Author: Paul Epstein

Last edition, you will recall I was recounting the experience of cleaning out the basement of the Denver Folklore Center with its founder, Colorado Music Hall of Fame inductee Harry Tuft. In that basement were literally hundreds of pieces of paper that had to be sorted through to find the few gems that really showcased… Continue reading Let Me Take You Down (To The Basement) Harry’s Basement Part 2

Colorado Music Hall of Fame inductee Harry Tuft and his Denver Folklore Center are one of the most important stories to be told in the history of Colorado music. Harry (who grew up in Philadelphia) originally started the Denver Folklore Center in 1962 with a few acoustic instruments to sell and a desire to share… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #14

Tale of The Fish Part 2 So, last time I told you about my first meeting with Denver artist John Fish and my purchasing of his posters and original artwork used in advertising concerts in Colorado (and other states) in the early to mid-‘70s. But the story didn’t end there. After I got the stuff… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #13 Pt.2

The Tale of Mr. Fish – Part 1 In 1988, when I was first beginning my career as a record store owner, I was at the store one day when my wife came in breathlessly and told me I had to go to a house a few blocks away because there was a guy selling… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #13

Let Me Take You Down (To The Basement)-The Denver Be-In The first “Human Be-In” which took place in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park on January 14, 1967 was a seismic event that helped set the tone of the counter-culture toward the end of the 1960s. An all-day event featuring many of the great San Francisco… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #12

I remember the first time I walked into the Rainbow Music Hall. It was not for a concert, because the building was then a tri-plex movie theatre. It stood on a piece of ground that had been adjacent to the Valley Drive-In Theatre (1953-1977) on the southwest corner of Evans and Monaco. Later the entire… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #11

The Denver Family Dog – Part 2 This week’s installment is a continuation of my musing on the lack of documentation and recording of the incredible shows played at Denver’s legendary The Family Dog. When one considers that Hendrix, Cream, Van Morrison, Zappa and so many other legendary artists played there, the fact that no… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #10 – Pt. 2

Any discussion of the music history of Colorado or the development of Denver as a cultural hub must invariably lead back to The Family Dog concert venue. In 1967, Colorado music promoting legend and Hall of Famer Barry Fey and his (former) wife Cynthia decided there should be a club in Denver that participated in… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #10 – Pt. 1

Did you know Led Zeppelin played their first American concert on December 26, 1968 at the Denver Auditorium Arena? The Auditorium and Arena, built in 1908 and holding over 12,000 people was the sight of so many great rock concerts in the 60s and 70s. Torn down in 1990, the sight is now home to… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #9

Were you at this show? Years ago, while working at Twist And Shout, a small piece of paper fell out of a record I had just purchased. I almost tossed it in the trash. However, I luckily turned it over and noticed that it had a cute illustration on it. When I looked closely, I… Continue reading Paul Epstein’s “Let Me Take You Down (to the basement)” #8