Todd Daniel Snider ~ 11oct66-14nov25
Starting with 1997’s somewhat legendary ‘Fireman’s Ball‘ premiere performance of Todd Snider and The Nervous Wrecks at our roadhouse, Rancho Nevada, on eastbound US I-80’s exit 2 in Verdi, Nevada, my wife Sheila and I presented the late singer/songwriter/bandleader Todd Snider in the Reno area for more than a dozen shows in five venues over more than a decade. Most were in his typically solo-acoustic form, but a few were with his band, “The Nervous Wrecks”.
This recording is of Todd’s solo acoustic performance opening for Robert Earl Keen and his band at Reno’s Hawkins Amphitheater on June 21, 2003. It captures some of Todd’s comedic brilliance, charm, and stories. In his last song of the set he plays piano and tells a fun story about how the song came about.
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The show recording below was the band’s first return to Reno since the Rancho Nevada gig in the parking lot on the side of the freeway. It was much anticipated thanks in no small part to the able hyping of our soul friend in radio, Bruce Van Dyke @ KTHX-FM, co-founder of Jiveradio.
This show, on October 9, 2003, was part of the premier series of live concert broadcasts called the “Comstock Radio Hours” and was hosted by the sometimes revered John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks, Nevada and Emcee’d by Don Darue. This recording has some obvious deficiencies and is not complete. ~ Jeff Cotton
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Nevada Museum of Art rooftop July 24, 2004.
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John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel Casino Sparks, NV Febuary 4&5, 2005- These ‘front-of-house’ recordings by Jeff Cotton are of the sold-out two night engagement at the Nugget’s Celebrity Showroom captured Todd and the Wrecks in prime form both nights. Radio station KVMR in Nevada city California issued a two CD set for use as a fundraiser. Both recordings have dropouts around the 75 minute mark when the recording CDs had to be replaced.
