Pokey LaFarge and The Constant Tourists Globe Hall in Denver, CO on May 3, 2018

Pokey LaFarge and Adam Hoskins - all photos by 
The Rock and Roll Princess

Globe Hall, the former Slovenian and Croatian meeting hall built in 1908, was the perfect venue to see Pokey LaFarge. His timeless style and classic sound are reminiscence of the historic building. The employees permitted a fan named Christina to lavish the headliner two bottles of red French wine before his last show of a two-night engagement. LaFarge appreciated her generosity so much he dedicated the show as well as toasted her several times throughout his performance.

Pokey LaFarge

The band has been performing without their multi-instrumentalist Ryan Koenig since a horrible accident in December.  He was hit by an automobile while walking on a sidewalk in Charleston, SC. Donations were accepted for his recovery at the merch booth. There was also an open space on stage in his honor where he sang, played the harmonica, and scratched the washboard. Here is the link to the Ryan Koenig Recovery Fund: www.youcaring.com.  Despite missing Koenig, Pokey LaFarge was in a jovial mood fueled by the gifted wine.

The band started out with Better Man from the Manic Revelations album released last year.  Followed by his crowd pleasers Something in the Water, Goodbye, Barcelona, and Pack It Up. The set list was sprinkled with new songs written for an upcoming album. LaFarge stated, "We are working on it.  Not necessarily knowing when we are going to record it."

Pokey LaFarge

Some boisterous members of the audience interrupted the show to inform LaFarge that a member of their party was celebrating a birthday.  That's when the band played Kansas' Carry On Wayward Son.  It didn't make any sense, but it silenced the obnoxious concertgoers immediately.  This might be an anti-birthday mind trick LaFarge acquired by playing music for a living since he was seventeen-years-old.

The band ended their main set with Devil Ain't Lazy, Central Time, and Hard Times Come and Go. They came back for an encore that included a flawless version of Fats Domino's It's You I Love.  LaFarge declared the band only rehearsed it once that afternoon. The show ended with Roger Miller's King of the Road.  LaFarge urged the audience to sing with him karaoke style, "Trailer for sale or rent, room to let, fifty cents/No phone, no pool, no pets, I ain't got no cigarettes."  It was an ideal song at a classic location sung by a traditional musician.

The Constant Tourists

Married couple Nate and Cassie Sanchez announced their band The Constant Tourists were playing for one night only from the far away land of Thornton (a Colorado suburb).  They played a whimsical set covering several genres. Hey Diddle Diddle introduced the band's playful lyrics and Cassie's glorious trumpet playing. Nate switched to an Irish brogue for the song Green as Stone scattered with Mariachi like yells. Cassie sang in French for her part of the duet Love is Dumb while Nate played a kazoo solo.  To mix the styles up even further, Cassie brought out her accordion for their tango song entitled wait for it …. Tango. Nate sang the lyrics in Spanish and English.  After their set, the couple asked the audience to buy some merchandise because their three-year-old child needs some new shoes. The band's next performance is at the Mile High Flea Market on June 9th. 

See you at the next show.  I'll be the one expecting Christina to bring me some French wine.