Until 2023, the notably weird event had been held in Nederland since its inception in 2002; the Colorado mountain town is where the festival's namesake, Bredo Morstoel (affectionately known as Grandpa Bredo), was discovered cryogenically frozen in a Tuff Shed in 1994. He'd died in Norway in 1989 while taking a nap; his grandson, Trygve Bauge, had put his deceased grandfather's body on dry ice and taken it to San Leandro, California, where Grandpa Bredo was cryogenically frozen and held for three years. Bauge then took the body to Nederland, where he and his mother, Aud Morstoel, built a home and hoped to open their own cryonics facility.
After Bauge was deported, Aud was eventually served an eviction notice by Nederland because she had no plumbing or electricity. She told a reporter she feared for the future of Grandpa Bredo's body in the backyard, and the reporter relayed information about his existence to town officials — who were freaked, needless to say. Aud was deported, too, but after much deliberation, Grandpa Bredo was made an official resident; for years, a caretaker would visit the Tuff Shed once a month to check on the body's conditions.
Frozen Dead Guy Days, meanwhile, became a phenomenon that put Nederland on the map. It took a break for the pandemic, then returned in March 2022 — but that November, co-owners Sarah Moseley Martin and Amanda MacDonald announced that the 2023 event would be canceled because of a lack of funds, as well as a lack of support from Nederland administrators.
Enter Stanley Hotel owner John Cullen, who reached out to MacDonald and Martin within days of the announcement. He purchased the festival, and Estes Park hosted its first iteration of FDGD last year. The fest will be back this year, based at the Stanley Hotel and Estes Park Events Complex, the weekend of March 15-17. FDGD just announced the first round of the festival's 2024 lineup, with the usual activities — coffin races, costume contests — as well as the addition of the International Cryonics Museum, where Grandpa Bredo is now housed. The headliner has yet to be announced, but it'll be hard to beat the bands already booked. See the official FDGD descriptions below:
Yonder Mountain String Band: With their wildly popular blend of bluegrass, rock, and improvisational prowess, Yonder Mountain String Band effortlessly transcends traditional genre boundaries.
Spafford: Rock, funk, jazz, reggae, electro-pop, Spafford can do it all, bringing an improvisational flair to every moment onstage.
The Sweet Lillies: With guitar, viola, and upright bass given flight by ethereal vocal harmonies, the Sweet Lillies' music has an old-time soul with a forward-looking eye.
DeadPhish Orchestra: Two great flavors that are even better together. DeadPhish Orchestra interprets the music of the Grateful Dead and Phish, giving jam band fans everything they’re looking for and more.
A-Mac & The Height: This energetic Denver, CO-based band has a charismatic approach to Reggae-Jam-Rock fueled by conscious thinking, with lyrics that are uplifting, relatable and insightful.
The Jauntee: Formed in 2010, this Colorado band pushes the boundaries of improvisational music, combining elements of jazz, funk, rock, and psychedelic jams.
Eminence Ensemble: Making complex yet digestible music, Eminence Ensemble’s prog style bridges the gap between the jam-band and more traditional music scenes.
Future Joy: With a fusion of live electronic beats and soulful sax, this dynamic duo serves up an unforgettable mix of soul and funk.
Chain Station: Vibe to the sound of this four-piece, high-energy, get 'em out on the dance floor string band from Colorado.
Lucid Vision: Spreading light through sound, the Denver-based Lucid Vision brings listeners to a melodic realm of electronic genre bends.
Float Like a Buffalo: This seven-piece, 10-instrument, high-energy Funk Rock band makes a unique sound that’s impossible not to dance to.
Los Mocochetes: This eight-piece Chicano Funk band fuses thoughtfully brazen, socio/politically charged song lyrics, groovilicious melodies and high-energy stage antics.
Living Room Band: A lively, Colorado-based band that covers everything from classic rock to reggae to funk.
Gary Hall and the Occupants: Based right here in Estes Park, this vibrant band embodies the essence of Colorado’s Classic Rock dance scene, igniting the stage with a high-octane performance. Their high energy promises an electrifying kick-off to Frozen Dead Guy Days.
Tickets are now available at frozendeadguydays.com.
