Fort Collins is known for its bikes, beer, and bands. Throughout Fort Collins, people can find themselves at various pubs or bars where in the background one of the many local bands around Fort Collins can be heard playing music that ranges from alternative rock to the blues.

This was the scene on January 19th at the Boot Grill off of Lemay and Mason. The Max Mackey Band, playing tunes written by its namesake as well as covers, filled the room as people enjoyed their drinks and dinners. People were dancing in their seats and in front of the stage; it was hard not to move to the well-known tunes and the perfectly composed songs.

The band’s lead singer and guitarist Max Mackey has been playing in bands since he was in his early 20’s. As a student at Western University, he and his friends put together a band called 100 Mile House in which he met keyboard player, Mark Florence. They wrote and performed songs taking inspiration from bands like Phish and the Grateful Dead.

As time passed, Mackey graduated and moved around a few different places before landing in Loveland, leading him to become a part of his second band, Thunk. After Thunk disbanded Mackey and Florence got back together to form the Max Mackey Band. These two, along with Dwight Muhlbradt and Scott Schneider, have been playing gigs together around the Northern Colorado area for the past year.

The Max Mackey Band provides an exciting experience, yet also allows for a relaxed environment. The band has an upbeat sound and a positive attitude that makes you want to get up and dance. The songs written by Mackey tell about his life and his family are always an emotional display that tugs at the heartstrings. He also covers songs like “I Shot the Sheriff” by Bob Marley and “Don’t Let Me Down” by the Beatles. These along with the more emotion packed, personally written, songs give a nice mix that leaves you looking forward to the next song each time.

You can catch the Max Mackey Band March 9th, at The Post Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado.