I Am He As You Are He As You Are Me

Phish Halloween Vegas 2021

It was one of those warm, sunny, fall Colorado Sundays when my mom called and told me “Michael has been in a bicycle accident. We are at Good Samaritan. I have to go.” Instantly my mind went to the e-bike that he had purchased recently, as we talked about how dangerous it could possibly be. When I talked to my mom again, she told me that he crashed in the neighborhood riding back from the gym. Nothing dangerous at all! Michael was a lifelong cyclist, but just a few weeks earlier we had noticed scrapes on his face from falling on the bike. He said he had slipped on a puddle, and we were all grateful that he always wore a helmet.

“Right now he has no feeling in his left arm,” I heard her say. Unfortunately, I was stressed and heard wrong. It was the opposite. He ONLY had feeling in his left arm. This quickly spiraled into a very serious situation that finally left him needing a ventilator to breathe. The chaplain made it clear to us that it was ok to let him go, but more importantly, Michael wanted to go. On September 23^rd in the early morning with my mom by his side and many of us staring at the sky praying for a quick release, he passed on. At home we played “Fearless” by Pink Floyd, a song and band we had listened to so many times with him when hanging out.

Suddenly the October we had looked so forward to that was filled with Phish Fall Tour shows didn’t sound so thrilling, but with the insistence of my mom telling me that it would be good for me and my husband, we followed through with our plans to see the band in Sacramento, Phoenix, and Chula Vista.

The shows did in fact do me a world of good, and armed with those good vibes under my belt, we traveled on to the Thunderdome – the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas for the Halloween run. As soon as we hit the ground the place was abuzz with chirping Phish phans, and suddenly I felt trapped. Gone were the easy, lazy desert pavilions and ocean breezes. There were people walking in every direction, the longest lines I have ever seen no matter where you went and when you tried to go, and as I started to lose my breath in the halls of the MGM that first night I realized I was about to have a panic attack.

We quickly went back up to our room at the Signature where I went out onto the balcony and cried and cried. I was so raw, and my sensory issues were at full volume. As I was crying and wondering if I was even going to be able to go to the show, an image of Michael’s face popped into my head and he said “I want you to have a good time.” A huge weight lifted, and suddenly I felt calm and at peace. Back downstairs at the arena, the lines had cleared out and we went into the show and had a great time.

Two nights later during the animals show, “I Am the Walrus” started and my heart felt like a lump in my throat. When my stepdad was dating my mom, he bought me the entire Beatles catalog, winning my friendship and cultivating my lifelong love of rock and roll. I could feel Michael right there with me as the song played, and just as the image of his face popped into my head, Trey said “Hello, how are you? We hope you have a good time” from the stage.

It was one of those moments where I felt like the entire history of my universe went into fast-forward and everything collectively met right at this exact moment – it was maybe the most naturally psychedelic moment of my life. It felt like a message straight from my stepdad himself, and now every time I listen to that song it is like hanging out with Michael.

Strawberry Letter 23

“Hello, how are you” starting around 3:18: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvB8jsyGCQg&ab_channel=GregoryMarcus

Stocks rocks Denver at Tap Fourteen

I knew Ryan Brashier‘s new band Stocks was going to be good, but I didn’t know they’d be THIS good. Thanks to Phantasy Tour bringing a lot of us Denver Phish phan degenerates together, over the years I’ve become good friends with Ryan and his wife Erin, from living just a block away from each other to taking down our tents in the rain when Curveball was canceled.

Beyond friendship, he is also my go-to guy for everything guitar. This guy knows his pedals and rigs! So Wednesday night at downtown Lodo bar Tap Fourteen – Rooftop Beer Garden, it came as no surprise to see lots of pedals on the stage. Joined by Matthew Norcross on guitar, Chuck Obmaces on keys, David Simutis on bass and Matt Fisher on drums, Stocks has a big sound that draws heavily on 90’s grunge influences.

Always remember where you came from

So many jam bands that are out there come from funk and bluegrass backgrounds, so to get to hear raging guitar jams through a grunge lens is fresh and sure to tickle the fancy of any 90s kid. Just in case you didn’t get the memo, a searing cover of The Smashing Pumpkins “Cherub Rock” drives it home with Ryan’s vocals sounding eerily just like Billy Corgan.

Ryan Brashier glows

With Phish listeners on deck, segues and mash-ups are sure to happen, and my personal highlight from the night was a charging rendition of ALO‘s “Dead Still Dance” with a surprise cameo from The Beatles “Tomorrow Never Knows” in the middle. At this point, my camera had to get put down and joining the other dancers was a must. Take a listen to the audio here on Ryan’s Soundcloud page: https://soundcloud.com/playthestocks/dead-still-dancetomorrow-never-knowsdead-still-dance-stocks-7282021-tap-xiv-denver-co

Matthew Norcross sending psychedelic messages to the cosmos

Make sure to follow Stocks (they only go up!) on their Instagram page for news about upcoming shows: https://www.instagram.com/playthestocks/?utm_medium=copy_link&fbclid=IwAR0ZugZwH25NkjsXWena2xCAuArMs124aBFD3qe9hif7X0RLIzTnd3mAoEg

Scramble Campbell kicks off the summer solstice with a Red Rocks art exhibit that shines bright.

If you have ever been to a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in the past nineteen years, you’ve probably seen Scramble Campbell– covered in paint, dancing to the rhythm of the music, and painting a wild, psychedelic scene at his easel. If you sit near him, you’ll end up watching him more than the concert, as his hypnotizing, flowing bob-and-weave dance moves sync up with the paint coming off his brush. Capturing the sound with color and light, Scramble has painted a who’s who of musicians over his decades-long career, and carefully chosen selections of his work are now on display at the new Scramble Campbell 15th Annual Red Rocks Art Experience currently up in the Red Rocks museum at the visitor center.

Scramble Campbell 15th Annual Red Rocks Art Experience

The newest addition is a John Fogerty piece that was literally painted the night before at the concert, and a few Fogerty fans who had been there stood around the piece, gushing over the fun night they had and Scramble’s capture of it. Campbell’s colorful, whimsical style appeals to both young and old, and it’s fun to watch the various generations excitedly ask him to sign pieces and pose for a picture.

Scramble Campbell poses with fans at his 15th Annual Red Rocks Art Experience

Gracious and personable, Keith “Scramble” Campbell has time for everyone, and gives each one his complete attention. It totally makes sense that he has so many fans- he has painted almost 500 concerts at Red Rocks! The art exhibit is filled with couches that visitors can lounge on to really get a chance to absorb his work. In the center of the exhibit, the 2013 Eric Abramson documentary Scramblevision that features the painter is played on a giant screen.

Couches galore at Scramble Campbell’s 15th Annual Red Rocks Art Experience

Besides the live music-inspired work, there are beautiful paintings of the famous rock formations; blended in you will find benevolent spirits, doves, and the vibe of pure love and respect for this national historical landmark. Rock and roll and geology just go so well together!

Scramble:   “I first started coming here the summer of 2000 with Widespread Panic, and I just fell in love with the place immediately. I was a 30-year resident of Florida, but I figured this was the place I wanted to be. I’ve been to amphitheatres all over the country, doing H.O.R.D.E. Festival and others throughout the 90s, and this is the premier venue. When I got here, I learned the history of the place, and I’m one of the tour guides here. I was fascinated by it all, and figured this was the place that I wanted to spend my summers, so I got in with the city. When this show started off 15 years ago, it was one week, and now it’s up to a month! This is my 19th season here, and this year I will breach 500 live paintings here at Red Rocks. It’s a great home, and now they sell my work, posters and magnets year-round at the Trading Post and here at the Visitor Center. It’s a wonderful thing. I’m never looking for a new gig!”

I became a major Leftover Salmon fan after seeing them at H.O.R.D.E. Fest as a teenager, and over the years have been delighted by the band, the painter, and of course, their sometimes special guest Mayor McCheese. Color me surprised when I found out that when I saw the band play at Red Rocks in 2010, the painter WAS Mayor McCheese! Scramble Campbell- Renaissance Man.

Before you leave the exhibit, make sure to check out the gift shop area on the left. T-shirts, magnets, posters, postcards and more are on sale at the exhibit. Find Scramble and he’ll sign it for you!

The Scramble Campbell 15th Annual Red Rocks Art Experience runs until July 22, and is open to the public and free from 10am – 2pm in the Red Rocks Amphitheatre Visitor Center. The exhibit is also open during concerts, but you’ll need a ticket then. Visit his website at scramblecampbell.com.

Don’t miss his wife Shay’s out-of-this-world nature and space inspired art!

The Dylan Miles Experience steals the show at the Highlands Street Fair

When The Dylan Miles Experience took the stage on Saturday at the Highlands Street Fair, around twenty people stopped, curious to see what this thirteen-year-old was like on the guitar. By the time he played Pink Floyd‘s “Have A Cigar,” that number had grown to well over a hundred. Kicking off the set with Phish‘s “Free,” Dylan showed a maturity in song selection and musical knowledge that you don’t usually see in a young teen. A guitar prodigy from the Denver School of the Arts, Dylan is no stranger to the stage- by the time he was three his musical talents were already shining through, and he has sat in with national touring acts like North Mississippi Allstars. On Saturday, Dylan played in his trio with Niek Velvis on bass and Alana Dym on drums.

The Dylan Miles Experience draws a big crowd at the Highlands Street Fair

Saturday’s set saw a primed Dylan Miles playing both classic songs like Talking Heads “Psycho Killer,” as well as a rocking original titled “Reality” that segued into the Grateful Dead‘s “Deep Elem Blues” then back into “Reality.” With a heavy rock sound, he showed that his writing prowess was just as strong as any cover that he performed. Sporting a hat representing local Mile High kosher bagel experts Rosenberg’s Bagels, Dylan showed his love for the local scene, and the scene responded back in kind.

Guitar prodigy Dylan Miles rocks the Highlands Street Fair

Local celebrity and famed artist Scramble Campbell was on deck, painting the band while they played. With his signature bopping dance and swirling, psychedelic style- Scramble’s presence is a true sign and official stamp that “you’ve made it.”

Scramble Campbell paints The Dylan Miles Experience

The highlight of the show was at the end when the band closed out with a rousing “Ohio” by Crosby, Stills and Nash that then segued into Rage Against the Machine‘s protest song “Killing In The Name.” As a major Phish fan, Dylan knows the ins and outs of a good segue, and took the audience completely by surprise when he turned on a dime and segued back into “Ohio.” The cheers from the crowd could be heard throughout the annual neighborhood street festival and the people got DOWN.

The Dylan Miles Experience rocks the Highlands Street Fair

It felt like the entire festival was at the music stage, and the crowd screamed “ONE MORE! ONE MORE!” at the end of the set, completely charmed by The Dylan Miles Experience. Go see the band on August 24th at the Arvada Center Arts & Ales Festival as they play a two-hour set!

Dylan Miles and his guitar pedals at the Highlands Street Fair

Children can’t take their eyes off The Dylan Miles Experience at the Highlands Street Fair

The Dylan Miles Experience steals the show at the Highlands Street Fair

Dylan Miles plays lead guitar for The Dylan Miles Experience

The Dylan Miles Experience dominates the stage at the Highlands Street Fair

Scramble Campbell painting of The Dylan Miles Experience

Setlist:

Phish – Free

Dire Straights – Sultans Of Swing

Dylan Miles – Reality > Grateful Dead – Deep Elem Blues > Reality

Talking Heads – Psycho Killer

The Dixie Cups – Iko Iko

Niek Velvis – Zhen Kill-ya Blues

Bob Marley – Soul Shakedown Party

Pink Floyd – Have a Cigar

Phish – Sand

Crosby, Stills & Nash – Ohio > Rage Against The Machine Killing In The Name > Ohio

 

Christian Dior Retrospective at Denver Art Museum

Dior: From Paris to the World exhibit opens at Denver Art Museum. Room after room of architecturally breathtaking shapes and decadent details set up like a couture house with a real deal Marchesa Casati portrait, this exhibit has so many dresses it will require a second viewing. The Audrey Hepburn dress is the smallest designer garment I’ve ever seen, and the Jennifer Lawrence Oscar dress is so big I can understand her falling down the stairs. While the 1950s New Look dresses were the showstoppers, John Galliano’s whimsical over the top versions were close behind. Buy your tickets in advance.

Marilyn Monroe Christian Dior dress at Denver Art Museum

Marchesa Casati Christian Dior Denver Art Museum

Nicole Kidman Christian Dior Oscars dress

Getting thrown a Curveball – When a Phish Festival Cancels While You Are Already There

Before we even got to New York there were signs that things were not right- texts from the airline saying our flight had been delayed and we wouldn’t make our connecting flight. Getting on standby for a different flight only to be told “never mind! Your original plane is on time now!” Having the computers go down at the rental car place and hearing the young worker say “I quit”. Snagging my Phish necklace and breaking the chain off my neck. Mercury being in retrograde…

Once inside the Curveball campgrounds things started looking up. Easy security, great campsite that was almost under these two trees (if we had been just one car later in line!) and hot sunny weather that laughed in the face of that week’s torrential downpours and flooding.  After putting the tents up we grabbed our schmancy new Phish Nalgene bottles from Glen Close concierge and excitedly went off looking for water to fill them with as we walked on to soundcheck.

This is where things got fishy. They had some blue spigots you could get water from but we continued on to the gates expecting to get some from the filling stations inside. 3:00pm gates closed and gate staff boredly says “come back in an hour”. 4:00pm gates closed but now we are told “The Bunny will tell you”. There were ominous words in retrospect. Walking back one of the big speakers was being lowered down from the stage, and suddenly it made sense as to why they hadn’t started soundcheck yet- there’s a sound issue!

Back to the campsites to settle in and listen to The Bunny for instructions, I decided it was a good time to jump in that nice ice cold shower. It wasn’t. Just as I am finishing my shower I hear the first scream; didn’t even bat an eye until the second guy screamed. As I rushed into my clothes and out of the shower a woman that worked there gave me a sweet smile and taped a sign up “DO NOT DRINK. NO POTABLE WATER”.

Outside the campground was still. People just standing there in shock, hand over mouth, faces concerned. Did a band member die?? Back at my tent I grabbed my phone and saw a ton of texts, the first from my husband asking me “Why does Phish.com say Curveball is canceled?” Now I’m standing in shock, hand over mouth, eyes welling up and then I heard The Bunny.

“We are so terribly sorry…” rang out as people gathered to radios like moths to a flame. Instantly shock and yet acceptance hit. We all had been watching the local weather all week, and the video of the overflowing waterfall was really concerning. We expected potentially rough times. We expected mud. Never cancellation, yet here we were watching the stage and Ferris wheel coming down.

Fortunately the campground made proverbial lemonade, commiserating, contemplating, what nexting and dancing in a ditch in the shadow of a bunch of horse cops. No we didn’t get to hear primordial ooze come out of that big silver ball or see if they were going to play Talking Heads’ “The Great Curve”, but the people there received a valuable life lesson refresher that being together  with respect and kindness is a majority of that collective love high you get from a Phish show. :::enter obligatory “So keep what’s important and know who’s your friend” lyric:::

Rainbow Dresses Everywhere!

Front Pocket Rainbow Dress by All Things Mochi

It’s a great time to be a rainbow lover. As the mid-late 70’s trends combine with ever louder Gay Pride and support we are getting rainbows from every direction. Some of the brands to jump on the Rainbow Road are Reformation, Madewell, Mara Hoffman, J. Crew and of course the luxe rainbows at Gucci. The All Things Mochi dress up top is already being copied and sold as the real thing on Facebook- buyer beware! Below are some of my favorite dresses of the moment.

Alice & Olivia Rainbow Wrap Dress

Mara Hoffman One Shoulder Rainbow Dress

Shop rainbows and more here- Everyday Rockstar Poshmark Closet

Dressing like the Rajneesh – Layering reds together

Cults are a particular obsession of mine and I have been absolutely devouring the Netflix special Wild, Wild Country. Instantly your eye is drawn to their outfits of various shades of red, burgundy, orange and pink layered together like a lipstick case exploded on a North Face store. Now much has been said of pink/red and all red combos of late, but my favorite combo is maroon and red together- the clash is jarring and yet harmonious. Here are some of my favorite recent looks that harnessed this trend and shop some maroon at my Poshmark closet here: @leslieloudspeak Poshmark closet

Vintage Clothing Trends and Microtrends

Vintage Clothing Trends and Microtrends

One of my favorite parts of selling online is analyzing what goes where, spotting little regional microtrends and the general shift of a trend from the coasts inward. Here are some of the observations I have made recently in regards to vintage clothing trends:

Vintage Wrangler Cowboy Cut Jeans– Los Angeles

photo credit: Urban Outfitters

-North Hollywood if we want to get extra specific. You’ve got the whole Laurel Canyon Revival going on, and the Silverlake Shaman mystical sack dress look, so it would make sense that sandwiched in the middle you’d find dusty authentic American western 70’s jeans, but ones with thighs so tight that only the ultra-slim ladies of Los Angeles can wear them. As with all jeans right now, chop them at the calf for a cute kick crop look.Them and the young Texas men.

Vintage Levi’s 512 and 550 Jeans (“Mom Jeans”)– Southern CA, Austin, Brooklyn, Nashville

photo credit: Avelina’s Vintage

-so both coasts and Central Texas agree on high waisted 100% cotton (NO STRETCH) tapered leg jeans a.k.a Mom Jeans. The younger women wear them with skimpy tops from Brandy Melville, the older women tend to tuck in vintage blouses or faux-vintage T-shirts.

Vintage Western Snap Button Shirts– Chicago

-Now the more plain Wrangler snap buttons get bought up by men and women alike in CA, TX and WY (there are some seriously well dressed young western style men in Wyoming that know their vintage!) but the fancier, brighter, embroidered shirts that look like they’d be on stage at the Grand Ole Opry have been getting scooped up by fashionable women in Chicago for months now. It came as no surprise recently when the runways of Saint Laurent, Givenchy and Coach AND Justin Timberlake in Stella McCartney at the Super Bowl were all Western- influenced. Chicago knew.

Vintage Men’s Levi’s 501 Jeans– New York City

photo credit: Racked

-Preferably button fly, the women are stealing the men’s jeans in New York City and looking fabulous. Semi-high waisted but a much more classic look than the 550 and 512, they look best with their long straight legs cuffed wide on the bottom for a Rosie the Riveter effect. Distressed ones go for more than new, light stonewash is the shade.

Vintage 70’s dresses– Brooklyn, Los Angeles, Washington

-No surprise here that Brooklyn and Los Angeles dominate my vintage sales, particularly 60’s through 80’s and if it has a Union label it’s straight to Brooklyn before others even get a shot at it. Sheer poly blends, micro pleats, faux wrap tops, little matching tie belts- get all those into one dress and you’ve got a great piece that goes from work to rock concert.

Vintage 90’s dresses– Everywhere- even Alaska

-keywords here are rayon, babydoll, dropped waist, dark floral and sleeveless. Take it up a notch with a “teacher dress” complete with lace collar. Winona Ryder’s character in Reality Bites is the main inspiration (heck AND Janeane). Fantastic dresses for those super hot months, and the dark florals keep any sweat stains hidden. You can keep the 90’s vibe with some stompy boots, go boho with tan western ankle boots, or pretty with strappy sandals.

Have you seen any of these trends in your city/town?

Selling vintage clothing on Poshmark and how that’s going

 

I’ve been absentee for awhile due to my aunt asking me “Do you ever use Poshmark?” WHO KNEW that there was an easy outlet to get all my vintage treasures I rescue from the proverbial thrift pound back into the hands of people that really want them and actually DO fit in the dress.

Some of my earliest memories revolve around reading my mother’s Vogue subscription, and I spent hours upon hours as a little girl digesting the Italian names and types of fabrics and silhouettes. I have a few vintage dresses that I have carried with me for decades now- a gorgeous 50’s prom dress from Bunkie, Louisiana where my mom was raised, a bright orange Young Victorian mini dress that was made in Los Angeles and still tells the tales of Rodney Bingenheimer’s English Disco on the Sunset Strip, and a weird tapestry fabric dress by Harry Keiser that I wore on a few birthdays.

At this point, I occupy the entire master closet so boy am I happy I found out about the ole Posh. After a failed attempt at selling clothes on eBay years ago (I fail a LOT when trying to bring ideas to fruition), I was skeptical at first but they make it so easy and I really like getting to interact with the buyer and seeing where it is going to and who is wearing what styles where.

Share my closet with friends that love vintage clothing and natural fibers and other good stuff! So many of the things listed right now can be used for Halloween costumes as well.  Just in the past month I have found CK Calvin Klein Jeans overalls from the 90s, a mint condition Gunne Sax prairie gown (a million Halloween costumes in this one!) and a gorgeous yellow lace Karen Millen dress. Time to release the Kraken.

Leslieloudspeak account at Poshmark: @LESLIELOUDSPEAK on POSHMARK