Three things you should know about me:
What this all means is that even if you aren’t as into music as I am–and even if you’re not from Denver–you’ll probably learn a little something here and there by reading this blog. Maybe, at the very least, you’ll get an idea of why I’m such a nut when it comes to music.
I am the Denver Local Music Examiner for Examiner.com, and this blog sort of supplements my articles there. So yeah, there will be some coverage of local music here, because here I can share more specific opinions than I can on Examiner. A lot of what I’ll be doing is analyzing bands and performances–the things that make them shine, the things that hold them back.
But this blog won’t limit itself to the Denver music scene; there’s just too much good stuff out there. Lots of potential. I’ll share where I’m finding the good stuff, and what I like about it. You might agree, you might not. I’ll probably spend a lot of time on indie bands and artists, and up-and-coming acts (since you can read about Britney, Kanye and Taylor just about anywhere). But anytime the words “good” and “music” can appear in the same sentence–it’s fair game.
I guess what I hope for is not just to entertain the people who are already jazzed about music. (Oh, one other thing you should know–I’m heavy into puns. Get it? Jazzed? Anyhow.) I don’t want to just tell you about what’s good in music; I want to tell you why it’s good–what makes it good. To make you a fan of it, if you aren’t already.
And to any other musicians who come across this blog…I hope it encourages you, shows you what to work on. If you’re a musician and you get critiqued on this blog (yes, I will probably do some negative reviews)…I’ll tell you up front that I’m on your side, that the things I say are to help rather than hurt. (If I really thought you had no potential, I wouldn’t bother mentioning you at all.)
So…that’s what you can expect. Looking forward to the ride…
This post is an adaptation from my recent article on Examiner.com.
September 17, 2009
Appaloosa Bar and Grill
This past Thursday in downtown Denver, the By All Means Band lit up an otherwise dark stage.
Based in Boulder, Colorado, By All Means calls its sound an Afro-beat/Funk fusion, or “Ghanerican”. Central to the band is drummer Paa Kow, a Ghana native, and three of the other bandmates studied music in Ghana. This is the second incarnation of By All Means, Kow being the only original member. Although they occasionally vocalize, the band focuses mainly on the instruments, with a clear emphasis on drums and percussion.
In the chic Appaloosa Bar and Grill, lit only by ambient room lighting and the street lamps from the windows, the stage sits just inside the front entrance so the music can spill out into the Sixteenth Street Mall. I took a seat inside, out of the way, but in view of the stage.
The band launched into its first set at 10:00 PM with a friendly number, followed by a funky cover of one of those old jazz tunes everyone recognizes but no one really knows.
With the third song, the band came to life.
Seemingly out of nowhere came the catchy opening rock riffs from guitarist Aaron Fichtner–the band’s almost-hidden hunk of dynamite–followed by a powerful blend of African and American rhythms, a strong bass line, and a trombone/saxophone duo fronting the effort. This was the first song where the band showcased the “Afro-beat” part of it’s Afro-funk fusion–complete with a head-turning percussion solo near the end. The results were captivating.
Not too long after, people were crowding the front area, and I was craning my neck to see past them. A few brave souls turned what space there was into a dance floor. Had there been room for it, certainly many more would have been dancing.
Among the few detractions from the performance, the first wasn’t entirely the band’s fault. While the street vibe of the Appaloosa is hip, the venue isn’t very conducive to dance, which this band’s sound definitely invites; so their stage presence was a bit muted because the audience didn’t have enough room. Additionally, I think By All Means would do well to stay away from cover songs, because they have enough clout with their original material to take them places covers just can’t.
That said–should you go see these guys next time they do a show in town?
By all means.
OOMPH scale: 6.5
See where By All Means is playing by visiting their MySpace page.
When I review local talent on this blog, quite often you’ll see something like this near the end of the post:
OOMPH Scale: ___
Because the OOMPH is a basically intangible factor, I readily admit this is a subjective scale and not an exact science. The OOMPH Scale is my personal assessment and opinion of the band or artist being reviewed, and shouldn’t be taken as anything other than that. Feel free to disagree. (Although if you do, you’ll be wrong. Just saying.)
I do take the following things into account when determining the OOMPH Scale rating of an act:
All these things contribute to an artist’s readiness to take it to the next level. But of course, beyond that…the OOMPH is the magic that takes all these other ingredients and makes them more than they are. So there will always be a part of the OOMPH Scale that can’t be based on measured criteria–either they got it or they don’t. Get it?
So…the OOMPH Scale itself:
1-2…………Waste of the cover charge (if any)–stay home.
3-4…………Should not quit their day job.
5…………….Act shows some promise, but needs work.
6-7…………Getting there…worth going to see.
8-9………..Standouts from the crowd…go out of your way to see them.
10………….Sign ’em NOW!
For all who might come across this blog, either directly or by accident…welcome.
The Oomph is a blog dedicated to local and indie musicians, particularly from the Denver area–but since I love music in general, I’ll gladly include others who get my attention.
What is the Oomph, you ask? It’s that hard-to-describe extra element that separates the pretty-good from the outstanding. When it comes to local talent, the Oomph is the “it” factor. A local band or artist who has the Oomph is one with the potential to expand beyond the local scene.
An example? Many of you have heard of The Fray. Many non-Denver readers might not know they are from Denver. They began here as a local band. Now they are internationally known.
The Oomph. Get it?
The thing is, Denver talent has lots of Oomph, and that’s what this blog is about. I’m looking for the standouts in the local music scene.
In addition to spotlighting artists, I’ll be reviewing some of the better venues in town–hotspots for finding some of the best talent. Once I find my bearings, I’ll be listing upcoming events containing my picks for possible Oomph sightings. And once in awhile, I’ll even venture out and showcase non-local talent you might not have heard of–but who are especially dripping with Oomph.
I’m glad to have you with me on the hunt. Looking forward to the ride!