Category: Features

Features, Music, Print

There’s Something To Be Said Sticking To Your Guns: An Interview With The Juan MacClean

January 2, 2015

In true DFA fashion, the album bristles with vintage synthesizers and dreamy arpeggios, and the length of the songs allows for the grooves to have a settling effect that fits nicely into their aesthetic. With vocalist Nancy Whang taking more of a lead on the album, the songs exude class and talent. Recently, we had a chance to catch up with The Juan MacClean after his DJ set at Bar Standard in Denver.

BandWagon: Do you ever see yourself as a Top 40 musician at some point? Do you ever see yourself shooting for that 3 to 5 minute pop song that’s accessible to everyone?

The Juan MacClean: Yeah I used to think that kind of thing, that one day, I don’t know if you would even call it “selling out,” but as an experiment see if it is possible to do that kind of thing. But the reality of it is, it’s not really possible. At that level everything is so manufactured. I could sign to a major label and that kind of stuff but it would be burning my career. I would lose all my real fans and it would be too weird for the rest of the world.

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Features, Music, Print

All About the Bass

December 23, 2014

“I’ve seen a lot of personal friends lives be damaged, destroyed or ended through making the wrong decisions with drug use,” Lorin Ashton says. “I’ve also seen some amazing transformations happen from very limited and responsible experimentation. I want to be ultra careful about not condoning anything without expressing how important it is to be safe and aware.”

Ashton, better known by his stage moniker Bassnectar, is often at the helm of massive EDM parties and has undoubtedly seen all sorts of debauchery in the crowd. However, at age 36, he’s learned valuable lessons over the years— not only as a musician, but also simply as a human being.

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Features, Print

Oh Greeley: An All American Musical

December 10, 2014

Mothershed has put on theater productions in Greeley, mostly at the Atlas Theater on 16th Street for the last few years under the title of Cheaply Intellectual Theater, a platform for skewering (and informing the audience about) topics such as The Bible, American History and Classic Literature. On November 19, Mothershed and his production partners, Shane White and Eric Long, took over The Moxi and put on their most ambitious show yet, Oh Greeley: An All American Musical.

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Features, Music, Print

Winter Wonderland Jam Offers Up the Classics

December 6, 2014

It was a big surprise to hear Grandmaster Dee wouldn’t be joining the other two members of Whodini for the Winter Wonderland Jam on December 6 in Denver. After all, as DJ for the ‘80s soulful hip-hop group Whodini, Grandmaster Dee carved out a permanent place for himself in hip-hop history with the celebrated group. Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, the trio’s second album, Escape, was certified platinum and delivered eight solid tracks, including hit singles “Five Minutes of Funk,” “Freaks Come Out at Night” and “Friends.”

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Features, Print

Battle of The Bands 2014 Is Getting Heated

December 5, 2014

Final Round is Saturday November 6th. The bands will compete and score points based off technique, style, stage prescence etc. But most importantly the crowd vote. A good band entertains their audience. Be a part of the 2014 Battle of the Bands vote on Saturday at the Moxi. Read up on the three finalist and check them out live.

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Features, Music, Print

Rising Stars: Jager’s Got Talent

December 4, 2014

Jager’s Got Talent was a competition consisting of three rounds that were judged and voted on to find the winner. Copycat edition refers to the theme performers were given each week to “copy” in order to fulfill the requirement (i.e. ‘90s or Boybands etc).

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Features, Music

A Revelation: Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis is Actually Really Nice

November 19, 2014

The second J Mascis got on the phone, everything I had read about him was verified to be true. He was a man of few words, spoke with a bit of irreverence in his voice and was very matter-of-fact, but in the best way possible. As front man of Dinosaur Jr. he’s earned the right to be a little nonchalant about these things. My introduction to Dinosaur Jr. began as a teenager when I heard 1991’s Green Mind. Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, indie rock or “alternative rock” as it was called back then, was just beginning to inch its way into the Midwest from the “grunge capital” of Seattle and various West Coast music hubs. Although the group originated in Massachusetts, Dinosaur Jr.’s sophomore album, 1987’s You’re Living All Over Me had been released on SST Records, a fierce independent label based in Long Beach, California and home to Black Flag, Descendents and Sonic Youth. It was kind of the “it” label at the time. Mascis began carving out a niche for himself.

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