July, 2013 | The Oomph Music Blog

Highlights from UMS 2013 (Day 4)

Jul 222013

So another Underground Music Showcase is in the bag. I’m exhausted, but it was completely worth it. Here is the last round of highlights.

I couldn’t make it in to the UMS until 4pm or so, but I managed to catch the last few minutes of The Whicker and Pine at Illegal Pete’s. This band has grown considerably in size and sound since I last reviewed them here.

The Whicker and Pine

I had a band interview during the five o’clock hour, but I still managed to grab a few minutes of The Outfit at the Hi-Dive (great band, high energy), along with Rachel and the Kings at the Main Stage, who are always in fine form.

The Outfit

Rachel and the Kings

One of the highlights of the night–for that matter, one of the best moments of the UMS in general–I basically stumbled on when I was having dinner at the Punch Bowl Social. The Dirty Femmes (the Violent Femmes tribute act fronted by Jen Korte) absolutely knocked it out of the park. I later found out that original Violent Femmes member Gordon Gano was actually sitting in on violin for the set. Too many people in the space for me to grab a good picture, but trust me, this is a tribute band worth seeing.

Folk act I’m With Her put on one of their best shows at South Broadway Christian Church. Best to see them at a show soon–the act officially ends with the close of summer as Haley E. Rydell (shown left) will be moving to (gasp!) Minnesota.

I’m With Her

Indie-rockers Petals of Spain had a fun performance over at Illegal Pete’s. This is where I discovered that the gorilla I hi-fived on Night One was one of the bandmates in costume.

Petals of Spain

The final performance on the Main Stage was definitely worth seeing. Denver’s own Nathaniel Rateliff closed the stage down with the reunion of an early Denver act he fronted, Born In the Flood, featuring the Meese bros. on guitar and drums. UMS director Kendall Smith came out beforehand to thank all the UMS team, sponsors and volunteers–and then to the delight of the crowd, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper came onstage to introduce Born In the Flood.

Gov. John Hickenlooper introduces the band.

Born In the Flood

Shows on the last night of the UMS continued past midnight. After four days, I was too exhausted to stick around that long, but I had to stay and see my friend John Common take the stage at the Irish Rover with his band Blinding Flashes of Light.

John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light

ACTS I WISH I’D SEEN

Natalie Tate
Covenhoven
Megan Burtt & The Cure For Love
Chimney Choir
Something Underground
SHEL
John Wirtz
Wire Faces
Residual Kid
In the Whale
Rob Drabkin

All told, I’ve been to this festival three years running, and this year’s was the best by far. Kudos to Kendall Smith, the team of volunteers, the Denver Post and OpenAir CPR for all they did to make the weekend awesome. If you are not from Colorado and are an indie music lover, you owe it to yourself to make plan’s for next year’s UMS. If you live in Denver, you have no excuse. Just saying.

Highlights from UMS 2013 (Day 3)

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Jul 212013

This year’s Underground Music Showcase is destined to be one for the books–huge crowds, great bands, and great performances, overall. Day 3 was my favorite so far. I know there were some great performances on the main stage, but I gravitated toward some of the smaller venues, and found lots of “wow” moments in the process. I was a little sparing with pictures this time around, partly to save battery, partly because of poor lighting, and partly because I just wanted to focus on the music. But here are a few highlights from yesterday:

No sooner had I arrived and got settled at Punch Bowl Social but this guitarist phenom set the place on fire. Not literally, but you know. Jaden Carlson is barely a teenager, if that, but she’s got the chops and musicality of veterans three and four times her age. I don’t know how I’ve been a part of this scene without seeing her before now. One of the best moments of the UMS for me thus far.

Jaden Carlson

I stayed on at the Punch Bowl to have a hot pretzel and listen to this promising newer rock act, War Over Water. Looking forward to seeing their progress in days ahead.

War Over Water

Headed on over the Gary Lee’s Motor Club and Grub for the last few minutes of singer-songwriter Holly Lovell’s set. Her mellow style was perfect for sitting in a cool space on a hot, breezy afternoon.

Holly Lovell

Next up at Gary Lee’s was Navy, the latest indie-rock incarnation from Dan Craig (sorry, no pic). Another “wow” moment, I think Dan has stumbled on a great combination with this one. Love the songs, love the vibe.

Patrick Dethlefs did an outstanding acoustic set at South Broadway Christian Church. Loved the slide guitar behind him, and the music sounded awesome in this space. South Broadway continues to be one of my favorite venues of the UMS each year.

Patrick Dethlefs

Other acts I caught that deserve a shout-out: Hindershot set up a party at Illegal Pete’s (although the beach balls reportedly got a little out of hand); Attic Attack rocked the Skylark Lounge; Anthony Ruptak and his band had a great set at South Broadway Christian; and it was good to see Jen Korte and the Loss back in action, packing out the Irish Rover.

ACTS I WISH I COULD HAVE SEEN:

Katie Laurel
Lindsey O’Brien
Jessica Sonner
Sarah and the Meanies
The Epilogues
Shady Elders
Red Fox Run
Wiredogs

Whew! On to Day Four…

Highlights from UMS 2013 (Day Two)

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Jul 202013

Momentum for the 2013 Underground Music Showcase is definitely increasing. More crowds, more bands, comfortable evening weather and dynamic performances were the norm last night at the UMS, as the Baker district filled with music and music lovers.

I tend to focus on local talent, so to my shame, I missed headliner Mudhoney at the main stage, although I heard from several sources that the band was outstanding. (I had “mudhoney” ice cream at Sweet Action–does that count?) I did, however, manage to catch a few minutes of LA-based girl pop-punk band Bleached on my way from one local act to another–and that was worth the detour.

Some other highlights from Day Two:

Indie-rockers The Belle Jar started off playing to a sparse crowd at 3 Kings Tavern, but by the end of the set the venue area was full–partly because people finally started navigating through Denver’s Friday night traffic, and partly, I think, because word was spreading about them while they played. A great way to kick off the evening.

The Belle Jar

Guitarist Ryan Chrys has a well-established reputation in Denver for his crazy guitar work in The Demon Funkies, but his newly formed country act, Ryan Chrys and the Rough Cuts, is gaining traction as well. I managed to catch a few minutes of their set at The Hornet.

Ryan Chrys and the Rough Cuts

New Denver “supergroup” Hollow Talk (comprised of members of d.biddle, Il Cattivo and Ideal Feathers) played a loud and raucous set at the Hi-Dive. The backlighting was cool live but hard to catch on the iPhone…but you can see ’em if you squint a little.

Hollow Talk

Besides the main outdoor stage, it seems the place to be last night was the Irish Rover. Absolutely packed with people for most of the night. I couldn’t get close enough to get pics of Sweet Tooth Meat Tooth or The Raven and the Writing Desk, but both sets were awesome. (I would have loved to see how TRATWD managed on that tiny stage with six people, a keyboard, drums and a marimba–but I just couldn’t get close enough to find out.) I did manage to squeeze to the front just enough to grab a picture or two of Science Partner, who also killed it.

Science Partner

Other acts I caught in passing that are worth mentioning last night were Gristle Gals at Illegal Pete’s (caught the sound check on my way to Belle Jar), and Ivory Circle and Shenandoah Davis at Gary Lee’s. All worth checking out. Also, the few minutes I caught of Common Anomaly’s set at Skylark Lounge were impressive.

ACTS I WISH I’D SEEN:

Mudhoney (obviously)
Esme Patterson
Thee Dang Dangs
Chimney Choir
Princess Music
A. Tom Collins
Bop Skizzum
Ark Life

Big day today: Day 3!!

Highlights from UMS 2013 (Day One)

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Jul 192013

As the Underground Music Showcase (UMS) is my favorite festival of the year (and it certainly helps that I only have to drive a few miles to get to it), I like to debrief a little bit after each day and share some of the highlights, and perhaps put a few bands on your radar to check out.

As for me, I generally keep my expectations of Day One of the UMS to a minimum, since things are just sort of ramping up, and crowds are generally sparse the first night. It usually takes some time to gain momentum. That wasn’t the case this year. Not only were the bands I saw putting their best foot forward from the jump, but this year a lot of people were already around to see it happen. In short–it was a great first night.

Some quick highlights to share with you–and forgive the pics, they’re taken with an iPhone (hey, I’m a writer, not a photographer):

Local revival rock act The Wales kicked off the night at the Hi-Dive. They’re relative newcomers to the Denver scene and only have a couple of demos up on Bandcamp, but they show promise. Keep your eyes on ’em.

The Wales

I have discovered I’m a sucker for well-played blues-rock. For some reason I never quite caught, West Water Outlaws had their midnight slot changed to 8:00 PM at the Irish Rover. I managed to stop in for the last few minutes. Hoo, boy. Look for a debut album from them in the fall.

West Water Outlaws

I stayed on at the Irish Rover to catch the first part of soul-rock act Calder’s Revolvers, on the advice of a friend. Glad I lingered. I’ll definitely be watching for these guys.

Calder’s Revolvers

Denver food establishment Illegal Pete’s opened up a new location on S. Broadway just in time for the UMS, and it’s worth checking out as a venue on its own. The Jekylls, a 60’s pop act comprised of members of The Hollyfelds, The Railbenders and Sunday Girl, were rocking it onstage.

The Jekylls

And then there’s Varlet, who entertained a crowded Hi-Dive with their quirky, almost cabaret version of indie-rock. (Non-locals might faintly recognize the lead singer there; that’s Lily Scott, the indie singer-songwriter who got voted off American Idol Season 9 far too soon, in an early-season shocker.

Varlet

There were a couple of other highlights I couldn’t get pictures of. Andy Palmer‘s set at The Hornet was one of my faves of the night, but it was too dark to grab a picture without flash. Then there was the guy in a gorilla suit that hi-fived me on Broadway, but it happened so fast that I didn’t have the presence of mind to get someone to snap a picture of it.

There are, of course, far too many great bands playing at the UMS to catch them all, and there were some shows I wanted to see that I didn’t. So I’ll close out the highlights each day with a note of regret…

SHOWS I WISHED I’D SEEN:

On to Day Two…

Underground Music Showcase 2013: Denver Live Music Weekend Pick July 19-21

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Jul 182013

I’ll make this simple: the place to be in Denver for live music this weekend is the Denver Post Underground Music Showcase 2013, which kicks off this evening (Thursday) and runs through Sunday throughout Denver’s Baker district.

Over 400 bands. Nearly two dozen venues. Four days. $50. Best live music deal in Denver, and it only happens once a year.

Headlining acts at this year’s UMS include Mudhoney, Small Black, Cults and Lord Huron, among others. While these shows promise to be awesome, some of the best stuff happens in the smaller venues, with smaller indie bands. Not to mention some of the best local talent Denver has to offer. The lineup is to massive to mention, but just a few of the local acts include The Epilogues, Ark Life, Princess Music, Born In the Flood, The Centennial, Varlet, The Raven and the Writing Desk, Vices I Admire, and many, many others. (A full lineup and schedule can be found at the UMS website.)

A limited number of wristbands and VIP badges are still available, so if you’re in town and haven’t gotten yours yet, you can pick it up at the UMS box office (located a 1 S. Broadway tonight, and at 21 S. Broadway for the rest of the festival). Four-day wristbands are only $50, and VIP badges (offering extra perks) are $120. I’ll be live-tweeting throughout the weekend, so follow me at @jeffmcq if you want updates.

Brandi Carlile, The Epilogues & More: Denver Live Music Weekend Picks July 12-13

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Jul 122013

Some great live shows lining up in Denver this weekend, both from local and national acts. Here are just a few suggestions to help you narrow the search for great live music in the Mile High this weekend.

FRIDAY, JULY 12

Local pop-rockers Rachel and the Kings are headlining at Herman’s Hideaway, 1578 S. Broadway in Denver. Also appearing are The Hits, The Next Arrival, The Gription and The See. Tickets are $10 each, available from Herman’s Hideaway. Service charge may apply. Doors at 6:3o PM; show starts at 7:00. Ages 21+.

Denver rock act Left Foot Green will be playing at the Toad Tavern, 5302 S. Federal Circle in Littleton. Also performing are Us Against Ourselves, Little Goose, Black Jack Canyon Band and Midnight Pressure. $6 cover at the door. Music starts at 7:00 PM. Ages 21+.

Folk-rock singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile is making a tour stop at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, along with Blind Pilot and The Lone Bellow. Tickets are $36.95-$46.50, plus service charge, available from Ticketmaster. Gates at 5:3o PM; music starts at 7:00. This is an all-ages show!

The Bluebird Theater (3317 E. Colfax) is hosting a special triple-headliner show featuring local rock acts The Epilogues and Rob Drabkin, along with Austin-based act Quiet Company. Opening the show is Sundown Social. Tickets are $12 advance, $15 day of show, available from AXS or Bluebird Theater. Doors at 8:00 PM; show starts at 9:00. Ages 16+.

Happy weekend!

Yerkish, Achille Lauro Say Farewell: Live Music Weekend Picks

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Jul 052013

Achille Lauro.

Owing to the holiday weekend (hope you had a great 4th of July), I’m taking it a bit easy this week regarding the weekly Denver live music picks. However, there are a couple of established local bands saying good-bye this weekend with farewell shows that I didn’t want to miss mentioning, since it’s the last chance for fans to see them for awhile.

SATURDAY, JULY 6–ACHILLE LAURO @ THE WALNUT ROOM

Local indie-rock act Achille Lauro is playing a farewell show Saturday at The Walnut Room, 3133 Walnut St. in Denver. Opening acts include The Morning Clouds, Vitamins and Land Lines. Tickets are $15 each, available from The Walnut Room. Service charge may apply. Doors at 7:00 PM. Ages 21+.

SATURDAY, JULY 6–YERKISH @ THE ORIENTAL THEATER

Local prog-rockers Yerkish will be playing their final show this Saturday at The Oriental Theater, 4335 W. 44th Ave. in Denver, as part of the Module Overload Studios showcase. Other performing acts include The Bronze, Torch the Wagon, The Lollygags and Cutthroat Drifters. Tickets are $6 each, available through The Oriental Theater. Service charges may apply. Showcase start time is at 3:00 PM. This is an all-ages event.

Thanks to both of these bands for all you have contributed to the Denver music scene. You will be missed!

Have a great weekend.

The Raven and the Writing Desk Release “Scavenger/Bonedale” EP

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Jul 042013

I’ve heard so many hyphenated names trying to describe this band’s sound that it’s almost funny. Art-rock. Avant-pop. Orchestra-rock. Chamber-pop. I referred to their sound as “musical literature” in my first post about them. I could come up with a few others, too: cabaret-pop-rock, avant-goth-pop…you get the idea. Or do you? That’s kind of the point…

Whatever hyphen-heavy terms you grab from the vocabulary arsenal, Denver-based band The Raven and the Writing Desk have carved out a niche for themselves with a collective sound so diverse it obviously requires a writer like me to keep a thesaurus handy. And they have carried this trend even further with the release of their latest, a split EP called Scavenger/Bonedale.

Existing TRATWD fans will recognize at least half the songs on this 6-track record. That’s the “Bonedale” part, essentially a re-working of their earlier Bonedale EP, previously available only in digital form. The “Scavenger” part consists of three new songs (hence, the “split” EP). Put them together, and the band pack more energy into those six songs than you’ll find in many full-lengths.

A listen to the record is much like watching them live. It goes sort of like this: one minute, you’re hearing a gypsy-tinged dance number that makes you want to practice your high kicks. (That is, if you had high kicks to begin with. Which I don’t.). The next, you’re diving into a satisfying, soul-scratching blues-rock riff courtesy of guitarist Scott Conroy. Tasty marimba (never thought I’d use those two words together) from Neil Mitchell and haunting violin parts courtesy of Adrienne Short fill out the sound, and Julia LiBassi’s vocals flow with such expression and emotion that they belie the fact that she’s actually sitting behind a keyboard rather than flying across the stage. It’s theater, vaudeville, carnival, circus, orchestra, and rock-and-roll all rolled into one, and somehow this sextet makes everything sound like it all is supposed to go together. (Can you see why the hyphens are necessary?)

The thing is this, and I think I’ve said this somewhere before: The Raven and the Writing Desk are better listened to and experienced than described and talked about. Which makes me feel kind of stupid as a blogger, since describing them is exactly what I’m trying to do. (Seriously, I think the band has made a habit of collecting hyphens. I think they get a kick out of defying description.)

So I’ll shut up now. Just listen to this.

The Raven and the Writing Desk is:

Julia Libassi – songstress, lead vocals, keyboards
Scott Conroy – guitars
Neil Mitchell – marimba, percussion
Adrienne Short – violins, harmonies
Kramer Kelling – bass
Matt Murphy – drums