They might take their name from a local cul de sac, but Steamboat’s newest band is hardly your typical street fare. Spanning a variety of genres, the Little Moon Travelers is a consortium of local musicians, each bringing their vast experience to the music table.
And it’s vast, indeed. The band consists of Jeremy Campbell on guitar and vocals, claw-master Von Wilson on banjo, Eric Baker on the standing bass, Kay McKenzie on fiddle, and Aaron VanWyk on mandolin and vocals. Baker and Wilson formerly played with the Old Town Pickers, with Baker later playing mandolin for Buffalo Commons.
Formed from impromptu gatherings around a firepit in the cul de sac of Little Moon Trail during covid, the band’s soulful sound—which belongs around a campfire—owes itself to a blend of bluegrass, country, folk, roots and Americana that’ll leave all thoughts of stress vanishing with the sounds from their strings. It’s a sound that “harkens to times past,” says Campbell, who you’ll also find playing hockey in his spare time down at Howelsen.
Campbell adds that their style fits perfectly with outdoor gatherings, which is where it all began—the bonfires in the street in his backyard.
The band played in a last-minute open slot at this year’s WinterWonderGrass and has several shows lined up for this summer, including June 22 at town’s Reds, Whites & Brews Festival, shows at Perry-Mansfield’s Julie Harris Theater and the Hayden Granary, and more. Just don’t look for them to go too big; they want to keep things as chill as their tunes, keeping their performances local. “It’s super fun with great energy,” says Baker. “Playing with the Little Moon Travers has been nothing short of amazing. Jeremy writes some great, dynamic songs and each member brings their own unique style and experience to the project. Plus they’re letting learn to play the upright base.”