Review: Big Head Todd and the Monsters at Red Rocks, 6/10/12

By A.H. Goldstein Mon., Jun. 11 2012 at 7:00 AM

Eric Gruneisen

Bare Naked Ladies at Red Rocks.

Earlier in the evening, the Barenaked Ladies mix of humor, nostalgia and crowd-pleasing pop hits set a fitting mood for the headliners and made for a surreal form of musical time travel. It felt like Friends was still on the air, like the college alt-rock of the '90s was just hitting its stride. The Canadian quartet opened with "Too Little Too Late," but it didn't take them long to dig deeper into its older catalogue. Songs like "The Old Apartment" and "It's All Been Done" summoned the group's early power pop efforts, as did "One Week" and "If I Had $1000000." Those chestnuts came along with newer tunes like "Easy" and "Sound of Your Voice."

Eric Gruneisen

Bare Naked Ladies at Red Rocks.

The outfit switched up instrumentation, taking stints on acoustic and electric guitars, synthesizers, bongos, an accordion and a standup bass. The set included the act's familiar brand of comedy and theatrics, including an improvised hip-hop jam with lyrics about Red Rocks and Big Head Todd created on the spot by Robertson. The entire crowd was on its feet by the time the band launched into "Brian Wilson" and then ended its set with a mash-up of pop covers, including sloppy excerpts from Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know," Alphaville's "Forever Young" and Journey's "Don't Stop Believing." The medley felt a bit like musical pandering, but the crowd ate it up.

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK

Personal Bias: Mohr's constant rounds of ambitious and aerobic guitar solos were the musical high point of the evening.

Random Detail: Barenaked Ladies' Ed Robertson joked that Red Rocks was in danger of becoming "Green Rocks" because of moss growth. Later, he joked he smelled the pungent aroma of "skunk burning."

By the Way: Hazel Miller has a damn impressive set of pipes. Her outro on "It's Alright" brought the crowd to its feet.

Follow Backbeat on Twitter: @westword_music

Location Info

Venue

Map

Red Rocks Amphitheatre

18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, CO

Category: General

70 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare

Tags:

6/10/12, Barenaked Ladies, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Hazel Miller, Red Rocks, review photos big head todd and the monsters red rocks denver

We Recommend

Joan Forbes Holmes

An astounding musical experience that assaulted you mentally, physically and spiritually!!! Red Rocks and BHTM are a special mix that create concert legends and this will surely go down as one of the very best ever!!! Todd and the band were caught up in all the magic and we were the chosen ones to receive the musical gift. Thank you for a great memory.

Jonathankirsch1

Great review. Show was amazing, and Hazel knocked it out of the park as usual. By the way, A.H. Goldstein, it's Jeremy Lawton on the lap steel, not Brian Nevin.

Mel Romm

AMAAAAAAAZING!!! BHTM at Red Rocks = The official start of Summer in Colorado! My Cousin's been a loyal BTHM fan since the band's early (1989- 1990) college shows at UNC - Greely. He hasn't missed a show since! For me, it was 1993. BHTM Never, EVER disappoint! It's impossible to have a bad night at Red Rocks. Todd, oh, Todd - the way you make your guitar sing such beautiful and haunting melodies. Your voice and guitar have helped me through some tough time in my life. We fans appreciate the time, energy and HEART you all put into making Red Rocks the BEST SHOW of the year. Thank you for giving us fans our yearly BHTM/special guest Hazel Miller/Red Rocks "fix". Hazel.... YOU play a significant part of making the June RR show .. "the one" worth waiting for! We wait ALL YEAR to hear you "KILL IT" during "It's Alright". You leave me on my feet, clapping, screaming and utterly SPEACHLESS!! Hazel, your voice is a true gift, thank you for sharing it with us!! Looking foreword to BHTM @ Red Rocks 2013!

rdjohnso

was a great show.... missed ya playing a couple big songs - Spanish Highway & Muhammid Ali.... hopefully next year!!

Hazel Miller

Wow this is a great review. Thank you Lydia Kerr for sending it to me. Thank you Westword for being the loyal, supportive group you have always been for local performers. Todd, Rob & Brian are the success that they are because they've sacrificed and given of themselves for 27 years. Adding Jeremy to the mix was a stroke of genius. They've given me many opputunities to join them since 1996. I love them like the precious brothers that they are to me. Hey Jeff and Joney I love you too!!

Mkury

AMAZING show!!! I live in NC and have seen BHTM all over the country. This was far and away the BEST show ever. Seeing them at Red Rocks was better than I imagined. Strike one thing off my bucket list....this may become an annual event!!