LowDown Brass Band Kicks Off Free Steamboat Mountain Music Series

Billa Camp, a lead singer for the Chicago-based LowDown Brass Band, says the group’s sound is something “people can’t put their finger on.” That’s a polite way of saying it’s a genre-blending mess that somehow works. The band kicks off the free Steamboat Mountain Music Series this Friday, June 26, at Steamboat Square, right at the base of the ski area. It’s their second time playing here, and according to Camp, locals always show “nothing but love.”

This isn’t just a random concert. It’s a logistical operation that brings a seven-piece ensemble from the Midwest to the Yampa Valley, relying on the specific cultural gravity of Chicago to fuel its identity. Camp joined the band in 2014, but the group itself is about two decades old, born from a cluster of horn players at DePaul University who realized they had enough instruments to form a full brass band. They’ve churned through various member iterations since then, but the core philosophy remains: take the pop music of today and run it through the outlet of a brass band.

It’s an unexpected combination. Brass bands originated in New Orleans in the mid-19th century, playing popular music for community events like funerals and weddings. By the 1970s, they started mixing in bebop and funk. LowDown Brass Band took that evolution further, incorporating rap and philosophical lyrics that Camp describes as “doing poetry on stage.” He wants people to dance, but he also wants them to latch onto the meaning if they aren’t moving.

The band’s identity is inextricably linked to Chicago. Camp notes that the city is a diverse hub where you can see every type of music on any given night. It’s in the middle of the country, taking a little from everywhere — the South, the distinct Midwestern personality. Even if not all seven members are originally from Chicago, they’ve lived there long enough to be considered “honorary Chicagoans.” The city’s vibrant culture, its constant visual noise, serves as their inspiration.

For context, this is a free event. No cover charge. Just a Friday night in Steamboat Square. The band has already played locally at Snow Bowl Steamboat and Schmiggity’s, establishing a track record in the valley before hitting the main stage. Camp says the smaller ensemble brass band tradition is old, but what they’re doing with it is unique. It’s a gift and a curse, leaving audiences intrigued but unable to categorize the sound.

The practical impact here is simple. You get a high-energy performance from a group with significant touring experience for the price of admission: zero dollars. You get to stand in Steamboat Square, breathe the mountain air, and listen to a band that refuses to stay in a box. It’s not a major infrastructure project. It doesn’t raise your property taxes. It doesn’t close a road for six months. It’s a cultural event that relies on the community showing up to validate the "free" label.

Camp’s lyrics transform philosophical thought into something you can dance to. That’s the pitch. The execution happens on Friday. If you’re in the valley, you’re already part of the ecosystem that supports these events. The band knows it. They’ve been here before. They expect the same reception.

The bottom line is this: you can watch a polished, corporate-backed act for a premium ticket price, or you can stand in Steamboat Square and listen to a Chicago brass band that’s been around long enough to have seen every iteration of its own genre. The cost is the same. The experience is different.