FORT LEWIS COLLEGE
The Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College is excited to announce the return of an American institution with three and a half decades of writing, recording, and touring with over 3,500 performances – BIG HEAD TODD AND THE MONSTERS on Tuesday, June 4 at 7:30 pm in Durango, Colo.
Big Head Todd and The Monsters have persisted as a rare force of nature in rock ‘n’ roll. The platinum-selling Colorado quartet – Todd Park Mohr [vocals, guitar, keys, sax, harmonica], Brian Nevin [drums, percussion], Rob Squires [bass, vocals], and Jeremy Lawton [guitar, keys, vocals, steel guitar] – have consistently churned out undeniable and often uplifting anthems fueled by a hybrid of no-nonsense hard rock, simmering soul, dyed-in-the-wool blues, and a twist of country. Akin to your favorite classic automobile, their influence and imprint only widen over time, selling out even bigger venues and enrapturing new eras of fans with every passing year.
These cats have always paved their own lane. Todd, Brian, and Rob started playing music together while still in high school during the early eighties. Becoming Big Head Todd and The Monsters during 1986, that lane has twisted and turned just as much as Highway 66.
Following a quiet D.I.Y. rise, the group shook the mainstream with 1993’s now-classic platinum-certified Sister Sweetly. In its wake, Robert Plant tapped the band to open his Fate of Nations Tour. Following Strategem [1994], they unveiled Beautiful World [1997] highlighted by a cover of “Boom Boom” [feat. John Lee Hooker]—which notably became the theme song for NCIS: New Orleans. They welcomed Jeremy to the fold in 2001. After penning “Blue Sky” at the urging of friends connected to NASA, they notably performed the song live from Mission Control as an interplanetary wakeup call for astronauts on the shuttle. Along the way, the guys joined B.B. King for a “Crossroads” session and toured with blues heroes a la Hubert Sumlin and David “Honeyboy” Edwards.
They have headlined Red Rocks Amphitheatre a staggering 35 times. Recognizing “38 years of continuous musical service to fans,” the Colorado Music Hall of Fame inducted the quartet as part of its “Class of 2023.” Now, they’ve crafted the perfect soundtrack to this journey in the form of their 12th full-length offering, Thunderbird.
Fittingly, the guys in the band began as friends as well. Todd and Brian first crossed paths in high school jazz band circa 1982. Soon, the guys started to jam in Brian’s basement, also joined by Rob. Sweat-soaked house party gigs and talent shows followed until they became a fixture on the bar circuit “before I was even old enough to drink,” laughs Todd. As perennial outliers, the musicians performed original material at these formative gigs, standing out from a bevy of cover bands in the scene at the time.
Tickets are $65, $55, & $45 and went on sale Friday, March 15 at 12 noon. Tickets are available online at www.durangoconcerts.com or Monday – Friday, 12 pm – 5 pm by phone at 970-247-7657. Posted ticket prices include applicable service charges. All sales final.
The Community Concert Hall is a not-for-profit, multi-use performance venue located on the campus of Fort Lewis College. Its ability to bring a diverse spectrum of shows to Southwest Colorado is made possible through a partnership with the college, a state-supported, independent institution of higher education, and financial and in-kind contributions from generous members of the community.