Guitarist Alex Thoele and upright bassist Jon Pickett met in the summer of 2006 in Estes Park, as they were both part of a campfire party walking up to the top of a mountain. They’ve been writing music and playing together ever since. In 2010, things would change when mandolin player Jarett Mason started playing with them. Banjo player and vocalist Chris “C-Bob” Elliot joined as well, in 2018, cementing the (mostly) current lineup of what is now called Chain Station.

Founding member and songwriter Pickett remembers his mom, Judy, joining a five-piece a capella jazz group, which is how harmonies became a part of his heart. He also remembers his parents had a great record collection, allowing him to listen to The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Dave Brubeck, jazz records, and many more influences throughout the years. He took guitar lessons for about three years before joining a rock band in high school called Social Suicide, which he brags won twenty-eighth out of thirty bands in a Battle of the Bands contest. He loves interacting with his audience in a live setting, and he hopes that the audience will be able to take away an element of fun energy from a Chain Station show.

Meanwhile, the band Wood Belly started as a string band around 2015, when vocalist Chris Weist, dobro and lap steel player Chris Zink, and previous guitarist Craig Patterson all met at the RockyGrass Festival and started playing together. As the band continued playing, they ultimately won the 2018 Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition and were nominated for an IBMA award. Soon after that, they transitioned into introducing rock elements into their sound, adding drummer Dylan French as well as Aaron McCloskey on banjo, electric guitar, and vocals, and Brennan Mackey on bass.

Mackey started playing guitar at the age of 13, starting to write songs in his early 20s with an Americana-indie band he was a part of. After quitting a finance position at PepsiCo in Chicago, he moved to Denver, started a band called King Cardinal, and eventually joined Wood Belly after playing with the band for a bit.

Mackey loves being able to perform with other people and play off of their energy in their live shows, and he loves being able to connect with the audience as he plays with a group. He hopes that the people who come to Wood Belly shows end up having a good time and take away the eclectic styles of music that the band performs.

You can see Chain Station and Wood Belly performing at The Caribou Room, 55 Indian Peaks Drive in Nederland, on Friday, April 26, 2024. Doors open and dinner starts at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.

Music Events

Busey Brews
Saturday, April 20 at 6:30 p.m. - Ned Jazz Wine Pop-Up

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuseyBrews/
Website: https://buseybrews.com/
Location: 70 E. First Street, Nederland.
Phone: 1-855-633-2739

Diner Bar Ned
Tuesdays at 9 p.m. - DAMN Jam: Open Jam Night
Wednesdays at 8 p.m. - Karaoke
Fridays at 9 p.m. - DJ Friday
Sundays at 6 p.m. - Open Mic Night

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095276740341
Location: 121 N. Jefferson Street, Nederland

Eldora Mountain Resort
Saturday, April 20 at 9 a.m. - DJ Mista Cal in the Boombox
Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. - The Charlie Berry Project on Timbers Deck
Sunday, April 21 at 9 a.m. - GODLAZER in the Boombox
Sunday, April 21 at 1 p.m. - The Pineytops on Timbers Deck

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eldoramountainresort
Website: https://www.eldora.com/
Location: 2861 Eldora Ski Road, Nederland

Gold Hill Store
Friday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. - Sun Jr.
Saturday, April 20 at 7 p.m. - Hundred Pound Housecat
Saturday, April 27 at 7 p.m. - House- Cats
Friday, May 3 at 7 p.m. - Noah Fowler

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gold-Hill-General-Store/
Website: https://www.goldhillstore.com/
Location: 531 Main Street, Gold Hill

Howlin Wind Brewing
Saturday, April 20 at 5 p.m. - Dakota Gray Band
Saturday, April 27 at 4 p.m. - Stone-Hall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/howlinwindbrewing
Website: https://www.howlinwindbrewing.com/
Location: 51 A Main Street, Rollinsville
Phone: 309-825-5245

Jamestown Mercantile
Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. - Andy Eppler
Friday, April 19 at 7 p.m. - Clay Rose and Friends
Sunday, April 21 at noon - Palamara
Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. - Jeff Lambert and JC McKim
Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. - Meredith Marie and Guy
Sunday, April 28 at noon - Ben Hanna

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamestown.mercantile/
Website: https://www.jamestownmercantile.com/
Location: 108 Main Street, Jamestown
Phone: 303-442-5847

JKQ BBQ
Friday, April 19 at 6 p.m. - Brittney Wagner

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JkqBbq/
Location: 200 Gregory Street, Black Hawk
Phone: 720-316-1361

Knotted Root Brewing
Sundays at 5 p.m. - Jazz Sundays

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knottedrootbrewing/
Website: https://www.knottedrootbrewing.com/home
Location: 250 N. Caribou Street, Nederland
Phone: 720-248-7129

Old Gallery at Allenspark
Friday, April 26 at 6 p.m. - Open Mic with Tim Merkle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAPOldGallery
Website: https://www.theoldgallery.org/
Location: 14863 State Highway 7, Allenspark
Phone: (303) 747-2906

The Caribou Room
Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. - Chain Station and Wood Belly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaribouroom/
Website: https://www.thecaribouroom.com/
Location: 55 Indian Peaks Drive, Nederland
Phone: 303-258-3637

The Train Cars
Thursday, April 18 at 5 p.m. - Train Jam

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thetraincars
Website: https://www.traincarscoffeeandkava.com/
Location: 101 Peak to Peak Highway, Nederland
Phone: 303-258-0440

Very Nice Brewing Co.
Friday, April 19 at 6 p.m. - Ravin’ Wolf
Saturday, April 20 at 5 p.m. - Windy Pines
Friday, April 26 at 6 p.m. - Stone- Hall
Saturday, April 27 at 5 p.m. - Magnum Mike

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verynicebeer
Website: https://www.verynicebrewing.com/
Location: 20 E. Lakeview Drive, #112, Nederland
Phone: 303-258-3770

Did we miss you? Want to submit your music listing in the Peak to Peak area? Do you have updates to your business? Please call 303-810-5409 or email info@themountainear.com to be included in the next edition.