Dan Fogelberg
04 June 1991
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO
A rare circumstance on the road with Dan Fogelberg these days is the inclusion of a backing band. Since the mid-1980's the majority of Dan Fogelberg's tours have been simple, solo acoustic affairs. This year, in support of his recent Wild Places CD, Dan has brought along a full set of musicians, as well as a uniquely interesting stage set, for a mid-year full of one-night performances in cities across the U.S.
Dan was able to work with a local promoter at Denver radio station KDHT, to offer this evening's Greetings From The West benefit concert at a very pleasant cost of only $10.
Long-time collaborator Tim Weisberg opened with a jazzy, instrumental set of his own.
After a break, Dan and his band of musicians with mostly unrecognizable names hopped out for the title track off of Wild Places. Next came the great, melodic, "Heart Hotels", and two more tracks from Wild Places, "Rhythm Of The Rain/Rain", and "The Spirit Trail".
Next came what we expect from other Fogelberg tours--his acoustic set, which opened with an immaculate "Make Love Stay". Also on the acoustic list were "Run For The Roses", the relatively unfamiliar "Road Beneath My Wheels", "Believe In Me", and "Leader Of The Band", dedicated to his late father. Fogelberg let The Wilderness Society table the event, to further the audience's education on matters important to our environment, and dedicated a new song in that spirit, with the repeating words, "Eternity bound.....".
After another break, Tim Weisberg joined Dan for a couple tracks off of their 1978 duo album, Twin Sons Of Different Mothers, "Twins Theme", and the smash, "Power Of Gold". Next came an electric version of "Lonely In Love", and a powerhouse pair of hits that don't usually appear at his solo acoustic shows: "Missing You" and"Language Of Love".
The band, playing on an adobe-motif multi-level stage platform, highlighting the intentional theme of the great American Southwest, ended the set with "Part Of The Plan", and encored with "Same Old Lang Syne" and "There's A Place In The World For A Gambler".
Speculation by many is that this may be Dan's last full-backing-band tour for quite a while. Dan is a very private man who likes to keep to himself, playing occasional solo dates, but isn't much into the "Power Of Gold". Thus, we shouldn't take this excellent show for granted.
[****] - Steven T.
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