In 2017, Theo Katzman’s father died, he had a bad breakup, and he lost a bunch of money on what he thought was a cool professional opportunity. This is how he discovered his sense of humor.
“Out of the wake of all that was sort of this ‘f— it’ attitude,” Katzman said, and though a core member of the very funny Vulfpeck, he says: “I don’t think I’m making comedy music. If I’m doing my job right, the people in my audience at times will be insanely sad. You can explore the light along with the dark.”
Katzman released Modern Johnny Sings: Songs In The Key Of Vibe mere days ago, “tackling the issues” of our times with unique poignancy.
Brian Claxton is one of the Colorado music scene’s most treasured side-men. The bassist for Greeley’s sweaty-soul band The Burroughs and drummer / shenanigan-conductor of the quirky power-trio known as Trash Cat, he wears many musical hats.
Claxon’s debut solo album When I Get Home sheds his outer layers and makes this very clear: He is first and foremost a jazz drummer. Quarter notes have never swung so hard.
We have a feeling 2020 is going to be epic. The pop, alternative, rock, folk scholars at The Colorado Sound sift through the flotsam of the new decade and deliver their top 5 notable arts thaangs each month right here, from 5,000 years of Chinese culture to Colorado artist’s Grammy nominations.
“I have a deep love for music,” Daniel Mladenik, owner of Hodi’s Half Note says. “I feel like this is what I was put here to do.”
Mladenik may be the big boss at Hodi’s now, but he began his time at the Fort Collins music mainstay as the “heavy” demanding derailed drunks to chill.
This January 24, Hodi’s celebrates 10 years on North College Avenue with a performance by Dave Watts and Friends, a Motet / String Cheese Incident supergroup.
Mike Shamrock is the on-stage moniker for Mike Robertson, a leader in one of Northern Colorado’s most well loved, yet under-celebrated categories: cover bands.
The number of tribute acts in Colorado alone has grown significantly in the past handful of years, with live bands reenacting everything from Devo to Slipknot. Shamrock currently leads at least three heavy rock tribute acts in the region, but what happens someone who makes his living playing covers wants to release original material?
Wild Flower features so many different instruments that it’s hard to keep track. In addition to Tyler T’s signature vocal rasp, the record boasts both acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, banjo, organ, saxophone, flute, dobro, and two notable staples of every Tyler T. show: marimba and didgeridoo, provided by Tyler himself.
Brandon Harris has lived the first few chapters of a quintessential Fort Collins musician success story. He started out playing a $15 guitar nicknamed “Trash-tar,” without a car or mode of independent transportation until a bike was gifted to him by a friend, and now makes his living playing music. His solo musical pseudonym is called Meat and Potatoes, although it more accurately translates to his bread and butter.
One look around Blast N Scrap and the authenticity is palpable. A new Fort Collins DIY performance art venue located inside the art reuse center called Who Gives a SCRAP, Blast N Scrap finds itself with the right combination of quirky and weird for a unique line-blurring artistic experience that the people of Fort Collins didn’t even know they needed. At its helm is Blasti, a scrappy 36 year old New Yorker with a vision for an all-ages punk rock art space for everyone. “How are you going to tell teenagers they can’t go to shows?” Blasti says. “They invented rock and roll.”
