Back From Boulder...

Was out in Boulder, Colorado the last few days for the FMQB Triple A Radio convention - had an amazing time as ever! For those who don't know, FMQB is a news and charts website, plus they put out a magazine and a few years ago they took over organizing this yearly conference and our yearly format awards. They cover record companies and the radio stations around the country that program music similar to The Point, where I'm the Music Director and midday host. There aren't a whole lot of us that take risks with new music for grown-ups, but there are enough commercial - and many more non-commercial "Triple A" - Adult Album Alternative - stations to keep the format viable. Thank god - I'm in my dream job in radio, right now.

Triple A runs on a passion for music. These last four days were about how to create great radio - do what we do better - and about hearing a ton of great music! Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights were jam-packed with bands at The Fox Theater & outdoors just up the street. And Thursday and Friday during the day we had panels at the beautiful hotel that hosts the conference, the St. Julien. Each panel featured a musical guest to start. The panels were broken up by lunches with bands playing, and after the afternoon panels there were cocktails with bands on stage as well. As I said, a TON of music!

Wednesday was a little crazy - up before 5am to catch my flight, then up for about 22 hours straight after! 

Excitement hit before I even got there. Or, rather, a kid in a Mustang did. The shuttle to the hotel was rear-ended when we were almost there - next to the building! So we left the drivers to deal with it and went the last little bit on foot. As one of the other passengers said - we hadn't even gotten there and already had a story to tell!

Arrived with just enough time to check in, toss my bags in my room, register and head into the conference keynote. Brett Dennen opened the festivities, playing us a handful of songs from his upcoming new album, "Smoke And Mirrors"! The keynote itself was an interview with manager Michael McDonald, who began his career working with Dave Matthews, later co-founded ATO records, and now manages a bunch of amazing musicians. Norm Winer from WXRT in Chicago asked the questions. Then it was on to the opening reception...

(more to come...)