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Katie Carroll: One of Steamboat’s quintessential bands

Katie Carroll
On Friday
EXP_MissedBOAT

If You Go…

What: Missed the Boat

When: 10 p.m. Friday, July 10

Where: Schmiggity’s, 821 Lincoln Ave.

— One of Steamboat’s quintessential bands, Missed the Boat, plays at Schmiggity’s tonight. The Americana – Jamgrass band is used to rocking out and starting the party early in the day. I caught up with Pat Waters, drummer and vocalist, to gain more insight into the local sextet.

If You Go…

What: Missed the Boat

When: 10 p.m. Friday, July 10



Where: Schmiggity’s, 821 Lincoln Ave.

On the Yampa Valley



Katie Carroll: Why Steamboat?


Pat Waters: We all met here. We met at open mic nights that they used to have at Mahogany Ridge. Mahogany Ridge had tons of music.

KC: What influence does the Yampa Valley have on the band’s sound?

PW: A lot of our songs — or at least a few — have something to do with the mountains or just nature in general. “Up the Canyon,” “Downstream” and “Mountain Mind” which is (of course) about living in the mountains.

On Playing

KC: What’s the relationship between music and the bar for you guys?

PW: The energy is definitely different at a daytime show than a nighttime show. Any daytime show, regardless of where it is, people are less likely to dance and really get into it. We’ve gotten used to that. It’s not a bad show if people aren’t dancing. A nighttime show, the later it gets, typically the more into it people get. When people drink, they loosen up and get more into it.

KC: How do you know it’s a great show?

PW: We definitely have more fun when people are dancing and getting into it. We’re a very fun band to dance to — we have more people dancing at the beginning of the night than other bands at the end of the night. People feel allowed to dance to it. There’s security in numbers. People don’t want to be the first one on the dance floor — (it’s) an interesting crowd dynamic thing. It’s nice when people start dancing right away — “let’s party!”

On Songwriting

KC: What is the songwriting process like, especially since a lot of you are in multiple bands?

PW: The songwriters are primarily Ryan Cox and Andrew Henry, who plays the mandolin. Some of the songs that they write are directly influenced by living in the mountains or near streams or canyons.

Typically one of them will come with a song idea, and they usually have lyrics or at least a start on the lyrics, kind of rough idea of the chords, and then we will all get together and make up our own parts based on those chords and play with those arrangements.

KC: That’s a really cool organic process.

PW: Over the years, it’s become really easy — learn a song for a wedding or something way out of our style — and we think, “Oh man this will be weird,” and then we think, “Oh, that’s great.” We will have a great time.

On What’s Next

KC: When will you record your next album and what’s coming up this summer?

PW: Our most recent one (album), entitled “Trouble,” released last February. We put quite a bit of time and effort into that. Sidenote: (It’s) unanimous among the band that’s our favorite release.

We are playing Statebridge on Friday, July 24 and Wish You Were Pink [Another band Pat is in] is playing the next night. [For Friday], we will have some new songs we’re gonna throw out there!


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