Site editor's note: as the below review indicates, Colorado is included within the region that we have decided to label the Southwest (yes, somewhat random we know, but we had to divide up the United States somehow). Well, we really could use the help of any jambands.com readers living in the state. We know there's a thriving scene out there, we would love to report on it in a bit more detail. So please send your reviews to Chris. If you have any other ideas, pass them along to us, jambands@jambands.com.

Alright, first things first, settle into that chair. Not like that, really settle into it. Actually, if you need to go to the bathroom or grab a drink, do that now. Then settle into the chair. If you smoke, make sure everything is within arms reach. Come to think of it, you better go ahead and close the door, turn up the stereo, and take the phone off the hook. Once you settle in to read these musings on the Mile High Millennium, you will thank me. You will definitely not want to be interrupted. Now you are getting there. Good. I think we are ready now.

The following is a smattering of impressions from three in a cast of thousands. Keep your eyes open and your ears tuned in and turned on as they set you in the scene.

Chris

Leftover Salmon and a Cast of Hooligans
The Mile High Millennium 12/31/99
The Fillmore East ­ Denver, CO

by Jeff Buske, Eric, and the Man They Call CDub

Set I

The Other Side, High Five, Nothing But Time, Gonna Have A Party, It's Your World, Rivers Rising, Mama Boulet, Coming At You w/ Y2K...(kind of a rap style), One More Love Song>1999>Celebrate> Stingray

Set II

Auld Lang Syne, Reach (NGR), Euphoria (w/ Horns), Green Thing>, Whiskey Before Breakfast, Free Mexican Airforce (W/ Peter Rowan), No Woman No Cry ( W/ Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, and John Cowan), Fly Through The Country (NGR)>Midnight Rider>Fly Through The Country, Breakin’ Through, Doin’ My Time ( P. Rowan does a verse as well )>Back To Ol' Kentucky>Celebrate Reprise

Encore: Better

Jeff Buske muses:

With a new millennium upon us, Leftover Salmon wasted no time ensuring that the twenty-first century began with a great pick! A pick is a bluegrass term for like-minded players to get together and well, pick! And a-pick they did along with veteran New Grass Revival players, Sam Bush & John Cowan, the always lovable Peter Rowan(think Bill Monroe, Old & In the Way), Tony Furtado, an up and coming banjo player with a great sense of humor, and an assorted cast of characters ranging from Shakespeare, to Attila the Hun, to Father Time, to Baby New Year, to aliens and robot, a giant train, a float, glow ring people and some horn players.

The doors opened at Denver's Fillmore (East) @ 4:20. Alas, my party did not arrive until well after Salmon's acoustic set which started promptly at 6 o'clock. We arrived after much acoustic revelry from what I've been told, although Salmon with apt Q-258 providing the back beat is more my style. While not wholly familiar with Peter Rowan's repertoire, I was of course familiar with Panama Red (played with Drew , Tye, and, I think, Vince), Midnight Moonlight, and some of the traditional bluegrass. Soon, all of Salmon was on stage along with John Cowan. They kicked out some jams with Other Side>High 5, Nothing But Time, then I think Ants in my Pants(songs hereare somewhat hazy , so I'll try to give an overview of the proceedings). Sam Bush ,dressed in an old school baseball jersey, was jamming on the mando while John Cowan offered 70's metal band vocals ala Grand Funk Railroad. It’s Your World was followed by River's Rising and Mama Boulet. Around this time, they played a crazy song I would probably title Comin' Atcha Y2K, and it was great! They proceeded to play Prince's 1999>Kool & the Gang's Celebration, and all the while the band kept changing into crazier costumes, (I'll try to get some pics to post,)Vince was really decked out, playing Celebration clad entirely, including guitar, in lights. Speaking of lights, there was a great light show, including slides of the strangely absent Mayor McCheese. A crazy parade of the aforementioned characters and floats wound around the Fillmore shortly before midnight (a Bill Graham tradition, the torch passed to Chuck Morris for this event).

Midnight was announced by way of a time counter projected on the wall. Contemplation of the new millennium was interrupted by the parade. It was like an indoor Mardi Gras, complete with beads, and costumed freaks. Hugs abounded. A sing along Auld Lang Syne followed with the parading horn section remaining on stage for a killer, phun Euphoria followed by Green Thing> Phatties for Breakfast. Sam Bush took vocals for Marley's No Woman, No Cry. Next came Breakin' Thru, then some good old bluegrass, including Back to Old Kentucky.

I think there may have been a short break before an insane Better. The entire stage was crowded with musicians! I believe after many jams and some ad libbing about the future , Sam Bush took over for an inspirational Three Little Birds," Don't Worry 'bout a thing', Cause every little thing is gonna be alright", was a great Y2K mantra, and the audience left glowing with positive vibrations from the entire Mile-High Millennium experience. I thank everyone involved for what was obviously a well thought-out event and a treat for the senses. A great S.F. style poster was handed out after the show. Salmon rocked and their audience rolled!

but Eric sees:

Sam, John and Peter fly in
The Mexican Air Force comes out
The boys they pick
the people begin to shout

you do the hokey pokey
and you turn yourself around
that's what its all about

parades come in
parades come out
the parades come in
the manager begins to shout

you do the hokey pokey
and you turn yourself around
that's what its all about

the Fillmore funk comes in
the Fillmore funk goes out
people catch the spirit
Bill Graham seems to be in route

you do the hokey pokey
and you turn yourself around
that's what its all about

the hall parties begin
the hall parties get out
helicopter circles
the people begin to shout

legalize hokey pokey
and turn yourself around
that's what its all about

you check the whole hotel in
you kick the whole hotel out
you check the hotel back in
Sgt. Foster begins to shout

you do the hokey pokey
and you turn yourself around
that's what its all about

and CDub thinks:

Great set. Highlights for me in retrospect and on tape were the awesome Nothing But Time. I love listening to Drew sing this song and was glad they did this one. The River's Rising was smoking, but the real treat of this set is when Sam Bush and John Cowan join the boys for One More Love Song. For those of you who haven't heard Stingray before, you should check out some Sam Bush! These guys were really putting on a magical show. With the parade coming... which was full of all kinds of WACKINESS; crazy costumed characters, a giant alien, a buzzard, a chicken, a genie, a toy soldier, a civil war officers, Baby New Year, Father Time, Elvis, a huge robot, a Chinese dragon and many more. All kinds of freaks parading around counting in the new Millennium. Craziness everywhere you looked. The parade makes its way to the stage for the countdown. 2 minutes left people. Tye is funkin'it up with Apt. Q-258...there are also some horn players on stage right now gettin' it! They were in the parade as well. I minute left.

Happy New Year!

Auld Lang Syne with everyone on stage

And there you have it! Madness, magic, wonderment, bliss, glee confusion, adventure, wackiness, absurdity, exploration, communion, and big fat fun filtered through the eyes, minds, and fingertips of our contributors and pasted directly to your monitor. Consider the New Year rung in!