BLACK HAWK - I first saw The Copper Children as a six-piece band at the 2024 Rise N Vibes Festival near Durango. 

So when I walked into the Richman Beer Garden in Black Hawk on Saturday, July 19, 2025, it was a surprise to see them pared down to three musicians. Different setup; same soulful sound. There are actually four regular members, with two rotating feature members.

The Copper Children blend gospel-style harmonies with the free-flowing, psychedelic jams of the 1960s, creating live shows that feel playful, soulful, and unifying.

Singer and guitarist Zea Stallings’ vocal talent was immediately evident, while bassist Andy Babb delivered funky, fresh bass beats. Drummer Chris Morgan was passionate and on point during his percussive performance.

They played from 4 to 7 p.m. at the relatively new beer garden, a spot that feels separate from the casinos. It gives people something else to do on a summer Saturday besides sit at a slot machine. 

Around the tables, folks were playing music trivia cards, sliding cornhole bags, and leaning in over a tense round of oversized Jenga.

The beer garden has a self-serve tap station, which feels a bit like being trusted with something you probably shouldn’t be. 

You pour your own, but only after entering your ID information and snapping a not-so-flattering selfie at the checkout screen—no filters will easily prove your age!

The choices range from a peach sour to a dark stout to a strawberry lemonade vodka that I was curious enough to try.

During a brief intermission, I asked frontman Zea about the meaning behind their name.

“When I was a kid, I was walking in the park with my mom, and she asked if I felt like a golden child,” he said. 

Then he made the approximation to copper, thinking of how copper is conductive, connected, and used everywhere.

Babb added, “It is like the Indigo Children idea—being connected to the earth and carrying that kind of energy.”

The band felt a mystical connection to Nikola Tesla, citing synchronistic occurrences throughout their journey as a band. 

Morgan shared a memory of visiting a children’s museum in Connecticut as a kid, standing in awe of a Tesla coil lighting up the room.

On the music front, they just released a new single, “Deep Inside My Heart,” in March, 2025, following their 2022 album Strange Illusion.

The band marked its ten-year anniversary on July 15. After Black Hawk, they are heading to Schmiggity’s in Steamboat Springs on Friday, July 25, then Levitt Pavilion in Denver on Saturday, where they will open for the Polish Ambassador.

It turned out to be a low-key, easy afternoon with good music, table games, and a place in Black Hawk where you can enjoy drinks and live tunes without ever hearing a slot machine.