Full Circle

So I guess the cat is out of the bag. Although I kind of had a feeling all along that there was more to come. After last summer’s Rothbury “incident” and the connection we all had on stage and the reception from the audience, it seemed inevitable.

I’m looking forward to these upcoming gigs and I really want to make them inspired and fresh. Energetically, everybody seems ready to throw down, but I want more from the shows than just going out there and playing the “hits.”  I want to collaborate and be creative with the guys again, hopefully bring in some new stuff, but more importantly, feel comfortable and in-the-groove as a band.

We are going to spend a lot of time rehearsing and hanging this spring, getting ready for the shows. I am psyched to hear what the other guys have been doing. Our strength has always been in the diversity of our musical interests. And over the last few years the individual members have been able to explore their own muse. So I am excited to see what everyone is going to bring to the table from this hiatus.  It always amazes me how we take all of our influences and blend them to make our own unique sound. I can’t wait to go back in.

See you out there.
Kyle

Also I am doing some shows in the mountains with my band this March. Come on out.

Fri March 12 | Eldo | Crested Butte, CO
Sat March 13 | Agave | Avon, CO
Sun March 14 | three20south | Breckenridge, CO

Check out my website for more details. www.KyleHollingsworth.com

And I posted a new video of SCI from KBCO’s Studio C in Boulder, which we just played.

Boat, Sun, Music.

Ahhhh jam cruise
What a treat. I get to ride on a giant ship go to tropical islands, play music and have dinner with George Porter and Colonel Bruce Hampton. It’s such a unique event. A nice cross between vacation and performance.

After a brief scare of lost luggage and the possibility of wearing a bathrobe for the whole cruise, we made it on board.  For a “tropical cruise,” this was not exactly what I had in mind. It was freaking cold and raining most of the time, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of any of the festive cruisers.  And in fact, I was able to climb some massive waterfalls in Jamaica. Very awesome.

So this time around I was playing with my band (KHB) and The Motet. I have been doing “the music of The Talking Heads” with The Motet. Needless to say, I am huge Heads fan, so it was great fun to dig into that stuff, plus it gives me an excuse to sharpen up on my Bernie Worrell licks! I also caught some great music from the other groups on the ship. Zappa Plays Zappa, Maceo Parker and Mother Hips were some of my favorites. Jam Cruise always brings such cool, different musical styles on board each year, but the problem is that there is so much going on all the time that it is hard to get to everything. I needed a couple more days to soak it all in!

I think musicians view the boat experience differently than the fans. From the minute you board the ship, you see fellow artists and musical heroes all around you. It’s cool to reconnect with the other bands that you have not seen in a while; it’s kind of like a giant “band camp” experience. And it can be completely inspiring to discover new sounds and talents that everyone is bringing (Nigel Hall rocks!).

In most cases, it is a learning experience, but it can also be a bit intimating. When you find yourself playing with dudes that you have been admiring for years, it can make you sweat a bit. And on another level, it can be a bit of a friendly competition. I think it makes everyone step up their game.

For the most part, the fans are super cool. I did not feel overwhelmed at all and everyone was very respectful. The containment of the boat creates this sense of community between fans and musicians. Everybody is just psyched to be having this special experience together. Boat, Sun, Music.

-10

This is crazy. It is 7 degrees and snowing right now. And at night it is like 10 below. I love Colorado, but this a bit much for me. Even the dog has frozen paws.

The year is wrapping up and I am feeling good about the last few months. The road was a bit of a trial at times, but nothing could stop the music. The band was really finding its groove. Somewhere in all that chaos we were able to bring out the best in all of us. It was reminiscent of the early Cheese days with the late night drives and the exhausted load-ins and we would play the shows as hard as we could because every show counted.

I have a few more gigs before this year is out. I am hitting the Front Range one more time this weekend. First I head to the mountains to play in Breckenridge, then down to Denver, and finally up to Ft. Collins to do “A Holiday Folly for Charity;” a special benefit show for the Food Bank for Larimer County with New Belgium Brewing Company. The “rock and brew” tour ends as it began with a special beer I made with a choice brewery. “Kyle’s Imperial Winter Ale” will be served at the show. I will actually be playing in the brewery itself right next to the huge brew kettles. Should be pretty cool.

On January 2nd I hit the high seas on Jam Cruise. Not only with my band, but also with The Motet, playing the amazing Talking Heads show!! Nice way to start the new year….
Then I hibernate for the winter. Ahhh sleep

Kyle

Toll Roads and Tropical Storms

Damn…seriously what is the deal with all the toll roads back east? I had forgotten about that.  And it is not like the roads are in great shape either. One would think with all that money it would be a lot smoother traveling out here. But the good news is we bypassed all the weather from Tropical Storm Ida. It has just been a bit cloudy and we are looking forward to the warm and sunny South.

We have been traveling with a band called Revision. I have really been digging their sound. Super cool guys! Next week we head out with Ryan Montbleau Band. I have heard great things about them as well. Nice to see other bands out here working it.

I feel fortunate to be able to play music for a living, but it can be pretty brutal. Long drives, bad food and loading organs up two flights of stairs can wear on you. Sometimes I feel like it’s us against the world, I’m definitely paying my dues all over again. I will be psyched to get back with the SCI boys again and get some help with all my gear (ha!).

See ya out there.
Kyle

The Thin Line

Well I am back home decompressing (and detoxing) from the last West Coast run. All I can say is “WOW”. What a great experience. From the beaches of San Diego to the trees of northwest, the West Coast is an amazing place to tour. There were some long days in the van, but we would each take turns driving and picking the tunes. I got turned on to a lot of great music from other people’s iPods; bands like Stereo Lab and Tortoise…there are a lot of great sounds out there

The weather was mostly cooperative and the crowds were very accepting. It is always tough to tour on a new CD. The fans do not know the tunes yet and it can be a challenge to woo them over, but I was pleasantly surprised by the acceptance of my new songs. There is a fine line I have to ride between playing older stuff and trying out the new material, but I guess that is part of the deal.

We all had a blast playing with Zach Gill. I really dug his sound and his incredible stage presence. He is a great songwriter and performer. And the dual keyboard encores were a lot of fun. I hope to do it again with him soon.

The beer was awesome as well. I visited Stone Brewery in San Diego. This place has to be one of my favorite breweries in the country. I love the beer, but the restaurant is an event unto itself. With botanical gardens and waterfalls, Stone ranks (in my book) a must see in Southern California.

On the way up north, I stopped by a friend’s brewery in Fairfax CA, called Iron Springs.  We came in for some lunch and beers. Mike Altman has done a great job up there and I was impressed by the wide selection. The Casey Jones Imperial IPA was tasty.

Lastly, I spent some time over at the Deschutes pub in Portland. I met about a dozen fans and we had beers and food and then went on a brewery tour together. There are some good folks up there. And Deschutes took very good care of all of us. They rock!

So the show is still on the road. We hit the East Coast in November going from Burlington, VT, down to Athens, GA. There will be plenty of more great shows to be had and beers to be drunk.  So we will see you out there.

Check out some new videos from tour on my YouTube Channel.

Kyle

Heading West

I am still reeling from the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. It was awesome. I visited a lot of my favorite breweries and I discovered a bunch of new ones as well. I’ve been to the festival in the past, and it always seemed as if everyone there had a big head start on me. People were stumbling around with pretzel necklaces and screaming for their hometown beers. This time it seemed more reserved, more about the beer. I dug it.

Speaking of great beer I am heading to the land of microbreweries. I’m taking my band out to the West Coast. I’m super psyched. There’s always a rockin’ crowd out there, plus they have an ocean which is hard to find here in Colorado. This time I am touring with Zach Gill from ALO/Jack Johnson; great keyboard player & genuinely a cool dude. Both of our bands will play full sets and we hope to get some dual keyboard jam time in as well. Come join us for one (or more) of the shows on the West Coast next week!

And of course I am going to visit some more breweries along the way. Next stop is Stone Brewing near San Diego, in Escondido. I met the founder at GABF and I will be stopping by his Brewery & Bistro next Tuesday, October 6th. Then I head up to Iron Springs outside of San Fran on the 11th and finally Deschutes in Portland on the 17th. Everyone is welcome to join me for a meet & greet at these select breweries. I am looking forward to getting a chance to see how the good stuff is made. Lets drink tasty beer and play delicious music!

Check out this video of KHB and guests at the Fox (many more will be added to my YouTube Channel, stay tuned):

Here are all the upcoming dates:

October dates are co-billed with Zach Gill

October 7 Winston’s Beach Club San Diego, CA

October 8 The Mint Los Angeles, CA

October 9 SOHO Restaurant & Music Club Santa Barbara, CA

October 10 The Independent San Francisco, CA

October 11 HopMonk Tavern Sebastopol, CA

October 13 The Red Fox Tavern Eureka, CA

October 14 WOW Hall Eugene, OR

October 15 The Triple Door Seattle, WA

October 16 Wild Buffalo Bellingham, WA

October 17 Mississippi Studios Portland, OR

November 11 Club Metronome Burlington, VT

November 12 Sullivan Hall New York, NY

November 13 The 8×10 Baltimore, MD

November 14 The Khyber Philadelphia, PA

November 15 Capital Ale House Richmond, VA

Following November dates are co-billed with Ryan Montbleau Band

November 17 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC

November 18 The Pour House Music Hall Raleigh, NC

November 19 The Pour House Charleston, SC

November 20 The Garage at Biltmore Asheville, NC

November 21 New Earth Music Hall Athens, GA

December 12 Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver, CO

On Our Way Back Home

Sitting in a hotel in Salem, MO, waiting for van to come pick us up for Camp Zoe…

It has been a hectic couple of weeks. We started out in Madison, WI, with our friends, Euforquestra, and played through the weekend in the Midwest. What a great vibe out there.  I was able to play some great music and drink some good beers with Bent River and Goose Island. I was impressed with most everything they showcased and there were some awesome IPAs to be had. Check them out!

I came home and tapped “Hoppingsworth IPA” for the first time and was very psyched with the result. It came out well and I think everyone had a good time. I may have actually had too much of a good time, as I do not really remember the last hour or so of the party. That beer is strong!!  I imagine it will go fast, so go get some before its gone. Many thanks to head brewer Hutch and the Mountain Sun for making it happen.

The new disc dropped on Tuesday and I hope those of you who have listened to it are enjoying the sound. I am readying for the big CD release party at the Fox on Saturday. Euforquestra is opening the show and they always bring great vibe to the room. Plus we end up doing some great music together at the end of my show. It is very over the top and with the combination of Hoppingsworth on tap and great sound, the show will be slamming.

And, of course, we are making our way up the Poudre Canyon on Friday to play some music with Jeff Austin at Mishawaka. What a fantastic location for a show and it is probably one of the last outside events up there this season. Looking forward to the seeing the moon rise over the stage.

Ahh here comes the van just on time…I will make it in seconds flat…

Kyle

Takeoff

Well it is kinda crazy, you do all this hype for months and then the day comes and you gotta live it. No more talking about it just doing it.

ok…I am ready. The band is happening and the sound is solid so we are going to hit the road and see what happens. I have been practicing with them for a couple of days now. It is wild how rehearsal is always a negotiation between vision and practicality. What can I do in this short session to make the band shine and how do I focus on our strengths? Luckily I have a talented crew and I’m psyched to have them on board.

Ok ok…so the important stuff – this week we are headed out on tour again and we will:

A: play rocking shows and give the Wisconsin cheese heads something to talk about

B: drink good beer with “Goose Island” in Chicago

C: navigate the Illinois highway toll system and not receive a $100 fine like last time

D: come home to Boulder to a “Hoppingsworth IPA” tasting party at Southern Sun

E: have a great time with Jeff Austin at Mishawaka

F: and end the week with a blow out CD Release Party at the Fox Theatre

G: Sleep for 2 weeks

Sounds good to me!!

Stay tuned to my Facebook Page for updates from the road and behind-the-scenes footage with my handy digi cam: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kyle-Hollingsworth/137221550034

See you soon.
Kyle

The Countdown

Just a few more weeks until the new disc, Then There’s Now, hits the streets and the new band hits the road. I just did a “test run” of the new lineup at Fat Fest in Minnesota . The show was great and I think the band is going to make some waves. The festival was very rainy, but was still a great time. We got to hang with our friends in Family Groove Company and they styled us out with some gear to use. That was especially cool of them because the stage was getting dumped on and I am pretty sure most everything got drenched. Festivals in the summer, gotta love it.

So this Midwest run is coming up soon and it’s going to be a blast. My band (KHB) is going out with a Colorado band called Euforquestra. If you have not seen them yet check them out. I am looking forward to a lot of great music and hopefully some collaboration. They will also be with us at my CD release party at the Fox Theatre, Saturday, September 19th. That is sure to be off the hook!

I am also excited about the first taste of the “Hoppingsworth IPA”. This is the brew I made with the Mountain Sun Brewery folks in Boulder. There is going to be a “tasting and listening party” at the Southern Sun on Monday, September 14th at 6pm . We will spin the disc, tap Hoppingsworth IPA for the first time, and we will have the new album available for sale one day before the national release. Come on out! I also made some cool pint glasses we can all drink from!

So there is a bunch of stuff happening soon. It is going to be a busy couple weeks. I hope to see you all out there. You can keep informed at my website kylehollingsworth.com.

Cheers!
Kyle

P.S. I made a short video of “brew day” at the Mountain Sun

So Now What?

Well it has been a few weeks since Rothbury and our “Incident” for the year. It was pretty cool to be standing side stage doing the “pre show huddle” and looking out over the sea of excited fans. And when we walked out onto stage to the great big sound of appreciation it felt so good to be up there again. And yes I was a bit nervous I kinda scraped my way through the first tune just trying to keep my head in the game.

I thought the show went well. A few bonks here and there, in fact the power went out during “Little Hands” and it caught us off guard for a moment, but we recovered and raged on. Overall I was surprised how easily we all sank into the groove again after not being on stage together for two years.

So what happens next? I wish I knew. From my perspective I would love to go out and play some more shows. I cannot say for sure, but it did seem like the band felt the same way. But one thing I do know is that this “break” has been good for everyone. The band came back refreshed and ready to play together again. And although all of our scide projects have their own vibe and momentum, I do think there is something to be said about how the six of us play together as a band. There is something special that happens when we are all connected in the moment and in the music.

I hope to keep it going!

Kyle