your band for Hard rock across the decades
Join Voodoo Mountain Band for unforgettable performances and good vibes.
Upcoming voodoo mountain shows
Join Us On December 6th
Get ready to rock with Voodoo Mountain Band at The Little Bear Live in Evergreen, Colorado! Join us on December 6th from 7:30pm to 11pm for an electrifying night of hard-hitting rock spanning the decades. Don’t miss this high-energy performance at Evergreen’s most iconic venue!
History of The Little Bear Saloon in Evergreen, Colorado
Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Evergreen, Colorado, The Little Bear Saloon (now branded as Little Bear Live) stands as a timeless icon of Rocky Mountain nightlife, blending a rowdy western spirit with a rich legacy of live music. The venue’s story begins in the late 19th century, when the 128-year-old building served multiple purposes, including a dance hall, a church, and a drugstore, embodying the rugged evolution of frontier life.
By the late 1930s, it had transformed into a bar known as “The Round Up,” purchased by Darst E. Buchanan. It later became the Red Ram Saloon, a franchise that in 1966 underwent a major remodel under manager Denny Mintle to include a balcony for live performances—sourced from scavenged wood hauled in piece by piece. This era marked the start of its musical prominence, with Mintle booking legendary jazz acts like Duke Ellington and Count Basie in the late 1960s, turning the modest 200-person space into an unlikely haven for big-band greats.
In the 1970s, it rebranded as The Little Bear Saloon, earning its reputation as “Colorado’s rowdiest mountain bar” with swinging saloon doors, carved wooden bars, brass registers, and walls etched with generations of patrons’ names—alongside global license plates as eclectic decor. The Jeronimus family, led by owners Kenny and Judy (whose lineage ties back to Buchanan), acquired it around this time and nurtured its heritage for decades, hosting over 40 years of live entertainment. Highlights included post-Red Rocks after-parties for icons like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Little Feat, plus performances by their musical offspring, such as Paula Nelson and Shooter Jennings. Genres spanned jazz, honky-tonk, bluegrass, and rock, drawing locals and international crowds to its “rough-hewn interior” that captures Colorado’s “wild, dusty past and rebellious spirit.”
In January 2024, the business sold for the first time since the 1970s to a new ownership group committed to preserving its history while enhancing the experience—though the Jeronimuses retained the real estate. Today, Little Bear Live continues its 50+ year tradition of four nights of weekly music, stiff drinks, and hearty fare like pizza and burgers, remaining a must-visit 30-45 minutes west of Denver for an authentic mountain vibe.