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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
ALBUM REVIEWS
American Tomahawk So So Slowly: The History of a Perfect Spiral
Jed Murphy BandWagon Magazine
Halferty’s vocals are simple and unassuming, never over-reaching or exceptionally flashy. Combined Lead by Ault, Colorado native with the heavy, but very common and Los Angeles, California subject matter, the simplicity of resident Adam Halferty, American his vocal style works in his favor. Tomahawk is a dream-like voyage If anything makes his songs stand that tells the story many people out, it is his lyrical content. The are living. With the help of friends stories he tells are as real as they Michael Spear and Mathew Wilcox, are at times unsettling. His imagery American Tomahawk has released can be personal and resonates with two records and their second an honest humanity. endeavor, So So Slowly, The History of a Perfect Spiral shows a band ready for a national audience. Halferty is probably most well known for his role as the drummer of 3OH!3 and his work throughout the Colorado music scene. Growing up in Ault and attending high school in Eaton, Halferty left an early legacy particularly in northern Colorado in the band The Ax That Chopped the Cherry Tree. So So Slowly, The History of a Perfect Sprial is intriguing in its simplicity and the almost disturbing nature of some of Halferty’s imagery. Musically, the When asked if this was songs tiptoe through the reverbladen guitar and synth drone that something he set out to do when is prominent in the alternative and he wrote these songs he had this chillwave bands that have come out to say: “It changes. Sometimes it’s in the last several years. But, even most definitely an accident. Other with the heavily affected drums times it’s planned from the song’s and pianos looped into shoegaze, inception. Sometimes the song just this album comes across as a falls into my lap. Other times it modern midwestern folk album at sits for years and then comes out of nowhere again. I never can tell its heart.
“Sometimes the song just falls into my lap. Other times it sits for years and then comes out of nowhere again. I never can tell what will happen.”
what will happen.” The beauty of this album is how it can be interrupted in any way the listener wants and that is how Halferty plans to keep it. When asked if there was anything in particular he wanted listeners to take away from it, he said he would rather not comment on the songs themselves as if anything he said would change how his audience would perceive them. The recordings themselves are impressive and very much an example of all that can be done in a home studio. Produced in Larchmont Village, California with additional tracking done in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the quality is professional and clean eliminating the need for expensive studio time. A modern album through and through, it is worth listening to and can be found on AmericanTomahawk.BandCamp. com. American Tomahawk is a band that has found a distinct sound moving forward with their sophomore album. It is no doubt that in a few short years you will find them on a national stage.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Push the Sky Away
Sean Hunter BandWagon Magazine If anything can be said about Nick Cave, it’s that he never met a challenge he didn’t like. Over his nearly 30-year career, Cave has experimented with all facets of entertainment, from music to writing, acting to composing. Hot off the heels of his 2012 film Lawless, Nick Cave returned to the studio with his most successful career project, The Bad Seeds. Push The Sky Away was released on February 18th and features some of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds most cinematic music to date. On his own website, Cave describes the album as a “ghostbaby in the incubator.” If you can decipher what that means, Push The Sky Away is an album for you. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have found new ways to explore their distinctive sound with Push The Sky Away. The album is aided in part by the creative space it was recorded in: a 19thcentury French mansion that doubles as a recording studio. The album itself seems to reflect the environment it was recorded in. Songs like the title track and “Finishing Jubilee Street” echo with the kind of calm that’s abundant in South France’s countryside. Though the album may feel “soft” at times, there is a bubbling anger behind each track that fans of The Bad Seeds will appreciate. While this most recent outing is a far cry from Cave’s early work in The Birthday Party, it’s clear he hasn’t lost some of his more punk roots. Push The Sky Away is mainly an album about living in a world that is slowing dying. Songs like “We No Who
U R” and “Water’s Edge” lean heavily on natural disasters to illustrate their message. The lines “We know who you are / We know where you live / And we know there’s no need to forgive” are a chilling reminder from Cave that in the modern world, there is no hiding from the people who wish to find you. Some songs are less cryptic, like the borderline comical “Higgs Boson Blues.” Overall, though, the message of Push The Sky Away is to be weary of the impact technology has on our lives. Luckily, Cave can pull this off without sounding like a crotchety old man. Push The Sky Away is a unique outing for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Far gone are the days of Cave’s more visceral musical ventures, instead focusing on what’s the most basic way to convey a message musically. The band’s sound is certainly not worse off for this, conjuring powerful soundscapes that cradle Cave’s melancholic voice. Nick Cave’s time in the movie industry shows through in the album. Push The Sky Away feels like the soundtrack to a film Cave hasn’t gotten around to writing yet and, judging by the success of the album, it’s one many people would see.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013 Grits & Gravy Symphony
Craig Basarich BandWagon Magazine
Anyone who picked up Grits & Gravy’s debut album People Like You last year, or has had the opportunity to see them live, is well acquainted with the musicality and unbelievable talents of this dynamic Denver duo. Between Jahmai Steward’s flow and original rhyme schemes, producer and DJ Neal Titus’ tastefully elaborate and alarmingly well-produced beats, and the tangible energy that comes off stage or even through a pair of headphones, this is a group you’re going to want to keep your eyes on. Last month, G&G dropped another addition to their growing discography with their latest EP titled Symphony. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, the pair takes a whole new approach to hip-hop by incorporating the style and feel of major symphonic works, tastefully combined with the drive and flow that they are so well known for. Producer Neal Titus wrote and composed background music for string quartet, orchestra, and even a live brass quartet (featured on the opening track, “Prelude.”) Once the beat was set in stone,
Jahmai Steward got into the booth and dropped some of the most apparently rhythmic and smooth verses ever heard from of an underground hiphop group. The combination of the two results in an eighttrack EP that you definitely don’t want to miss out on. Track three, titled “Mass,” features Titus’ almost neoclassical-feeling symphonic composition, providing the canvas for the entire piece. The tension and emotion that are so tangible in the composition are mirrored perfectly in the verses spit by Steward, who incorporates original ideas with catchy chorus’ that the listener can easily nod their head to. Track seven, “Way To Go,” is yet another example of why the musicality of this group is so refreshing and original. This track features one of the only samples, not originally composed by Titus, on the album. The whole track revolves around the main themes from Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring.” Titus cuts and pastes
sections of the symphonic work to create a beat that is unlike anything you’ve heard before. Another aspect of this album that is so enticing is the groups collaboration with local musicians. The opening track of the album, “Prelude,” incorporates a live recorded brass quartet comprised of friends of the group, most of whom are Greeley locals and students at the University of Northern Colorado’s School of Music. However, the most exciting collaboration is featured on “Birds.” The group invites Greeley locals Renee Swick and Justin Roberts, of the newly-formed indie rock
group Carols, to join them in this musical project. Roberts and Swick provide the perfect timbre and style change that adds the perfect extra to this already excellent album. The juxtaposition of their voices with Steward’s vocal quality and style is a collaboration that you don’t want to miss out on. Grits & Gravy has taken the hip-hop scene in Greeley, and arguably Colorado, by storm over the past year. For a group of this quality and ability level, the sky is the limit, and they plan on seeing just how high the sky will take them. Keep your eyes on this group, because it won’t be long before they’ve taken off. Be sure to
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hop online and download their newest EP, Symphony, available for free download at GritsAndGravyMusic. com or SoundCloud.com/ GritsAndGravyHipHop.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013 The Strokes
Comedown Machine James Garcia BandWagon Magazine It’s hard to hear an album for the first few times and judge it based on that. With bands with such a strong history like The Strokes, there are so many preconceived ideas floating around in your head: past releases, biases against ‘80s-inspired music, knowledge of the band’s internal struggles. But if you can sit down, turn your brain off with a glass of wine and just soak it all in, you might just find this album to be a gem right away. If not, give it a few plays, you’ll get there. The album’s first track “Tap Out” starts with an off-putting guitar squeal that leads into a poppy, palm-muted guitar dance. This one is especially fun to me because of how intricate Nick Valensi, lead guitarist, Albert Hammond Jr., rhythm guitarist, and Nikolai Fraiture, bassist, are interacting and playing off each other, while every measure drummer Fabrizio Moretti hits his sticks together for a unique effect. They should play high school dances in the ‘80s; I would totally get off the wall for this tune. “All The Time” is the second single and sounds much more traditional for The Strokes. It’s two parts catchy to one part simplistic, with a dash of Julian Casablancas’ near-monotonal crooning: the perfect Strokes recipe. “You’re livin’ a lie / Baby, you’re flyin’ too high.” In “50/50,” it sounds like
Casablancas is off the wagon again, with his crackled, garbled yelping. It sounds like he’s once again taken to singing through a 1970s high school PA system, while the rest of The Strokes break it down with post-punk thrashing (which is more like Pac Man going through his punk stage than any kind of serious headbanging). Classic Strokes. There are a few slower numbers on Comedown, my favorite of which is “80’s Comedown Machine,” which has a very “I’ll Try Anything Once” vibe to it. (“I’ll Try Anything Once” was a stripped down version of “You Only Live Once” with Valensi on an organ keyboard behind melancholic singing.) With a driving synth keyboard and vibrato guitar, Casablancas and the gang take us in and out of the ‘80s, whispering sweet somethingsomethings into our fullyentranced ears. It’s like slowly drifting down a rabbit hole filled with pinball machines and Ataris.
The album ends with “Call It Fate, Call It Karma,” which sounds like something your greatgrandmother would listen to on her wind up gramophone. It’s very strange. The Strokes have always been about putting out retro vibes, but this is senile. It’s kind of soothing, but it makes me wish they would make television in color. Comedown Machine sounds like Angles version 2.0, but that’s what they said about Room on Fire after Is This It. Personally, I think if you’re on to something juicy, keep squeezing. You can get the highlyanticipated fifth The Strokes album March 26th.
Epoch When GRIM
John Hann BandWagon Magazine Epoch When is a lyricist and producer out of Fort Collins who has been growing a fan base across Colorado. Over the past year, Epoch When’s first album GRIM, released on November 15th, has been a great success for the new artist. Epoch When (Alex Koutsoukos) has played venues in Denver and northern Colorado, building up his reputation in the hip-hop scene. Though he has been writing rap for three years, he’s been producing and mastering beats since 2009. Koutsoukos says he “didn’t plan on becoming a producer,” however one of his friends introduced him to the Icon Collective staff and they hit it off. The music production school in Glendale, California gave Koutsoukos a scholarship to attend their program because of his strong passion for making music. He never thought he would be at a production school but found himself in a fantastic program that taught him not only the skills he needed to produce but also how to develop his own unique musical style. In March 2012, Epoch When started on his journey to complete GRIM, which he fully produced, recorded, and mastered by himself. The project has been helping the new artist get his start as a producer and lyricist in Colorado’s growing hip-hop scene. Stand-out tracks on the album include “As Long As,” “Feature Presentation,” “Crowds,” and “No Hablo.” The album also features rappers such as ROOKE5, David Stone from HR People, and Brady James, who all make appearances on “Feature Presentation.” Epoch When has a unique, sarcastic, punch-line filled style of rap that shows his clever lyricism and determined attitude. Epoch When demonstrates his multilingual talent with his track “No Hablo,” written completely in Spanish. When asked about the track, he said he is not a big fan of “ego tripping tracks,” but “No
Hablo” was definitely that track for this album, so he decided to take it up a level and do it in Spanish. The rapper said that the track was difficult because “I’m not 100% fluent in Spanish,” but the track came out better than he expected, making it both impressive and unique. Epoch When explained that the inspiration for the track came from friends he knew that were immigrants, who worked hard, and still got ridiculed by the American public on a daily basis. Koutsoukos said he “was sick of people talking shit about immigrants” and wanted to “show the point of view of how hard being an immigrant is in America.” GRIM has become a one-of-akind album for the up-and-coming rapper and producer from Fort Collins. Although Epoch When currently does not have any upcoming concerts booked, he plans to get some lined up in Denver over the next couple months. He is, however, already working on a second album he hopes to release at the end of May 2013 called “Spirit of the Stairway,” in reference to a French saying from Chuck Palahniuk’s book Haunted. Epoch When feels his style and talent in making music have grown a lot and he is looking forward to dropping another album to show how his rap has changed since releasing GRIM. Check out Epoch When on Facebook for up coming events and updates and listen to GRIM online at EpochWhen.BandCamp.com.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
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FILM REVIEWS Hitchcock 2012 - 98 Minutes – Rated PG-13 Jay Wallace BandWagon Magazine
The man responsible for North By Northwest, The Birds, and Vertigo, The Master of Suspense earned his name crafting taut thrillers that shocked audiences in their day, his work still felt in the modern thriller and horror films of today. Director Sacha Gervasi set about honoring the man himself with his biopic Hitchcock, an entertaining romp through one of Hitchcock’s biggest challenges in his career: Getting his adaption of the book Psycho to the screen. Donned in a fat suit and a prosthetic double-chin, Anthony Hopkins plays the famed director, joined by Helen Mirren (The Queen) as Hitchcock’s wife, Alma Reville. Following the opening of North By Northwest in 1959, Hitchcock finds his pick of future projects not all that enticing. Eventually, he comes across a copy of the Robert Bloch’s book Psycho, an account of infamous serial killer Ed Gein (the same serial killer who would inspire not only Hopkin’s famed character in Silence of the Lambs, but also Leatherface in Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre.) The suits in charge of Paramount
Pictures are not thrilled with Hitch’s new project, so the director decides to finance the film out of his own pocket, using his television crew from Alfred Hitchcock Presents to shoot it. Alongside the struggles of getting Psycho to the big screen, Hitchcock and Reville’s marriage hits a rough patch. Hitchcock’s infatuations with his actresses – in the case of Psycho, Janet Leigh, played by Scarlett Johansson – drives Alma to a friend of the couple, screenwriter Whitfield Cook (Danny Huston). The pair work on a script at his beachfront cottage while Hitchcock struggles to put together what would be his best known work. Hitchcock finds out about Alma’s visits, and their marriage comes to a head. Eventually they move past it, and complete Psycho. One recurring bit of the film has Hitchcock chatting it up with Ed Gein (Michael Wincott) in fantasy sequences, where he observes Gein and tries to understand what drove him to murder and sleep with the corpse of his mother. You would think this would be distracting, but it really isn’t. Hitchcock, while still a drama, is sprinkled with darkly humorous moments that highlight the famed director’s eccentricities. It
can be a bit corny at times, though. The actors do pretty well embodying their real-life counterparts. Hopkins as Hitchcock is steller; you forget that the man who brought Hannibal Lecter to life is playing The Master of Suspense. He brings unrestrained joy and vulnerability to the character of Hitchcock, and gives the film an air of twisted fun. Mirren is excellent as Hitchcock’s long-suffering wife, acting as both a foil and a partner-incrime to Hopkin’s Hitchcock, but also bringing home Alma’s frustrations with Hitchcock’s obsession with his leading ladies. Johansson as Janet Leigh is pretty good, although her portrayal of Leigh as a goodhearted dream girl is somewhat off. Johansson’s Leigh is almost too perfect, always skirting the edges of the tension between Alma and Hitch and avoiding the conflict entirely, departing a little wisdom in the process. Hitchcock isn’t a perfect retelling of the making of Psycho or an accurate portrayal of Hitchcock’s relationship with his wife; very few biopics can claim 100 percent accuracy. But Hitchcock is an okay movie, and a treate for any film fans. Just don’t expect too much. 5/10
A Good Day to Die Hard 2013 - 157 minutes – Rated R
Sean Hunter BandWagon Magazine When the Die Hard came out in 1988 it immediately made its mark on the stagnant ‘80s action genre. The film introduced audiences to John McClane, played by then newcomer Bruce Willis. Die Hard turned the genre on its head by featuring a hero with whom audiences could relate. McClane was just a New York City cop who always happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, but still managed to save the day. Fast forward to present day, and 4 movies later, the John McClane who previously brought audiences to the theaters is no more. In A Good Day to Die Hard (or Die Hard 5) young director John Moore tries his hand at the franchise, and comes up short in just about every way imaginable. Die Hard 5 takes the McClane family to Moscow, Russia for some father-son bonding time. The only problem? John McClane hasn’t spoken to his son in years, and has finally tracked down his location. After a quick flight and some sightseeing John McClane bumps into his son Jack (Jai Courtney) after a series of impossible coincidences. It’s revealed that Jack is a CIA operative carrying out a mission to prevent a nuclear-weapons heist. Unlike early Die Hard films, Die Hard 5 focuses less on the tension of an action scene, and more on cheap thrills.
The first big action piece of the film follows John, Jack, and a group of unknown terrorists as they drive through the streets of Moscow. The sequence is nearly incoherent, as it relies heavily on quick cuts away from the action and feels out of place on a narrative level. The strained relationship between John and Jack is never fully explained outside of clichés and it becomes apparent over the course of the movie that the audience shouldn’t expect much in the way of character development. In fact, it feels like the John McClane of old is completely absent from the film. Bruce Willis has made a massively successful career for himself since the first Die Hard released. Still loyal to his fans after all these years, Willis has returned to the franchise for each film. Sadly, Willis’ last two outings as McClane have all but erased the smart-assed everyman action hero we’ve come to love. Die Hard 5 sees McClane jump out of buildings, take bullets, and drive a car out of a helicopter. But, the most egregious betrayal of the character comes in the third act when John McClane and Jack walk into Chernobyl and go for a swim. Willis’ portrayal of John McClane in Die Hard 5 makes the character seem like he belongs in the films the franchise
tried to distinguish itself from 25 years ago. Jai Courtney tries his best to give Jack McClane life but it ultimately comes across as a poor Bruce Willis impression. Director John Moore may go down as the guy who killed Die Hard, but there are a lot of fingers to point. The script is weak and feels like it was edited to bits during production. Bruce Willis gives one of his laziest performances to date and effectively ignores what actually playing John McClane means. A Good Day to Die Hard might as well wipe off the “Die Hard” title from its name and pretend to be a different movie. Though, it still wouldn’t be any “good.” 1/10
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
Austin Wulf BandWagon Magazine When Amendment 64 passed in November, it opened a world of possibilities that stoners and entrepreneurs dreamed about. Now, one of those dreams is becoming a reality: marijuana tourism. After the amendment’s passage, a task force made up of legislators, law enforcement authorities, and pot activists formed. On February 19th, that task force agreed that the amendment’s language does not restrict recreational cannabis use to Colorado residents—meaning visitors can partake as well, when the legislation is in place. If the state legislature agrees, tourists will be allowed to purchase limited amounts of marijuana (perhaps as low as an eighth of an ounce at a time, though the specific amount was not set.) Obviously, they wouldn’t be allowed to take their toke across state lines, either. “Marijuana purchased in Colorado must stay in Colorado,” said Representative Dan Pabon, a Democrat and member of the task force. The group suggested putting up signs in airports and at state borders warning visitors they can’t take pot home. Weed
moving across state lines out of Colorado would attract more federal attention, not to mention the displeasure of neighboring states. The task force will recommend other regulations, including those relating to where is acceptable to use marijuana. Their deadline is February 28th, after which the matter will be in the hands of the state legislature and the Department of Revenue, which will regulate recreational marijuana (and already regulates medical marijuana.) Bringing this kind of tourism to the state opens up numerous possibilities. Visitors will be allowed to purchase pot in limited quantities from recreational dispensaries, but the idea of private “pot clubs” is open as well. These bars for bud, in a sense, would be huge for tourism as well as for residents. And there’s no question that the interest is there. It wasn’t even 24 hours after election night that people were talking about moving to Colorado and making “Mile High” jokes all over again. Colorado is sending smoke signals across the country and we’ll be sure to see an influx of new businesses and residents in addition to the tourists. Over
the next year, this state is going to blow up in a haze of skunky smoke. In fact, some businesses are already opening up in the wake of Amendment 64. Studio A64 in Colorado Springs lets customers bring their own weed to use in the lounge’s vaporizers. Clubs like that, as well as dispensaries, will be the first in the field when legislation regarding sale is passed later this year. Garden City Mayor Brian Seifried is “excited for the opportunities that Amendment 64 has opened up for Garden City and the [state’s] economy as a whole. It is going to be great to get all that money off the black market and into the hands of legitimate business owners.” No doubt Garden City, with its history, will see some businesses opening up to take advantage of legislation coming from Amendment 64. On the other hand, some communities may choose to ban the sale of recreational marijuana as they did with medical marijuana. Residesnts of Greeley, Loveland, and Fort Collins shut out dispensaries in 2011 and 2012 and can be expected to vote against allowing pot cafes and the like as well.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
Photo by Richard Peterson
James Garcia BandWagon Magazine Neil Hagerty, of The Howling Hex (and formerly of Royal Trux and Pussy Galore), has just released his newest album, ironically titled The Best of The Howling Hex. The songs sound like a single insane polka number from a circus staffed by schizophrenics and sociopaths. It’s fun, frightening, and a bit off-putting, but certainly never boring. And it’s obvious Hagerty knows what he’s doing. The album is a testament to his recent move to Denver from isolated desert towns in New Mexico, where he picked up the musical style known as norteño, a Mexican style of polka-esque music using the accordion and bajo sexto (a 12-stringed instrument,) primarily. He adapted the style and made it his own using screaming electric guitars, which gives it a trippedout quality. Hagerty’s been on the music scene for a while, having been in the Washington, D.C.-based garage rock outfit Pussy Galore since 1985, and now with his solo project The Howling Hex, which he began in 2003. He’s put out 13 albums under the Hex moniker, including cassettes, vinyls and even a four-CD audio book entitled Victory Chimp. If Hagerty sounds like a strange guy, it’s because he really is. We weren’t able to contact him directly, but instead had to conduct the interview via email through his PR rep at Drag City Records, his Chicago-based indie label. This was unorthodox to say the least, and was made stranger
Local Band Profile
The Howling Hex by the fact he said, “Thanks, great way to start the Year of the Snake! Here are the answers to that interview.” The answers were vague, evasive, and short. In reply we sent him a video of Jafar, from Disney’s Aladdin, saying, “A snake am I? Perhaps you’d like to see how snake-like I can be,” as he transforms into a behemoth cobra. His followup answers were much more enlightening.
Q:
First of all, Mr. Hagerty, I have to ask, why do you only do email interviews relayed through your label’s PR? And how is it working with Drag City? Do they put any restraints on your creative output like they do on your communication? Or do they really just not trust you in public?
NH:
I am legally restrained by the terms of my U.S. visa requirements to conduct any public communication in writing through the auspices of Drag City Records, Inc. They are good to work with but I am also aware that they do have to monitor their association with me because they’d be legally liable in civil court if my tendencies were to assert themselves in conjunction with Drag City’s corporate brand; that is to say, while they do not control my behavior or my work they do control the extent to which I am allowed to be heard or seen through any type of large scale media outlet.
Q: The album is about your “transition to the great city of Denver.” Could you delve into this a bit for me?
NH:
I recently moved to Denver after living in a small desert town in south New Mexico for the ten previous years. I lived in Dona Ana and Grant counties. It is really nice there but it’s also very isolated and a little lonely. So while I was there over those ten years, I went through a process of disconnecting from the way I lived in the eastern cities, looking for something to connect with in my new home and finding the music of that region. I remember hearing a wedding party about a block away from my house where a band called Conjunto Los Pochos (I found this out later) played for like three hours. I was really struck by the formal control they exhibited as well as the nuanced repetition of the music. These things really connected with my own tastes. As I learned more about the music, I internalized the lyrical elements too. And now that I have moved back to the city, the stuff I’ve been writing is like an attempt to address the politics of the city — the hustling, paying bills, fighting for attention, relationships, living together with people of all kinds — from the point of view of the norteño tradition.
Q: Can you give a specific example where your lyrics
correspond to the move from New Mexico?
NH: Specifically, in a song like “Built a Friend” from the
new LP, there is a collection of details about a trip to the park with my girlfriend that describes really mundane things in a way that makes them seem
fantastic because I am looking at them through new eyes, while underneath that there runs a simple romantic desire to bestow upon my girlfriend the power to give me the ability to see things in a new way everyday. So while the strangeness of these simple things is really a function of being an outsider, I am trying to mythologize these perceptions into a magical universe of love, a generous act but also a little desperate, too.
Q:
What’s the hardest thing you’ve had to overcome to get to this point in your career? And how did it shape your sound (if it did?)
NH:
The main thing I had to overcome was not being born into a rich family where I could just do whatever I wanted — but so be it, they ain’t no cheat codes in the game of life. And to that end, trying to make a few bucks with music has completely defined my sound. That really was the hardest thing to get over, though, honestly. Just realizing why some people had more time to work on their music than others did, without having to sacrifice their relationships or even their lives. I’m not saying that I am fetishist of struggle, what I mean is that realizing where I was born on the socioeconomic scale inspired me to work harder, study harder, hustle
more and watch out for traps I couldn’t handle — things like drugs and ego hang ups, having kids too soon, putting off taking big risks. Like putting off moving to a big city until you’re “ready” — I guess what I am saying is that what my music sounds like is exactly the product of trying to make a living doing music, not the product of some ideal I had that I was trying to catch up to. I’m fine with it, especially since I think I have learned that more important than money is time. If you can find the time somehow to concentrate on your work then you are rich.
Q:
You’ve been putting out music for many years, what would you say your legacy has been so far?
NH:
Well, I hope people might say he did a lot with almost nothing, that somehow he managed to be successful just by twisting together a few raw pieces of twine, a red rubber ball, and a broken digital watch into a long, long career.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013 Local Business Profile:
William Oliver’s Publick House
Photo by Allison LeCain
Newest Ft. Collins Bar to Feature Over 200 Whiskeys Allison LeCain BandWagon Magazine A whiskey bar called William Oliver’s Publick House is opening in the predominantly beerdrinking community of Fort Collins. Founder Ryan Wallace said he believes a community of whiskey drinkers lies within. “The first few stages of making beer and the first few stages of making whiskey are identical,” Wallace said. “What makes good whiskey is the same thing that makes good beer – quality ingredients.” William Oliver’s is expected to open at the end of March and will serve a variety of 200 fixed whiskeys and an additional 50 that will be constantly changing. With prices ranging from three dollars to $250 dollars per drink, there will be something to fit everyone’s tastes. When choosing which whiskeys to serve, Wallace said he will focus on Colorado-distilled drinks first. “Our goal is to carry every Colorado whiskey,” Wallace said. “If they’re distilled here there will always be a space for them.” In addition William Oliver’s will serve a blend of high-end whiskeys that are not available at other bars, inexpensive whiskey, local beer from Ft. Collins and Loveland, and other spirits made in Colorado. The goal of providing such a plethora of choices is that all customers, even those who don’t traditionally drink whiskey, will find one they enjoy.
“When somebody says they don’t like whiskey, I think they just haven’t had it right – they haven’t had the one that’s for them,” Wallace said. “I have a passion that surrounds whiskey and I wanted to create a business that shares that passion.” While Wallace said he will personally be picking many of the whiskeys for the bar, he is relying on the community for input and plans to take their requests into account. He wants people to consider it ‘their bar.’ “The way people talk about the bars that they love – it’s always ‘my bar, I want to take you to my bar,’” Wallace said. “I want people to feel that way about William Oliver’s.” Wallace plans to do just that by offering an inviting atmosphere where people can drink, eat, and learn about different whiskeys. He said he’s constantly educating himself by traveling, going to tastings, and reading whiskey books. Wallace plans on passing this information along to future customers. “I really want my place to be a place of education,” Wallace said. “We want to be known as the experts of Colorado whiskey.” William Oliver’s will have tasting nights where experts will come in to teach people about the whiskey they’re drinking. Additionally they are collaborating with local whiskey distillery, Feisty Spirits, to create a co-branded whiskey just for the new bar. Co-owner of Feisty Spirits, Jamie Gulden, is working with Wallace to create what they’re
calling Feisty Pig whiskey for the opening of William Oliver’s. Feisty Spirits is actively distilling currently, but won’t open to the public until April. “We both think the industry is really growing right now. It’s a perfect time for what he’s doing and what we’re doing,” Gulden said. “We love what he’s doing, kind of focusing on bringing up a culture of whiskey, and craft whiskey at that.” Gulden said he thinks that William Oliver’s will stand out from other bars in town because of the educational factor that can be shared with customers. The wide selection will also differentiate them from bars downtown. “You can go to bars and they’ll have their standard whiskeys that they sell, but for the most part they don’t really have an in-depth knowledge and can’t educate you about what you’re drinking,” Gulden said. “That’s one of Ryan’s goals, to have a place where you can go and try a lot of different whiskeys and compare things and really learn about whiskeys and cocktails.” With the atmosphere focused on learning about what you’re drinking, Wallace encourages people who don’t like whiskey or are unsure about it to come to William Oliver’s for a drink. “People say ‘I don’t like whiskey,’” Wallace said. “I’ll take your bet, and then they’ll find out that they do like whiskey. They just hadn’t had the right one.” William Oliver’s Publick House will open on March 29th at 2608 S. Timberline Rd. #108 in Fort Collins.
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By Mikey Unruh
Photos by Rachel Waltman
M
acklemore’s career is proof that you can work hard enough to earn your place in the spotlight. Ben Haggerty, the rapper known most commonly as Macklemore, found his love for music and began writing rap in his teens. He recorded and released first EP, Open Your Eyes, in 2000 as Professor Macklemore, though he removed “Professor” from his name before releasing any more material. In 2005, Haggerty released his debut full-length album, The Language of My World. The album began to draw a following for Macklemore, largely through the Internet and in his home state of Washington, including fellow Seattle native Ryan Lewis. Lewis met Macklemore shortly after the release of The Language of My World, though the pair would not officially begin their collaboration for several years. Haggerty suffered from substance abuse problems for some years after the album’s release, which led to a stall in his musical work. Lewis was pursuing a career as a photographer, a skill that gave him a chance to get to know Macklemore through photo shoots. He eventually began to focus his attention more on music, though his knowledge of visual art gave him the opportunity to direct videos and design visuals with Macklemore. As a producer, he first recorded his own album, Instrumental, which was released in 2008, the same year that Macklemore decided to get sober and began reorienting himself toward creating music. Over the years that the two had known each other, they spent some time working on music, but Macklemore’s new-found clarity led him to begin a partnership with Lewis. Haggerty recorded his 2009 record The Unplanned Mixtape independently but immediately followed with The VS. EP, his first creative effort with Lewis, the same year. The content of Macklemore’s lyrics on these releases developed from his newfound sobriety and began to take on larger issues than much of the hip-hop community. The VS. Redux was released in late 2010 and, though they already had garnered a large online following, marked the duo’s first real breakthrough as a rising act. The record made it to No. 7 on the iTunes hip-hop chart and greatly expanded their fanbase and media coverage. Though a successful string of singles continued to come from the
pair, allowing for larger tours and more recognition, things didn’t always go smoothly. In December of 2011, Haggerty relapsed after missing AA meetings due to constant touring and codeine cough syrup, prescribed to him for a cold. Though the relapse slowed the release of new music, it ultimately fueled their desire to finally release a full-length album, The Heist, which was announced in the summer of 2012. The announcement was accompanied by the release of the new single “Same Love.” The track, which expresses disappointment in homophobia, especially within the hip-hop community, established Macklemore’s support for gay rights, found success, and resonated with many listeners. On October 8th, 2012, just a day before the release of The Heist, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released their single “Thrift Shop” to immediate success. The single charted at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list and eventually was certified Double Platinum, while the album reached the number 2 on the Billboard 200, just behind Mumford & Son’s Grammy-winning album Babel. Several notable artists are featured on The Heist, including Schoolboy Q on “White Walls” and Ab-Soul on “Jimmy lovine.” In support of the album, the duo embarked on a worldwide tour selling out over half of their stops in the U.S. The consistent radio play of “Thrift Shop” continued throughout the end of 2012 and continues today, remaining in rotation on both hip-hop and alternative rock stations, drawing comparisons to the Beastie Boys’ crossgenre popularity. Macklemore has been criticized and praised for the lyrical content of the single as being both trivial and a refreshing viewpoint. With the continuing popularity of the single, it was no surprise that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis sold out their February 1st show at the Red Rocks Amphitheater and that they became a sought after act for the University of Nothern Colorado’s spring concert. Just a few days later, the University Program Council announced that they would be bringing the pair to UNC to perform on Sunday, March 3rd as part of MTVU’s “Woodies Tour.” Unfortunately the show is already sold out, so you may have to resort to hunting for tickets on Craigslist or praying for a friend with one to come down with something that night, but either way it will be a show you don’t want to miss.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
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RUBBLEBUCKET
T
he indie-dance band Rubblebucket is performing at this year’s Snowball Music Festival, and if you’re going you should definitely check them out. Based out of Brooklyn, these crazy cats know how to put on a show. They usually go all out on stage with theatrics and fun interactive elements. Lead singer and saxophonist Annakalmia Traver is such a spunky delight, and when she runs through the crowd you can just tell she loves every single person that came out to appreciate their unique brand of music. The band consists of multiple horns, saxophones and other unconventional instruments along with a talented guitarist, bassist and percussionist. They jam so hard in so many styles, it’s difficult to set a good classification for these guys: afrobeat, funk, dance, awesome. But above all, you can really feel the love with these guys on stage. Filled with catchy hooks and glaring talent, the large group of musicians propel you through poppy reggae and psychedelic wind-instrumentation that’s guaranteed for a good time. And they’re really cool in person too. They are not skittish around their admirers, sometimes welcoming people to chill with them. I’m sure they’d split a spliff with you if you offered. - James Garcia
Tennis BESTFRIENDS
B
estfriends is made up of two actual longtime friends from Chicago, Nick Scalise (guitar and lead vocals) and Gregory Shanahan (vocals and keys.) Bestfriends is a newer band that has only been touring for a year, but Scalise and Shanahan are not rookie musicians. Bestfriends write, record, and produce all of their own music, and do it in a manner that make them appear to be music business experts. After only playing shows for one year, Bestfriends have managed to make an impression on the electro music scene. Their contagious melodies accompanied with Scalise’s smiling face and joyous vocals create a sound that is enjoyabe for anyone, without being too generic. Bestfriends played a crowd-moving show in Greeley back in January, and along with playing Snowball, they are also scheduled to play other music festivals this year, including Electric Forest and SXSW. Bestfriends are skilled musicians that create tracks that are catchy and upbeat, and their performance skills are just as impressive. These talented guys may be well-educated and experienced in their field, but by no means are they rigid. Snowball attendees should expect a show that is full of dancing and good vibes. They may be small now, but they are about to become huge, and definitely an essential stop on any electro fan’s Snowball agenda. - Jordan Wood
T
ennis is one of Colorado’s best-kept secrets. The indie pop duo is comprised of married couple Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley, who started Tennis after a sailing trip on the Eastern Atlantic Seaboard. Their first album, Cape Dory, was released in 2011 and was inspired by the couple’s time at sea. The band’s unique lo-fi sound garnered attention and awarded them many touring opportunities after its release. Tennis’ second album, Young & Old, was released last year and was produced by Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney. Carney’s influence brought Tennis to a new level, getting them attention from Rolling Stone Magazine and National Public Radio. The band’s first hit song off Young & Old was the upbeat pop tune “Orgins.” The band made a music video for the song that featured footage shot during a snowstorm in the Rocky Mountains by a friend of the band. The video has over 1,800 views on YouTube and cemented Tennis as one of Colorado’s greatest underground successes on the verge of breaking out. For now, fans of the band can see them play shows all over Colorado and around the country regularly. - Sean Hunter
grizmatik E
lectronic performance combo Grizmatik, comprised of electronic DJs Griz and Gramatik, are known for their incredible dance beats and catchy drops. The newlyformed duo combines their talents to produce “Digital Liberation Is Mad Freedom (DLIMF),” one of the hottest new tracks for electronic dance music today. The song has more than 190,000 plays on SoundCloud and has been grabbing the attention of listeners who are looking for raunchy drops, uplifting melodies, and a chill jam band style all in one show. Gramatik’s stylish funk and dance beat bounce mixes with Griz’s hard drops and captivating electronic melodies to create an unforgettable set for Snowball 2013. Gramatik has been making music since the late ‘90s but only started making electronic music in 2008. Griz, on the other hand, has created soulful music since he was 13. Both musicians have a strong passion for music and work hard to create the fullest, most artistic beats they can with their years of music production experience. Although the two have shows all over the U.S. throughout the summer separately, Snowball is currently the only event the unique electronic/soul/dance duo has scheduled. There is no doubt that Grizmatik is one of the most anticipated concerts at this year’s Snowball Music Festival. - John Hann
RUN DMT V
eteran producers Parson and Lemiwinks united forces in 2010 to create the Austin, Texas duo Run DMT and have been shaking up the electronic music industry ever since. The DJ team is known for their grimy heavy bass and entrancing psychedelic melodies that create the group’s unique sound and euphoric feel. Although the duo has only been together since 2010, their debut song “Bro 2.0” hit the top of the dubstep charts, as well as their song “Drop Top,” which topped the drum and bass charts. The DJ duo dropped their album “Union of Opposites” in 2012 and have played at several larger music festivals, such as Camp Bisco and the Electronic Daisy Carnival. Run DMT will be an excellent show for any fan looking for some filthy bass tracks and euphoric captivating melodies. Even though Run DMT is lower on the Snowball line up, their concert will be a remarkable show full of psychedelic lights and sounds to keep fans pumped. Come see how this newly formed electronic dance duo has made such a strong impression on the electronic music industry over the past few years. - John Hann
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
ROBOTIC PIRATE MONKEY N
ot only does Robotic Pirate Monkey have a kickass name, they also lay the beats down fresh-like. Consisting of Boulder boys Andrew Hathaway, Matt Berryhill, and Matt Flesher, this trifecta of electronic excellence demands to be danced to. Facemelting breakdowns and hip-hop inspired beats laid over killer bass lines and stellar vocal samplings, make this a very smart electronic trinity. Robotic Pirate Monkey combines massive electro-elements with samples from music of the past. Sometimes it sounds like old movie scores and other times it’s an orchestra or classical guitar being smashed into the 21st century with dub enthusiasm and killer synths. But the approach is always fresh. Their name really does them justice: they are a creature of both a digital and biological nature that has come to plunder your ear virginities. There’s plenty of quality electronic music to experience this year, but it would be a shame to spend all your time at Snowball on the big names in electronic when there’s an evil monkey in the closet on the next stage over, doing sonic tricks for bananas. And they’re local musicians, which should always be a point of pride when talking about northern Colorado. - James Garcia
P
Polica
olica may be the indie band with the most eyes fixated on its prospective career. Made up of Minnesota based singer Channy Leaneagh and producer/musician Ryan Olson, Polica is a moody pop outfit who utilize synth vocals and R&B music to craft a sound that sets itself apart. After releasing their first album Give You The Ghost in early 2012, the band has been loading on the admiration. Grammy winner and former indie secret Bon Iver told Rolling Stone Magazine “They’re the best band I’ve ever heard.” Polica is known for the group’s live shows, which feature two drummers and Leaneagh’s distinctive dance moves. Their impressive performances have garnered the attention of many major media outlets that cite Polica as one of the next big things in music. Their songs “Amongster” and “Lay Your Cards Out” have been featured in network television shows. The band describes their sound as “dark pop music” but listening to Polica is a much more rich experience than advertised. Leaneagh notes that the band’s name comes from the Polish word meaning policy, and Polica acts an unwritten code between the band mates to always remain polite. Luckily for their fans, Polica’s music is anything but. - Sean Hunter
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
COLORaDO CONCERT CALENDAR
Friday March 1 Trichome @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley w/ Rhythmic Fuzz, Ben Pu Drop Switch EP Release @ Cervantes’ - Denver w/ Turner Jackson, D-Stylz and Lead by Design Passion Pit DJ Set @ Larimer Lounge - Denver
Octopus Nebula @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins w/ Bedrock, and Auditory Elements
Speedwolf @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Warhawk, and Dirty Few Lori Callahan @ Down Under Comedy Club - Greeley w/ Terri Barton Gregg
Bad Brad @ Grabo’s Bar and Grill - Greeley Menomena @ Bluebird Theater Denver w/ The Gaurds GRiZ @ Ogden Theatre - Denver w/ Late Night Radio
Yamn @ The Aggie - Fort Collins w/ The Malah, Human Agency Itchy-O Marching Band @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Munly & the Lupercalians
Saturday March 2
Glass Delirium @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley w/ The Portrait, Aspen Hourglass, This Side of Paradise
Project Aspect @ Cervantes’ - Denver w/ Papa Skunk, DJ Rashka, DJ SiRc and Fly Society
Israel Vibration @ The Gothic Theater - Denver w/ Ras Marcus Benjamin and The Nyabinghi Warriors Fox Street Allstars (Album Release) @ Larimer Lounge - Denver w/ The Whales
Break Science @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins w/ Mikey Thunder
The Intergalactic Nemesis Boulder @ Boulder Theater - Boulder Black Lamb w/ Throttlebomb, and Red Stinger @ Hi-Dive - Denver Pantyraid @ The Fillmore Auditorium - Denver
Foxfield Four & Petals of Spain Dual Album Release Show w/ Vetta Sta @ Summit Music Hall - Denver Lori Callahan @ Down Under Comedy Club - Greeley w/ Terri Barton Gregg
Up Until Now (Official Snowball Kick Off Party) @ Bluebird Theater - Denver w/ Raw Russ, Human Agency Bassacution @ The Aggie - Fort Collins w/ Oh Snap! Numakon
The Summer Set @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ We Are The In Crowd, Go Radio, Paradise Fears
Sunday March 3
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis @ UNC Butler Handcock - Greeley
Secondhand Serenade @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Alex Goot, Taking Canyon, Ben Rogers
Monday March 4
Atomic Reactor @ Cervantes’ - Denver Digital Connection, ChemDawgz, Kruza Kid and Parvata The Night Beats @ Larimer Lounge - Denver w/ Glass Hits and The Blue Rider Wake Owl @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Oliver Bravado
Sumerian Records Battle of the Bands @ The Marquis Theatre Denver feat/ As The Sky Darkens, Aslyum, Caramel Carmela, & more
Trichome @ A.F. Ray’s on 3/1/13 in Greeley
Tuesday March 5 The Stubby Shilelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley Turn it Up Tuesdays @ Whiskey River - Greeley
Sub.Mission Presents Electronic Tuesday ft. February Winners Showcase @ Cervantes’ - Denver w/ Grimblee and Dodger JacuzziHiDive @ Larimer Lounge - Denver w/ Mancub + Babyshoe, Cop Circles, and Tom SRVO
The Lovely Bad Things @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Denny and the Jets, and Bud Bronson and the Good Timers
The Air I Breathe @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Capture the Crown, Famous Last Words
Wednesday March 6
The Heavy Pets @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins w/ Jet Edison
Ivan & Aloysha @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ The Lone Bellow, and Dana Falconberry
Thursday March 7
Hollis Brown @ Larimer Lounge - Denver w/ Varlet and The MayKit
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013 Cotton Jones @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Parson Red Heads and Josh Dillard Pert’ Near Sandstone @ Bluebird Theater - Denver w/ Haunted Windchimes Alabama Shakes @ Ogden Theatre - Denver
Monday March 11 Monday Madness ft. En Tu Oblivion @ Cervantes’ - Denver Elmo Chesterhazy, Crashopper, Vulture Culture, Hiska & Hypesquad 303
Chelsea Grin @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Attila, Betraying the Martyrs, Dubskin @ The Aggie - Fort Collins At the Skylines, Buried in Verona w/ Congo Sanchez, DJ Mikey Thunder
Churchill @ The Ogden Theatre 3/8 /13 in Denver
Rumpke Mountain Boys @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Psychic Ills @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Blues Control and Follakzoid
Dead Floyd @ Bluebird Theater - Denver
Salvador Santana @ The Aggie - Fort Collins
Dillon Francis @ Boulder Theater
H*Wood & the Elevation @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Vinnie Maniscalco, Dirty Little Theives
Friday March 8
Reno Divorce @ A.F, Ray’s - Greeley w/ Nasty Bunch of Bitches, Royal Dead, The Tramps
Iron Horse Performs Pickin’ on Modest Mouse & Best of Pickin’ On @ Cervantes’ - Denver w/ Strange Americans The Heavy Pets @ Larimer Lounge - Denver w/ Jet Edison
The Hodi’s House Party @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins w/ Immortal Dominion Wandering Natives @ Hi-Dive - Denver
My Body Sings Electric @ Bluebird Theater - Denver w/ Rachel and The Kings, Chemistry, and Carson Allen
Churchill @ Ogden Theatre - Denver w/ Ha Ha Tonka, Autumn Lies
Dirty Heads @ The Aggie - Ft. Collins w/ Shiny Toy Guns, Midi Matilda, Oh No Fiasco
Salvador Santana @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Izcalli, J.O.B.
Saturday March 9
Tribute Night @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley w/ Leghounds, performing the music of Prince
De La Soul @ Cervantes’ - Denver w/ EvitaN (Jarobi from A Tribe Called Quest & Dres from Black Sheep), Whiskey Blanket, Turner Jackson and Raw Russ
Truckasaurus / L.B.R.O @ The Gothic Theater - Denver w/ Plan B Rejects, The Rotten Riffs Caspian @ Larimer Lounge - Denver w/ Native, Accordion Crimes
Pickin’ on Modest Mouse & The Best of Pickin’ @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Current Swell @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Policulture, Treehouse Sanctum
Sunday March 10
The Denver Battle Of The Bands Finals ft. Pull The Trigger, Live Like Glass, Julio Perez, Awaken The Prophets, Seasons In Between, Revelation Union, Ashen Past, Another Mother, Genre, Low Dead, Providence and Accretion @ Cervantes’ - Denver Erin McKeown @ Larimer Lounge - Denver w/ Stephanie Dorman and Jillian Grutta The Spits @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Zebroids, SPELLS
Pentatonix @ Ogden Theatre
Current Swell @ The Aggie - Fort Collins
Swingin Utters @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Wild Roses, Pitch Invasion, St. Fall Apart
Tuesday March 12
The Stubby Shilelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley Turn it Up Tuesdays @ Whiskey River - Greeley
B Side Players @ Cervantes’ Denver w/ Liebermonster
Anberlin @ The Gothic Theater Denver w/ Paper Route, All Get Out
Volbeat @ Ogden Theatre - Denver w/ Danko Jones
Otherwise @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Gemini Syndrome, Girl On Fire, Pull the Alarm
Wednesday March 13
Cure For The Common @ Cervantes’ - Denver w/ Digg, Drop Oddysey and The Patient Zeros
The Easy Riders @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
Young Dubliners @ The Aggie Fort Collins
Otep @ The Marquis Theatre Denver w/ One Eyed Doll, Picture Me Broken
Thursday March 14
Grass For That Ass ft. Ben Miller Band w/ Dead Larry @ Cervantes’ Denver
Paris By Sea @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Lightlooms
Stick Figure @ Bluebird Theater Denver
Flyleaf @ Summit Music Hall Denver w/ Drowning Pool
The Fighting Jamesons @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ The Stubby Shillelaghs
Friday March 15
Anchorage @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley w/ Johnny No No & the Yes Ma’ams The Greys of Gold, Viretta
Shamanic Boom ft. Desert Dwellers w/ Kaminanda, Cualli & Soulacybin! @ Cervantes’ - Denver
The English Beat @ The Gothic Theater - Denver w/ The Aggrolites
Henhouse Prowlers @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins w/ Whiskey Tango
Ross Etherton & The Chariots of Judah and Jason Heller @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ The Reckless and Nights
Dan McGowan @ Down Under Comedy Club - Greeley w/ Nate Balding
James Egbert and FatRat @ Bluebird Theater - Denver w/ Raw Russ, and Papa Skunk
Hoodie Allen @ Ogden Theatre Denver w/ Aer, Jared Evan, SplYt
EOTO @ The Aggie - Fort Collins
G Love and Special Sauce @ Boulder Theater - Boulder
Allegaeon @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Vale of Pnath, Dissonance in Design, Suns of Sorath, Artemesis
Saturday March 16
NiT GriT @ Cervantes’ - Denver w/ Gladkill, Sugar Pill and Rodway P-Nuckle @ The Gothic Theater Denver w/ Whiskey Tango, Skyfox
Take To The Oars EP Release Party @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ The Hate, The Ever Dan McGowan @ Down Under Comedy Club - Greeley w/ Nate Balding
The Congress @ Bluebird Theater - Denver G. Love & Special Sauce @ Ogden Theatre - Denver
EOTO @ Boulder Theater - Boulder Il Cattivo Album Release @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver
Sunday March 17
Hayden @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Lou Canon
Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band @ Bluebird Theater - Denver w/ Cherry Royale
Monday March 18
Frightened Rabbit @ The Gothic Theater - Denver w/ The Twilight Sad
Veronica Falls @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Cold Showers and The Octaves The Hush Sound @ Bluebird Theater - Denver w/ The Last Royals, and Sydney Wayser
Tuesday March 19
The Stubby Shilelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley Turn it Up Tuesdays @ Whiskey River - Greeley
Hospitality Tour ft. High Contrast @ Cervantes’ - Denver Camo & Krooked, Fred V & Grafix with guest host Dynamite MC Nile @ The Gothic Theater Denver w/ Kill Syndicate, Scalafrea, Orphans
An evening with Fierce Bad Rabbit @ Hodi’s Half Note on 3/16/13 in Ft. Collins
Off With Their Heads @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ White Lung, Anchor Point
Thursday March 21 Bad Weather California @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ the Blue Rider, The Blank Tapes
Wednesday March 20
Radiation City @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Brainstorm Pickwick @ Bluebird Theater Denver w/ Deep Sea Diver
French Montana @ Summit Music Hall - Denver w/ Chinx Drugs / K!NG / Ray Reed
St. Patricks Day
Marcus Foster @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Ruston Kelly
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The Dunwells @ Bluebird Theater - Denver w/ Bronze Radio Return Tech N9ne @ The Aggie - Fort Collins
K. Flay @ Hi-Dive - Denver
R5 @ Bluebird Theater - Denver Casey James @ The Aggie - Fort Collins
Jesse Cook @ Boulder Theater - Boulder
The 4onthefloor @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Andy Thomas of Tin Horn Prayer
Old Man Markley @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ The Yawpers
4 ways to win @
Sunday March 17th
Green Beer Pong Tournament @ 2pm WIN
100
$
cash
WIN with
Drink Specials!
3 $ 2
$
carbombs & irish Shots Green Beers
Poker Tournament @ 5pm
WIN
100
$
cash
Karaoke Contest w/ Cole Britton @ 9pm
WIN
100
$
cash
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013 Friday March 22 Sudden Uproar @ The Gothic Theater - Denver w/ Sideffect, Pressure Point, As Nations Rage Fol Chen @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Royal Canoe Tech N9ne @ The Fillmore Auditorium - Denver Donavon Frankenreiter @ Bluebird Theater - Denver
Animal Collective @ Ogden Theatre - Denver w/ Dan Deacon
Regret Night & Be Brave @ Summit Music Hall - Denver
Conspirator @ The Aggie - Fort Collins w/ Signal Path, Auditory Elements Great Big Sea @ Boulder Theater - Boulder Peelander-Z @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver
Saturday March 23 Live Comedy @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley w/ Sam Tellent, Jordan Doll, Bob Gaudet, Brendan Birch Delicate Steve @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ A Mouthful of Thunder
Imagine Dragons @ The Fillmore Auditorium - Denver Cephalic Carnage @ Bluebird Theater - Denver w/ Havok, Speedwolf, and Silencer
Conspirator @ Ogden Theatre Denver w/ Signal Path
Balkan Beat Box w/ Delhi 2 Dublin @ Summit Music Hall - Denver Paper Bird @ The Aggie - Fort Collins
Sunday March 24
Del McCoury and Sam Bush @ Boulder Theater - Boulder
TUESDAY MARCH 28
The Stubby Shilelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley Turn it Up Tuesdays @ Whiskey River - Greeley
Wednesday March 27 Swing Hero @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Monroe Monroe, Orphans, and Anchorage Lord Huron @ Bluebird Theater Denver
All That Remains @ The Fillmore Auditorium - Denver Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band @ Ogden Theatre - Denver w/ Lake Street Drive
KMFDM w/ Special Guests @ Summit Music Hall - Denver Allison Weiss @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver
Thursday March 28
Jarren Benton & DJ Hoppa @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Old Dusty Death @ Hi-Dive - Denver w/ Galaxy Express, The Burning Girls Leftover Salmon @ Bluebird Theater - Denver Lindsey Stirling @ Ogden Theatre - Denver
Andy Grammer @ Summit Music Hall - Denver
Soulfly @ The Marquis Theatre Denver w/ Incite, Lody Kong
Friday March 29 Little People @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins Dick Black @ Down Under Comedy Club Greeley w/ Moose Lundstrom Leftover Salmon @ Bluebird Theater - Denver
Kip Moore @ Ogden Theatre Denver w/ The Wild Feathers Wish We Were Floyd @ The Aggie - Fort Collins
Andrew McMahon @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver w/ Barcelona, Erland Wanberg
Saturday March 30
Stone Cricket CD Release Show @A.F. Ray’s - Greeley Ft: Ryan Fourt, Kelsey Shiba
Widow’s Bane @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins w/ Wasteland Hop and Wire Faces Phophorescent “Muchacho Tour 2013” @ Hi-Dive - Denver
Dick Black @ Down Under Comedy Club - Greeley w/ Moose Lundstrom Leftover Salmon @ Bluebird Theater - Denver
Paganfest 2013 w/ Ensiferum / Tyr / Heidevolk / Trollfest / Hellsot @ Summit View Hall - Denver
Tuesday April 2
The Stubby Shilelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley Turn it Up Tuesdays @ Whiskey River - Greeley
The Metal Alliance Tour featuring Anthrax / Exodus / High On Fire / Mu @ Summit Music Hall - Denver
Wednesday April 3
Mike Ring & The Connection @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds @ Ogden Theatre - Denver w/ Sharon Van Etten
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
The Middle Road A creative story by Sharon Graham-Ellis Over the past eight years I have check cattle in and out at the livestock auction whenever monetary need arises or I find myself longing to spend time with bovines. Not following the traditional path of a woman in the livestock industry, I work in the yards alongside the men and in direct contact with the animals. While the hours are long, the pay low, and the working conditions dangerous, I have counted it all worthwhile because I can indulge in my favorite pastime – cow watching. I enjoy seeing how they can curl their long pink tongues and whisk them around the inside of their nostrils. I notice how their pink lips and noses move when they drink, how they chew up stray papers they find laying in the alleys, how they lie in the dirt with dignity, hunched up over their forelegs and shoulders. Watching their tails switch from side to side as they walk down the alleys to their holding pens. I find myself amazed that they can move 1,200 pounds with the grace of a model on a fashion show runway. I like how they think and how they move and find a certain amount of gratification in setting leads with the various gates to get them to go into whatever pen I want. I hold out my fingers for the newborn calves to suck. It’s true that they will follow me anywhere when their instincts to be comforted are indulged. For all the happiness I find in them, I must acknowledge a harsh reality. Each time I work with them, I see the line between life and death. Many times cattle come to be sold in poor condition. I have seen cows with cancer eye so bad that their entire head was swelled to twice the original size and the odor of rotting flesh permeated the air long after they had walked away. This was a few years ago – before Colorado passed laws about bringing in the most extreme cases to public auction. Still the sick and dying come to the sale barn because that’s the only way producers have to get a few head sold off. I see bleeding and infected udders, cracked and bleeding hooves, prolapse, malnourishment, extreme age, and overall neglect. These cases are not even ten-percent of all the animals I check in. But for each hard case, I feel as if there’s a fine razor cut on my heart and my conscience when I witness agony. I still find myself almost wishing I could bring a gun with me and drop the sickest of the cows in their tracks and then turn the gun on the owner for letting them get so bad off. I had two orphan calves in my backyard during the summer. Their mamas were cows that had been issued their sentence and not knowing their future, dropped the calves right after the sale. It isn’t unusual to find them in the
corners of the pens when we go to load the cows out. One was born to a wild cow and she was in with several more of the same. The cow was shipped out in the dark and the calf wasn’t discovered until the morning. I said I’d tend to her and I call her Lucky because she is. Had she waited a few more hours to make her appearance, she would have died inside her mother. The other calf was born to a cow which was dying and just barely able to get to the truck. How she had the will and strength to deliver the calf is something I will never know. Even though it was able to nurse its colostrum, it was tiny – barely bigger than my dog. She had patches of hair missing from malnourishment and her mom’s bad health. I call her Hope because I hoped she would live. When the opportunity arises. I do what I can. I give them names full of inspiration and willingness to continue to the end of their purpose, though I know the vast majority will be processed. I prepared pints of formula four times a day, held and pet them, and socialized them like I did my sons. The calves are still with me. I love them and keep trying to convince myself that I’m serving a higher purpose. The fact remains that the purpose of a cow’s life is to die. That’s the part I both love and hate about working with them. I fancy that I might well be the last pleasant human contact they have before they walk up the cement chutes and board the truck that will take them to the packing house in Wisconsin or Nebraska or wherever else the cattle buyer has sentenced them to die. The hope is how I keep my job. It’s inevitable that they will cross the line of being a wondrous living creature, to becoming a consumer commodity. First they are life. Then they are beef, leather, film, cosmetics, grease for bearings in vehicles, insulin, and gelatin capsules for Prozac. When asked to cover a few Saturday afternoon hours for a fellow employee a few weeks back, I was assured that there would probably be nothing happening. There were no loads expected to be dropped off for the next sale and there was only one pen of cow to be picked up. I felt safe assuming the duty. I was well into my shift when the call to load out the pen came. I thought I’d have a fifteen-minute chore ahead of me as I headed out to the truck chutes to unlock the gates and get the invoice. I was completely alone and I worried about being confident and efficient since most of the truckers are surprised (and sometimes appalled) when a woman comes to load them out. I want to give the barn a good name by my work and, most of all, I want to be professional. The trucker had gone down to the pen and was bringing them out. He asked why he could find only
fifteen head. He was told to pick up sixteen. I explained that one had died. One grand dame (possible great grand dame) Holstein was down in the pen. The others had started meandering up the alley of curiosity or habit, I don’t know which. He told me she wouldn’t get up and that we’d come back after the others were “on the buds.” It was a sad bunch. The packers who purchased the cattle usually buy those in the worst condition. I’ve never had the nerve to ask what they became once they got to Wisconsin, but I’m guessing dog food. All the animals were either lamed, skinny, old, or torn up in some way. One big black bull had cracks so deep in his hooves that he left a small trail of ruby drops in the dust as he walked to the chutes. He also took a pretty good spill while climbing the cement chute stairs to get onto the truck. The driver had to sting him to his feet with a cattle prod. I was relieved when the bull heaved his great body and plodded on. The other cows followed. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do had he stayed down. We went back for the downer that hadn’t moved an inch from where we left her. The trucker twisted her tail, but she stayed put. He handed the hot shot to me and told me to prod her nose with it while he tried to help her from the back. The first time I poked her, I deliberately didn’t engage the current. He took the hot shot from me, went to test the current on the water pump, found it working and admonished me to zap her when he handed it back. I did. She held fast. I reached down to pat her bony head and chunks of hair fell out all over the dirt and fluttered in the breeze. She was dying. We decided the best thing to do was to get the skid loader and give her a ride to the semi trailer. He moved his truck away from the chutes and I fired up the loader. I hadn’t operated the machinery much. The times I did involved pushing around manure and sand. I doubted that I could manage to scoop up a cow. He understood, and took the skid’s controls while I stood clear. He lowered the bucket and pushed the cow about five feet through the dirt. Once he had her against the feed bunk, he pressed her into the bucket. She didn’t fit well. She was once a large cow and her frame didn’t mold into the bucket at all. Her head and a foreleg, as well as her huge utter and one hind leg hung out over the metal scoop. She tried to break free but was too weak and simply let her head fall back and bob with the loader’s erratic jerking. He carried her to the back in fog the truck and I watched tentatively as he tried to get a sideways cow into an upright doorway. By now threequarters of an hour had passed. The trucker was angsty and I was feeling inept. I knew I was into something I
couldn’t handle. Knowing that she might easily have her leg broken or worse, I eased my discomfort of watching the cow being loaded by going into the dock house to see if the mobile phone was gone. If it was gone, I could call the guy I was covering for. He’d know what to do. I groaned with a mix of frustration, disappointment, and resignation when I saw that it sat in its cradle behind the pop machine. “Damn!” he yelled as I flung the door to the dock house wide open and stalked outside. I saw the cow was finally loaded, but her back leg stuck out and she didn’t have the strength to draw it inside so we could shut the door. We tried and tried to somehow fold her up so he could get moving. For whatever reason, it just wouldn’t work out. He asked me to sign a statement that she was dead. He could then yank her off the truck and leave her with me to finally finish dying. I didn’t know if I had the authority being a part-time employee and all. I told him so and offered to see if the person I was covering for had come back yet. If not, I promised to call someone who could accommodate him. I went to check at the trailer house by the barn, castigating myself the entire way. Scared and angry, inadequate and ashamed. I wished I could turn those feelings off and just do the job, “Damn emotional woman,” I muttered to myself. Relief was in sight when I saw the blue pickup parked outside. Finally I had help and I mentally expressed a prayer of thanks. I explained the situation and he said he knew exactly what the trucker was looking for. We walked back up to the chutes and I felt more comfortable knowing the responsibility had shifted to him. The men agreed that the cow should be pulled of the trailer and set to wrapping a heavy chain around her free leg. Because there was no chute under the semi’s end, the cow would have to drop four feet to the asphalt when the skid hit reverse. She had no strength to break her fall. I turned away. My ears stayed open even though I fervently wish the contrary. I heard a heavy thud when she fell and I heard her weak cry of protest. Was it morbid curiosity or unwillingness to separate myself from her pain that made me stay present at least by listening? I still don’t know. The trucker and I tried to help tip her back into the bucket of the loader so she could be carried away. I lifted a front leg and he grabbed a back. We couldn’t lift her enough so that the bucket could get underneath her. The men conferred again. “Well you might as well push her over to the chutes and use them to get her in there,” the trucker said. My fellow employee looked at me and hesitated. The trucker almost murmured, “She’s dying
anyway.” So it was decided. I watched as the skid loader moved into position to push her about fifty feet. I watched as her head bobbed over the asphalt and she mooed her dying protests to the rough treatment. She was heavy flesh and the push over the pavement was ripping her hide away from her. Things moved more slowly than everyday existence. I had time to notice that her black, leaf-shaped ear was caught under the skid’s bucket. Me eye were involuntarily fixed on that ear. I hoped it wouldn’t disconnect from her head. She hit the chute with a thud and the skid’s bucket eased back. I noticed her neck was caught between the cement and the metal edge and I realized she might be decapitated as I looked on. I tried to yell to prevent it, but it seemed like I took too long to form the words. Then I saw a crimson fountain shoot up from the far end of the bucket. The ruby spires quickly turned into a putrid pink as her utter burst from the external pressure of the skid’s bucket and the internal pressure of the massive infection she carried inside it. Can a cow cry in agony? Can their screams sear the air? She did. They did. I stood there stunned. I wanted to go to her, but couldn’t. All I managed to watch the pool of blood and pus under the bucket push its edges out further and further in conquest of fresh ground. How much blood do they have? I wondered I could smell the dead white blood cells, the infection that was killing her before we finished the job. She looked at me, became quiet, and let her head fall where gravity set it. Her eyes glazed over, but even when she was dropped at the place where the byproducts and hide plant picks up the dead, she lived a little while longer. I was told to list her tag number with the other dead cow at the bottom of the invoice: Number 0122 - Dead on 8/29/98 p.m. Some obituary. I put my initials next to it just incase there were questions. When I handed the yellow copy to the trucker, I was crying. I didn’t care what he thought. What mattered was what I thought and I no longer cared about being seen as competent or professional. Caring about how I looked to someone else was ridiculously shallow and foolish. I cried with greater intensity out nothing more than willful defiance of the expectations of the job and sorrow for my participation in any of it. He looked at me, almost with envy, took his paper, carefully folded it, cleared his throat and said, “You’re absolutely right to feel in this situation. I’m used to it because it’s my job. I move the almost dead. But I also have dairy cows at home. And you know what? I love them.”
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine MARCH 2013
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