Pepper Spices it Up

by J.J. Colagrande on July 29, 2009 at 08:08AM

Pepper at Mile High 09

Pepper brought their catchy rock / reggae / ska style to the Mile High Festival, and played to a packed crowd. Although a chilling light rain fell throughout the show, the young crowd did not mind. Pepper, originally hailing from Hawaii, cranked out music that makes a person want to grab a surfboard and run to the ocean, even if they don't surf. Or since we were in Colorado, a snowboard would probably be the better extreme sport. But if you like bands like Sublime and Slightly Stoopid, you'd enjoy this SoCal-based trio.

As the rain fell, many festival goers moved away from the stage, and took a seat on a hill twenty yards away that was covered with a canopy. Underneath the canopy, the crowd was packed and also a little tired. It was twilight and it was the perfect time of day to sit down, rest the legs for awhile, re-charge the batteries for the evening performances.

Many took advantage of the canopy's relief from the rain, plopping down on the grass, to listen and watch Pepper's inspired set from about 50 yards away. Highlights of the 75-minute set included "Ashes" and "No Control," the last song really inspiring the crowd.

Pepper seemed playful and often spoke to the crowd. At one point, the lead singer took a shot at an old Colorado controversy and tried to smooth a recent wound. "Fuck Kobe Bryant," he yelled to a cheering crowd. The Los Angeles Lakers had recently defeated the Denver Nuggets in this year's NBA Western Conference Finals. "We shoot better than him."

Another highlight included a fast cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

During Pepper's performance, the Mile High Festival was in full swing. Every cog was working. Gov't Mule, Matisytahu, and The Fray also played at different times during Pepper's set. The food and beverage stands fed the hungry festie goers as they walked from one stage to the next. The sanitation crew consistently kept the port-o-potties clean and stocked with tissue. It's comforting to see a music festival unfold like it should. So comforting by the end of their set, the rain had even stopped.

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