BandWagon Magazine - October 2020 - Sunsquabi by BandWagon Magazine

album reviews Augustus PG. 4 Kid Astronaut & Psychologic PG. 5 The Stubby Shillelaghs PG. 8

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BLACK PEGASUS

Augustus

Color TV and Tall Tales Kevin Johnston

BandWagon Magazine

Ryan Healy’s impressively persistent, stuttering snare drum rudiment and a gangchorus of “woo hoo hoo” in poppy Supergrass style, but Colin Kelly’s matter-of-fact vocal maintains the indie vibe.

A Rolling Stones-inspired harmonica honk (by Eric Halborg of Dragondeer) and mild classic rock chug in ”Tunnel” reveals more oldschool revivalism. And while Mac DeMarco made dad-rock cool a few years back, Color has all that and more. The Founders Colin Kelly and Jim Herlihy of Boulder-based energy and tightness of the band Augustus have delivered band’s arrangements prove a technicolor whopper. Color this collection to be a true TV and Tall Tales, their 5th LP, classic rock cruiser. features guests from Eldren, Color is progressive and The Yawpers and Dragondeer, experimental too. The band’s who add flesh and flare to the keen ear for rad guitar tones bones of the band, but the will surely win them new fans original duo’s rock rawness hungry for a live show. The remains the focus of this stoner rock / blues atmosphere accessible, eccentric rock n’ of “Night On The Lam” would roll romp. draw entire neighborhoods Opener “Life Can’t Be Better out to bang their heads at the Without You” is marked by Augustus garage.

“Be Your Man” shows a Father John Misty influence in Kelly’s “everyman” vocal. Like so many great rock ‘n’ roll singers, his delivery doesn’t necessarily impress us with his chops, but offers a realness with which we identify.

Moves like this are schizophrenic, but that’s some of the appeal. Expert blues rock grooves are the prime-time programming on Color TV and Tall Tales, but psychedelic vocal treatments, Hammond organ stabs ala Kansas (“Attencion,” “Apple Trees”) and curveballs of dissonant, acoustic guitar jazz (the Harry Nielsen-like “Without Love”) are where Augustus tell us their true tales.

“Lights Out” is a top track in the primal, pounding territory of My Morning Jacket’s “Victory Dance,” and “Kick The Doors Down” brings a light, Tom Petty feel with a ripping, straight-up Thin Lizzy Guitar solo. Tyler Imbrogno’s washy, Color TV and Tall Tales is out-of-nowhere synth break follows, sounding like the due out October 9. Check out opening credits for Portlandia. www.augustus.live for more.

SHOT OF THE MONTH (BETONY COONS)

Kid Astronaut & Psychologic Kenopsia EP

Kevin Johnston

BandWagon Magazine

In 2020, it could be argued that the one thing on everybody’s mind is completely intangible: the future. Pervasive feelings of extreme unknown lurk in the consciousness of most citizens on planet earth these days, which is why the similarly intangible music, soundscapes and dark, thrilling emotions on the concept EP Kenopsia hit so hard. “Kenopsia” is a fictional word (originally coined by The Dictionary Of Obscure Sorrows) used to describe the forlorn atmosphere of an abandoned place. As a title, Kenopsia references a not-necessarily-sofictional fate of post-pandemic life, via a brilliant and concise collaboration between Denverbased R&B hip-hop vocalist Kid Astronaut and producer Psychologic. Towing the line between Seal, Frank Ocean, and the soundtrack to the next Bond film, the record’s pop sensibilities are balanced

by an epic, dystopian sense of drama and purpose. Chord variations and synthesized swells build tension with a heightened, futuristic touch of production quality and musicianship. The thick production is impressive, and Kid Astronaut’s vocal ability as both an MC and nimble R&B tenor is worthy of many disciples. Blips and rich bass pulses embrace themes of an endof-days apocalyptic party, with rapid-fire raps on “Emotion.” “Made it to the end of the world and the beat knocks on while we rage.” Kid Astronaut spits a forceful set-up for a sensitively sung coda. On “Void,” Kid Astronaut schemes for solace in a new, barren future: “Love, come to my garden, let’s create something new / found you at the end of time so let’s journey into the blue / now the whole world’s destroyed, we could play in the void / now that the world is empty — no limits to what we can do.” The EP’s sleek tracks are ideal for late nights spinning in the club, with introspective, albeit apocalyptic imagery of absence. Kenopsia speaks to the 2020 generation who see a dark narrative on the horizon and desperately wanna dance it all out. freepeoplerecords.bandcamp. com/ album/kenopsia-ep

Builder. Leader. Humanitarian.

Meet Mac at myGreeley.com 5

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The Stubby Shillelaghs Glass To Mouth

Nate Wilde

BandWagon Magazine

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Combine the comic, acoustic, hard-rocking style of Tenacious D with traditional, hard-drinking Irish folk music, and you’ve got Northern Colorado’s The Stubby Shillelaghs. The Stubbys’ forthcoming fulllength LP Glass to Mouth will mark ten years of silly drinking songs and sea shanties, complete with impressive musicianship, humor, and similar to the aforementioned Tenacious D, well-placed profanity for added comedic value. The album kicks off with the instrumental “Butter Up That Jig,” followed by “Buyer Beware,” a song where the lead vocalist selfdeprecates, essentially declaring that he’s a substandard friend, romantic partner, and band member. Perhaps the highlight of the album, the title track is a rip-roaring Irish drinking song rife with double entendres. The chorus declares that “the only hope for me and my mates is to go to the pub and perform glass to mouth.”

Another example of The Stubby Shillelaghs poking fun at themselves for laughs is the head-bobbing “Shagnasty McHammerhands.” Essentially an ode to band member Shaughnessy McDaniel, the vocalists not only declare that he’s a force to be reckoned with, lyrically referring to how he snaps “strings like spinal cords,” but also insult him, saying he is “ten times worse than Satan.” Like many other tracks on the record it includes spoken dialogue, toeing the line of becoming an all-out comedy album. In this example, Mr. McHammerhands laments being confused as to why they’re saying such terrible things about him. But nearly every tune on Glass to Mouth serves as a modern/ classic Irish drinking song too, with rhythms that persuade listeners to instinctively grab a glass of beer and wave it back and forth to the beat. Minus the accents, The Stubby Shillelaghs could easily be construed as straight out of Ireland. But the album closes with the autobiographical “Merry Bards of Metal,” which includes a line referring to the band’s home state of Colorado, a nod to the Irish tradition of homeland pride. All-inall, Glass to Mouth is as good a jollyolde-time as it is tongue-in-cheek.

Glass to Mouth by The Stubby Shillelaghs releases on digital platforms, CD and vinyl October 30.

Ron: Weekdays 6am - 10am 1. RSD3 – One of the many casualties of COVID-19 was June’s Record Store Day. It’s replacement? Not one but THREE Record Store Days! The final one is Sat, Oct 24. The Colorado Sound’s website has info on your closest store and a giveaway of some very cool RSD vinyl! coloradosound.org 2. New Albums – If some of the Record Store Day special releases didn’t get you thinking about holiday gift giving, maybe some of the new album releases scheduled for October will! Everyone from Aloe Blacc, Dolly Parton, Matt Berninger, Future Islands, Bruce Springsteen, Gorillaz and more have music on the release docket! wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2020_albums 3. Be a Member – Keep in mind, The Colorado Sound only gets to support NoCo and other Colorado artists & bands because of Member support, IE without long commercial breaks that scream at you! Help keep independent and public radio strong during our Membership Drive the week of October 26! 4. October’s Top 20 of 2020 – It’s Halloween month, and our Top 20 question for October is: What’s your favorite Scary Song? Nominate your choice on our website now and listen Oct 30 for the countdown based on your votes! coloradosound.org 5. More Live Music! – Slowly but surely, live music opportunities continue to get announced. It started with FoCoMX Drive & Jive, then The Mish, then Live On The Lanes. Keep up with new show news on the Colorado Sound Concert Calendar. coloradosound.org/calendar

Margot: Weekdays 10am - 3pm October is the perfect time for Murder Ballads (which are, simply, songs about murder). 1. “Frankie & Johnny” by Leadbelly, Sam Cooke, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan et al. – There are many variations of this classic song but it’s believed to be based on an 1899 murder in St. Louis, MO. 2. “Westfall” by Okkervil River – This is based on the as-of-yet unsolved murder of four teenage girls who were closing up a yogurt shop in Austin, TX in 1991.

3. “Where The Wild Roses Grow” by Nick Cave with Kylie Minogue – Nick Cave wrote this murder ballad with Kylie Minogue in mind. To his delight, she liked it a lot and agreed to sing the part of the doomed lady. 4. “The Shankill Butchers” by The Decemberists – This is inspired by a series of murders in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The murders took the lives of at least 23 people, most of whom were killed in sectarian attacks during “The Troubles.” 5. “Black River Killer” by Blitzen Trapper – Arguably the creepiest song on their album, Furr. Lead singer Eric Earley said this song was inspired a lot by one of his Uncles, who disappeared.

Stacy: Weekdays 3pm - 7pm Get ready for Día de Muertos with these five not-to-miss films! 1. Coco – Pack some tissues for this one! Pixar’s visually stunning film follows Miguel as he ventures to the Land of the Dead to find out why his family has a longstanding ban on music. The film is full of life and color. True to Pixar, even the smallest detail is superbly crafted. 2. The Book of Life – This animated tale is a collaboration from Reel FX Creative Studios and 20th Century Fox. While not as visually crisp as Pixar, the engaging storyline follows wooden figures Manola and Joaquin as they vie for the love of Maria, a bookworm with (si, verdad) ninja fighting skills. 3. Eisenstein in Guanajuato – Based on the life of filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein, the story follows his trip to Mexico in 1931 to film his new movie Que Viva Mexico. Rejected by Hollywood and under the gun to return to Stalinist Russia, he explores the ties between Eros and Thanatos. 4. Cheers to Death – Directed by the award-winning Nicholas Humphries, this five-minute short highlights how Revolutionaries can spice up a party, especially when it is hosted by the President of Mexico. The short’s big punch comes with learning that in the afterlife, there is no need to fight. 5. The Nightmare Before Christmas – Not directly related to Día De Muertos but a Halloween tribute too good not to list! Tim Burton directs this stop-motion musical dark fantasy / love story! Confusion comes to Halloween Town when the king, Jack Skellington, discovers Christmas Town and kidnaps Santa.

Benji: Weekdays 7pm - 10pm 1. Victoria Bailey: “Honky Tonk Woman” – If you like Honky Tonk that brings a tear to your beer, Victoria Bailey is your dream come true. Like finding the ghost of Kitty Wells and Patsy Montana, this lady is the real deal. Find the nearest watering hole with a good juke box to drown your sorrows, or just give this a spin. rockridgemusic.com 2. Delta Haints: “Ashes of My Mojo” – What happens when you combine magical symbolism, racial history and beat poetry? Well, you’ve got a really cool record. The Delta Haints are a collective out of Florida who created something special for this year’s Record Store Day. lunchrecords.com 3. Dia De Los Muertos – Halloween might get all of the attention but Dia de Los Muertos is cooler. This three-day celebration is a chance to assist your friends and family who are no longer with us on their next spiritual journey. Build an altar, light a candle and remember fondly your loved ones who have passed on. 4. Halloween Candy – Who doesn’t like a good Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup? What’s not to like about a bite size Butterfinger? If you really feel like pushing the envelope, drain a Pixie Stick and watch the fun begin. Halloween candy is awesome and don’t forget, it’s all half price on November 1.

5. Rocky and Bullwinkle – This cold war era classic gets better with age. The jokes in this cartoon were all targeted for an adult audience and it’s easy to see why TV Guide has it listed at #32 on the all time greatest tv programs. Sure there are more than a few groaners but, that’s part of the fun.

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The Long Haul Sunsquabi Funks Through the COVID Era Boulder-based Sunsquabi were entering one of their best years yet. But like the rest of the world, Covid-19 brought it all to a standstill. The electro-funk jam band found themselves halting a major US tour supporting The Floozies a few weeks in and had to look on from isolation as the industry gutted itself. It’s been a hard thing to watch and Sunsquabi had to make the choice; give into the

darkness or get back to making the music they love. “We were on a really great tour. We were selling out shows and playing well together, but when something like this happens and it’s a global emergency, we just came home,” says Kevin Donohue, Sunsquabi’s guitarist/synth wizard. Not wanting to waste time, the three piece got to work producing

“HONESTLY IT’S AMAZING TO HAVE A REAL SETTING WHERE WE’RE ABLE TO PLAY ON A REAL STAGE WITH REAL SPEAKERS” 12

By Laura Giagos

a series of videos and streams, as well as finishing up the album they had begun before the tour. It was a big change for them: if things were normal they would be spending the majority of the year touring and playing shows. “We’ve been getting back to just enjoying making the music. With all these things we’ve been doing there’s no audience, so we’ve just

been rocking out to ourselves. It’s nice to feed off of a crowd but we had to get back to feeding off of the music,” says bassist Josh Fairman. Recently performing in Chicago for the first time all summer at a drive-in concert, the band found the experience rejuvenating. “Looking out at all the people in their cars, I could feel their energy,” says Donohue. “We played so hard it’s crazy – my neck hurts and was all twisted. But that’s a good thing. Having all this time to play together and practice every week has been really constructive. We’re playing from the heart.” Thanks to events like drive-in concerts, music is happening again. Sunsquabi finds this a welcome relief, as they are currently only playing twenty percent the number of concerts they normally would in a year. And while drive-in shows are great, it’s a poor substitute for a packed show at your favorite venue. But they are serving a purpose in keeping music alive and Sunsquabi

has nothing but love for the idea. “Honestly, it’s amazing to have a real setting where we’re able to play on a real stage with real speakers,” says Donohue. “I think a lot of the same feelings get achieved because all these people come together and are feeling what we’re feeling. We get to do that together and that’s what music is there for. Obviously we want to play shows in [traditional] venues again but we’re grateful to the drivein thing because we’ve been having a lot of fun with it.” With Covid also came downtime, of course, so Sunsquabi found new ways to fill their time. Donohue got into updating their lighting rig, drummer Chris Anderson got into fishing, and Fairman took up tie dyeing. “I’ve probably tie dyed every shirt I own,” Fairman said with a laugh. Sunsquabi sit in a very unique spot in the music industry. With the career they’ve had so far and the following they’ve built, they were able to step into isolation somewhat comfortably

until things return to normal. If and when things do, they’ll be hitting the scene with a lot of great momentum built on the dedication to their craft and their love of the music. “For all three of us – from the very beginning – we got into music for the long haul. This has been our passion in life. It doesn’t make it easier,” Donohue reflected, “but it makes it easier to focus on the long term goal.”

CATCH SUNSQUABI LIVE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 AT THE CHINOOK DRIVE-IN ON TERRY BISON RANCH IN CHEYENNE, WYOMING. TICKETS AT BLUEPIGPRESENTS.COM 13

SOMETHING

TO VIBE TO BY KYLE EUSTICE

BLACK PEGASUS IS ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT FREQUENCY

There’s no doubt Yo! MTV Raps played a role in Robert Houston’s hip-hop education. Like many ‘80s babies, the inimitable Doctor Dre and Ed Lover were always awaiting him when he got home from school, ready with the latest Run-DMC or 2Pac video. Now known as Black Pegasus (or Black P if you nasty), Houston has taken those early lessons and applied them to his own career. Growing up in Colorado Springs gave Houston the opportunity to help build up the once fledgling hip-hop scene. “Colorado Springs was definitely a unique place to start my career but at the time in 1997 and 1998, there weren’t many hip-hop artists or groups representing Colorado at all — just a small handful of names at the time,” Houston tells Bandwagon Magazine. “Because there weren’t many artists or venues booking

Colorado hip-hop acts back then, me and my crew F.O.S. started throwing our own shows in Colorado Springs, Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins. “Our shows started to get packed and venues like The Fox Theatre and 32 Bleu started to book us to open for national artists. We actually became a major driving force in the hip-hop scene in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins and the Springs, opening the door for local talent to get on concerts in 2000-2003. When I went solo in 2003, I used my show network and battle rap skill to take things to the next level.” Seventeen years after dropping his debut self-titled album, Houston is still as passionate about honing his craft as he was back then. “I’m a creative,” he says. “I love to create and always will. As long as I have fans that want to listen to the music, I will always put it out. One day maybe I’ll create for myself in the basement, but I just have a passion and fire inside to create things.” Houston’s latest full length album, the aptly titled Robert Houston, arrived in 2017. Sparked by his mother’s death, Houston considers it his most personal album to date and the crown jewel of his discography — for now. “That album got pretty personal at certain moments and it marked a new chapter in my career,” he explains. “Right now, I’ve been recording a ton. I have a new project that was just

released called Pandemic Proof. I’m promoting that and working on new content as we speak. I’m also trying to grow my other businesses like my concert promotion company and my recording studio Mount Olympus.”

Pandemic Proof obviously speaks to the current times. The world has been drowning in the COVID-19 pandemic since March, subsequently bringing the music industry to its knees. Like the bulk of touring artists, his career has been dramatically impacted. “I make a majority of my living throwing events and touring the world as a performing artist,” he says. “Currently, that’s not possible at any capacity. This has made me have to adjust and pivot to the digital world. I’m doing my best to adapt. It’s pretty tricky, but I’ve always been a hustler and an innovator so I’m not worried. I’m just pushing through.” At the same time, he’s keeping his expectations at a realistic level. “Honestly, I’m not sure how it’s gonna play out,” he adds. “There’s a lot of false flags and misinformation floating around about this virus as well. It’s obviously a real thing, but it’s been weaponized for politics and pharmaceutical corporate interests. I’m one of the people who would rather see herd immunity or viral burn-out accomplished.

“THE MUSIC MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME” 15

This vaccine they’re trying to push out in such a short time-span is dangerous in my opinion. There’s never been a vaccination pushed this fast which means it’s probably the least tested. It’s a very complicated and layered issue. I’m hopeful for the best but prepared for the worst.” As the pandemic waged on this summer, the Black Lives Matter movement was at a fever pitch following the police killing of George Floyd on May 25. Houston, who’s also vocal about important socio-political

issues, is hopeful for the future. “I really believe in the current movement for social justice and equality,” he says. “I believe we’re taking many steps in the right direction and some change is starting to happen. I also believe that the movement has been infiltrated by corporations and political agendas. There have been a lot of provocateurs and people infiltrating the movement to start riots, looting, et cetera. –

“I do not condone rioting or looting especially looting,” Houston

continues. “There is a lot of confusion and chaos circulating currently. There needs to be a little more organization. Social justice and equality should bring the people together and create strength in unity, not division. It’s a work in progress.” For now, Houston is committed to the music, the only thing that seems to make sense sometimes. “The music means everything to me,” he says. “I put a lot into my writing and focus on being a highlevel lyricist. There’s always some type of deeper message in my music for the most part, but I like to keep it entertaining as well. “I hope it’s relatable to the fans and helps them get through their day; maybe they’ll learn something from it or feel some type of emotional charge. I just want them to be able to vibe at the frequency I’m putting out there.”

CHECK OUT THE FRESHLY RELEASED PANDEMIC PROOF BY BLACK PEGASUS, AS WELL AS HIS 40YROLDFUQBOYS PODCAST WHICH RELEASES MULTIPLE EPISODES WEEKLY AT

YOUTUBE.COM/ PEGASUSBLACK

WALKING THE WALK NEW GREELEY MURALS CELEBRATE BY DAN ENGLAND

AND BEUTIFY THE WAY DOWNTOWN When Richmark Real Estate asked Betony Coons to paint a mural on the side of one of its brand new buildings, the first place she called was the Greeley History Museum. That’s not always the place to go to kick off a creative process, but after some initial back-and-forth, Richmark wanted Coons to paint a mural with symbols that represent Greeley. Coons, a longtime resident and artist with some of the most recognizable and prolific murals in Downtown Greeley, knew Greeley well, but she wanted to know more about the city’s history. So she called the museum to nail down what Union Colony’s guiding principles were when Nathan Meeker founded it in 1870. Union Colony, of course, was the canvas for today’s Greeley, a history the museum itself touches on with its own murals you can see from the Ice Haus parking lot.

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Her job was to represent each one of those principles with an object. Richmark hired another prolific Greeley artist, Armando Silva, and they each painted a large mural on one of the two apartment buildings at the intersection of 16th Street and 8th Avenue. “We aren’t Loveland and Fort Collins and Boulder,” said Adam Frazier, Vice President of Real Estate for Richmark. “We wanted something to demonstrate all the things Greeley is. We want our projects to be unique and feel very Downtown Greeley.” In addition to making the art locale-specific, the other idea was to make it fun, despite the somewhat stodgy topic of the history of a city. Frazier said the walk from the University of Northern Colorado to the center of Downtown Greeley was less than a mile, but it felt longer “because it’s just not very fun.” “We are hoping to revitalize 8th Avenue,” Frazier said, work which the city has already started the last few years with its art trees and street improvements in that corridor. “We want people to enjoy their walk, and this is a really

simple way to add fun to the street,” Frazier said. He hopes to add more murals to other properties as they’re developed by his company. From a design perspective, Coons found herself challenged with how to include some of the aforementioned principles, including perhaps Union Colony’s most famous one: temperance. Not only is “active moderation of libation intake” hard to paint, but ironically, one of the reasons downtown continues to thrive is the world class breweries and distilleries it inspired. Coons eventually chose a scale to represent the balance one needs to enjoy liquor responsibly. Coons also flexed her creative muscle for representing irrigation, as she initially went with a watering can but replaced it with a rain cloud at the last minute. She also tried to find ways to give the symbols double

meanings: A train was not only a nod to the downtown museum but captured the idea of moving West, which Horace Greeley implored with his famous “Go West, Young Man” phrase. The bucking bronco represented the Greeley Stampede rodeo but also Greeley’s agriculture and frontier roots. The mural is big, and at times during its creation she was perched so high, it made her a little jittery. Maybe that’s why she accidentally kicked over a can of bright orange paint that splattered all the way down the building.

paint,” Coons said and laughed. “Fortunately I was able to remove it all. That was a phone call I didn’t want to make.” She was nervous for another reason as well: She was selfconscious of the fact that this mural would get a lot of eyes, given that it is on a building that criss-crosses two of Greeley’s most heavily traveled streets. “Oh yeah,” Coons said. “When I see it now, I wish I had changed a few things. I’m always like that. But it’s an honor to have it up there. I was thankful to be included.”

“I was thinking - they have this beautiful apartment, and I just ‘decorated’ it with bright orange

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