On the heels of his recent solo release Blood From A Stone, the newest iteration of the Eric Krasno Band made its debut performance at the majestic Mishawaka Amphitheatre in Bellvue, CO this past Saturday night, as support for Ivan Neville and his Dumpstaphunk family. Watching the likes of Kraz and Dumpstaphunk play while the Cache la Poudre River flows behind the stage with mountains in the background and wildlife literally stopping to listen to the music is an unbelievable experience.

Listen To Eric Krasno And Derek Trucks Shred Together On New Studio Cut, ‘Curse Lifter’

Local front range act Moves At Midnight opened the evening with a solid set of funk rock that got everyone warmed up rather nicely. The Colorado scene definitely supports its local musicians, making sure they are included on bills with some serious national talent, and Moves At Midnight certainly proved they were up for the occasion. 

Eric Krasno brought his solo band, which consisted of guitarist Danny Mayer, keyboardist DeShawn Alexander, drummer Eric Kalb, bassist Alex Chakour, and vocalist Mary Corso. The group Krasno played a good portion of the tracks from his latest solo effort, including beautifully played versions of “Jezebel” and “Unconditional Love.” The show also included a fantastic live version of “Curse Lifter,” a song that features guitar legend Derek Trucks on the album version. Mayer and Krasno were as tight as can be, rocking the song with some incredible guitar solos.

The new album sees Krasno taking the lead on vocals, and those raspy, soulful notes definitely hold up in the live setting. Ever the bandleader, Kraz shared the spotlight with his band members, and truly showcasing some serious talent on the stage, with Corso’s impressive deep vocal range, Mayer’s ridiculous guitar skills, and Alexander coming out of left field on the keys to blow minds. Word to the wise; do not sleep on this ensemble. They’ll be on tour all summer long.

Dumpstaphunk opened their set with a nod to the recently passed Bernie Worrell, playing Funkadelic‘s “One Nation Under A Groove” from the 1978 album of the same name. The group powered through some initial sound issues to bring that dirty NOLA funk. “Stinky” featured Tony Hall on vocals, with that double bass explosion from both Hall and Nick Daniels (who celebrated his birthday the following night). Krasno joined the band for a jam session that included Ivan Neville stepping out from behind the keys to play some strings, along with the oft-reserved but equally as deft Ian Neville taking some solo time as well (check out video below).

Overall, it was a great night out at The Mish with some soul and funk powerhouses on the bill. If you haven’t been to this venue, make sure you put it on your bucket list of places to see a show. Everyone talks about Red Rocks, but this smaller, intimate venue is equally as special.