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Stephanie Grey: Schmiggity’s raises the ceiling

Stephanie Grey/For Explore Steamboat
The new music venue, Schmiggity's, is a cozy, yet sexy venue that has a 90-person capacity that lends itself to a nice intimacy, but high ceilings prevent you from feeling like you are actually being intimate with the person next to you.
Courtesy Photo

In the wake of a potentially frightening drought, the universe tuned in and sent us another bar.

Schmiggity’s (which means “sticky floors” in Gaelic … actually, no idea what it means) has at last opened its doors to our curious ears.

The new music venue provides locals with something to do in between Facebook and drinking. It is a versatile venue in that, despite being at a live music show, you actually still can be on Facebook and still be drinking. It’s a really cool business model.



The cozy, yet sexy venue has a 90-person capacity that lends itself to a nice intimacy, but high ceilings prevent you from feeling like you are actually being intimate with the person next to you. Slightly hard to believe the space used to be a clothing store, and now shows promise of becoming a premier venue not only in Steamboat, but Northwest Colorado in general.

Last Friday featured Denver-based Fox Street All Stars, who definitely broke the place in right. Along with Juno What!? who played Saturday night, Schmiggity’s delivered a great weekend.



Musically and dancically (meaning: dance) it fit Steamboat’s high expectations for a good time. We don’t want happiness when it comes to our live music, we demand euphoria, dammit.

The boys of Fox Street were a welcome fit for a soulful rowdy Friday night. To look at lead singer Jonathan Huvard you might not expect the soul he delivers, but he takes up a good amount of vocal space lending to the band’s southern sound.

Saxophonist Mirco Altenbach successfully delivered a groovy element that kept the crowd “fox trotting” (eh? eh? No, sorry that was bad, but irresistible). Also of note, Mirco, who is an exceptional saxophone and piano player, is remarkably bad at just hanging out. A past time that generally requires very little skill for most people evades the otherwise very talented performer.

So next time you’re seeing them live and think to yourself “Damn, I wish I could do that,” just remember that at least you are good at hanging out.

The summer is going to be a very exciting and precedent setting period for Steamboat musically.

Melissa Baker, of Old Town Pub, has been working hard to bring regional and national acts to the Pub and Tap House (which she also owns).

Acts like the electronic Signal Path have sold out and been brought up at reasonable cover prices. She too plans to continue to deliver good live music that won’t break your bank account, but also to keep it exciting with some larger national acts varying a gamete of genres from electronic, funk, rock, and reggae to folk.

Schmiggity’s being an exclusive club venue also will be bringing locals a selection of budget conscious (but good) music with hopefully a few more well-known acts.

Check out their websites for upcoming shows and ticket prices: http://www.schmiggitys.com and http://oldtownpub.jimdo.com/music-calendar.

It’s true Steamboat has hosted some really big acts considering our location; Wu Tang Clan, The Avett Brothers, Big Gigantic, Mimosa, Michael Franti … um, James Brown … to name a few. Definitely hoping to see a continuation of music we want to see in our grass, where it’s greener anyway.


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