Wood Belly joins Sam Fuqua live on The Morning Sound Alternative ahead of their Halloween show at Globe Hall in Denver. The band performs live in-studio and talks about their ten-year journey and plans to take a break after this final show in their current lineup. They share details about the event—featuring Tonewood String Band, Ridgeliners Duo, and a costume contest with a year-long concert pass prize—while reflecting on their evolution from bluegrass roots to a broader, original sound. (Local Gold: 10/30/25)
Sam Fuqua: That catches us up to where we are now. I’m in the studio with Wood Belly—welcome, gentlemen! It’s so great to have you back at KGNU. We really appreciate it.
Wood Belly: Hi! Good to be back. Thanks for having us.
Sam Fuqua: Aaron, Chris, and Chris are here to play for us and talk about your Halloween show tomorrow night at Globe Hall. Why don’t you bring us a couple of numbers, and then we’ll chat?
Wood Belly: All right.
Sam Fuqua: Take it away.
Wood Belly: One, two…
[Live performance begins — “Living Life in Here Now,” followed by “Caroline”]
Sam Fuqua: Wood Belly, live in the KGNU air studio on The Morning Sound Alternative. Listener-supported KGNU—thanks, guys, that was terrific!
Wood Belly: Thank you!
Sam Fuqua: We sure appreciate you coming by. Aaron on banjo, Chris on guitar, and the other Chris on dobro. The rhythm section couldn’t make it—they’re either working or sleeping, I’m guessing?
Wood Belly: Yeah, the drummer had an appointment. We haven’t done the four-piece without drums in a while, so we figured this would be a better fit for today.
Sam Fuqua: I don’t know if you’d classify yourselves strictly as bluegrass, but as we were talking before you went on air, it’s unusual to have a drummer in that kind of ensemble.
Wood Belly: Yeah, even when we were a string band, we didn’t really consider ourselves bluegrass. We always felt like outsiders to the more traditional folks out there. We were an original band, and a lot of the songs came from me and Craig—we both came from all kinds of musical backgrounds: jam bands, punk bands, and rock songwriting. These songs just got adapted into the bluegrass world and took on that aesthetic, but I’ve never really considered myself a full-on bluegrasser.
Sam Fuqua: How’s it going for the band these days?
Wood Belly: Well, that’s an interesting question. This is actually our final show in this configuration. We’ve been doing this for about ten years, and we’re taking a step back to explore other musical projects. So this show is our final ride.
Sam Fuqua: Wow! Let’s talk about that show. It’s at Globe Hall tomorrow night—Halloween night. You’ve got Tonewood String Band on the bill as well, and one other act?
Wood Belly: Yes, the Ridgeliners Duo—both great Front Range acts. Tonewood’s been around for a while, playing original and cover bluegrass—great singing, great playing. The Ridgeliners are a little powerhouse vocal duo.
Sam Fuqua: I’ve been to Globe Hall—that’s a nice room.
Wood Belly: Yeah, it’s a great spot.
Sam Fuqua: That’s north Denver, right?
Wood Belly: Yep, north Denver.
Sam Fuqua: So, 8:00 PM show, 16-plus, tomorrow night—Wood Belly’s final show, at least in this configuration. If I heard you right, Aaron?
Wood Belly: That’s right—the future’s a little uncertain, but this is our last show in this lineup.
Sam Fuqua: How does that feel?
Wood Belly: Mixed emotions, for sure. We’re all excited to stretch out and try some new things after ten years. This band has taken a lot of our time—in the best way—but it’s time to explore. Still, it’s bittersweet because we love each other and it’s been such a blast. All good things must come to an end.
Sam Fuqua: Well, thank you for all the music you’ve given people across the Front Range, the country, and beyond—and for supporting KGNU over the years, including with this ticket giveaway. Why don’t we do that now before we hear more music?
We’ve got a pair of tickets to Wood Belly’s Halloween show tomorrow night at Globe Hall. We ask that you haven’t won anything in the past 30 days. To enter, email [email protected]—that’s T-I-C-K-E-T-S @ kgnu.org—and put Wood Belly in the subject line.
Wood Belly: You know, after all these years, nobody’s ever asked us how to pronounce our name! It’s Wood Belly—with the emphasis on the “E” in belly.
Sam Fuqua: Good to know! So, folks, good luck. Our promotions department will contact the winner. Whether you win or buy tickets, it should be a fantastic Halloween show at Globe Hall.
Wood Belly: And there’s one more exciting thing—there’s going to be a costume contest! The winner gets a year-long pass to all the AEG small venues: Larimer Lounge, Globe Hall, Lost Lake, and Goosetown Tavern.
Sam Fuqua: Wow—the winner of the costume contest gets into all those venues free for a year?
Wood Belly: That’s right! Pretty awesome prize for wearing an epic costume.
Sam Fuqua: Incredible. All right, good luck with your costumes—and let’s hear a couple more songs from Wood Belly, live in the KGNU air studio on The Morning Sound Alternative.
[Live performances continue — “Jamestown” and “San Luis”]
Sam Fuqua: That’s Wood Belly, live in the KGNU air studio. Big Halloween show tomorrow night—8:00 PM at Globe Hall in Denver. It’s a 16-plus show featuring Tonewood String Band and the Ridgeliners Duo, plus that major costume contest.
Guys, we sure appreciate you taking the time to come in and play live for us. Good luck with your show tomorrow night, and good luck on your future musical endeavors as Wood Belly takes a pause—should we say.
Wood Belly: Yeah, that’s a good way to put it.
Sam Fuqua: Aaron on banjo, Chris on guitar, and Chris on dobro—thanks again, fellas.
Wood Belly: Thank you, Sam. Appreciate you.
Sam Fuqua: It’s about 11:30—still another half hour of music here on The Morning Sound Alternative.
