Big Head Todd and the Monsters brought the blues to The Palace

Last updated on February 24th, 2020 at 10:38 am

Colorado’s Big Head Todd and The Monsters rocked the majestic Palace Theater. The rock n roll, blues, and jazz-filled evening included the gifted Hazel Miller.

The night started as it always does: taking the traditional selfie of my very giddy fiancee and myself in front of the marque, then posting on Facebook for all my friends to see. A minute after posting, my friend of 30 years, Chad by name, commented that he recently saw BHTM, saying that the show was good but pretty much the same as he saw fifteen years prior. Having seen BHTM only a couple of years ago, I thought I might just about to see the same show I saw then.

Todd vs Chad

The show I saw two years ago was amazing, yet what I witnessed last night blew that show away. The second Todd Mohr hit the stage he appeared to be controlled by the guitar he was holding. In my opinion, there are three styles of guitarists: those that play technical (Alex Lifeson), those that play from the hip (Slash), and others, like Todd, who play with pure passion.

Intensely playing through the first four songs, including 1990 hit “Bittersweet” (one of my favorites), Todd then welcomed Colorado jazz legend Hazel Miller to the stage to perform alongside the Monsters. The crowd became immediately moved when Todd stepped back to let Hazel take over the mic; her voice leaves you in awe. Her vocal range, passion, and style are stunning. Having that voice backed by the unbelievably talented Mohr was musical greatness.

Hazel joined the Monsters on stage for a few songs, then left the as the band played more of their hits, including “Circle” and “Broken Hearted Savior,” which let Mohr blast through an intense and impromptu guitar solo. Listening to his music on speakers and headphones is nothing compared to seeing him play live. The band is tight and the guitar work is fantastic.

Eventually, Hazel returned for the rest of the show, and she and Todd took turns on the vocals.

This performance was nothing like the one I saw a couple of years ago, and I thought that was one of the best I had ever seen. This show blew that one away in so many ways. Not only did I witness one of the best rock, blues, and jazz shows in one night, I was also reminded never to trust the opinion of a guy named Chad.