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Chuck Negron

Performance at "Bear Fair"
Fiddler's Green Amphitheater
Denver, Colorado

Friday, September 19, 2003

I was able to go to the Chuck Negron concert at Fiddlers Green in Denver on Friday, September 19, 2003. It was absolutely fabulous, and I'm so glad I was able to go! Thanks to the webmistress at Chuck's site, Chuck Negron Official Website for information regarding the show.

Pictures are shown here, and the review of the concert is listed below the pictures.

Here are a few pictures from the event:

Chuck, into his singing:





Frank Reina and Chuck:










Chuck talking to the children




Chuck singing, with his stepson Berry Oakley Jr on bass next to him:










Terence Elliot, lead guitarist and Berry Oakley Jr on bass, jamming:
(with Frank Reina keeping the beat behind them)





Chuck thanking the audience (and the children):







Concert Review:

My companions for the concert and I got a late start heading up to Denver and pulled into the parking lot about 7:35 (opening acts were scheduled to start at 7). We didn't miss anything though, the Denver Brass were just playing the National Anthem as we walked into the amphitheater. I had seen and heard very little promotion for this event.. a few mentions in the fine print in the entertainment section of the newspaper, and one flyer I saw in a grocery store. I don't know what kind of promotion this "Bear Fair" received in Denver, though, so I wasn't sure what to expect. When we were able to park in the parking lot right next to Fiddlers Green, it seemed like we might be able to get a good seat even though we were late. This proved to be the case.

Fiddlers Green seats 6800 in reserved seating (plus 10000 on lawn seating for something like KISS/Aerosmith, who was there September 30, 2003). I would guess there were perhaps 1500 people, max, there (admittedly I'm not a good crowd estimator though.) We found seats in the 7th row center that were very good.

The Denver Brass played some excellent music, though that's not usually the kind of music I'm into. Then the Denver Philharmonic came on and played (which is also not the music I'm ordinarily into, but it was interesting.) They even had a guy playing the electric fiddle...his own composition, based on Aerosmith's "Dream On". There were two good vocalists performing with the Philharmonic, who apparently have a good following in Denver (judging by the fact that their merchandise was on sale at Fiddlers), Nina Story and Wendy Woo.

Then the stage was set up and Chuck came on. He sounded fantastic, it's just incredible how good he sounds. There was probably even fewer people there... some people left after the Brass and Philharmonic got over, either because they had young children with them or because they were there as followers of the Brass or Philharmonic (or Nina Storey or Wendy Woo). It meant that most of the remaining concertgoers were as close as they wanted to be to the stage, and it made for a nice intimate concert experience, or at least I felt that way. There is a fairly wide apron between the first row and the stage, and some of the remaining children gathered there to play and listen to Chuck. He took the time to talk to them several times, it made for a real family feeling for the concert, especially since he talked a little bit about his kids (and grandkids).

Chuck had some great people in the band, their vocals were impressive and their instrumental parts sizzled (at all the right places.) IMO whoever was working the sound board did a great job too, since all the songs sounded great. The band was, on bass and vocals, Berry Oakley Jr; on keyboards and vocals, Carlos Mehija (spelling?... sorry); Terence Elliot on lead guitar, he was super; Frank Reina on drums; and Danny Mishkit on guitar, saxophone, keyboards and vocals (what a talented individual!)

The whole concert was pretty laid back, which was a nice experience. The music was rocking at the appropriate times, but the atmosphere was not tense or uptight. That may have been a factor of the small crowd, or the warm reception that Chuck was given. He looked like he felt comfortable and "at home" on this stage.

Chuck did a whole lot of songs and performed until about 10:30 pm. (I think Fiddlers Green has a curfew, but I don't know what it is.) Here's the set list, as nearly as I can tell, and with apologies for the song titles I get wrong as I'm less familiar with his solo work.

Family Man
Celebrate
Never Been to Spain
Easy to be Hard
Eli's Coming
Shambala
Old Fashioned Love Song
Liar
It Was You
Mama Told Me Not to Come
Pieces of April
One

Encore:
Joy to the World

(and the children liked the frog song lol.) The whole audience was up dancing and singing along to this, by the end. What a super way to end a concert on an upbeat note!

A great time was had by all. Most of the comments that I overheard on the way out of the venue were bewilderment on why this concert hadn't been promoted. The general feeling was that we were very fortunate to be present at what almost felt like a private concert.

Thanks for visiting my picture and review page for the September 19, 2003 Chuck Negron concert!
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Page last updated 09/21/2003.
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All pictures and text © 2003 by Kelpie.












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