Fort Collins has long been known to be home to a vibrant music scene. Because northern Colorado is an undisputedly great place to live, it’s not uncommon to find musicians bouncing from band to band and new bands starting up from the remnants of other bands on a consistent basis.
A fairly recent example of this common phenomenon can be seen in one of The Choice City’s highest regarded new indie rock bands, The Bright Collide.
The Bright Collide began as a solo project for Fort Collins singer/guitarist Brian Maier, perhaps best known in the local music scene as the leader of the alternative rock outfit Race to Neptune. This quickly changed with the addition of drummer Matt Petersen and bassist Daniel Robbins.
Since solidifying the current lineup, The Bright Collide has released three singles, first introducing the world to the new, polished sound of the trio with “Colorful Wishes”. This love song of sorts with spacy, clean guitars contrasted with intense drums, is punctuated with a passionate guitar solo that gets the point across without being overly complicated.
The second single from the band, “The Hours,” picks up right where the previous release left off, echoing the relaxing yet emotional feel of bands like The Cure and The Smiths. This time with a fuzzed-out breakdown and guitar solo serving as the second bookend of the track.
The latest effort from The Bright Collide, released in 2025, is arguably the band’s brightest-shining contribution to date; a sparse, heavenly light yet also intense track, perhaps appropriately titled, “The Quiet”.
Like the band’s previous releases, “The Quiet” contrasts clean, echoey guitar sounds with fast drums, giving the listener a peaceful yet delightfully unnerving sonic experience.
The Bright Collide has already been celebrated by numerous media outlets, even being labeled “Northern Colorado’s Newest Gem” by The B-Side Guys Music Podcast and Blog. With just three singles under their belt, Maier and company appear to be on the right track to live up to the praise.
