Adrenaline-filled Rock & Rails with the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band and CW & Twenty Hands High

It's never good when rain and hail blow through an outdoor concert venue an hour before the event is scheduled. That's what happened in advance of the Rock & Rails program on June 20, 2024. However, in typical Colorado fashion, the skies cleared quickly and fortunately the weather remained delightful throughout the evening.

The Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band kicked off the event with selections consistent with the evening's country and Southern rock theme. A large group of 28 musicians arrived accessorized with cowboy hats and boots. They looked and sounded the part with pieces including "Beer Barrel Polka," "The Magnificent Seven," "Shut Up and Dance with Me" and "Keep Your Hands to Yourself," a tune reprised by the headliners as predicted. A group of cowbell-ringers joined the band for "Don't Fear the Reaper," because you can never have too much cowbell.

The performers demonstrated that this was literally foot-tappin' music. A concertgoer pointed out with an amused smile that band members in the front row kept the beat in different ways. Some tapped with their toes, some with their heels, one alternated rocking each foot between their toes and heels, and one in sandals tapped with both big toes.

Performers are openly enthusiastic about being part of the community band. Trombonist Biff Warren announced several times during the concert that the band is "always under construction," meaning that new musicians are encouraged to join.

Some band members mentioned how informal or unusual their invitations to join had been. Debbie Benson, from Erie, Colorado, said that four years ago Warren saw her dance moves and for some reason thought that she should be the new conductor after the retirement of longtime conductor Lee Shaw. No matter that her previous music experience had been limited to playing cello and guitar, she rose to the challenge. She had a serious expression on her face while she was conducting, but later in the evening when the headliner's music was in full swing, she joyfully showed off those dancing skills.

Tenor saxophonist Julie Daves moved to Niwot from the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, area five years ago. She has played the sax for forty years yet was surprised and pleased how quickly after her move she was invited to be part of the group. For her, this was a way to become integrated into the community.

Following intermission, headliner CW & Twenty Hands High hit the stage with the high-energy performance fans were waiting for. Fans crowded the dance floor, sang along and cheered loudly throughout the performance. Frontman Chad Wooten (CW) took out his own phone a few times to record and post videos of the revelry.

As reported in last week's Left Hand Valley Courier, the band has been receiving national and state recognitions and racking up numerous awards. Their bookings have increasingly taken them across a large geographical area.

During the two weeks before the Rock & Rails concert, CW said he had driven the band and its equipment over 5,000 miles for gigs in five states. The day of the Niwot concert they drove over 11 hours from the Dallas area. Their 3:15 a.m. MDT departure time felt a little early. CW said, "In this business, performers are used to staying up that late, but not getting up that early." He added that, "the 'glamour stuff' that you (audience members) don't even see includes way too much gas station food."

Clearly, CW & Twenty Hands High is at the cusp of the next level of success. CW has made two major decisions recently to boost his chances of a breakthrough.

First, he replaced his band members with others whose schedules permit the growing out-of-town travel demand. Two of the new members began in mid-May, the other two, just a week or two ago. CW explained that music pros can get up to speed very quickly and follow cues seamlessly. The success of the concert is evidence that this new group has already jelled.

The second change is that the band, which was formed in Colorado in 2017, is relocating to Dallas. The country music market in Texas is very large, the media is supportive and their bookings in the state are increasing. This is great news for CW & Twenty Hands High, but perhaps not for Niwot, depending upon whether they can be lured back to perform here in the future.

CW has a lot on his plate, but he is making time for one more change-his wedding, which is coming up this week.

Tip jar collections totaled over $2,100. The funds are divided between the Niwot High School football team for uniforms and the NHS Cheer team for safety mats.