder, Colorado.

In case you missed it last year, Kyle’s Brew Fest is a unique brew event, benefiting Conscious Alliance, that not only showcases great beer, but also the art of the brewing process. Ultimately it connects my passion for music and my love of brewing (I’m even considering making a beer on stage while I play). Last year's Brew Fest sold out show was a blast and helped to raise awareness and money for conscious alliance. Boasting over 25 breweries and great tunes, please join us again this year. We will be drinking, talking and singing beer all for a great cause. Hope to see some of ya out there...

But for the next few weeks I’m being sequestered into the school of SCI rock. Back at it, we are digging in and spending time together making sure that every show we do is an unique “Incident.” From testing-out new stuff, to the ever-lasting search for the perfect cover, it's always a challenge and a relief to be back with friends.

See you soon.

Kyle

In preparation for Brewfest I am making sure we have enough Hoopla Pale Ale ready, check out the video. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pazYChsefiI&w=560&h=349]

Split Universes

Here I am sitting at home again after a few whirlwind weeks. It’s so wild to go from being a musician on stage in front of lots of people one day, to doing dishes and laundry the next. Quite the dichotomy going on in my life. Honestly though, I really enjoy the split Kyle universes. At times I am able to be home and spend time with the family, but I also get the release of playing music. And for me it's not necessarily just the playing of my instrument, but it's the addiction of performing on stage. I find sometimes I miss the energy I get from being in front of people. Yeah I know, kind of weird, but it's like I was wired to be an entertainer. Even from a young age I was a clown. From performing as a magician at the family dinners, to doing local musicals and TV shows. I always wanted to get up into the lights. And at age nine I decided that I wanted to be a “rock star." I would practice singing in front of the mirror with the brush and even pretend to answer questions from Rolling Stone. But at some point I realized I needed to actually play an instrument to be a rock star and since I was already taking piano lessons at that time, that made the most sense. Certainly not as cool as guitar, and definitely not as rocking, but I enjoyed it. And I got attention…ahh, I guess that’s what it was all about.

So I dig this strange life. And I am able to balance “dad” with “stage guy” pretty well now. Although sometimes I still find myself singing in the mirror with a brush, but at least this time I am doing it with my daughter.

I am heading out to my favorite coast again with my band, KHB. We are hitting Bellingham, Seattle, Portland and Lake Tahoe, this Thursday through Sunday. It’ll be nice to get on the road again and play some club dates (and drink great beer!). See ya in the Northwest this week! Also, I have included a link to a tune, "Rosie," that was played for the first time at the SCI Winter Carnival shows. I did a bit of a remix to it and added some new elements as well. Check it out, I hope you enjoy.

[soundcloud width="100%" height="81" params="" url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/12788650"]

Hoppy Birthday

Ok, ok, so it's my birthday, don’t rub it in. And now that I am more than twice Justin Bieber’s age, I am starting to feel the years. But at least we have matching haircuts. The bowl cut will never die!!! Actually, things are going pretty great. I have been busy for the last few months writing tunes and playing music. I did some cool shows around town with my band, KHB. We opened for Umphrey's at the Fillmore, in Denver, and that was a blast. They are such a great guys and it's always a pleasure to hang with them. But, honestly, it was my wife’s birthday so I got a bit buzzed and ran around the Fillmore dancing and screaming. So I didn’t get to much time to hang. I think I remember having a had a good time though.

But then there’s now and I am deep in rehearsals with SCI. With only a week left before the big 1st Bank Center Cheese shows, we are getting pumped. We are digging into some of the older material that has not been played in a while, but also breaking out some new tracks. It's going to be awesome, it's always a bit challenging to just jump back in it and that’s why we spend so many weeks preparing. It's not about learning the chords to “Howard” again, it's more so about jamming together and getting the magic back. It's never lost, but just needs to be dusted off a bit.

See you there. And make sure to catch KHB in the Northwest next month:

04.07.11 Wild Buffalo | Bellingham, WA -w/Acorn Project 04.08.11 Nectar | Seattle, WA -w/Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad 04.09.11 Bossanova Ballroom | Portland, OR -w/Acorn Project and Jesta

Hoppy Holidays Countdown: #2

In anticipation of Hoppy Holidays, I will be counting down the top five keyboardists whom have had the most influence on my playing. I’ll post a different artist every few days between now and the first day of Hoppy Holidays: Friday, December 10th. I am often asked to name the most influential keyboardists in my life. I usually just rattle off my favorites from then and now, but I wanted to really take a look at who influenced my playing. I didn’t want to select just keyboard players that I admire and study, but those that have made an impact on my performance and writing. So I scanned my iTunes library and dug up my old cassettes from the basement and this is what it came down to…

#2: Bill Payne

Growing up, I would hear music wafting down the staircase from my brother’s super cool attic bedroom. And although my family was primarily a Beatles/Simon & Garfunkel institution, he was playing some new music that peeked my interest. It had great feel and less-predictable song forms. So I started digging into Little Feat myself. I remember spending hours listening to Waiting For Columbus, especially “Dixie Chicken.” I loved the breakdown with the horn section and Bill’s solo moment there is awesome. The whole concept of laying-down time with the left hand, while freeing up the right for improvisation, was new to me. I guess I had never really heard much ragtime/New Orleans-style music before, so the concept of a “one man band” was inspirational. And Bill uses the whole piano as a canvas. From his high percussion-type splashes to super low bombs, Bill taught me that piano is a percussion instrument in every sense of the word. At times, I still struggle to get out of my three- or four-octave safe zone. It is always refreshing to watch or listen to Bill play. He is the catalyst for me to stretch out of my comfort zone, which is always good.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more! – SOLD OUT!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWnYuw2JxSA&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Hoppy Holidays Countdown: #3

In anticipation of Hoppy Holidays, I will be counting down the top five keyboardists whom have had the most influence on my playing. I’ll post a different artist every few days between now and the first day of Hoppy Holidays: Friday, December 10th. I am often asked to name the most influential keyboardists in my life. I usually just rattle off my favorites from then and now, but I wanted to really take a look at who influenced my playing. I didn’t want to select just keyboard players that I admire and study, but those that have made an impact on my performance and writing. So I scanned my iTunes library and dug up my old cassettes from the basement and this is what it came down to…

#3: Bernie Worrell via Talking Heads

Seriously, from ages 17 to 21 I went a bit psychotic over the Talking Heads. This band was my high school obsession. You know, the time in your life where you kind of find an identity based on the scene you are in and music you listen to? It was not until I saw Stop Making Sense that I really got hooked. I dug in deep. I got every recording I could find and listened until the grooves on the vinyl wore out (records were large discs that would play music, they predate the modern CD). I then followed the musical genealogy of the separate band members from The Tom Tom Club to The Modern Lovers to Bernie Worrell and Parliament. It was the sounds and the groove that Bernie brought to the Heads' music that most likely made me like them in the first place. I was discovering funk from the back door. Maybe not the back door, but some sort of super white, geeky, artsy side entrance. Some of those songs had great moments. “Life During War Time” and its super funky Clavinet and wailing prophet tones made my head turn. What the hell was making those sounds? Parliament was a later addition for me, and although Bernie was an integral part of those tunes, I kept falling back to his work with the Heads for funky inspiration.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more! - SOLD OUT!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsksSWOxq2Y&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Hoppy Holidays Countdown: #4

In anticipation of Hoppy Holidays, I will be counting down the top five keyboardists whom have had the most influence on my playing. I’ll post a different artist every few days between now and the first day of Hoppy Holidays: Friday, December 10th. I am often asked to name the most influential keyboardists in my life. I usually just rattle off my favorites from then and now, but I wanted to really take a look at who influenced my playing. I didn’t want to select just keyboard players that I admire and study, but those that have made an impact on my performance and writing. So I scanned my iTunes library and dug up my old cassettes from the basement and this is what it came down to…

#4: Brent Mydland

I remember being freaked out about the name “Grateful Dead,” I always imagined a heavy metal band of sorts, but once I listened to what they were doing, I had more respect for the music. My brother had this great soundboard tape and the keyboards were super high in the mix, perhaps to the detriment of the blend, but it did give me a chance to check out some of his work firsthand. It was kind of like a personal keyboard lesson. And it was great to hear someone up close, acting and reacting to what was going on in the music. I remember checking out the whole “China Cat Sunflower” into “I Know You Rider”-sequence many times. There was such good listening going on from everyone on stage. The music seemed like a big conversation and Jerry’s melodies would weave through bass and keys lines so seamlessly. I’d never heard a piano player on up-tempo, almost-bluegrass-style tunes before, it was an eye-opener. It was in Brent’s playing that I understood how improvisational music could be brought into the rock realm. Basically, it was through him that I really started getting into the Jam scene.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQY1ZXznyZQ&fs=1&hl=en_US]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYjMCSlA6AU&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Hoppy Holidays Countdown

In anticipation of Hoppy Holidays, I will be counting down the top five keyboardists whom have had the most influence on my playing. I’ll post a different artist every few days between now and the first day of Hoppy Holidays: Friday, December 10th. I am often asked to name the most influential keyboardists in my life. I usually just rattle off my favorites from then and now, but I wanted to really take a look at who influenced my playing. I didn’t want to select just keyboard players that I admire and study, but those that have made an impact on my performance and writing. So I scanned my iTunes library and dug up my old cassettes from the basement and this is what it came down to…

#5: Stevie Wonder

Growing up, my family was the Bob Dylan and Peter, Paul and Mary-type crowd, nothing musically challenging, just good songs with lyrically provoking themes. Of course, the Beatles were right in there as well, but the R & B and Motown sound didn’t really make it through our door. It came down to me looking outside my family’s genre to find new music. By the time I was in high school, I was listening to the Talking Heads and discovering new sounds, such as African rhythms through the albums Remain In Light and My Life in the Bush of Ghosts and funk from Bernie Worrell and Parliament. This road eventually wound its way through Billy Preston and The Meters into Ray Charles and landed on Stevie Wonder. It was not just Stevie’s soulful playing, but also the songwriting that hooked me in. Tunes like “You Haven’t Done Nothing” and “Higher Ground” spoke to my sense of funk, but also to my feelings on social consciousness. And I loved the quality of those recordings, so raw and so much energy. And his voice has such great versatility, I enjoyed all the nuances that decorated the ends of his phrases. Stevie was able to bridge my early pop influences with some real soul and lead me in a new direction musically and compositionally.

Hoppy Holidays 12/10 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/The Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/11 Hodi’s Half Note | Fort Collins, CO – KHB feat. DJ Logic & Liza Oxnard w/the Nu Classics plus signature beer by Kyle and Boulder Beer 12/12 Avery Brewing Co. | Boulder, CO – KHB plus signature beer by Kyle and Avery Brewing and much, much, more!

For more information on Hoppy Holidays and to purchase tickets go to www.kylehollingsworth.com/ontour

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnbdXWvmysg&fs=1&hl=en_US]

Fall

Hampton Coliseum. The mothership, hell yeah. I had heard of this place for years, but I had never been there. It was incredible. Nice to be in a venue that has so much history. The shows were pretty rocking, a bit more edge than our usual “diverse“ String Cheese sets. We purposely mixed up the tunes a bit and tried not to put traditional tunes in the same old spots. For example: “Shine” to open second set or “Restless Wind“ to end the show. Although, by doing this, it did put some not-quite-as-strong songs in the hot seat for opening and closing the sets. But it came off pretty well. And really it just comes down to committing to the tunes and making them rock. Overall, I thought the shows were great. Plus “Jump” was awesome. Travis nailed it! So I’m keeping super busy this Fall. Next week my solo project, KHB, is playing in the Midwest. We are touring with a band out of St. Louis called Messy Jiverson. They are making some waves in that area and I’m looking forward to hanging and jamming with those guys. There are a lot of good collaboration possibilities, so the shows are sure to be slammin’.

I am super psyched to announce my Hoppy Holidays run December 10-12. The three shows are here on the Front Range with my band and also feature DJ Logic and Liza. It is sure to go off, we did this same line up at YarmonyGrass Festival last Summer and it was one of my favorite sets of the Summer. And, of course, there is always awesome beer. In conjunction with Boulder Beer and Avery Brewing, I will be making special brews for this event. In fact, the Sunday show is a benefit for Conscious Alliance at Avery Brewery in their back barrel room in Boulder. Tickets will include a lot of great stuff as usual.

And, in my ever-changing need to try new things and challenge myself, I am doing a few unique shows this Fall as well. I am playing a children’s concert at the Yo Gabba Gabba show here in Broomfield this Sunday, November 7th. Also I will be touring with Bonerama and Steve Kimock on the East Coast for a few select dates.

Check the website for all the info: http://www.kylehollingsworth.com/ontour

Thanks y’all.

Kyle

SCI: Rehearsal to Realization

WOW… um...so that was totally cool and very fun. After a few crazy months of rehearsing with the band, it finally came down to actually getting up there and doing it. It went pretty smoothly actually, of course, there were some bonks and miscommunications on stage, but that’s part of the live performance. It makes for a more “real” experience (whether good or bad). We are so lucky to be able to play these amazing venues. Red Rocks Amphitheatre is one of the great stages in the country. Having grown up watching MTV, I always knew of that place from U2's “Sunday Bloody Sunday” performance. You know, the one with the torches and the huge flag? But getting up there on that giant stage, looking out to those three hundred-foot monoliths, is an amazing thing. It does put some fear into you as you walk out in front of nine thousand people. And it did make us play, at times, a bit conservatively, but once you get the adrenalin going, you get pumped and you just get up there and go for it.

Horning's, on the other hand, is a small event, tucked away in the woods of Oregon - a very low key, “family vibe” experience. SCI has been influenced by many of the festivals we have played over the years in the Northwest, namely Oregon Country Fair. To that end, we have made this event a more visceral and musical experience. With the grounds having tall moss-covered trees and rolling hills, it makes for a “Hobbit town” atmosphere, great for escaping the everyday life. I think this environment helped us explore a bit more on stage. I personally felt more relaxed and ready to sync with everyone.

Two very different stages, but I think SCI rocked both of them. I'm so psyched to be back grooving with them again. And we are just getting started.

I made a video of my last few months with SCI. From late April rehearsals to the final events. Check it out:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BLDxCFZbnw&hl=en_US&fs=1]

Let's Go Outside

So my “other” band, SCI, has been at it for about two weeks now. It has been great, but a bit overwhelming. We have been digging in pretty seriously, about 25-30 hours a week.   And the shows aren't even happening for another month!  I imagine by then we will be so ready to get out and play for a live audience.  Staring at the those four walls of our practice space can get a bit tedious. I am ready for the stage surrounded by walls of giant red rock. The trick has been what to practice. With about 120 tunes we do not have time to polish all of them up. And, for me, I am more interested in people bringing new tunes and cover ideas to the table. While I'm excited to play all the old tunes, I also want to keep it fresh with new music and grooves. We have all been growing outside of SCI with other projects, so it's cool to bring in those influences.

In rehearsal we have been trying to balance all six of our diverse opinions so everyone can be heard. It can be a bit of a tightrope act at times to juggle all the strong wills in one band. And in fact we kind of got into it with each other the other day. But I see that as a good thing. A sign that everyone is feeling vested in this project and its final outcome. It's nice to be back with the band again, a place where everyone can put it all out there.

On a personal note, I was able to jump back into the studio and mix an outtake from my latest disc, Then There's Now. This little gem didn't make it on the disc originally, but after a few tweaks here and there, I think it's ready.  I made it available as a free download so feel free to grab it and rock it.
Download "Let's Go Outside" Here!

See ya soon.

Kyle

One of Everyone

Wow. What a great time this past weekend. I had the pleasure of being part of the Everyone Orchestra. I have done similar gigs in the past with Colonel Bruce Hampton and Zambieland, but this time around it seemed a bit more focused. Matt Butler did a great job driving the ship through the murky sonic seas. Trying to direct so many musicians from different backgrounds into a cohesive sound must be difficult. And, yes, at times it was a bit chaotic, but overall it felt like a good dance party. If you have not seen one of these events get out be a part of it sometime. Speaking of  “events,”  I am excited to announce that I will be hosting my own beer festival this summer. Kyle’s Brew Fest is happening on Thursday, July 22nd, the day before the SCI Red Rocks shows, at Great Divide Brewing in Denver. It is a culmination of all that I have done over the last year and will combine my love of music, home brewing and great beer. We will be hosting 8 to10 different breweries from around the country. Each will bring its unique tastes to this festival. Hoppingsworth IPA will be back on tap as well as some other treats. The ticket will include beer, food, cool pint glasses, and a set from my band, KHB. And with all the proceeds benefiting Conscious Alliance, it's a great way to give to a good cause and enjoy a summer night with a cold brew. see you out there!

Kyle

Beautiful Dog, Beautiful World

Hello friends, It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to you all. After much consideration, I have decided to abandon my life as a musician and start anew as a dog groomer. It has been a very difficult decision for me and I hope everyone can understand and respect my choice. I love music, and it will always be an important part of my life, but right now I feel that I must follow my lifelong passion. I want to dedicate my life to making man’s best friend more beautiful. It will be in that beauty that I can contribute love to the world.

I want to thank everyone for all your support over the years and I hope to see you out there again. If not on stage, then perhaps with your pooch at the shop.

Love to you all, Kyle M. Hollingsworth NDGAA

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjrc67cl_g&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

Ready For Spring

My life is not that exciting. I change diapers, walk the dog, work on the house, make dinners and build a snowman on occasion. Nothing too glamorous here and I’m cool with that. But I did venture out of the house the other day. I went to see the Furthur show at First Bank Center. Very cool indeed. I enjoy Jeff Chimenti’s playing a great deal, he has great feel and always has creative ideas. The band sounded tight and rehearsed although it was not one of my favorite setlists. Bobby and Phil seem to be on top of their game, and, of course, “the others” in the band really honored the music. The venue is awesome, it's a big open-seating arena with great views everywhere. I hope SCI can get in there someday and rock it.

The night before that, I played with Keith and some friends at an impromptu show in Nederland.  It's nice to play with him again, we can read each other very well, so the music seemed to flow pretty effortlessly.  It was a super small room so the energy was right up in your face.

I imagine it's going to be the same vibe this weekend. I am heading up to the mountains with my band to do some shows. The venues in the hills have such a different feeling than the “lowlands” clubs - very laid back in some sense, but also ready to rage at any moment. It must have something to do with the living-on-the-edge skiing attitude that everyone adopts up there.

I’m also getting ready for a big summer.  SCI starts rehearsal in a bit and I'm pumped to rock the shows we have lined up. And hopefully KHB will play some festivals as well in the down time. I’m ready for spring and warmer weather, this winter is getting a little bit long.

See you out there, kyle

Also, I just posted one of my favorite shows from the last tour on LiveDownloads.com. It's from T he 8x10 in Baltimore (my hometown). I also got my buddies up from one of my first bands, Black Friday, to play a couple tunes with me. Download it for FREE here.