Denver music sucks

I'm tired of it and I'm out. The Denver music scene is lame. All the bands suck, none of the bars are fun, hell even the people are no fun. I'm moving to california.

Tonight: Itchy-O, Dugoutcanoe, Strange Powers, and Offthesky at the Old Curtis St. Pub

So here it is, Friday already, and I'm still trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing this weekend. The groups I wanted to see have rescheduled and re-venued and added acts and dropped acts to the point of my extreme confusion. Also the discovery of a FREE music festival, UMX, has added a nice touch to my plans.

Okay so here's what I've come up with

Friday 3/26/: Itchy-O, Dugoutcanoe, Strange Powers, and Offthesky at the Old Curtis St. Pub. 9pm $5


Now I feel like I've been chasing some of these guys around for weeks now. Local experimental talent is what I'm looking for and what this conglomeration is hopefully gonna provide me. What attracts me to this one initially is the appearance of Dugoutcanoe. I first listened to these guys on their myspace page (click on their name and you can listen too) and wanted to check them out, but of course it snowed donkey balls and I couldn't make it. Well that show has been rescheduled to tonight. Its uptempo with some really sick percussion, which is what attracts me to them. Almost reminds me of a marching percussion feature from Drum Corps International or something. I'm interested to see what percentage of this is live drums and what's being produced by drum machine. As long as it's good I really don't care.

Itchy-O seems to be made up of some pretty accomplished musicians so we'll see what happens. What I've heard on their site is very subdued, down-tempo and sprawling.  

Strange Powers has some serious hip-hop and traditional drum and bass influence.

This is a small venue and I'll be able to hopefully have some interesting conversations with the artists about their art. I will have the review for this one online asap.

UMX - Ultimate Music Expreience: People's Fair Tryouts

Well this was interesting for me to learn of since there is barely any attention being paid to it on the internet. From what I can find it doesn't even have a web page. Until just now I didn't even know what UMX stood for.

The Ultimate Music Xperience (UMX), is an annual, two-day battle of the bands which showcases some of Denver’s best undiscovered musical talent and the freshest emerging bands in the area. Approximately 80 local and solo and group acts will vie for a chance to play at one of the largest musical venues in the state: the 38th Annual CHUN Capitol Hill People’s Fair. The People’s Fair continues to provide an opportunity for homegrown bands to make an impression on the local music scene.

The UMX will again be held at Benders Tavern, on two stages, on March 27th and 28th from 10:00am-6:00pm both days. Come check out hot new up-and-coming local bands and be part of the selection process for the People’s Fair!

Admission is FREE!

The UMX is sponsored by Benders Tavern, 99.5 The Mountain, The Onion, and Miller Lite. For information, call 303-830-1651.

Here's the schedule: (Click to make it bigger)

Fort Collins Music Experience line up announced

The Fort Collins Music Experience Festival is back again this year, and as a new resident of Colorado I'm really excited about this one. This year the festival will be taking place at over fifteen venues and will be featuring more than a hundred and fifty Colorado bands. Great opportunity for me to bush up my knowledge of the local scene. I just applied to see if I can volunteer and get my tickets for free. If not, that's not too bad, because tickets for this amazing two-day extravaganza are only $15. They are available now (just went on sale two days ago), and you can pick them up at Rock 'N' Robin's or online at the FoCoMX website. You can also check out the line up and find lots of other info at their site.

Here are a small percentage of the bands playing this year:

* 10-4 Eleanor * 20XIII * 23 Years * 3 Twins * A Melodic Daydream * Aakash Mittal * Adam Bodine * Alan Vasquez * Alea Trio * Anchorage * Arliss Nancy * Atomic Pablo * Auditory Elements * Autumn Burn * Baily Stauffer * Ben Prytherch * Ben and the Invisible Mutes * Bleed Eternal * Blue Grama * Bog Spavin * Boner * Bookah * Bourbon Toothpaste * Candy Claws * Cary Morin (of The Atoll) * Chad Price (of ALL) * Chaotic Serenity * Christina The Hunn * Common Anomaly * Cotton Keys * Crovax * Crow * Cure for Madeline * DB and the Catastrophe * DJ Bring * DJ Defcon * DJ Ladykilla * DJ Matthew Kays * DJ?DJ! * Danielle Ate the Sandwich * Dave Beegle * Dave Dardine Project * Dead Floyd * Deejay Gyro * Devyn Robuck * Dinero * Dovekins * Driftwood Fire * Elyse Miller * Fierce Bad Rabbit * Frost Thane * Futaba * Galaxies * Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad * Give ’er Hell * Good Gravy * HOSS * Halden Wofford and the Hi Beams * Half Color * Immortal Dominion * Jeff Finlin * John Magnie (of the subdudes) * Justin Charboneau * Kinard House Band * Lindsey O'Brien Band * Liz Barnez * Lonesome Traveler * Magic Cyclops * Maxwell Hughes * Michaela Rae * Motorhome * Paean * Peace Officer * Pep*Squad * Post Paradise * Rudie Clash * SHEL * The Atoll * The Heyday * The Northern Way * The Varmints * Tickle Me Pink * Umlaut * White Cat Pink * Wire Faces * dras

Come out April 9th and 10th and celebrate Northern Colorado's amazing music scene!

Denver Local Music Update

Lots of things going on in the music community lately.

The Toad Tavern is looking for another metal or hard rock band to play a along with local acts 39Lies, Cimmerian Shade, and Sons Of The Addicted on April 8th. This is a paid gig, you get one hundred percent of the cover charge and free beer. If you're interested, contact me or the Toad Tavern.

Russ Christiansen of Three Miles West is working on an Americana/Folk rock collaboration album with other Denver area musicians. Other than a duet with Victoria Woodworth, Russ has also recorded tracks with artists such as a Melodic Daydream, Johnny Waggoner, and Three Miles West. Production of this CD so far has been in the very capable hands of Eric Shively. John Macy and Module Overload are also planning ot put their hands on Christiansen's mind-child.

Here's a preview:

LOCAL SHAKEDOWN VOLUME 3 CD: COLORADO'S INDEPENDENT MUSIC SCENE

The 3rd Local Shakedown CD features 41 bands of many different styles from Colorado's thriving indie music scene on 2 CDs. This CD follows the release of the 1st Local Shakedown CD in 2000 and the 2nd Local Shakedown CD in 2004, both on Smooch Records. It was mastered with assistance from Bob Ferbrache at Absinthe Studios. As a producer and sound engineer Ferbrache has worked with many of Denver's finest bands including The Fluid, Bum Kon, 16 Horsepower, Slim Cessna's Auto Club and many more. Artwork for the CD was done by cartoonist Noah Van Sciver who is the author of Blammo and the Westword's weekly strip "4 Questions". It was kindly co-released by Wax Trax, Twist and Shout and Bart's CD Cellar. It is available at each store for $11.90. TRACKLISTING (**) indicates that song is currently unreleased ($$) indicates that song is exclusive to this CD Disc One 1. Magic Cyclops - Intro 2. Mr. Pacman - David Blaine's Erotic Mansion ($$) 3. Fire Drills - Hole For a Heart 4. The Kissing Party - The Heart of It All 5. Young Coyotes - Buried 6. Dethbox - xhatexedgexonxthexstraightxedgex 7. otem rellik - Better Times (**) 8. Kal Cahoone - Build the Fire 9. Littles Paia - Cyberpunk's Not Dead (for Tom Murphy and Carles) ($$) 10. Multicast - Hawaii ($$) 11. Pictureplane - Cyclical Cyclical (Atlantis) 12. Swayback - Steamrolling (**) 13. Bad Luck City - Stevie Johnston (**) 14. Elin Palmer - Time 15. Reverend Deadeye - Snake Bite 16. Crack Magik - Ike Turner 17. Wire Faces - Portable Castles 18. Cowboy Curse - Negative Space 19. Overcasters - Way of the World 20. The Wheel - Oil and Lavender (**) 21. Munly and the Luprecalians - Grandfather (**) Disc Two 1. Aënka - Mylarism (**) 2. Bad Weather California - I Don't Know 3. Lady Parts - Mums for Mice (**) 4. The Omens - She's Just Fine 5. Moonspeed - 27000 MPH 6. Chad Price - With Bleeding Wrists (**) 7. Married in Berdichev - Funnel Clouds (**) 8. Coconut Beach - I'm Gone (**) 9. BDRMPPL - 2013 Pt. 2 ($$) 10. Milton Melvin Croissant III - Blizzaga (**) 11. Thee Goochi Boiz - Summer Song (**) 12. Paper Bird - Lost Boys 13. Roger Green - Get Up (**) 14. Bela Karoli - Prelude 3 (**) 15. d. biddle - You Are the Sea ($$) 16. Blue Million Miles - Pterodactyl (**) 17. The GetDown! - The First 'A' in Omaha ft. Carrie Beeder and Sara Fischer (**) 18. Wentworth Kersey - Wealth 19. Cacheflowe - Flowebot ft. Brer Rabbit 20. Time - Cockroach Goddess

Radio 1190 - Denver's Independent Radio

So if you have not yet discovered KGNU Radio 1190, (that's am) you're in for a real treat. Part of the am radio revolution, this is an independent radio station out of Boulder that plays mostly independent music and showcases tons and tons of local talent. I have it playing in my apartment as long as the sun is up. After dark the signal loses a lot of power in Denver, but you can still listen to it over the internet at radio1190.com.

Besides the TONS of ticket giveaways to local shows, the DJs are really knowledgeable and friendly. I've only been living in Denver for 2 and a half months and I've won tickets to see awesome acts once a month since I started listening. In fact, thanks to 1190, Tuesday night (3/23) I'm going see Sleepy Sun (San Fransisco), Scout Niblett (Portland), and Morning Teleportation (Portland) at the Hi Dive. I've been listening to these bands a lot lately and I'm getting excited. Thanks to the radio I'm getting in for free. The cover is $10 if you aren't as lucky as I am.

Other than the free giveaways, radio 1190 has two awesome shows that I try to never miss. One, I'm listening to right now, is called Krewe de Louisianne, Musical Gumbo, which plays all music from and about the great state of Louisiana on Saturdays from 10-noon. Being a cajun myself, this is a real treat. Right now they're playing the Cajun Playboys. That's freaking awesome. Who would've thought I'd move 1500 miles to listen to cajun music on the radio in Colorado?

Another favorite part of this station is the local shakedown. Friday afternoons is nothing but local bands and to me that's just peachy. I've learned about lots of local acts and shows from listening Fridays 4-6.

So tune in, support your local music scene, and win some tickets. While I was writing this I'm pretty sure I missed out on some tickets to hear some cajun music, but I've already won this month so I guess I shouldn't be greedy.

Also check out the Radio 1190 Concert Calendar

Tonight's Recommended Show: Dugoutcannoe at Old Curtis St

If I felt like walking to the bus stop through all this snow, I'd definitely be going to the Old Curtis St. Pub tonight.

I'm into experimental music these days and tonight there are some local bands I'd like to hear:

Itchy-O, Dugoutcanoe, Via <- all local Denver bands and all experimental. Show starts around 9 and the cover is 5 bux. Like I said, I'm probably staying home tonight due to the weather, but I have another chance to hear Dugoutcanoe next Saturday at the Glob. I'll be writing more about that soon.

Hello Denver. I like the Pretty Lights.

I’ve just moved here to lovely Denver, Colorado from the swamps of Louisiana. I must say, at first I was afraid of the music scene here. I was stuck listening to horrible metal and punk bands at bars that smelled like stale beer and puke for the first two months. Slowly but surely I am breaking my way into the music scene here and I’m really excited about it.

So far I’ve only seen some really BAD local talent at bars like bar bar, illegal pete’s, and the Old Curtis St. Pub.

But the other night I got swept away to see Pretty Lights at the Boulder Theater. It was quite a party. Boulder really parties. Not exactly my favorite type of music but it was a very fun and very memorable experience. The music was not bad by far, and I went to a ton of after parties, through which I got some connections and found out about some shows.

I’m more into experimental music myself, and this Tuesday March 23rd I’m going hear Sleepy Sun (San Fransisco), Scout Niblett (Portland), and Morning Teleportation (Portland) at the Hi Dive. I’ve never been to the hi dive and I’ve never heard any of these bands, so I’m really excited.

Right now I’m listening to Sleepy Sun's Embrace, trying to get a feel for the solemn hippie grooves that I’m in store for Tuesday night. I’m impressed with what I’m hearing so far, but the true test is hearing a band live and in person.