Tribute to Gladys, Tab Benoit and return of the LCK

by Chris Aaland 

Nearly a century of family history was lost when the matriarch of the Aaland family died last Friday, exactly six months after the passing of her youngest great-grandchild, Gus. Gladys Aaland, nearly 91 years old, was my last living grandparent. I was born to an unwed mother in her early twenties in 1968, and Grandma and Grandpa (the original John Otto Aaland) helped raise me while my mom worked. I was the youngest of their grandchildren and, arguably, their favorite. And the relationship was a reciprocal one. Time spent with the Aalands was always special for me. My love of fishing, gardening and cooking stems from these formative years.

Gladys Aaland, 1921-201

Born on July 19, 1921, on the family farm in Park River, N.D., Grandma was the fifth of six children from the marriage of John Lovaasen and Clara Grovom and a third generation American. Her family emigrated from Norway in the mid-1800s. She fell in love with Grandpa, a farmer, carpenter and welder. They wed on Oct. 7, 1945, just three days after he returned from the Pacific Theatre. The Aalands had three daughters, Judy (my mom), Sandy and Debbie and eventually moved to Colorado Springs in 1959. Less than a decade later, I came along. I enjoyed all 44 years with her, more than any grandson could ask for.

Grandpa passed seven years ago. My son, Otto, shares his name.

Strengthened by her family, Grandma lasted seven more years, surviving strokes and surgeries, pain and heartache. She watched Rockies games religiously. A year ago, I bought a luxury suite at a Colorado Springs Sky Sox game for her 90th birthday, celebrating with family and friends. She didn’t miss a single pitch. Grandma also loved the Bible, her Nordic heritage (she made the best lefse on the planet) and playing cards and board games. She even caught a five-pound bass when she was 87.

Some of my favorite memories were listening to records in Grandma’s living room. She liked classic country LPs by Tennessee Ernie Ford, Jim Reeves, Tom T. Hall and Don Williams and played them in an old wooden stereo cabinet that housed a turntable, radio, built-in speakers and stack of dusty vinyl. A fancy white doily that Grandma crocheted sat on top with a wooden plate filled with fake fruit on top of it. Tom T. Hall’s “Songs of Fox Hollow” popped and hissed while Sneaky Snake drank all of our root beer. I inherited that record collection after they moved out of their place on Arlen Street a decade ago. I think the stereo cabinet lives with Aunt Debbie and Uncle Joe, who cared for my grandparents during their old age.

I miss you, Grandpa, and I’ll miss you just as much, Grandma. If there’s a heaven, I hope you’ll get to cradle my Baby Gus. I miss him the most.

Life goes on and the current generations of Aalands will make new memories this weekend.

Legendary bluesman Tab Benoit returns to the Abbey Theatre at 8 p.m. Saturday. The guitarist combines swamp blues, Chicago blues and soul. He has played with a veritable Who’s Who of blues and New Orleans musicians, including James Cotton, Junior Wells, Charlie Musselwhite, Dr. John and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux. The Kirk James Blues Band opens.

The Women’s Resource Center’s ninth annual Men Who Grill takes place Saturday in Buckley Park and on Main Ave. between 12th and 13th. Teams of costumed carnivores compete for the Golden Spatula Award and the People’s Choice honors. Expect such tasty treats as grilled pesto bruschetta, gyro sliders, marinated pork tenderloin, barbecued shrimp, carne adovada and much more. Steamworks pours suds and the Kirk James Blues Band cranks the blues at this one. Gates open at 11 a.m. and tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the gate, $10 for kids under 12 and free for tykes 5 and younger.

The Dolores River Festival takes place all day Saturday at Joe Rowell Park in Dolores. This family-friendly fester mixes paddling with pooches, music with munchies, and microbrews with mojitos. There’s free rafting, a river costume parade (bring your own boat or personal floatation device), children’s activities and river dog contests. Eufòrquestra, the Porchlights, Funkdafari, Katya Chorover, the Little Sister Band, the Crags, Beesknees and Henderson’s Folly play live tunes. Jack Ten High also does the after-party at the Dolores River Brewery.

Our local choo-choo and Telluride Blues & Brews present the second annual Durango Blues Train on Saturday. This moving musical experience features seven live blues acts — Erik Boa & the Constrictors, the Sugar Thieves, Robby Overfield, Big Jim Adam & John Silwagen, Todd & the Fox, Alex Maryol and Donny Morales — perform as passengers dance, drink and move from car to car sampling the tunes. The train boards at 5:45 p.m., departs at 6:20 and returns at 9:45.

The similarities between Erik Nordstrom and David St. Hubbins are eerie. Both blond-haired crooners have an affinity for cucumbers (The Nord for dietary reasons, St. Hubbins because the big pickle moonlights as an armadillo in his trousers). Both men have revolving drummers in their bands (Spinal Tap’s spontaneously combust onstage, while drumming Lawn Chair Kings simply move on). And both bands take long hiatuses. In what seems like an eternity since Nordstrom and his fellow Kings last entertained us, the Southside crooner honky-tonked with Farmington Hill, bassist Dan Leek recovered from a freak table saw accident, multi-instrumentalist Jeff Moorehead explored the banjo, guitar and dobro and longtime drummer Steve Mendias departed. With new drummer Chris Di Pietro in tow, LCK rocks Moe’s at 7 p.m. Friday — a resurrection that spares them the puppet show and county fair circuit that doomed Spinal Tap.

Firk me, Fonzie. Firkin Fridays continue at Steamworks with the 3 p.m. tapping of Pinky Tuscadero. Steamworks’ award-winning Colorado Kölsch gets refermented with pink guava fruit puree and champagne yeast. “It should be a light, dry and refreshing fruit beer,” said Steamworks assistant brewer Spencer Roper. “With slight flavors and aromas of tropical fruit and a nice pink hue, this edition of Friday’s firkin should appeal to all the senses, just like Pinky Tuscadero.”

Double down at Ska this weekend. Tonight’s Ska-B-Q features the rhythm and blues of Barkadeus from 5-7 p.m. tonight. Then tomorrow, catch Denver’s Rowdy Shadehouse Funk Band from 5-7.

This week’s Top Shelf list is a toast to Gladys Aaland: Skål.
He’s stealing all of our beer? Email me at chrisa@gobrainstorm.net.