MANAGING PUBLISHERS Keith Schneider Keith@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com Christopher Murphy CMurphy@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com MANAGING EDITOR Jennifer Cohen 303-895-1351 JCohen@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com MANAGING EDITOR Tim Wenger 303-725-9359 TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com WEBSITE EDITORS Tim Wenger TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com Jennifer Cohen JCohen@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com WEBMASTER SwamiSez Web Design SwamiSez@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com SENIOR WRITERS Joel Center, Jenn Cohen, Chris Daniels Carin Dawn, Stephan Hume Nathan Schmidt, Charlie Sullivan Tim Wenger, Torch PHOTOGRAPHY Miles Chrisinger, Jenn Cohen, Ted Davis ADVERTISING Sales Manager Brett Finn - 719-217-9771 Finn@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com Advertising@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com EVENT AND MAGAZINE MARKETING Chris Murphy 720-429-8717 CMurphy@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com WEB ADVERTISING Keith Schneider 303-870-7376 Keith@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com GENERAL INQUIRIES Info@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com SPONSORSHIPS / OTHER Please email us a written request proposal for all inquires to Editor@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com CMB Submissions and Advertising Policy Colorado Music Buzz welcomes submissions, advertisements and sponsorships from those connected to every musical genre and style, as well as the general public. Due to our publication’s community focus, article content and advertisements containing nudity, drug references, profane words/visuals, or sexually exploitative material will not be accepted. Please feel free to voice any concerns you may have and collaborate with us to adapt what you would like to present in a way that respects both our all-ages audience and your artistic integrity. We are here for the music, and we are here for you.
Artists may submit press kits/CDs for review by mail. Please email requests for coverage directly to the editor and copy the writer of your choice in your musical style. Colorado Music Buzz Magazine, LLC P.O. Box 2739, Littleton, CO 80161
Colorado Music Buzz Magazine is published monthly by Colorado Music Buzz Magazine LLC (Publisher) and distributed to over 650 locations throughout greater Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and surrounding areas. Reproduction in any manner in whole or in part without express written consent of the Publisher is strictly prohibited. Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or its staff. Colorado Music Buzz Magazine LLC does not limit or discriminate based on ethnicity, gender, age, disability status, spiritual beliefs, familial status, or national origin, and does not accept editorial content or advertisements that do.
MF Ruckus Drop New Live Record, Tell Story in Documentary by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
“We kind of just had this idea that we wanted to create a press kit that we could sell to people,” says Aaron Howell (vocals). “I came up with this idea of just doing live recordings, because it’s less expensive to do live recordings, and we’re pretty much a live band anyway.” The band recorded shows at the Gothic Theatre, Herman’s Hideaway, Three Kings Tavern, and the Belly Up in Aspen, compiled the best of the shows, had them mixed and mastered, and are putting them out as the live album The Dirty Half Dozen. To coincide with the live record, the band also brought good friend Mike Peterson from SixEleven Productions out on the road with them to film a documentary, which includes performances, interviews, and general tour madness. The record/DVD release party will take place June 21 at Three Kings, also serving as a tour kickoff for the band’s month long The Dirty Half Dozen Tour. They hope to distribute a good amount of their new press kits while on the road, both in person and through mail, to create as much of a buzz as they can with the new releases. “During the day time, we’re going to be sending stuff out to the media, sending stuff to anyone we can think of, working our asses off,” says Howell. “Night time, we will be rocking the shows, and as soon as we get done, hopping in the bus and driving to the next city. It’s going to be a month of pretty intense work, and trying to fit partying in there in the interim.” Many in Denver know the story of MF Ruckus, rising from the ashes of long time Denver punk stars Forth Yeer Freshman, and those who
don’t, can get the background on the story on the new DVD. Howell had this to say about the two groups: “Forth Yeer Freshman was a punkrock band. Over the years, we had so many different people playing for us, and we went from being this little four-piece shitty punk-rock band to transitioning into all these different styles to where, if you played them back-toback, it’s not even the same band anymore. We felt like we were holding on to something that didn’t exist anymore, and the only guys still
left from the old days were Logan (O’Conner) the bass player, and myself. “So we were like, it’s a new band anyway, let’s put that to bed,” says Howell. “We put out a press release that we sent all over that said that the band was breaking up, and we had a big Viking funeral at Moe’s BBQ.” The transition into MF Ruckus was, overall, a pretty natural effort for the guys, as they had been working on this live record during the alteration period. They chose not to make
an official announcement of their new band, partially in hopes of maintaining the recognition and respect that Forth Yeer had accumulated over the years. “Instead of making a big release where we came out and said, ‘This is our new band,’ we just started playing without really making a big deal of it and let people organically rediscover it.” However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. “We were able to take a lot of the momentum,” says Howell. “One area where we ran in to trouble is we did have to come at some people as a brand new band. In instances where perhaps there was a negative reputation associated
with the brand Forth Yeer Freshman, we had to start from scratch. We couldn’t go to these promoters and go to these people and drop that name because that would automatically attach any of the previous associations. It was difficult, and it was a little frustrating at times to feel like ‘We’ve already gone through this.’ But we’re playing with bands with whom we fit more now.” The guys have been through their share of ups and downs over the years. Howell himself has been a part of the group since he was seventeen, and even now as he dives deeply into the story of his band’s upcoming record release and tour uniforms, which are more like “old school” clothes, so if you kinda get it, it works. CMB: You two are how old? What are your goals as such a young band? What songs can you play? JS: I am nine years old. I want to someday play as an opener for a big band! One of the first songs we learned was “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the Ramones. Now we are playing more complex songs like “Hotel California” by the Eagles.
For Those About To Rock Kickin’ it New School
Story By Stephan Hume Photos By Kevin Shaw
SHume@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Don’t go throwing away your guitar if you’ve just started; it’s never too late to rock. But, for that matter, it’s never really too early. My reasoning: Rarely do you find such a formidable force as this month’s young band feature. They play more gigs than you’d think, write their own music, host talent shows, and more! And did I mention their age? They are in elementary school. Folks, meet New School. Consisting at the core of Jude and Abbey Shaw, they are a force to be reckoned with. They are young, and very articulate. They are talented, and always
12
willing to learn. They are here to entertain. I met them when they recently joined the rock music program at Colorado’s premier music lesson school, Band Dynamics. Their family is very supportive of their music and the Band Dynamics mission for everyone to play to their potential. Together, we would all like to feature the start of a very fun music adventure that is already well underway. CMB: How did the idea for New School Start? AS: The idea of our band, New School, started when we were driving in the car and we were coming up with really, really, really lame names. And then my dad had the idea of saying, “New School!” So then we just talked about our
AS: I am 11 years old. My goals have to probably be, trying to become a little more locally famous, if not more widely famous, and I am excited to open up with the “National Anthem” soon. And basically, I play the same songs as Jude, because we are in the same band (laughter). CMB: Talk about what you do for lessons to keep your skills up to speed. What are you working on right now? JS: Well, first of all we started going to Band Dynamics, and they have helped us so much; we are learning a lot. They have a Dojo, which is really cool, which allows you to test up in your instrument. I am a white belt on guitar right now. I am working on learning “Back in Black,” and I take saxophone lessons at the moment, too. AS: So, we just started doing lessons. I play keyboard, and I am decent, and trying to get to the point where I am kind of good at it, and I
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
from the comfort of their hometown of Denver, he appears a bit road worn. He and his band mates seem to feel at this point, and rightfully so, that they have worked their asses off and are enjoying the perks of being in a “grown-up” band. Or at least in a band that knows what it is doing, and is not composed of teenage kids with no clue about the music industry. “Our long term objective is to, within the next two years, get over to Europe, get over to Japan, get down to South America,” he says. “The approach we are taking to that is to get this record out to as many people as possible. Do a huge promotional campaign; get ourselves in peoples’ heads. The ideal situation would be to get to the place where we can all go do our own respective projects and a few times a year go and have a monster tour and pick up right where we left off, and at the end of it shake hands and go our separate ways.” They still want to grow the band, however, and continue to set goals and work toward them. “I look at accomplishment like I look at an orgasm,” says Howell. “Once I get one, I relish in a moment of euphoria. I smoke a cigarette, eat a sandwich, and then I’m on to find the next one. To me, resting on your laurels and clinging to one accomplishment is the equivalent of keeping a used condom in your pocket. We talk about a lot of ideas about what we want to do and where we want the band to be, but we don’t have to babysit each other anymore. It’s a lot more effective, and, I hate to say it, but it’s a lot more grown up these days.” Look for the record on the bands website, on iTunes, Wax Trax, Twist and Shout, and in person at their shows. Online: mfruckus.com also sing. Right now I am trying to learn “Let it Be” and doing band with another awesome girl who plays bass. CMB: If you could tell any other band the most important thing you have learned so far, what would it be? AS: The most important thing I could tell any band is definitely working together, and if you don’t do that you don’t really get anything done. It’s exciting to meet other people and play instruments, but you have to cooperate a lot. CMB: By the time people read this, it will be June. What are some gigs they can look forward to seeing you play? Also, you have a website, yes? JS: We have a big National Anthem, a show at Herman’s Hideaway with Band Dynamics on June 8, and a charity gig for Easter Seals camp. All can be found on our website (www. judeandabbey.com). AS: Thank you for reading this, and tell us at a gig when you see us that you read our interview, and that will make us feel really great. And here are Jude’s last words: JS: We rock, Colorado!
locally. Our reputation has grown significantly, we are perceived as a top non-profit label with a roster of high caliber bands that have professionalism and promise of a future in the industry.
SpokesBUZZ Takes CO Talent to New Level by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
SpokesBUZZ is becoming Northern Colorado’s voice of music, and the group has been working hard the last four years to take some of Colorado’s best music and expose it to a national audience. They recently concluded the induction of their Class of 2014, with the Yawpers, Common Anomaly, Winchester Holiday, Wasteland Hop, Shatterproof, and Maxwell Hughes making the cut where many others fell short. This marks the first year that SpokesBUZZ has expanded outside of Northern Colorado to include regional acts from elsewhere in Colorado. Colorado Music Buzz caught up with SpokesBUZZ El Hefe Dani Grant to get the lowdown on what makes the organization tick, how it works, and where you can find them drinking beer and talking music throughout the summer. CMB: Talk a little bit about how SpokesBUZZ started, and take me through the basics of what you guys are doing. DG: We got started in 2009 asking the question, ‘How do we let the world know what Northern Colorado has to offer in terms of music, arts and culture?’ Our music scene is so rich and plentiful but it seemed to be a secret. The first program was SXSW 2010 with six Fort Collins bands and a $7,500 budget. We had 250 RSVPs but we did it, and we rocked Austin, and we knew it was just the beginning. This year, with our collaboration with CO showcases through the Colorado Music Party campaign crafted and executed by SpokesBUZZ, we had 80 bands and 15,000 RSVPs. The SpokesBUZZ showcases had 14 bands, approximately 2,000 attendees, and went through 10 kegs of New Belgium beer and two cases of Coyote Gold Margaritas in four hours. I use beverage giveaways as a measurement, it was jam packed. We are a promotion engine for the Front Range music scene, and we incubate the best musicians that cover a diverse genre mix. We are the self-proclaimed spokespeople for the scene, spreading the BUZZ about Bikes, Beers, and Bands in Colorado. We decided we didn’t want to preach to the choir about how amazing this culture is, that it was more important to spread the BUZZ nationally and regionally. We began to create opportunities for our bands to be showcased nationally, regionally, and
Our incubator and our board bring resources and education to the bands involved, we develop our artists as entrepreneurs. Our marketing and promotion is crowd sourced through Cause Marketing. We develop a relationship with the public. The fans want to be part of the momentum, DIY bands receiving support from their communities to succeed and operate in a complex and invitationonly industry is worth getting behind. They will support our organization and our business sponsors who are leading edge conscious capitalists. CMB: How was the class of 2014 selected? DG: The application is a rigorous selection process. We only receive applications for four weeks of the year, and generally we have only 2-3 spaces available for a new band. After you meet initial criteria, then we send music off to national listeners for ratings, local selection committee and the board. Then we review a short list of live performances and we meet for three hours, vote and haggle. It’s an intense meeting. CMB: How are you bringing global attention to local music? DG: We promote the music through national showcases like SXSW and BandSwap, regional showcases like SpokesBUZZ at UMS and garnering press and media attention and grassroots viral social media. We also work hard to put our bands in opener positions with nationals. Our productions are top notch, we know how to market and promote, throw a party and how to produce a high quality show. CMB: What events do you have going on this summer? DG: The SpokesBUZZ showcase at The Underground Music Showcase in Denver is going to be amazing. We will have six SpokesBUZZ bands playing Saturday, July 20th at The Irish Rover starting at noon. We expect to bring a lot of new faces to the UMS, a lot of Northern CO folks who are excited to learn more about our indie scene, and we expect to meet a lot of regional music fans that will be enchanted by our small town big scene impact. CMB: Where can the readers find more info on SpokesBUZZ, and if they want to get involved, what can they do? DG: We are always adding new volunteers and looking for sponsors and donors. We are a non-profit, and we don’t earn money from our musicians so we look for support from the community. SpokesBUZZ.org has more information on the bands involved, our calendar listings, how to become a volunteer and how to donate. Online: spokesbuzz.org
In Honor of Little Fyodor by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Little Fyodor has been blazing his trail across the mile high musical spectrum for a good two decades now, and the misfit madness is beginning to pay off. A tribute album has been released in his honor, with artists from across the country putting in their two cents on his mad riffs to compile one of the most outrageous records ever to come across the desk here at CMB. With only minor setbacks, we caught up with Little Fyodor to get the low down on this high note in his musical journey. CMB: Elaborate on the process of the tribute cd. How were the artists selected/come on board? LF: The idea grew out of a conversation I had with Lasse Jensen of Denmark. He’s this totally DIY guy who makes crazy weird ass music of all types, a lot of quirky goofy songs plus some noisier more experimental stuff. One song calls Greenland the Dixie of Denmark and makes fun of Greenlander rednecks for eating tons of shrimp! Who’d a known in these parts?!? Then on one CDR he did one of my songs, Everybody’s Fucking. He found out about me through my association with Boyd Rice but he eventually told me, “You’re better than Boyd cause Boyd just does hate and you do hate and so much more!” Anyway we decided there should be a Little Fyodor tribute album and he put out the word, mostly on Facebook. The Inactivists were the first to respond cause they’d already covered “You Give Me Hard-On”! Lasse was most anxious to get Boyd (who also had already covered one of my songs, “The Blackness”) and Ralph Gean, the original rockabilly cat who lives in assisted living in Broomfield. I think we asked a few of the others specifically but most of them just volunteered when they heard about it. Lasse collected and chose the contributions and assembled them, and then he suffered a mental breakdown and was institutionalized (where he attacked a nurse with a fork!) for a while and I completed the project with the help of Brian Clark of Discriminate Audio. It finally got released on Public Eyesore, the label that put out my most recent CD of original material, Peace Is Boring. CMB: How did you get started in music? LF: I took up guitar as a kid in junior high but gave it up in high school when I got into progressive rock cause those guys were too good and I could never be that good. I took it up again after college when I started listening to punk rock and writing songs about my dilemmas facing the big ol’ world as an alienated college graduate. Then I became a radio deejay on KGNU playing the weirdest most anti-social music I could find (my show’s called Under The Floorboards on Saturday nights). Then I became part of Walls Of Genius, a cassette networking band which was the first project I was part of that “released” stuff. We released 30 cassettes (mostly 90 minutes long!) in 3 years! (1983-1986). Then I went solo. CMB: You claim punk rock as your genre- who are some of your influences, if any? Have you heard of the Asbestos Tampons?
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
LF: Listening to side one of The Ramones Leave Home real stoned changed my life. That’s their second record. I’d already heard their first and third records and thought they were pretty good, but this one listen to their second record (real stoned) changed my life. Then there was the Buzzcocks and Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, Pere Ubu. Other influences who maybe aren’t so punk are Hawkwind, Neil Young, JJ Cale, Velvet Underground, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Woody Allen, Nathaniel West, Kurt Vonnegut, Iggy Pop, MX-80 Sound. My tastes are pretty eclectic so even though it’s based in punk, I might take on almost anything as an influence. No I never heard of Abestos Tampons, but this being the 21st century I’ll have to check them out right now.... CMB: Generally speaking, what frame of mind are you in when you write these songs? What are you doing before and after? LF: I’m usually working out some personal problem. Like maybe maybe not that’s all I know I wrote after leaving a party without hitting on a chick I thought maybe I should have hit on. Nobody loves me and they got good reason I wrote after feeling guilty for taking a “finder’s fee” on a bag I sold to a friend (not something I generally do btw - that I felt guilty about taking a finder’s fee being a good indication it wasn’t my thing!). I Thought People Liked Fools I wrote while taking a walk while on break at work. You Give Me Hard-On, heh, well that’s kinda obvious, I saw some pretty girl (at work!) and.... Well maybe it’s not so obvious cause it just kinda occurred to me how automatic it was, like this is just how it is. But it was some girl I never even talked to, so that’s kind of all she meant to me. That Was A Mistake I wrote the day after I felt like I said some stupid shit at a party. Happy People I wrote on a break at work thinking of another hometaper who was taking classes to get a serious career, unlike me. Small Talk I wrote when I was a front desk clerk and this guy came up to me and asked me “Are you working hard or are you hardly working?” and it was the first time I’d ever heard that and I tried to answer him seriously (it was somewhere in between) only to realize he wasn’t listening. I wrote parts of The Blackness while driving out to enjoy the mountains but realizing the car I was driving in was polluting them. Peace Is Boring I wrote on a walk when I saw a sign saying “Peace” in someone’s yard and I thought, oh c’mon, peace is boring! So shit like that. I guess a lot of walks and parties and work.... Heh, those Abestos Tampons are pretty crude! Not entirely my thing, but okay. CMB: What do you have coming up this summer? LF: Well the big thing of course is the tribute release at the Walnut Room July 13!! My band, Little Fyodor & Babushka, will be headlining a festival sized lineup of folks who are on the tribute and who are gonna play the song they contributed! The Inactivists, Ralph Gean, Us From The SuperFuture, Gregory Ego, Gort Vs. Goom, nervesandgel and Diablo Montalban! Also got a show on Aug 3 at 3 Kings with M. Pacman and TBA. And, well, we’ll just see what else turns up.... CMB: Where should new fans head to find your music/videos? Do you have anything that only a certain crowd might find appealing, such as inappropriate videos? LF: littlefyoder.com is the place to go. Local record stores too. My “inappropriateness” is mixed in throughout my material not segregated out like it’s a separate thing. Kinda like how Neil Young mixed folk and rock together early in his career, not like he separated them out on Rust Never Sleeps (which I hated).
Read more of this article at ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
13
ReverbNation Featured Aritsts of the Month give five independent artists who have not previously been featured in Colorado Music Buzz the opportunity to not only get their bio in the magazine, but get on our radar with what they have upcoming. Each month we select a varied group of musicians to showcase based on the music they have posted on their ReverbNation profiles.
As Colorado’s music scene has exploded over the past few years, one of its mainstays has been Wendy Woo. Her energetic personality, musical skills, and spirited songwriting have made her a media and fan favorite and have taken her to venues across the country including the Fox Theater and Red Rocks in Colorado, the Bitter End and the Living Room in New York, the Hotel Cafe in Los Angles, the Bluebird Café in Nashville, Sweetwater in Mill Valley, and Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia. Anticipating the rise of the independent artist, Woo formed her own corporation, Woo Music. Through that she runs her own record label (eight albums), publishing company, booking agency, and management company.
Swift Fashoshot- FASHOSHOT’s been a pioneer in the Denver music industry for nearly a decade with some of the hottest tracks in the game such as Keeper, Shwag fo ya, Ya Mamma Got Two Niggas, Radio On & WHATITIS Vol. 1, (a Colorado Classic album, featuring the entire WHATITIS Family). Just when you thought everything sounded the same.....One of those few rappers who hate Rap or at least where it is going. WELCOME TO THE EVOLUTION OF RAP!
Blending rock music styles with incredible creativity and positive life messages, Alex Von Z performs unique styles with common and enjoyable threads. Integrating influences from the 1960′s to current day and layering accessible melodies and modern instrumentation, Alex Von Z pleases a broad array of musical tastes. Possessing a commanding, yet touching voice, Alex connects with listeners while weaving meaningful lyrics and topics into fascinating stories with compelling emotion. The music injects healthy and positive concepts into songs to provide listeners music consistent with raising their consciousness and spiritual vibrations. Alex will be performing in the Rocky Mountain Battle of the Bands June 23.
Lee Johnson is an award winning singer/songwriter/guitarist writing for today’s and tomorrows Artists and Film TV. Lee won Broadjam’s “Date with a Publisher” April 2012, Hit a Home Run at NSAI Spring Training “Hitsville” April 2011, and won First Place in the Durango Songwriters “Write with a Hit Maker” song contest Feb 2010!!!Lee has 17+ yrs FT guitar instruction and 25+ years of performance experience. Lee is a Coordinator for N. Colorado Chapter of NSAI. Lee toured nationally with Bluegrass/Rock band “Runaway Truck Ramp” 1998-2003, released 2 CD’s with fans across the USA. See Rolling Stone Sept 1999. Lee opened for top national acts “Peter Rowan”, “Tony Rice”, “John Cowan of New Grass Revival”, “Leftover Salmon”, “String Cheese Incident”, “Yonder Mountain String Band”, “Derek Trucks”, “Moe” and many more!
The Dead End Drivers are an indie rock band formed in by Ian Tyson and Luke Hubka in Littleton, Colorado. What makes them different from most bands in Colorado is their focus on lyrics and vocal sounds. The DED’s musical influences consist of; Led Zeppelin, Young The Giant, Mumford And Sons, Awolnation, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix. Their members include, Luke Hubka (vocals), Ian Tyson (guitar), Matt Wilson (drums), and Sam Martens (bass). Their songs have a completely unique sound of their own.
14
Interested in being a Featured Artist? Look for the Opportunity on your ReverbNation page. June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Allout HelterSinking, We Regress by Tim Wenger
Air Tight ExperimentDelusions of Grandeur
TWenger@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
Air Tight Experiment has dropped their awaited fulllength Delusions of Grandeur, serving up a beguiling fusion of alternative and classic rock. Led by the sturdy vocals of Dan Levin, the group throws keeps the record easy to listen to, but modern enough that it has a bit of a catchy edge. Bands such as Maroon 5, Foo Fighters, and the classic rock of the ’80s come to mind when listening to the record. What makes it even more appealing is that, while featuring guitar and bass, keys, backing vocals and a looper, Air Tight Experiment is made up of only two full-time members. While there are a few guest musicians on the disc, Devon Kurzweil does a fantastic job as a multi-instrumentalist. The guitar solos, when needed, add a touch of rock star flair to the songs. Of the nine on the album, “Sheen” stood out as the most unique, featuring slower vocal lines and tempo, and drums to accompany. The song also features the best guitar solo on the entire album, and long to boot.
Local punk rock hard hitters Allout Helter have finally given us the full-length we’ve all been waiting for. It kicks into gear immediately with “Assume the Imposition,” which, in true Helter form, is a merciless, maybe even satirical, call to social action. The rest of the album follows suit, remaining focused on their cause of, in the words of one Doctor Hunter S. Thompson, “exposing the bastards.” Melodically, the group showcases solid guitar work and a driving drum beat that remain prominent from the opener all the way through “Darkest Days,” yielding only to front man Ross Hostage’s powerful voice delivering their message through astoundingly easy to understand lyrics. This is, of course, a plus, because what good is the message if no one knows what the hell is being said. Online: facebook.com/allouthelter
Highline by Tim Wenger
Andy PalmerHazard of the Die
by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
Andy Palmer’s second full-length album Hazard of the Die is full of heart. Driving, solid guitar lines reach out to pull in the listener, with Palmer’s scratchy, soulful vocals sealing the deal on a solid solo record. Palmer has found his “voice,” and keeps his lyrics easy to understand despite the abrasive outer shell of his tone. The second track is perhaps the strongest song on the record, a catchy, foot-tappin’ tune full of character “From the Heart of Colfax.” Folky, yet upbeat; the record is easy to get in to and hard to turn off--just what we’d expect from the witty mind of Andy Palmer. Online: andypalmermusic.com
TWenger@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
Highline covers a large amount of reggae music’s always-growing spectrum on their new self-titled record. With dancehall-influenced vocals and traditional reggae beats, the guys have put together a style that gets the listeners head banging no matter what they are craving. Although upstroke guitars and melodic keys largely dominate the eleven tracks, the band throws in some horns and lead guitar when necessary to accent their stamp on the genre. “Change The System” is the strongest track on the record, maintaining an upbeat vibe following a catchy, if somewhat trippy, intro and strong lyrics. Look for these guys to become major players in the local reggae scene. Online: highlinereggae.com Acoustic Circus Compilation – Vol II
Driftin’Suns – Continental Breakfast
by the Swami
by the Swami Swami@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
Online: facebook.com/AirTightExperiment
CurciSpeakeasy by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
Fort Collins prolific young rapper Curci is back with a new album Speakeasy, packed full of honest lyrics on top of beats that, while solid, remain mellow and let his words do the talking. The record features a variety of guests and backing vocals, showing maturity and the fact that this isn’t his first rodeo. He touches on a variety of topics prominent in the lives of not only teenagers but the culture of hip hop in general, putting in his two cents without being distasteful. That is what we like about Curci- he can get his point across without being ridiculous. It can be hard to tread the line of making hip hop with a purpose and making hip hop just to make hip hop, and Curci has it down. Hopefully, he remains as true to himself and his music as he gets older, because this kid has talent and the last thing the world needs is more “mainstream crap rap.” Online: curcimusic.com
Driftin’ Suns latest full-length release captures the essence of what the guys do – grindy, semi-mainstream rock with indie flair. Adam Curtis’ crooning voice and vocal patterns remind me quite a bit of Jerry Lee from local band Wanker, and even a hint of the old-school punk lead singers of the ’70s. Solid production, quality-studio tracking, and overall respectable musicianship throughout the band gives the fellas a solid fighting chance to make some noise nationally. There is definitely something to like here on the disc, with songs like “Drive” and “X-Rated” being a couple of my faves. Just need to get the radio friendly, ala Smash Mouth or Lit type of material to help propel the band forward and onto the next level. Online: facebook.com/driftinsuns Joshua TrinidadMaritime by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
Local trumpeter/ instrumentalist Joshua Trinidad has dropped an eclectic new EP, Maritime. Transient and emotional, the disc takes listeners on a mind trip through Trinidad’s cohort of musical abilities. Relying heavily on trumpet leads and a wide variety of sound beds and instruments for support, the album is the definition of peaceful music. It has the ability to take the listener away no matter where they are, or what they are doing. The title track is conceivably the strongest on the record--subtle and well-placed trumpet leads throughout with a solid rhythmic build up and mellow conclusion.
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Swami@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
Acoustic Circus Vol II is final here! (See the interview with producer Mark Sundermeier in this month’s issue). This is a very well done recording of 18 local artists doing “strippeddown and caught-in-the-raw” versions of their originals. As the title states, the primary instrumentation is guitars, and lots of good performing on them. The compilation covers a broad style of music, from hard rock bands like No Fair Fights (my favorite song on the disc) to country twang like Buckstein and Ryan Chrys, to songwriters Andy Ard, and Megan Burtt to name a few. Kyle Zender did a really terrific job capturing the nuances of each artist with his knowledgeable production skills. The discs are not for sale, however you can get a copy from the artists or simply go to the Toad Tavern on June 28 and 29 and get a copy with your admission. Don’t miss this opportunity to get a true local collectors item that will stand the test of time. Online: toadtavern.com Desciples- Root Down
by Brett Finn
Finn@ ColoradoMusicBuzz. com
Best yet from The Desciples. The first disc is what we expected from them on a creative level. The second disc has Steve written all over it. The Desciples are best when they are live, but this album can be enjoyed anywhere. If any band can take that repetitive reggae sound and keep it fresh, it is The Desciples. They are the band that is breaking the mold in the genre. Online: desciplesmusic.com
15
Photos/article: Jenn Cohen Skeletons can be perceived in a variety of ways; for some, they signify the ultimate end, death. For others, skeletons represent a beginning, the literal “backbone” of life. Denver locals, Red Fox Run, on the tail of their latest release, Skeletons, have chosen to utilize the bones as a starting point. “We started with the skeleton of a fox, just laying the framework, like you would a house,” said Joshua Hester (vocals, lead guitar). “We wanted to flesh out ideas anatomically, and that seemed like a really good starting point. It’s the framework for all mammals, and it goes to the core of who we really are.” Red Fox Run consists of Daniel Rondeau (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), and Tristan Ringering (drums, percussion) as well as Hester. They have been together for close to three years, and are starting to get some street cred.After many house shows, which they consider to be some of their favorite shows, they’ve signed with Cherry Sound Records. The name, Red Fox Run, can be credited to a peach orchard in Palisade, CO, as well as a former band member. “[He] had a box from [the orchard] that he kept his CDs in,” says Rondeau. “He played to all of our egos, basically, by leaving the box in the rehearsal space for awhile. We each saw it, and thought it was a good name. He knew we’d [each] only like it if we felt like we came up with the idea on our own.” “Talking about the street cred thing, we have to give credit where credit is due,” says Ringering. “Our record label (Cherry Sound Records) has really put us on the map. We had been working hard for two years before we connected with them, and it was like pushing up against a concrete wall before that. And when that relationship began to organically grow, it wasn’t like working with a corporate record label.” Adds Rondeau,” They pushed us so well; these guys have an artist’s mind. When they sit down with us, they aren’t being businessmen, they’re being artists.They had us explain to them how each song should sound with word pictures. For example, Tristan said one of the songs should sound like ‘you’re in a fistfight with the terminator, and you’re losing,’ and because of that, they totally caught that fell that we were going for.” “[Cherry Sound] were the first people we worked with who actually backed what they said with more than just what they said, with serious muster,” revealed Hester. “They’re a label that came out of a studio, so they were working with artists, and doing that first, before they went into the business of selling music, so that’s really important.” “Our goal with Red Fox Run was to bring the grand vision of their music to light,” says Gus Hoffman, one of two producers on Skeletons, the other being Chris Guillot. “We had several preproduction meetings where we talked about the music in depth. I feel like we were successful bringing together several different styles of music into one sound. This was not an easy record to make. There are so many layers and elements moving in and out of each other, that we had to conceptualize each song before they were recorded.” Red Fox Run has been described many ways. One is gritty-indie rock. “It’s not like a lot of indie music that’s out there,” says Rondeau, “like you’re expected to have a really tuned ear to appreciate it, and so you can feel like, ‘I’m not cool enough to enjoy this song. ’ We adopted the idea that we don’t make people wait for the good parts. We will honor our artistic integrity, but we also write for people’s enjoyment. We want to see people boogie down.” In an effort to clean out their own proverbial closets, Skeletons was created. This is the band’s first attempt at a concept album. “It’s the story of reconciling the skeletons in your closet,” says Rondeau. “And not only reconciling them, but redeeming them. The first track deals with shame, “hiding in the concrete under houses that we’ve made,” so, not only are you hiding these skeletons, but you’ve built an entire life on top of this shame. It’s about living this life
of shame, and acting like everything’s awesome. A lot of this album, I was writing to convict other people’s hypocrisy, and as I was writing, I felt like I had more finger pointing coming back to me.” As the album progresses, there is an awakening, and finally an embracing of the skeletons. In “Rest Your Bones,” the skeletons come to life and start dancing. “You’re embracing the reality of who you really are,” says Hester. “Once you admit it, you can change it.” One of Red Fox Run’s favorite things about, writing and performing is that, “Music can cross cultural boundaries of ‘I don’t believe in this or that,’” says Hester. “You don’t have to, this is still something that can pertain to you. The imagery of the physical and metaphysical sense of ‘who are you, really?’ If you were to rip away everything, everyone’s the same, regardless of skin color, and everything . . .” Adds Rondeau, “Living life well is something everybody wants to do. One thing we’ve found is that there are so many things that are universal with music, that it doesn’t matter if everybody agrees on things, as long as there’s that connection.” “I’ve always related with music growing up,” says Hester. “That’s how I processed a lot of things; whether it was what I believed personally, or just how I related with other people, and I’ve always wanted to share that with others. Music is the best medium I’ve found to share that. I love going to shows, and I love playing shows, and I love the interaction between the band and the crowd. When we’re playing a really good show and we’re throwing energy out to the audience, and they’re throwing it back at us, there’s nothing better. “We’ve had the experience, a few times, where people have known our lyrics and sung along with us . . . and that blows my mind,” Hester continues. “When we write, we’re also thinking about the experience we want other people to have when they listen. We’ve all listened to really great albums growi up, you know, when the first time you listened through, you were like, ‘I don’t know what just happened, but it was amazing.’
A lot of times when we’re writing, we thinking about what we would want to hear; what do we wish people were playing? We make the music we want to hear, instead of complaining. Maybe that’s a little bit lofty to think that we’re making great music, but we’re having fun doing it.” Final words? According to Rondeau, “I think that everyone should know, just in case it ever comes up somewhere, that every time we’re driving home from any concert, we listen to Veggie Tales the whole way home, and we sing every single word.” And wanting to add their compliments to the Red Fox Run boys, and the recording process, Gus Hoffman had this to say: “We always make high fidelity recordings and this was a chance to make a really cool rock record with our tone. I had spent the last few years working with Eric Deyoe (luthier and B.R.M.C. guitar tech), getting into different guitar sounds and listening to records in his shop. The first guitar on the record is a stock ’69 airline Town and Country! So I would have to say that was a big influence on how the guitars were done. With the drums, we intended to really set the spaces up for each song, and give them their own presence to build the rest around. Finding space to mix two drummers together was a bit challenging, but effective, for the song “Skeletons.” The other giant element is the vocals, and what can I say, Daniel sounds amazing! He just sang that shit. And great preamps and mics help. Anything else is a trade secret. The making of Skeletons was a great challenge and experience. It was a pleasure working with the guys in RFR and we hope to do it again. Most of all we hope their fans enjoy listening to this concept EP. And we invite you to check out our other great music and artists at CherrySoundRecords.com.” DON’T MISS Red Fox Run at the UMS (July 18-21), and check out their music on iTunes.
Wakarusa 2013: A Prologue, Courtesy of Your Friends at Colorado Music Buzz
Vices I Admire, Still Standing by Charlie Sullivan
CSullivan@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
For a band that has been on a personnel roller coaster ride the last couple of years, alternative pop rockers Vices I Admire has managed to maintain a formidable presence in the local music scene. Dave Curtis (vocals, guitar) is the lone member of the original 2002 line-up. Dan Battenhouse (bass, formerly of the Fray) has been on board since 2009 and Alex Simpson (drums) just over a year. In 2012, original members Mark Towne (drums) and Mickey Dollar (guitar) left the band to pursue other interests. In the process, Curtis found a new guitarist in Tavis Alley only to see him move on in January of 2013. “Man there’s just something about January the last two years,” states Curtis. “It’s a jinx month (laughing). I owe Mark and Mickey a lot more than I could ever get across with words,” he says, adding, “We worked well together.” “It’s been a lengthy transition to the line-up we have now,” affirms Curtis, “But we’re running on all cylinders.” With the new line-up set, the crew hit the studio and crafted the just-released six-song EP Fables. 2010’s The Politics of Apathy, an album still worthy of giving a spin, found a band hitting its stride. 2011’s Venom & Pride, a somewhat brooding four-song EP, found a band on the rocks; maybe hinting at the dark days on the horizon. The new release is a pleasant surprise. The band has maintained the edginess of previous releases, but has evolved musically. The new material explores Curtis’ vocals more adeptly than in the past. “Come Home” is a toned
down piece incorporating acoustic guitar work with a soft vocal quality. “Only Me” opens with a spacy experimental feel and builds to a rocking crescendo letting Curtis showcase his vocals. The band has definitively expanded their musical range with Fables, and the new EP is more than just an attractive addition to their resume: “Fables was a chance to work as a three-piece unit and write something that still had that Vices feel,” expresses Curtis. “I think we managed to do it, even though it almost killed us in the process (ha-ha).” “Working on the new record was good experience for me,” adds Simpson. “The record really allowed me to solidify my position in the band, work out routines to become part of the creative process.” In the foreseeable future, Vices plans to work as a trio; there doesn’t seem to be any urgency to add another guitarist to the line-up. The live shows have incorporated a hired gun at second guitar in Scott Uhl. Some readers may know Uhl from Glass Delirium. “Scott’s been great to step up and help out,” states Curtis. “He’s an excellent musician and knows our songs very well.” The guys are definitely working hard and sacrificing. Curtis isn’t ready to throw in the towel yet. The band still has aspirations of hitting that homerun and taking it national. With a little marketing and strong show of support from the local masses, you never know what might come down the road. Online: vicesiadmire.bandcamp.com/album/fables “It is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is from the top.”
RIOT FEST Finally Heads to Denver by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Riot Fest is finally coming to Denver, sparing all Denver punk rockers and light head-bangers the trip to Chicago, Dallas, or Toronto this year, and giving the Mile High City another reason to celebrate their musical obsession (or at least to get hammered during the day and lose a shoe in the mosh pit). Here is the immediate low down, direct from Michael “Riot Mike” Petryshyn: CMB: Denver seems like a logical place for Riot Fest based on the music culture here, but from a promotional standpoint, why Denver? MP: For several years now, we’ve been receiving e-mails from fans from Denver and Colorado asking us to bring the festival to them. Basically, we listened. So, in November we flew in a for a few days and met Peter and Mike from Soda Jerk Presents, and it
24
by Joel Center
JCenter@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Tucked away in the northeastern hills of Arkansas, lies a little place called Mulberry Mountain. For most of the year, this beautiful landscape serves as a tranquil home for the most gorgeous flora and fauna in the region, but for four days every summer, Mulberry Mountain opens its peaceful terrain to welcome tens of thousands of hippies and hipsters, young and old, from across the world for an event so mind-boggling that there is hardly an attendee whose life isn’t changed by it: Wakarusa. From May 30 – June 2, the awe-inspiring hills of Ozark, Arkansas will transform into a scene straight from the other side of the rabbit hole. The music booked by Wakarusa attracts people of all kinds – and one look around the festival grounds will reflect that quite well. Even during the day, when things are “tame,” technicolor fans can be seen bounding across the festival grounds in full party regalia, usually sporting a hula hoop, scarf, or some other kind of concert toy, and grinning the most surreal grin you’ve ever seen. At night, however, things start to get really… weird. The atmosphere is that of an enormous tribal gathering; everyone has traveled great distances to revel in nature, far from the banalities of daily life, with good friends new and old and, of course, the music. Wakarusa has always prided itself on providing acts of a wide variety of genres, and this year will be no exception. With musical styles ranging from Widespread Panic and Dispatch to Tipper, Zeds Dead, and Shpongle, and almost every conceivable genre in between spread out across five different stages, there is constantly something for everyone to enjoy. This year, Colorado’s own artists Yonder Mountain String Band and the Motet will be providing eargasms across the Ozarks as well. There are over a hundred other artists that will be at Wakarusa (including live visual artists), so for a better grasp on what music will be played this year, check out the lineup on Wakarusa’s official website.
experience for the ill-prepared. There are a few things to make sure of before you venture off to Arkansas, and some are absolutely more important than others. Perhaps the most important thing to be prepared for is the weather. Wakarusa has been scorching hot for all four days in past years, and in other years it has been ravaged by tornadoes, hail, and thunderstorms. Be sure to check the forecast before leaving, and pack appropriately. Aside from this, be careful what you bring for food. A cooler full of meat ready to grill sounds tasty, but keeping it full of ice at $5 a bag for the whole weekend proves to be an expensive and tiring task. With a slight slip in timing, that cooler full of delicious foods can quickly turn to a rotting box of bear bait. There are some less obvious things a festy can do in preparation as well. It can be fun and useful to build and bring along some sort of totem to carry with you that can be seen from afar. Eloquently dubbed “Rage Sticks” by some, these little tools can range from a simple branch with some glowsticks on it, to huge characters towering over the crowd. Also, things to trade can become of much more value inside the festival grounds than out. Wakarusa quickly becomes a free-trade society, and anything from posters to cigarettes can be used as currency amongst official and non-official venders alike. Be sure to check out the list of Wakarusa rules on their website so that you know what can and cannot be brought inside the grounds – getting your possessions taken at a security checkpoint is an easily-avoidable bummer. As a last word of caution, driving to Arkansas with Colorado license plates has become a much larger liability since the passing of Amendment 64, so take care on those long stretches of Kansas State Trooper habitat, and if you happen to bring any contraband, make sure that it’s well hidden! This year marks the 10th Anniversary of Wakarusa, and they have pulled every string they can to make this the absolute best year yet. Main Venue camping sold out quicker than ever before, and the anxiety is building. Fans are ready for the biggest, wildest party Arkansas has to offer!
A few words to the wise: a four-day festival can be tons of fun, but it can also be a pretty rough
Online: Wakarusa.com
was at that point we knew that there could be something potentially big in the making. They shared the same vision as us, and there’s a natural synergy between us and them. Bottom line is that Denver feels like home, and a lot of that has to do with Soda Jerk bringing us into the community.
MP: Absolutely not.
CMB: What can you tell us about the Side Show? MP: We didn’t want to call it Riot Fest & Carnival, because that’s Chicago’s name. We wanted to re-create the same feel we have here; i.e., with the carnival, games, sideshow performers, etc., so we thought Riot Fest & Sideshow had a good ring to it. CMB: Is this a one-time thing?
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
CMB: Any details on ticket costs, release date, site to purchase, etc? MP: That will all unveiled very soon and people can check out riotfest.org for all of updated info. CMB: Any other info available? MP: Personally, I think people are going to be shocked about the lineup, the venue, and all of the sideshow stuff we have planned. Online: riotfest.org
Orifice A Speaks Out
earholes by the Orifice. You may even catch us in the midst of some mayhem.
JCohen@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
CMB: Skip, you are the new addition to the band. What’s your story? Skip: I like drums. End of story.
by Jenn Cohen
Josh Lee Is Not Done Talking by Josh Lee
editor@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
In the May issue of Colorado Music Buzz, my colleague, Nate Cook (the Yawpers), and I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the lovely Jenn Cohen; during which, (with a little help from our friend Jack Daniels), we expressed our humble, albeit somewhat rude, opinions about our local music scene and the music scene in general. Evidently, some of the opinions we expressed had certain merits of interest, b e c a u s e immediately upon its publication, I was met with not-so-happy reactions from my publicist and management, and a handful of angry phone calls. I also heard a rumor that both Nate and I are likely banned from performing at a certain venue here in Denver. But let’s be frank, chances are, very few people actually cared about what a couple of rowdy musicians had to say. And it is precisely for this reason that we have decided to continue expressing. How many of you musicians, critics, bloggers, and fans alike, can put one hand on the proverbial bible and say that you’re happy with the music industry today? Are you excited to perform at a dive bar to a crowd of 50, after having spent 30+ hours rehearsing last week, only to be paid less than $200 to split between four band mates? What happened to the days where young people screamed of “sex, drugs and rock & roll,” and advocated for political cause by standing up to ‘the man’? How did it get to the point where our musical consumer demographic is too busy paying $20 to get into Beta, and paying $10 for a Bud Light to counteract the uppers they just bought from an Asian kid with glow sticks (it’s ok, I’m an Asian myself). How did it come to this, when they can spend a fraction of that to see live bands with real instruments?
Lest we forget the DJ “spinning” next door to a crowd of 500 screaming teenagers, and gets free Patrons all night, and walks away with a few more Benjamins in his pocket, because he knows how to push “play” on a laptop. Not to imply that all the blame falls on the electronic music scene. Is it not our fault, as live musicians, that we let the meticulous and creative marketing/production work of EDM overshadow our scene? Think of it this way: The biggest stories in music in previous generations were that of revolutions, freedom, equality, war, and most importantly, passion. The biggest stories of our current generation revolve around Kanye snatching away the mic from a 19-yearold girl at the MTV Awards ceremony, and whether or not Justin Bieber should be taken seriously. I believe that things have gotten this way because we have become too content to be discontent with the way our music is being distributed and appreciated. Rock & Roll is no longer brave enough to express itself. Long gone are the days where you put your image, relationships, and at times, your life on the line to have your art be heard. We’ve become complacent in our criticism, when honest feedback is critical and warranted. Perhaps things are the way they are because everyone’s stopped asking the right questions, however rude they may seem.
Are you excited to perform at a dive bar to a crowd of 50, after having spent 30+ hours rehearsing last week, only to be paid less than $200 to split between four band mates? So, while I sit here chain-smoking in the comforts of my backyard, working to meet a deadline that I’ve known about for weeks (and is due in a few hours), I hereby declare that Rock & Roll shall never die quietly. And I will continue asking questions. *Stay tuned to next month’s issue for Nate Cook’s angry rant.
If you’re not familiar with the band Orifice A, stop reading now, and go to http://orificea.bandcamp.com/album/orifice-a This comedic heavy metal band has a sound I’d initially describe as Primus-meets-Chili Pepper-bass-meets Butthole Surfers and goes nuts; but it’s like nothing I’ve heard before. This trio, a recent transplant from Chicago, has made their home in our very own Fort Collins. Members Scotty Jamjam (guitar, VOX), Amos Beanpicker (bass, VOX), and Skipp (drums), are self-described “dangerously different individuals.” On their Facebook page, their description says, “Let the silky sounds of the Orifice slither into your ear canal and scratch your itching mind.” Indeed. With three digital albums in their catalog, ranging from 2011 to the self-titled May 2013 release, we just had to know more. CMB: When/Why did you move to CO from Chicago? SJJ: We got chased out of Chi town for our dabbling in the underground cadaver trade. The town folk mean to tar and feather--I mean, mountains and music, mama! AB: Mountains and music about sums it up. CMB: What differences have you noticed between the two scenes? SJJ: The Chicago scene is fun, but it is very difficult to draw people. There is so much to do and most people just want to hear cover bands. We could play a different venue every night, but it’s give or take if anyone will show up. Plus it’s a big business town. Everyone’s in a suit and listens to Michael Bolton. Trendy Cats everywhere; more hipsters, but much less hippies, thankfully. CMB: What CO venues have you played so far? Which venue has been your favorite and why? SJJ: I would have to say that our favorite venue thus far is Bushwackers Saloon in Denver; awesome environment for original music. Skippy hasn’t even played with us yet, but he has been rockin’ it around here for a while. What’s your favorite venue, Skippy? Skip: Mishawaka is my favorite in CO. Road 34 is my fave in Fort Collins. SJJ: OOOOOHHH I can’t wait to destroy that stage. CMB: When is the next time people can catch a live show here in CO? AB: Our next show is June 8th at Road 34 in Fort Collins. SJJ: Y’all should come and get violated in your
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
CMB: You just released a new album; tell us about that. AB: We started recording it before we left Chicago. We moved across the country in the middle of it, so it has taken over a year to complete. We recorded it with our old drummer Nick, who did not want to come to the mountains with us. SJJ: Bless his heart. We did a lot of experimenting with mics, placement, and various production ideas. It turned out to be quite an awkward endeavor, but you be the judge. CMB: And you guys record, mix, and master on your own? SJJ: We are not only musicians; we are production and recording engineers. When I’m not playing with Orifice A, I am a touring sound engineer. I actually met AB in recording school, and I met Skip working sound gigs. You know, building stages, running soundboards and such. AB and I own a business that does live production, studio recording, booking, merch production, anything and everything music, by musicians, for musicians. We want to help bands because we love music. It’s called Wired Studios. Look us up online. AB: It’s the only way to live. Skip: I hate production; I want to start gigging more CMB: Where can people go to hear your songs? SJJ: We have 2 albums up on bandcamp.com. Sit Stay Kill and our brand new self-titled album, Orifice A. We call it Brainfrog, because there is a brainfrog on the cover. His name is Gus. We actually have a promotion out right now where we will give the first 100 people a free download code for the new album if they email orificea@ gmail describing where they have seen Gus last, and what he was doing. There are many more to come. Word around the campfire is Orifice A will be releasing a free Jaws-themed album. Just rumor though, I guess. You should probably check in at OrificeA.com for updates. Check. These. Guys. Out. Whether or not your like them, your senses will overload with reaction. When I asked them to describe their sound (the dreaded and overused necessary-evil of a question), this is what SJJ said: “Imagine smashing your own face with a sledge hammer and eating the remains. Imagine if colors could be heard, and even be befriended. We are a product of our influences, and our influences are psychopaths.” Easily the best self-description I’ve ever heard.
25
you breathe. Generally, you will notice your shoulders rise and your upper chest expands. Breathing this way does not move the diaphragm; therefore, you must first learn to control your abdominal muscles (which move the diaphragm) in order to acquire your maximum vocal potential.
Vocal Talk
Learning to Breathe (Again) by Carin Dawn
editor@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi, began the pre-season addressing his players by holding up a football and saying, “Gentlemen, this is a football.” In only five words, Lombardi communicated his point: We’re going to start with the basics, and make sure we’re executing all the fundamentals. When people learn to sing, they primarily focus on sounding good. However, in order to “sound good” or sing correctly, you must first learn the basics; you must learn to breathe. Personally, I learned this the hard way! I was unaware that I needed vocal training because I could carry a tune, and people would actually listen. During high school, I noticed that after an hour of singing my voice would sound scratchy and hoarse, and I would feel the need to cough in order to “clear my throat.” I also experienced frequent vocal breaks, and my vocal range was decreasing. I had no idea that my “lack of breathing techniques” were putting a strain on my vocal chords. I had a visit with an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, and discovered that I had developed vocal nodules. Vocal nodules are a mass of tissue that builds up on the vocal folds. This occurs when strenuous or abusive vocal practices are used. With proper breathing techniques, sounds will manifest automatically, because the vocal chord vibrations are a direct result of the movement of airflow. Without proper techniques, your body/mind will find ways to manifest sound, despite the absence of airflow. My “cure” was to stop singing and speaking for several months. For a singer, this is as close to a death sentence as it gets. Walking around with a notepad and pen at all times, in order to communicate
The Acoustic Circus is Back! Interview with Mark Sundermeier editor@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
CMB: What exactly is the Acoustic Circus? MS: The Acoustic Circus is a weekly series that brings together different styles of original music into an acoustic format. CMB: Tell us about the vision for the acoustic circus series. MS: Back in 2002, myself and several friends wanted to find a way to bring together all walks of Denver musicians, into an all acoustic setting. The idea was to get singer songwriters, along with Rock, Metal, Country, Jazz, Blues and World Music acts
26
with my friends, family and teachers was tedious and annoying. Although I had seen a doctor, I was given zero direction on how to correct the issue that was creating the nodules in the first place. In fact, I didn’t have a clue what the problem was. Several years later I developed nodules again. However, this time it was more frequent and would occur after 20 minutes of singing. My frustration, along with my lack of desire to stop singing for months, led me to a vocal coach. I needed to know what the actual problem was and how to fix it (without surgery!). After 30 seconds of singing he begged me to stop. He proceeded to explain that I needed to be “retrained” to breathe. Honestly, I thought this sounded ridiculous. I know how to breathe; I’m alive aren’t I? But, breathing as we do everyday, involuntarily, is much different than how we breathe in order to sing properly. This process of learning to breathe again was both challenging and enlightening. It was the turning point, which led to my desire to help others avoid the pain, frustration and silence I had endured. Understanding how your body works is important. Proper training and instruction for a vocalist is just as crucial as it is for a football player or marathon runner. In order to gain the results that you desire, conditioning yourself to endure the physical aspect of singing and performance, are a necessity. The Diaphragm: You’ve probably heard people say, “sing from your diaphragm.” However, most people really don’t know what that means. The diaphragm is a membrane, not a muscle, so in order to “sing from the diaphragm,” you must learn to control the muscles that move the diaphragm.
Practice, Patience & Technique Learning the muscular process of controlling the lower abdomen in order to expand as you inhale and deflate (pulling in) as you exhale takes time and practice. Like any athletic sport, it takes a lot of practice, as well as patience, for the proper techniques to become second nature. It also takes a willingness to exercise, not only your voice, but your body as well. Most singers are unaware of the physical strain that singing actually places on the body. Therefore, having a body that is strong and able to maintain proper muscle functioning, for singing, is imperative. All too often, a vocalist will rely on his (or her) own inspiration, desire, and determination to fuel “how” they sing. For instance, a vocalist may push or strain to express their song, or to create the volume they desire for an emotional impact. However, without the proper muscle support needed to sustain this performance, the results would be devastating. Improper technique will result in vocal fatigue and strain, leading to a high risk of serous injury to the vocal chords. Practice Regimen: There are several exercises you can practice in order to understand muscle control, diaphragmatic movement, and proper airflow, so as to ensure the safety of your vocal chords. Discovering & Understanding Your L.A.M. (Lower Abdominal Muscles): Your L.A.M. are voluntary muscles. Unlike your Upper Abdominal Muscles, which are involuntary. This
means that they will move while you are sleeping, eating, and talking. With voluntary muscles, you must give it the command to move or engage in some physical activity, which will requires them to move. Some exercises that require your L.A.M. to move: 1. Lie on your back and do 10 to 20 leg lifts. Place your hand across your belly, below your belly button to locate the L.A.M. 2. Lie on your back and lift your legs (from the hips) and hold for 10 seconds. (Repeat x5) 3. Get a bag of balloons and blow them up. The muscle control needed for blowing up a balloon is the same muscle control needed for singing. *Try doing these exercises without your L.A.M.! In this exercise you will need to “command” your L.A.M. movement. 1. Breathing! Consciously move your L.A.M. out (as you breathe in) and pull it in (as you breathe out). This may sound simple, yet at first it can be a bit tricky! 2. Sit or lie comfortably, with loose garments. 3. Put one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. 4. Slowly inhale through your nose or through pursed lips (to slow down the intake of breath). 5. As you inhale, feel your stomach expand with your hand. (“Big Belly”) 6. Slowly exhale through pursed lips to regulate the release of air. (“Skinny Belly”) 7. Rest and repeat. Remember, learning (or re-learning) takes time, patience and practice! If you’re willing to work, you will achieve your vocal goals. For more information visit dragonflyvocalacademy.
For example: take a deep breath and hold it for a few seconds. Notice what part of your body moves when to come together on any particular night and play acoustic sets. The purpose was to broaden everyone’s musical horizons and to make each other aware of what is going on in our musical community. The series lasted for 1 year and was laid to rest after we released a 2 disc set of music with over 30 of Denver’s finest artists at the time, in 2003. It ultimately landed me my job running the Soiled Dove for several years to come though and is why I have been a booking agent now for 10 plus years now. In December of 2012, I decided to bring the series back for a trial run and it has been going strong now for nearly 6 months, every Wednesday night, at The Toad Tavern. I am proud to say that we have recorded most of those shows and have 2 new volumes of cd’s ready to go, again featuring some of Denver’s finest! CMB: What have been some of the challenges? MS: Even though the series is very rewarding for all of us involved, the challenge is clearly to keep the series fresh from week to week. We do ask people back to play The Acoustic Circus quite often, but the idea is to always get new faces involved, from every facet of our large musical community in Denver. Convincing acts who are new to playing in an acoustic format to get on board with the series is always a challenge as well, especially if it is asking
them to get outside of the box a little bit. CMB: Highlights? MS: For the series this time around, so many of them stand out. Honestly though I have to say that some of my favorite tunes on Volume II are by Andy Ard, Bad Candy and No Fair Fights. On the soon to be released Vol. III disc, Matt Nasi Band, Dusty Radio and Landon Smith. CMB: The last acoustic circus release was about 10 years ago. Why did it take so long to release the new compilation? MS: I guess all good things come in time ya know? This series is alot of work to put together and especially to record. It’s also key to find the artists who really want to be involved in the project, as it has been paid for by themselves and The Toad Tavern together. When we recorded the series a decade ago, they were all 2 track recordings that had to be carefully mastered to make them sound like they were all in the same wheelhouse. This time around, we obviously took the time to do things the right way, which clearly made the recordings much easier to work with…The discs were engineered and mixed by Kyle Zender, the “A” sound person at The Toad
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Tavern. Along with the artists who have contributed songs to these discs, all of us here at The Toad Tavern are very pleased with how the discs have turned out! There are 35 artists between both discs and there are some amazing tunes here for sure! CMB: Where and when can fans get a copy? MS: The Cd Release shows for “The Acoustic Circus Vol. II” are on Fri. June 28th and Sat June 29th at The Toad Tavern. The line-ups are fantastic as well! The A.C. discs are not really for sale and are just going to be used as promotional tools by the artists, so the best place to get them is by coming to the Cd Release shows...as the first 125 people on each night will get a free copy with their paid admission. Tickets are available for each night at ticketswest. com or King Soopers stores. CMB: Any last thoughts? MS: A big shout out to each of the artists who have contributed their time, energy and money to this project. I really want to encourage the musicians of Denver to come out to the Cd Release shows and pick up a copy of this disc, as the shows are sure to be as amazing as the new discs!
Music Television (CMT), and got into song writing. Missing Denver, and remembering the great collective of talent in the area, she wanted to start a collaboration among local songwriters. “I knew about the Nashville and L.A. scene, and I really wanted to bring a little bit of both to Denver, and see if we could work here as a hub, while reaching those places,” says Cole. What began as a songwriting association where artists get together to write and talk about how to get better, and nurture their craft, quickly turned into a publishing company. Says Cole, “I thought I wanted to be a manager, but with publishing, you’re managing their songs and creativity, not the artist, and it’s a beautiful thing.”
LYRIC HOUSE- You don’t need a label to be successful editor@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Success [suhk-ses]: (noun) achievement of intention, attainment of fame, wealth, or power. About seven years ago, Jessica Cole graduated from college with a Music Business degree, moved to Nashville, worked at Country
So what is the role of a Publishing Company? Essentially, their basic function is to promote songs where they are needed, whether it’s a T.V. program, commercial, etc. It’s the starting point for a songwriter to get his/her song pitched to the “right” people. “There’s a different process here that doesn’t necessarily have to be the old traditional way of having to get signed to a label, and you don’t have to leave Colorado,” says Cole, adding that, “Denver is a great city, and I don’t want people to think they have to leave to become what they want to be.”
Lyric House began building their catalog by signing Denver artists, (their first client was Input). Then they expanded to artists outside of Denver, and eventually outside of Colorado. Currently, they have artists all over the country, and leading music publishers in every territory of the world represent their catalog. “We represent the artist’s composition,” says Cole. “When we place a song on a T.V. show, it helps drive sales for that artist, as well as for a label. The way we make our money is when we make money for the artist. We don’t ask for anything up front, you don’t have to worry about paying back an advance, or if your label is going to drop you, or not. “We’ve had some great placements and success over the last year, and have blossomed into a full-service, fully-staffed publishing company very quickly,” says Cole. “Our most recent placements (just this month) include: Hallmark, E! Network, MTV, CBS, a new music app, and we have a song on hold with a major artist. This industry moves so quickly, so placements can be unpredictable and come in waves.”
“Nikki Minaj reminds me of summer, loud and crowded.” Pink Panther
by Nathan Schmit
NSchmit@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
This issue represents the closing of another school year at Flobots.org and Youth On Record. At Flobots.org we proudly dedicate our efforts throughout Denver classrooms, helping at-risk students in Denver Public Schools and residential treatment centers, discover music as a vehicle for personal change and growth. The successes we experienced this year were truly profound, and we thank all of those folks who have believed in our vision and supported our work throughout. Please join us this fall for the opening of the Youth Media Studio, a project in partnership with
Cherry Sound Records Wraps Up Succesful First Year by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Denver Housing Authority, to celebrate our community’s commitment to education and the power of music. Special thanks to Colorado Music Buzz Magazine for their continued support of Flobots.org and our programs, and for giving a voice to the students with whom we work. Change is often the constant in the lives our students. At Flobots.org we embrace change and help youth develop tools to responsibly navigate it according to their own ideals and ideas. This month we asked the students to identify artists that they associate with the various seasons and explain why they do so. The following are answers from students at Third Way Lowry: “I think that Nas represents the spring because Cherry Sound Records, entering their second year of business now, is feeling the heat and dealing the meat. They will be releasing a wide variety of music this year, and since Colorado Music Buzz last spoke with them, have been busting their asses to help get their music out there and grow the artists that they sign. Christopher Guillot, Halle Tomlinson, and Joe Bonner have all had records or singles published and released under the label, in addition to our cover artist Red Fox Run. Covergeist’s One More Night is almost finished, and will be out soon. “We’re gonna have about eight releases,” says owner/operator Guillot. “We’ve been busy.” The releases are, or will be, available through digital platforms such at iTunes andAmazon, as well as local Independent Records stores. “It’s going to be really cool to have several of our products in the local stores,” says owner/operator Gustav Hoffman. “As far as being based
30
If you feel like you have a place-able song, and are ready to reach a wider audience, contact Lyric Publishing House at info@lyrichouseco. com. Send three songs, or links to songs, and a one-sheet including who you are, where you’re from, and what you hope to achieve. “We always guarantee to get our artists’ music in front of the biggest players in the industry,” states Cole. “Song placement is just one great part of publishing: when we are not pitching and placing music, we are tracking and collecting royalties from past placements, etc. or putting together co-writes and writing sessions.” “We want to help people pursue their dreams, that’s always been the main priority.” Online: lyrichouseco.com
Lyric House is now globally connected, with sub-publishing partners in many territories that represent and pitch their catalog (France, Germany, Nordic Territories, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Canada, Brazil, Netherlands, he speaks truth about the world and that is beautiful like spring.” Mataa Dee
Revolutionary Figures in Music
and the UK). They’ve recently launched an Artist Development branch that provides complimentary PR and Development services to their roster artists. Services vary from branding, music videos, song selection, and online presence.
“Spring makes me think of independence, being you in spite of what others think, never giving up the fight even when you’re dead like Nirvana. Fall, to me, doesn’t say ending, but changing for the sake of beauty from green to red, from raspy to soft, like Jewell.” Victaurus “Diverse as seasons are, musicians are comparatively expansive. A prime example of this is Eyedea and Abilities, two open-minded individuals that create a lyrical rendition of spring. Ever expanding and growing is their curiosity to obtaining their originality and ability to metamorphisize what life is.” Phylum Design “I think that Death Grips represents winter because they play cold, hard music; summer because they come out fresh; spring because their music starts to grow; and fall, because they break down music like leaves that fall in this community for the community of musicians, we’ve stuck to that. It’s been working.” The label has been developing an interactive website showcasing each of their artists, done by Elevation Creation. “They have really come through a lot with helping us create our branding and imagery,” says Hoffman. “We’ve been spending a lot of time trying to create our image and being a go-to.” The guys spoke about working with Red Fox Run. “[The EP] took a little longer than we thought because we went the extra mile to put the love in,” says Guillot. “We thought a five-song EP would take a certain amount of time, and we probably doubled it or tripled it because of our own volition, because we liked it so much. We worked maybe for four months. I’m really proud of it. It sounds like a real bigproduction indie-rock record. I listen to it on repeat.” “I consider it some of the best work,” says Hoffman. “Some of these records that we work on, whatever the formula might be for that record, each one of them seems like it might be the best thing I’ve ever made, and I always learn so much from each one
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
down.” Lil Eagle “Drake reminds me of summer because he’s always partying.” Dark Priorities Youth On Record, a program of Flobots.org, teaches music production and lyric writing in residential treatment centers across Denver and beyond, as a means of supporting their specific treatment goals. It is truly amazing what many young people will do and say when given the opportunity. Founded in 2007 by the internationally known Denver based hip-hop collective Flobots, Flobots.org connects underserved youth across Colorado with music and empowerment education. Led by a network of professional musicians, artists and educators, Flobots.org programs are designed to harness the power of music and those who love it.
of them.” Artists who are not on the label can still feel free to book recording time with Cherry Sound Studios, located at 1600 Downing Street in Denver. “Cherry Sound Studios will have been in business eight years in June,” says Guillot. “The studio is responsible for being able to create the records that we did [for the label]. I’ve always gone the extra mile, above and beyond. I usually work with people [on prices] as much as possible.” Coming up, the label is looking to finish the remaining records, and beginning to focus efforts on digital marketing campaigns and other forms of promotion for the artists. Guillot is also planning on doing some work with local artist DJ Cavem, taking samples from the record of Joe Bonner and creating a record or single around them. They want to grow their company while remaining focused on the local scene and the artists they work with. “Always onward and upward,” says Hoffman. Online: cherrysoundrecords.com
“I’m not in it for my health” (Levon Helm) The Manager’s Corner by Chris Daniels
CDaniels@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
I’ve managed my own band since the 1980s, and despite the amazing change in technology, success in the music business is built around four tried and true elements: great music, really hard work, and timing (often mistaken for luck). The other key element is getting the help you need to make that luck happen. These days that help is everywhere. The book I wrote for my UCD class on artist management is called “DIY: You’re Not in it Alone” and that is exactly what you need to understand. But here is a new set of questions to consider about the biz. Are there musicians, producers and DJs out there that have reached an age where they should just, “hang it up?” Are the Stones too old to be relevant? Will MC Hammer’s pants ever come back in style? Are you too old to make it now that you’ve reach the age of 24 and your band seems stuck touring in a van through Montana? While it’s true that 14-year-old guitar phenomenon Quinn Sullivan ripped it up at The Crossroads Festival in New York last month, there was also a 60-year-old guitar player that I will bet most of you have never heard about, and who also ripped it up, being one of Eric Clapton’s favorite guests to include in the event, and who is honestly awesome! I’ll tell you more about both of these amazing musicians in a moment – and what they have in common--but first the question, Why are we so impressed with the young and so dismissive (in general) of musicians working at their craft past a given age (you pick the age)? And I know that rock and youth and rebellion all play a role, but this goes to a much bigger issue: Is it fame that excites you or is it something inspirational that you hope to achieve with your writing, performing, DJing, producing, whatever?
I don’t ask this lightly, either. Just look around. Justin Bieber asked to be “taken seriously” at the Billboard Awards last month. Where are the Jonas Brothers four years later? Who remembers that Debbie Gibson was once a gifted, very young musician, and not just a contestant staring at Donald Trump’s dead beaver hair-do? I think I’m not overstating this when I say we, as a nation, have become so oversaturated with the momentarily famous, and the search for the new “new,” that musicians of every age group are asking themselves a pretty hard question: Am I in this be famous, make it rich, and/or be a star of some kind? Or do I just love doing this so damn much that I can’t NOT do it? And this is where, to me, the jazz musicians of the past and present have something to teach all of us. Making the choice to play jazz is a courageous thing to do. There is little chance that a career in jazz--and I’m talking very, very successful careers in jazz--have a shot in hell at ever gaining the kind of success we call “fame.” So why do they (you) do it? To perfect their own voice (figuratively speaking) and to live a life filled with the music they love. That’s a pretty powerful statement. It’s not a monastic undertaking, far from it. It’s a collaborative art form, and the jazz heroes are legendary. Take the truly gifted Sonny Rollins who took himself out of the jazz limelight to reinvent his playing through hours of practice on a bridge in New York simply because he felt he had run out of things to say, and wanted to increase his musical vocabulary after his hit “St. Thomas.” Which brings me all the way back to you. Will the members of Swedish House Mafia reinvent themselves and develop now that they
have disbanded? Are there hip-hop stars that are reinventing themselves now that the world has turned another spin, or five, around the sun from their initial success? Bring it closer to home: will the Fray (or members of the band) continue to develop as musicians with new music or projects that are relevant and exciting? Here’s the point: The artists that amaze me are those who took the jazz approach; in other words, they were in it for the MUSIC…not the fame. Those are the
ones who have a life-long career that develops and grows. Two examples are Sam Bush, the “mayor of Telluride” and the father of “new grass.” His music is little known outside the bluegrass and Americana community, but he has a life-long career of making great albums, touring, and recording with everybody you can imagine from Lyle Lovett to Garth Brooks to Dierks Bentley. Sam will be playing the 40th Anniversary of the Telluride festival this month, and sitting in with just about every act there, and his playing keeps developing and getting, well, more amazing, if that’s possible. He first played the 2nd annual festival as a young phenomenon in the 1970s. And now to where we started: That 60-yearold musician featured at Clapton’s Crossroads festival is Sonny Landreth. Never heard of him? Well, he, along with Derik Trucks, completely redefined what a slide guitar can do.
This year, Sonny put out a totally instrumental album of breath-taking slide guitar rippin’ rockin’ blues that the critics almost completely missed (OK, except for Guitar Player Magazine). He is developing his art from the days in the 1970s when he played for tips in Estes Park, and now his adventure is allowing him to take new risks with his music and career, to advance his love of the instrument like Sam Bush or Bela Fleck. And that is my point. Your job, Mr./Ms. musician, DJ, producer, singer, songwriter, performer, is NOT to get famous. If that happens, all the better, but your job is to keep developing your art and your music. Here’s the topper: the musician who is directly responsible for the way we sing today, our phrasing, our timing and note choices, the person who is responsible for creating the coherent solo that eventually everybody from Jerry Garcia to Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix would draw upon, got his first big hit record when he was 64 years old! Pops, the great Louie Armstrong, knocked the Beatles off the charts in 1964 with “Hello Dolly” and it was his biggest international hit ever. Does that mean if you are 35, and your husband, wife or partner is wondering why you are still doing music, that you shouldn’t ask yourself the same question? No, but if, like the jazz musicians and the Sam Bush and Sonny Landreths of this world, you are still going after your craft with love and invention, and joy and sacrifice, then you have a shot at making a difference, even if nobody knows your name like they do the name of Quinn Sullivan. Who? OK, Quinn is a 14-year-old Massachusetts white kid who grew up about as far from the streets of Buddy Guy’s Chicago as you can, but he fell in love with blues guitar, and Buddy Guy fell in love with his playing. This kid has a shot because, so he says, he didn’t do it because he wanted to be famous; he fell in love with the music. And he’s just starting what I hope will be a long journey of exploration, just like Sonny’s. And THAT journey led them both to the stage at Madison Square Garden.
What you should take into account, is that part of the reason you leave a concert feeling like it was the ‘greatest show ever,’ is because you’re leaving in one piece. You’re smiling because you didn’t get dropped on your head, the drunk guy/girl who was 86’d wasn’t there to pick a fight with you, and therefore, you were able to enjoy the show without incident.
Pit Stop Vol. 2-Venue Security by Jenn Cohen
JCohen@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Ahhh, Venue Security . . . they just don’t let you have any fun; always telling you, ‘no.’ You’re just there to have a good time, right? Hang out with friends, get wasted, get rowdy in the pit, and enjoy some music. Right? Often times, in the confines of a photo pit, there will be anywhere from two to four security guards, (depending on the size of the venue, and the crowd that the band draws). They stand statuesque, on high alert, constantly scanning the crowd, ready to take action, if/when necessary. These actions can include saving
your ass from hitting the floor as you crowd surf toward the stage (after you decided to put your safety, literally, in the hands of total strangers); collecting your wallet, phone, shoe, shirt, whatever you may have lost along your surfing adventure; as well as picking up your “friend” who has taken too much “insert drug here,” just passed out, and needs medical attention. It seems that at every show, some smart-ass concertgoer feels it’s necessary to puff up their chest, and give venue security a hard time about one thing or another. After the show, this same person can be found outside the venue, ranting about what dicks the security guys were for kicking him out, and that he didn’t anything wrong, (come on, now).
Often times, when I’m shooting from the photo pit, I’m not able to keep track of what’s happening behind me in the crowd, (as I am there to photograph the band). And security has saved my ass many times from the people being launched over the crowd toward the stage. Unless security is there to grab them, their last stop would be crashing into a photographer, or landing on their head in the photo pit. Both bad endings. So consider this: What if security isn’t there to kill your buzz? What if they’re actually on your side? What if you took a second to think, ‘Man, these guys put up with a lot of shit,’ and maybe you can just smile, and not be a dick at the next show, or stop your friend from being a dick at the next show. Then everyone has the potential leave what might very well be, ‘the greatest show ever.’
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
31
phillip@rockymountainsoundgarden.com.
by Tim Wenger
TWenger@ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Phillip Sparer, co-owner of Rocky Mountain Sound Garden, is on to something. Not only does he have one of the most intimate concert venues in the state, bands can rent out practice studios, set up recording equipment, and as Colorado Music Buzz recently learned, use the multifaceted space as a place for interviews. Small industry parties are also commonplace around here, where a beautiful lakeside view protrudes just past the parking lot, and the smell of the grow house next door permeates the air with Colorado goodness. CMB caught Sparer off guard and fished some info out of him about who he is and what exactly, he does around here. CMB: How did Rocky Mountain Sound Garden come to be? Give us the lowdown. PS: My band mates in North Side Tragedy and I had been bouncing around garages for a year or so; when that became too frustrating, we began searching for a rehearsal space to call our own. We looked into monthly lockouts, and had some great sessions at Kate Innes’ Rocketspace, but ultimately decided to create our own studio. Out of that necessity we thought, ‘If we need and would enjoy the hell out of this type of rehearsal space, there must plenty of other groups who would, too.’ Knowing how saturated downtown Denver is with all types of creative spaces, we chose an empty former storage/office building on Centennial Park Pond in Englewood. With a huge parking lot and located adjacent to a bike trail, basketball court, playground and baseball field, we felt we’d found a spot free of the stresses and distractions of a more urban location. And instead of packing the building with cramped, isolated rooms, we opted to build two amply sized studios and a showcase stage to provide plenty of space in which to get comfortable and focus on music, not the mess. CMB: What exactly would you say you do there? PS: RMSG provides fully equipped, hourly rehearsal studios, unfurnished monthly lockout studios, and an intimate, relaxed performance venue. We make rehearsing about as easy as it can be, and we allow artists to build shows from the ground up. We strive to bridge the gap between practice and performance, and to afford even inexperienced or newly formed groups the opportunity to play in front of a supportive, attentive audience. Because our primary business comes from renting our rehearsal spaces, we have the luxury of taking time to plan shows around artists’ preferences and unique vision. We’re basically happy to host parties for, and with, anyone who loves live music; and whether it’s bringing in a local recording professional to track live EPs, hosting CD release parties or art exhibits, or booking a food truck or home brewer to provide treats, we’ll support and shed light on as many local businesses and artists as we can. CMB: As far as booking out-of-town bands, do they hit you up or do you find them? What is the best way for bands to contact you? PS: While we mainly book local acts, we have had several out-of-town bands headline shows here. Both were booked by mutual friends in a very grassroots, word-of-mouth fashion. We also make our venue available to promotional companies in need of a place to host their shows, music instructors holding recitals, and bigger name touring acts looking to either rehearse or play an intimate, fan-friendly set prior to gigging at the larger venues around town. Out-of-town acts looking to cheaply kill some time in a new city have booked studio hours and stayed well after their session to grill out, fish the pond, play basketball or just nap on our couches. Anyone interested can contact Co-Owner and VP of Operations, Phillip Sparer, 24/7 at 720.261.3503 or
32
CMB: Can any hack book a show there, or do you have certain requirements? PS: Hacks are more than welcome to play here! Because we can book so many different types of events, we encourage inexperienced and/or newly formed bands to setup mutually rewarding gigs. CMB: How did you get into music? What was it that hooked you? PS: My parents shepherded me through ’70s folk and ’60s Motown, which was a great education; but it wasn’t until I heard Pearl Jam’s Ten that I really understood how powerful and collaborative music is. And having grown up playing tennis, I realized quickly that more girls showed up for concerts than doubles’ matches, so that accelerated my conversion from aspiring athlete to singer/songwriter. CMB: What makes a great live show great, and not just another live set? PS: Spontaneity, and some expression of intimacy between crowd and performer. If the band isn’t having fun and feeling good, how can the audience? CMB: What are you listening to these days? PS: Everything. The Black Keys, Ryan Adams, Iron & Wine, Mayer Hawthorne, Jake Bugg, Jack White, Dr. Dog. Some local favorites (and RMSG regulars) are Clara Finn, Anthony Ruptak, Drew Schofield (who just shared a San Francisco stage with John Mayer) and Blue Foot Fool. Portland’s Black Pussy, LA’s Peach Kelli Pop, Albany’s Sunny Side of The Street Band and New Jersey’s Soofy & The Walrus are also some killer up-and-comers (who happen to have graced our studios as well). CMB: Is there anything else you would like to do with RMSG? PS: We’d love to set up a non-profit organization to help host music therapy sessions, afterschool , and other community outreach workshops. And while we do subcontract live recordings, soon we’ll be able to invest more in our own recording capabilities. Partnering more frequently with CU’s Radio 1190, OpenAir, and other local radio stations to promote Denver’s local music scene would be awesome as well. We’re also working with the Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce and the Englewood Parks and Recreation Department to host summertime festivals and movie/music nights similar to Red Rocks’ Film on the Rocks series. CMB: Where do you eat after a show? PS: I live in West Washington Park, so generally Breakfast King or the McDonald’s on Alameda are my only post-show options. Sometimes I can snag some snacks at The Spot if I’m out early enough. CMB: Would you rather have sex with, Taylor Swift or Avril Lavigne? PS: Both. At the saaaaame time. Online: rockymountainsoundgarden.com
June 2013 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Wed Jun 5
Sat June 8
Thu Jun 13
Larimer Lounge Presents: GARRETT LEBEAU BAND w/GRANT SABIN CHARITY RAEL, BEE STING SESSIONS The Almost w/Conditions, Palisades, Calibrate MeAll Ages,7:00 PM, The Marquis Theatre, Denver
Mark Brut @The Walnut Room Broadway Location, Denver CO
Dakar EP Release Show w/Drop Switch, Petals of Spain, Zagriculture @Moon Room at Summit Music Hall, Denver CO Poet’s Row w/Attic Wolves, Anthony Ruptak and His Midnight Friends @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO
STRAY SUNS w/ FOSTER AND THE FLIGHT | WHICHITA RUN | NIKOL&ZACK | PATRICK HESSE Herman’s Hideaway, Denver CO OLIVER BRAVADO w/ MONTANA TAPWATER | BLOW THE VAULT | LA MADNESS | THE QUERY | ANDY SYDOW @Herman’s Hideaway, Denver, Colorado Thu June 6 Na’an Stop, WoolEye, Br’er Rabbit @Lion’s Lair, Denver, Colorado All Proceeds will go to Jason and Jenny Lohse for their adoption of two children from The Congo Two | Congo (Benefit) ft. Mackenzie Gault (of Flobots), The Mile Markers, I’m With Her @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO A Mac DZ CD Release Show! w/Hatch the Bird, Sean Renner, Thanks to Philo Moon Room at Summit Music Hall, Denver CO
TYR w/Singularity, Be Good, Filibusta - 18 and over @Summit Music Hall, Denver CO PUNK SHOW! - Police Lingo / Slothclaw (NM) / Nice Try (IN) / Triplip / The Rockin’ Rascals Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado Radio 1190 Presents: A Hawk and A Hacksaw (ft. Jeremy Barnes of Neutral Milk Hotel) w/The Seven Hats @The Walnut Room Walnut Street Location, Denver CO SWITCHPIN w/ STRATAGEM | NEMESYS | IMMORTAL DOMINION | WHO IF NOT US| @Herman’s Hideaway, Denver, Colorado Bands 4 Bands and David B Productions Presents: Enuff Z-Nuff Nigel Dupree Band (Son of Jesse James of Jackyl) CoHeadling - Nigel Dupree Band (Son of Jesse James of Jackyl) Pressure Point - Grace’s Period - From Slaves to Kings - Demon Funkies @ Casselmans Bar & Venue - 26th & Walnut in NoDo, Denver, CO 97.3 KBCO Presents:The Psychedelic Furs w/My Jerusalem @The Gothic Theatre, Englewood CO
Larimer Lounge Presents: A.S. LEENA RES w/WALTER, CAPITAL POETS, GDTM
Twist & Shout Presents: Late Show WAMPIRE w/THE MORNING CLOUDS @ Larimer Lounge, Denver CO
DRAGONDEER @ Tennyson’s Tap, Denver, Colorado Bleach Blonde w/Ashtree, T-Shirts For Tomorrow, Rumours Follow @ The Marquis Theatre, Denver CO
An Evening with Christopher Owens of Girls @Larimer Lounge, Denver CO
GYPSY CIRCUS ROCK SHOW EXTRAVAGANZA!!!! - Revolution Circus / Samvega / Nevayda Gunn / Tall City Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado
Buteo Buteo, Kosmos @12 Volt Tavern, Arvada, Colorado Sun Jun 9
Gigantic, Tele Nova, Summa @Lion’s Lair, Denver, Colorado Dead Media Presents: Bodybag Syndikate Pre-Exposure Show w/BBS - KILL THE KARVER & INSANE POETRY - MORTOX - RAFFLE - J DIRTY - RAS - M.E.R.K. ENT - HOR’S - HARD KNOX - QUREL T @ Casselmans Bar & Venue - 26th & Walnut in NoDo, Denver, CO Larimer Lounge Presents: SUPERHUMANOIDS, GOSSAMER, INNER OCEANS , Rachael Yamagata, Sanders Bohlke @Bluebird Theater, Denver CO Fri June 14 Koji (full band) / Turnover / Ivy League / Have Mercy / Jack’s Smirking Revenge @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado Larimer Lounge Presents: HANDS, WE LIKE MONSTERS, COMMON ANOMALY 18+ Girl Wreck Presents: Hangman’s Hymnal, Smokestack Relics @ Tennyson’s Tap, Denver, Colorado Geto Boys w/LAMA Squad, Dope City, Jazz2kool - All Ages @Summit Music Hall, Denver CO The Home Owners , Brave Song Circle @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO DiLuzional Entertainment and Colorado Crush Present: THE ART OF FATHERHOOD w/ JOMAN - Neo Vizion - Chris King - Mean-Boy Rob Coca - Kid Optimus - Desciple 13 J-E-Z - Deed Rocklin @ Casselmans Bar & Venue - 26th & Walnut in NoDo, Denver, CO
Fri June 7
BBQ Show! Show starts at 3pm w/THE CUTTHROAT DRIFTERS, IAN MAHAN-NEEFE , SEDGES HAVE EDGES , ATTIC WOLVES , JACOB RUSSO , WICHITA RUN , JOSH DILLARD Folk/Blues/Americana show - Alex Krug / Weatherer / The Carnivores / more TBA Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado
Channel 93.3 and Twist & Shout Present: They Might Be Giants w/ Vandaveer @The Ogden Theatre
STEP UP & GET LIVE **MC BATTLE** w/ B.HZ | ANXIOUS | VICTORY | EVOLVED @ Herman’s HideawayDenver, Colorado
Punk show!! Lenny’s Reign of Terror / Spatgasm / more TBA Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado FREE show outside on the patio! Timber! @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO
Mon June 10
40 OZ. TO FREEDOM | HIGHLINE | HEART & SOUL RADIO | FATTY’S BIG CHANCE @ Herman’s Hideaway, Denver CO
Daytripper / Flagship / more TBA @Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado
97.3 KBCO Presents: Fitz and the Tantrums w/Saints of Valory, Ivy Levan @ The Gothic Theatre, Englewood CO
HomeVibe Presents: Tony Lucca (HomeVibe 7th Anniversary Show!) w/ Reed Foehl, HomeVibe House Band @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO
Larimer Lounge Presents: BIG BLACK DELTA, FORCE PUBLIQUE, LUST 16+
Channel 93.3’s Throwback Lunch Presents: Cracker / Camper Van Beethoven @Bluebird Theater, Denver CO
Patrick Sweany w/Carmelita’s Lovers @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO
Sat June 15
Euphonic Conceptions & DiLuzional Entertainment Present: EPROM w/ Omega @ Casselmans Bar & Venue - 26th & Walnut in NoDo, Denver, CO
BUCKNER FUNKENJAZZ w/ HAZEL MILLER BAND | DAE DAI (FEAT SOUL FORCE) @ Herman’s Hideaway Denver, Colorado Willy Moon w/Steele & Colfax, All Ages @The Marquis Theatre, Denver CO Local Shakedown and Twist & Shout Presents: VITAMINS (REUNION SHOW) w/TJUTJUNA, FINGERS OF THE SUN Twist & Shout Presents: MarchFourth Marching Band w/Bop Skizzum, In Due Time @Bluebird Theater, Denver CO Maximum Level Studio Showcase feat: A Memory Down, Tattooed Strings, Gravity Lies, Vespyra and more... @Summit Music Hall, Denver CO Strong Survive Promotionz Proudly Presents: Twista @The Roxy Theatre, Denver, Colorado Casselman’s Bar & Venue Presents: Mr. Majestyk’s 8 Track Revival His Cavalcade of All Stars @ Casselmans Bar & Venue - 26th & Walnut in NoDo, Denver, CO
Strong Survive Promotionz Proudly Presents: Kutt Calhoun @The Roxy Theatre, Denver, Colorado sub.mission presents: DATSIK w/Firepower Laser Show, Bare Noize, Shiftee, Shank Aaron @ The Ogden Theatre, Denver CO
Tue June 11
Straight Outta Luck, Hopeless Jack and the Handsome Devil, the Fontaine Classic, 6 Shooter: @Lion’s Lair,Denver, CO
Floating Action, Jane Thatcher, Gooding @Lion’s Lair, Denver
Larimer Lounge Presents: EVEREST w/THE WALES, NOT THE ARROW
97.3 KBCO Presents: The Dandy Warhols Performing 13 Tales From Urban Bohemia In Its Entirety w/The Shivas @The Gothic Theatre, Englewood CO
The Flight of Sleipnir tour kickoff show w/Stoic Dissention, Velnias, Western Ritual @Moon Room at Summit Music Hall, Denver CO
HURT w/ TORCH THE WAGON | SERIS | CLARA FINN | RIGHTEOUS VENDETTA @ Herman’s Hideaway, Denver, Colorado
Radio 1190 Presents: The Widow’s Bane CD Release for “Don’t Be Afraid, It’s Only Death” w/The Raven & The Writing Desk @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO Matt Hoffman (of Strange Americans), The Walnut Room Broadway Location, Denver CO
Ones To Watch & VMG Present: Logic w/Skizzy Mars, C Dot Castro, Quest - All Ages @Summit Music Hall, Denver CO Hardcore show - Discourse / Call Of The Void / Orphans / Perspective @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado Wed Jun 12 Kyng w/Luna Sol, Dead Temple, Red Devil Magic 18 and over @Moon Room at Summit Music Hall, Denver CO Twist & Shout Presents: The Boxer Rebellion w/Fossil Collective @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO Channel 93.3 Presents | CRYSTAL FIGHTERS w/ALPINE, THE GREYS OF GOLD , BEAUTY QUEEN , SHANGHAI SALLY , CINDABLOCK @ Herman’s Hideaway, Denver, Colorado 16+ POP-PUNK SHOW!! No Tide!!!!! / Pikes / Lawsuit Models / The Windermeres / more TBA @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver
Smirnoff Vodka Sorbet Light Presents: Pink Party Music by DJ Patrick Allen & DJ Drew G, Hosted by Chris Ott & Jeremy Simons @ Casselmans Bar & Venue - 26th & Walnut in NoDo Pink Hawks, Roqui & the Bull, Izcalli, Leung & the Wreck, & Sweet Ball Peen @ Herman’s Hideaway, Denver, Colorado A Life Worth Living w/ Bullet Inc, Coupstick, Ghost Of Ivy, Bullet InC., Coupstick, Ghost of Ivy @The Gothic Theatre, Englewood CO Twist & Shout and 88.5 FM / 1390 AM KGNU Present: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO
The New Olds, Rocky Mountain Canary @ 12 Volt Tavern, Arvada, Colorado
ANTERROIR CD RELEASE / Orphans / Creep Status / Rosewood Harbor @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, CO
Sun June 16
WHISKEY TANGO w/ IN DUE TIME | SF1 | DROP SWITCH | TIME YUNKER & THE SOUND JUNKIES @ Herman’s Hideaway, Denver, Colorado
30th Colorado Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp Presents: Wheelchair Sports Camp Benefit Concert @ Casselmans Bar & Venue - 26th & Walnut in NoDoDenver, CO
Everclear, Live, Filter, Sponge @ The Ogden Theatre, Denver CO Thu Jun 27 Larimer Lounge Presents : FRANKMUSIK , RIDE THE UNIVERSE, BOYHOLLOW
Radio 1190’s Local Shakedown Presents: TJUTJUNA (ALBUM RELEASE), SNAKE RATTLE RATTLE SNAKE, THE BLUE RIDER @ Larimer Lounge, Denver CO
An Evening with Jonathan Richman @ Lion’s Lair, Denver
Blackspy Marketing Presents: Hot Buttered Rum @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO
Dad Punchers / Alex Culbreth / Chase Ambler / more TBA @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver CO
D.I. / Truckasaurus / Joy Subtraction / Police Lingo / more TBA @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver Colorado
Drew Kennedy @The Walnut Room Broadway Location, Denver
Graham Stone w/Daniella Katzir @ The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO
Odell Brewery Presents Summer BBQ Series | w/WEST WATER OUTLAWS , THE QUERY, EL AMOR, ASHEN EMBERS, PRETTY GIRL , CARMELITA’S LOVERS , THE CASUAL SINNERS @ Larimer Lounge, Denver CO 18+
Buncha Grief meets 900LB Gorilla @ Lion’s Lair, Denver
Music by: - Dino Squad - Ramekin Liquid Love (Puppet Band) - Ian Cooke with Children’s Choir - Wheelchair Sports Camp - Rubedo The Peculiar Pretzelmen, The War Parts, Mike Clark, Young Analogs @ The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location
Blue-eyed Son, Sea of Eyes, Rusty Harrows, Cary Morin @Lion’s Lair, Denver, Colorado Mon June 17 Channel 93.3 Presents: A Silent Film w/Unlikely Candidates, A Boy & His Kite @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO Ben Kenney (of Incubus) w/Science Partner, Sarah Slaton @ The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO Courtney Marie Andrews / Maynard and the Walnut / more TBA @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver CO Tue Jun 18 Larimer Lounge Presents | BAD VEINS w/FACE MAN 16+ Pressed And, It Is Rain, the Harmed Brothers @ Lion’s Lair Free Energy w/The Knew, Instant Empire @ Moon Room at Summit Music Hall, Denver CO Lighthouses / Andrew Johnathan / Charlie Siren / more TBA @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver CO Nekromantix w/Graveyard Johnnys, Royal Dead @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO Father John Misty w/Pure Bathing Culture @ The Ogden Theatre, Denver CO Wed Jun 19 Radio 1190 Presents: PARQUET COURTS w/ACCORDION CRIMES, BUD BRONSON & THE GOOD TIMERS @ Larimer Lounge, Denver CO 16+ Pyroklast / Panther / Disaster Strikes / Worldpain / Titan Arum / Cloud Catcher @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver CO Thu Jun 20 Larimer Lounge Presents: SNOWDEN, SHADY ELDERS, MALAMADRE , Killswitch Engage, Miss May, Darkest Hour, The Word Alive and more... Summit Music Hall, Denver CO Bridging The Music Presents our CO Solo Artist of the Year: Colin Patrick, Dave Tamkin, Rob Roper, Jessica Dye, Chris Webb, Seth Taylor, Paige Barrette @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO Bob Schneider W/Gabriel Kelley @Bluebird Theater, Denver CO PUNK COVERS NIGHT! - Evilive performing the Misfits, The Ghoulies performing Green Day, Nasty Bunch of Bitches performing Anti-Flag, Snore performing Nirvana @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado
Sat June 22 Before The Eyewall / Kitezh / Ghosts of Glaciers / Wayfarer / Mars By Night @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver CO Stephanie Dorman CD Release!Nina de Freitas @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO Joel Tromburg @ The Walnut Room Broadway Location, Denver Channel 93.3, Twist & Shout WMS After Party: CAYUCAS w/JBM @ Larimer Lounge, Denver CO We Are From The Internet / Featuring: ORiiiON - an Audio-Visual Experience, Human Agency - Alter Eden - Agobi Project – ForeverKid @ Casselmans Bar & Venue - 26th & Walnut in NoDo, Denver, CO Westword Presents Official Westword Music Showcase After Party: Dead Man Winter, Pert’ Near Sandstone @The Gothic Theatre, Englewood CO The Radio Rabbitz Launch and Live Dance-Off w/ YOUNG INVENT & YA POET @ Herman’s Hideaway, Denver, Colorado Westword and Radio 1190’s Basementalism Presents: Grieves Official Westword Music Showcase After Party! Prof, Black Actors @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO Sun Jun 23 Odell Brewery & Radio 1190 Present | BBQ Show: RADIATION CITY BBQ SHOW, MIKE CLARK & THE SUGAR SOUNDS , WE WERE COSMONAUTS , ONFLUENCE , THE WALES , CODENAME : CARTER @ Larimer Lounge The Manchurian Incident / Justen Hamilton / Chambers / The Droogs / We Are Doom @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver, Colorado
Camera Obscura w/Marissa Nadler @The Gothic Theatre
Fri June 28 Tattooed Strings w/ Align, Princess, Social Fuse, & Special Guests @ Herman’s Hideaway, Denver CO Gregory DeGroat @ The Walnut Room Broadway Location An Evening with Jonathan Richman @ Lion’s Lair, Denver Jenn Bostic w/Megan Burtt, Lexi Shanley, Kristi Stice@ The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO Larimer Lounge Presents : THE SILENT COMEDY w/PATRICK DETHLEFS 3-DAY PUNK/METAL FEST! Brutally Frank, Dresden, Abberant, RSNN, Shining Path, + so many more... @Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver CO 97.3 KBCO Presents: The Oh Hellos @ Bluebird Theater, Denver Sat June 29 Brittany Devens @The Walnut Room Broadway Location Two Fisted Tango w/The Sickly Ferguson, Violent Summer, The War Parts @ The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver Reggae Movement Presents: Alpha Blondy w/Lyrikal @ The Ogden Theatre Snuff Productionz, Slo Pain Reckordz, and The Roxy Theatre Present: GOREFEST 2013 (Day 1) @ The Roxy Theatre, Denver, Channel 93.3 Presents: Flobots @ The Gothic Theatre Brian Parton + Special Guests @ 12 Volt Tavern, Arvada BugGiRL (Austrailia), The-Front (WY) @ Tennyson’s Tap, Denver
Mon Jun 24
3 Deep Productions Presents: Luciano, Ras Marcus Benjamin and The Nyabinghi Warriors @ The Gothic Theatre, Englewood CO
Channel 93.3 Presents | 16+ : ROYAL TEETH, AMERICAN AUTHORS @ Larimer Lounge, Denver CO
Sun Jun 30
Tricky w/Royal Canoe @The Gothic Theatre, Englewood CO Potato Pirates / Save The Swim Team / Survay Says / A-Ok’s / Repercussions / Moonraker @ Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver CO
Odell Brewing Presents 2013 BBQ Series : PACIFIC AIR BBQ Radio 1190 and Twist & Shout Presents: SHANNON & THE CLAMS w/ FINGERS OF THE SUN , THE MATILDAS @ Larimer Lounge, Denver CO Strong Survive Promotionz Proudly Presents: The SPREAD The SHRED Tour 2013 feat. PDP @ The Roxy Theatre, Denver, CO
Tue June 25
Cody Canada & The Departed @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO
Slow Mover, Red Devil Magic, Chingaso @ Lion’s Lair, Denver, CO
Wed Jul 3 Passafire / Stick Figure@ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO
Swallow Hill and the Walnut Room Present: Josh Rouse (solo), Jami Lunde @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO Daikaiju / Captain Blood / TripLip / Facial / Jonestown Revival / Entertainment from Faded Freakshow in between acts!! @Seventh Circle Music Collective, Denver CO
Thu July 4 Caravan Palace @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO
Wed Jun 26
Fri July 5 Lucas Hoge @ The Roxy Theatre, Denver, Colorado88.5 FM / 1390 AM KGNU Presents: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band w/Honey Island Swamp Band @ Bluebird Theater, Denver CO
Fri June 21
The Drowning Men @ Moon Room at Summit Music Hall
Karl Ziedins @ The Walnut Room Broadway Location, Denver CO
Dusty Sunshine @ Lion’s Lair, Denver, Colorado
Open Mic w/ Soul Daddy & His Band @The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO
Sat July 6 Achille Lauro Farewell Show w/The Morning Clouds, Vitamins, Land Lines @ The Walnut Room - Walnut Street Location, Denver CO
Radio 1190 Presents: Echo Beds W/The Kevin Costner Suicide Pact, Pythian Whispers, Nervesandgel@ The Walnut Room - Walnut Street
JBL Presents Summerland Tour 2013: Alternative Guitars Starring,