Assembly of Dust with Brother’s Keeper and Duey & The Decibels, Cervantes Other Side, Denver, CO- 7/16

Audience recording by Angelo DeSalvo Dedicated to KIND Recordings

Assembly of Dust is a rare treat in Colorado, and on this particular night it felt more like a secret show. With The String Cheese Incident delighting fans at Red Rocks across town most music people were far away from Cervantes Other Side. This was going to be a different sort of evening in Denver. At one point I looked by the bar and saw Eddie Roberts ordering a drink (Man that dude dresses sharp even when he’s enjoying a night off). AOD is a group that pays attention to song craft and musicianship so it’s not unusual to for them to draw in artists and fans alike.

The small but dedicated audience assembled for the maiden voyage of Colorado Super Group Duey & The Decibels. They erupted in enthusiastic applause as Duey and company took the stage at 9 PM sharp. This band is filled to the brim with buttery potential. Consisting of frontman David Duart (Yamn), Casey Russel (Magic Beans) on keys, Taylor Frederick (Yamn) on guitar, Timothy Johnston on guitar and Alana Dym on drums The Decibels are a newly minted funky force to be reckoned with. They opened with a pair of covers to ease us all in gently. The New Orleans staple “Hey Pockey A-way” followed by Bruce Springsteen’s “Atlantic City” got everyone’s attention.

Setlist: Hey Pocky A-Way, Atlantic City, Barbara, That Is All> Lunatic Fringe> That Is All, On Your Way Down, Brown’s at Home?, Honey Bee

The meat of the set was filled with funky instrumental interludes with names like “That Is All” and “Honey Bee.” They treated us to version of the often misattributed “Lunatic Fringe” originally performed by Red Rider (Not Pink Floyd). Duey & The Decibels are a tight and powerfully funky group that is ready to rock audiences far and wide.

Brother’s Keeper is a Vail and Roaring Fork Valley institution. The power trio consists Scott Rednor on guitar, Michael Jude on Bass and John Michel on drums. The latter two have long been the rhythm section for the John Oates Band. Brother’s Keeper has hosted a series of shows featuring guest musicians, most notably John Popper and Jono Manson. As a stripped down trio this band is all rock and roll with a dash of blues and soul. During their hour plus set they performed a brand new love song entitled “Anywhere in This World.” They invited Assembly of Dust guitarist Adam Terrell and the featured guest Jon Bevo (God Street Wine) on keys for a stellar version of the Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie.” They kept the vibe going with “Bertha” this time with Reid Genauer joining the band on vocals and guitar. Brother’s Keeper bid adieu to their friends and finished the set with a wild rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “When The Levee Breaks.”

By now the audience had swelled but there was still plenty of room to dance. Hardcore Dust fans moved to the front as AOD took to the stage. After a brief hello from Reid they launched into a perfect “Bootlegger’s Advice.”

Setlist: Bootlegger’s Advice, Samuel Aging, Vaulted Sky, All That I Am Now, Cluttered, Tavern Walker, Filter, Man with a Plan, Love Junkie, Cabin John, Paul Henry, Harrower, Straight, You Lay The Dust, Ms. Ohio, Arkansas Line, Roads Enc: Stone Choir

Despite their limited touring schedule Assembly of Dust remains incredibly tight. Their performance at the Other Side was a mix of classic AOD with a few surprises. Reid is the consummate singer-songwriter, but Assembly of Dust is really a rock band with folk tendencies. Terrell’s soaring guitar laid the groundwork for the simple but poppy “Vaulted Sky.” “Tavern Walker” took a left turn into jam town. “Filter” was nice treat before the “Man With A Plan” turned into a sing-along. “Cabin John” was a Strangefolk standard and features one of the most delicate jams in all of live music. “Harrower” felt like they were playing their hit song as they rocked it out for the fans. “You Lay The Dust” was a shush-worthy performance. They proceeded with a tender version of Gillian Welch’s “Ms. Ohio” before an invigorating “Arkansas Line.” They closed a powerful set with the ripping travel tune “Roads” before returning to finish the show with a “Stone Choir” encore.

Assembly of Dust remains on point whenever I get the chance to see them live. The rhythm section of John Leccesse and Dave Diamond were in lockstep throughout the entire performance. Not to mention John Bevo filling in for Jason Crosby. AOD came ready to play and despite the lack of a sellout they played with passion and focus. I understand if you bought Cheese tickets six months ago, but next time slip out at encore and snag an UBER to Cervantes. Assembly of Dust is too good to miss.