23 MAY 11-17, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Wondering where country music is headed these days? Then mark your calendar for Denver’s fi rst Dusty Boots Festi- val, taking place July 1 at Civic Center Park. The show starts at 2 p.m.; gates open at 1 p.m. Headliners include Canadian singer Colter Wall, who’s no stranger to Colorado audi- ences. Wall has been headlin- ing shows at the Gothic and Ogden theatres and Mission Ballroom over the past few years; most recently, he sold out a two-night run in January at the Mission. Wall’s music, which changes all the time, cel- ebrates the tradition of prairie life, and nobody does it better. Three of Wall’s songs are fea- tured in the fourth season of the Yellowstone TV series, including a rendition of Rex Allen’s 1951 classic “Cowpoke,” plus Wall’s own “Plain to See Plainsman” and “Sleeping on the Black- top.” The title track of his new album, Little Songs, includes the lines: “You might not see a soul for days on them high and lonesome plains. You got to fi ll the big empty with little songs.” Expect to see and hear about those lonesome plains during this much-anticipated set. Wall might be the headliner, but you’ll fi nd plenty of fascinating variations on country music on stage throughout the day. Or- ville Peck is no stranger to local audiences, either, having played recently at Mission Ballroom and Red Rocks Amphitheatre. An outlaw music legend in the making, Peck openly represents the LGBTQIA+ community, and his covered face has become a fi xture at country events over the years. Margo Price has been through it all as a country singer. Now forty years old, Price gave up drinking and smoking, and along with hubby Jeremy Ivey — also a musician and guitar- ist in her band — she’s raising three children as she builds her reputation as a Nashville star. Price is on the board of directors of Farm Aid, and her fi rst mem- oir, Maybe We’ll Make it, was published last year. Her fourth album, Strays, issued in January this year, is gaining airplay in many markets. Dusty Boots artists hail from all corners of the country, with sev- eral that came up around these parts. Casey James Prestwood is from Denver, and the group has garnered repeat nominations for Best Honky Tonk Group at the Ameripolitan Music Awards. Kyle Moon & The Misled is an Americana band from San Anto- nio, Texas, and Moon honed his songwriting skills in the Little Ravens, an indie/Americana band in Denver. Since forming in 2017 as the house band for Denver’s only monthly country music show- case, Extra Gold has made its name as an Americana band to be reckoned with. Honey Blazer is led by Gann Matthews and Brad Grear. After years of touring, Hound- mouth has found a large audi- ence that sings along with the band’s easygoing Americana, especially the hits “McKenzie” and “Sedona.” Futurebirds is an Athens, Georgia-based group that draws favorable compari- sons to The Band. Watch for the electric cello while Murder by Death is on stage, but expect a full-out upbeat Americana/rock kind of set. And while Nick Shoulders won’t have his dog (who’s in his video) with him, you can still plan on a great set from this well-traveled singer. Poet Willie Carlisle grew up with bluegrass music in his family, but he tells stories about all kinds of country music. Richy Mitch & the Coal Miners are from Bozeman, Montana, but they’ve been on the road since starting the group in 2017 as high schoolers. And it’s not all music. There’s a lot more going on in this fi rst edi- tion of the Dusty Boots experi- ence. There will be three live music stages and a designated area called “Whiskey River” that will feature whiskey and bourbon cocktails, and there will be horseshoes, lasso games and multiple barbeque options avail- able for everyone. Ticket link: GA and VIP tickets are still available for sale on axs.com (specifi c ticket link here: https://www.axs.com/ events/469304/dusty-boots- tickets). LIVE MUSIC ADVERTORIAL
