Concert Reviews

6/23/2023 Conner Smith at The Grizzly Rose, with Nathan Dean & The Damn Band

June 24, 2023

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It’s been a rainy and stormy June in Colorado, but watch out for the impending heat wave. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Conner Smith started writing songs at the age of 6 years old, securing a writing contract at 16.

After playing at Country Jam on Wednesday, Smith came to Denver on Friday like a tornado as he tore up the stage in the historic venue. Creating microbursts with songs such as Creek Will Rise, How It Looks From Here, Orange and White, and Take It Slow, Smith went out into the crowd to get a little closer to the fans. Also included in his set was his ball-lightning Tik-Tok hit, I Hate Alabama. Find the full setlist in the photos below. Smith also included impressive covers of Feathered Indians and Something Like That. Smith may be a recent up-and-comer, but fans are already singing along to every song.

Smith was supported on stage by Avery Schelske on lead guitar, Sam Wrondki on bass, and Keith Thompson on drums.

Check connersmithmusic.com to see where the next Conner Smith storm surge will take place.

Nathan Dean & The Damn Band from smoldering-hot Phoenix, Arizona, started the night off with a forceful set to the funnel cloud into motion. Playing a wide range of tunes, their powerful energy and good times were contagious. Nathan Dean & The Damn Band started with an original tune, Cheap Liquor, to set the future forecast for the set, good times and drinking songs, and sprinkled in some Red Dirt with Oklahoma Breakdown. ND&TDB also shared a downpour of 90’s Country such as Chattahoochee, Should’ve Been a Cowboy, and Man I Feel Like a Woman.

Nathan Dean & The Damn Band included the classic Fishin’ in the Dark, and newer tunes such as Luke Combs’ When It Rains It Pours, Morgan Wallen’s Cover Me Up, Cody Johnson’s ‘Til You Can’t, as well as Tyler Childers’ Whitehouse Road. Other original tunes were One More Bender, If You Don’t Like My Kind, and That’s My Kind of Bar. Nathan Dean & The Damn Band finished their set with a rockin’ rendition of Queen’s Somebody to Love.

Chief Meteorologist Nathan Dean led the troupe on guitar and vocals and was supported by Environmental Scientist Bill Bogan on drums and backing vocals, Hydrologist Jason Judd on guitar and vocals, and Geophysicist Chris Duke on bass.

Check the radar for Nathan Dean & The Damn Band at nathandean.net.

That’s my kind of bar. That’s my kind of party.