Features

Slow Joy: Emotional Honesty and Universal Appeal

Digging Deep Esteban Flores, the visionary behind the solo project Slow Joy, stands out not only for his unique blend of grunge, emo, and shoegaze but also for his deeply introspective approach to music creation …

The Legend of Danno Simpson

As Danno Simpson sat in the intake room of the Larimer County Jail sobering up, he tried to piece together the disjointed fragments of the night before. He remembered getting angry, swinging his fists and …

Casper Allen: The Honesty of a Broken Voice

Casper Allen’s Wild Ride In the ink-stained tapestry of Casper Allen’s life, the meanings behind his tattoos, even the regretful ones, serve as a vivid narrative of his crazy journey. “I like that the not-so-good …

A COLLUR-ful Piece

An Empty Canvas In 2023, COLLUR’s journey as an artist resembled that of an explorer venturing into uncharted palettes of styles and melodies. His words began painting a canvas that deepened in shades and hues …

Celebrating a Swinging Hanukkah

Jewish jazz musician Domi Edson released an album of her favorite traditional songs. The Holidays were always a complex time for jazz bassist Domi Edson. She enjoys the classic jazz holiday recordings by the Vince …

Violet Wild Digs Deep on “Steal My Body”

One Year to Live… A cancer scare provoked the kind of question from Joanna Branum that most of us ask at one point or another: What if I had one year to live? In her …

Sam Tallent: A Hilarious Journey to the Top

Sam Tallent is killing it. The Colorado-based stand-up comic has become a source of pride for many of those who witnessed his rise to the top of the comedic mountain—and likely the source of childish …

An Interview with Emerging Artist, COLLUR

In the heart of Colorado’s music scene, COLLUR, an alternative artist and college student, has been making noise with his genre-defying sound. In this exclusive interview, COLLUR takes us on a journey through his evolving …

Ovira is on a Mission to Spread Intergalactic Love

Fighting the Force Not so long ago in a galaxy somewhere nearby, an alien empress walked down a boulevard lined with her adoring subjects on her coronation day. Before she could reach the dias, a …

2023 BandWagon Magazine Battle of The Bands Line-Up Revealed

BandWagon Magazine announced the 2023 Battle of the Bands last month, pushing bands up and down Colorado’s front range to put their foot in the race with the prospect of a $5,000 grand prize and …

Tyler Halverson: What The Hell To Do With “Different.”

Dive into Tyler Halverson’s online presence, and you’ll be greeted by a cheeky cartoon: a Western cowboy, sporting stubble and flashing a grin, while a joint smolders between his lips, captioned “Western Amerijuanna Music.” This …

Welcome to Thrash Hard City (Take Two)

On the first of April this year, Northern Colorado metal bands Thrash Hard City and Phantomstone played back-to-back opening sets at the Moxi Theater’s 10th anniversary. Each band was less than a year old and …

The Burroughs: Greeley’s Hometown Heroes Craft a Cosmic Symphony

In the dynamic realm of the indie music scene, there are albums, and then there are sagas—musical odysseys that weave tales as enthralling as the notes themselves. The Burroughs’ latest offering, “Honey Imastar,” falls firmly …

The Greeley Block Party Unveils its Lineup for FREE Upcoming Music Festival

School is back in session and summer’s end is around the corner, which means it’s time for Greeley’s biggest, most diverse music festival of the year! This morning, BandWagon Presents unveiled the lineup for The …

Ben Chapman: The Trail to and from Nashville

The heart of country music lives in Nashville, and Red Dirt Country artist Ben Chapman is capturing the heart of the city after his last two records and national tour with Lainey Wilson. With his …

A Few Questions With Toad The Wet Sprocket’s Dean Dinning

There are countless ridiculous band names—from Chumbawamba and Limp Bizkit to Hoobastank and Thirty Odd Foot of Grunt. Then there’s Toad The Wet Sprocket. What’s a sprocket, why is it wet and what does that …

The Mysterious Magic of 311

As 311 was driving from Omaha to Los Angeles with dreams of making it in the music business, they made a pit stop at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado. Standing in front of the …

Outlaw Saloon Announces CFD After Party Lineup

The Outlaw Saloon’s CFD After Party Concert Series is on the horizon. As usual, it promises a remarkable lineup of country and rock music’s finest, set to take the stage from July 21st through July …

xDeadBeatx Ignites a Hardcore Punk Resurgence in Fort Collins

“When I moved to Fort Collins, I didn’t want to have to drive to Denver to go to hardcore shows,” Billy Fabrocini tells BandWagon. “Now people will drive up here to go to shows. That’s what DeadBeat was always about. DeadBeat was about showing people, ‘yeah, we can do it ourselves. We can do it here.’”
In addition to being a hardcore band, xDeadBeatx is “straight edge,” a label that arose from the hardcore scene in 1981, after the seminal band Minor Threat released a 46-second track by the same name that disparaged drug and alcohol abuse. Since then, straight edge has evolved, morphed and splintered into its own genre and subgenres. A strict set of ethical guidelines come along with the musical characteristics — no drinking, smoking, drugs, promiscuous sex or addictive behaviors of any kind for life. 
Each member of xDeadBeatx has his own reason for embracing the straight edge ethos. Each of those reasons can be traced back to long before the band was founded in 2019.

Silver & Gold: Saving Face

The band members in Silver & Gold don’t seem to believe it, but it was a decade ago when they were just a group of college kids crowded together in a music rehearsal room at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley to go over some songs they’d just written.
They were regulars after 9 p.m. most nights at Frasier Hall, the music building, where they honed their craft beyond jazz choir, soon becoming one of Northern Colorado’s most beloved rock bands.
The band will release a new EP next month, and the six songs reflect a group much more sure of itself than those kids in Fraiser, Hildebrandt said. This is despite the fact that they recorded the album just a few months into the pandemic. Maybe, in fact, because of it.

No More Running: Seth Beamer Shines Solo

Strong inspiration can carry you a long way. For Denverite and man of many musical hats Seth Beamer, inspiration struck at least once recently and the propulsion is palpable. Having embraced a solo career path after parting ways with Wildermiss (a group he founded) a handful of years ago, Beamer has embraced his true self: a connector, teacher, master of many trades, and conduit of positive energy.

Releasing his debut single “The Runaround” on December 7, 2022, Beamer has hit the ground, well, running – racking up tens of thousands of instagram followers and winning Channel 93.3 KTCL’s annual Hometown For The Holidays competition last month. For Colorado artists, that’s a huge deal.

Treaty Oak Revival: An Alliance Between Punk and Country

Treaty Oak Revival didn’t really have a choice but to be a country band. They grew up in West Texas, a market that practically demands bands play country, and, well, it’s also hard to escape your roots. 

“I have an accent,” said Sam Canty, the band’s lead vocalist, in an interview with BandWagon – and for the record, he sure as heck does.

Even so, all that Texas red dirt country the band seemed destined to play couldn’t bury their love of rock and roll, especially in a world of modern crossovers. Canty is unafraid to proclaim his love of big punk acts such as Sum 41 and Blink 182 and Treaty Oak Revival finds themselves with their feet in more than one arena.

100 to 16, Now Down to 4: BandWagon’s Battle Of The Bands Closes in on Title Bout

Eternal Glory, $5,000 and the cover of BandWagon Magazine are grounds for musical fisticuffs in Colorado. Last month, 16 Colorado bands who stood out from 100 submissions slugged it out (yes, metaphorically) at 4 of the state’s most worthy music venues: Oskar Blues Colorado Springs, The Moxi Theater in Greeley, The Coast in Fort Collins and The Black Buzzard in Denver.
The four finalists rocked hard to surpass their contenders and secure their spot in the final round on December 10 at The Moxi Theater. In the initial rounds, each act was assessed by a panel of celebrity judges on a combination of talent, skill, stye and conduct (along with an element of fan voting) to determine the finalists. Here’s what the original sweet sixteen brought to the battlefield in the first round.

Langhorne Slim: A Semblance of Stillness

Langhorne Slim’s “Strawberry Mansion” was the result of a burst of creativity that emerged from the pandemic and after winning a battle with clinical anxiety and prescription drug abuse. He’s still happy to talk about that time and his never-ending struggles, and he remains honored to share his experience with mental health organizations. But sometimes he has to remind people that those are things he’s dealt with his whole life. They do not necessarily define him.

“I’m also having fun too,” Slim said with a laugh in a phone interview with BandWagon. “It’s not beating me every day. For the first time ever, I was finding some semblance of stillness. I wasn’t running from myself because I wasn’t able to.”

Nothing to Hide Behind: Wheelwright’s Jared Kolesar After The Mill

“I think there’s an element of a lonely cowboy out on the trail,” Jared Kolesar of Wheelwright tells BandWagon. “There’s many songs now with a story that is best told while I’m alone with my guitar.”

The reworked songs give his Jared & The Mill fans a chance to preview his new sound, one he calls more sonically interesting, with more synth and more effects to his vocals to go with some new hip-hop vibes. He calls the sound Neo-Western and compares it to a mix of 80’s futurism and Americana. Or, in his own words, “like Blade Runner with more cowboy vibes.” 

Finding Herself: Briana Harris Steps Up as Band Leader on Debut Album When We’re Found

On a whim, Briana Harris submitted a grant proposal along with a demo of her soulful song “Ground Up” which she had performed for The Burroughs’ Virtual Telethon in 2020. That June, Harris received a message that she was awarded the funding to record an album.

“I wanted to make the most volume of work I could, and see where that would take me,” Harris said. “I want to really present what I feel is the fullest version of myself. Just the process of doing that for me has been important and empowering.”

Birth, Death and Time In The Sun: SUSTO’s Justin Osborne Finds new Dimesion

“There were ravines growing between me and people in my life,” Justin Osborne tells BandWagon. “And with COVID, everybody got pushed back together. Some of those changes had to be faced head on.”

Osborne is the commandant of North Carolina’s Susto and he’s just gone through some of the most intense years of his life.

“If humans are dimensional,” he says, “there’s a whole new dimension of myself that was awakened.”

Susto’s sound sits between Americana, psych-pop and the indie-rock church of rootsy folk. A mix of satire and earnestness adds a roughness; a raised eyebrow setting it apart from rural radio. Its dark, drug-influenced sentimentality and staunch idealism is, at its heart, just barefaced American songwriting.

“There were a lot of attempts at reconciliation – my own beliefs with how I was raised,” he says. “I’m trying not to disrespect,” he says, “but to participate in these big life events.”

Permission to Shine: Shinyribs’ Kevin Russell Goes Big

Kevin Russell was nearing age 40, and given the upheavals in his career, should have been facing the clichéd mid-life crisis. Instead, he gave himself permission to be himself.

He left a band he’d played with for nearly 20 years, to focus on Shinyribs.

“The odds were against me for sure,” Russell said in a phone interview with BandWagon, “But I felt like I had to do it. It was a now-or-never kind of feeling. It was a gamble. But it was so great. We are now an instant party – wherever we go.” 

Play it For Your Mates: Tones And I Rises Up Solo; Puts the “I” in Team-Macklemore

You’ve heard it.

It was written by a busker, in a closet, for a few friends at a youth hostel but somewhere on Planet Earth in the last three years, you’ve heard it.

The song is “Dance Monkey” and the number of times it has been streamed online is literally incalculable.

“I didn’t write that song to release at all,” Toni Watson aka Tones And I tells BandWagon. “I lived at a hostel. Like – I’d parked my van there, I used the showers. I played that song for a year on the street before I decided to release it.”

Now, for the first time, the one woman wonder is ready to collaborate – with her musical hero Macklemore, of course. “It’s just the most perfect track for both of us,” Watson says.

And she will finally release her first song ever about love. “I don’t mean to, but I’ve actually never written a love song,” Watson says. “I just don’t feel like I’d ever really known what it is.”

The Bones of J.R. Jones: Desert Rhythms and Dancing Through the Blues

J.R.’s life as a touring bluesman came later than some. In his late 20’s, he was living in Brooklyn, bartending and teaching at a pre-school. He had a masters degree in printmaking, but the medium was quickly being usurped by digital alternatives. Still, he needed a creative outlet. 

A few years before, J.R.’s college roommate had introduced him to a song that made him fall in love with the blues. It was Blind Lemon Jefferson, a 1920’s singer and guitarist who is sometimes credited as the “Father of the Texas Blues.”

“I had never heard that raw, gritty passion in anything else,” he said. “It just kind of leveled me.”

From then on, J.R. spent his in-between time — in between work, school, relationships and everything else — playing the blues.

“There were a lot of DIY venues that popped up in loft spaces or garages. They were perfect for the type of music I was playing,” he explained. “All you needed was a condenser microphone, a picnic table and a cooler of PBR.”

Michal Menert: Things Burn Down

Michal Menert has been thinking about fire.

The fires that have burned vast tracts of land near his childhood home in Colorado and not far from his former home in California. The fire that burned a warehouse full of his merch in Detroit last December. A fire that burned down the house in Fort Collins where he used to live with his bandmates in 2004. And all of the other metaphorical fires that have raged through his life over the years.

“Things burn down and then you watch the flowers grow back out of the cracks,” Menert reflected in an interview with BandWagon.

The theme has permeated the Pretty Lights cofounder’s music in recent months.

A Century of Country – Greeley Stampede’s New Stage Set for Brad Paisley and More

The Greeley Stampede’s new stage was built with Brad Paisley in mind.

The last time he played here, in 2007, Paisley had 10 semi-trailers full of equipment, said Justin Watada, executive director of the Stampede. Way back then, three “up and coming” acts performed with Paisley, including a young lady named Taylor Swift.

The brand new stage is bigger and much better, with all the fixins you’d expect from a show at Red Rocks, including a platform that will allow the artists to walk 50 feet out into the crowd. And Paisley is back as the Stampede’s biggest act in a lineup that includes Stone Temple Pilots, Jon Pardi, Cole Swindell and Jordan Davis.

OGT: To Re-Write a Legacy

Kodean IX doesn’t know where he would be without music, but he knows it wouldn’t be good.
He has been in and out of jail, and one of his cousins was in Greeley’s chapter of the infamous 18th Street gang. 

“He asked me why I was gang-banging,” Kodean recalled, “and I said, ‘Because I grew up here.’ – He told me to do something better. Break the legacy. And I did.”

Kodean and a grieving Keen OGT (who lost his sister to suicide) were rapping to help quell the pain they felt, and they began to call themselves OGT, or One Great Team.

Then the Moxi Theater gave OGT a chance, a big show, and Korean hasn’t forgotten it.

“I’d still be in a different life,” Kodean told BandWagon. “[The Moxi] gave me a chance to show what I could do.”

How The Arcadian Wild was Loved Into Being

The Arcadian Wild really listen. You can see it in their patience with fans, their gentleness with each other, and most of all in the cohesive interplay of each melodic line in their music. Like mycelium spreading nutrients throughout a forest, each individual is inseparable from the whole.

The band began in an impromptu post-choir-class jam session in 2013. The lineup has shifted so often over the years that founding member Lincoln Mick refers to the band as a “revolving door,” but he remembers the band’s five-or-so departed members with much more sweetness than bitterness.

“To take a turn of phrase from Fred Rogers, so many people have ‘loved this band into being’ over the years,” he told BandWagon.

Polyrhythmics and the Definition of Vibe

When the Polyrhythmics first gathered in a Seattle recording studio a decade ago, they planned to make a vinyl record and then, perhaps, go their separate ways …

“When we started, we wanted to perform the music we recorded,” Bloom said, “and now our live set is a living, breathing thing that we do every night. There is this ethos from the fans that they want to see something new, and that feedback has played into what we do live. We are still sort of trying to reach something every night. We are trying to leave room for magic.” 

Blast N’ Scrap is Back on Track

Blast N’ Scrap has become the de facto community hub for underground music in Fort Collins, but the organization does far more than event production. Its projects include a 6-week theater program for school kids, weekly screen printing classes using sustainable and recycled materials and Band Blast Off, a music education program teaching professional skills to aspiring musicians ages 7 to 17.

The prolific volume of Blast N’ Scrap initiatives is due, in large part, to the scruffy 38-year old at the helm. Michael Gormley is bursting with ideas.

And though Blast N’ Scrap events now include established local bands, Gormley adamantly says they will always be there for local bands to play their first show.

Son Lux Scores Everything and Frees Up Their Tomorrows

If André 3000 playing a Mayan double flute for your band’s movie score isn’t proof that the multiverse exists, we don’t know what is.

But it exists. And there’s so much more. André, Moses Sumney, Randy Newman, Mitski, and David Byrne are among the guest artists Son Lux acquired for what became a 49-track film score with more musical ideas than one universe can hold.

Son Lux (Ryan Lott, Ian Chang and Rafiq Bhatia) have been making music from their own universes for years. In 2019, they were contacted by film directing team Daniels to score their mind bending, multiverse movie ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ It was a match made in multi-heaven.

Now on tour supporting their recent, triple album ‘Tomorrows I, II & III,’ Son Lux bring an organic approach to represent their cinematic, layered and dynamic music.

Horse Feathers: The Endearing Nature of Justin Ringle’s Earnest Sound

Horse Feathers’ spin on traditional folk and Americana spans barn dance to backyard reverie, airy ballads to full-blooded country jigs.

Justin Ringle launched Horse Feathers shortly after moving to the Pacific Northwest at a time he says “all the cliches from Portlandia were being developed.” Rent was cheap and you just needed a shitty job to keep your creative aspirations afloat.  
  
“It was really less preposterous for me to try to become a professional musician than it was to get a job in graphic design at the time,” he said. Though dispelling any romantic notion, Ringle points out, “There was really high unemployment in Portland and it was just kind of tough going. Everything was really close to the bone.” 

Goatwhore: With a Vengeance

Even with a name like Goatwhore, there’s room for subtlety.

Yes, there are Satanic overtones in Goatwhore’s lyrics — duh — and their music reflects it, with the kind of hardcore black metal crunch you’d expect in the drums, guitars and, of course, the vocals (also duh). But the last record’s lyrics come from a concept album, Vengeful Ascension, which portray Lucifer as an underdog slighted by a God who was equally oppressive.

L. Ben Falgoust II, the band’s singer (and keeper of one of the best metal monikers in history), uses historical references to color the themes, but Zack Simmons, the drummer, likes to apply the lyrics to real life.

Cloud Catcher: Carry the Heavy Torch

Some kids grow up listening to Barney, Elmo or Little Einsteins. Rory Rummings listened to Dio, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. 
“My Dad raised me on the classics,” Rummings tells BandWagon, and you can hear it in Cloud Catcher, the Denver band he formed nine years ago. Rummings is the frontman and main songwriter, and he loves paying homage to the classic metal of the 1980s as well as the bands that started it all, such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. 
But Rummings insists that Cloud Catcher isn’t just another replica.

Pink Fuzz: Blood Runs Deep

If you notice a particular sweetness in the vocal harmonies soaring above the sludgy riffs, ripping guitar and ruthless drums of Denver rock trio Pink Fuzz, you’re on to something. If you pick out stylistic parallels to another Denver trio The Velveteers, you’re getting even warmer.

The sound you hear in the voices of John and LuLu from Pink Fuzz is called blood harmony. That sounds pretty metal, which is appropriate, but it’s a term used to describe the unmatched accordance that happens when blood relatives sing together.

Joshua Ray Walker: King Of The Honky-Tonk Misfits

Joshua Ray Walker’s role model for his hit “Sexy After Dark” was not Tim McGraw, Billy Ray Cyrus or Keith Urban. It was Conway Twitty.
Twitty, Walker said in a phone interview with BandWagon, was sort of a goofy guy who managed to sing some of the most romantic songs in country music. It’s not like Twitty belonged on the cast of Hee Haw, but he wasn’t Elvis. One of the intentions of “Sexy After Dark,” Walker said, was to pay a backhanded but lighthearted tribute to all the people like Twitty.

“There’s a history of country crooners who aren’t sexy – putting out sexy songs,” Walker said. “‘Slow Hand’ is one of my favorites. Twitty is so goofy-looking, but he sold it. He really sold it.”

The other intent, Walker said, was to poke fun at himself. He knows he’s also not Elvis.

Corb Lund: Country Muse, Clean Water and Frontier Justice

Corb Lund is the son of a ranching family that goes back eight generations in Southern Alberta. If he can tell you something in three words, he won’t use 20. “Pretty country,” was all he needed to say in an interview with BandWagon to evoke the rolling sage brush on his family’s ancestral homestead. 

While Lund may be conversationally economical, he is lyrically verbose. Over the course of twelve full length LPs, he has become one of Amercana’s most beloved songwriters; lyrically and sonically a modern embodiment of life on the range.

Last May, the Alberta provincial government rescinded a 1976 ban on open-pit coal mining on the slopes of the Canadian Rockies which threatened to scar the landscape and taint the water of nearby communities.

“It pissed off everybody up here, not just the lefties — ranchers, hunters and the first nations people,” Lund said. “It affects the water I drink. This was too egregious to let go.”

Lund collaborated with other Canadian musicians to re-record his 2009 song “This Is My Prairie,” in protest. A few months later, the government backed down and even introduced new protections.

Math Rock and the Immigrant Experience: ZETA “Dances It All” – from Venezuela to Miami to Fort Collins

“Every song is a different rhythm that represents a region in Latin America,” Zeta’s Juan Yilo Alvarado says of Todo Bailarlo, the Venezuelan punk orchestra’s upcoming LP. “It was really liberating and really challenging at the same time.”  

“Our communities dance through everything: sadness, happiness, the good, the bad,” Alvarado said. “We are always dancing through life, moving and adapting and looking for better opportunities in remote places.” 

But Zeta has not lost its frenetic exuberance by embracing its roots. This is calypso (and salsa, samba, latin jazz…) made for moshing. “It’s still rock and it’s still progressive,” Alvarado assures.

While Zeta’s sound might be aggressive, the band’s ethos is the opposite. They are compassionate, inclusive and intent on fostering community wherever they go. Dani “Debuto” Hernandez, the band’s other guitarist/vocalist in addition to Alvarado, is notorious for feeding tour mates, fans and anyone else that walks by. In keeping with the band’s shared pacifistic and environmental ethics, his cooking is vegan (with a Venezuelan flair).

“We’ve connected to, not only to latinos, but also to immigrant people from other countries and ethnicities,” Alvarado explained. “We all feel very identified with the immigrant struggle. In the band and orchestra we are all either immigrants or the kids of immigrants.”

Right Back Into It: Ben Pu Stays True

At the end of most of his gigs, and in conversations with other musicians or friends, Ben Puchalski gets the question: “Dude, why aren’t you bigger?”

Puchalski, these days, answers with a shrug, and that’s not because he’s a little tired of answering it, even though, truth be told, he kinda is.

“You always try to increase your fan base no matter how long you’ve been doing it.”

“I’ve had a lot of good fans, especially through the pandemic,” he said. “They really kept me afloat. They still come out. It’s unfathomable.”

Still Thirsty: G. Love & The Juice Stir it Up

The band still carries his name, but G. Love is taking a step back from the spotlight. 

G. Love was as synonymous with the Special Sauce as a Big Mac and fries, but he’s now touring with The Juice, and the move signals a shift in musical direction, both in his music and the way he approaches it. 

“Special Sauce has been great, but I’d been thinking about a bigger band for some time,” G. Love said in a phone interview for BandWagon. “It was a chance to play with a lot more soloists instead of just a trio. It was a lot of fun for me.”

You Can’t Bullshit Metal Fans: Soulfly’s Max Cavalera

“Little by little, my own tastes came through for Soulfly,” Max Calverra tells BandWagon. “As I get older, you’d think I’d get more mellow. But I like the heavier and heavier stuff. When you get older, you play what you like. You play what you feel.”

“Riffs are my church,” he said. “That’s my paradise. I will spend hours riffing on the guitar and just chugging on the guitar. I call it Chug Life. When you finally find a killer riff, man, it’s like you’ve won the lottery.

The Collection: Better to Get Lost Than Never to Have Lived at All

On the last day of 2021, David Wimbish, a millennial, posted a viral video on TikTok. It’s is a perfect snapshot of what The Collection does best. The instrumentation is catchy and Wimbish inhabits the unambiguous emotion of the song with his vocal performance. The lyrics are intense, vulnerable and painfully relatable (“another lockdown stuck inside this shit town I can’t find a way round my intrusive thoughts now”). 

“I went from someone who was trying to please everyone, to someone who is outspoken about my sexuality,” Wimbish told BandWagon later. “Why are you so afraid of pleasure,” he sings in their new single ”Get Lost,” and this celebration of pleasure is on full display at the Collection’s live shows. Wimbish twirls his mic stand theatrically from among the folds of flowing white clothing and band members bounce around the stage wildly during instrumental breaks. Huge grins and perspiration are the band’s unofficial uniform.

Common Ancestor: LowDown Brass Band’s New Hotness Has Roots

“LowDown Brass Band has roots in the Jazz education world,” MC Billa Camp tells BandWagon, “but the Jazz education world has the habit of treating Jazz like an island. As if – Jazz isn’t birthed from the same struggle as Hip Hop. As if they are not Black father and son, born fighting the same fight.” 

Lowdown Nights, the latest and most future-leaning record from LowDown Brass Band, was appropriately released during Black History Month. It takes things further out of the pigeonhole and into the pan-genre stage, using the history of the African American experience as its guide. 

Especially with the hit single “Be The One Tonight,” they go mainstream – and that’s a good thing. The collective has enough talent within its ranks to deliver a show with as much variety as Beyoncés 2018 Homecoming at Coachella. It’s the multi-lingual, multicultural, multi-genre kind of mainstream pop and dance music that encapsulates the musical stew of 2022.

Spoke In A Wheel: Zachary Williams of The Lone Bellow Hits the Road with Dirty Camaro

Zachary Williams, whose powerful voice drove him out from the Brooklyn Bar4 open-mic world and onto the international stage, is best known as the belting leader of The Lone Bellow. His new solo record Dirty Camaro is indeed an escape from that band’s gravity; one that’s weird, head-turning, soulful and fresh.

Williams says “I’ve wanted to do it for a long time – really, right after Jim James from My Morning Jacket released his solo record.” He says James had “graciously come out to a couple of my shows,” and the two connected.

What began as a two day trial session resulted in the full length record. The album is rich with expert pedal steel guitar, orchestral strings, saxophone and a Texas-band backbone that really cooks.

Writing at the Helm: Hunter James & The Titanic on the Creative Process

“A lot of bands say ‘well, we can’t box ourselves into a specific genre because we play funk and jazz and rock or whatever,’” Hunter James & the Titanic says. “It’s nice to be in a band that says, ‘we play rock and roll 109% of the time.’”

Hunter James & the Titanic refuse to be lured into the post-genre vortex despite that impossible percentage and their lineup of eclectic players. They play Americana — no caveats. Well maybe a couple.

“I really wanted to have this band feel really focused.” Hunter James explained. “But, there’s something inside of me that won’t let me just write like that. But, we always sound like us no matter what.”

In just three years, the band has put out an EP, five singles and two full-length LPs. Their latest album, 2021’s La Liberté, finds the band settled even deeper into a roots rock sound.

TX2: A Punk with Pull

“There was a point where I was trying to end my whole life,” Evan Thomas – aka TX2 – tells BandWagon. “I felt worthless. And I had friends help me out. Once people feel like they’re alone, they need someone to talk to. I feel like that helps save lives.”

In addition to putting on cathartic, high energy pop-punk shows, Thomas is the founder of The X Movement, an online safe space for his fans (and anyone struggling) after battling with his own mental health.

Mom Rock Wants To Kiss You On The Mouth

A few years ago, Mom Rock booked their first gig at The Garden, a notorious house on the Boston DIY basement show circuit. They were ecstatic… until they saw the 6 pm time slot. Barely anyone would be there. What happened next cemented the quartet as a fixture in the scene.

“We went up to play and the crowd was electric,” guitarist/singer Josh Polack told BandWagon. “It was the first time I ever crowd surfed during a guitar solo.”

“Our fans are the best people on earth,” guitarist/singer Curtis Heimburger said.

Pecos & The Rooftops: More Than One Damn Song

The night Pecos & the Rooftops wrote the song that gave them their breakout success, they really weren’t even a working band yet – just a bunch of friends who liked to hang out and jam to cover songs.

The quintet’s frontman, Pecos Hurley, had just begun writing songs, and he was playing the chords to one when magic struck: One of the other guys began singing a chorus to it. 

“Damn, that’s good,” Hurley recalled saying during a phone interview for BandWagon. “Do you care if I try to finish it?”

Finish it he did, and the result, “This Damn Song,” was a smash hit.

Break It To Make It: Okey Dokey Hits The Coast

It’s 1 am in San Antonio, Texas and Aaron Martin wants to give you a hug.

He’s the singer and co-founder of Okey Dokey and why wouldn’t he give you a squeeze? You are, after all, a part of Okey Dokey too.

“It’s everything you’d want after two years of, you know, the absence,” Martin tells BandWagon of their current tour. He’s been excited to finally practice Okey Dokey’s mission statement with the people who make the live music experience what it is to him: pretty much everyone who’s not in the band.

“The whole statement is kind of anti-separation,” Martin says. “Bands aren’t just a band. It’s everyone involved.”

INTHEWHALE Gets Real on Vanishing Point

What sets Eric Riley and Nate Valdez apart from other heavy acts isn’t their musicianship (though it is excellent) but their ability to translate unflinchingly raw moments into music. Starting with INTHEWHALE’s last EP, Dopamine, the band’s tone shifted from the sophomoric humor of their earlier releases to brutally honest explorations of the darker moments of life. These explorations continue on Vanishing Point. The band wrestles with pharmaceutical addiction, suicidal ideation and gentrification. The pain and anger is palpable.

UPLIFT: FoCo – New Generation on the Rise

“My thinking was, ‘Yeah, get me off this bus,’” Andy Whilden said. He decided to leave touring as a musician for a job at The Matthews House, a place for underserved youth. 

Starting the Uplift: FoCo festival two years ago gave Whilden more personal satisfaction than he expected. The benefit festival will feature acts that are acoustically driven. “They can play any genre,” Whilden said of the house band, though the 2021 installment will also deliver something different, and, well, a little less tenured.

BandWagon Expands: Tony Mason Hops On as Booking Stretches from Colorado Springs to Sheridan, Wyoming

After leaving his job as the lead talent buyer managing Lost Lake, Larimer Lounge and Globe Hall in Denver, Tony Mason saw a new position booking for the famed Gas Monkey in Dallas turn into a depressing slog of cancelling shows remotely from Denver during the pandemic.

Now, Mason will put his contacts to use to work for an expanded BandWagon enterprise which will offer a full-on, regional concert promotions and event production entity from Colorado Springs to Casper, Wyoming.

The Velveteers: Nightmare Dream-Team Graduates from the Garage

When The Velveteers (Demi Demitro, Baby Pottersmith and Jonny Fig) pulled up to a hip, all-ages venue in Detroit, they didn’t expect anyone to recognize them.

“Most of the last two years we’ve just been doing the same thing we always do, which is the three of us practicing music alone in a tiny garage,” Pottersmith tells BandWagon.

As soon as they stepped out of the tour van that day, the illusion of isolation was shattered. Maybe shattered is the wrong word. A fan, sporting Adidas flip flops, a Johnny Cash t-shirt and playing air guitar on a squash racket, was pacing outside of the venue and screaming the lyrics to the lead single “Charmer And The Snake” from their deliciously sinister hard rock album Nightmare Daydream.

Trash Cat and the Absurdity of the Human Experience

Greeley’s greatest-of-all-time cartoon-inspired indie funk rock band Trash Cat features Mary Claxton on lead vocals and electric ukulele, Hayden Farr on baritone sax and Brian Claxton on drum kit.

“Imagine you’re 13 years old and you’re trying to write about your innermost feelings,” Mary Claxton tells BandWagon of the band’s character writing. “It’s a lot to share. On some level I felt the same way about myself.”

Though all three members hold down day jobs and tour with The Burroughs, they have clearly carved out plenty of time for their “side project.” Their live performances are exceedingly danceable, and their recordings are meticulously produced. 

On December 3, Trash Cat will set the mood during rounds of cosmic bowling at Chippers Lanes in Fort Collins, marking the first ever live performance of the band’s sophomore album, The Tide.

Wreckno: B-Queen Drops it Like a Boss

An unlikely icon has burst onto the EDM scene. Brandon Wisniski, known eponymously as Wreckno, creates earth-shaking bass drops, raps about pulling up on your dad and refers to himself as a “FULL TIME BUSSY BOPPER” on Twitter. He may be the biggest, loudest, gayest producer the bass scene has ever seen, and he’s just getting started.

Wisniski’s music melds together the aggression of old-school gangster rap with the manic energy of bass music and the glamour of a drag show. It’s a perfect fit, but it has never really been done before.

Tech N9ne: New Torment in a Faster World

Even when he’s in bed, trying to calm his crazy mind so he can sleep, Tech N9ne keeps his phone within reach. He never knows when the next lyric will come, and when it does, he wants to be sure he gets it down.

“I hate to lose my ideas,” Tech N9ne said in a phone interview with BandWagon. “My mind races. I have that kind of torment. I can see things behind my eyelids.”

That’s the kind of devotion you’d expect from a rapper who’s recorded 14 albums — with a new one on the way soon — but it’s also the kind of work he has to put in (even as he’s about to turn 50) for his record label Strange Music. 

Always Moving: Graham Good & The Painters Bring the Optimism

“Keep believing in yourself. Keep believing in your dreams and the value you bring to the world,” Graham Good tells BandWagon. Good is the frontman of the Northern Colorado pop folk-rock outfit Graham Good & The Painters, and he delivers that statement with the well known blanket optimism he has towards life. This optimism has become a staple in his music and he sees spreading that positivity a part of his musical journey. “Just know there’s so much good you have to offer every second of the day,” Good says. “To spend that time thinking you’re not good enough, you’re underdelivering on what you’re capable of providing.”

Birth of The Band: Delvon Lamarr Steps Into the Spotlight with DLO3.

“When you believe in something, you don’t have to sell it,” Delvon Lamarr tells BandWagon.

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio were playing festivals before they had recordings and the way Lamarr shreds across the keys and seamlessly grooves the organ pedals with his feet, you’d think he had been doing this his whole life. But he didn’t even touch an organ until his early 20s.

And with guitarist Jimmy James and drummer Dan Weiss on board, Lamarr says “the combination felt unique and connected. No one person makes the band, but what puts it in perspective is all of us.”

If You Build It: That 1 Guy on Making an Instrument and Setting Songs Free

Mike Silverman – AKA That 1 Guy – knew what it would take to make it. Only his band wasn’t willing to live that hard life. So he did it himself.

“I was working so hard to fill this cosmic space,” Silverman said of the bass, “and I was playing on this thing that wasn’t meant to do that.” So he built an instrument that would help him create a big sound.

“It was very hard,” he said. “Some instrument builders study their whole lives to do this.”

The Infamous LP hits Edge Fest with Irreverent, Vulnerable Pop

“I don’t think they could deal with what I looked like and what I sounded like,” LP tells BandWagon.

“Jay-Z was there and L.A. Reid and everybody. They made me perform three or four songs in completely disparate directions. I was one of the artists dropped at the end of the session.”

Fourteen years later, LP is at the height of her career as an international pop star. She has billions of streams to her name and devout fans from Italy to Poland, Mexico and all over the world.

“It went from ‘who do you think you are?’ to ‘who are you?’,” she said.

On August 28, LP brings her irreverent, vulnerable, one-of-a-kind pop to Edge Fest; a free show in Cheyenne’s West Edge District with special guest Tai Verdes.

Roll Over Reverend: Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band clings to nostalgia for Hard Times

The Reverend Peyton always had an appetite for nostalgia – everything from the traditional country blues that influenced his guitar picking, to the vintage 1950’s outfits he and his wife Breezy wear on stage. Those touches complement their rowdy rockabilly and southern roots sound, so the Rev decided to take it all the way on his new album. He recorded it using the best technology available in the 1950’s. That meant analog. If you don’t know what that means, go ask your grandfather or any recording engineer worth their weight in two inch tape.

Buckle Up: FoCoMX Drive and Jive Continues Despite BoHo NoGo

Taking place on Sundays this month at the historic Holiday Twin Drive-In, FoCoMX: Drive and Jive continued its live offerings last month with further programming into August and beyond. Reimagining the series to feature a mix of established veteran Colorado acts as well as “discovery” artists from the region, Drive and Jive aims to build engaged audiences and more.

In light of yesterday’s news that the Bohemian Foundation’s recently announced Bohemian Light Music Festival is now in fact cancelled due to COVID precautions, the Drive and Jive series offers a live music format which has proved to function well under pandemic restrictions.

Bohemian Light Brings Heavy Hitters Back to Famed Fort Collins Festival

The Bohemian Foundation will put on a music festival this summer in downtown Fort Collins, and though the headliners are big names, fans of Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest should temper their expectations somewhat.

Dubbed the Bohemian Light Music Festival, free, live concerts will commence two nights instead of three, featuring psychedelic soul band Black Pumas and singer-songwriter Randy Newman, plus Shovels & Rope and dozens of Colorado’s top bands.

Orville Peck: Home On The Fringe

“I don’t get blowback from traditional country fans,” Orville Peck said in an interview with BandWagon. “There’s always been something new introduced to that genre, whether it’s an instrument or Willie singing about weed or it’s me singing about men and wearing a mask. Everyone freaks out and says it’s not country, and then slowly it becomes part of it. I don’t mind that blowback. That means I’m doing it right. I take it as a challenge.”

Yawper Goes West: Nate Cook Defies Death; Cycles Nation-Wide for Musicians’ Sweet Relief

“I’m terrified. The scope of this is insane and it’s going to be heavily publicized,” The Yawpers’ front man Nate Cook tells BandWagon. The last time he attempted a feat a quarter as intense, he stated: “I was absolutely certain I was going to die.”

This summer, Cook’s attempts a nation-wide, musicians charity bike ride stretching from Greeley Square in NYC, through Death Valley in August, to LA in September with live gigs along the way. With characteristic dark wit, he quips: “I’m concerned about failing, although, I feel like if I get hit by a car or something it will drive donations even more.”

Make More Everything: FoCo Film and Music Collide and Connect

“A lot of people that are emotionally driven tend to gravitate towards the arts,” musician Maxwell Tretter tells BandWagon. “But, then they also hit this pivotal moment between the path of isolation or the path of connection. I’m sick of hearing about the tragic origin story. I want to hear about the well connected, like, ‘life went great for me and I made amazing shit’ story.”

And thus sparked Make More Everything, a “game of telephone between writers, musicians and visual artists.” Tretter collaborated with film-slam organizer Jesse Nyander, culminating in a bonanza, multi-media event Friday, July 2nd at The Lyric in Fort Collins.

Ian Munsick Finds His Own Lane

When he’s reminded that he will open for Dwight Yoakam, who was country before country was hip the way it is now, Ian Munsick’s reflexive response is exactly what you’d expect from a rising young star: “Oh, man, that’s gonna be awesome,” says the Wyoming native. But then he pauses and chuckles when asked how he thinks the crowd will respond to him at the 99th annual Greeley Stampede. Are those nerves?

“It’ll be interesting,” Munsick tells BandWagon. Munsick, after all, is doing what he can to push the music beyond the traditional sound that made Yoakam and others like him a legend.

Flobots: Our Patriotism Is Future-Facing

As footage of the capitol riots circulated online, James Laurie, aka Jonny 5, watched with a unique kind of discomfort. A discomfort that stemmed from familiarity. Some of the rioters looked like they could have been at a Flobots concert circa 2008 — an era where the band’s merch was decorated with stars and stripes and their music was the soundtrack to protests against the Iraq war.

Their latest single, “When It All Falls” directly addresses the tumultuous, to say the least, landscape of the past year – one which mobilised, yet polarised much of the nation on both intimate and massively public scales.

For Life: Emily Nelson on The Drums

Emily Nelson had a feeling the universe had something in mind for her.

“The drums were just a fun way to get healthy again,” she said, “and a year later, Erica was there.”

Erica, Brown, the Denver blues diva and Greeley favorite, brought Nelson in to her all-woman band the Cast Iron Queens after several life-changing events gave Nelson the strength not to be paralyzed by perfectionism.

Home Team For The Win: The Burroughs’ “Zero Sum Game”

After a year, The Burroughs have re-emerged with a new video and single, “Zero Sum Game,” a first time songwriting collaboration between drummer Mary Claxton and frontman Johnny Burroughs. It marks Claxton’s official debut as a lead vocalist with The Burroughs. On one Saturday afternoon at Greeley’s huge, vacant Union Colony City Center stage, the video was filmed in a single, continuous shot, keeping focus on Claxton’s unbroken gaze as her environment seamlessly changes around her.

Pump Up The Jam: Festivals Get the OK in Vaccinated NoCo – We Break It Down

Justin Watada sighed through a tired laugh. “I’ve had better years,” he said. Watada’s run 17 Greeley Stampedes and this year’s been the toughest. Yes, this year, even with the good news that there will actually be a 2021 Stampede. “We are on version 10 of our budget this year,” Watada said. “We are 50-some days away, and there’s still so much unknown.”

Still, even more big events look promising, The Greeley Blues Jam, May Play, Friday Fest, The Greeley Arts Picnic and more promise to happen, but what they’ll look and sound like remains to be seen. If last year was a bummer, this year is more like chaos. Let’s Dig In.

Just Wanna Have Funds: Did the Colorado Arts Relief Grant Support the Organizations it Intended?

Over 63 days, Colorado Creative Industries (CCI), created a set of criteria, launched an application, administered the selection process and allocated just under $6 million to organizations and businesses state-wide including music venues.

“We were given the charge to distribute the funding as quickly as possible,” a CCI spokesperson told BandWagon.

This hasty allocation of public funds was met with cynical speculation from independent venue owners who were not awarded money. 

Until now, the controversy over the grant has remained purely speculative. No one has pointed to specific evidence of nepotism or neglect on CCI’s part. But, thanks to the Colorado Open Records Act, BandWagon was able to obtain a copy of the scoring rubric used to evaluate grant applicants.

Tom Amend: Ditching the Band Scene for an Improvised Life

Tom Amend has been in a band since he was 6 years old, playing piano for his dad’s yacht rock cover band (when his hands were just big enough to reach a few chords) up until 2019 when he stepped down as the Burroughs’ keyboardist of many years. Now at 26, he’s making his mark in the Denver jazz scene as one of Colorado’s best pianists, playing one-off shows every other night with a constantly rotating collection of musicians.

“It’s the freedom of everything – the spaces, the sound, the tunes… [jazz] is a free form of music. It’s cliche, but it’s truly why I love it,” Amend tells BandWagon.

Into The Great Wide Open: NoCo & WY Venues Hopeful for a Full-Capacity Fall

President Joe Biden believes we’ll have smaller gatherings with family and close friends by the Fourth of July. But this Labor Day sounds like it could be a party. 
Northern Colorado venues say they are hopeful they can host full concerts again by September and venue operators still plan to hold limited-capacity concerts throughout this spring and summer.

“There are people saying July or August, but we are confident things will be returning to normal in September,” said Dani Grant, owner of the Mishawaka Amphitheater.

Other venues don’t have to follow the same restrictions as Colorado, such as the Chinook Drive In at the Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne. “We are super stoked,” Hamilton Byrd, a promoter with the Chinook says. “That definitely creates a ton of optimism.”
As for restrictions? “We have 27,000 acres. That’s a pretty wide net.”

Stayin’ Alive: Unconventional Venues Save The Scene

When Ben Mozer was 14, he took a trip to Spain with his family. Across from their hotel, a theater was playing the newly released hit Pulp Fiction, which he and his brother had been unable to see in the U.S. due to its R rating. But what stuck with him after the movie was over wasn’t Samuel L. Jackson’s iconic monologue. What stuck with him was the theater. 

Earlier this winter, Mozer’s Fort Collins movie theater the Lyric was one of the only venues in Northern Colorado that was still producing live music.

And Mozer isn’t the only one finding a creative way to amplify local sounds. This winter, Dan Mladenik has tapped local talent for the Mishawaka-produced Live on the Lanes series at Chipper’s Lanes, converting a bowling alley into a cosmic live music experience.

Kolby Cooper’s Best, Worst Year

Kolby Cooper returned through single-digit temperatures and deep snow to his East Texas home on January 17 to find the hallways full of water.

That just sounds like a country song, doesn’t it? Well, here’s how Cooper referred to it in an interview with BandWagon: “Whatever man, it’s nothing. Yada yada yada. We were lucky, man. It was a horrible year, and a great year,” Cooper said.

Battle Profile: Nelsen

“The momentum was really good,” Nick Nelsen said. “We were doing four gigs in a one month span.”

On the first day of February last year, Nelsen (the band) beat out Hot Tub Wrestler, Ethan More or Less and the Able Dogs in round one of BandWagon’s 2020 Battle of the Bands. The success was three years in the making. Nelsen had also competed in 2018 and 2019, never to make it past the first round.

Now, armed with tearjerkers new and old, Nelsen is poised and ready to make the audience “feel” when the Battle of the Bands returns on March 12.

Battle Profile: Lady Denim

“We were starting to get the ball rolling, you know, the snowball effect,” recalls Lundeen, Lady Denim’s lead vocalist, of the band’s momentum heading into March 2020, “and then it all got paused.”

Lundeen looks back on the band’s last headliner at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins, where the band walked out to a crowd of 450. At a show a month later on March 13, just as news of COVID-19 began to flare up, the band walked out to a crowd of less than 50. 

“The silver lining of it all was that we were able to set aside time and record,” Lundeen reflects. Trading rehearsals for recording sessions not only brought the band closer, but also yielded the seeds for what Lundeen said will be their next release.

Battle Profile: Hannah & The Cuddies

Hannah Rodriguez knew that The Cuddies were entering a new chapter in January of 2020 when they won the first round of BandWagons’ Battle of the Bands. She eagerly planned their finalist set and looked forward to the future. But the future had changes in store.
So now, after a year-long unplanned intermission, losing / gaining new band members and the optimism of a vaccine, Hannah is ready for The Cuddies’ first gig in 2021.

Battle Profile: Graham Good & The Painters

Graham Good is relentlessly upbeat. Not only is that really his last name, it’s his nature, and it’s the band’s aesthetic. Even the band’s website greets you with “I believe good things are coming.” He wants people to be happy.

So after a year-long delay between the semi-finals and the finals of our Battle Of The Bands, he’s ready to rock.

Joy as Resistance: Wayne Watts Raps Decompression for Revolutionaries

Wayne Watts is a man of letters, but he is also an educator and activist.

“I wanted to make music for revolutionaries to decompress to. While you’re fighting these things it’s really essential to remember to breathe.”

The power of his dedication to words lies in the myriad of ways in which he employs them.

“They’re filled up with a lot of manifestations and affirmations,” he said. “I treat my mantras like songs.”

As an educator, Watts co-founded the Dream Create Inspire Tour. “The intention has always been to create an incubator to give disenfranchised creators a platform.”

Dead Amps: Where We Are Now / Harnessing the Chaos

Erin O’Toole isn’t Dr. Phil, but she does have a little marital advice:

“If you can record an album together and remain happy,” O’Toole says, “you can survive anything.”

O’Toole would know, given that she’s made music with her husband, Jonathan Payne as the band Dead Amps since 2005, a year after they met. She says when they both find something they like, it can be magical )as on their new full-length “DA4”) but it’s usually more arduous than that. Just like a marriage with moments that inspire rom-coms and adult contemporary hits, there’s a whole lot of hard work behind the magic.

A Brother’s Bond: Holdfast. Stays, Fights and Reflects

“We are three brothers” is the first sentence Holdfast. wrote in their Facebook bio and they’re not really wrong about that. Brothers Tom and Mikey Maddocks and their cousin Charlie Maddocks grew up right next door to each other in Windsor, CO. They did everything together, including signing a sync licence with Audio Network in 2020 and releasing their first full length Stay And Fight on January 8, 2021.

DIY Kick: Colorado’s Recording Industry Takes It Home

Independent artists made more music online and at home during lockdown, and recording studios have adapted. Mike Davis was uniquely prepared for this shift, founding Koncept Jewel Studios, an itinerant collection of recording equipment and instruments that operates wherever Davis happens to be living at the time. 

“It’s kind of an amorphous thing. I’ve moved around since I started it and plan to continue moving around,” he said.

This can-do, remote DIY sentiment is echoed by Ben Behrens of Wright Studios: “It doesn’t matter how cheap or weird your gear is. If it works, we can make something cool with it.”

Stone Cottage studios in Boulder has even turned its space into a stage for live-streaming artist performances online.

Sarah Slaton Says It’s Time to Get Up and You Know It

Despite the chaos that was 2020, Fort Collins singer-songwriter Sarah Slaton has been able to find one gig: “I’m joining a bunch of other folks from the music industry who have been laid-off from their normal jobs,” she tells BandWagon. “We are part of a Covid rapid-response team, going to small cities to build testing infrastructure and testing sites.”

Because let’s be honest, if you need to build a mobile facility meant to deal with a lot of people, call are the music festival folks. “We get shit done quickly,” Slaton says.

Additionally, Slaton released the “Get Up” single and video in December, which speaks to what so many are going through. She championed the Save Our Stages Act, spearheaded community events and much more.

For Once In My Life: John March Remembers Ted Greene.

During the 2013 Colorado Floods, John March broke both of his elbows and then continued trying to make a living as a gigging guitarist despite crippling pain.

“Two weeks later, I was playing at a fundraiser for people whose homes had been destroyed in the floods,” March said.

MusiCares was the first organization to provide financial assistance to March, who is now donating a portion of the proceeds from his new album For Once In My Life to three charities, including MusiCares.
The album is March’s second tribute to his former mentor and jazz guitar legend Ted Greene.

The Thin Black Line: Venues Fight To Survive

“It’s nowhere near the money I need to sustain, but I was lucky,” says Travis Ragan.

Ragan was a partner in the Roxy Theater in Denver and the Mesa Theater in Grand Junction, booking shows in 15 different markets. Now he hauls equipment for his brother, a construction manager out of Colorado Springs.

“I know venues are closing down, and yet, we have no leadership backing us and supporting us. We have no one telling us what we should do as opposed to what we shouldn’t do,” Ragan says.

“The place is not made to be at a 250 person capacity,” Renee Jelenik says of The Lincoln Theater in Cheyenne, “and even then, it’s not like we sold out those shows. People just aren’t coming out.”

“We’ve been asked to shut down, or told to shut down, for months now,” says Ely Corliss of The Moxi Theater in Greeley. “We’ve done that, and where are we now?”

Through Thick and Thin: Heartsick Heroine

Allen and Hannah Maddox want you to believe that their world is pain. But it would be hard to find a greater contrast between Heartsick Heroine’s image and the actual lives Allen and Hannah lead together. Some of the anguish is real (2020 sucked all their gigs away) and the band is more than a hobby – but it is not their lives.

2GETHR 4EVR: NGHT WLVS Find The Formula

For Northern Colorado-based synth hop trio NGHT WLVS, creating music together was nothing new. Long-time friends Will Duran, Sam Archuleta, and Tommy Martinez began making music together over a decade ago, and while life took them down separate roads, they reconnected. Rocking a sound saturated in the lushness and sparkle of classic synth pop while sticking to their hip hop roots.

Everybody Loves An Outlaw: Break on Through to the Other Side

Before “I See Red” went viral, Longmont-based soul rock duo Everybody Loves An Outlaw were just DIY, writing the songs, producing the records, and managing the band themselves. Then, they got signed to Columbia records and “I See Red’ got featured in the Polish soft-core film ‘365 Days.’ This thrusted them into a new world, but they remember every little step along the way.

Walking The Walk: New Greeley Murals Celebrate and Beautify the way Downtown

For her new mural on the Maddie Apartments in Downtown Greeley, Betony Coons found herself challenged with how to include Union Colony’s most famous principle: temperance. Not only is “the active moderation of libation intake” hard to paint, but ironically, one of the reasons downtown Greeley continues to thrive is the world class breweries and distilleries it inspired.

The Long Haul: Sunsquabi Funks Through the Covid Era

Sunsquabi sit in a very unique spot in the music industry. With the career they’ve had so far and the following they’ve built, they were able to step into isolation somewhat comfortably until things return to normal. If and when things do, they’ll be hitting the scene with a lot of great momentum built on the dedication to their craft and their love of the music.

“Obviously we want to play shows in [traditional] venues again but we’re grateful to the drive-in thing because we’ve been having a lot of fun with it,” says guitar / synth player Kevin Donahue.

Something To Vibe To: Black Pegasus Is On A Whole Different Frequency

‘Pandemic Proof’ by Black Pegasus obviously speaks to the current times. The world has been drowning in the COVID-19 pandemic since March, subsequently bringing the music industry to its knees.

“I’m doing my best to adapt,” says Black Pegasus. “It’s pretty tricky, but I’ve always been a hustler and an innovator so I’m not worried.”

He’s also vocal about important socio-political issues and is wary, yet hopeful for the future.

“I really believe in the current movement for social justice and equality,” he says. “I also believe that the movement has been infiltrated by corporations and political agendas.”

Hungry for Humor: Comedy Fort Takes the Place of Hodi’s HalfNote

David Rodriguez’ first comedy set, more than five years ago, was at Hodi’s Half Note, the beloved FoCo rock club which recently announced its closing. He believes it’s fitting, then, that he will open Comedy Fort in the Hodi’s building, probably sometime in January. “When this opportunity came about, it just felt perfect,” Rodriguez said.

Girls Just Wanna Own A Label: 17-Year-Old Maddie Hein’s Dream Cult Press Provides a Platform For DIY Musicians

“I mean, what is stopping us? Why don’t we?” said Maddie Hein of Dream Cult Press. Well, she was 17, but that wasn’t enough, apparently. Nor was the fact that they met online and not in her hometown of Greeley (one of them, in fact, was from Kazakhstan). The new indie label released their first album in July 2019 and started picking up fans and followers, but quickly also decided to use their platform to benefit individuals and organizations that were helping out during protests across the country.

Kyle Hollingsworth Band Finally Jams On A Full Tank

Kyle Hollingsworth and his bandmates in The String Cheese Incident had been on tour for a solid decade. They needed a break, so they took 6 months off. Then, live music itself took a break for the foreseeable future. Ironic, isn’t it?,” Hollingsworth said. On September 11th, Kyle Hollingsworth Band will play a socially-distanced Drive-In Theater show at The Chinook in Cheyenne, Wyoming, another first for him. “We’re just, so excited to be playing – it’s shining out of us. We’re bringing great energy.”

Writing on the Wall, Festival on the Screen: FoCoMX at the Drive-In and On the Web

This weekend, in lieu of the real, re-scheduled thing, FoCoMX will offer “A Digital Retrospective” of photos taken by fans as well as rare backstage shots by FoCoMX staff on September 4-5 via the festival’s social media channels. The festival wants to celebrate the fan perspective and involvement as well as host live, in-person music to folks in their cars every Tuesday via Drive & Jive, pulling from its scheduled lineup of more than 400 acts.

R.W. Perkins: Small Town Remedies

A comedy-drama from R.W. Perkins of Loveland, “Small Town Remedies” tells the story of two siblings (Andrea Dratch and Ty Sells; Dratch is also an executive producer) dealing with their relapsing alcoholic mother (Sally Knudsen) while juggling their own personal struggles and surprises. It’s not a prototypical film about addiction, and that was Perkin’s intent, saying he had a different take on addiction as a family dynamic.

The film premieres September 10 at the Horsetooth International Film Festival.

Reunited and it Feels So Downtown – Greeley’s United Plaza and Socially Distanced District

Downtown Greeley’s been quiet since March, when the outbreak shuttered bars (for the second time now), restaurants and other fun places that made downtown as successful as it’s been in decades. But business owners hope to make some noise by closing 8th and 9th streets and putting open dining tables out. They also added an open container law that essentially extends the Go Cup law full-time until fall, only with loosened restrictions: Any alcohol is OK now, even if you have some from home, though the idea is to support the businesses on the blocks. The Greeley City Council approved the plan and began it July 1.

Can We Just Live? Devin Tremell Speaks Out with Hip Hop as a Tool of Influence

Devin Tremell insisted to the crowd of hundreds looking up at him from the Lincoln Park gazebo in Greeley that he was just a regular Black dude. “The message had to reach all the nooks and crannies of the country,” Tremell, a UNC student, rapper and activist said. “Greeley is kind of out of the way, and it needs to reach there too,” he says of the Black Lives matter movement. “This is a problem across the board. But I was surprised at the amount of people who felt the same way I did. I see more of that coming out.”

On The Road Again: Four Months Of COVID-19 Madness & One Bike Accident Later, Kosha Dillz Is On A Mission

Going from doing at least 80 live shows a year (with everyone from Mos Def to Nappy Roots) to performing for a six-year-old’s backyard birthday party in Arvada, Colorado is just one of the many ways the coronavirus pandemic has impacted his typically flourishing career, but Kosha Dillz is a rare breed. With 16 years of sobriety under his belt (to the day) he must guard his recovery like he guards his life, something that’s even more challenging when you’re immersed in the music industry.

A Change is Gonna Come: Robert Randolph Spreads the Message of Unity

If you ask Robert Randolph what his 2006 hit “Ain’t Nothing Wrong with That” is about, his answer would be: “It’s about what’s going on today. I write songs to inspire and to love each other, because if you don’t have respect, you don’t have love.”

Randolph’s songwriting focuses on bringing people together, which is his mantra as an individual and an artist. He continues to uphold that mantra with every album he’s released since then. He believes those messages are more relevant now than ever.

Join Robert Randolph and his All Star Super Band at The High Plains Buffalo Jam on Saturday, July 25 in Cheyenne, Wyoming with Allman-Betts Band, Deitch & Shmeeans (Lettuce) Blackberry Smoke and The Burroughs.

Hitting The High Notes: Diane Bolden-Taylor Helps Youths Find Their Voice

Diane Bolden-Taylor grew up in the Baptist church, where anyone with a voice would have an audience, and anyone who hit the high notes would be praised as a hero – regardless of their skin color.

She received multiple degrees, sang Opera professionally in Switzerland for 18 years, became fluent in German and taught voice at the University Of Northern Colorado.

Notably, she returned to her native St. Louis to expose classical vocal music to the young black community there. “And you know what?” Taylor said, “they absolutely love it!”

Drum As You Are: Eric Riley Throws Down The Beat As A Black Musician In Metal

Even with all the fun Eric Riley has thrashing onstage with his longtime friend Nate Valdez, there is always that one drunk person who has to point it out: a black guy in a metal band!

“I mean, there’s not a lot of diversity [in the Colorado Metal scene] but it’s not really anyone’s fault,” said Riley, drummer for heavy rock duo In The Whale.

Riley grew up listening to black soul artists from the 60’s and 70’s, but the harder rock acts were where his heart was.

Hayden Farr: Love and the March of an Angry Introvert

Until recently, the pandemic, and our directive to stay put, wasn’t all that hard for Hayden Farr, baritone sax player for The Burroughs and Trash Cat. Farr is an introvert, so when was invited to protest for Black Lives Matter in Denver, he declined.

“But I’m wondering,” Farr asked, “why do we need to have this conversation every two years? I wonder if it’s because people are stuck at home and forced to see what’s going on, or is it because people want to see a change?”

If You’re Listening: Greg Carroll on the Black American Art Form with an Inherent Sense of Democracy

Even though it was the music that got Greg Carroll into his jazz career, he became a champion of the art form, teaching, preserving and protecting the history of it, because it is the music of his fellow black Americans. “It excites me to see everyone play it, but jazz was created by African Americans, born out of the experiences of people forced on this land as a way to honor their culture – the only thing that couldn’t be ripped away from them. It’s a gift to the world, and it’s welcome to everyone. But it’s historically black, and the more I got into it and learned the history of it, the more I appreciated that. It made me proud.”

Highway To Heaven: Drive-Ins Revive The Live Music Experience

“I’ve reset my expectations with everything we do in the music business,” said Adam Aijala. “The best attitude is to just roll with it.” The last time his group Yonder Mountain String Band played was March 12, 2020. Then coronavirus hit. With band members scattered across different time zones in the lower 48, they made video collaborations. But then, their agent called. They had a gig. A live one. Blue Pig Presents in Cheyenne took a chance and installed a drive-in theater set-up at Terry Bison Ranch, booking Yonder Mountain live.

The idea of drive-in concerts spread almost as fast as the virus itself, with The Holiday Twin Drive-In Movie Theater in Fort Collins collaborating with FoCoMX to fill the festival void with their Drive & Jive concert series.

Going For It: Live Music Returns, At A Distance

The Mishawaka Amphitheatre’s second live show during the pandemic happens at the night before Independence Day – and it’s not for the money. For independent music venues and clubs across Colorado, July 1 is perhaps as important as the day we celebrate our independence as a nation. Governor Polis’ new guidelines take effect that day, allowing the assembly of crowds which make live music possible, if not exactly feasible.

The Fate Of Festival Future

Even right after she was the sickest she’d been in her life, Alison Hamling still cried after she essentially canceled Friday Fest in Downtown Greeley. Live music “pales in comparison” to the need to avoid a second wave, Hamling said, even as she hated her decision.

Concert producer Colin Bricker says “I find it hard to imagine pulling off any live music this summer. There’s just no way to do that.”

But WAIT! If you don’t mind sitting by your computer, part of Greeley’s summer festival season may in fact, still be on.

In My Room: Music Teachers Turn To Online Methods, Keeping Musical Communities Together

With stay-at-home orders in place, students still want to make music with their teachers and with their peers. Fairview High School students in Boulder decided to try a “virtual choir.” Virtual ensembles, including choirs, are a huge trend worldwide, allowing musicians to collaborate with their friends, bandmates, or favorite artists from home. But putting together a collaboration of 15-plus people requires a lot of time, a hefty budget, and in this case, a supportive community.

Band Together: National Independent Venue Association Saves Our Stages

“There was no one to speak for us,” Stephen Chilton said. “Everyone was talking about the big events and festivals, and no one was talking about the mid-size venues and clubs.”

Chilton heads the National Independent Venue Association which is fighting to #SaveOurStages in the fallout of coronavirus repercussions.

“What is the most unsafe thing right now? It’s mass gatherings, and we produce mass gatherings,” he said.

In two months time, more than 1,600 have joined NIVA, but it still pales in comparison to the thousands in the restaurant industry.

With A Little Help From My Friends: Resources & Relief For Musicians During The Pandemic

In 2013 and 2017, Chris “K” Kresge had what he called “crazy ass idea” to raise a million dollars for the musicians affected by natural disasters and community devastation, now called Rocky Mountain Music Relief.

With live music shut down due to DOVID-19, every week, RMMR updates a spreadsheet that points musicians and music industry professionals to grants and resources.

A slew of financial resources are available to musicians, but there’s more. The Music Minds Matter organization provides a platform for mental first aid as well via free, weekly online meet-ups.

Redefining The Industry: Could Live Streaming be the Woodstock of the COVID Era?

Coronavirus continues to devastate bar and club owners, restaurants and musicians, but there may be a bright spot: the power of streaming live concerts. Some are even making good money at it.

“We’ve learned how to use the tools of social media better now. We are using them rather than just placing facades online,” said Tim Coons of Giants & Pilgrims.
“If I can make $100 sitting on my couch, that redefines the industry for me,” said Brandon Harris of NoCo Band Meat & Potatoes.

All Together Now: The Burroughs’ Bands Give Back Initiative

“The arts are a mental lifeline for kids in the public school system,” says Mary Claxton, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and singer for Trashcat and the Burroughs. “Everyone deserves to express themselves and have joy throughout the school day. It’s not a privilege.”

Her band The Burroughs have launched the Bands Give Back Initiative, engaging students in music education while raising funds, constructing instrument storage and more for the Greeley, Evans School District 6.

NoCo Music NoGo: COVID-19’s Massive Impact On Colorado’s Music Industry

“It’s pretty easy to see how unprepared everyone was,” said Brian Claxton – a touring drummer and music educator based in Greeley, Colorado. Music venues, restaurants and bars across the globe and in Colorado have been ordered to close due to coronavirus precautions, essentially cutting off the lifeblood of the music industry. But the ramifications go deeper, from the 50th anniversary of the huge UNC Jazz Festival delaying one year to smaller bands such as Float Like A Buffalo cancelling their shoestring budget tours.
“I think it will take a year to recover, not just in the economy but in the entertainment industry here,” Moxi Theater Ely Corliss said, “and that’s if we resume in April. If this goes until May 11 or so, it’ll be catastrophic for the Moxi and (his restaurant) Luna’s both.”

Out Of The Perils: Old Man Saxon

“This is like some horror movie shit.” Old Man Saxon is looking back on one of the scariest moments during the 13 months he was living in his 2001 Ford Explorer Sport while trying to “make it” in Los Angeles. It was the middle of the night and he was sound asleep when a loud noise jolted him awake …

… but with homelessness now in his rearview, Old Man Saxon was able to focus on his next adventures, which included landing a song on HBO’s Silicon Valley soundtrack (“That was a miracle,” he says), a teaching role at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood where he taught rap and a spot on the Netflix competition show Rhythm + Flow. 

Max Barcelow: The Fragile Big Time and Saying Yes

Max Barcelow’s life as a professional musician in Fort Collins has had plenty of twists and turns. Drumming for prolific folk artist Gregory Alan Isakov, he’s played Red Rocks, in Europe, with the Colorado Symphony and attended this year’s Grammy ceremony on January 26 at The Staples Center, long dubbed “Kobe’s House,” on the day of Kobe Bryant’s death.
An evening torn between celebrating music and hastily trying to address and honor Bryant, Barcelow witnessed the pomp and grandeur of the Grammy’s while being reminded of how no one can escape life’s fragility – even with success and money. “It’s funny how death just brings it all back home,” Barcelow said.

Into The Original: Tyler Walker & John DeWitt at the RMCMAs

As the talent booker for the Greeley Stampede’s music acts, John DeWitt always liked the Tyler Walker Band. But now that he’s in the band, he’s an even bigger fan. “I believed in him for a lot of different reasons,” DeWitt says. DeWitt and Walker will be part of this year’s Rocky Mountain Country Music Awards at the UCCC in Greeley on March 13.

Jim Curry Is Not John Denver

Jim Curry is not John Denver. Well, no #@%*!, you say, but when you see him sing on stage, you may have doubts. Curry brings his Denver act to Greeley, performing with the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra March 6. Curry has worked with Denver’s old bandmates themselves, though admitting: “I never did embrace the idea that I could have a music career.”

Cover Story: Kyle Emerson – Coming Down and Into His Own

At the end of every show on his first tour as a solo artist, Kyle Emerson found himself exhausted. Emerson supported his first solo record, 2017’s Dorothy Alice, which he named for his late grandmother, with a lengthy tour.

Now, with his release Only Coming Down, Emerson focuses on the energy and connection with the crowd, bringing his more upbeat band shows to The Moxi Theater in Greeley on Thursday, February 20, presented by The Colorado Sound.

Sultans of Shred: Greeley Teen’s World-Class Guitar Chops Run In La Familia

Greeley’s Liam Garcia is 17, a junior at Greeley West High School, and by all accounts plays guitar better than just about anyone else in the world his age (and honestly, most people twice his age).

He traveled to London in September for the Young Guitarist of the Year competition as the only American selected for the finals.

He plans to study at the Berklee College of Music, but the biggest exhilaration is playing with his dad Socrates on stage.

Ani DiFranco: Still Righteous After All These Years

Since the 90’s, Ani DiFranco has been steadily creating a legacy for herself. She released 20 albums under her own record label Righteous Babe, and inspired an entire movement of women artists. Now the year is 2020, and the industry has changed once again. But Ani’s message hasn’t.

“I think there’s many people who think feminism doesn’t seem urgent,’ but you can’t prevent imbalance without addressing it,” DiFranco said.

Marco Benevento: The Fourth Voice In A Trio

An instrumental jazz pianist at heart, Marco Benevento has always searched for new sounds, musical tools or ways of composing, though his newest discovery is that of his own voice, and that’s worth a champagne toast.

Benevento calls his vocals a direct extension of his composing. “It’s just like another instrument,” he says. “It’s the fourth member of our trio, but it’s still the trio.”

The Marco Benevento Trio play The Aggie Theater on Thursday, February 6.

Theo Katzman: Modern Johnny Explores The Darkness With The Light

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.

Hit The Ground Running – Hodi’s Half Note: 10 Years of the FoCo Music Mainstay

“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.

Who Gives A Scrap About Your Art? Blasti Does

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.”

Rapper’s Delight: Andy Seth Breaks The Struggle Through The Wisdom Within Hip Hop

Not everyone has to meditate for an hour and a half every day like author/rapper Andy Seth does, but he wants everyone to achieve their goals, as they resolve to do in the New Year. He chose the parable of a rapper to communicate his philosophies in his book and album Bling.

“Hip-hop is a big part of my life. I wanted to provide a book that’s accessible, along with music that is a part of our culture, to make [life] lessons stick,” Seth says. With reflection and flow, he believes success and balance – not only the struggle – is real.

Wildermiss: Star-Faced but Grounded

In many ways, Wildermiss made it big a couple years ago with their first album “Lost With You,” spawning regular rotation on 93.3 KTCL, performances at Red Rocks and a slot on Last Call With Carson Daly. But they’re not exactly flying in private jets when outside the comfort of Colorado. In fact, they’re still driving vans that suck. Wildermiss haven’t forgotten where they came from because they can’t afford it yet. And that’s reflected in their new album “In My Mind”.

Breaking the Cycle – UPLIFT: FOCO Plucks For a Good Cause

Andy Whilden knew exactly who to turn to when he was putting together a house band for his first music festival: bluegrass players.

Uplift: FoCo is a fundraiser for the The Matthews House, an organization based in Old Town Fort Collins that works to break the cycle of poverty by empowering families and young people.

The event is December 21 at The Aggie Theater in Fort Collins featuring a house band of the region’s finest bluegrass musicians backing a slew of top folk and Americana singer/songwriters.

A Shared Approach: Silver & Gold Collaborate with Brix Brewery, support Boys & Girls Club

A shared approach to creation is the driving force behind an upcoming collaboration between rock band Silver & Gold and Greeley’s Brix Brewery and Taphouse. On December 19, a collaborative beer release and concert benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Weld County will take place in Downtown Greeley’s Moxi Theater, showcasing the spirit of collaboration.

Trying To Catch A Wave: Murs & The Music District Bring Open Mic Hip Hop Back

Murs was well aware the open mic part of hip-hop culture was dying, or at least inching toward its last breath. So he and The Bohemian Foundation started Groundwaves: a monthly hip-hop open mic / proving ground mentored by Murs himself,the finale of which was lat month. There, hopeful MC’s would spit their stuff in front of a critical, constructive audience of their peers. “I think you can get your feedback right there. That one little word of feedback (from the crowd) is all you needed to do more work,” Murs explains. Before Groundwaves returns in 2020, Hodi’s Halfnote will house Co-Op, an open mic workshop hosted by Bad Neighbors.

The Blasting Room: FoCo’s Punk Rock Heart Beats For 25 Years

The Blasting Room didn’t start with a Big Bang, as you might expect, but a drunken nap. The engineer for one of the Descendents’ mid-80s records fell asleep at the recording console. As he snored, Bill Stevenson, the band’s drummer, rolled the engineer’s chair out of the way to work the dials himself. 25 years later, the studio he built with Jason Livermore has become a punk rock recording institution, producing pop and folk records too. But the heart of the original Blasting Room still beats like a punchy snare, a place where young bands make their punk rock dreams come true.

A Tempest Of Inspiration: Whippoorwill and The Nature Of Storms

Alysia, Staci, and Tobias were in the middle of nowhere, Oklahoma when the sky turned green. They could see the tornado dead-ahead through an eerie, rainy clearing in the atmosphere. Even though the gusts of winds were powerful enough to lift their van packed with equipment, the three friends made it safely to the next stop. Literally and metaphorically, this resulted in Fort Collins folk trio Whippoorwill’s first full length album The Nature Of Storms. The album releases November 15 at Washington’s in Fort Collins.

The Lone Vulf: Cory Wong Ventures Outside The Pack

As much of a beast as Cory Wong is on the guitar (and how catchy his composing and songwriting is) “Motivational Music For The Syncopated Soul” isn’t exactly a pedestal of attention for himself. Instead, he collaborated with several well established musicians, evoking a collaborative vibe like that of his other band Vulfpeck. Wong (with support from Paris Monster) play sThe Aggie Theater on Halloween night as well as Boulder and Denver November 1 and 2.

Rebirth Brass Band: Old Tradition, Different Groove

The Rebirth Brass Band have to answer two questions every time they play a gig: 1 – Are you going to play some traditional stuff? 2 – Are you going to play your own stuff?

“We’re not trying to recreate the wheel,” founder and and bass drummer Keith Frazier said, “but we want to do something different.”

Catch the Grammy-winning band October 25 at Washington’s in Fort Collins and October 26 at The Ogden in Denver.

First Class: Greeley Arts Legacy’s Hall Of Fame

“We do not want to forget what happened,” said Ed Rogers, chairman of the Greeley Arts Legacy board. “It’s easy to select what we know, but we also want to go back and make sure our past is remembered.” The Arts Legacy board did just that, honoring Ruth Savig, a visual artist for decades in Greeley, Hellen Langworthy who started Little Theater Of The Rockies 80 years ago, the Greeley Philharmonic and more. Friday, October 4 at Union Colony Civic Center, all 6 inductees will be celebrated.

Mike Doughty: Escape and Return to Ruby Vroom

Mike Doughty knew he wouldn’t be able to shed his association with Soul Coughing, though he describes the band as “a dark, abusive marriage.” The only thing he chose to keep was their approach to music: the idea that compositions were fluid, not songs to be played in their recorded forms to-the-note. “You reinterpreted it,” Doughty said. For his current tour he broke his own rule and listened to ‘Ruby Vroom’ (Soul Coughing’s debut) for the first time in decades, using it as a reference to honor the 25th anniversary of the recording. He performs ‘Ruby Vroom’ in its entirety October 5 at Washington’s in Fort Collins.

Weld Found: Tim Coons And The Anti-Isolation Movement

Tim Coons, a longtime spiritual musician in Greeley who’s released several albums now works for the Weld Community Foundation. He recently launched Weld Found – a new podcast examining the phenomenon of isolation and loneliness in the modern world, particularly in Weld County. Episodes feature Neyla Pekarek, Sociologist Dr. Josh Packard and more.

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club: Denver’s Dark, Prolific Mess Passes The Test Of Time

“Our audiences are like us,” Slim Cessna says. “They don’t belong in any category. More often than not, they’re just music lovers, and those are the people we attract.” With 27 years as a Colorado band, and several side-projects under their cowboy belts, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club brings their macabre, avante-garde roots music to Greeley for the first time, Friday, September 20 at the Moxi.

My Favorite Band Of People

Peter Paul & Gary (yes, Gary) are going into their 24th year as a band, and they are unoriginal in every way. Intentionally. On September 13 they will headline the 12th Annual My Favorite Bands entertaining the patrons of the Moxi Theater with a performance of, as per their own tradition, an iconic movie soundtrack. This time, it’s “Back To The Future” with Trash Cat performing Flight Of The Conchords and Matt Skinner performing Willie Nelson.

Wyoming Parties On The Edge: K-Flay Plays Cheyenne’s Edge Fest At New Amphitheatre

The 5th annual Edge Fest on August 24 in Cheyenne Wyoming is anything but country. The free outdoor concert in a brand-new amphitheatre park features K-Flay, a Grammy-winning, out, female rapper as the headliner.

Charley Crockett: Full Of The Fire – The Old Sounds Of Struggle

Charley Crockett spent a decade on the street, making a living off tips he earned as a busker. He played the “old sounds of struggle” that he identifies with even now. Recovering from heart surgery and mindfully straying from the rough life he lead at a young age, he plays Fort Collins this month: BandWagon presents Charley Crockett at the Aggie Theater Wednesday, August 7.

Jared & The Mill: Big Statements and A Sense Of Home

Jared & The Mill was birthed into the hot Phoenix sun by Jared Kolesar and his Arizona State University buddies in 2011. Since then, they’ve been consistently creating their own brand of what Kolesar refers to as “Western Indie Rock.” Touring the country and even performing for US troops on an aircraft carrier, the band hits The Moxi Theater Friday, August 16 in support of their “big artistic statement,” aka their newest album This Story Is No Longer Available.

Rock Om: DJ Drez heads to ARISE

DJ Drez is rooted in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene. He’s rubbed elbows with Eminem, collaborated with Macy Gray, Black Eyed Peas, Black Star and KRS-One. Now, Drez his wife Marti Nikko are heavily involved in the yoga world, founding the Rock Om program and headlining Loveland’s ARISE August 2-4 in the festival’s Yoga village.

It Takes A Village: Arise Festival Leaves No Trace

If you’re considering the Arise Music Festival in Loveland August 2 – 4, here’s a tip: Bring your own water bottle. The festival provides water itself, but no single-use plastic. They even plant a tree for every ticket sold. Bands and performers who follow the guidelines of ‘Leave No Trace,’ headline the event: Tipper, Leftover Salmon, Railroad Earth and more. “We are more than a music festival,” organiser Mo Hnatiuk said. “It’s a movement. Music is supposed to feed your soul.”

Still At It: Producing the Greeley Arts Picnic Ain’t Just A Day In The Park

Rhonda Welch, festival / event coordinator for the City of Greeley answers calls from close to 150 artists and crafters, 24 performers (including 18 music groups) more than a dozen food vendors and representatives for the Coors beer garden at The Greeley Arts Picnic. She’s spends most of June and July inside so you can be outside in Lincoln Park the weekend of July 27 for the 41st annual Arts Picnic, featuring a kick-off party on the 26th by Funkiphino. For now, Welch is still at it.

The Longest Curve: DeVotchKa returns, plays The Moxi

“Songwriting was the longest curve,” Nick Urata of DeVotchKa says. “You have to write all these bad songs before a good one comes out. It took a lifetime really.” Formed in the 90’s, each member of the band make up an orchestra themselves and they each ‘got it’ from the beginning. After years as a famed Colorado act, DeVotchKa play Greeley for the first time July 17 and 18 at The Moxi Theater.

Don’t Keep It Like A Secret: Built To Spill Comes To The Mish

Built To Spill was ultimately grouped in with the “Northwest sound” from the outset, a result of being signed to Up Records. Although they left and signed with Warner Bros., they managed to retain their independence. After eight albums, the Doug Martsch-led group are still a mainstay in the indie rock world.

“The main key is, of course, luck. But there’s also the fact that I am so simple, I don’t get bored playing these songs over and over again,” Martsch jokes.

Built To Spill play The Mishawaka Amphitheatre July 26.

Concert Under The Stars Under A New Roof: FY5 And More

At this summer’s Concert Under the Stars series at the University of Northern Colorado, Fort Collins bluegrass band FY5’s performance will be in a new, indoor venue. Although the concert series name directly refers to its typical venue, the university’s outdoor Garden Theatre stage, more than half of this year’s shows will be in the new Campus Commons Performance Hall. A first since the series began in 1931.

Swerve: From The Classroom To The Stage – Cover Story July 2019

Led by singer Lauren Johnston, Swerve are colorful, quirky, exciting and eccentric, but they all wanted to be in a band playing music that was not only fun, but their own. “You don’t need permission to do anything musically, which is great,” said bassist and back-up singer Julian Cary. After winning the 2019 BandWagon Battle Of The Bands, Swerve’s future is uncertain, but they will hit the Stampede Free Stage Tuesday, July 2nd.

Cody Johnson Stays True By Singing A Different Song

“Good luck trying to find someone to sign this contract,” remarked the label representative. Cody Johnson knew country artists rarely demand complete creative control, but he insisted upon it. As his 2016 album title states, he’s just ‘Gotta Be Me.’

“You don’t work for 12 or 13 years to give up all you worked for,” Johnson said in an Interview. He headlines the Superstar Concert Series at The Greeley Stampede July 5th and 8pm.

Home Is Where The Hip-Hop Is: Nappy Roots On The Greeley Stampede Free Stage

“You can drop us anywhere in Colorado,” Nappy Roots emcee Fish Scales says. “We bring entertaining hip-hop to people who otherwise wouldn’t see a hip-hop show.” The Kentucky rappers play The Greeley Stampede on July 5th at the free Extraction Stage, adding: “I definitely am country.”

Stampede’s a comin’: a first look at acts to catch in 2019’s Independence bonanza

Kimberly Dunn has described her sound as country-without-a-box, Eli Young Band started out as just an acoustic duo and Resurrection have more connections to the real Journey than you might think. They’ll all crush the Greeley Stampede stages this summer.

Red Baraat: Hear The World In The Beat Of The Bhangra

Colorado may not be as familiar with the bhangra as is Red Baraat’s home city of New York. The upbeat North Indian style of playing which colors the band’s music might be rare to these parts, but everyone can relate of the musical elements the band incorporates. Bandleader Sonny Jain says: “I would argue that our sounds aren’t foreign really anywhere.” Red Baraat bring their colorful, amazing show to Fort Collins June 27 at Washinton’s.

Keeping It Fresh: Friday Fest Kicks Off Greeley Outdoor Concert Season

You’ll see more variety at this year’s Friday Fest series in downtown Greeley. You also won’t see many bands that you saw last year. But one thing is for sure: You’ll want to dance once they play.

“It has to be danceable,” said Alison Hamling, of the Downtown Development Authority.

You’ll notice some changes in this year’s lineup too, starting Friday, June 7 at the Greeley Blues Jam kickoff.

Shemekia Copeland Says What She Wants: Blues Jam Headliner Speaks Her Mind Through Her Music

Shemekia Copeland was pissed off on a Tuesday morning. It was something she heard from one of Trump’s “offspring,” as she calls him, about how if poor people want more in life, they just have to work harder. Recognized by many as the finest blues singer of her generation, Copeland headlines the Greeley Blues Jam June 8. She also draws attention for being outspoken in a world that tends to be surprisingly silent about social issues.

Cha Wa: Mardi Gras Indian Funk Stirs Greeley Like Gumbo At The Blues Jam

Cha Wa, the New Orleans funk band incorporates the tradition of Mardi Gras Indian music and the feel of a New Orleans brass band with all the attitude of a proper funk ensemble. “It was a perfect pot of gumbo,” said J’Wan Boudreaux. Cha Wa performs Saturday, June 8 at The Greeley Blues jam at Island Grove Park.

Leave It To The Beeves: Erie Rock Trio’s Release ‘Adam And Beeve’ Brings It

The band needed a name. Matthew Sease pulled the biggest book from his mom’s shelf, opened to a random page and pointed to a word. “The.” That wasn’t going to work. Now properly named, The Beeves will be hitting the Fox Theatre May 17 in Boulder to release their first album Adam and Beeve. Their sound mixes punk, 60s mod, and country – and it comes out like an exorcism on stage.

Southern Avenue: Keep On

Ori Naftaly grappled with his record label, Concord Records, over Southern Avenue’s upcoming album, Keep On, out May 10. Fortunately for us, they both came out on top. “I want people to listen to this in 2040 and think we sound as relevant honoring the music that we love from back in the day,” Ori says.

Bands To See At FoCoMX 11

FoCoMX is this weekend! There’s too much amazing music to see for even a whole magazine, so here are five favorites of ours this year. See you in Old Town Fort Collins!

UNC Jazz Fest Hits A New Home

The Greeley/UNC Jazz Festival is more than just a way to celebrate America’s original form of music. It’s a recruiting tool. The University is excited to bring the festival to its campus for the first time ever at the new Campus Commons venue. “We’ve been doing this for however many years without anyone seeing the campus,” said Michael Alexander, the director of the UNC School of Music.

311 Plays The Aggie and S.A. Martinez is ‘Bout it ‘Bout it.

My reaction to 311 playing the modest Aggie Theatre was probably similar to other locals. ‘What!? How!? It’s so small. These guys sell out Red Rocks and have their own 311 cruise for god’s sake.’ But I quickly remembered the same people who book the Mishawaka Amphitheater took over the Aggie’s booking in March, so maybe they really wanted to kick off the concert season with a bang?

Take 6: What It Takes To Be Iconic

The first time Take 6 came to the UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival the guys packed rooms full of squealing girls who asked questions such as “boxers or briefs?” That was in 1999, a time before smartphones, streaming or even much of an internet. Take 6 returns 20 years later to the Jazz Fest at UNC’s new Campus Commons venue April 25.

Michael McDonald: A Fool Who Still Believes

When Michael McDonald is on stage Thursday, April 11 at Union Colony Civic Center in downtown Greeley, singing our favorite songs like “Taking It To The Streets,” or “I Keep Forgetting,” for the millionth time, he is thanking us for continuing to love who he is.

The Steady Hand Behind The Jam: Leftover Salmon’s Jeremy Grant

Jeremy Grant admits he doesn’t even really like jam bands. Regardless, the 40-year-old Greeley native is the monitor engineer and stage manager for Leftover Salmon, one of the most celebrated jam bands around.

He Will Rock You: Gary Mullen and One Night Of Queen

Every time Gary Mullen sings, he says grace. His uncanny ability to sing like Freddie Mercury gave him a nice career as the frontman for One Night of Queen, a tribute to one of the greatest bands in history. Mullen and crew play in Greeley on March 8 at the Union Colony Civic Center in downtown Greeley.

Millions Of Views, Millions Of Notes: Andy McKee On Finding Your Own Thing

Andy McKee’s technical brilliance, so unique that many had never seen it before, went viral in 2005 (which, back then was just called popular) earning him millions of views in just a few weeks. It wasn’t long before people wanted him to play – in person – around the world. Catch McKee at The Moxi Friday, March 8.

The Unlikely Candidates: Kyle Morris On Seeking The Unexpected

Since their beginnings, The Unlikely Candidates have toyed around with a slew of different sounds, despite charting more than once in Billboard’s Alternative Rock category. “We’ve Always been influenced by bands who weren’t stuck on one particular sound,” Kyle Morris Says. The Unlikely Candidates play The Moxi Theater on March 3.

Old Ghosts Make For New Friends – A Diverse Greeley Brought To Life By Its Legends

Noel Johnston envisioned a play where the protagonists are group of smart, curious kids who are – most importantly – different from one another. Three speak Spanish and English fluently, and several other characters give a second language a solid effort. The Stampede Troupe premieres this original play February 22-23 in Downtown Greeley.

The True Colors Of Silver & Gold

Silver & Gold’s new EP Color (out February 8) used the influence of a short production span, their closeness as a band (both geographically and emotionally) a man named Dan Diaz to create an album that stands out from the rest of their work.

Heaven: Los Lonely Boys’ Jojo Garza On Living Their Dream

Jojo Garza laughs easily. The Los Lonely Boys vocalist/bassist — who plays at Washington’s in Fort Collins February 2 alongside his brothers Henry and Ringo — applies his positive attitude to everything he does, especially Los Lonely Boys’ music, though his brother suffered major injuries on stage in 2013. “Even to this day we’re feeling the after effects,” he admits. “It hasn’t gone away at all.”

Open Fire – A Bond Forged By Metal

During a rare quiet moment the “Dave Cave,” a basement devoted to metal music, members of Open Fire remember the day Dave MacKenzie sent out the news that his son, Tyler, was killed in Iraq in 2005. Just two months before, they’d had so much fun playing their first big gig before thousands at the first “Thunder in the Rockies.” This month, Open Fire play their 14th anniversary show Saturday, January 26 at The Moxi Theater.

Neyla Pekarek: Watch Her Rattle, Hear Her Roar

Before Neyla Pekarek became a third of The Lumineers, she saw Rattlesnake Kate’s famous dress and read the story while she attended the University of Northern Colorado. The story stuck with her. “She spoke her mind and lived completely outside of what was expected of women.” Pekarek says. “Western stories are so dominated by men. The tales of women have yet to be told.” Her debut solo record Rattlesnake premieres at The Moxi Theater January 25.

Everbody’s Got The Blues at Cranford’s

Since June, 2018, Cranford’s Tea Tavern has hosted the The Blues Party, a recurring Wednesday night hang for musicians, from those who only know three chords to experienced professionals who’ve played their whole life. It didn’t matter what instrument they played, Buchholz and Haug gave them an equal opportunity to play. In between songs, the players exchanged song choices, guided each other through grooves and made sure they knew how to kick off the songs.

Gogol Bordello – An American Band Of Gypsies

Each member of Gogol Bordello’s multicultural melange grandstands throughout, exuding practically nuclear energy. From Russian-born Pelekh’s dizzying solos to Pedro Erazo’s spitfire Ecuadorian rapping en Español, native Ethiopian Thomas Gobena’s rich, reggae bass and more, the whole band take the spotlight with a prowess that commands respect, invigorating Gogol’s crazy crowds. Catch their New Year’s shows at The Aggie December 30, The Ogden December 28 and 29, and The Boulder Theater December 31.

Long Cut – Shaping Up For A Hick-Hop Future

Rapping is a tiring, literally breathtaking affair, and Bryan Thomas, quite honestly, didn’t have the stamina for it. He was, to be blunt, too fat to rap. He then endured a sickly stint in the hospital that led to him having throat surgery. So he quit drinking, stopped taking street drugs and started eating better, including flirting with a Vegan diet, and exercising. Since he and Adams formed the hip-hop/country band Long Cut in January, he’s lost 115 pounds.

The Stubby Shillelaghs: Growth, Depth and The Great War

On the new Stubby Shillelaghs EP, The Great War, the band covers classic tunes that detail the horrors of war, with a special focus on World War I. Knaub got the idea for the record from a popular podcast, Hardcore History, by Dan Carlin, a show that details “the extremes of human existence,” Knaub said. The band will play at the Moxi Theater on Saturday, December 15 performing The Great War in its entirety, but you shouldn’t expect to see the Stubbies play many gigs in Greeley any longer.

Ubiquitous of Ces Cru: Life After Ces

The rap duo Ces Cru have been Strange Music mainstays for 12 years. But over the past few months, there’s been a noticeable change within the group. Ubiquitous has embarked on his own solo tour while Godemis is seemingly laying low. During Tech N9ne’s 2017 Independent Grind Tour, there was some type of incident on the bus that resulted in Godemis leaving the tour.

Saved By The Nerve: Gary Dean Smith’s Voice Returns

For Gary Dean Smith it’s been a transformative year. The 55-year-old singer-songwriter signed a deal with The Symbols’ vocalist Mer Sal and Grammy winning Jazz musician Jeff Lorber to Manta Ray records – a division of Sony. But one year ago, Smith was bouncing back from a botched surgery that destroyed his vocal chords, leaving him uncertain of his musical future.

The Greeley Phil’s Got You (And Your Kazoo Too)

The next time you attend a Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra concert, you may want to bring your kazoo. Oh, you don’t have one? That’s OK. The Philharmonic’s gotchu.

On November 9, the orchestra will play, among other classics, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, perhaps the most striking and well-known piece in classical music (yes, you’ve definitely heard it). To celebrate the performance of this masterpiece, the Philharmonic wants the audience to play along using, yes, a kazoo.

Widow’s Bane – The Afterlife Is A Never-Ending Party

You think your life is bad? Let’s consider the life of Gov. Mortimer Leech. It would seem that Leech would make you jealous. Leech is eternal, so his nasty coke and hooker habits don’t harm him. He’s a musician, and he lives the lifestyle, partying with Stevie Wonder in Denver, gigging for hundreds of years, getting to be a snarky smartass in interviews with the press. His band, The Widow’s Bane, is still relatively hip, even if they’ve been around for hundreds of years. The band will release an album of the music they wrote for the production and will perform a proper headlining full-band show at Washington’s in Fort Collins on Halloween night, October 31.

The Collection – The Natural Order Of Chaos

“I was so down-and-out mentally,” says David Wimbish the vocalist and bandleader of The Collection. We spoke over the phone while he was in Asheville, North Carolina safely just outside the path of Hurricane Florence where he was preparing for a five-week tour to support The Collection’s latest album Entropy which perfectly describes where Wimbish was in his life. Entropy is defined as the gradual decline into chaos and Wimbish was feeling it after a rough string of life events, from an almost crippling bike accident in Frisco, Colorado to core members of The Collection doing some real soul-searching about the longevity of the project. Wimbish is excited for Entropy’s recent October 5 release and upcoming tour dates, including a three-date run with Greeley’s Silver & Gold culminating in a combined Moxi Theater appearance Saturday, October 27.

Misty Boyce – Lady Boss Among Lords

Misty Boyce is no stranger to big stages in Colorado. The New Mexico native has performed at Red Rocks, The Gothic Theater and plays a sold-out show at Denver’s Ogden Theater on October 5th, clocking more performance time than the headliner. How? By not quitting her day job. “If I’ve had a big break it was playing with Sara Bareilles. It was life-changing. That propelled me into a sphere of musicians that elevated everything.”

Shatterproof: The Re-Definition of Fine

Speaking with Shatterproof drummer Benji Spoliansky over the phone, the excitement he had looking forward to 2019 was almost palpable. So much was in the works for this Ft. Collins hardcore gypsy alt-rock band but… he couldn’t really talk about it except in cryptic, nondirect affirmations so as to not give it away. “I feel like everything we’ve done this far as a band has led to what’s going to be happening next year,” says Spoliansky.

Breaking News: Comedian Gallagher Suffers Heart Attack, Postpones September Dates

Legendary smash-comedian Gallagher has suffered a heart attack early this morning, September 11th, 2018.

Postponing a slew of shows including his only scheduled appearance for September at The Moxi Theater in Greeley, Colorado September 16th, the 72-year-old performer is currently in recovery at a Los Angeles hospital. At the of time of this article, his recovery status is unknown.

Greg Holden Is Ready For The Power Shift

Greg Holden’s music has always been incredibly timely and inspired. Rallying the emotions of a global fan base, the British born singer-songwriter’s tunes might be more familiar to you than you think. “Half of it boils down to the fact that I’m writing about current events. The way I’ve written has always changed and it really is just whatever has been swirling around in my head. I don’t sit down and say ‘I’m gonna write a song about a Sudanese refugee now’ – I just wait for it to hit me.” Catch him with Butch Walker at The Bluebird Theater this Sunday, September 9th.

The Great Salmon Famine – Pinnacle Fun

A fun-focused consideration of audience perspective permeates the party ethos of The Great Salmon Famine. Releasing the single “The Funky Circus” September 4 via bandwagmag.com and winning our 2018 Battle Of The Bands with a dancey, fan-favorited final round, their energetic live show is an expected highlight at this year’s Block Party in downtown Greeley on Friday, September 21.

Gallagher – Smashing The Script

As tempting as it would be for legendary comedian, performer Gallagher to cull from his many stand-up comedy shows on Showtime or his fame as one of the more well-known comics of the 1980s because he smashed stuff on stage, Gallagher doesn’t want to rehash those gags or rely on a bit that he’s performed thousands of times. He couldn’t work that way. Gallagher will play on Sunday, September 16 at the Moxi Theater, which, as cool as it is, is not an art center. It’s a concert venue, which means Gallagher can make a mess.

Flatland Cavalry – The Real Stuff

Cleto Cordero grew up in Lubbock, Texas, a dusty city in an area dominated by oil rigs and the badlands. Like most kids who live in a quiet hometown, Cordero believed there wasn’t much to do. But he looks back on that time with fondness: That’s how he grew into the eventual frontman and songwriter for Flatland Cavalry, a Country-Folk and Americana band on the verge of a breakout. The band plays on August 16 at the Moxi Theater.

Eugene Mirman Has A Voice For Comedy

Eugene Mirman has a voice for comedy. Speaking with him over the phone for this interview with BandWagon Magazine ahead of his performance at Washington’s in Ft. Collins on August 8, it was almost hard to believe the man on the other end was responsible for so many beloved comedy characters (most notably Gene from Bob’s Burgers) but there he was. After a few minutes of back and forth with the comedian, it became clear how this sharp and experienced Massachusetts native has become one of the most well-liked names in the business.

Paul Noffsinger – Most Magic Sucks

“Most ‘magic’ sucks,” Paul Noffsinger says. In our interview with the magician and member of The Mystery Collection, this stuck out like a joker in a stack of spades. Noffsinger returns to The Moxi Theater on August 23 to perform a show called “Unreal.” It’s a showcase of unexpected, bigger, more involved routines that he can’t do in the smaller venues and private house shows which are his bread-and-butter.

DeVotchKa’s ‘Night’ Finally Falls On Fans’ Ears

“Straight Shot,” the lead single from DeVotchKa’s forthcoming release This Night Falls Forever, takes both citizens of “Old Denver” and global fans of the pioneering Gypsy-Folk band “right back to the good times – before the paperwork got signed.” After years of soon-to-be-released announcements, the album finally arrives this August 24. “We have been extremely lucky in attracting so many great collaborations,” Nick Urata says. He admits, however, “with the benefit of hindsight, we now see that it took us away from finishing our album. We can only hope that the projects we have done will somehow find a way to influence our latest music.”

Thievery Corporation – Inside The Temple Of I & I

One cold February morning in 2015, the two masterminds behind Thievery Corporation—Rob Garza and Eric Hilton—left the frigid air of Washington D.C. and touched down in Kingston, Jamaica. They then made the 60-mile journey to the jungle-hemmed city of Port Antonio, a place the locals call the “real Jamaica,” where they would record their 10th studio album, The Temple Of I & I.

Dynohunter – A Constant Evolution

Boulder-based Dynohunter never want to completely fit in with what’s going on around them. Cutting a way for themselves through the festival and EDM scene across the country, they have opened for legends such as Infected Mushroom, Papadosio, and Bonobo. A household name amongst the Colorado festival circuit, each year their name climbs higher and higher on the line-up posters. We spoke with the Dynohunter guys ahead of their gig at ARISE about all the things that make them tick.
“We love that house and techno seem to be catching on with a larger festival and jam audience. Being born out of the jam scene and gravitating towards house and techno ourselves, we have helped others see how, for example, a DJ is able to weave together a 2-hour set and take the audience on a ride in a similar way to a jam band.”

Living Legends Arise – “We Are Definitely Back Together”

West Coast collective Living Legends — Murs, Eligh, The Grouch, Aesop, Bicasso, Sunspot Jonz, Luckyiam and Scarub — are ready to rock the Eagle Stage at The Arise Music Festival with their classic boom bap, no-frills hip-hop. Over the years, the group have taken a couple of hiatuses, but Aesop confirms their reunion is official (however, it’s unclear if Murs will be at the Arise Festival). “We are definitely back together,” says Aesop. “Our break was for spiritual reasons if you can call it that.”

Jukebox The Ghost: Off To The Big Gig

Queen. When did this obsession start? Is it an obsession? “It’s funny – It’s almost accidental and almost as if the world willed it to be so. We were getting compared to Queen well before there was any conscious effort to emulate or borrow from them. My voice would be compared to Freddie Mercury’ s (which was always a huge compliment) which I see as a natural progression of learning to sing at the piano. When you have to sing over an instrument that big and loud you think about range and volume differently.

Cold War Kids – The Best Versions Of Themselves

Cold War Kids are a force of nature in popular music. With six full-length albums and several chart-topping hits including the song “First” which peaked at number one on the U.S. alternative charts, the label of indie rockers hasn’t applied to them for years. For lead singer Nathan Willett, looking back on his career (and looking forward) the name of the game is being the best versions of themselves they can be.

Devon Allman – Fathers, Sons and a Band of Brothers

Devon Allman is a hard-working dad. Raised by his mother and growing up in the distant shadow of his father, Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers, Devon didn’t have much of a relationship with his …

Bad Frequencies Ring Familiar – Hawthorne Heights Return

Almost two decades after their debut, Dayton, Ohio’s Hawthorne Heights continue to live up to their reputation as s one of the seminal bands of the emo-rock genre. Lead vocalist and frontman JT Woodruff says Bad Frequencies (their first release as a band in almost 3 years) “is about going back to some of your favorite times in life and using those memories to push you forward.” It’s a compilation of undoubtedly new yet strikingly familiar emo-rock anthems akin to the ones that kept the class of 2007 company in high school. Catch them live at The Moxi Theater in Greeley on Saturday, June 2nd.

Brent Cowles Hasn’t Figured A Damn Thing Out

It’s a good time for Brent Cowles and his music. Recently signed to Dine Alone Records alongside industry giants like Dashboard Confessional and Jimmy Eats World, How To Be OK Alone is set to pop. “We were talking to a few different labels at the time. I guess there are a few super important things you want to consider. First off, does it seem like they care about your music? When you meet someone in person you can tell if they’re being genuine and real. When we met our label rep Jason it felt like the right decision.”

Iller Than Most: Del The Funky Homosapien On His New LP With Amp Live & His Reason For Rapping

As the hygienically-sound MC celebrates the release of his joint project with producer Amp Live — Gate 13 — Del The Funky Homosapien is making his way across the country in support of the album. People go nuts for Del and he’s one of the few MCs out of the Hiero crew who’s really forged a lucrative career separate from the rest of the guys. From his work with the Gorillaz to his side project Deltron 3030 with Dan The Automator and Kid Koala, artistically he’s always stood out.

Trout Steak Revival – Play Us Some Mountain Music

I attribute a lot of Trout Steak’s success to stamina. As we built the band, it felt like the steps of growth took much longer than we expected. We play about 120-150 shows each year. While we are on tour we travel in a van a lot, sleep in a different place every night. There are a lot of amazing moments on stage, there are also a lot of moments that cause you to ask yourself why you’re in a touring band. The thing that has held Trout Steak together over the years is communication. We treat each other fairly, we know each other very well and we know when to tread lightly and when to sit down and talk about it. It’s a family and we were friends first. My advice for a budding band would be to start a band with people you admire and trust: your friends!

Steve Harms – Sound Life Choices

Walking into Harms Labs in Old Town Square, Fort Collins, one immediately discovers that founder Steve Harms’ passion for music and high-quality speakers drives him every single day.

But Harms is a discovery all his own. The Chicago native, whose father wanted to name him DoNo (as in ‘Do No Harms’), attended Colorado State University in the ‘70s, where he stumbled upon his life’s work. Harms, who started building speakers at 14, was an electrical engineering student at the time. He started to realize speakers were his future when he unexpectedly had to provide a P.A. for a band whose monitors had blown out during a campus party.

Wild Child: Connecting with Their Audience One Show at a Time

We spoke with Alex from Wild Child about their show at the Bluebird Theatre this past Saturday. The Austin based indie-pop band performed a very intimate and lively show to a sold out crowd in Denver. The seven piece group played some of their oldest songs from their first record as well as played their brand new songs from their recently released album Expectations, which came out February 9th of this year. The group’s refreshing songs had everyone dancing and singing while lead vocalist and violinist Kelsey Wilson went into the crowd to perform their song “Pillow Talk” off of their first album that was released in 2011.

Cut Chemist: Fresh to Death

As Cut Chemist was making his way to Colorado, the tenured Jurassic 5 turntablist and Los Angeles Hip Hop staple endured an appearance at Austin’s annual SXSW festival, a bout with the flu and trip to Montana. But it’s all par for the course. At this stage in his nearly three-decade career, he’s learned to adapt to whatever life (and tour) throws at him.

Quentin Turns Away and Finds Themselves

I Turned Away, is a Quentin finding themselves in their own noise. What set them apart early on in the northern Colorado music scene was their jazzy approach to modern rock music. A band molded out of the music performance program of the University of Northern Colorado, Quentin formed when guitarist Jack McManaman and drummer Adam Gilsdorf wanted to branch out from the traditional jazz and classical music they were learning in college.

The Mowgli’s Find That “Real Good Life”

Last Friday, Los Angeles based band The Mowgli’s hit the stage at Globe Hall playing to a sold out crowd. The feel-good alternative rock band played their Denver show on one of the last dates of their “Real Good Life” national headlining tour. Finishing the tour with them was Mainland out of NYC to open their show. The Mowgli’s also celebrated the release of their new single “Kansas City,” which also came out Friday. We chatted with Andy from the band to talk about their upcoming single and what’s next to come for the band.

Alex Cameron & Roy Molloy Are No Cheap Dates

Alex Cameron and his business partner/saxophonist Roy Malloy know what it means to put in time. From their humble beginnings in Sydney, Australia to their consistently sold out shows around the world, the name of the game has been stay on the grind and cash those checks when you can.

Antibalas Is The Medicine Everyone Needs

As the lead singer of Antibalas, Amayo is used to juggling the various demands that come along with being a working musician. Founded in 1998 by Martin Perna, the 11-piece outfit was inspired by Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, who wove jazz, funk, Ghanaian/Nigerian highlife, rock, and traditional West African chants and rhythms into one cohesive fabric.

Slow Caves – Poser / Rover 7″ Release

Slow Caves evoke a depth of maturity that belies their youthful, blonde, surf-rock appearance. Their freshly squeezed 7-Inch release Poser / Rover stays the chilled-out course for the Denver/Ft. Collins quartet’s consistent brand of loveable, lilting slack-rock.

Poser / Rover sets cruise control smack-dab between Morrissey and Ric Ocasek era Weezer, with both tunes coasting in at a steady 135 bpm. It’s just enough drive to let your hair blow in the breeze – like a Mac Demarco tape was in the deck as you drove down Colfax to Poser / Rover’s release show a few Fridays ago.

Bitter Suns Premier New Video for “Skate or Die”

If anything is clear in their latest video “Skate or Die”, our Bitter Suns boys came to do two things: Skate and party.

Blitzen Trapper’s Eric Earley Explains The Road To Americana Gold

Nine albums and several Rolling Stone nods later, Blitzen Trapper — Earley, Erik Menteer, Brian Adrian Koch, Michael Van Pelt, and Marty Marquis — is at the forefront of modern Americana. Serving as a follow-up to albums like 2008’s critically acclaimed Furr and 2015’s All Across This Land, the group’s ninth studio album, Wild and Reckless, is filled with personal anecdotes about a bygone era. From the moment the album opener “Rebel” begins, it immediately draws comparisons to Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, something he hasn’t grown tired of… yet.

One Flew West – Explicitly Themselves

Tried and true emo-honesty comes off OFW’s chest in spades, but the truth is, more and more of Northern Colorado is all ears. Shout-y open-throated hooks throughout the EP evoke images from its release show last month at The Bluebird Theater, packed with hoodied disciples bopping and shouting along.

“One thing we tried really hard to convey on this EP was the energy of our music that we display at our live show” OFW says. “A big part of that was incorporating gang vocals into the recording. We always get the audience to sing along when we play live and we wanted to harness the energy that comes with that into a recorded song.”

.idk – Money Moves

Maryland-based rapper .idk (formerly Jay IDK or IDK for short) lost his mother in 2016. Out of that tragedy, he’s delivered some of his most personal work to date with his debut album IWasVeryBad. Released in October 2017 on Adult Swim’s imprint, the 12-track project features hip-hop royalty like Del The Funky Homosapien and MF Doom (now DOOM), and veteran beatsmith Swizz Beatz.

Washington’s Opens to Sold Out Crowd

Saturday, February 3, the historic Ft. Collins landmark will once again be re-birthed as a 900 capacity music venue simply dubbed: Washington’s. A sold-out crowd will unite that evening for the venue’s inaugural performance by Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue.

Wildermiss Carry Each Other All The Way

Denver indie-pop group Wildermiss combine rhythmic, harmonic tension with the chart-tested power of hook repetition. Though first looks at synth-wielding front-woman Emma Cole may conjure pop stereotypes, look deeper. Wildermiss are a guitar band in …

Silver & Gold – The Long Road Home

When Silver & Gold began five years ago in Greeley, Colorado, reaching the point where they were releasing material and actively touring was a distant dream. At the time, most of the band were students …

Demun Jones – Listen to ‘Ya Speaker’

Jones County, Georgia musician Demun Jones is almost the last person you’d expect to draw musical inspiration from hardcore gangsta rappers N.W.A — but don’t judge a book by its cover. Jones has been rapping along to songs like “Fuck The Police” and “Straight Outta Compton” since the ‘90s.

Flaaaavor Flaaaaav!! The Public Enemy Legend’s Next Chapter

People tend to equate Flavor Flav with being the star of VH1’s now-defunct reality show Flavor Of Love. Every week, he’d floss his oversized clock while yelling his signature catchphrase, “Yeahhhhh boyyyeeee” at the top of his lungs. But there’s much more to the New York native. As a member of the legendary hip-hop group Public Enemy, he’s established himself as one of the best hype men in the music business. In fact, he essentially invented the role. Perhaps surprisingly to some, he’s also a self-taught musician who plays over a dozen instruments.

Gasoline Lollipops Dig Deep

Earlier this year, the Boulder area based band, Gasoline Lollipops, comprised of Clay Rose on guitar and vocals, Bradley Morse on standup bass, Adam Perry on drums, Donny Ambory on stratocaster, Jeb Bows on fiddle, and vocalist Alexandra Schwan, had their most legendary show to date — playing on the Red Rocks Amphitheatre stage for Film on the Rocks.

The Burroughs Got To Feel

“I’m so proud of this, from top to bottom,” says Johnny Burroughs, vocalist and band leader of the Greeley soul band The Burroughs about their latest album, Got to Feel.

Maddy O’Neal: Big Year, Bright Future

For the last year, EDM artist Maddy O’Neal has been hitting the road hard. For this St. Louis native turned Denverite, it’s all been a dream come true as her music has taken her to some of the best venues in the world. With a relaxed, nuanced style of electronic music that is more about melody and rhythm than pushing cliches, it’s no wonder she is becoming one of the most sought-after artists in Colorado. We caught up with O’Neal mid-tour to discuss the industry, her music, and her goals for the new year.

Perry Farrell: Lifting The Veil

In the early ‘80s, New York native/lead singer Perry Farrell fled the concrete jungle for the sunny side of the United States and landed in California. He wanted to pursue his love for surfing and …

The National Parks Tell Their Story

Brady Parks, vocalist and songwriter of The National Parks, was drawn to folk music by the storytelling aspect of the genre. “There is something about telling a whole life story in a three minute song,” he said in a recent interview with BandWagon Magazine. It’s this love for folk music and conveying himself artistically that eventually led him to form The National Parks in 2013 and there was no turning back.

Face Time with Face Vocal Band

They’ve been booked before Jay Leno, Bon Jovi, Reel Big Fish and recently the Barenaked Ladies at the Greeley Stampede, and they did it all with only their voice.

Something from Nothing: The Music District Presents ‘Hip Hop History Week’

Although Fort Collins is often considered a creative hub of music and art, Hip Hop often gets underrepresented in the overall big picture. There are a few sporadic shows with artists like EPMD, Doomtree’s P.O.S. or Zion I, but for the most part, indie rock acts and folk music is more common in the Front Range-area. The Music District aims to change that with November’s week-long celebration of Hip Hop culture.

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Picks You Should Hear This Month

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Picks You Should Hear This Month featuring Jade Jackson, Beck, Julien Lennon and Hiss Golden Messenger.

The Burroughs Premier New Video “Touch the Sky”

I hope you are ready because The Burroughs are back at it! Premiering their new video “Touch The Sky” in anticipation of their new album out January 9th, The Burroughs show why they are so good at what they do.

ITS JUST BUGS。

Its Just Bugs。 are one of the most outrageous bands to ever win the BandWagon Battle of the Bands. Entering as the underdogs, no one saw them coming as they swept the whole thing, winning the cover of this magazine and taking home the $1,000 prize. Essentially a hip-hop band, Its Just Bugs。 mixes elements of hardcore, electronic, and comedy into an honest and insanely original wrapped package. Made up of MCs Patrick Richardson and Alex Koutsoukos, Noel Billups on keys, Tyler Sanderson on drums, and Jack Jordan on bass, Its Just Bugs。 has found themselves resonating with audiences. We spoke with Richardson and Koutsoukos about winning the battle of the bands and the answers weren’t quite what we thought they would be.

Gleemer– Meticulously Curated

With the dreamy, shoegaze Fort Collins band’s newest record on the way, songwriter, frontman and engineer Corey Coffman reflects on conviction in inspiration, friendships, and the writing and engineering process behind new album Anymore.

BADBADNOTGOOD

Canadian Jazz collective BADBADNOTGOOD is currently comprised of four dudes— Matthew Tavares, Chester Hansen, Alexander Sowinski and Leland Whitty. Since emerging in 2010, they’ve inched their way towards notoriety with albums like 2011’s BBNG and the aptly titled BBNG2, which they released in 2012.

Gasoline Lollipops and The Artistic Vision of ‘Soul Mine’

The Boulder-based folk/punk/alt-country outfit Gasoline Lollipops launches a successful Kickstarter campaign to complete their new album, Soul Mine, back in July, resulting in their first vinyl release. We quizzed drummer Adam Perry about the creation of Soul Mine, the Kickstarter campaign and releasing their first vinyl record.

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks You Should Hear This Month

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks for October featuring Nick Lowe, The National, Deer Tick and Tyler Childers.

In The Whale – Not Their First Rodeo

For Nate Valdez and Eric Reilly of the two-piece rock band In The Whale, the last seven years has been a wild ride on the slow burn to success. From their humble beginnings in the early days of the Greeley music scene to their grind touring at a national level, In The Whale has evolved both sonically and professionally.

Thundercat Comes Into His Own

“As long as I don’t start murdering people are robbing banks in the name of Thundercat, I’m good,” Stephen Bruner says regarding his fixation with the ‘80s action figures and cartoon series. “I kind of had a creepier fascination with it when I was younger. It scared my parents a bit. My mom had to be careful and pay attention because if she didn’t, she would turn around and I would seriously be worshiping the toys. I’m sure eating the cat food, staring at the toys and not really playing with them would scare anybody though [laughs].”

Don’t Always Believe What You See: Brotha Lynch Hung

Infamous for his tendencies towards dark, twisted rap tales, or what many call “horrorcore,” Sacramento native Brotha Lynch Hung (real name Kevin Mann) has established himself as an inimitable force in the business. Since stepping out with the 24 Deep EP in 1993, he’s continually pumped out solo albums, only taking a hiatus between 2003‘s Lynch by Inch: Suicide Note and 2009’s The Gas Station Mixtape Volume One. Admittedly, he was not exactly sure what he was going to do during that period of his life.

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks

105.5 The Colorado Sound shares its picks for the albums you should be listening to.

Atmosphere: Freeing the Ego

Roughly one year ago, Atmosphere released its most personal album to date – Fishing Blues. MC Sean “Slug” Daley rapped about fatherhood and marriage, or what he calls #DadRap, ad producer Anthony “Ant” Davis got a new creative burst after putting down the Budweiser and cigarettes. In particular, Daley appeared to present a new, more mature side and seemingly shed the once overbearing ego that was often so prevalent on older albums like 2002’s God Loves Ugly.

Josh Blue– Can’t Knock Me Down

Life as a stand-up comedian is not easy, just ask Josh Blue. Winner of the fourth season of Last Comic Standing, this Denver resident made a name for himself for his unapologetic candor regarding his cerebral palsy. His national success has made him an important figure in the Denver comedy scene where he’s maintained a strong presence over the years. His success has also attracted the attention of some unsavory characters and recently during his show in St. Paul, Minnesota, he was assaulted in the bathroom of the venue. We got the chance to speak with Blue about the assault and his life as a Denver comic.

Fort Collins Is a Thriving Music Hub

Fort Collins, Colorado is a collaborative, non-competitive, startup music city without a big ego. This is a city built for musicians by musicians. For over ten years, musicians laid the groundwork for the next golden era of “musicprenuers“ by constructing an ecosystem built on encouragement, support, and empowerment. This shifts the paradigm and disrupts the music industry systems of the past.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear’

New from Royal Blood, Cage The Elephant, Lorde, Foo Fighters and Dirty Heads.

Lettuce: Erick “Jesus” Coomes Could Be Your Best Friend

Bassist for the funk band Lettuce and accomplished studio musician Erick “Jesus” Coomes earned a degree from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in the mid-90s. Over the past couple of decades, he’s honed his craft to become one of the most prolific bass players out there. His brother, producer Tycoon, has multiple platinum hits and works with some of the most successful people in the industry, including Ron Fair, Diane Warren and Dr. Dre. Coupled with their musician father, who essentially came up with “Jesus music,” it’s truly a family affair.

Talkin’ Shop with Rooney

Rooney is a band you know you’ve heard. The commercial success of songs like “Don’t Let Your Heart Go Missing” and “I’m Shakin” made them a part of the high school experience for many young people growing up in the early and mid-2000s. What many casual listeners don’t know, bandleader Robert Schwartzman is also an accomplished filmmaker. In 2016, he released his directorial debut Dreamland at the Tribeca Film Festival while almost at the same time releasing Washed Away, Rooney’s first full-length album in six years. We spoke with Schwartzman about his incredible life as an artist.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear’

New music from Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Arcade Fire, Blink-182, The Unlikely Candidates and Barns Courtney.

If He Had A Million Dollars: Barenaked Ladies’ Ed Roberston Would Be Doing The Same Thing

By now, most people have heard of the Barenaked Ladies — the ‘90s alternative band responsible for the Billboard Hot 100 hit “One Week” and songs like “If I Had $1000000.” Established in 1988 by Steven Page and Ed Robertson, the Canadian group never intentionally set out to use its band name as what eventually became a clever marketing tool. It just kind of…happened.

Blues Jam 2017 Spotlight: Southern Avenue, Samantha Fish, and more

2017 Greeley Blues Jam Spotlight featuring Southern Avenue Band, Samantha Fish, My Blue Sky and Walter Trout.

Twiztid: Behind the Masks

Still riding high from his performance in Baltimore the night before, Twiztid MC Monoxide Child (real name Paul Methric) is admittedly anxious about the second show. The Detroit native was pleasantly surprised by how well the first show of The Psychomania Tour went despite the group adding several new tracks to the set list.

Corey Feldman & The Angels: Standing By Them

When illustrious ‘80s actor Corey Feldman emerged with his recent musical project, Corey & the Angels, many people were left scratching their heads. They couldn’t seem to understand how the long time thespian’s passion for music could transcend any insecurity he was apparently supposed to feel. After his now infamous Today Show performance video went viral and drew harsh criticism, he retreated from the public eye for a while, which if you know Feldman, is completely understandable. The Los Angeles native, by all accounts, is one of the most congenial “celebrities” out there.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear’

New on 94.3 The X this month: Tash Sultana, Paramore, Saint Motel, Dream Car and Foster The People.

Ben Pu & Crew – On Solid Ground

If you were to ask around the city of Greeley who the best guitarist in the area was, the general answer will be Ben Pu. A few will make note of one of the students or faculty of the University of Northern Colorado’s jazz program, but to the regular folks who don’t frequent the UNC jazz recitals, Ben Pu, real name Ben Puchalski, along with his band, Ben Pu & Crew are our shining stars.

Anville – The New Kid on the Block

Every once in awhile a notable local rapper comes along, but few have blindsided the rap game like Angelo Robert Trevino-Villamil, otherwise known as Anville. In just 4 months he’s opened for multiple notable artists including; Madchild, Krizz Kaliko, Kosha Dillz, OG Maco, and even Devin The Dude. Anville also performed an unofficial set at SXSW this year in Austin, Texas this year. His journey to this point has certainly been a testament to his drive and ambition.

Reigning It In: Kongos Keep Their Egos In Check

Egomania is defined as “the quality or state of being extremely egocentric,” according to Merriam-Webster. In the music business, ego can often cloud the better judgment of artists and other industry players and, consequently, become a huge turn-off for anyone who crosses their path. Fortunately, for the four South African brothers of the band Kongos — Daniel, Dylan, Jesse and Johnny Kongos — they basically have built-in moral compasses that allow them to check each other if they ever feel their egos are getting out of control. The group’s third studio album, Egomaniac puts the topic front and center, and dives into the curious human condition. Although the brothers often go off on their own to write their individual parts of the music, they usually wind up with one, cohesive idea.

BandWagon Hot Pick: Fenech-Soler

Fenech-Soler at the Moxi Theater in Greeley. Monday, May 5th at 8pm.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need to Hear This Month’

New on 94.3 The X from The 1975, Bleachers, LP, K.Flay and Night Riots.

Devin The Dude–Still Floating on Air

For Devin The Dude, it would seem there’s no better place to perform than in Colorado. The weed-friendly state has more dispensaries popping up than it does Starbucks and welcomes anyone fond of it endless herbal treats. As Devin The Dude (real name Devin Copeland) prepares to descend on Northern Colorado in support of his new album, he’s undoubtedly looking forward to the perks that come with playing our great state. After all, the Houston native has been synonymous with marijuana for years now, however, it’s not necessarily something he sought out to do.

Peelander Z: Conversations in Yellow

When it comes to colors in the rainbow, yellow is the loudest. And when it comes to personalities in the art and music world, Peelander Yellow (sometimes known on planet Earth as Kengo Hioki) frontman for the action punk band Peelander Z is the same. With his yellow skullet, missing teeth, and ageless embrace of the punk lifestyle, Peelander Yellow’s vibrancy is magnetic and contagious.

Tech N9ne: Still At The Top Of His Game

Rap titan Tech N9ne (real name Aaron Yates) is sitting in his Star Coach tour bus behind the Slowdown music venue in Omaha, Nebraska, where he’s presumably getting ready to take material from his latest album, The Storm, to the stage. Fully stocked with a bed, shower, toilet and an entertainment center in the back, the bus is a symbol of the undeniable success he’s attained since establishing his Strange Music, Inc. imprint in 1999. Based in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, the label now has a massive roster, including Krizz Kaliko, Rittz, Murs, and Ces Cru. Not everyone, however, is impressed by his rock star status.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need to Hear’

New on 94.3 The X this month from Portugal. The Man, Lorde, SWMRS, Weezer and The Orwells

“I’m Only Dreaming” & The New Eisley

20 years ago Sherri DuPree was writing and performing music with her sister Chauntelle out of their family’s coffee shop in Texas. By 2001 the two sisters had recruited their other siblings Stacy and Weston to join the band. Pretty soon Eisley was breaking into the Dallas music scene and beyond signing to Warner Bros. in 2003. Over the years, the DuPree family has toured and collaborated with an impressive list of indie rock bands as Eisley including New Found Glory, Switchfoot, Say Anything, Taking Back Sunday, Rooney, and Mutemath among others. Sherri and her sisters would even lend their voice to the Bright Eyes album Cassadaga in 2006 while in the studio for their second album: Combinations.

Psychic Twin’s “Strange Diary”

Thirty-four-year-old Erin Fein, better known by her alter-ego Psychic Twin, found inspiration for her latest album, Strange Diary, as her marriage began to dissolve. Out of pain, often comes powerful art, and the nine-track album is no exception. While the project is a sometimes brooding and emotional ride through her divorce, it also provided some much needed therapy at a crucial time as she tumbled through her painful, artistic purge.

Allegaeon: Keeping Metal Alive in The 21st Century

It’s great to see when Colorado bands ‘make it.’ Touring year-round opening for huge bands, playing big festivals, and shredding for the impressionable youth. However, it’s not always easy for those bands to continue playing music because of how tough the music business really is. The reality is that until you reach a certain level, things are well… financially underwhelming. Touring is also extremely dangerous from all the time spent driving, and longevity is nothing but an uphill battle while most lucky and successful metal bands only become self-sufficient… if they stay together.

New on 94.3 The X– ‘Songs You Need to Hear’

New music from The Heydaze, COIN, Sundara Karma, Cold War Kids and Missio.

Todd Barry vs His Audience

“Stand up comedy takes guts.”

That’s a quote from me. I said that. I said it to myself last night after a drunk guy shattered his beer glass on the floor while I was mid joke. I said it again when 20 percent of the crowd (one lady) fell asleep and started snoring. I said it a third time, I don’t know why, in the bathroom when a guy walked in on me pooping after my set. And I’ll say it again right now: stand up comedy takes guts.

The Man Behind The Moniker: Killer Mike

Mike Bigga may be more recognized by the name Killer Mike, but underneath the menacing moniker is a Southern-bred heart of gold. Bigga is a former Morehouse College student who values the lessons instilled in him by his grandmother, adores his children, loves his wife, but at the same time can murder a microphone with his politically charged and brutally honest lyrics.

The Hip Abduction– Basking In The Glow

For the guys in the tropical indie-rock outfit The Hip Abduction, life could be worse. Based out of St. Petersburg, Florida, according to bassist Chris Powers when they’re not on tour or recording new music, they’re spending time on the beach. A band since 2007, it wasn’t until 2013 that the band began to experience a breakout when they released their self-titled album to a warm reception in the reggae market.

New on 94.3 The X: Songs You Need To Hear

New this month from Bastille, Cage the Elephant, Love Thy Brother, The Shins and Sigma.

The Wailers– Marley’s Right Hand Man Still Carrying The Torch

The Wailers are eternally synonymous with the word ‘reggae.’ Its music was sparked by a revolutionary time when social unrest was bubbling to the surface, but it’s soundtrack was fresh and innovative. Along with the late reggae icon Bob Marley, The Wailers successfully attained International recognition and continue to spread its positive messages built on the foundation of Rastafarianism around the world despite Marley’s untimely death in 1980.

The Floozies– Brothers on a Funk Mission

Mark and Matt Hill of The Floozies are two brothers on a funk mission. Since their first show as The Floozies in 2008, The Hill brothers have taken that mission around the world, sharing their brand of EDM everywhere from house parties to sold out festivals alongside so many industry greats. Recently, we spoke with The Floozies about the things that make their world go around.

Wheelchair Sports Camp– Kalyn Heffernan Rolls With It

For Denver-based MC Kalyn Heffernan, life has never been easy. Born with brittle bone disease she’s had to endure countless surgeries in a lifetime of judgment due to her, what she calls “CripLife” (short for crippled life), but that’s who she is- witty, funny and bursting at the seams with personality, especially when she grabs the mic. The results are nothing short of explosive.

New on 94.3 The X– ‘Songs You Need To Hear’

New songs from Night Riots, Young the Giant, Dirty Heads, Twenty One Pilots, and The Wind + The Wave.

American Blackout– Yeah So What EP

American Blackout, the punk band out of Ft. Collins is here to have a good time. In today’s heavily charged political climate, it’s easy to associate their name with a more protest oriented style of punk but the truth of the matter is these guys came to party.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear This Month”

New songs from The Unlikely Candidates, The Fame Riot, Rag’n’Bone Man, Bishop Briggs, and Sundara Karma.

Brother Ali: Leading By Example

Rhymesayers Entertainment artist and Minneapolis native Brother Ali has been spitting out albums since 2000’s Rites of Passage. It was a brave introduction to the life of an albino rapper and offered some insight into his heavily politically minded views. In 2003, he released Shadows on the Sun and followed up with 2007’s The Undisputed Truth, 2009’s Us, and 2012’s Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color, delivering content-driven, independent hip-hop. There’s a new business model in the rap game and Brother Ali is vocal about his stance on where things are going. He took a few minutes out of his schedule to talk about his stint with Rock The Bells and the independent music business model. Brother Ali plays The Aggie on December 15.

Badflower: Behaving Like Animals

Formed in Los Angeles in 2013, blossoming indie rock group Badflower is comprised of lead vocalist/guitarist Josh Katz, lead guitarist Joey Morrow, drummer/percussionist Anthony Sonetti, and bassist Alex Espiritu. After playing gigs around West Hollywood and a bevy of popular venues in L.A., the group started gaining more traction with its single “Animal” after playing the 2013 SXSW Music Festival, where iHeartRadio Austin decided to throw the single in its rotation. In November 2013, the band’s acoustic rendition of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” played on The Voice of Germany and since then, Badflower’s notoriety has exponentially increased. Signed to Republic Records/Universal Music Group, Badflower has just begun to plant its roots. Katz took a few moments to talk the band’s name, what it felt like to put out their first album and why “no mediocrity” is allowed.

Danielle Ate The Sandwich– The Terrible Dinner Guest

Folk singer/songwriter Danielle Anderson has been playing as Danielle Ate The Sandwich since she initially started putting out YouTube videos of her work. Since 2009, she’s held successful Kickstarter campaigns for her albums and tours and has even had her work featured on the soundtrack to the HBO Documentary Packed in a Trunk: The Lost Art of Edith Wilkinson.

Bryce Merritt: Connecting Through Chroma

Bryce Merritt’s latest release, Chroma: I, effortlessly blends pop with elements of funk and R&B. He pulls his influences from artists ranging from Stevie Wonder to John Mayer, but it was actually country music that first got him into writing songs. “I grew up in Oklahoma and just based on what my parents listened to, growing up, the only thing that I knew existed, musically, was country music. They controlled the [radio] dial in the car,” recalls Merritt. He knew he always wanted to sing, so naturally he got his start writing country songs. “But then I got my car whenever I started driving in high school and I had control over the radio and I started discovering so much more music. The first thing I really got into was Motown,” he says, realizing that was the music that he wanted to make.

Jai Wolf: Ahead of The Pack

When Sajeeb Saha, A.K.A. Jai Wolf, made the move out of EDM he discovered a sound that finally fit the musician, and person, he was.

Toro y Moi: Ever Evolving

Born in South Carolina, Toro Y Moi (born Chaz Bundick) is in the middle of a career that is taking him all over the world, which could explain his rather eclectic musical style. From 2010’s Causers of This to 2013’s phenomenal Anything In Return, he’s found a way to incorporate everything from ’70 style funk and disco to downtempo grooves and ‘80s R&B.

Southern Avenue

Memphis, Tennessee based band Southern Avenue, has a co-sign that most bands dream of. They recently have signed to the legendary music label Stax Records which has been home to Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and the ‘King of Rock and Roll’ Elvis Presley. Their self-titled debut album is set to be released February 17th, 2017 on Concord/Stax Records and the profile of the band is quickly rising. Members include Ori Naftaly, Tierinii Jackson, Tikyra ‘TK’ Jackson, and Daniel McKee. Speaking to Bandwagon Magazine Ori spoke on the process behind the new album, his musical upbringing, and the story behind the formation of SA.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear This Month’

New from Saint Motel, K. Flay, Paper Route, JOSEPH, and Blink-182.

The Summer Set: Made For You Tour 2016

The beginning piano chords on The Summer Set’s latest album Stories for Monday tell the story of optimism and promise. But, it was only last year that The Summer Set nearly broke up ending their almost decade long career. “There was a lot of pressure for our fourth album and we always want to grow artistically,” says lead singer Brian Logan Dales. “We want to keep moving forward and never be satisfied.” The band consisting of Dales, Josh Montgomery, John Gomez, Stephen Gomez, and Jess Bowen were at a crossroads. After touring and playing for many years the gravity of having to follow up their successful previous album Legendary was evident.

Rittz: Top of The Line

Growing up in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Strange Music rapper Rittz (real name Jonathan McCollum) was exposed to a wide variety of music, which really influenced his current musical style. His father made a living playing music for the first nine years of his life and inspired him to walk the same path.

Tay Don Die And The Long Way Back From Rock Bottom

When local hip-hop artist Taylor White (aka Tay Don Die) walked into the Wells Fargo Bank on 23rd avenue and 16th street in Greeley, Colorado on November 20, 2015 he had reached rock bottom. He approached the teller with a note that demanded $10,000 and after that there was no going back. Panicked, White left before receiving any money. “I came out with nothing so I now I’m tripping out. I was like, ‘fuck, I have to do this.’ So I went down to the Guarantee Bank and did that one and got the cash,” says White in a recent interview with the BandWagon. White made off with about $2,000.

The Power of Partying: Andrew W.K. Takes It To The Next Level

Every week, Andrew W.K. pens a popular advice column for the Village Voice in New York City that offers poignant nuggets of wisdom on a variety of life topics. From questions like, “Does heaven exist?” to “How do I make my friend put bros before hoes?,” the topics swing from the wildly absurd to mundane, seemingly common knowledge type of inquiries. Andrew W.K., however, finds a way to not only intelligently answer each one, but also does it in such a way that it feels like the reader is getting a lesson in philosophy. The Michigan-born musician, motivational speaker, and producer is essentially taking his column on the road with his Power of Partying Speaking Tour.

New on 94.3: ‘Songs You Need To Hear This Month’

New from Empire of the Sun, Declan McKenna, Jimmy Eat World, Colony House, Zipper Club.

New on 94.3 The X: Songs You Need To Hear This Month

Dreamers – Sweet Disaster For anyone who dresses like The Rolling Stones, and dances like the Talking Heads while listening to some ‘young Ramones,’ you and I have a lot in common, and the latest …

888: No More ‘Critical Mistakes’

When Denver musician Danny Stills was surfing the internet one day, he stumbled across an 888, which is a tape made for a machine manufactured in the 1960s used to record the Beatles and other timeless acts. Stills brought the suggestion to Aaron Rothe and Danny Cooper, who also gravitated towards the idea of naming their electro-pop project, 888.

The Spill Canvas

As one can imagine, growing up in the vast nothingness of Sioux Falls, South Dakota doesn’t exactly provide for an exciting upbringing or much of a musical landscape, but The Spill Canvas vocalist Nick Thomas …

Prophets of Rage: Making America Rage Again

The United States is currently in a state of emergency. Fresh on the heels of the police shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and the massacre of five Dallas police officers during a Black Lives Matter protest, the Prophets of Rage supergroup could not have surfaced at a better time. Coupled with an intense political race between presumptive nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, Prophets of Rage are urging people to get off the sidelines.

Atmosphere: Growing Pains

In June 2003, when 16-year-old Marissa Mathy-Zvaifler was raped and murdered backstage by the venue’s janitor at an Atmosphere show in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sean “Slug” Daley’s perspective on life changed forever. Since that dark, dark day, the Rhymesayers Entertainment co-founder realized it wasn’t just about him anymore. He had a greater purpose, one he’s been chasing for the past 13 years.

Ziggy Marley

As the eldest son of reggae icon Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley had impossibly large shoes to fill. After his father’s untimely death in 1981, the young Marley was left to continue his father’s legacy, one that began in the early ‘60s. Through his music, Bob Marley called for political and social reform, spoke out against injustices and soothed the souls of countless fans. It was a daunting job, but the seven time Grammy Award winner has managed to slide into the role with ease.

The Epilogues–The End Of An Era

It’s safe to say The Epilogues have put in their time in the Greeley scene. Ten of the last twelve years they have been a band they have regularly made the trip from their home in Denver to play for the local scenesters. While they have rode the rollercoaster that is the professional music business with both extreme highs and extreme lows, Greeley has been inconsistent with its appreciation of the band. Having personally been to probably several dozen Epilogues shows, I have seen a hundred people turn out on some nights and five people turn out on others. Part of it is the somewhat spoiled nature of Greeley concert goers who have the best in Colorado music presented to them and it still not being good enough to buy a ticket, and The Epilogues not having a sound that resonates with a secondary market like Greeley where there is less experience with live (and different) music and more experience peering through the pop filters of the internet.

Mark Sultan’s One Man Show Comes to Fort Collins

Before he was in The King Khan & BBQ Show, Mark Sultan played drums for the Canadian punk outfit Powersquat, who were noted for particularly violent live shows. After Powersquat disbanded, Sultan took over vocal duties for The Spaceshits, who also had a reputation for violent shows. They were so crazy in fact, The Spaceshits were eventually blacklisted from multiple venues in Montreal. Needless to say, Sultan has quite the history.

Artist Profile: Wesley Sam-Bruce

The best part of Greeley-based visual artist Wesley Sam-Bruce’s work is it’s clear he goes all the way with an idea. When he conceptualizes a piece, no matter how intense or bizarre the idea is, he makes it happen. Recently, the BandWagon got the chance to speak with Sam-Bruce about his work after his return from San Diego, California where he recently wrapped up a massive project with the New Children’s Museum. Listening to Sam-Bruce describe his projects, for the most part his ideas seem weird and far-fetched. He paints a very large picture for very large ideas and approaches his projects only limited by his own imagination. The grandioseness of it could easily be brushed off by sceptics… But then he delivers. Not only does he deliver, but he makes a living doing it.

NEW ON 94.3 THE X: SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH

The 1975 – Somebody Else If you needed a post-breakup song, you can thank The 1975 for this. As sad and beautiful as Matt Healy is in the music video, it does such justice to …

Girls Rule: Bleached

When sisters Jen and Jessie Clavin were little, the Los Angeles natives would play around with their father’s guitars, often daydreaming about starting a band one day. As they discovered groups like Siouxee and the Banshees, The Slits and the Velvet Underground, they realized it was actually a possibility. Right before graduating from high school, their dreams finally surfaced into reality.

The Reimagination of JR. JR.

Before Jr. Jr. was unmistakably on the musical radar, multi-instrumentalist Daniel Zott was still living in grandmother’s basement, where the duo actually recorded 2010’s reinterpretation of The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” off their first EP, Horsepower.

Madison & Main Bike Show

Rodney Barnes, ceramist and President of Madison & Main Gallery, has never met Colorado Springs native Mike Rust, but said that he has come to know Mike through stories and riding his High Wheeler, also known as a Penny Farthing.

Flying Lotus– It’s So Easy To Get Lost

Flying Lotus (real name Steve Ellison) came from a musical background. As the great-nephew of the late jazz pianist Alice Coltrane and saxophonist John Coltrane, it quite literally was ingrained in his DNA. Music, however, wasn’t his first love.

Rusted Root Takes a Trip to The Mish

Comprised of founder/vocalist Michael Glabicki, bassist Patrick Norman, percussionist Liz Berlin, percussionist Preach Freedom, and guitarist Dirk Miller, the current incarnation of Rusted Root explore and execute almost every type of musical genre. This fact alone is what makes them so unique. African, Latin American, Native American, and other various forms of world music are injected into their material, which are sounds Glabicki sought out in the beginning stages of the band.

Time Is New– Kevin Johnston of The Bright Silence

After ten years in New York, Bright Silence singer Kevin Johnston returned home to Colorado to make the biggest leap of his music career yet. Fortunately for music listeners, he came bearing gifts – namely the winsome nine-song LP Time Is New, set to release on July 22nd.

NEW ON 94.3 THE X: SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH

Mollie Kendrick | On air Mon.-Fri. 6am – 10am

Macklemore– Unstoppable

Only a handful of indie hip-hop artists have experienced the meteoric rise to fame Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have. From relative obscurity to the cover of Rolling Stone, the Seattle-based duo is deeply submerged in the spotlight. It’s all moving incredibly fast, but they are apparently enjoying the roller coaster ride. The pair’s latest album, This Unruly Mess I’ve Made, chronicles his growth as a husband and father while juggling the insanity that comes along with his new celebrity status.

Blues Jam Spotlight: Davy Knowles

Growing up in the Isle of Man, 29-year-old blues musician Davy Knowles learned to play guitar by listening to records he’d find in his father’s collection, which included artists like Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher, Oasis and Eric Clapton. At 19, after sharpening his skills in the local music circuit, he opted to split for America, where he toured with his band, Back Door Slam.

Blues Jam Spotlight: North Mississippi Allstars

Bringing a little taste of Mississippi country blues to the Greeley Blues Jam, Luther and Cody Dickinson are the two brothers behind North Mississippi Allstars, celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year. Both are the sons of Memphis institution Jim Dickinson, who, along with fronting Mud Boy and the Neutrons, also worked along Aretha Franklin, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan as a pianist and producer. So Cody and Luther have an enviable background. They describe their sound as “blues-infused rock and roll.”

Blues Jam Spotlight: Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band

Blues music is not a homogenous genre. The various sub-genres of blues music are very much shaped by the location they come from. Zydeco, for instance, hails from Louisiana, shaped by French Creole speakers and taking its inspiration from blues, R&B and indigenous music from both Louisiana Creoles and Native Americans. And Grammy Award Winner Chubby Carrier is bringing some Zydeco to the Greeley Blues Jam.

Charlie Musselwhite “Play Your Own Heart”

Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Charlie Musselwhite was exposed to music early on in his life. His father played guitar and harmonica, his mother played piano and one of his relatives was a bonafide one-man band. When he was 3-years-old, Musselwhite moved to Memphis. At the time, Memphis was experiencing the period when rockabilly, western swing, and electric blues and other forms of African-American music forged together to birth rock and roll.

Matisyahu’s Spiritual Journey

By 2006, Matisyahu (real name Matthew Miller) had experienced a meteoric rise to fame. The live version of “King Without a Crown” had broken into the Modern Rock Top 10 and he was named the Top Reggae Artist by Billboard that same year. With his roots firmly planted in his Jewish heritage, the fact he was a Hasidic reggae artist became his whole persona. Not surprisingly, when he shaved off his infamous beard in 2011, a lot of people were shocked.

Patrick Richardson

Everyone finds comedy in life. For Patrick Richardson, comedy is found in the act of living–and the funny shit that comes with it. Already having a prominent presence in both hip-hop and short films, he has been making a name for himself within the comedy scene of Northern Colorado. Recently we sat down with Patrick and asked him a few questions.

Har Mar

Har Mar, real name Sean Tillman, met The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas at a house party, a momentous moment in the making since leaving high school. As soon as he graduated, the Owatonna, Minnesota native moved to St. Paul, where he really started to hone his unique musical talent, which often included stripped down performances in not much more than his underwear, sometimes even less.

Explosions in the Sky

Over the course of the last 17 years, Explosions in the Sky have perfected its self-described “cathartic mini-symphonies.” The Austin-based group— guitarists Munaf Rayani, Mark Smith, bassist Michael James and drummer Chris Hrasky— create intricate, guitar driven ballads full of wonder. All four members are equally as vital and each experimental instrumental they create is as elaborate as the one before. The group’s latest album, The Wilderness, is out now, prompting the band to head out on a (mostly) sold-out international tour, which hits Denver May 10 and 11. Hrasky took a break from sound check to talk about the decision to be all instrumental, living in Austin and doing the music for Friday Night Lights.

105.5 Colorado Sound

In late February, NPR affiliate KUNC (91.5 FM) went to an all news format, seemingly leaving music fans on the front range in the wind. However, it came to light in March that KUNC had launched a new music-only station on 105.5 FM, dubbed The Colorado Sound.

NEW ON 94.3 THE X: SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH

Shelby Taylor-Thorn: On Air M-F 3p.m.-7p.m. KONGOS – Take It From Me Take it from me, the accordion is not an easy instrument to pull off – like, really, I’ve tried. However, the guys in Kongos …

The Sound of Old – Aesop Rock Delivers Seventh Solo Album

It’s been three years since New York-bred emcee Aesop Rock (real name Ian Bavitz) has released a solo album, an excruciatingly long wait for those enthralled with his signature brand of independent hip-hop. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t keeping us entertained with one of his many other projects—Hail Mary Mallon with Rob Sonic, The Uncluded with Kimya Dawson and Lice with Homeboy Sandman—but he had to wait until the timing was right to unleash another one into the world. That all changed April 29, when Bavitz released The Impossible Kid, his seventh solo album.

Save Our City: A Doors Tribute

“It started with a beard, and some sunglasses and a friend saying I looked like Jim Morrison.”

A Rare “Wolf” from London Comes to Red Rocks: Wolf Alice

If you’re lucky enough to have heard the band from North London known as Wolf Alice you know that they are a band of many genres. The uniqueness of both their music and the members themselves will compliment the uniqueness of the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater at the upcoming show on May 2nd with The 1975.

One Bar at a Time – Masta Ace’s Rise to Veteran Rapper Status

In 1987, Masta Ace (real name Duval Clear) was back in his hometown of Brownsville, Brooklyn for Christmas break. He had been studying at the University of Rhode Island, where he was pursuing a degree in marketing. During that time, he got a phone call that would change the trajectory of his entire life. He didn’t know it at the time, but his decision to head down to the United Skate of America skating rink for a talent show was a pivotal one.

Back in Effect – Luniz Reunite for 420 Show

There’s not a stoner alive who doesn’t know the song “I Got Five On It” by the Oakland-based duo, Luniz. Released in 1995 on their seminal album, Operation Stakola, it took Yukmouth and Numskull from every day street hustlers to platinum selling artists seemingly overnight.

Shinin’ – Up Close and Personal with Bastard Suns’ Clay Hiers

Bastard Suns are hitting the road partly in support of legendary ska band The English Beat and make a stop in Greeley Tuesday, April 19. Hiers took some time in between soundchecks to talk Powell Peralta, comparisons to Sublime and why he’s a “bastard sun.”

New on 94.3 The X: Songs You Need to Hear This Month

Mollie Kendrick | On Air Mon.-Fri. 6am-10am

The UNC Greeley Jazz Festival

The UNC Greeley Jazz Festival is shaking things up once again this April. The 46th annual will be held April 21st-23rd, 2016. This event, according to the UNC festival website, “brings together internationally recognized artists, jazz lovers, award-winning clinicians, and over 250 college, high school, and middle school big bands, combos, and jazz vocal groups from across the country.”

El Ten Eleven

El Ten Eleven isn’t the typical “post-rock” band. They don’t have a singer, aren’t aided by a laptop and the music is entirely instrumental.

Hieroglyphics

Good news has descended upon the hip-hop community: not only is the entire Hieroglyphics crew reunited for a tour, but they’re bringing Del the Funky Homosapien along with them.

Greeley Philharmonic to score Disney’s Fantasia

Glen Cortese, Maestro of the GPO, said over the phone that the live scoring of Fantasia was one of many collaborative projects the Orchestra is doing with the UCCC.

The Panoramic– Sacred Anatomy

Sacred Anatomy, the debut album from The Panoramic, is one of the most intense metal albums Northern Colorado’s music scene has ever seen. With bone-crushing grooves, rigorous guitar leads, a driving rhythm section, and soul splitting vocals with brutality to match, the LP is as ambitious as the men who sought out to create it.

First Platoon Studios – A Family Dynasty

Skipdogg tha Souja is a man of the Greeley hip hop scene. Few people have dedicated themselves to the development of local talent like Skipdogg, and for the last 10 years Skipdogg built First Platoon Studios into the go-to place for local hip hop.

New on 94.3 The X: Songs You Need To Hear This Month

  The Neighbourhood – Cry Baby They presumably made stores sell out of ‘those little high-waisted shorts’ in 2013 with ‘Sweater Weather.’ Now, The Neighbourhood is back with their next west coast dream-hip hop song …

Built to Spill, Built to Last

“When it comes to this career, I’m probably most proud of that name more than anything,” Doug Martsch says with a laugh. “It just rolls off the tongue.”

The Art of Becoming Giants & Pilgrims

“You’re always moving, you’re always becoming. The soul is always dynamic. While the body might get old and die there is something inside us that is still fresh and learning better how to become a …

BandWagon Thoughts: A Breakdown on Booking Your Band

So you’ve written a handful of songs and your post reggae swing fusion band is ready for the next level, how do you proceed? As a witness to the lower levels of band development I have compiled a basic list of steps to get that post reggae swing fusion sound into the ears of possibly dozens of potential fans.

Time Travel, Trends, and Self-Publishing With Greeley’s Connie Willis

Willis is an award-winning, Greeley-based science fiction author responsible for 1992’s Doomsday Book. She grew up with “girls’ books” such as Little Women and Anne of Green Gables, but eventually discovered the work of sci-fi author Robert Heinlein and fell in love with science fiction. Soon, she had devoured all the science fiction she could find at her library, including The Year’s Best Short Story Collections.

It’s Going Down: ¡Mayday! Plays The Moxi

Miami-based rap collective ¡Mayday! never imagined a superstar like Lil’ Wayne would gravitate towards their music. But sure enough, while Lil’ Wayne was shooting a video for his rock-inspired album, Rebirth, the director suggested Mayday to appear in a video. Naturally, emcees Bernz and Wreckonize, and band members Gianni Cash, LT Hopkins, Plex Luthor, and NonMS jumped at the opportunity.

String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks is a long awaited return to sacred ground

    String Cheese Incident and Nahko and Medicine for the People at Red Rocks 07/26/15 BandWagon Magazine Mark Rudolph A beautiful sunny day at the spiritual Red Rocks Amphitheater was the perfect way to …

Thuggish Ruggish Krayzie Bone On the Solo Tip… For Now

Believe it or not, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s first record contract with late Eazy E’s Ruthless Records resulted from a single phone call. In 1993, original members Lazyie Bone, Krayzie Bone, Bizzie Bone and Wish Bone hopped on a Greyhound in their hometown of Cleveland, Ohio headed for California. The self-described “broke millionaires” had no idea how they were going to infiltrate the rap scene, but they knew they just needed the right person to put them on. It just so happened to be Eazy E, former member of the groundbreaking rap collective, N.W.A.

ARISE Year Three: Setting an Example for the Future

As we move into a new era of Colorado festivals the focus has been shifting as the tastes of Colorado music fans has been shifting as well. While the formula of big names + camping + various visual gimmicks = ticket sales has more or less stayed the same from festival to festival, ARISE has tapped into something missing from the others; cleanliness.

ARISE In It’s Third Year Prime: Loveland’s Conscious Music Movement

Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, Colorado hosted it’s third annual Arise Music Festival. The three day camping extravaganza featured artists such as Earth Guardians, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, Mike Love, The Shook Twins, Elephant Revival, Caustik, Polish Ambassador, Project Aspect, Rising Appalachia and many others.

Lifting the World to the Highest Vibration: Mike Love At ARISE Music Festival

Hailing from the island of Oahu, Hawaii Mike Love was a powerful force at the ARISE music festival this weekend. The islander preformed top tracks from his two albums and a few from his upcoming release entitled Love Will Find A Way. This 35-year-old family man is well grounded in his life and career sharing the stage with artist such as Nahko and Medicine For the People, Jack Johnson and the John Butler Trio. His music settles between the genres of conscious roots rock reggae and his presence at Arise was befitting for a festival in which the motto was “More than a festival, it’s a movement.”

en espanol: Mc Magic

Aunque apenas había regresado de su viaje a Guadalajara, el rapero Sonorense, MC Magic compartió detalles sobre el comienzo de su carrera musical, trabajos actuales, y de su gira nacional, Love & Kush Tour al lado de Baby Bash. Esta gira comenzó el 23 de julio en Salinas, CA. El rapero aclaró el nombre de su gira, que comenzó el 23 de julio en Salinas, CA, declarándose “entusiasta de canciones de amor” y su compañero el que promueve el kush. Nos damos cuenta que MC es promotor del canto romántico con los trabajos originales que lo hicieron arrancar en su profesión como cantautor.

A New Chapter: The War On Drugs Signs to Atlantic Records

The most obvious observation about The War On Drugs is they sound like old Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan. However, lead singer and founding member Adam Granduciel would rather have you focus on their progression as a band. Formed in Philadelphia in 2005 with fellow artist Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs put out their first album, Wagonwheel Blues, in 2008. After a few lineup changes, they released their most recent album, Lost in the Dream, in 2014. Despite its name, The War on Drugs, in fact, does not have a war on drugs.

The Spill Canvas with Silver and Gold and Mike Ring at Moxi Theater

The Spill Canvas with Silver and Gold and Mike Ring at the Moxi Theater.

The Evolution of Derek Smith: Pretty Lights Still Shining

Fort Collins, Colorado native Derek Smith, better known as Pretty Lights, started making beats in high school, but eventually found himself at the forefront of the electronic music scene. His first album, 2006’s Taking Up Your Precious Time, 2008’s Passing Up the City Skies and 2009’s Passing by Behind Your Eyes revealed Smith’s ability to seamlessly sew together a blanket of sonic textures, but 2013’s A Color Map of the Sun uncovered his aptitude for actually composing every single musical note of each track. The 34-year-old producer is once again on tour and ascends on the Red Rocks stage August 8 and 9. He took some time to discuss the severity of drug use at EDM shows, the recording process and his outlandish height.

It’s Just Who We Are: The Burroughs Unveil Their Live Album Sweaty Greeley Soul

“Everything from the groove that you’re in, to the words that you say, to the melodies you sing is suppose to come from right here,” Johnny Burroughs says using both open faced hands to clutch between his gut and lower rib cage. “If it’s not coming from here, than it’s not soul music.”

Kyle Hollingsworth Band: Q&A With The Man Behind The Cheese

Kyle Hollingsworth is famously known as the keyboardist for The String Cheese Incident and his own “SCide project,” The Kyle Hollingsworth Band. The band was formed in 2007, while SCI took a step back and Hollingsworth fronted his own solo career. He’s been playing music for over 20 years professionally with a Jazz Piano degree from Towson State and along with his free-spirited dedication to music, he is a grand proprietor of beer. The upcoming Kyle Brew Fest in Denver on July 23rd is the official SCI pre-party as well as a chance for fans to indulge in craft beer, enjoy an exclusive performance by the KHB and support the Conscious Alliance- art that feeds. BandWagon caught up with this down to earth creative at his birthday celebration earlier this year to talk skills in music and hops.

Cut Chemist of Jurassic 5 ‘The Audience is Listening’

Anyone who has seen Macfadden on the turntables knows he will be just fine. Last year’s Renegades of Rhythm Tour with DJ Shadow featured albums pulled strictly from Afrika Bambaataa’s collection, which is currently archived at Cornell University. The performance was nothing short of mind-blowing. From the Shaft in Africa soundtrack and Isaac Hayes to Chicago Gangsters and even Jurassic 5 (which Macfadden couldn’t believe Bambaataa had), the magical duo took the audience on a trip through some of the best eras of soul, funk, disco, hip-hop and more.

Buzz Osborne of the Melvins: as Outspoken as Ever

Before Nirvana, there were the Melvins. Lead singer/guitarist Buzz Osborne has been at the helm since its 1983 inception. The story is not only did the Melvins inspire Kurt Cobain and Nirvana’s first album, Bleach, but apparently Osborne is responsible for their very existence. Born in Montesano, Washington, Osborne grew up 10 miles away from Cobain’s hometown of Aberdeen. It was only a matter of time before their strong love of music and desire to escape their hometowns put them in each other’s paths.

In The Whale at the Aggie Theatre

BandWagon Magazine Presents In The Whale with Slow Caves, American Blackout and Lion Drome at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins.

Morgan Heritage with special guests at Aggie Theatre

Morgan Heritage with special guests Hypnotic Vibes, Apex Vibe, Roots Massive and Spellbinder at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins.

EOTO: ‘Good Sound’ Comes to the Mish

“EOTO” in Japanese means “good sound” which perfectly suits electronic duo, EOTO. With extensive histories as professional drummers, it seemed only natural that members Michael Travis and Jason Hann would evolve to another level in their musical careers. After all, they had mastered their percussion instruments and almost needed to embark on a new journey. During their days in the progressive bluegrass band, String Cheese Incident, Travis and Hann discovered a shared love of electronic music during late night jam sessions. EOTO was formed in 2006 and they’ve been going at it ever since. The 100 percent improvised sets Hann and Travis perform night after night are created without a script or prerecorded loops, lending their material a completely original feel. BandWagon Magazine caught up with Hann to discuss how to easily classify EOTO’s sound and their integral role in the dub-step boom.

Tails From The Trails With In The Whale

It wasn’t always this way though. In the Whale got their start after Valdez recorded an acoustic EP titled Songs About You and drummer Eric Riley’s previous project dissolved. In the early days at AF Ray’s (Greeley’s only rock venue at the time) I personally witnessed them clear the room night after night as they searched for what would become their signature sound.

Propia Tejano música de Greeley: Poquito maz

Ganadores de la Batalla de las Bandas de Colorado del Norte y Los Campeonatos de la Feria Estatal de Colorado, Poquito Maz comparte su emocionante música tejana con sus fans y comunidad. Además de ser completamente originarios de Greeley, desde su establecimiento en 1989, han encabezado en la escena de música tejana aquí como banda tejana más larga permanecida en nuestro sector. En una entrevista con los miembros declararon que tienen grabados dos CDs de su música vieja y tres “un-released” álbumes con su sonido más reciente.

Cardo Camp – An Opportunity to Work With the Greats

Cardo Camp is located in El Paso, Texas at a place called Sonic Ranch Recording Studio, the world’s largest residential recording facility. Sonic Ranch is on a 2300-acre farm that provides anything a musician could ever want for their recording session.

The All-American Musical That Honors Our All-America City

“Clearly there’s something happening here that is worthwhile, so let’s talk about why we like Greeley,” says Mothershed and thus emerged a production about just that–Greeley.

Repeated in a quote, this sounds unintentionally cheesy and was far from the original vision for the show Oh Greeley! An All American Musical. It seeded from an eye opening visit to Greeley’s historical museum and playful musical banter about Prohibition. Under the company and troupe of Cheaply Intellectual Theater, Mothershed, Eric Long and Shane White compiled their historical interests and gave birth to a hilariously entertaining and witty production about the town.

Ben Folds with Ingrid Michaelson Featuring the Colorado Symphony and Fold’s Choir

Red Rocks was packed elbow to elbow for Sunday’s show as Ingrid Michaelson and Ben Folds preformed with the Colorado Symphony and Folds Choir that featured students and alumni of the University of Northern Colorado.

Prinzhorn Dance School— Home Economics

In the early 2000’s, Suzi Horn had numerous jobs that brought her close to music: “I had worked in music venues all my life – behind the bar, in the coat room, on the door – but never played in a band. Then I met Tobin.” By Tobin, she means Tobin Prinz, the other half of the uncategorizable experimental rock outfit, Prinzhorn Dance School. The two began tooling around with the spare instruments Prinz had scattered about his flat, specifically the drum and bass. As Horn puts it; “We didn’t set out to start a band – and now it’s ten years on.”

Like A Weed? Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino Grows Up

Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino has gone through some noticeable changes since the duo’s 2010 debut, Crazy For You. Aside from her smaller appearance (the result of lots of exercise), her confidence has blossomed and she’s much more self-assured on stage. Whether that’s the result of the dissolution of her long-term relationship with Wavves’ Nathan Williams or simply getting older, on Best Coast’s third studio album, California Nights, it’s clear she’s a new woman. Album opener “Feeling Ok” and “Wasted Time” seem to touch on finding strength after a break-up and reflecting on what went wrong. While her lyrics are nowhere near complicated, it’s the simplicity of them that make them so relatable. Everyone’s experienced these feelings at one point yet she’s not afraid to talk about them. While the ‘50s/‘60s surf-pop influence is still heavily intact, the album shows more maturity than past efforts. It’s not all about bong hits and the love for her cat. As Best Coast prepares to kick off another national tour, Cosentino opens up about body image issues, her not-so-secret love for Hillary Duff and California Nights.

Post Widespread Panic Power Jam returns with JoJo Hermann and Duane Trucks at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom

This years Annual Post Widespread Panic Power Jam at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom is set to feature two members of the band this weekend during the three day Widespread Panic show at Red Rocks. Even an entire …

And It Don’t Stop: Del The Funky Homosapien, Still Killin’ It

Born Teren Delvon Jones, Del didn’t stumble into it by accident. As Ice Cube’s cousin, he had plenty of influences surrounding him during those early years. Yet Jones was always a bit of an anomaly and decidedly went a different route than his West Coast gangster rapping contemporaries. When he was just 18-years-old he released his 1991 debut, I Wish My Brother George Was Here. He took a more tongue-in-cheek approach to hip-hop, sampled a lot of Parliament and it was obvious he was a having a lot of fun with it. That album produced the single “Mistadobalina,” now a cult favorite. A couple of years later, he came out with 1993’s No Need For Alarm, which also introduced the entire Hieroglyphics crew. It showcased a style that was unparalleled to what was coming out of the Bay at that time.

As Famous As He Wants To Be: Sage Francis Sits Comfortably At The Helm of His Career

The Providence, Rhode Island-native, former spoken word champion, seasoned emcee and founder of Strange Famous Records has built a comfortable career for himself over the last two decades, but he would rather stay under the radar. Francis has never been one to seek out fame, it kind of found him. His incredible writing talent was undeniable. Coupled with a strong stage presence, it was only a matter of time before he attracted attention. Curiously, it’s the attention he tends to want to avoid. As a self-proclaimed introvert, he’s much more relaxed inside the fours walls of his home than he his outside in the world. However, that all goes out the window when he takes his first step on stage; he explodes with confidence.

From All Star to Ah Shit: Smashmouth Unleashes on Bread Throwing Fans At Taste of Fort Collins

There are several issues going on with the whole Smash Mouth incident that occurred over the weekend. Granted, they are one of the last bands on Earth that should have been booked, well, anywhere, but lead singer Steve Harwell should have been able to deliver his god awful music in peace.

The 11th Annual Greeley Blues Jam

The 11th annual Greeley’s Blue Jam at Island Groove Regional Park Arena featuring The Burroughs, Elvin Bishop, Delbert McCinton, Jimmy Hall With My Blue Sky and more.

Barenaked Ladies with Violent Femmes at Red Rocks Amphitheater

Red Rocks Amphitheater was alive this weekend as Colin Hay opened up the Barenaked Ladies show who’s acoustic set consisted of mostly classics from his days back with Men at Work. He ended his set with a beautiful cover of the Beatles song, “Here Comes the Sun.” Violent Femmes took the stage for a 45 minute set that included the first new song that the band has performed in 15 years.

Fooling Around and Falling in Love With Elvin Bishop

Elvin Bishop has had a long and prolific career as a blues guitarist. A teenager in Chicago during the ‘60s, he had the privilege of both witnessing and taking an active role in blues in it’s heyday. Under the tutlage of several blues greats such as Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and John Lee Hooker he honed his skills in the best way possible before launching into an incredible career that included a song that peaked at #3 on the US Billboards in 1975 with the song “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” which featured Mickey Thomas and Donny Baldwin of Jefferson Starship (and for you younger kids was on the Gardians of the Galaxy soundtrack with last summer). Gearing up for the Greeley Blues Jam, we had a chance to sit down with Bishop to talk about the blues and his amazing career.

Making Breakfast With Twin Peaks

If there is one thing you can say about the music industry it’s there are a lot of people really working their asses off. From the countless promoters, managers, photographers, press outlets, sound guys, door guys, bartenders, and not to mention all the artists putting everything out there every night just to scrape out a living, everything is a grind to have a seat at the table. But then there are those people who walk in, step on stage and are just so talented that everything fits perfectly together before our eyes.

His Own Self: J-Live Juggles It All

New York City native Justice Allah Cadet, better known as J-Live, has a laundry list of collaborations, albums and EPs he’s done since emerging in the mid-90s. He’s worked with everyone from Handsome Boy Modeling School and DJ Rob Swift to DJ Nu-Mark of Jurassic 5 and Oddisse. Prince Paul, who had his hands in De La Soul, Stetsasonic, Gravediggaz and, of course, Handsome Boy Modeling School, really took J-Live under his wing. Being from Long Island, Prince Paul was easily accessible to J-Live at an early age. Their first collaboration was on Rawkus Records’ now infamous compilation album, Soundbombing II. From there, they did J-Live’s album 2001’s The Best Part and formed a tight-knit friendship along the way. Eventually, J-Live popped up on a Handsome Boy Modeling School album and ended up contributing vocals to one of the strongest tracks on the record, “The Truth.”

The Historic Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

If it’s not already evident, maintaining a band presidency for forty-nine years is a pretty impressive feat, especially when the band is a 16 member jazz ensemble that came about during a racially tense America in the ‘60s. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra has welcomed several top named professionals in the industry and undergone a succession of directors, but they’ve consistently produced lively, intricate jazz performances throughout their existence. They currently post up in New York City performing the historically reputable Village Vanguard, where they’ve been a weekly headline for decades. The VJO have successively preserved the initiative of big band music against all popularity odds allowing their talent to transcend listeners back and forth through time.

The Amazing Deborah Brown

From Kansas City, Missouri to the farthest borders of Indonesia, renowned jazz soul singer Deborah Brown has been establishing footholds in contemporary jazz for over thirty years. Her discography expands 26 albums and as jazz is inevitably a list of collaborations, Brown’s book includes legends such as pianist Monty Alexander, trombonist Slide Hampton, double-bassist Red Mitchell and trumpeter Clark Terry among others. All big names aside, Brown has made her own path in jazz and although her music isn’t as prevalent on American radio, with good reason she doesn’t mind that her talent has a greater influence on the international jazz community.

Spiritual Fitness: Tribal Seeds Works It Out With Reggae

Growing up in San Diego, California made it easy to fall in love with reggae. The sound of the ocean, the inevitable “chill” vibe and countless music festivals around southern California painted the perfect picture for reggae music to thrive. Brothers Steven Rene and Tony-Ray Jacobo were immersed in the music early on. Consequently, it comes as no surprise they are the co-founders of the San Diego-based reggae band, Tribal Seeds. Founded in 2005, it was the Jacobo brothers’ way of finding a spiritual connection through reggae music. Much like their predecessors, which include Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Steel Pulse, among others, reggae gives them a sense of peace unparalleled by other musical genres.

The Legendary Chris Potter

Chris Potter is no stranger to hard work and the nature of the beast that is the professional jazz world. With over fifteen album releases and 150 guest spots on records of some of the most prolific musicians in the industry (a list that includes Steeley Dan for all you non-jazz heads out there) Chris Potter sits in the top echelon of saxophonists in an ever changing and modernizing international scene.

The Geometric Play of the Ivory Circle

This month, The BandWagon sat down with Connie Hong, lead singer of Denver’s very own Ivory Circle. During our discussion, we talked about the release of the band’s triple EP series. They are titled Equilateral, Isosceles, and Scalene, respectively. In the first two chapters, Hong and her cohorts have crafted a thrumming, vibrant collection of dream-pop tunes. Equilateral is out now, and Isosceles hits shelves April 14th. Scalene is currently slated for a 2016 release. During our talk, we discuss Hong’s creative goals for this project, and how recent life events found their way into the the backbone of its content.

Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes: The Modern Day Bowie

As a fan of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and other “riff rock bands,” as he puts it, Barnes is not afraid to go big. Evidence of that comes within two seconds of the opening track, “Bassem Sabry.” With its heavy guitar riff, it’s more reminiscent of “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath than an Of Montreal song, but as soon as his vocals kick in, it goes into a disco beat. This is typical of Barnes. He loves to experiment with all types of music and often incorporates several genres into one track. Often described as a “modern-day Bowie,” Barnes doesn’t shy away from this comparison at all. It’s clearly a compliment.

J Boog: Compton’s Reggae King

If music is a universal language, Jerry “J Boog” Afemata has mastered that language through reggae. Born in Long Beach, California and raised in Compton as the youngest of eight, J Boog worked to make his sound a collaboration of family influence and personal freedom. With the help of reggae artist Fiji in 2005, J Boog produced his debut album Hear Me Roar. Joining up with Wash House Music Inc, he worked with reggae family legend Ambassador Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage, island producer and artist Don Corelone, and international reggae star Yami Bolo to put out his Billboard charts topper Backyard Boogie in 2011. He won Best New Entertainer at 2012’s International Reggae and Music Awards. He continues to produce singles that make their way to the top charts for reggae and put out his latest EP Live Up in 2014.

Michal Minert Still Has Love For His Home-State Fans

The Godfather of electro-soul, Michal Menert is set to play four dates in Colorado this weekend.

Uncle Tony Speaks: Blockhead Offers More Instrumental Brilliance

Producer Blockhead (real name Tony Simon) is currently on another leg of his solo tour in support of his latest album, Bells & Whistles, which was released in November 2014. His last effort, 2012’s Interludes After Midnight, offers more instrumental brilliance and puts the cherry on top of an already impressive catalog. From 2004’s Music By Cavelight (his Ninja Tunes debut) to 2009’s The Music Scene, literally every track that bares Simon’s touch is flawless. Growing up in Manhattan, he was enamored with hip-hop since the moment he heard it. He met emcee Aesop Rock while attending Boston University in 1994 and it was on from there. Although Simon prefers rap music over instrumental music, he has a deep appreciation for all genres

DoomTree Ushers In All Hands

Anyone who has followed Doomtree’s career knows emcee P.O.S (real name Stefon Alexander) was having severe health issues that caused him to lay low for the better part of three years. The Minneapolis native and Rhymesayers signee had just released 2012’s We Don’t Even Live Here when he was forced to cancel a major national tour due to health concerns. Thankfully, that ordeal is over and he is now the proud owner of two new kidneys. Naturally, he’s back to killing it. The Doomtree crew, comprised of Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan, Sims, Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, Dessa, and P.O.S., dropped their latest studio album, All Hands, January 27, their first full-length since 2011’s No Kings.

Zion I Spreads the Love

In Oakland, California, if you mention the name Zion I, most likely people know who you’re talking about. Go further inland and there’s less of a chance people have ever heard of them. However, emcee Zumbi and producer Amp Live are on a mission to change that. They’ve come a long way since their 1997 debut, subsequently spitting out albums on a regular basis for over 15 years. With Amp Live’s futuristic production and Zumbi’s introspective, often metaphysical lyrical content, Zion I stands out amongst the contemporary rappers of today. Zumbi is more likely to rap about yoga before he raps about “da club.” As we continue to sail through the worst economy the world has seen in decades, it’s ironic that mainstream rappers brag about how much money they have, something Zumbi approaches with common sens

NMM: Smoke and Mirrors— Imagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons, the quartet from sin-city capital Las Vegas, Nevada released Smoke and Mirrors this weekend. Their second studio album stands to fill some large shoes as their debut album Night Visions went platinum winning the band’s number one single “Radioactive” a Grammy for Best Rock Performance. Smoke and Mirrors track “I Bet My Life” has been looping through radio networks since last fall, giving fans a taste of the upcoming album, yet their single is no indication as to the overall sound of the album.

Humble Fish: Chali 2na Keeps His Ego at Bay

As the baritone voice of Jurassic 5 (J5), Chali 2na has been lending monumental contributions to hip-hop culture since he emerged from Los Angeles’ Good Life Cafe scene in the early ‘90s. Originally part of the Unity Committee (with Cut Chemist and Mark 7even), Chali 2na formed J5 after merging with The Rebels of Rhythm (with Akil and Soup) in 1993. After J5’s self-titled debut dropped in 1998, the group followed up with 2000’s critically acclaimed sophomore effort, Quality Control. On the track “Contribution,” Chali 2na spits: “The most that you can spend on any child is time.” It’s a philosophy he took to heart and carried into his family dynamic. Growing up on the Southside of Chicago, the now 43-year-old artist was lacking a strong male role model in his life.

Misfits for Music’s Sake: Hypnotic Vibes Wins Battle of the Bands

They are six distinct characters that don’t initially seem to match one another. A juggler, a poet, a bilinguist, a mechanical mind, a beat-boxer, and a Rubik’s cube master, are all musicians with a singular vision: to play good music. And that vision won this funkadelic reggae band the 2014 BandWagon Magazine Battle of the Bands.

Cursive Celebrates te Ugly Organ’s Reissue

The Ugly Organ would prove to be the group’s breakout record, earning accolades from Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly. There are several tracks on the album where the use of the cello is abundantly clear and contributes a powerful element to already electric songs. Thankfully, as Cursive gets ready to reissue The Ugly Organ and head out on tour in support of the record, the group has decided to reintroduce the cello at each show.

The Flaming Lips Get Weird, It’s One Concert To See Before You Die

In 2013, the Lips’ released its 16th studio album, The Terror, which completely abandons any formulaic methods of songwriting and delivers something refreshingly unique. It may not be as commercially accessible as previous efforts, but it’s another descriptive chapter in The Flaming Lips’ story. They followed up with 2014’s With A Little Help From My Fwends and also released an EP called Peace Sword. Once again on a massive nationwide tour, which makes three stops in Colorado, Drozd took some time out of his day to talk about Wayne’s “celebrity status” and drug addiction.

Soul Sonic Forces: Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic are Hail Mary Mallon

Aesop Rock, real name Ian Bavitz, is one of those rare hip-hop artists who has developed such a unique rhyming style, he’s basically impossible to replicate. The second you hear his voice, you immediately know it’s him. While his rhymes often appear nonsensical and so cryptic it’s difficult to decipher any meaning, once you dig deeper you can discover a lot about the man behind the moniker. For example, he craves solitude, has no interest in “fame” and is just as down to earth as any one of us. Those qualities alone are the most refreshing about him. In an industry supersaturated with massive egos, especially in the hip-hop world, humility is hard to find. Aesop Rock is like a breath of fresh air. However, all coyness goes out the window when he grabs the mic and jumps on stage.

New Music Mondays: Guster- Evermotion

Ryan Miller, Adam Gardner, Brian Rosenworsel, Luke Reynolds, and Joe Pisapia make up Guster, a Tufts University-birthed pop outfit, which began when Miller, Gardner, and Rosenworsel met Freshman year. Evermotion is their long awaited 7th studio album, and it’s just the dose of cheer that I needed, full of atmospheric charm, and stellar melodies.

Malcom’s World: Mac Miller Takes the Reins

Talking to Pittsburgh native Mac Miller is just what you’d expect. He’s a smart ass, laughs a lot and appears not to take his career too seriously, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Mac Miller (real name Malcolm James McCormick) is self-made and essentially a workaholic. He knew from an early age he wanted to make music for a living and he made it happen. As a child, there was never any doubt Miller was musically gifted. At the age of six, he taught himself how to play piano, drums, bass and guitar. His older brother was getting into hip-hop in the mid-’90s and soon little Mac was pilfering his albums.

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

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.

All About the Bass

“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.

Oh Greeley: An All American Musical

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.

Winter Wonderland Jam Offers Up the Classics

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.”

Battle of The Bands 2014 Is Getting Heated

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.

Rising Stars: Jager’s Got Talent

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).

A Campaign for Unrelenting Terror: “North Woods” Indie-GoGo fundraiser ends soon!

Over a year ago, BandWagon Magazine spoke to local horror filmmaker Jason Kasper on his project, North Woods, a retro slasher film in the vein of Evil Dead and Phantasm. The film now boasts the …

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

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.

Food For Thought: Imortal Technique Breaks it Down

When Immortal Technique speaks, you listen. There’s no way to get around this. You sit in your chair and you listen because every word he says carries weight. Sometimes it’s almost too heavy and you want him to crack a smile, but he stays steadfast in what he’s saying. There’s no wavering from his agenda—an agenda that started in 2001 when he released his first album, Revolutionary Vol. 1 with his own money and pushed it down the throats of anyone who would listen. And again, they listened. Immortal Technique, born Felipe Andres Coronel, emigrated from Peru to Harlem in 1980. As a teenager, he often found himself in hot water with authorities, which led to a yearlong prison stint during college. After he was paroled, he took up political science at Baruch College in New York City and at the same time polished up his rapping skills. All of his hard work paid off and soon he was rubbing shoulders with pioneers of the genre, including Chuck D of Public Enemy, KRS One and Mos Def. Armed with messages of a political nature, his lyrics revolve around controversial issues surrounding global politics, although he believes the word ‘revolution’ is used too loosely these days.

Afroman: Older. Higher. Wiser.

Afroman could quite possibly be the best spokesperson for the legalization of marijuana. His first single, 2000’s “Because I Got High” became the pothead anthem of the new millennium and sent Afroman spinning out of control into a media frenzy. The South Central Los Angeles native never imagined that song would carry him so far, but it did. Now we’re here. Afroman, real name Joseph Foreman, released a remix of “Because I Got High” in mid-October and the internet exploded. With over one million hits in two days, it almost seemed like Afroman never left, although he’s been flying under the radar for the past few years. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t making music. Since 2000’s Because I Got High album, he’s put out over 25 various albums, singles and EPs. He never stops creating. At 40-years-old, he is experiencing a resurgence of popularity, but there’s a newfound maturity to Afroman’s style.

The Tenacity of Kyle Gass: KGB Hits Greeley

Mention Tenacious D and people’s faces light up. The superstar duo comprised of Jack Black and Kyle Gass has delivered their signature brand of comedy-infused rock since 1994. At the time, they only had five original songs, including “Tribute,” “Kyle Quit,” “Krishna,” “Melissa,” and “History.” Since then, of course, they’ve catapulted to international recognition and appear to be unstoppable. Black has released several lucrative films while Gass has made a number of movie appearances, as well. At the same time, they’ve balanced an incredible musical career revolving around “the D.” Gass also started The Kyle Gass Band [KGB] in 2011 alongside fellow D guitarist John Konesky, guitarist/vocalist Mike Bray, drummer Tim Spier, and bassist Jason Keene. Talking to Gass is what one would expect- a non-stop laugh riot. That’s right. Riot. It’s impossible to have a serious conversation with a guy like Gass. And why would you want to? He knows he was put on Earth to make people laugh and that’s what he does. In anticipation of KGB’s appearance in Greeley this month, we got him on the phone as he was driving to the Shrine Expo Hall in L.A. to prepare for his Festival Supreme event, an annual extravaganza he puts on with Black.

Grieves A different Kind of Wolf

Could it be? Could Grieves, the Rhymesayers emcee, be leaving hip-hop for neo-soul? Not so fast. Although the Seattle-based artist’s most recent album 2014’s Winter & the Wolves offers more soulful singing than previous efforts, it’s still very much a hip-hop album. After all, Grieves (real name Benjamin Laub) has been “professionally” rapping since his brief stint with Black Clover Records in 2007.

Little Dragon: Fired Up for the New Tour

The moment vocalist Yukimi Nagano drops her first note on the 2010 Gorillaz track “Empire Ants,” she promptly steals the show from Damon Albarn. As the 32-year-old front woman of Little Dragon, she’s used to being in the spotlight by now. Since 2009’s Machine Dreams, the Swedish four-piece (sometimes five) has been steadily on the rise, especially in the United States. Their third album, 2011’s Ritual Union, appeared to cement their arrival, reaching number 78 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. It’s their most successful album to date.

The Evolution of DJ Qbert

“Everyone can have fun being a DJ,” DJ Qbert says. “But it still takes a lot more to be a scratch musician.”

The San Francisco native has carved out his own spot on the list of legendary turntablists, beginning with his involvement in FM20 with Mix Master Mike (of Beastie Boy fame) and DJ Apollo in the early ‘90s.

Riot Fest: Three Days of Badass Rock Music

First off, Riot Fest was awesome. There is no other way to say it, after it’s all said and done and we the critics have our say about what went well and what didn’t and ask the ultimate festival question of if it was worth the ticket price, Riot Fest was still awesome. To see this particular line up whether you grew up listening to them or not was something everyone there knew would only happen a few times in our lives. To see The Flaming Lips then literally turn around and see Primus begin made me wonder, where the hell am I?

The Mastermind Behind the Mask, Slow Magic

Aside from the mesmerizing instrumental electronic music Slow Magic makes, there’s a mysticism surrounding the young producer that pulls you in even more. The “young” part is even a guess because nobody really knows for sure who the mastermind behind Slow Magic is, his real name or what he looks like. Armed with a multi-colored imaginary animal mask, Slow Magic takes to the stage like the untamed beast he represents. He pounds on the drums like he’s harnessing his primal instincts and delivers an infectious sound so sweet, it’s impossible not to love. More performance art than anything, Slow Magic reveals why he hides his identity.

Clutch Shares Their Success at Riot Fest

Clutch, an original 90s rock band played the Byers General Store Stage at Riot Fest this weekend and an interview with drummer Jean-Paul Gaster shed some light on the process of building upon their legacy as successful musicians.

Up the Mountain – Conor Oberst Plays the Mishawaka

Singer-songwriter Conor Oberst always seems to be in high demand, at least in terms of interviews. He seldom consents to one and if he does, it’s for the typical major publications like Rolling Stone or Spin. It’s a rare day when he agrees to one on a smaller scale. However, Oberst grew up in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. I’ve seen him around since he was a wide-eyed 14-year-old at Creighton Prep, an all-boys Jesuit high school. Even then, Oberst had his eye on playing music, not so much his studies.

The Truth is Here: Brother Ali Talks Independent Music

Rhymesayers Entertainment artist Brother Ali has been spitting out albums since emerging out of Minneapolis with 2000’s Rites of Passage. It was a brave introduction to the life of an albino rapper and a little insight into his heavily politically minded views. 2003’s Shadows on the Sun, 2007’s The Undisputed Truth, 2009’s Us, and 2012’s Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color continued Brother Ali’s path of delivering content-driven, independent hip-hop.

Jimmy Angel: The Yankees, Mommy and the Mob

Every dream 79-year-old Rock ‘n Roll idol Jimmy Angel ever had growing up was to be a New York Yankee, not a legendary Rock star. But when his baseball career with a Yankees farm team was cut short by an injury, the pressure to support his mother who he humbly referred to as Mommy couldn’t be solved by a simple day job.

High Art Hip Hop: Lyrics Born Rock With Chali 2na

As we all know, hip-hop has a revolving door of rappers. With contemporary artists being chewed up and spit out faster than you can say Lil Jon, the probability of a career spanning multiple decades is highly doubtful. Notable East Coast emcees such as KRS-One, Mos Def and Talib Kweli are among the few that can claim years of longevity. Lyrics Born (real name Tom Shimura), however, has been at it since the early ‘90s and is still going strong with his latest release, As U Were. Growing up in Berkley, Shimura had a hard time getting his hands on good hip-hop. Fortunately, he crossed paths with future label mates, Gift of Gab (Blackalicious) and Lateef the Truthspeaker (Latyrx) while attending school at UC-Davis where the idea for Quannum Projects was born. In addition to putting out their own records, the three entrepreneurs started putting out material by artists like DJ Shadow, Lifesavas and Pigeon John under the Quannum moniker. As Lyrics Born, Shimura has reveled in plenty of success with his funk and soul-infused hip-hop, something he learned as a college radio DJ in California.

Feeling the Vibe – Vibe Squad Talks Business with The BandWagon

Considering the music Aaron Holstein makes, you’d never guess the man behind VibeSquaD is a trained multi-instrumentalist with a background in jazz. The talented Colorado-based music producer emits sounds that can make your ears bleed with its pounding bass, swirling synthesizers and relentless energy—just don’t call it dubstep. His infusions of funk, hip-hop and other polyrhythmic textures into his electronic concoctions defy categorization. Combined with his eccentric stage persona, Holstein is in a world of his own.

Cooler Than A Polar Bear’s Toenails: OutKast Hits Up the Mad Decent Block Party in Denver

When Big Boi walked out on to the Red Rocks Amphitheater stage in 2010 for a Rock the Bells performance, Andre 3000 was noticeably absent. Nonetheless, he performed many of Outkast’s singles, including “Elevators (Me and You),” “ATLians” and “Rosa Parks.” However, it just wasn’t’ the same. This year, when Big Boi and Andre 3000 perform at Denver’s Mad Decent Block Party on August 22, things will be a little different.

When Jimi Played Woodstock Sha Na Na Was There

Sha Na Na, the doo-wop band who began their successful career in the 1969 performance of Woodstock, is touring through Northern Colorado for the 1st Annual Rocky Mountain Rock n’ Roll Sing-Along Festival 45 years after their magical beginning.

The band started as an a cappella group at Columbia University. In the summer of ‘69 they decided to give the competitive musical scene of New York a shot. It was only their 8th musical gig when they impressed their peers at a downtown nightclub and landed the biggest live performance of their career.

ARISE Music Festival Spotlights: A Few of Our Favorites

ARISE Music will be held August 8th-10th at Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, Colorado. Here are a few bands we are excited to see this year.

8 Things We Are Looking Forward to at ARISE

Last August, BandWagon Magazine made the voyage to the ARISE music festival, located in Loveland, Colorado. It’s first year as a festival it had a few growing pains, but ultimately it provided the perfect opportunity for Northern Colorado to see what the festi scene is all about.

Sonic Bloom 2014

Sonic Bloom took place in South Park Colorado as a three day music festival featuring Eoto, Electric Dandelion, Late Night Radio and many more.

Greeley Stampede Spotlight – Martina McBride

Among the many faces of country music, Martina McBride leads in an industry of widely known female voices. With a long standing career in the music world her ability to create songs full of meaning is something to be recognized and has been noted professionally in her awards as Female Vocalist of the Year and specifically Country Music’s Top Female Vocalist. With 11 studio albums this singer has plenty to say and a range of sound that evolves through the decades. More than 2/3rds of her albums have received gold certifications with over 14 million records sold in the US. McBride’s firm position in the history of country music continues with a mutual foundation between her the dedicated fans that inspire her, something that doesn’t seem to be fading away.

Greeley Stampede Spotlight – Big and Rich

Quite possibly the most ostentatious music duo to come out of the country music scene in decades, John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin first hit it big in 2004 with their debut album Horse of a Different Color; the song the general public knows them for was the album’s number two single, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.”

Fuck Being Anything Else But Crazy

Clearly the atypical rapper, he deals in fallen angels and atheism, which alone sets him worlds apart from most other MCs. He has a style that absolutely murders the competition; speedy raps that combine wicked, tricky wordplay with melodic hooks, an on stage presence that involves tribal face paint, a straight jacket and blood red hair, making him one of the most unique figures in the game. With a career spanning over two decades, including fourteen studio albums and over two million independent sales, he’s no slacker either. After becoming increasingly frustrated with major labels, Tech launched his own imprint, Strange Music, Inc. in 1999 with his manager.

Ceschi’s First Taste of Freedom

Fake Four, Inc., a small independent record label in New Haven, Connecticut, has far surpassed the expectations of its founders, brothers Ceschi and David Ramos. Established in 2008, it was born out of a mutual passion for music and grown by the love and support of its fans. As Fake Four was gathering momentum, putting out album after album and touring the world, Ceschi Ramos found himself in a terrible predicament, one even Hollywood couldn’t make up.

Tab Benoit and the Greeley Blues Jam

It’s June again and that means one thing for the people of Greeley: it’s time for the Blues Jam. After ten years, the two-day event that turns quiet downtown Greeley into a Mecca for celebrating the blues continues to keep the blues alive and kicking in Northern Colorado. Local businesses see record sales, bands play anywhere a stage will fit, and Blues Jam feeds the flame to a weekly summer event called Go-Cup where the city pretty much gets to party outside. This year, the good people behind the Blues Jam have topped themselves with an incredible line up from across the blues genre. Sitting in the highly coveted headlining spot is none other than the legendary Tab Benoit.

Atmosphere Speaks with the BandWagon About Their 8th Studio Album

By the sound of the new single, “Bitter,” on Atmosphere’s eighth official studio album, Southsiders, you’d never guess it almost didn’t make the record. In fact, it started off as a gag between Minneapolis-natives Sean Daley (Slug) and DJ/producer Anthony Davis (Ant).

UNC’s Jazz Festival Profile: Swingle Singers

Recently, a viral video surfaced of a construction worker boarding a crowded subway train. He starts beat boxing, using a cardboard coffee cup to amplify the sounds coming out of his mouth. After some bewildered stares another passenger starts singing. And then another. And another.

The Ultimate Freak: Sir Mix-a-Lot Still Swass

In the early ‘90s, Seattle native Sir Mix-a-Lot proudly proclaimed: “I like big butts and I cannot lie” on 1992’s Mack Daddy, his third studio album and first for Def American. However, little do people know the two albums that preceded Mack Daddy contained some of his best material. From “Square Dance Rap” and “Swap Meat Louie” to “Posse on Broadway” and “Beepers,” there’s more to Mix-a-Lot than just big butts.

Recreational Marijuana In Garden City Means Music and Munchies For All on 4/20

“420,” pronounced “four-twenty,” has established itself quite definitively in the pop culture zeitgeist as a blanket term for all things marijuana, spawning everything from straight-faced legitimacy to raucous Internet memes. The exact origins of the term 420 are heavily contested, with theories ranging from connections to Bob Marley and Grateful Dead to the number being shared with the quantity of ingredients in cannabis and the code for marijuana consumption. All are untrue. Instead, 420 originated with high school students in San Rafael, California in 1971, who decided on a time—4:20 pm, though probably not on April 20th—to meet at a statue and smoke together. It stuck as a broader allusion to marijuana in general, and now enjoys its status as a flagship term for the drug.

Light in the Dark a Film of Music and Dance at Kress Cinema

For those interested in dance and local filmmaking, The Kress Cinema and Lounge will be premiering a short film on Saturday, April 12th titled Light in the Dark. The short, directed by Greeley resident Casey McConnell, was inspired by a choreographed dance by Wendy Klein of the Colorado Dance Collective, which McConnell expanded upon.

San Francisco Based k.flay Is a Strong Female Voice in a Genre Driven by Men

With a string of solid EPs and some serious chops, her rap is intelligent (a degree in psychology and sociology from Stanford helps with that), frankly speaking to the things that make the average hip hop fan normal. She doesn’t boast about street cred or display an image of a rich kid roughing it, she simply tells her story. Oh and she’s fast.

MTV’s Star of “Are You the One” Ryan Malaty Sees Love as a Spectrum

MTV has called him, “a quirky, playful guy with exotically hot looks,” saying, “His charisma and sweet demeanor are magnetic.” Ryan Malaty, who calls Greeley home now promotes himself and the Television show Are You the One around the state to earn a wage.

Atlas Presents: The Screwtape Letters

C.S. Lewis has long been known for his ability to tell a creative engaging story while also delving into serious theological and religious matters. His works create platform for discussing such topics in a manner that is compelling and appealing to a large audience. Such is the case for The Screwtape Letters, a piece comprised of correspondence from a senior demon to a new recruit, providing a picture of the temptation to engage in harmful or destructive activities or lifestyles.

Cover Story: The Chain Gang of 1974 is Not Just ‘Sleepwalking’

No, Kamtin Mohager, the brains and the brawn behind The Chain Gang of 1974 is not a DJ. Although he may do a DJ set from time to time, the synth heavy dance rock sound that has dominated their music since their conception is electro in nature, the sounds you hear are band driven.

Love and Theft – From the Opry to UNC’s Spring Concert

For Greeley-area fans, the duo’s show March 29th at the University of Northern Colorado’s Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion stands to be memorable for them. It’s the only stop on Love And Theft’s tour this year that will be in Colorado. Liles said that he and Gunderson love the state, except for possibly the horse at DIA.

Artist Profile: The Grouch and Eligh

Recently there has been an influx of hip-hop artists outspoken about their battles with addiction and subsequent recovery. Macklemore got real on the track “Otherside,” while Eligh of The Living Legends devoted an entire album to his recovery process in 2010’s Grey Crow.

Local Band Disguise the Silence Paving the Way With Their Debut Album Roads

In a time when popular rock is filled with indie and folk acts, and hard rock with the same generic rock that’s been on the radio for years, Disguise the Silence fills a gap that few bands fit into. Their energetic live performance at the Battle of the Bands got the crowd moshing and jumping and demonstrated the bands connection to their songs.

Local Artist Profile: Rick Destree Wants You to ‘Drink Decaf’

If you have been visiting the Cranford Cove Tea Tavern over on 10th Street in January, you’ve probably noticed some of the artwork of Rick Destree up on the walls. For 32-year-old Destree, this is his third art showing in Greeley, but that doesn’t mean he’s an amateur.

2014 Battle of the Bands Winner: The Burroughs

If there were a single word to summarize The Burroughs as a band it would be family. Yes, three of the members are brothers but for this modern soul outfit, the name Burroughs reaches beyond the bloodline.

BoomBox Brings the Sound of Muscle Shoals to Colorado

It was unseasonably cold for an Alabama Winter. The temperatures were record setting; black ice caused by the Tennessee River was developing on the O’Neil Bridge each day. A peculiar something was developing in Muscle Shoals, Alabama that year; something different. This wasn’t the ‘70s when Muscle Shoals was “The Hit Recording Capital of the World.” This was 2005, the last hit song written by anyone in the Shoals area was “I Swear” by Gary Baker and performed by both country music legend John Michael Montgomery and pop- group All 4 One in the ‘90s. The Pussycat Dolls were climbing the Top-40 charts, and the terms EDM and tweet had yet to sink their claws in the English vocabulary. BoomBox had just gotten the master recording of Visions of Backbeat back from their mastering engineer, and I didn’t know I would get lucky enough to be in the room when the box of CDs came in. I didn’t know I would be listening to the record as much as I did when I first put the disk in my car stereo. I didn’t know I would get lucky enough to be so close to the beginning of something bigger than I was.

Nappy Roots: Mile High Club Tour

Ask Skinny DeVille what he likes most about Colorado, and he’ll provide a simple, honest answer: the views, the people and the marijuana.

Local Artist Profile: Carl Unruh – Capturing the Emotion

Carl graduated from Lesley University with his masters in Psychology and just recently moved to Greeley after working at a behavioral health institute for many years. He also has worked at North Range Behavioral Health here in northern Colorado. Being a psychologist it is no surprise that he has the eye for catching individuals in his photography at just the right emotional moment.

Photos: Block Party 2013 After Party @ The Moxi Theater

Greeley’s 7th Anual Block Party was no doubt a success. Check out all the fun from the official after party!

Block Party 2013 Spotlight – The Burroughs

Johnny Burroughs, self-proclaimed preacher’s kid, grew up playing church music and listening primarily to soul music, doo wop, and the Raisins. Immersing himself in these genres, Johnny honed his musical talents by forming different bands over the years, building a strong local following.

Block Party 2013 Spotlight – Racing on the Sun

Local favorites are back for the Block Party! Racing on the Sun, the band formerly known as Castaway, is back to grace Greeley’s stages with new songs.

Greeley Block Party 2013 Spotlights – Leghounds

Leghounds’ music is influenced by old-school funk, soul, and R&B adorned with a certain class and charm that makes it appealing to music fans young and old. They are able to command any crowd, and endless moving is inevitable during their live performances.

Greeley Block Party 2013 Spotlights – Silver and Gold

Silver and Gold, a new Greeley band comprised of current and prior UNC music students, will be bringing their refreshing performance experience to this year’s Block Party, opening the Moxi afterparty for the Epilogues and The Photo Atlas.

Help Complete “North Woods!”

You might have seen the above flyer around town the past month. It’s not an actual missing person. It’s for the IndieGoGo campaign for the indie horror film North Woods.

Gregory Alan Isakov Discusses Song Writing and His Work with Horticulture

Gregory Alan Isakov’s songs dance around the edge of modern folk music and he plays by an old set of rules. Not only was Weatherman the product of abandoning a previous album, but it was also made on analogue recording equipment from a cabin in Nederland, Colorado. His sounds as rich as they are simple, rooted in the patchwork of the hills of that state.

Quixotic Introduce ARISE to a New Form of High Art

Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, Quixotic has become a force to be recognized in modern art. Infusing multimedia, electro, and ballet, their performances at ARISE gave audiences a break from what many would consider a traditional act.

Boulder-based The Motet Take Colorado Funk to New Heights

On Thursday afternoon the BandWagon had the chance to sit down with Ryan Jalbert, and Jans Ingber from The Motet. The band members were very excited to be at ARISE and were having a great time being apart of the festival. The fun, easygoing band members answered a few questions about their music and history as a band.

Michal Menert Talks with the BandWagon about the Simple Things in Life at ARISE

On Friday August 17th, Michal Menert brought one of the largest crowds out of all of the artists at the first annual Arise Music Festival in Loveland, Colorado. A couple hours before the show, the BandWagon had the opportunity to sit down with Michal Menert and talk about his music and his story of becoming a successful artist.

BandWagon’s Adventures Through ARISE

While attendance was not quite where it could have been, it was still a success overall and there is little doubt about a year two. Over the next week, the BandWagon will be sharing our experiences at the festival meeting people, taking pictures, interviewing bands, and exploring all the things that make festivals the experience we all love having.

Taste, Tenderness, and Appearance: Barbecuing with New Garden City

Garden City is an anomaly to many people who have lived in the Greeley. It’s own municipality .1 mile in size, population of 250-350 (depending on who you ask), and with no real central industry, Garden City has struggled through the years to maintain itself after it’s heyday as the only place alcohol could be sold in the area until 1969. But with the legalization of marijuana on the horizon for the state of Colorado, and Garden City being one of the only places in the region to allow medical marijuana dispensaries, the potential to reclaim some of those glory days is there.

ARISE Spotlight – Quixotic

In an era music saturated in synthetic sounds its always pleasure to find artists who can successfully incorporate classical sounds with new technology. Axs, released in 2012 includes songs like “Maya” and “Synergist” that would win the approval of even the most devoted bass head.

ARISE Spotlight – Random Rab

Listening to Random Rab is a unique experience while sitting at my favorite coffee shop barely being able to keep still. His variations of spatial harmonies weave in and out of glitchy over tones, and smooth trance progressions all strung together with a heavy drum line.

ARISE Spotlight – The Motet

For the last decade the Motet has asked only one favor from fans, “Dance your ass off!” This summer alone they have blasted some of the most beautiful concert venues in the state of Colorado with their soulful grooves and funky beats.

ARISE Spotlight – Westwater Outlaws

West Water Outlaws is a self-described “high energy rock n’ roll band” out of Boulder, Colorado adhere to the musical flavors of The Black Keys, and Led Zeppelin.

ARISE Music Festival: A Mission for Cultivation Through Art

The transcendent spirit of the ‘60s is alive and in ascent thanks to the upcoming ARISE Music Festival. The event takes place at Loveland’s Sunrise Ranch starting on August 14th and runs all the way through the 18th.

Friday Night of the Blues Jam! Find Yourself in the Fun!

Friday night of the Blues Jam was a blast! Check out some of the fun!

Saturday Night of the Blues Jam @ Island Grove Park!

Saturday night of the Greeley Blues Jam saw many great bands play at the Island Grove Regional Park and there was plenty of fun to be had.

Band Profile: Fierce Bad Rabbit

Although they are certainly established and thriving, Fierce Bad Rabbit is looking at a new chapter in their music. As they begin to start families, they are considering their future as a band. Chris Anderson is relocating to Boston later this month, on the tail end of a two-week midwestern tour. For many bands, the frontman moving away could be a death sentence, but Fierce Bad Rabbit doesn’t see it that way.

Cover Story: Capital Cities Make Colorado “Safe and Sound”

A musician’s status is usually measured by the number of record sales, number one singles, and sold-out shows they achieve, but the indie duo Capital Cities has found success without even releasing a full-length album. Their first single, “Safe and Sound,” has been in heavy rotation on alternative and pop radio since its release and has continually grown in popularity.

Denver’s Speakeasy, Tiger Reunites at the Marquis

Electro-rock group Speakeasy, Tiger returns to the stage after a nearly three-year hiatus tonight at the Marquis Theatre in Denver.

Q&A: Huff ‘n Keen @ FoCoMX

Huff n’ Keen played day one of FoCoMX at Washington’s Bar on the downstairs stage. Although the sound for the stage was below average, the artists still managed to put on a great show with their catchy beats and fine-tuned lyrics. After the set I was able to talk to Dustin and Patrick from the group about their music and future goals, as well as their views on the Colorado hip-Hop scene.

Q&A: Danielle Ate The Sandwich @ FoCoMX

Danielle Ate the Sandwich filled up Everyday Joe’s to the point that standing room in the back of the audience was shoulder to shoulder. The young and extremely gifted acoustic folk band was fantastic to watch and full of good vibes. Danielle, Denis, and Chris have been playing as a trio for three years and their great chemistry shows both on and off the stage.

Q&A: The Wendy Woo Band @ FoCoMX

The Wendy Woo Band played to a packed house, bringing everyone into their Mile High spirit and the audience really responded to their energy. The band is composed of six members, including two guitarists, a bassist, drummer, keyboardist and a multi-instrumentalist (violin/guitar).

Q&A: MISCOMUNICADO @ FoCoMX

MISCOMUNICADO brings dance, psychedelic, rock, and sweet guitar licks together to melt faces. Mine was liquidated, for sure. I remember looking over to the guy next to me and saying, “This right here is baby making music!” He said, “What?” I just smiled and nodded and he did the same, both of us dancing like headless chickens.

Q&A: Rachel and the Kings @ FoCoMX

Rachel and the Kings looked like they were bigger than Kings of Leon and Florence and the Machine combined on that stage. You could see the passion on their faces and hear it in their songs. I think Rachel and I made eye contact once.

Q&A: WhiteCatPink @ FoCoMX

All of a sudden we, the audience, were surrounded by furries who were all dancing madly to the leader of the animal gang, David Jacoby, donned in a fuzzy cat outfit of his own and playing the drums, singing insanity into the microphone.

Events: FoCoMX (April 19th and 20th)

Dubbed the “Biggest Little Festival in America,” Fort Collins Music eXperiment will continue the tradition of bringing local music and fans together for the fifth year in a row on April 19th and 20th.

Local Band Profile: Mike Ring and the Connection

Newcomers Mike Ring and the Connection haven’t been in the Greeley music scene for long, but you’d never know it. Blending folk and electronic pop, the band explodes with a percussive mix of invigorating songs. And while the band has a well-polished studio sound, their passion for live music is what drives them.

Photos: Purity Ring @ The Gothic Theatre, 4/8

Shots from the Purity Ring show at The Gothic Theatre in Denver on April 8th.

Photos: The Epilogues @ Summit Music Hall, 4/6

Photos of The Epilogues’ show at Summit Music Hall in Denver on April 6th.

Photos: Iceage @ The Marquis Theater, 4/4

Photos from the Iceage show at The Marquis Theater in Denver on April 4th.

Cover Story: The Moxi Theater and the State of the New Greeley Music Scene

Now is the time. You have always wanted to start a band. You already play music: you rap, jam in the garage with your friends, program beats in your bedroom, and you probably play in your church band. Now is the time to give it a form and let the world see. On April 25th at the 9th Street Plaza in downtown Greeley, The Crew Presents will launch Greeley’s first all-ages dedicated music venue, capable of bringing to town the acts the good people of northern Colorado deserve.

Local Band Profile: “The Howling Hex”

Neil Hagerty, of The Howling Hex (and formerly of Royal Trux and Pussy Galore), has just released his newest album, ironically titled The Best of The Howling Hex. The songs sound like a single insane polka number from a circus staffed by schizophrenics and sociopaths. It’s fun, frightening, and a bit off-putting, but certainly never boring. And it’s obvious Hagerty knows what he’s doing.

Photos: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis @ UNC

Shots from the rap duo’s performance at University of Northern Colorado’s spring concert on March 3rd.

Snowball 2013: Three Days of Fun and Chaos

Artists performed on Snowball’s three stages constantly throughout the weekend. A large torch launched eight-foot flames into the sky at the center of the festival grounds. A big air snowboard/ski ramp featured professional riders showing off their skills.

The Hidden Gems of Snowball Music Festival

We’ll have coverage of some of the best acts of Snowball early next week on our blog, but this month in our print issue we featured some of our favorite performers from this year’s event. Here are the BandWagon staff’s picks for the hidden gems of the 2013 Snowball Music Festival.

Cover Story: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Macklemore’s career is proof that you can work hard enough to earn your place in the spotlight. Ben Haggerty, the rapper known most commonly as Macklemore, found his love for music and began writing rap in his teens.

Intimate Performance by Buke & Gase at Larimer Lounge

The Larimer Lounge was perfect dark and intimiate venue to house Buke & Gase on February 11th. Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez came to the Denver venue armed with their signature handmade instruments and an impressive, yet modest set of pedals.

Starfucker Spins New Album Live on Web

Starfucker (STRFKR) released their latest album, Miracle Mile, yesterday (Feb. 19), which is now available in the usual formats as well as an über-hip cassette tape. (Remember those? They’re like 8-tracks but newer and less hip.) To celebrate and promote the launch, the members of the band created avatars to DJ their tracks live on Turntable.fm.

Feed Me “with Teeth” Chomps Into The Ogden

Jon Gooch, famous in the electronic dance music scene as Feed Me, performed at the Ogden Theater on Tuesday, February 12th. The 29-year-old DJ, originally from England, conducted his show “Feed Me with Teeth” for all his dedicated Colorado fans. Even though the concert was on a Tuesday night the line to get in the Ogden wrapped around the block.

Local Band Profile: Trichome

Trichome’s story is one of reinvention. It is the story of a band that found their sound and made that sound work, but when they reached a crucial moment when it was time for something new, they knew what they needed to do. Where many bands that reach this point flounder in trying to maintain an original concept, Trichome has continued to move into new and interesting places.

Drunkenest Coverage of the 2013 Grammys

There’s only one thing more disgusting than the music industry and that is the night when the entire train wreck comes together to stroke itself off, congratulating itself for exceeding previous mediocrity and breaking the will of even more Americans: The Grammys.

Review: Buke & Gase – “General Dome”

Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez make up the inventive duo from New York, Buke & Gase. After being discovered by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, they were signed to Brassland Records in 2007. Although relatively new to the music scene, Buke & Gase have already made their mark in an industry where standing out is becoming increasingly difficult.

ROOKE5 Releases New Debut “Colossal Chronicles”

One local Greeley rapper’s music has finally started to take off. ROOKE5 released Colossal Chronicles on January 22nd and received lots of positive feedback on his project. The 24 year-old rapper started performing when he was 13 growing up in northern Colorado. The local hip-hop artist has been working hard on Colossal Chronicles for the past three years and has finally completed his well constructed project. The album is the first for the rapper Luke Whitrock, better known as ROOKE5.

The Photo Atlas – “Stuck In A Honeytrap”

In a time when electronic dance music rules the airwaves, The Photo Atlas is refreshing proof that post-punk is still breathing and can serve the same demographic. Their unique style of danceable hardcore music has rocked bodies throughout Colorado and across the country. The band’s first full-length release, No, Not Me, Never, introduced these alternative rockers to the nation. Its fantastic follow-up, Stuck In A Honeytrap, is set to drop this month.

Films to Look Forward to in 2013

2012 was an interesting, often surprising year for film. Especially surprising, given 2011’s output. As we get older, the enthusiasm we had for what we loved in our youth begins to fade, be it sports, …

New Strokes Tune – “One Way Trigger”

The Strokes released a new single today called “One Way Trigger.” Upon first listen you might ask, “Who in the left-hell is singing?!” It would seem Julian Casablancas is once again attempting to diverge from his usual drunken mumbling and occasional cracked yelping with an interesting falsetto. The sound overall is closer related to Casablancas’ solo album, “Phrazes For The Young,” with more keyboard-sounding guitar riffs. The guitar at some points almost sounds like steel drums on a Nintendo.

The Clay Center Fundraises for a Wood-Fired Kiln

Greeley’s art community has been growing rapidly over the past few years, guided by a few local art enthusiasts and supported by the large art department at the University of Northern Colorado. Places like The Clay Center of Northern Colorado, located in downtown Greeley, give people interested in learning and becoming a part of an art community a chance to do so without having to get a four-year degree to learn a skill.

Exclusive Download: Katey Laurel – “From Here”

Denver-based singer/songwriter Katey Laurel has offered BandWagon readers a chance to download her EP From Here for free. The 8-track folk pop record is available free here exclusively to the first 200 downloaders, so don’t wait.

Bloc Party Rocks the Ogden

[slideshow gallery_id=”1″] Bloc Party played a killer show at the Ogden Theater in Denver on Tuesday (January 22nd) to a severely stoned audience. (I’ve never seen and smelled that much cannabis at a concert before. …

Grand Re-Opening of Hodi’s Half Note

Hodi’s Half Note, bar and music venue in Fort Collins, is under new management and despite recent rumors is not up for sale or going under. The venue has been one of the few sources of exposure for smaller bands on the rise for many years in Fort Collins and this tradition is being revamped.

BOTB: Squid Kids

The Squid Kids have been around the block a few times when it comes to playing shows in Greeley. Moving up a spot from fourth to third from last year’s Battle of the Bands, these Greeley natives continue to elevate themselves musically with each show.

BOTB: Grits & Gravy

Grits & Gravy stand apart from other hip-hop acts. The duo of Neal Titus, providing the instrumentals, and Marcus Steward, aka GiovanniRaps, on vocals, are both classically trained musicians and bring a unique perspective to the rap scene. What has typically been a street-driven and trained art form has grown to the tipping point, becoming an art that can be studied and composed academically.

BOTB: Leghounds Mark Their Territory

With layers of harmonies that exist to move and flow, a soulful sweetness, and technical savvy, there is little surprise as to why the Leghounds won our Battle of the Bands and the $1,000 prize. With their new End of the World EP, the Leghounds are marking their territory as a Greeley groove machine.

2012/13 New Year’s Eve Events

We get it, you’re just like us and leave everything to the last minute. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back: Here are all the hottest New Year’s Eve events for you to ring in 2013 in style.

Open Mic Comedy Night: Hodi’s Half Note

They say laughter is the best medicine and every Monday night, Hodi’s Half Note, located at 167 N. College Ave. in Fort Collins, serves up a healthy dose with their comedy open mic night. Anyone …

5 Reasons You Should Go to Wine & Canvas

It’s at The Crvsh Room: This art gallery/bar/restaurant is the perfect setting for a fun painting event.  The space is casual, the decor clean and minimal. Artwork by local artists is displayed on the wall. …

Ovira is on a Mission to Spread Intergalactic Love

Fighting the Force Not so long ago in a galaxy somewhere nearby, an alien empress walked down a boulevard lined with her adoring subjects on her coronation day. Before she could reach the dias, a …

Plasma Canvas | Dusk Album Review

If you’ve kept up with the rock scene in Northern Colorado for the past several years, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Plasma Canvas. And, if you’ve happened to be fortunate enough, you’ve had the outfit rock …

INTHEWHALE – Chosen at Random Album Review

Unless you’ve been living underneath a rock in a compound with no electricity, you’ve more than likely heard of the phenomenal force of nature that is Colorado’s Inthewhale. Inthewhale is the loudest two-man operated rock …

The Burroughs – Honey Imastar Album Review

The Burroughs Don’t Settle For Singles In Their Second Full-Length Album  Even with attention spans reduced to 15-second blurbs on TikTok and indie artists spacing out their music releases to one single at a time, …

Album Review: Trash. – Ghosts

Let’s face it. For many, the past couple of years have been pretty garbage, in a lot of ways. However, for Colorado’s progressive pop-punk outfit Trash., it would seem the past two years have been about growth and preparing a sophomore release that, in every sense of the word, is quite the opposite of what the band’s moniker projects.

Album Review: Jellyfish Farm – Jellyfish

Progressive rock is certainly its own multi-tentacled beast. Its key characteristics align with virtuosic musicianship and a sort of refined taste which, as with caviar or any stereotype, can lend itself to negative connotations.

But the debut release from Colorado’s Jellyfish Farm could not be further from any preconceived notion of “stuffy” progressive rock. Rather, it’s a delightful and abstract breath of fresh air for not only the state’s local music scene, but modern prog as a whole.

Album Review: Logan Farmer – A Mold For The Bell

Following in the Soft-Croon tradition of fellow Colorado folkers Covenhoven and Gregory Alan Isakov, Fort Collins’ Farmer paints with a palette of little more than acoustic guitar and vocal. But a flutter of woodwind textures, flecks of orchestral harp and thoughtful string arrangements elevate the album’s eight songs to a 10.

Fans of Bon Iver will love A Mold For The Bell, but expect a few unique brush strokes in this impressionist piece, namely, the pointed, trembling timbre of Farmer’s vocal: It’s hushed and rife with vibrato yet convinced with a determined grit.

Album Review: Draghoria – Dangerous Species

Colorado mainstay metallers Draghoria have long been a force to be reckoned with. Their latest effort, Dangerous Species, has not only maintaineed their place on the mountain but have effectively secured their territory at the top.
Draghoria is known in the Colorado community for sheer, sonic brutality, creating an amalgamation of old-school thrash and modern metal held together by forceful melodies, unmatched musicianship, and nods to a plethora of styles that scream (pun intended) pure metal.

Album Review: People in General – friends

People in General are making the leap. Since their first release Piglet in 2019, the trio has grown into a full 8 piece band with horns, extra vocalists and more. The sounds on the new EP Friends are more mature, with bigger, fuller arrangements. But the shift isn’t only because the band is suddenly all grown up. Like it or not, the vocalist is the most identifying element of any band, and People in General have changed that up too.

Album Review: mon cher – tell me baby

Denver’s femme trio, mon cher, explore synth-driven dream pop in their new EP tell me baby. It’s meditative and vibey, reminiscent of synth-pop groups like Washed Out (the group that wrote the “Portlandia” theme) and the Minecraft’s ethereal composer, C418.

Album Review: Pathos & Logos – Cult

When you find yourself on the old familiar quest for heavy, ethereal, instrumental music that takes you on a sonic journey through space and time, look no further than the latest effort from Colorado’s Pathos & Logos, “Cult.”
Pathos & Logos is a two-man operation that sounds like a galaxy of performers smearing a solar system of sounds together.

Album Review: Musuji – Blanket Statement

To say that Musuji’s reputation precedes them would be an understatement. Known for their “wild with madness” moniker, Musuji mash together layer upon layer of sound and energy to create their own blend of funky, intense indie rock that is equally as chill as it is disastrous – and that’s in a good way.

Single Review: Hutty – “Broke Bank”

Since making his mark with his 2021 album and over 1.5 million streams on Spotify for his hit “Body Low,” Hutty has been exploring different genres and influences, using hip-hop as his foundation.

Single Review: Eufórquestra – “Arizona to Georgia”

Eufórquestra’s recent single, “Arizona to Georgia,” leans into groovy funk-rock, with jammy vibes and a big sound, reminiscent of early Steely Dan or Steve Miller’s “Fly Like an Eagle.” This song has a lot of potential to extend to a full jam, pushing audiences to have a “little less talk, a little more listen” as the lyrics demand.

Single Review: Connor Terrones – “What Can I Do?”

Guitarist Connor Terrones debuts his solo project with his first single, “What Can I Do?” giving listeners a peek into the lofi tastes of the long-time Colorado soul and R&B sideman.

Video Premiere: Jelie – Just Like You

We last heard from Denver hip hop up-and-comer Jelie in May when the rapper / producer released the pandemic-inspired “Cope” to coincide with mental health awareness month. Today, she’s back, premiering the music video for “Just Like You” via BandWagon – and it cuts just as deep.

Album Review: I In Team – Bad Neighbors

Knock, knock – It’s Nick Sanville and Dugan’s group I In Team ushering you into your living room, commandeering the nearest bluetooth speaker and showcasing cuts from their freshly minted project Bad Neighbors – a rap album made with intention. Not the intention of doing something on purpose – rather, something done with purpose.

It’s barrel aged and small batch, but without the pomp of a soft launch for some hipster yerba maté bar. It’s meticulously crafted hip-hop refined by a pair of artists who take their music – not themselves – quite seriously.

Single Review: Joy Scout – “Pretty Itty Bitty Kitty”

During the pandemic, Joy Scout’s Paul Beverage brought home a tabby named Josie, wrote a punk-infused 12-bar blues about her and he wants you to know about it. Mee-ow!

Album Review: Companion – Second Day of Spring

Fort Collins based identical twin sisters Sophia and Jo Babb, otherwise known as Companion, release their debut folk/americana album Second Day of Spring with vocal harmonies that match as perfectly as their DNA.

They find creative ways to use their voices throughout, processing the trauma of their father taking his own life and their own feelings of isolation. Their unisons are striking, the balance and the carefully constructed harmonies giving the illusion that they are coming from the same person.

Album Review: Neoma – Hyperreal

Denver synth-pop resident Neoma brings her Ecuadorian influences to the Front Range with her new album Hyperreal. Her definitive style brings a welcome slice of musical diversity to Denver’s predominantly americana/rock scene, and her ‘sad-girl’ aesthetic doesn’t stop listeners from wanting to dance-it-up like they’re at the club.

Single Review: Spliff Tank – “Lie”

There’s nothing subtle about Spliff Tank’s latest single. In the opening measures of “Lie,” an uptempo beat collides with droning guitars and a soaring melodic synth lead.

Album Review: Draghoria – Dangerous Species

Colorado mainstay metallers Draghoria have long been a force to be reckoned with. Their latest effort, Dangerous Species, has not only maintaineed their place on the mountain but have effectively secured their territory at the top.
Draghoria is known in the Colorado community for sheer, sonic brutality, creating an amalgamation of old-school thrash and modern metal held together by forceful melodies, unmatched musicianship, and nods to a plethora of styles that scream (pun intended) pure metal.

EP Review: Elektric Animals – Channels

Denver’s Elektric Animals ring in the summer via the upbeat rock sound of their new EP Channels. They guarantee that every song, no matter how few, is a bop you will dance to as the weather warms up.
“Come Clean” pulls listeners right in with a fast, dancy drum groove and rhythmic guitar and Nick Sanders’ gritty vocal is sent boiling into a fevered scream. If they haven’t already, 93.3 needs to put this track in their rotation now.

Album Review: Anthony Ruptak – Backrooms

Like Ruptak’s earlier work, Backrooms is emotionally charged, but themes of anger, regret and despair are balanced by love and connection.

“The overall arc is one of evolution and healing,” Ruptak explained.

Scenes that play out over fragile, haunting melodies include a funeral for a well-loved dog, an ambulance ride to a hospice center and a white-knuckle drive to the house of a suicidal family member. On “Angie,” Ruptak proposes to his wife. Literally.

EP Review: Ronan Andrews – Quarter Life Crisis

Ronan Andrews’ new solo EP Quarter Life Crisis features upbeat and bright pop with some groovy jazz and soul undertones that should please fans of Mayor Hawthorne or Silk Sonic.

There’s a happy, feel-good air about his songs, like the upbeat opening track “Dancing Like a Fool,” featuring a bouncing piano groove, full vocal harmonies and cool guitar licks. It gives “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5 feelings, especially when the piano plays lush, jazz-influenced chord changes.

Album Review: Holdfast. – Movies

Holdfast.’s new album Movies brings their expected electro dark-pop and rock aesthetic but leans into other styles that open their doors to new fans.

Singer Charlie Maddocks demonstrates a dramatic contrast in dynamics, one that MUSE’s lead Matt Bellamy is well known for, though Maddocks’ tone is undoubtedly his own, becoming one of Colorado’s most recognizable lead vocals. Holdfast. continues to deliver strong songs while experimenting with new sounds and textures.

Album Review: Young Habitat – In First Person Perspective

Music seldom tells you what to imagine in a concrete, absolute way. It requires you to fill in the gaps — sometimes thin, sometimes wide. Young Habitat’s debut EP In First Person Perspective, is a meditation on this idea.

Riley Sbarna and saxophonist Hayden Farr (Trash Cat, The Burroughs) have long riffed about a potential musical collaboration, but the inspiration to finally follow through came from an unlikely source: the pandemic.

Though In First Person Perspective retains the emotional vulnerability of Sbrana’s previous work, the sonic landscape is a left turn. Understated vocals often devolve into heavily affected opacity. The instrumentation is reminiscent of lo-fi hip hop with frequent saxophone odysseys provided by Farr. It’s one part contemporary Bon Iver and one part Porches with a sprinkle of neo soul. It’s both melancholic and beautiful. 

Album Review: Kaitlyn Williams – Under These Lights

“Under These Lights,” the new album from Denver’s Kaitlyn Williams, walks the line between neo soul and music for the masses, departing from the bedroom pop she showcased in her 2019 album and subsequent singles. A contributing factor to this shift in style is the live recording, which leaves less room for glittery production and more room for natural musicianship.

Album Review: Dead Man’s Alibi

Fort Collins-based Dead Man’s Alibi keeps a post-grunge metal sound while tossing in some blues on their debut. They have a classic early 2000’s sound, with some Alice in Chains mixed in on tracks like “Hole In A Hat,” and “Lowly Saint” which feature roaring guitars and rowdy drum grooves.

The vocals show some grit but shy away from the screaming and growling most bands these days employ. Epic guitar solos call up Judas Priest, but what makes Dead Man’s Alibi cool is the blues influence in their sound.

Album Review: Big Brooklyn – Everyone Everywhere

Denver based Big Brooklyn begs the question “what is jazz?” with their new album Everyone Everywhere, in which every track dips a toe into different sub-genres underneath the jazz umbrella. 

They have enough “straight ahead” stuff,but they also share some funky fusion you might hear from Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters era. Their incorporation of Melody Dornfeld on clarinet (and bass clarinet) lends a quirkier sound for a group that doesn’t focus on gypsy jazz or 1920’s repertoire.

Album Review: Thom LaFond – The Moon Leans In

Nederland, Colorado’s Thom LaFond is most well known as the guitarist and singer in Denver’s four-piece gypsy jam rock outfit Banshee Tree. But on this, his debut full-length, he lets his inner voice shine.

Close, acoustic and intimate speckles of piano, pizzicato violin and nimble upright bass frame his hushed, masculine baritone with gorgeous minimalism; a composition on par with a Kandinsky.

“Did they take the moon you were after and give it back piece by piece?” the record’s first lyric asks, initiating a song and an album dense with gorgeous prose, artful arrangements and beautiful music.

Single Review: Isadora Eden f. Duke Justice – “Glycerine” [Bush Cover]

Eden’s reimagining of the Bush classic fits the song’s mystical and mysterious feelings of being in love by surrounding the listener with ambient synths and heavy reverbs. Justice’s vocals have a grungy texture reminiscent of Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, a nice call-back to the original.

Album Review: One Peace – A GLORIOUS ONE

A GLORIOUS ONE from rapper One Peace finds itself at the crossroads of trunk-knocking production, emotion-soaked sampling, and vivid, unapologetic songwriting.

Released on independent Fort Collins-based record label Lion League Music, it’s a nostalgic yet relevant album that feels as diverse as it does cohesive. Sonically, it could stand in as the score to a Tarantino flick or the tracklist for a forthcoming Grand Theft Auto radio station with OP’s speaking voice alone commanding more presence than the average MC yelling full volume into the mic.

Single Review: Bekka Jean – “What If I Forget About You ='(”

Following the passing of her mother, Greeley’s Bekka Jean independently released her folky, shoegaze single “What If I Forget About You ='(” in the vein of Phoebe Bridgers.

Single Review: The Burroughs – “My House My Car”

The Burroughs continue to progress their sound while retaining some of the retro vibe that first captured the hearts of Northern Colorado: 70’s and 80’s musical tropes, a flirtatious female response chorus, loud synth and their 4-piece Stax-style horns. A rap from baritone sax player Hayden Farr adds a fun new bit too.

Album Review: Fast Eddy – Take A Look

As modern rock groups lean into synthesized productions, Denver’s Fast Eddy keeps the standard rock ‘n roll traditions alive in their new full-length album Take A Look. The album is fun, upbeat and packed with …

Album Review: The Matterhorn Project – Traveler

When the phrases “prog metal” and “solo studio project” occupy the about section of a band’s website, a couple of red flags go up. But Zahari Tzigularov, a Bulgarian-born long time Denverite and the mastermind behind The Matterhorn Project, has used his studio time well. Though his musicianship is apparent, his artistry is front and center. The 5-song EP is at once lush and foreboding. Tzigularov’s compositions weave between sludgy bass-driven riffs, wandering clean guitar melodies and fantastical whisper-growled lyrics.

Single Review: Branson Hoog – “No Vacancy”

Intimate and sexy, Branson Hoog’s nimble, close-up vocals evoke an alluring darkness. The NOT A TOY (fka Shatterproof) frontman employs deep and minimalistic beats on “No Vacancy,” the second release under his own name.

Single Review: Co-Stanza – “20 Minutes”

Dropping realness like a reference to FaceTime helped folks relate to FoCo’s Co-Stanza (to the tune of nearly 2 million streams on “I Don’t Mind”) and by the sound of this hooky new toe tapper, Co-Stanza will continue racking up fans with each tick of the clock.

Album Review: Crescent City Connection – Yeah You Right!

Fort Collins based Crescent City Connection brings New Orleans flavor to the Colorado funk-rock scene with their new album Yeah You Right! Powerful rock organ, scratched rhythm guitar and horn lines infuse their niche sound with characteristics popular in Nola Brass and Dixieland traditions.

Single Review: DEBR4H – Cassi-0-Peia

It’s 2022 and yes, it’s possible that your garage band owns 100 synthesizers. Out January 20, “Cassi-o-Peia” pushes DEBR4H’s blipping to a full-on synth stomp at the outset, thickening things up to a dense sparkle as intricate as the Milky Way on the chorus.

Album Review: N3ptune – RENAISSANCE

N3ptune’s RENAISSANCE is an appropriate title for an album by an artist who does it all: acting, singing, modeling, producing and performing. It is a birth of style that combines elements of trap, dark dance pop, and heavy blues rock and there’s nothing else like it.

Album Review: Magpie the Band – Under The Maple Tree

Folk trio Magpie the Band emerges into the Northern Colorado scene with their debut ‘Under The Maple Tree,’ featuring more Celtic and Eastern European sounds than the western Americana commonly heard in the Colorado scene. Balancing the amount of slow, introspective songs, and bouncy foot-stompers, the album plays like an intimate house concert put on by close friends.

Single Review: Emma Griffin – Sell My Soul

“Sell My Soul” is a breakthrough for Emma Griffin, allowing her to keep the Lorde and Billie Eilish sound she’s established while introducing a blues touch.

Album Review: This Broken Beat – Far From Home

Julio Perez, lead singer of This Broken Beat has the kind of pop-rock cross-over voice that would make Adam Levine turn his chair around. Perez’ tenor shows clear Ed Sheeran influences, and with such an asset at the heart of their sound, it’s no wonder This Broken Beat shot for the stars on Far From Home.

Single Review: Poinciana – Focus

“Focus” features tender vocals by lead singer Sawyer Davis and beautiful acoustic guitar picking, but Poinciana doesn’t abandon high-energy rock.

Single Review: Elektric Animals – “Cheers”

Elektrik Animals dish up alternative rock and upbeat feelings without superficial optimism on the new single “Cheers.”

Album Review: Mr. Fredo – Movement

Fort Collins-based Fredo The Rapper brings intricate layerings in his new EP Movement, featuring his long-time collaborator, producer (and step-brother) Suburb based in Chicago, IL. The movement is chill, and his relaxed tone glides over the complex trap and lo-fi beats.

Album Review: No Hands Brass Band

No Hands Brass Band brings an upbeat New Orleans sound with considerable chops to Colorado, with their debut EP “Off The Curb.” It features an instrumental mixture of pop, jazz, funk, and traditional Dixieland swing through their original compositions and arrangements, and it shreds.

Album Review: Covenhoven – IV

For Coloradans, the name Covenhoven has become synonymous with intimate and heartfelt yet cinematic and powerful folk music. Over the course of three previous full length albums, Joel Van Horne, the stalwart man behind the timidly convicted voice around which the music of Covenhoven swirls, has unflappably delivered expertly crafted, immersive music which seems to speak directly from his heart into our ears.

Album Review: The Crooked Rugs – THAT!

There is a cultural, dad-inherited fondness for flipping through AM radio channels while driving late at night. The Crooked Rugs’ new LP, THAT! is what you’ve been searching for on that AM dial all of these years – something that manages to sound otherworldly and familiar at the same time, drawing from every era of psychedelic rock.

Album Review: We Are William – We Are William

Listening to Fort Collins-based We Are William gives a refreshing perspective on just how difficult it is to play progressive metal, and the band deserves props. Though they may not have reached the peak of “metal Everest” on their self-titled, first full-length album, the effort is admirable and the band shows a lot of potential, and flashes of greatness can be heard.

Album Review: Diez De León – Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix

What’s impressive about Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix from Diez De León is that the album occupies two worlds simultaneously. It’s thoughtful, introspective and authentic, and effortlessly pairs it with the best qualities of modern hip-hop: catchy hooks, head-nodding grooves, and addressing the all-important question, “but does it slap?”

Formerly known as B.B.T.U.C. of Colorado rap trio Soul Brothers, Diez De León showcases a high level of artistic maturity on his debut album. Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix displays a degree of lyrical finesse that’s refreshing in today’s musical landscape.

Album Review: Jackson Maloney – Dharma Farm

Jackson Maloney: singer, songwriter, folk musician, and Colorado transplant via Northern California. The coarse-voiced busker has found himself a home in unincorporated Boulder County, at a place called Dharma Farm – a small hippie commune near Hygiene, CO. The location, in fact, where Maloney recorded his latest EP – a six track EP that encapsulates the simplicity of a working farm, which, after having been recorded in a ruined grain silo, ‘checks out.’ It’s a bare-boned, extended play that is completely comfortable with skimping on the pleasantries.

Album Review: The Cuddies – Fix It Myself

Greeley’s jazz-leaning (Hannah &) The Cuddies put on a rock show, but shine in moments of intimacy on their full-length debut Fix It Myself, a gloss-rock review via theatrical means. The band flexes their arrangement chops with big horns and fast guitars, offering tricky rhythms in the vocal. Akin to female-fronted bands like Letters to Cleo or the Cardigans, the Cuddies cleverly twist the unexpected into four-on-the-floor fun.

Album Review: Jaguar Stevens – Jaguar Stevens

If you’ve ever gone out drinking with public school teachers, you know they’re a rowdy bunch. Maybe the job requires the same kind of youthful energy that carries you through to late night karaoke. Maybe ...

Single Review: Silver & Gold – Saving Face

BandWagon Magazine’s favorite band Silver & Gold are at it again, and instead of going home, they went big on their new single “Saving Face.” Catch them Friday, September 10 at The Block Party in downtown Greeley.

Single Review: Griffith James – “Market and Black” (feat. Tennis)

Griffith James has released his most noteworthy song yet, “Market and Black,” which features Colorado legends Tennis on backup vocals. This folky groove, with James’s almost Simon and Garfunkel vocal, feels removed from the modern era in an off putting yet infectious way.

Single Review: Eli Rey – That Kinda Feelin

With slick, red dirt country rock production and a starry-eyed demeanor, Eli Rey elevates the local country scene to a radio-ready level with “That Kinda Feelin.”

Album Review: Southern Avenue – Be The Love You Want

At their best live, Southern Avenue finds enough soul, R&B and pop to please middling blues fans while maintaining enough roots and respect for the genre to satisfy hardcore blues veterans. 

The Memphis-based band’s virtuosity and energy on ‘Be The Love You Want’ is pronounced and the album is a joy. The title track hits like a wallop, and “Move Into The Light,” (a co-write with Jason Mraz) is better than 95 percent of what’s on the radio. The production seems louder, tougher and sharper, with brassy horns and a clearer sound than their previous release ‘Keep On.’

Album Review: King Crawdad – King Crawdad 3

Fort Collins-based rock outfit King Crawdad has hit an impressive new stride, producing an EP alive with the particular energy they are clearly looking to translate. Taking their latest material to the renowned Fort Collins recording studio The Blasting Room and adding Tucker Valentine into the mix on bass, King Crawdad 3 stands as some of their best work yet. It punches where it needs to punch, kicks out the jams when it needs it the most, and shows a band really honing in on their sound.

Album Review: Banshee Tree – Banshee Tree

For the past few years, Banshee Tree has played in barrooms, theaters and music festivals all over Colorado and Wyoming. Although the band’s music showcases each member’s impressive chops, the recurring theme is vibrant energy. Dancefloor denizens will sway to neo soul for one song and spin their partner to gypsy jazz for the next.

Album Review: Julie Koenig – Renaissance Woman

Julie Koenig’s debut album explores what it means to be a woman – both the strengths and vulnerabilities – through the singer-songwriter genre and jazz.

Unapologetic about her features and her attitude, Koenig uses them to draw strength and elicit feminist ideals, employing a fierce set of original lyrics on being rambunctious.

Single Premiere: Cody – “I’m Not Really Listening”

After years of solely identifying as the co-front man of Colorado’s adored brother-band Slow Caves, Jakob Mueller steps away from those familiar indie guitar shoegaze shores. Adopting the pseudonym Cody, Mueller dips his toes into new, even washier waters. Cody’s first single “I’m Not Really Listening” premieres below, via BandWagon today.

Album Review: Ms. Nomer – TAOTUNU

Fusion and rock group Ms. Nomer are releasing their debut full-length album TAOTUNU (IE; “things are on the up n up”) July 16 at the Aggie. Ms Nomer’s music already pulls a jazz sound with their colorful chords and complex grooves, but the addition of three additional musicians pull them out of the “rock jam band” genre and into a jazz fusion realm, reminiscent of instrumental giants Herbie Hancock or Chick Corea.

Single Review: Lady Denim – “Old & New”

Bright, energetic and bursting with pop polish has been the name of the game for Fort Collins indie rockers Lady Denim and it’s paying off. Releasing one of their sharpest songs yet, they take a stab in the right direction with “Old & New.”

Album Review: Desert Dwellers – Night Visions 3

From the Playa at Burning Man to the mountains, deserts, and jungles of world’s most iconic festivals, the seminal duo Desert Dwellers are known across the globe for their ability to craft lush, worldly soundscapes and renegade dancefloor vibes.
If the wait to see the Boulder-based duo live at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre on July 17 proves too long to bear, feel comforted that the freshly-released third installment of their Night Vision series can tide you over until then.

Single Review: Slow Caves – “Before I Leave”

When Slow Caves puts out a track, the Colorado music scene collectively gazes on in awe. A ‘90s post-psychedelic stroll through the minds of the Mueller brothers, “Before I Leave” shows signs of something different.

Single Review: Devin Tremell f. Dante M’$ – “Light of Mine ii”

Devin Tremell is one of those surprises everyone saw coming. In the last two years Tremell has cranked out an impressive amount of material, and his latest single “Light of Mine ii” – released on Juneteenth – stands on its own.

Album Review: Magic Beans – Slice Of Life

Longtime fans of Magic Beans keep coming back for their staple rock-funk sound, filled with high energy grooves and invigorating rock organ. Their new album, Slice of Life, still has that, but those fans might also cock their head in confusion.

Catch them live at The Beanstalk Festival on June 24 in Bond, CO.

Album Review: Tenth Mountain Division – Butte La Rose

On Butte La Rose, Colorado’s mountain-bred quintet Tenth Mountain Division find space between extremes: A party with a big band, booze, questionable substances and endless jams; and relatable, folk-influenced storytelling. They stamp a crisp modernity on top, incorporating styles as far reaching as the Rockies themselves.

Album Review: Lighthouse Sessions – D.C. Myers

‘Lighthouse Sessions’ is the debut EP from Denver’s D.C. Myers, and while it’s a dark catalogue of a sad man alone in a room with his electronics, it’s also one of the most engaging, smart and fun records to come out of Colorado in months. Myers knows this well: stimulate the more sophisticated neurons of those goths and their black-leather-clad hips will follow.

Single Review: People In General – “icicic”

Fort Collins indie poppers People In General find themselves aptly named for the theme of their upcoming single “icicic.” Seeking universality in songwriting is usually a great idea. If lightning strikes and the writer finds …

Single Review: Cous – “Turpentine”

Smooth and understated, Denver’s Cous, continues to find ways to make writing simple and approachable music look easy. “Turpentine” is easy going yet packed with a loneliness just below the surface that gives some wonderful depth to its sentiments.

Single Review: NGHT WLVES – “C’est La Vie”

“C’est La Vie,” the latest from NGHT WLVS, clearly shows them taking the things they’ve learned through 2020 and stepping up their game. Staying true to their synth-hop nature, crisp and pristine.

Album Review: LVDY – Gold

The Denver-based acoustic duo LVDY (pronounced “lady”) show what beautiful sounds two women and a guitar can make on their full-length album, Gold. In 11 songs, Kathleen Hooper and Aubrey Mable give us tight harmonies, the sway of natural acoustic pop refrains and a warm folk ambience, showcasing the creative ways two women use sparse instrumentation and vocals to create full sounds.

Single Review: Cole Scheifele

Cole Scheifele writers heartbreaking music and delivers a soaring melody with unrestrained emotion. Behind his voice, an ambient brew of siren-like drones creates texture while he keeps time on an acoustic guitar.

Album Review: VYNYL – The World Is On Fire, and I’m Lonely

In Denver, a hyperactive, fashion-forward group is making music that could just be the cutting edge of this pop punk resurgence. Though VYNYL strayed into synth-pop territory with their first EP, Pink, 2021’s aptly titled The World Is On Fire, and I’m Lonely is full of grit without losing any of the hookiness of the band’s earlier work. Catchy melodies are paired with crisp production and colossal energy, making it a good case as the perfect bittersweet summer soundtrack into the final stretch of the pandemic.

Single Review: OptycNerd – “Realistic”

When it comes to writing and recording modern dance music in Colorado, OptycNerd are in a class of their own and “Realistic” is their latest.

Album Review: Mlady – Maladaptive Daydreaming

Denver-based Mlady’s full length album Maladaptive Daydreaming feels like its title: an atmosphere of vivid dreams told by lead singer Hannah Beeghly, accompanied by washy, pop orchestration. The record favors reversed reverb and atmospheric textures …

DEBR4H – “The Court Of Richard II”

“This isn’t the normal, like, girl-joins-the-band story,” DEBR4H’s Jed Murphy tells BandWagon. “I was really kinda hitting the end.”

Murphy’s dead-end feelings were palpable to his audience and especially to his romantic partner. “Kayna literally got tired of going to shows and just sitting there,” Murphy laughs, “so she joined the band.” 

But it’s not that simple. “It’s more about having a team,” Murphy says, citing DEBR4H’s newest single “The Court Of Richard II” as a turning point, with synth modulations atop an ever-steady beat, while stabs of disoriented Kraftwerk-keyboard undercut Murphy’s Morrisey-like monotone.

“Richard the 2nd was a boy king. He did whatever he wanted. Then he’s overthrown and they starve him to death. I really liked that idea: have whatever you want, but it can turn bad.”

Album Review: Ellsworth – Ellsworth

Denver’s Ellsworth has struck a vein with her eponymous 11-song LP, traversing anxiety, self-doubt and lost love in gorgeously graceful strides.

Soft but with immense conviction, her quiet tone conveys intimacy, like an earnest conversation meant for one person’s ears in a crowded room. 

“When we push away our feelings of sadness or anxiety, we are in fact pushing away a part of ourselves,” says Ellsworth.

In just a handful of masterfully crafted folk songs, she taps into the shared trauma of a generation.

Single Premiere: Carti Ferrari – The Farthest

The term “in the box” has taken on more meaning over the past year, especially for musicians forced to do almost everything from only (and often for only) their computers. But that doesn’t mean artists like Carti Ferrari aren’t thinking outside of it.

On his new single “The Farthest,” Ferrari flexes a talent for wordplay, compressing all the feelings of a sad, romantic saga into a tight two and a half minutes of sharp rhymes.

“The Farthest” premieres exclusively today via BandWagon.

Album Review: A.J. Fullerton – The Forgiver & The Runaway

Colorado’s A.J. Fullerton is a roots, blues artist with a reputation for slick, fingerpicking guitar and bottleneck slide talent. He has won 16 Colorado Blues Society Members Choice Awards in 9 different categories – all while under 30 years of age.

Featuring a Canadian cast of handpicked session musicians, AJ leaps from the acoustic to a rich full-band sound on The Forgiver and The Runaway.

Intense, haunting guitar work, funky bounce and searing soloing pair with tasty, powerful harp from guest harmonica players Paul Reddick and Jake Friel throughout.

Video Premiere: Devin Tremell – Lord Knows

Devin Tremell gives us glimpses of his dual lives as the artist and as the worker in the “Lord Knows” video which premieres today, exclusively via BandWagon.

Album Review: Bones Muhroni – Boom Snap Clap

Bones Muhroni, aka Crew Rienstra has done a lot over the years to find ways of making interesting music. While folk rock was always at the center of the breadth of material Rienstra (along with many other talented musicians) released under the Bones Muhroni name, there was always something bizarre and out of place happening underneath.

Packed with nuance and texture, Boom Snap Clap is Rienstra letting go in a lot of ways, creating something that bounces between electro, R&B, grunge rock, even a metal tune.

Album Review: Wolf van Elfmand – All Blue

Coloradan songwriter Wolf van Elfmand’s music has always had a western flair. This remains true in his newest album All Blue released in February, but he also incorporates what the title suggests: the blues.

Cool and steady like a long lost J.J. Cale gem, van Elfmand incorporates improvisation and musical playfulness between the melody and simple chord structures, leaving comfortable spaces for harmonica, pedal steel and lead guitar to add conversational nuances to the texture. 

Album Review: Shwarma – Loveworthy Live

On (yes) Valentine’s Day, Colorado’s funky genre-hopping Shwarma continued their saga of madness with the Loveworthy Live EP, debuted as a live stream. In the video, the overtly-silly mix of tightly-arranged funk jams and melodramatic ballads is accompanied by a revolving door of meticulous costumes, sets and effects.

Video Premiere: Isadora Eden – Ghosts

Denver singer/songwriter/shoegazer Isadora Eden’s history includes living in New Orleans and New York City where underground music scenes the likes of the late, great Sidewalk Cafe shaped her talent for forlorn, connectable music. The soft …

Single Premiere: Goth Club – Sweep Me Up

“Sweep Me Up” premieres via BandWagon today, and it’s a black lipstick affair. Goth Club’s third release, it sinks to the half-spoken, sultry depths of Monster Magnet’s “Paradise” or even Ramstein with an added layer of synths and old-school drum machines akin to an early Depeche Mode. McFadden looks directly into the black mirror on “Sweep Me Up,” finding shadows, distortion and sludge within it.

Single Premiere: Pie Lombardi – “Some People”

Northern Colorado’s Pie Lombardi presents his finest work to date with the moving single “Some People,” which premieres today exclusively via BandWagon.
Etching honesty into the stone of post-emo indie rock, Lombardi finds a new musical space, distinct in its everyman delivery and folk-song realism.

Single Review: Plume Varia – Hold On To Me

A haunting tune, “Hold On To Me” is like a nighttime journey through the southwest, channelling the late night cold of the desert. For their latest single, Plume Varia return to their comfort zone of spacey goth country.

Album Review: Yung Lurch – B ALL IN

Denver based multi-instrumentalist Brent Somermeyer, under the name Yung Lurch, is not an artist tied down by conventions. If ever that was apparent, it is on his new EP entitled B ALL IN, a four-track peek into the life and work of a unique recording artist deeply entrenched in the music making process.

Album Review: Isadora Eden – All Night

Isadora Eden’s second EP, the vulnerable ‘All Night,’ opens like a dark, reverberated flower in your headphones. Eden’s young, muted alto offers sad solidarity to those who will listen, while she and bandmates Sumner Erhard and Corey Coffman carry her shy messages on the shoulders of stately guitars, dignified drums and echoey atmosphere.

Single Review: Andy Sydow – “Piece Of The Valley”

Andy Sydow enters 2021 with “Piece of the Valley,” a raucous and bombastic single that pulls no punches. Leaving the mark of someone with a clear ear for what they want, Sydow shoots for the fences as one of Colorado’s most notable working songwriters.

Single Review: Retrofette – Photogenic

2021 is going to see Denver’s best synth pop outfit Retrofette become one of the biggest bands in Colorado. Stripping away the frill and grandeur of modern electronic music, their new single “Photogenic” is a simple yet textured synth number throwing back to groups like Hot Chip and Hercules & Love Affair. It’s clean, simple synth tones lay the groundwork for vocalist Sean Culliton’s cool, sultry mumble-like voice to set the mood.

Album Review: Jess Parsons – Hear Me Calling

Stop sifting for obscure ‘70s soft-pop on Spotify playlists like “candle-lit living room slow dance” and buy Jess Parsons’ “Hear Me Calling.”

Denver’s Parsons knows well that charm and honesty go a long way. Often compared to Fleetwood Mac, she finds her true groove somewhere between Jenny Lewis, Aimee Mann and the disco side of Feist on her new EP “Hear Me Calling.” The record has a core of sweet, singer-songwriter sincerity, but keep a spot on your dance card free for that special someone, because it’s got hips.

Album Review: The Crooked Rugs – IT!

On their debut LP IT!, Colorado quintet The Crooked Rugs take the compulsory ingredients of modern rock band instrumentation and create something wonderfully foreign. Echoes of psych, prog and garage rock resound, but each song is clearly the result of diligent experimentation.

IT! was recorded this summer in Durango, and for an album made in a barn in rural Colorado, it’s anything but folksy.

Album Review: Fresh Fruit! – Independently

The groovy, Denver-based soul band Fresh Fruit! released their first EP on January 1st. And while the chill, yacht rock vibes of their past occasionally surface, “Independently” accentuates their soul sounds in a way that is groovy and more commercially appealing.

Album Review: Nick Sanville & Timo Massa – Eat Out Culture, Vol. 1

For listeners looking to skip the drive-thru, Eat Out Culture, Vol. 1 from rapper Nick Sanville and guitarist-turned-producer Timo Massa (Stella Luce, VIVIAN) reminds us of the value of a home-cooked meal. This 4-track EP covers sonic landscapes seldom heard from contemporary Hip-Hop artists, combining intricately woven punchlines with masterfully crafted moody atmospheres.

Album Review: Alright Alright – Crucible

Alright Alright’s new album Crucible is an intimate experience with dreamy orchestration and relatable lyrics, something for which they are already known. But here, that intimacy is closer than before, like the genuine musings of a close friend.

Album Review: Musketeer Gripweed – More Than Ever

Musketeer Gripweed released “More Than Ever” late last month, taking their bluesy Americana sound and infusing it with gospel and soul. Gospel and soul sounds are appropriate for a project that was brought back to life after it was halted by COVID-19.

Single Review: Enzi – “Mad Chemistry”

As with all of Enzi’s music, her full-throated vocal performance on “Mad Chemistry” carries the track. She croons through a hooky chorus while calling and responding to a many-layered harmony of her own voice. You get the feeling Enzi is jut getting started.

Video Premiere: The Sickly Hecks – “Four Years”

Good music waits for no man, and pandemics make shit times for everyone, so what better time to release a sad-boy pop punk album?! Fort Collins-based The Sickly Hecks are doing just that with the …

Single & Video Review: The Beeves – Mercy Be

On “Mercy Be” the Beeves leave behind their beloved flailing antics, revealing their influences to be just as loyal to the Flamingos, The Beach Boys and Elvis as they are to The Vines and The Strokes.

The accompanying video is a slo-mo-rodeo prom night dream. Its beautifully shot, beautifully sequenced simplicity masks The Beeves in more intrigue; the kind of dark mystique indicative of Princes, Bowies and Mercurys.

Single Review: Bones Muhroni – “I SHOULD HAVE IT RN”

Making the best of quarantine, Crew Rienstra (aka Bones Muhroni) released “I SHOULD HAVE IT RN”, a song and video summarizing all the weirdness your average person is going through RN and a genius take on the quarantine video.

Single Review: Machu Linea ft. Evllqn – “Feelitboi”

Denver’s future-electro R&B musician Machu Linea is bringing his jazzy experimental sound back to the people with the release of “Feelitboi,” the first single ahead of his second album HeXotica (out now).

Single Review: 30 – “Homesick”

A Massachusetts native by the name 30 recently moved to Colorado to make the best of covid reality, releasing genre-non-specific singles in support of his full-length “Introspects Of A Psycho,” out October (yes) 30.

Singe Review: Método ft. Neoma and Amantina – “Gold Chain”

Ecuadorian-pop-songstress-turned-Denverite Neoma has been making waves in Colorado since relocating here in 2018. Recently, she was featured on the single “Gold Chain” by Ecuadorian hip hop artist Método, a sexy down beat R&B track that will speak to people no matter what hemisphere they live in.

Single Review: Joel Ansett – “Ease”

Denver’s Joel Ansett says he finally noticed how much emotional energy he spent on “just trying to be liked. It’s so childish,” he tells BandWagon, “but it turned into a habit; just how I would function in social settings.”

“Ease” is about non-approval-based friendships, but it’s deserving of high praise.

Album Review: Stubby Shillelaghs – Glass To Mouth

The Stubby Shillelaghs’ forthcoming full-length LP “Glass to Mouth” (out October 30) will mark ten years of silly drinking songs and sea shanties for this Greeley band, complete with impressive musicianship, humor, and well-placed profanity. All-in-all, “Glass to Mouth” is as good a jolly-olde-time as it is tongue-in-cheek.

Album Review: Kid Astronaut & Psychologic – Kenopsia

Pervasive feelings of extreme unknown lurk in the consciousness of most citizens on planet earth these days, which is why the similarly intangible music, soundscapes and dark, thrilling emotions on the concept EP Kenopsia hit so hard. A brilliant and concise collaboration between Denver-based R&B hip-hop vocalist Kid Astronaut and producer Psychologic, the record’s pop sensibilities are balanced by an epic, dystopian sense of drama and purpose.

Album Review: Augustus – Color TV and Tall Tales

Founders Colin Kelly and Jim Herlihy of the Boulder-based band Augustus have delivered a technicolor whopper. “Color TV and Tall Tales,” their 5th LP due October 9, features guests from Eldren, The Yawpers and Dragondeer, who add flesh and flare to the bones of the band, but the original duo’s rock rawness remains the focus of this accessible, eccentric rock n’ roll romp.

Something To Vibe To: Black Pegasus Is On A Whole Different Frequency

‘Pandemic Proof’ by Black Pegasus obviously speaks to the current times. The world has been drowning in the COVID-19 pandemic since March, subsequently bringing the music industry to its knees.

“I’m doing my best to adapt,” says Black Pegasus. “It’s pretty tricky, but I’ve always been a hustler and an innovator so I’m not worried.”

He’s also vocal about important socio-political issues and is wary, yet hopeful for the future.

“I really believe in the current movement for social justice and equality,” he says. “I also believe that the movement has been infiltrated by corporations and political agendas.”

Album Review: NOT A TOY – Not A Toy

Gaudy for the sake of it, NOT A TOY’s self-titled release is as bombastic as it is fearless. Coincidently signed to Fearless Records, the former Fort Collins (and formerly named Shatterproof), Denver band is hitting an incredible new level. NOT A TOY is one of the most prolific recording projects to come out of Colorado in a while.

Album Review: The Wild After – Former Lives

Colorado alt rock legends The Wild After are back with their second EP after the release of Lessons Learned in 2014. It’s a long stretch between releases but that doesn’t mean they weren’t been busy. …

Album Review: Royce DeZorzi & The New Freedom Movement

Royce DeZorzi & The New Freedom Movement have a pocket groove, play elongated solos, and do a great job of building energy collectively. But what really stands out about their debut album is not the notes they play, but how they want the listeners to hear them: every track on the album is a first take recorded live, directly to tape.

Album Review: Bison Bone – Find Your Way Out

Bison Bone is a little bit country, a little bit rock & roll, and fully led by the boisterous singer/songwriter Courtney Whitehead. Where heady, heavy, post-hippie Americana is what many find themselves drawn to these days, “Find Your Way Out” (due October 25) gets there enough times to tickle the fancy of most fans of the style. But the deeper side of the genre is what Whitehead and crew truly feel in their bones.

Girls Just Wanna Own A Label: 17-Year-Old Maddie Hein’s Dream Cult Press Provides a Platform For DIY Musicians

“I mean, what is stopping us? Why don’t we?” said Maddie Hein of Dream Cult Press. Well, she was 17, but that wasn’t enough, apparently. Nor was the fact that they met online and not in her hometown of Greeley (one of them, in fact, was from Kazakhstan). The new indie label released their first album in July 2019 and started picking up fans and followers, but quickly also decided to use their platform to benefit individuals and organizations that were helping out during protests across the country.

Album Review: Gasoline Lollipops – All The Misery Money Can Buy

One of Colorado’s most popular bands, The Gasoline Lollipops, will be delivering what can arguably be considered their masterpiece on September 11, 2020. “All the Misery Money Can Buy” has been described by the band as a politically charged union of soul music and Southern rock, blending singer Clay Rose’s gritty singing style with what appears to be a full-on gospel choir. It sounds like it was recorded at the Crossroads in the presence of the devil himself.

Kyle Hollingsworth Band Finally Jams On A Full Tank

Kyle Hollingsworth and his bandmates in The String Cheese Incident had been on tour for a solid decade. They needed a break, so they took 6 months off. Then, live music itself took a break for the foreseeable future. Ironic, isn’t it?,” Hollingsworth said. On September 11th, Kyle Hollingsworth Band will play a socially-distanced Drive-In Theater show at The Chinook in Cheyenne, Wyoming, another first for him. “We’re just, so excited to be playing – it’s shining out of us. We’re bringing great energy.”

Album Review: Daniel Rodriguez – Sojourn Of A Burning Sun

Going solo after the end of the renowned Elephant Revival, Daniel Rodriguez entered a new world. His music changed, some of his relationships changed, and the world changed around him. That’s where his new album Sojourn of a Burning Sun (out August 28) finds us. Stepping away from some of the more existential elements of Elephant Revival but taking the smokey folk music with him, Rodriguez safely steers his boat to that lonely island meant just for him.

Album Review: Estin & The 86’D – Long Live The River

Long Live the River by Estin & The 86’D kicks off with an ode to classic southern rock filled with pure, unadulterated attitude. With lyrics referring to being baptized in rock and roll, it’s a hell of a way to be introduced to the band. Full of emotion, great songwriting and musicianship, “Long Live the River” (out August 14) is like a stiff drink at the end of a long day.

Album Review: Charlie Stevens – Charlie Stevens

Charlie Stevens by Charlie Stevens is the first official album release from Northern Colorado’s young bluegrass extraordinaire of the same name. The first to ever graduate from the University of Northern Colorado’s world renowned music program with a degree in bluegrass, Stevens possesses dual credentials in classical and bluegrass guitar. The album is what any bluegrass fan could ask for, featuring traditional elements of stringed instrumentals and folksy storytelling.

Album Review: Cary Morin – Dockside Saints

Fact is, on “Dockside Saints” it’s all really good stuff. Throughout, Cary Morin has an amazing ability to mix in a little of just about everything, while staying unique and true to himself. A masterful guitarist, songwriter and singer, he honors his Native American Crow background with some of the most beautiful blues ever heard and a powerful mix of rock, jazz and zydeco.

Album Review: Alcario Artuso – I Will Always Be With You

Alcario Artuso’s tracks on his new double single EP “I Will Always Be With You “(feat Kyle Kounovsky and Terrah Schultz) revive the alternative indie rock sound of the late 2000’s, where distorted guitars and sprinkles of synthesizers met minimal production, and a live musician still stood behind every beat and note. The double-single EP premieres via BandWagMag.com

Album Review: David Burchfield – State To State

Whether it’s your first time going on a hike since lockdown, or an anticipated camping trip, David Burchfield’s album “State to State” makes for a proper soundtrack to a mountain getaway. He combines elements of Americana, Country, and traditional Celtic to set the scene for a night around the campfire. Songs like the opening and title track show that this folk style is his fluent language.

EP Review: Polyakov – Hazy

Dream pop, as a genre, has a home in Northern Colorado, and in a way has come to represent the leisurely stroll through anxiety you get from living here. Capturing this is Polyakov’s four track debut EP ‘Hazy’ – a luscious and well textured delivery that lives up to the title. Killer vocal harmonies, guitar effects and layering techniques here are mesmerizing, making Polyakov another NoCo artist to watch.

Album Review: My Dog Ate Chad – Krakatoa

My Dog Ate Chad is exactly what it should be. A conglomeration of 5 flanneled friends from high school throwing their influences at the wall to see what sticks. They’re looking for their true identity on their full-length debut Krakatoa with wide eyes, open ears and loud-ass guitars.

Double Single Review: The Beeves – “Playing Bingo” & Slow Caves “Walk In The Park”

With top production, austere turn of phrase and beautifully transparent melodic construction, “Walk In The Park” by Slow Caves sparkles with the slow motion lens-flare of memories you haven’t even made yet.

Riff-heavy with the pizzaz and swagger of the White Stripes, The Beeves’ new single “Playing Bingo” highlights the proper rock yelps of vocalist Ian Ehrhart and the grooving instrumental playfulness of bassist/vocalist Margot Sease and drummer Will Ehrhart.

Album Review: VIVIAN – The Warped Glimmer

Even during the pandemic, Fort Collins-based dream pop band VIVIAN pushed forward the release of their debut full length album The Warped Glimmer, and according to the band, are already well into producing a full length follow-up.
Spacy in all the right ways and saturated in the tell tale signs of art-rock gone pop, The Warped Glimmer is VIVIAN turning on cruise control and putting the seat back for you. It’s a warm envelope to rest in but exciting enough not to put you to sleep.

Album Review: Andy Sydow – Wicked Dreams

‘Wicked Dreams’ – the title track of Andy Sydow’s most recent EP, is an alt-country story about nation-wide travel and going through the motions, while deep down the storyteller longs for true purpose. Reminiscent in style of early Wilco and Ryan Adams, it’s highlighted with a slide guitar solo that might appear in one of Derek Trucks’ dreams. After rambling through several states, the protagonist lands in Colorado which he “calls home,” full of “beauty, adventure, and a different kind of tone.”

Album Review: A.M. Pleasure Assassins – Careless Laughter

With their (yes) fifteenth release Careless Laughter, A.M. Pleasure Assassins remind us there’s a whole scene of bands in Northern Colorado who refuse to care what you migh think. They remind us that making music is supposed to be fun; it’s about putting yourself out there.

Single Premiere: Corsicana – “Wreath”

The subtle tug-of-war between the power of youth and the perspective of experience usually comes when young artists break the mold put in place by seasoned veterans from the former generation. It’s how new art ...

Album Review: King Crawdad – King Crawdad 2

Two-piece Northern Colorado rockers King Crawdad entered 2020 like many bands around the world; with high aspirations and a sudden wipe-out of the entire music industry. But a little pandemic isn’t going to stop a band self described as a “hug you can hear” in a time when we could all use one.

“King Crawdad 2” is Miles Mercer (guitars/vocals) and Nick Perich (drums) tackling their older material in a way they felt it deserved.

Album Review: I Am The Owl – I Can’t See

“I Can’t See” is an evolution for I Am The Owl. Their no-nonsense shredding with a twist of experimentation has flourished into a galloping monster of thought-out riffs and rhythms that will have Every Time I Die fans grinning from ear to ear. It deserves to be heard and supported, so buy this EP if you can.

Album Review: Michael Morrow & The Culprits – I’m With The Banned

Michael Morrow & The Culprits have proved themselves to be a mainstay in the Colorado music scene with their latest effort: I’m With the Banned. Their grasp on classic 1970’s rock with bluesy undertones allows them to carry the KISS-like torch for Northern Colorado as proudly now as they would have back in the day.

Album Review: Bones Muhroni – Triquetrum

Bones Muhroni and it’s figurehead Crew Rienstra have been a lot of things over the years: cheeky, folksy, a touch uncouth, but always a good time. Triquetrum is the happy and painful accident that, in my opinion, gave us his best music to date. It has some of the country quality old friends and fans of Bones have come to love on “The Ballad of Clifford Griffin,” but musically Rienstra has clearly moved beyond that being his primary sound.

Album Review: JuiceBox – JuiceBox EP

JuiceBox emerges from the ashes of Colorado funk outfit Moves at Midnight to produce retro, funky sounds reminiscent of times before most of us were even sipping on Capri Suns. They combine funk, rock, and R&B with strong horn lines under a 70’s aesthetic umbrella, curating a collection of fun jams for bouncing while they search for Soul with a capital S.

Album Review: Space Force – EP 1

Space Force does not play smooth jazz. Their true genre, Jazz fusion, is easily mistaken for commercial artists like Kenny G (you know, your dentist office’s official soundtrack) but it deserves more credit. The 6-piece Fort Collins outfit debut their record Space Force: EP 1, and it celebrates what jazz fusion really is: a melting pot of rock, jazz and funk.

Album Review: Glass Cases – In Between

In Between, the debut album from Fort Collins trio Glass Cases, strives to relate to the band’s own demographic: a generation disillusioned with adulthood. Combining elements of synth-pop and alternative rock, Glass Cases create a vibe that’s both interesting and marketable. With rapid, spoken-word, and sung vocals that shine like Keane, Glass Cases’ topically relevant lyrics about social media and insecurity hit close to home for any millennial or gen Z-er.

The band’s originally planned release show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre March 21 was to be their debut at the famed venue, but has been cancelled due to coronavirus precautions.

Album Review: safekeeper – bummer beach bonanza

When it comes to good music in Northern Colorado, everyone has their own approach. Some seek perfection with meticulous engineering, and then there are bands like safekeeper who just don’t give a shit. “bummer beach bonanza” (out March 21) is a glorious mess, painting a dreary, apathetic picture, but the lo-fi quality gives it charm and that extra something special you need in making a stand-out indie rock record.

Album Review: MountianUs – Captured Live at Chimaera

Since their inception, MountainUs has been leading the way in Northern Colorado’s expanding reggae world. The Fort Collins fivesome has a new EP, ‘Captured Live At Chimaera,’ which holds the kind of energy that would never be attainable from a studio recording. They release the album at Hodi’s Half Note in Fort Collins on March 13.

Single Review: The Burroughs – Love & Unity

Colorado’s ‘Sweaty Soul’ band The Burroughs step out of their James Brown and retro-funk style to deliver two distinctive tracks. Love & Unity, released on March 3rd, is a digital two-sided single featuring a new evolution of The Burroughs: modernized funk mixed with psychedelic texture via producer Eric Kranso.

Album Review: Gabrielle Louise – The Unending Alteration of the Human Heart

Gabrielle Louise lived alone for the past couple of years, existing in slow, rural life in Paonia, CO. Her new album ‘The Unending Alteration of the Human Heart’ (out March 20) is the soundtrack to that life. She captures the earthy, folk essence with twangy guitars, acoustic bass, and her clean, lightly brassy voice. But she’s comfortable letting the music breathe by providing sparseness and leaving herself exposed in the record’s intimate tracks.

Album Review: Whitewater Ramble – Pseudonymous

Whitewater Ramble recently dropped their third full length, the long awaited non-live release Pseudonymous. Bluegrass at their core, Ft. Collins-based WWR stray from the norm with rock, soul, and dance infusions. Self-branded as “High Octane Rocky Mountain Dance Grass,” Pseudonymous gives fans what they’ve been waiting for and challenges new listeners too.

Album Review: Amaya Arevalo – Love Wears Many Faces

Amaya Arevalo is starting to make her mark in the Northern Colorado and Denver jazz scene. She frequents the stages at Dazzle and Nocturne, supporting various bandleaders and groups with her expressive saxophone playing or on accompanying piano. But jazz isn’t her only language. Her debut solo album Love Wears Many Faces shows her audience everything she can do as she looks for her voice as a solo artist.

Album Review: Saints Of Never After – Return to Tower: Part 2

Saints Of Never After are Fort Collins’ answer to the amalgamous sub-genre known as post-hardcore. Combining the somewhat contrary elements of metal and emo to create a truly unique sound, the band returns with full force on their latest EP, Return to Tower: Part 2, due out Feb 21 at The Moxi Theater.

Album Review: Satellite Pilot – Toad Tone and His Symphonic Swamp Creatures – Deluxe

As far as local bands go, Loveland, Colorado-based Satellite Pilot can be a lot. Identifying as something like Dr. Dog meets Polyphonic Spree, Flaming Lips, and The Kinks, Satellite Pilot push all their weirdness to the front. Yet that weirdness feels as natural as sliding on an old pair of shoes. This is the case with their fourth full length album titled Toad Tone and His Symphonic Swamp Creatures – Deluxe: on the surface, it’s the psychedelic mess you might imagine it being, but underneath it is so much more.

Satellite Pilot release Toad Tone and His Symphonic Swamp Creatures – Deluxe on February 14, at Pinball Jones Campus West in Fort Collins, accompanied by a children’s book co-written by the band and illustrated by Bailey Corimer.

Album Review: Cold Reading – ZYT

Precision has long been one of the favorite descriptors the world uses when talking about the Swiss, and Lucerne, Switzerland-based indie rock quintet Cold Reading certainly don’t break the mold set-forth by the neatly ticking clocks their ancestors meticulously crafted.

Their newest concept album, a three-part guitar-drum-bass-keys opus called ZYT is literally an homage to the concept of time in it’s lyrics and musical composition (and the title if you speak Swiss German). But the long-running Swiss ideology Cold Reading also exemplify on is that of staunch autonomy and independence.

Album Review: Brian Claxton – When I Get Home

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.

Album Review: Mike Shamrock – “Not I” Said The Lil’ Mouse

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?

Album Review: Tyler T – Wild Flower

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.

Album Review: Last Call Romance – Double Funeral

Emily and Chris Winters are the duet behind Last Call Romance, a six-person Rockabilly band out of Fort Collins. Within the Rockabilly world, they’re a fairly well respected outfit, traveling to the Hemsby Rock n’ Roll Weekender festival in the UK and pulling accolades from Blue Suede News Magazine. Their 2019 release, Double Funeral Volume 1, is a perfect example of the genre, aimed straight at the hearts of Rockabilly die-hards.

Album Review: Marbin – Strong Thing

Marbin’s new album ‘Strong Thing’ is the love child of prog rock and jazz fusion. Eddie Van Halen and Charlie Parker surely smiled down on the Chicago based quartet when they recorded it; their collective energy and virtuosic solos are enough to invigorate both long-distance runs and epic boss-battles royale.

Album Review: The Great Salmon Famine – Kelp!

The Great Salmon Famine’s newest release ‘Kelp!’ along with their recent, packed Aggie Theater CD release party are helping to solidify their place among the Burroughs, Silver & Gold and other stellar Northern Colorado bands of note. From breakneck speed funk to deep grooves, ‘Kelp!’ is a record no lover of good times can afford to miss.

Album Review: Mitchell James – Further Notice

Have you ever been so fed up with your 9-to-5 that you decided to quit your job and pursue your true calling? Further Notice, the new album by NoCo rapper Mitchell James, paints the picture of somebody who chooses to act on that urge and all the dreams and nightmares that come along with it. Catch his switch-up flow live at The Moxi in Greeley December 13 and Hodi’s HalfNote December 28 in Fort Collins.

Album Review: Liam Maye – Overthinker

Born from a young perfectionist’s downward spiral of indecision, ‘Overthinker’ is a confident, polished and mature debut from Swiss/American pop artist Liam Maye. Though he laments “I forgot who I was” in the EP’s first single “Note To Self,” it’s clear that his unique voice as an artist makes him who he is.

Album Review: Boundless Septet – Boundless

Boundless, the debut record by the jazz septet of the same names sounds like many other modern jazz projects to come out in the past few years. But that isn’t a bad thing. Rather, it’s …

Album Review: Post Paradise – Lonely Worlds

Post Paradise has been a staple of the Northern Colorado music scene for several years with their blend of cello, piano and guitar-driven alternative prog rock. Their latest record ‘Lonely Worlds’ (recorded at The Blasting Room) solidifies their place as high-ranking NoCo musicians, exhibiting their potential as contenders for international acclaim.

Album Review: False Report – Tear The Pages

False Report is a band that hasn’t played by anyone’s rules. Their latest EP, Tear The Pages is proof that great emo music in Colorado isn’t going anywhere. Their fourth release in just as many years, Tear The Pages is the sound of False Report hitting their stride. Striking a more somber tone than some of their previous work (which says a lot for this band), they touch the nerve of something special with this release.

Album Review: Catcalls – The Catcalls EP

The Northern Colorado music scene is truly a unique animal. We've got everything from bluegrass, new-grass, indie, alternative, and metal. However, if there was ever a void for a sultry, chill style of blues rock, ...

Album Review: Jarrod Gipson – Heart Eyes. Cycles. Clear Mind.

Jarrod Gipson, known in the local scene as the drummer for Colorado’s own Nina and the Hold Tight, ventures out with debut solo album Heart Eyes. Cycles. Clear Mind. It’s an impressive, ambitious introduction to him as a soloist, where he throws everything he’s got at us. Look for it October 11 and check him out live on November 9 at ALMAGRE in Colorado Springs.

Album Review: Race To Neptune – Share My Frequency

Since Race to Neptune’s inception in 2015, they’ve been delivering gritty yet fun, melodic alternative rock to Northern Colorado. Their upcoming EP Share My Frequency kicks off with the angsty “Unnatural Desires,” which delightfully reeks of flannel and Converse, though it doesn’t stay in one vein, drifting into pop-punk territory, employing spooky vibes and even cinematic, sentimental imagery. Catch them September 13 at Blast N’ Scrap and September 28 at The Downtown Artery with Valdez and Plasma Canvas.

Album Review: VYNYL – PINK

The moody synth-pop elements on VYNYL’s new record PINK, out October 3, are reminiscent of vintage synth groups from the late 80’s like Erasure, a departure from their former alternative rock sound. Dark and moody, they take some classic new wave ideas, dressing them up in 2019’s clothes. Dig them live at White Groves Barber & Taproom September 13 and Lost Lake Lounge October 3.

Album Review: The 14ers – Mountaintop Folk-Pop

Ryan Kirkpatrick, frontman and songwriter for Fort Collins’ The 14ers, has a love of the outdoors, to say the least. His lyrics and crystal-clear tenor are reminiscent of the band Fun, and fun seems to be the point on ‘Mountaintop Folk-Pop.’ The band’s “pay-what-you-want” release has a joyous, travelling feel, and The 14ers celebrate it’s release Friday, September 13 at Washington’s in Fort Collins.

Album Review: David Baker – Minus Piano

David Baker’s new jazz album “Minus Piano” is just that. A trio without a piano, or any chordal instrument. Ironically, Baker chose to feature songs written by famous pianists. Without the density of a chordal instrument, the arrangements allow space, demonstrating that bells and whistles can drown-out the tune itself. Baker plays Jay’s Bistro in Fort Collins August 23 & 24, and at Tower 56 in Greeley on August 29.

Album Review: Places Back Home – The Color & Decay EP

Seeing music as a chance to honestly express complicated realities, Fort Collins rock quartet Places Back Home focus their music on darker topics brought earnestly to the forefront on The Color & Decay EP, out August 20. But don’t be fooled by the sincerity – the band will have you on your feet nodding your head at their release parties August 23 at Lost Lake and August 24 at The Downtown Artery.

Album Review: Chess At Breakfast – Wealthcare

“Wealthcare” is an eight track wander through the vast scope of Rock n’ Roll. Anxious yet contemplative, the new record from Chess At Breakfast burns hot at times with tracks like “Ambulance” and “POTUS Blues” but bounces quickly to the cool modes of “Hello Haunt” and “Glaciers.” “We love that super trapped-in-the-head kind of weird, wonky stuff,” says lead vocalist Caleb McFadden.

Album Review: Tyto Alba – Sucker

A newfound polish and poise comes to Denver dream pop / shoegaze indie rockers Tyto Alba with their forthcoming record Sucker, out May 4. Melanie Steinway’s yelp of “we gotta bring this sucker down” peeks out amidst rich, swirling builds like something off The Cure’s “Disintegration.”

Album Review: Goatz! – Sweet Inspiration

“40 years in radio. 50 years as a working musician. This is my official debut, at age 64. Crazy huh?” This is the line we got from Chris Kresge, frontman of GOATZ! when he sent us his debut bluegrass/Americana record “Sweet Inspiration”

Album Review: Julian Cary – heaven?indeed

Julian Cary is a jazz artist, but he doesn’t allow the idea of what jazz should be interfere with his expression: On “heaven?indeed” he neglects traditional song form, adapting the music to fit the form of E.E. Cummings’ poems. The record retains a subtle honesty wrapped in moments of dynamic, tonal beauty.

Album Review: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats – Tearing at the Seams

Nathaniel Rateliff is a name that carries a lot of weight in the Colorado. Born out of the south Broadway scene in Denver, those running in music circles watched as year after year his star continued to rise until one day to the surprise of no one, his soul band Nathaniel Rateliff and Night Sweats popped with a little song called “S.O.B”.

Album Review: False Report – Your Addiction Sleeps Tonight

Your Addiction Sleeps Tonight is the newest EP from Denver based pop-punk band False Report. The four-piece has steadily been putting out quality releases since they released Same Mistakes in 2016.

Album Review: Vektroid – Seed & Synthetic Earth

Vaporwave is probably one of the most niche music genres in existence, as well as the only one that the Internet could claim as its own. Mostly found on Bandcamp, Vaporwave is a nostalgia-tinged, remix-heavy genre of ambient electronic music that sets out to recreate mall music/elevator music of the 1980s and 1990s. Its name is a take-off of Vaporware, a tech industry term for hardware that never really existed outside of tech demo and trade shows. And the most prominent artist of Vaporwave is Vektroid.

Album Review: Modern Suspects – II

II is, as the name suggests, the second EP from the Denver based synth-pop group Modern Suspects. Formerly known as Claymore Disco, the band updated their guitar driven sound for a more modern, synth based sound and moved from a four piece to a three piece. The five song EP is packed with tracks that make you want to get up and dance alongside tunes with more personal lyrical content.

Album Review: this broken beat – What’s On Your Mind?

Denver pop band this broken beat has been rising to the top for the last year since releasing their first single, “Sweat And Blood,” in 2016. What’s On Your Mind, their first album, showcases radio-ready songs, including “Sweat And Blood,” with some interesting artistic choices scattered throughout the album. While it is a solid record, this broken beat is still figuring out what their sound is.

Album Review: Michael Morrow & The Culprits – Raucous

We have gotten some throwback/retro albums over the years at BandWagon from a lot of different genres, but one we never expected to get is a 1980s-style hair metal album. Michael Morrow & The Culprits’ Raucous is technically a debut album but Morrow had previously released a solo album, Bad Penny – which is very much an ‘80s metal album, bringing to mind Sammy Hagar more than Def Leppard. Raucous is relatively under-produced; it sounds like an unadorned three-piece rock-and-roll band with a distinctly ‘80s influence.

Album Review: Melkbelly – Nothing Valley

Melkbelly’s debut, full-length album Nothing Valley may be one of the most refreshing albums of the year. Spanning a multitude of genres such as noise rock, punk, jazz, doom, and psychedelia.

Album Review: The Great Aerodome– Happy Birthday to Me, I Guess

Genre-bending rockers, The Great Aerodrome knock it out of the park with their debut album Happy Birthday to Me, I Guess. The band is comprised of members: Justin Maul, Philip Sellabarger and Michael Ross, but they have a larger than life sound. Combining elements of punk, dance-rock and metal makes for a high energy album that is fun to listen to from start to finish.

Album Review: Get Along– Let My People Go

Get Along is a husband and wife indie-pop duo made up of Nicholas and Cara Yañez, who just released their diverse EP, Let My People Go. They may be a two piece but they don’t let that limit them in the studio as their arrangements are bold and ambitious. Their songs range from upbeat, danceable synth-pop to orchestral ballads and everything in between.

Album Review: Protomartyr– Relatives in Descent

Relatives in Descent, Protomartyr’s third full-length record reads like an existential crisis, full of the bitterness and anger we have come to expect from their style of post punk. Anxiety and frustration rides high on this record, and brings with it a tension that gives their sound form. At the front of it all is vocalist Joe Casey, who’s mumbled crooning is delivered like the venomous philosophies of a drunk and angry step dad.

Album Review: Pandas & People – Out to Sea

Pandas & People’s debut album, Out To Sea, is good. And, frankly, it should be. Pandas & People have been together since 2013, putting out EP’s and singles, opening for the likes of the Doobie Brothers and Twenty- One Pilots, and placing in the top three of 93.3‘s “Hometown for the Holidays” twice over the last couple years. Not bad for a folk/alternative band formed in Greeley only four years ago.

Album Review: Victim Culture – Self-Titled

Back in April, Denver-based hardcore band, Victim Culture, released their debut, self-titled album. Coming in at eight songs and a breezy 23 minutes, the album packs a heavy, but swift punch from start to finish. Comprised of Zack Hill on guitar and vocals, Connor Hampton on vocals and bass, and Noah Shockley on drums, the band’s sound is rooted heavily in punk. They have a raw but defined sound, blending together melodicism with dissonant, angular guitar riffs.

Album Review: Attack On Venus – XO

Attack on Venus is your local pissed off galactic explorers. With the release of the album XO they explore new territory. XO is a fairly short release that focuses on bringing you along their journey. If you have listened to Attack on Venus live it is very much a sonic exploration, however this EP directs you more towards structure and catchy hooks with an occasion sonic bloom.

Album Review: Ian Mahan – Rockford

Ian Mahan, based out of Denver, says he blends together pop, blues, folk, “and old-time entertainment,” and his latest album, Rockford, particularly leans toward an acoustic indie/pop blend with gentle, relaxing lyrics. The album could be called sweet, or in less generous terms, sappy. But for an independent singer-songwriter, Rockford is a good step forward.

Album Review: She-Devils – Self Titled

The self-titled debut from Montreal-based rock band She-Devils possesses a fresh eccentric edge and is a well put together album as far as composition, songwriting and singing is concerned.

Album Review: Bryce Merritt: Chroma II

Last November, we spoke to Oklahoma native Bryce Merritt, a singer-songwriter and YouTuber, who had released his first album CHROMA I at the time. Growing up, Merritt had thought only country music existed since that’s all his parents listened to in the car, and began to write country songs. Upon getting his own car and picking his own stations, he discovered Motown and other genres which pushed his songwriting into a Pop direction. Merritt’s follow-up, CHROMA II, is a continuation into pop music, but it’s still a really good album.

Album Review: Leslie Tom– Self-Titled EP

Hailing from Denver, traditional country music songstress Leslie Tom spent a few years traveling around the country, opening for the likes of Josh Turner and sharing the stage with Jeff Bates and Lee Roy Parnell.

Album Review: Bad Ass Freaks– Neighbors

Bad Ass Freaks’ debut record showcases the joys that come from late night jams with close friends and the musical relationship between Yamirah Gercke, a one-time University of Northern Colorado music student, and her father Lenjes Robinson.

Album Review: Foxxes– Self-Titled

Denver-based quartet, Foxxes, make their debut with this nine-track, self-titled lo-fi album with a nice DIY vibe to it. It keeps a consistent sound throughout, bringing in elements of garage rock, psychedelic pop and indie rock. The first track “Patterns and Sequences” is a mid-tempo tune that has a ‘90s alternative feel to it. The song opens up with big whole note guitar chords before singer Chris Felbush’s washed out vocals float along on top.

Album Review: Infinite Conscious – Trials and Tribulations

Sludgy thrash is the best way to describe the contrasting and somewhat ironic style that Infinite Conscious brings to the table on their latest EP Trials and Tribulations. This style alone really shows the internal conflict that is explored throughout the EP. Starting the tracklist is “Passed Over and Done” which is a sledgehammer of emotion. Starting with a slow almost anthem-like guitar line, the song starts the album with a trudging drone and increases with intensity over time.

Album Review: Coco Montoya – Hard Truth

Coco Montoya’s latest album Hard Truth demonstrates the 65-year-old Stratocaster singer’s ability to play and sing the blues. Montoya certainly holds his own with the blues community and has a storied resume. He even used to play with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, filling a spot once occupied by Eric Clapton and Peter Green.

Album Review: Brent Cowles – Cold Times

After transitioning from leading You, Me, and Apollo and opening for big names like The Lumineers, Brent Cowles has released his first solo EP titled Cold Times. With contemporary musical inspirations like Nathaniel Rateliff, he quickly learned that going solo doesn’t mean hanging up the electric guitar.

Album Review: Scarlet Canary– Perspective

Scarlet Canary’s new EP Perspective fits the band name very well, showing with this wild songbird can do. The album is a mishmash of heavy rock and’ roll riffs combined with elegant vocals. The tracks have an interesting dynamic of party-starting vibes and determined vocals. The album follows a loose concept around perspective, starting with the track “I’ll Be Okay,” which is a very energetic way to begin the record. Touching on the emotion of a broken heart, what led to it, and the outlook afterward, it fits the theme well. This song is a great example of the many catchy hooks that litter the album.

Album Review: Inner Oceans – I Don’t Mind

I Don’t Mind is the first proper full-length album from synth pop Inner Oceans. Upon first listen you’ll most likely think, “Wait this band is from Denver???” Originally yes, but they just recently made the big move to Los Angeles. Coming in at five members, the band packs a huge punch with their own brand of stadium ready, psychedelic, synth pop. Amid the state’s craft beer-centric, bluegrass, rock, funk, and EDM saturated music scene, there is a lot of great pop music and artists that often get overlooked. The band delivers a sound that is almost too big for Colorado to contain.

Not Your Grandfather’s “Cardiac Arrest”

Los Angeles based Band Suns entered 2017 with style. With the release of their second album Disappear Here, they proved they weren’t just a flash in the pan. Their first album Language & Perspective made them a household name, but it is Disappear Here where we see Bad Suns expanding their sound. Full of the pop hooks and lush vocals long time fans have loved, Bad Suns are at their best.

Album Review: Pie Lombardi/Little Lights – Split EP

The split EP by Pie Lombardi and Little Lights molds a certain beauty to a modern-day folk sound. It’s not just the graceful vocals produced by both Lombardi and Devon Hildebrandt, but the energy in their sound.

Album Review: Kris Lager Band – Rise and Shine

Rise and Shine is another big step forward for the Kris Lager Band and offered fans a satisfying place to return to. This album proves they really know how to deliver solid blues and rock tunes, but it’s some of the funk and R&B tracks that don’t quite add up. I get it, they want to explore some different tunes and create something unique, but KLB fans know what they want and it’s the blues.

Album Review: Civilian– You Wouldn’t Believe What Privilege Costs

With their latest release, You Wouldn’t Believe What Privilege Costs, the band Civilian’s indie rock album is bound to remind you of something old and new. Based out of Nashville, Tennessee, with this album the duo of Ryan Alexander and Dan Diaz continue their journey which they state is “to make the world a better place,” specifically through music. A bold statement but filled with proof after hearing the different tracks on this album. This Nashville duo is no newbie when it comes to finding their own sound, although there is a reminiscent feel to the album drawing comparisons to Ben Gibbard and Band of Horses. There are new sounds to be heard throughout the album from the first track “Skulls” that opens in brief acapella to the last “Judas” with a harsh closing statement of “I am not damaged, just discouraged.”

Album Review: Bones Muhroni– Grounded

For the first time going into the recording process, Crew Reinstra found himself the principal songwriter for Bones Muhroni. A band to come out of Greeley and winner of the BandWagon Battle of the Bands in 2011, Reinstra, Ryan Wykert, and Chris Jones who made up the band at the time move to Los Angeles together. Now, fast forward to 2017, Jones got married and moved back to Colorado to be close to family, and while Wykert is still in the band, he is tied down by several other projects.

Album Review: Shady Elders–Inside Voices

Inside Voices is the debut, full-length album from the Denver based quartet, Shady Elders. An appropriate album title as the songs are dreamy, lush, and moody. Singer/guitarist Fox Rodemich’s smooth alto voice compliments the band perfectly and is the defining force behind the songs.

Album Review: STRFKR–Being No One, Going Nowhere

STRFKR’s fourth album Being No One, Going Nowhere is named after Ayya Khema’s popular book on meditation. Fittingly the album explores the Eastern philosophical concepts of existentialism and introspection. But this is still a STRFKR album. While it delves into more serious themes, the music is nevertheless fun and groovy in the most cosmic ways possible.

The Unlikely Candidates – Bed of Liars EP

The Unlikely Candidates new EP Bed of Liars arrives in style. The EP is an elegant alternative sound that has plenty of fans tuning in. Steering away from their previous, acoustically dominant EP Follow My Feet, Bed of Liars delivers a powerful performance that fully utilizes Kyle Morris’ electric and wide-ranging vocals.

One Flew West – Ten Years Later/All In My Head: Review

One Flew West is flying into the public eye, and fast. The Longmont, Colorado indie folk band has announced the upcoming release of their two new singles titled, “Ten Years Later” and “All In My Head,” both will be available on March 3, 2017.

Album Review: Lazeraretto Jack White

A visit to the inside of Jack White’s head would be an interesting one. The prolific rocker, responsible for such diverse acts as The White Stripes with relationally ambiguous Meg White and the far too short-lived The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, and who has also appeared on a James Bond theme song with Alicia Keys and an Ennio Morricone-inspired Danger Mouse album, breaks ground with every new record.

Album Review: Gasoline Lollipops– Resurrection

Back in October, we reviewed Death, the 2014 album from folk/punk outfit Gasoline Lollipops. Clay Rose, the lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist of the Boulder-based band, said that the creative process for Death was “a very manic free for all.”

Album Review: Autumn Burn– Reach up to the Stars

A good song should always make being human totally sweet and terrible all at the same time. A good song like a dream takes me on an adventure to a robot alien saloon in space and I’m reaching for my six-shooter laser blaster because there’s a robot who’s had too many oil cans and he’s about to start a brawl. Then suddenly my alarm clock is going off and it’s time to leave for work. A good song makes me forget I exist then it’s over and I want more.

Album Review: Wrinkle– Notice

Notice is the first full-length album from Denver based band Wrinkle. Coming in at a whopping 15 tracks, the album may seem like an intimidating listen amidst the sea of four track EPs, but only three of the songs are over three minutes. The band is the brainchild of Amos Helvey, who sings and plays guitar and keyboards on the album. He is accompanied by a Evan Kallas bass and Nick Manske on drums. The trio has a very organic sound as they have played with each other in various projects in some shape or form in the past. They also rotate on instruments to form the band PACEMAKER.

Album Review: Draghoria– Portal to Extinction

In an age where it is becoming increasingly uncommon for a band with high-energy live performance to be able to showcase that same intensity while in the studio, Draghoria is a breath of fresh air for the metal scene. At just slightly over 40 minutes, their long-awaited debut album, Portal to Extinction, is eight tracks of madness. Recorded by Greg Keenan at Sound Minon Studio in Longmont, the quality and attention to detail is what sets this album apart from others. From the moment the opening track, “Suicide Serenity” hits your ears, it is clear that this record is not for the faint of heart. With subject matter ranging from the mass shootings plaguing America on “Kill or be Killed” to inner demons on “Awaken the Wicked,” Joes Brim delivers a brutal vocal style that is in-your-face and straightforward.

Album Review: Edison– Familiar Spirit

Denver-based folk/rock outfit Edison, consisting of singer/guitarist Sarah Slaton, multi-instrumentalist Dustin Morris and former Lumineers guitarist Maxwell Hughes gave been around since late 2014, and spent most of that time on the road. The hustling paid off as the trio signed with Rhyme & Reason Records in late 2016 and soon after released their first album, Familiar Spirit.

Album Review: The Caveat– Self-Titled

With powerhouse bands like Animals as Leaders, Chon, and Russian Circles storming the music scene, it’s clear that the art of constructing instrumental music better left for the prodigies who hide away in the shadows making sweet love to their instruments for days on end.

Singles Review: futurebabes – “Wolves” // “Thirsty Man’s Hungry Plea”

futurebabes just released two singles, “Wolves” and “Thirsty Man’s Hungry Plea”, just in time for the holiday season. The synth pop outfit is the brainchild of singer/keyboardist Jed Murphy who is joined by Mikey Unruh on bass and Zach Shepherd on guitar. The band channels ’80s nostalgia with the pulsating rhythm of drum machines, lush synths, and Murphy’s crooning baritone voice.

Album Review: Underseer – Self-Titled

Underseer is an explosive band, new to the Greeley music scene. Starting as an instrumental group, Austin Southern, Christian Nunez, and Damon Tyson on guitar, bass, and drums respectively got together to play some heavy, in-your-face, and groovy tunes. After a while of playing as a three piece, Michael Olivier, formerly of Disguise the Silence, joined the band as the lead vocalist. Olivier’s vocals added a totally new element to the band as his clean vocals nicely compliment the band’s heavy riffs. Shortly after, the band hit the studio to record a self-titled, eight-track album with Olivier also serving as the recording, mixing, and mastering engineer for the album.

Album Review: Empire of the Sun– Two Vines

Since the massive success of 2008 breakthrough Walking On A Dream, Empire of the Sun have been touring voraciously, gradually floating to the top of the international headliner circuit. The Aussie duo of Emperor Luke Steele and Lord Nick Littlemore aim to solidify that status with Two Vines, their third studio album and follow-up to 2013’s Ice on the Dune.

Album Review: The Symbols– Symbolize

The Symbols, consisting of singer Mer Sal, guitarist Jasco and drummer Don Stahl, is a peppery rock band out of Fort Collins that exude positive energy in their work. Symbolized, their newest album that was released a few months ago, showcases the unique cover songs they play between their original songs at live shows.

Album Review: Post Paradise– Bring It To Life (Side B)

Post Paradise is a band with chops. Few Northern Colorado bands have the experience or industry know-who as the members of Post Paradise. This alt-rock band led by Nick Duarte based out of Ft. Collins has made a name for themselves for their signature rock and roll with a nice dose of cello on top.

Album Review: In The Whale – Quicksand EP

Since In the Whale began they have been a band not afraid to take chances. Bands starting out usually have certain hurdles they have to get over to reach the next level. Recording professionally, marketing, a solid live show, and hitting the road are all things bands face on their journey to making it. While others stumble, In the Whale has leapt forward each time, embracing whatever comes. Their latest EP, Quicksand, is proof all of these things are coming together in a big way.

Album Review: Gasoline Lollipops – Death

According to Clay Rose, lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist for Boulder-based Gasoline Lollipops, it took him about 30 years to put together their first album, Dawn. “Then it took about one year to record it.” …

Album Review: Race To Neptune – Oh Contraire

Oh Contraire is the first full-length release from Fort Collins rock band, Race to Neptune. Formed in 2012, the band has been a staple of the Fort Collins rock scene and now, with the release of their new album, they have a solid body of work to show for. The band has an overarching sound of 90’s alternative but they pull from a multitude of different influences that span a 30 year range, from the 60’s to late 90’s. What’s impressive about this album is the band’s ability to go from “in your face” riffs, to soft ballads, to even country while still staying true to their sound.

Album Review: Overslept + Father Mountain– Split EP

Recently, the BandWagon sat down and spoke with Elias Armao of the up-and-coming Denver indie band, Overslept, to discuss their latest split release with sister band, Father Mountain. “We met the guys in Father Mountain when we opened up for them on the Denver date of their winter tour back in January. It was pretty evident right off the bat that these guys made music from the same place we did, even though they played a very different style/genre. The idea of doing a split together happened pretty naturally and was really spawned out of friendship. I think the beauty of splits is using the different styles and regional influences as a juxtaposition,” starts Armao.

Album Review: Igaus Davis – Too Fallow, Too Long

Igaus Davis, real name Matt Davis, has a story relatively common in the emerging Greeley music scene. Like many musicians in town, music was more or less a hobby until they started going to shows and seeing some of the bands coming through on tour. The collective thought from local musicians seems to have been, “Wait, I can do that.”

Album Review: MISCOMUNICADO – Fun-Land Express

Take the hooks from the best music of the 1960s, hand them over to an EDM outfit with a couple good singers/guitarists, and you would get Fun-Land Express, the fifth album from MISCOMUNICADO, a Fort Collins-based EDM/Psychadelic Rock fusion band that originates from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They call their music “Future Classic Rock,” and the artists they also like, they only answer “Everything.”

Album Review: Johnny & The Mongrels – You Ain’t Ready

Singer Johnny Ryan, Bassist Jeff Bostic and Guitarist Jeff Mere are the trio behind the Fort Collins blues outfit Johnny & The Mongrels. The three met at an open blues jam sometime in 2015, officially starting The Mongrels in April of last year, then lucked into the SpokesBuzz Springboard Program, playing live shows and recording You Ain’t Ready, their debut album that dropped earlier in 2016.

Album Review: Top Flite Empire – Bad Decisions

In the opening track of Top Flite Empire’s Debut LP Bad Decisions, they give the definition of a bad decision. It states that it is a “poor judgement, conclusion, or resolution reached or given. The act of making up one’s mind.” These words set the precedent and theme for the rest of the album both lyrically and sonically.

Album Review: The Circus House– Graceful Jungle

Graceful Jungle is the newest album from Denver pop collective, The Circus House. Consisting of members from jilly.fm, Ancient Elk, Candy Claws, and Retrofette the group is spearheaded by Armando Garibay, who is 1/2 the mastermind behind the songwriting and production team, The Blackout Beat. The Circus House brings their unique brand of ‘90s-esque pop to Denver and breathes a breath of fresh air into the music scene.

Album Review: FKA twigs— M3LL155X

Art relies on experimentation for its continued growth. If Chuck Berry had never thought to have two guitars on the track instead of one, well, someone else would have eventually done it, but you get my point. If you take an existing idea (the thesis) and fold into it a new and challenging thought (the antithesis) that makes something new, and thus, growth! In the past decade Black music has had no shortage of new and challenging thinkers, and Tahliah Barnett is among them.

Album Review: Quentin

Some things are fleeting, and Quentin insists you do not forget that — but the Greeley band will comfort listeners through cynic solidarity.

Album Review: The Patti Fiasco

Years ago, we covered an independent feature film made in Fort Collins titled Whensday, a comedy that had it’s love of bicycling, beer and Colorado on its sleeve. This included it’s soundtrack, which was a best-hits of NoCo music circa 2013. However, one of the songs featured in the film, “Small Town Lights,” was created by an outfit originally from Wyoming, The Patti Fiasco. The five (man) band, lead by Alysia Kraft, have kind of become a fixture within the Fort Collins music scene, winning FoCoMA’s Best Front Person award in 2013, and have gotten to play alongside the likes of Charlie Musselwhite and Big Head Todd And The Monsters. And we now have their latest album, Saved By Rock And Roll.

Album Review: Retrofette

Earlier this year, electro-pop duo Lzrwlf, comprised of Sean Culliton and Xavier Provencher, announced that they would be changing their name to Retrofette. The 3 track EP I Don’t Mind EP is their first proper release under the new moniker and it marks a new beginning as they hone in on their danceable, new wave/synth-pop sound. Along with the name change, the band brought in Ben Weirich on synths and Dylan Johnson on drums to take their live shows to the next level.

Album Review: Omni – Deluxe

It’s strange to describe a record so aesthetically planted in nostalgia as anachronistic, but it’s oddly difficult to describe Omni’s debut record otherwise.

Album Review: Bryan Thomas

While we’ve reviewed our fair share of country albums here at BandWagon, Denver-based singer Bryan Thomas is the first artist we would compare 100 proof whiskey; while casual listeners probably won’t gravitate to it, but for someone looking for something “harder,” this is it. While there are hints of country, Burn It To The Ground, it is undeniably Southern Rock. Thomas doesn’t possess the typical twang/drawl of a country singer; his voice is more of a guttural growl filled with the kiss-my-ass attitude you would more associate with hard rock/metal singers.

Album Review: Roy Catlin & The Dudes

“I’ve always been interested in the concept of fate because I believe there are two sides to it. I believe there’s a side you can control and that side is your thoughts and actions. The way you think and act can definitely have an effect on your fate for better or worse. I also believe there’s a side of fate you can’t control and have to learn to accept.”

Album Review: The Baltic

These days, there seems to be no shortage of new psych rock bands that are worth checking out, and today that band is The Baltic. Hailing from good ol’ Denver, Colorado, the band is comprised of drummer/singer Graham Epstein, guitarist/vocalist Adam Dankowski, guitarist Ari Kononov, and bassist Josh Kaplan who have been playing together since high school. They are a force to be reckoned with having just recently signed a record deal with Misra records and releasing their trippy, new EP: Archipelago.

Album Review: Gregory Alan Isakov

Having played with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at Boettcher Concert Hall back in November 2013, Gregory Alan Isakov has recently revisited that night by recording a full length of many of his older compositions featuring the Colorado Symphony.

Album Review: I Am The Owl– A Mission to Civilize: Part I

A Mission to Civilize: Part I is the first EP from Fort Collins punk rock band, I Am The Owl. Staying faithful to punk’s D.I.Y. mentality, the EP was recorded, mixed, and mastered by the band’s vocalist and guitarist, Josh Rivera, with the exception of the drums being tracked by Oliver Mueller of Slow Caves. With well written and executed parts, I Am The Owl is a good reflection of modern punk music.

Album Review: Gleemer– Moving Away

Loveland, Colorado is a strange place. Situated conveniently on the I-25 corridor, it is simultaneously too far from anything cool and perfectly located between many awesome things to do. A true Colorado city, life in Loveland can be quiet, suburban, and scenic. But like everywhere else, when you mix these things together you get a reaction and often it is an artistic response to the loneliness and the self-imposed isolation of living in what can feel like a suburb of a suburb. The four-piece dream pop outfit Gleemer is that reaction.

Album Review: Bishop Nehru – MAGIC:19

Rapper Bishop Nehru is not a bishop and his last name isn’t Nehru— it’s Scott—but the New York native is making some of the most authentic hip-hop out there.

Album Review: Jimkata – In Motion

As far as synth bands go, the three-piece Jimkata from Ithaca, New York is not here to fit in any EDM or electro indie pop box that so many modern bands find themselves in.

Album Review: T.V. Girl – Who Really Cares

Upon first listen, the lush layers, hushed vocals, and bedroom style production put you into a dreamlike haze that makes you want to dance your way down to the beach on a summer afternoon. Petering’s soft spoken vocals perfectly compliment his production, and can be compared to the likes of Toro y Moi, The Books, or Washed Out.

EP Review: Montoneros – Heat Horse

The latest offering from Montoneros, Heat Horse, is an exciting release which goes on a journey through many different and incredible musical elements. Recorded in Black and Bluhm Studios with Chris Fogel, the group was astonishingly able to record the entire EP in a single day. Don’t let this fast paced studio venture fool you; this EP is well thought out and the musicianship in these songs is undeniable.

Album Review: Grace Kuch – Self-Titled Debut

While BandWagon covers any and all music thrown our way, we have never heard any work from a child artist up until now. So when Grace Kuch, a 12-year-old blues singer from Fort Collins, approached me during a Symbols concert last month with her debut album, I had to give it a go.

Album Review: St. Lucia– Matter

Synth-pop band St. Lucia, created in 2012 by South African native, Jean-Philip Grobler, have just released their second studio LP, Matter. The sounds blended together in the tunes by St. Lucia are a creative twist of Grobler’s love for R&B, ‘80s pop, and alternative rock.

Album Review: Grizfolk– Waking Up The Giants

Grizfolk, a five piece indie rock band that hails from Los Angeles have just released their highly anticipated debut album, Waking Up The Giants via Virgin Records. Here is an album that successfully melds together folk, electro-pop, and indie rock in a way never done before.

Album Review: Panic! At The Disco, Death of A Bachelor

The goal of Death Of A Bachelor is trying to express a celebration of life changes, which the lyrics succesfully show, but the ever-eccentric, power pop duo (including Dallon Weekes) sees Urie’s powerful voice wielded like a hammer, sometimes inspiring a mild headache.

Album Review: Anderson Paak, Malibu

Equal parts illustrious and excessive, genuine and humble, Malibu builds on the boozy charm of Paak’s debut, Venice, doubling down on atmosphere and lush, live instrumentation.

Album Review: The Symbols – Smile

Chill. Charismatic. Mellow. Funky. Rocking? It’s hard to describe Smile, the latest album from Fort Collins band The Symbols, beyond saying it’s awesome.

Ablum Review: Plum – Light Years, Dark Years

Denver rockers, Plum, have done it again as they just released their highly anticipated EP Light Years, Dark Years. This three-piece psychedelic rock band has taken the local music scene by storm.

Album Review: Qbala – Battle Cries

When Fort Collins superstar emcee Kahlie “Qbala” Quinones was 27, she finally had the courage to verbalize she preferred females over males. Little by little, she started becoming more comfortable with who she was and discovered, through music, she was able to divulge the truth.

Album Review: Danny Shafer – Weddings, Floods and Funerals

Shafer, initially from Chicago, has played over 200 shows a year between his solo gig and the band he’s a part of, The 21st Century, and the polished talent that comes with that level of prolificacy shows itself with Weddings.

Album Review:Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 12

At some point in the career of a band or artist there’s a switch made from “chart topper” to “main stay.” Their weight in social currency is edged out by a growing wealth of respect and ubiquity.

Album Review: Rubedo – Love is the Answer

Epiphany can come in a myriad of strange and unexpected ways. In the the 1978 Superman film, Lex Luthor pontificates that “Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it’s a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe.”

Top Tunes Thursday: Will Butler — Policy

As the year comes to a close, all us music geeks can finally start openly discussing the “best of” lists that have been taking up valuable storage in our brains. Best EP’s, best albums, best singles, best artists; From the months of October to January, the inside of your average music junkie’s brain is a tiny imaginary Grammy’s, rewarding and unrewarding as new albums put their name on the ballot. This week on TTT, I take a look back at one of my favorite records of the year, one which almost definitely appear on my own year end list (the official laminated one that I show people). The record is Policy, by Will Butler.

Album Review: Fuzz – II

If you’re a regular reader of our Top Tunes Thursday column, then you’ve heard me talking about my adoration for the side project. Low professional and high personal stakes make for an amicable environment for most artists, feeling the chains of “keeping food on the table” slip away.

Top Tunes Thursday: Khruangbin — The Universe Smiles Upon You

While I find the majority of instrumentals have a regional style, not always glaring, but almost always present. L.A. jazz, Delta Blues, the sample heavy style of production prevalent in the East coast, generally speaking there’s something you can grab on to. Khruangbin plays like a musical atlas, sending fiery frets to Japan, then Brazil, and back over to Africa. The eighth track, cheekily titled “The Man Who Took My Sunglasses,” almost creates the illusion of needing them. Blinding sun beams reflect off polished surfboards and sparkling fret boards, cutting through swirling cigarette smoke on its way. Four tracks earlier, guitarist Mark Speer cools the jets to a low roar, infusing in its exhaust at first a wiff of the Far East, then an utterly American crashing collapse of guitar, amp, and kit.

Album Review: futurebabes – Day Job

Day Job is a nostalgic nod to the days when drum machines and synthesizers ruled the land. The opening track, “Hearts for Now” grabs your attention, kicking off the EP with a beefy arpeggiated synth and an insistent, thumping drum beat.

Top Tunes Thursday: Coldplay — Adventure Of A Lifetime

The track is joyful in a resurgent kind of way. Driving leads and a surprisingly groovy rhythm for a pop band (let alone a pop band of such drear and atmosphere) cloud your mind like the smoke from a caterpillar’s hookah. It’s relentless and irresistibly toe tapping. Jam packed into their wooing, if not predictable, brand of pop are notes of Earth Wind & Fire, Phoenix, and fretwork from U2’s The Edge as well as modern pop titans, like Pharell, Justin Timberlake, and Daft Punk, especially the latter, considering their recent poppy-funky love affair. I feel the song chip away at winter’s frost, and as frontman Chris Martin heralds chorus after chorus of “I feel alive again!” I can’t help but agree.

Top Tunes Thursday: Alabama Shakes — Joe

Stylistically, the track actually falls nicely between the two records, meshing cozy Southern hospitality with smoldering soul. The tune kicks off slow, enchant us with us a gated chrous across shiny pickups. Not long thereafter, the incomparable Brittany Howard welcomes herself to the track. At this point, it borders on the clichéd to talk about the thundering soul machine that are the pipes of Brittany Howard, but the vocal, as is typical for most Alabama Shakes content, truly is the star of the show. Murphy works the crowd like melted ropes of taffy, jumping from croon to croan at the pluck of a string. It’s a joy to listen to her work, and the crowd feels the same.

Top Tunes Thursday: Fuzz — II

Ty Segal’s Fuzz looks to dustier paragons of noise like Sabbath, Wolfmother, The Hives and The Eagles of Death Metal and says “we’ll take it from here.” The sounds born within the mildewed and crawling horror swamp that is Segal’s musical brain can only be truly appreciated in the context of honestly curious rock exploration. When you’re talking about pushing the guitar to its structural and audial limits, about reaching to the very corners of our musical expectations and poking a finger over the line, Ty Segall is the only one we millennials can claim for our own. Like the artful goofballs of old (Bowie, Reed) Segall is relentlessly catapulting himself from project to project, with no love lost in between.

Top Tunes Thursday: Edge of Daybreak — Eyes of Love

In 1979, a group of musicians bound by circumstance gathered in earnest to craft their first album. Calling themselves Edge of Daybreak, the album that was recorded, while finding little commercial success and almost no financial returns for its creators, was (is) absolutely laden with the sounds of the day from which it came. The players behind this record, a record brimming with vitality and an urgency for life, were all inmates serving out sentences at the Powhatan Correctional Center in Richmond Virginia. Reaping the benefits of a liberal prison music program, band mates Jamal Jahal Nubi (drums, vocal) Harry Coleman (adt. vocal) James Carrington (keys), Cornelius Cade (guitar), McEvoy Robinson (bass), and Willie Williams (percussion) crafted Eyes of Love on a budget of $3,000 and a little less than five hours studio time. Now, almost 40 years later, the Numero Group has re-released the record for our listening pleasure. Lucky for us.

Top Tunes Thursday: The Garden — haha

This week, I stumbled across Orange, California duo, The Garden. Founded by twin brothers Fletcher and Wyatt Shears, The first couple of vexing seconds told me I had found a winner. I wouldn’t describe the clattered natterings of The Garden weird (though you wouldn’t be wrong to do so), so much as unexpected. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing or listening to at the time, The Garden is a non sequitur.

Built to Spill, Built to Last

“When it comes to this career, I’m probably most proud of that name more than anything,” Doug Martsch says with a laugh. “It just rolls off the tongue.”

Top Tunes Thursday: Denzel Curry — 32 Zel / Planet Shrooms

Two weeks ago, while I was researching the newest Little Simz record (review here) I came across a list of “rappers to watch for.” Little Simz was featured for her E.D.G.E EP and AGE 101 series, while a young Miami Rapper, Denzel Curry was featured for his debut album, Nostalgic 64. After inhaling the hallucinogenic trap flavorings of his debut, I was happy to find his new effort (which had not been released at the time of the record) had been out since June! Normally, on TTT I like to bring you my favorite release from the week, but this week, we’re taking some time for an excellent record that I missed. This article is an effort to make sure you don’t make the same mistake. The record, or “double-EP,” is 32 Zel / Planet Shrooms.

The Art of Becoming Giants & Pilgrims

“You’re always moving, you’re always becoming. The soul is always dynamic. While the body might get old and die there is something inside us that is still fresh and learning better how to become a …

Album Review: Silver & Gold – Headed West EP

For three days Pie Lombardi of Silver & Gold essentially lived in The Blasting Room. “It was a blast,” (dad laugh) “I expected it to be more intimidating than it was. It was a very …

Album Review: III— iZACILLi

Encajando en la escena de “Rock En Tu Idioma”, Izcalli significa renacimiento, y es la tierra natal de los hermanos Avina. No se designan exclusivamente a ese género, pero tampoco se distancian de él porque sus similitudes a grupos como Los Jaguares o Julieta Venegas, por quienes han abierto conciertos, los han ayudado cautivar esa audiencia. Representan el nombre de su grupo como testimonio del renacimiento en su música, actitudes y cultura.

Top Tunes Thursday: Big Grams — Self Titled

I’d like to see the “to do list” for this record. It must read something like: “1. Make awesome music. 2. See #1.” Yes, it’s simple, but it’s simply fun. If Big Grams set out to make music to dance/copulate to, I think they hit the nail on the head. Phantogram released their most recent record last year, and the last time OutKast put out new music, I was a Junior in highschool. (Wow, I’m old.) While there doesn’t appear to be any tour dates in Big Grams’ future, I guess you’ll just have to settle for playing this record on repeat.

Top Tunes Thursday: Little Simz — A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons

Imagine you know someone who wants to be a world renowned rapper. Regardless of talent or ability, how many challenges lay ahead of this person? Find/compose beats, write verses, record said verses, produce record/mixtape/single, and somehow get that content out to the people, whether that be through radio, concerts, or some manner of digital dispersion. Now imagine this person is a woman, and lives in the UK, a locale as synonymous with hip hop as it is with hardcore death metal (which is to say, not very). This is the monumental task Simbi Ajikawo set for herself at the tender age of 9. After dabbling in the movement and screen disciplines, Ajikawo dedicated herself to rap, donning the moniker Little Simz. 4 mixtapes, 6 EPs, and 1 independently created record label later, Simz has garnered adoration from ravenous listeners around the globe, including some of rap’s biggest names, including J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay-Z.

ZZ Top with Ben Pu and Crew and Primary People

ZZ Top with Ben Pu and Crew and Primary People at Thunder Mountain Amphitheater in Loveland

Top Tunes Thursday: Beirut — No No No

When I find a new artist (whether it be a new single, a new album, or by recommendation) if I can, I like to start at the beginning of their discography. If I’m really going to get a feel for the art being created, I think an important part of that is knowing where they started from. This holds particularly true for this week’s subject of TTT, Albuquerque bred pop outfit, Beirut. Though their name might betray their more worldly senses, there’s not much you can do to prepare yourself for the jangling gypsy chorus this is Beirut’s debut record, Gulag Orkestar. The record does enough to make you scratch your head, and becomes even more confounding when you find out it was recorded almost completely by Beirut frontman and founder, Zach Condon.

Top Tunes Thursday: Travis $cott — Rodeo

When your first public appearance has you labeled as a protege of Kanye West, it’s safe to say you travel with heavy expectations on your shoulders. When Travi$ Scott was revealed as one of the top producer’s behind West’s blistering thrash-rap opus, Yeezus, the countdown to his solo album began. While his debut EP Owl Pharaoh failed to impress, his follow-up Days Before Rodeo did much to increase the appetites of Scott’s swelling fanbase. Now, two plus years after the source of his fame, Travi$ Scott has released his highly anticipated solo record, Rodeo. Without giving too much away, it lives up to the name.

Album Review: The Cairn Project’s Self-Titled Debut Album

Local Greeley group who call themselves The Cairn Project created their self-titled debut album “to serve as a marker in their own musical journey.” Started by drummer Brian Claxton and tenor saxophonist/clarinetist/bass clarinetist Joel Harris simply to form a band of friends and make music that was personal to them, The Cairn Project (“Cairn” is a stack of stones hikers make to mark a trail, FYI) consists of six professional jazz musicians – alto saxophonist/flutist Briana Harris, guitarist Ben Parrish, pianist Tom Amend and bassist Patrick Atwater. Each song is composed by a different member, leading to a jazz album of unique instrumental pieces, each of which has it’s own thing going on.

It’s Going Down: ¡Mayday! Plays The Moxi

Miami-based rap collective ¡Mayday! never imagined a superstar like Lil’ Wayne would gravitate towards their music. But sure enough, while Lil’ Wayne was shooting a video for his rock-inspired album, Rebirth, the director suggested Mayday to appear in a video. Naturally, emcees Bernz and Wreckonize, and band members Gianni Cash, LT Hopkins, Plex Luthor, and NonMS jumped at the opportunity.

Top Tunes Thursday: Benjamin Clementine— At Least For Now

Too often when discussing our musical greats, we forget where they came from. In every world renowned musician, there was once a rookie. I once heard the drummer Questlove recall an old adage from his father; “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.” Some have professors, some after-school tutors, some musical parents, but others have only the drive.

String Cheese Incident at Red Rocks is a long awaited return to sacred ground

    String Cheese Incident and Nahko and Medicine for the People at Red Rocks 07/26/15 BandWagon Magazine Mark Rudolph A beautiful sunny day at the spiritual Red Rocks Amphitheater was the perfect way to …

Top Tunes Thursday: Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats — Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats

In the early summer of 2010, my best friend bought me tickets to see one of my favorite performers at the time, Tallest Man on Earth. In line, before the show, two men stepped out the front doors and both lit up smokes. One, short and petite, who I recognized to be Tallest Man, and the other, only slightly taller, with a bushy handlebar mustache and a round gut held in by denim, who my friend recognized as a performer who knew as Nathaniel Rateliff, the night’s opener. The show that followed that evening lived up to the praise my friend had given him. He sang in long, sad shouts. And when he did, he would kick and shake. He was a livewire jammed into the ears of his audience. While I have enjoyed his particular brand of rock-folk every year since, I have been waiting for the self titled debut from his new band for approaching five years now. Following a standing ovation on The Tonight Show and years of buzz (from people other than myself) the group has finally dropped the record, consequentially making every second of waiting worth it.

Thuggish Ruggish Krayzie Bone On the Solo Tip… For Now

Believe it or not, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s first record contract with late Eazy E’s Ruthless Records resulted from a single phone call. In 1993, original members Lazyie Bone, Krayzie Bone, Bizzie Bone and Wish Bone hopped on a Greyhound in their hometown of Cleveland, Ohio headed for California. The self-described “broke millionaires” had no idea how they were going to infiltrate the rap scene, but they knew they just needed the right person to put them on. It just so happened to be Eazy E, former member of the groundbreaking rap collective, N.W.A.

Album Review: Lunde Station— Another Country

For those of us looking for a local folk/country fix, Lunde Station’s debut EP Another Country is the perfect fit. The Fort Collins’ band is a decidedly folk-rock-country affair that stands out amongst other local folk and country outfits, leaning hard on folk with a slight country twang to it. The band itself describes themselves as a “fiery Roots, Rock and Americana band,” influenced by “Old Gospel and Bluegrass, Outlaw and Traditional Country and the 1960s/70s literate Folk Rock movement.”

Top Tunes Thursday: Teen Daze — Morning World

The morning can be rough for some people. Your bones are creaky, your vision foggy. You might be hungry, and you almost definitely have to pee. The whole thing just feels like a hassle. For most of my life, I was one of these people. I don’t know, maybe it comes with age or something, but now some of my earliest moments of the day end up being some of my favorite moments. The sun’s barely awake, and already, people all across the newly glowing portion of the country are getting up to start their day, just like you. That thought and a cup of coffee often gets my days started fairly well. This quiet meditation, and the feelings that surround it, are the thesis of the new Teen Daze record, Morning World. This is Teen Daze’s (who goes by the monomous “Jamison” in professional life) first full length release since 2012’s Glacier.

Album Review: Forty Fathoms— More To Hate

Writing and recording a pinnacle metal album is not simple. The process often takes the cooperative effort of three to five smelly dudes who spend every waking moment together arguing over who drank the last beer and why musicians shouldn’t attach their ego to the parts they contribute. After they’re nice and pissed off, the riffs and melodies begin to flow. Denver metal band Forty Fathoms are a relentless metal collaboration who’s EP, More to Hate, designates Colorado a place at the forefront of influential rock music.

Album Review: Another One— Mac Demarco

If I were to list some of Mac Demarco’s exploits (outside of his three fantastic LP’s) you might think I was talking about one of the members of Odd Future. Releasing his debut record Rock N’ Roll Night Club in 2012, Demarco’s unconditionally carefree tunes are only part of the reason for his ravenous fan base.

Top Tunes Thursday: Ultimate Painting —Green Lanes

Formerly of the bands Mazes and Veronica Falls, respectively, the gentlemen became fast friends when their bands went on tour with each other, Mazes opening for VF. After bonding over musical tastes, as well as those of film and television, the pair began jamming together. It didn’t take long for a friendship to become a partnership, and it would be named Ultimate Painting.

ARISE In It’s Third Year Prime: Loveland’s Conscious Music Movement

Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, Colorado hosted it’s third annual Arise Music Festival. The three day camping extravaganza featured artists such as Earth Guardians, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, Mike Love, The Shook Twins, Elephant Revival, Caustik, Polish Ambassador, Project Aspect, Rising Appalachia and many others.

Lifting the World to the Highest Vibration: Mike Love At ARISE Music Festival

Hailing from the island of Oahu, Hawaii Mike Love was a powerful force at the ARISE music festival this weekend. The islander preformed top tracks from his two albums and a few from his upcoming release entitled Love Will Find A Way. This 35-year-old family man is well grounded in his life and career sharing the stage with artist such as Nahko and Medicine For the People, Jack Johnson and the John Butler Trio. His music settles between the genres of conscious roots rock reggae and his presence at Arise was befitting for a festival in which the motto was “More than a festival, it’s a movement.”

Album Review: Night Beds— Ivywild

Following the success of his debut effort Country Sleep, Yellen gathered his go to collaborators, many of which appeared on his debut. This includes longtime friend and collaborator Benjamin Kaufman, Caleb Hickman (who plays a devilish sax throughout the record), and Yellen’s little brother Abraham, who plays producer on the record. Though the credits on the record reach just over twenty, Yellen credits this small group as the core of the project.

en espanol: Mc Magic

Aunque apenas había regresado de su viaje a Guadalajara, el rapero Sonorense, MC Magic compartió detalles sobre el comienzo de su carrera musical, trabajos actuales, y de su gira nacional, Love & Kush Tour al lado de Baby Bash. Esta gira comenzó el 23 de julio en Salinas, CA. El rapero aclaró el nombre de su gira, que comenzó el 23 de julio en Salinas, CA, declarándose “entusiasta de canciones de amor” y su compañero el que promueve el kush. Nos damos cuenta que MC es promotor del canto romántico con los trabajos originales que lo hicieron arrancar en su profesión como cantautor.

A New Chapter: The War On Drugs Signs to Atlantic Records

The most obvious observation about The War On Drugs is they sound like old Bruce Springsteen or Bob Dylan. However, lead singer and founding member Adam Granduciel would rather have you focus on their progression as a band. Formed in Philadelphia in 2005 with fellow artist Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs put out their first album, Wagonwheel Blues, in 2008. After a few lineup changes, they released their most recent album, Lost in the Dream, in 2014. Despite its name, The War on Drugs, in fact, does not have a war on drugs.

Top Tunes Thursday: Quantic Presents The Western Transient — A New Constellation

This week, Will “Quantic” Holland released the debut record for a new side project. Holland is a man of many projects, including The Quantic Soul Orchestra, The Limp Twins, Quantic and his Combo Barbaro, as well as numerous one on one collaborations. His latest is called Quantic Presents The Western Transient, and the record, A New Constellation. At seconds under the 3/4 hour mark, the record delivers ten locations for his dream jazz vacation, and is recorded with artists and performers handpicked by the maestro. From balmy Caribbean, to melodic 70’s, A New Constellation is a warm and snuggly love letter to jazz and soul music, with just enough “Quantic” thrown in.

The Evolution of Derek Smith: Pretty Lights Still Shining

Fort Collins, Colorado native Derek Smith, better known as Pretty Lights, started making beats in high school, but eventually found himself at the forefront of the electronic music scene. His first album, 2006’s Taking Up Your Precious Time, 2008’s Passing Up the City Skies and 2009’s Passing by Behind Your Eyes revealed Smith’s ability to seamlessly sew together a blanket of sonic textures, but 2013’s A Color Map of the Sun uncovered his aptitude for actually composing every single musical note of each track. The 34-year-old producer is once again on tour and ascends on the Red Rocks stage August 8 and 9. He took some time to discuss the severity of drug use at EDM shows, the recording process and his outlandish height.

Top Tunes Thursday: Kurt Vile — Pretty Pimpin

Of all the musical instruments iconic to American music, the paramount would be the guitar. Although blues music originally came in the form of African spirituals and hymnals, it was changed forever when it met it’s six stringed soul mate. Rock n’ roll, arguably the most American genre there is, was built around the glistening tones of the 1957 Gibson ES-350 T. For Kurt Vile, Pennsylvania born indie rocker, the guitar is both the means and the end.

It’s Just Who We Are: The Burroughs Unveil Their Live Album Sweaty Greeley Soul

“Everything from the groove that you’re in, to the words that you say, to the melodies you sing is suppose to come from right here,” Johnny Burroughs says using both open faced hands to clutch between his gut and lower rib cage. “If it’s not coming from here, than it’s not soul music.”

Album Review: Currency of Man — Melody Gardot

Philadelphia based singer/songwriter/siren Melody Gardot hasn’t known many times in her life without music. Being raised by two grandparents and a travelling mother, Gardot was rarely in one place for long, so when she began to take piano lessons at the age of nine, the blooming musician finally had something that was hers: music. At 16, she began playing in local bars two nights a week, and in 2003, after being in a near fatal car accident, she coped with excruciating pain by teaching herself to play guitar.

Top Tunes Thursday: Ben Folds — Phone In a Pool / Capable of Anything

It’s been a long time since I was first introduced to the sonorous sounds of Ben Folds, but he’s still making music. This week, Folds released some of the first new material since his 2008 record, Way To Normal, which was followed with a college a-capella record, and a compilation album. The two singles, titled “Phone in a Pool” and “Capable of Anything” instantly remind me of what I found so appealing as a rolly-polly youngster, and what I still find appealing as a, well, rolly-polly not-so-youngster.

Kyle Hollingsworth Band: Q&A With The Man Behind The Cheese

Kyle Hollingsworth is famously known as the keyboardist for The String Cheese Incident and his own “SCide project,” The Kyle Hollingsworth Band. The band was formed in 2007, while SCI took a step back and Hollingsworth fronted his own solo career. He’s been playing music for over 20 years professionally with a Jazz Piano degree from Towson State and along with his free-spirited dedication to music, he is a grand proprietor of beer. The upcoming Kyle Brew Fest in Denver on July 23rd is the official SCI pre-party as well as a chance for fans to indulge in craft beer, enjoy an exclusive performance by the KHB and support the Conscious Alliance- art that feeds. BandWagon caught up with this down to earth creative at his birthday celebration earlier this year to talk skills in music and hops.

Lola Black’s Borracho Bash at Summit Music Hall

106.7 KBPI and Jagermeister present Lola Black’s Borracho Bash at the Summit Music Hall in Denver. Featuring 21 Taras, In Death and Decay, Soundman Killz, Boo the Ghost, Omniism, Scarlet Canary, Lost Point, A Memory Down and Lola Black.

Cut Chemist of Jurassic 5 ‘The Audience is Listening’

Anyone who has seen Macfadden on the turntables knows he will be just fine. Last year’s Renegades of Rhythm Tour with DJ Shadow featured albums pulled strictly from Afrika Bambaataa’s collection, which is currently archived at Cornell University. The performance was nothing short of mind-blowing. From the Shaft in Africa soundtrack and Isaac Hayes to Chicago Gangsters and even Jurassic 5 (which Macfadden couldn’t believe Bambaataa had), the magical duo took the audience on a trip through some of the best eras of soul, funk, disco, hip-hop and more.

Album Review: Panama – Always EP

As electronic music continues to fill the market, it’s becoming easier with each new act to separate the wheat from the chaff. A tragically high number of up-and-coming electronic/alternative acts are either forgettable or just plain boring. Thankfully, Panama not only avoids mediocrity, but races forward with memorable energy. Far more than merely passable, the Always EP is just a great piece of alternative music.

Top Tunes Thursday: Ezra Furman — Perpetual Motion People

Frenetic and shaky, Furman delivers a parcel of tunes so jam packed of intention it’s hard not to break down in some punk rock convulsion, hunched over your air piano, banging out imaginary chords. While not as feverishly paced as his usual fare, “Lousy Connection,” a lead single, lays the toothy lyrical musings over a groovy doo-wop, shining light on Furman’s sensitive side.

In The Whale at the Aggie Theatre

BandWagon Magazine Presents In The Whale with Slow Caves, American Blackout and Lion Drome at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins.

Morgan Heritage with special guests at Aggie Theatre

Morgan Heritage with special guests Hypnotic Vibes, Apex Vibe, Roots Massive and Spellbinder at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins.

EOTO: ‘Good Sound’ Comes to the Mish

“EOTO” in Japanese means “good sound” which perfectly suits electronic duo, EOTO. With extensive histories as professional drummers, it seemed only natural that members Michael Travis and Jason Hann would evolve to another level in their musical careers. After all, they had mastered their percussion instruments and almost needed to embark on a new journey. During their days in the progressive bluegrass band, String Cheese Incident, Travis and Hann discovered a shared love of electronic music during late night jam sessions. EOTO was formed in 2006 and they’ve been going at it ever since. The 100 percent improvised sets Hann and Travis perform night after night are created without a script or prerecorded loops, lending their material a completely original feel. BandWagon Magazine caught up with Hann to discuss how to easily classify EOTO’s sound and their integral role in the dub-step boom.

Tails From The Trails With In The Whale

It wasn’t always this way though. In the Whale got their start after Valdez recorded an acoustic EP titled Songs About You and drummer Eric Riley’s previous project dissolved. In the early days at AF Ray’s (Greeley’s only rock venue at the time) I personally witnessed them clear the room night after night as they searched for what would become their signature sound.

Propia Tejano música de Greeley: Poquito maz

Ganadores de la Batalla de las Bandas de Colorado del Norte y Los Campeonatos de la Feria Estatal de Colorado, Poquito Maz comparte su emocionante música tejana con sus fans y comunidad. Además de ser completamente originarios de Greeley, desde su establecimiento en 1989, han encabezado en la escena de música tejana aquí como banda tejana más larga permanecida en nuestro sector. En una entrevista con los miembros declararon que tienen grabados dos CDs de su música vieja y tres “un-released” álbumes con su sonido más reciente.

New Music Monday: Bilal — In Another Life

With In Another Life, Bilal releases a collection of tunes ripe for the season. The record kicks off with “Sirens II,” which paints the picture of the slow and unwitting seduction of our main character. With a bossy beat, and a bass line some of you might recognize from Jay-z’s “Picasso Baby,” it’s the perfect setting for the sensual jaunt that is to come.

Album Review: Django and Jimmie— Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson

Though we’d all like to believe that each inspired sound that comes from our favorite artists are completely original, the fact is that even our heroes have influences. Bob Dylan had Woodie Guthrie, Jack White had Son House. Even Chuck Berry (who’s credited with creating rock n’ roll music) was influenced by the blues and jazz musicians of his time. Chuck Berry influenced The Beatles, and I don’t have to tell you how many people have been influenced by The Beatles.

New Music Monday: Thundercat — The Beyond / Where Giants Roam

This week, Thundercat has released a new “mini-album” entitled The Beyond / Where the Giants Roam. Co-produced by long time collaborator Flying Lotus, TB/WtGR clocks in at a bite sized six tracks. If you’re thinking the diminutive packaging is telling of the content, think again. In an interview with Billboard, Bruner discussed how the high volume of collaborations he’s been involved with generated a creative catalyst within him: “it was kind of like a by-product of everything that would be happening.

Ben Folds with Ingrid Michaelson Featuring the Colorado Symphony and Fold’s Choir

Red Rocks was packed elbow to elbow for Sunday’s show as Ingrid Michaelson and Ben Folds preformed with the Colorado Symphony and Folds Choir that featured students and alumni of the University of Northern Colorado.

Prinzhorn Dance School— Home Economics

In the early 2000’s, Suzi Horn had numerous jobs that brought her close to music: “I had worked in music venues all my life – behind the bar, in the coat room, on the door – but never played in a band. Then I met Tobin.” By Tobin, she means Tobin Prinz, the other half of the uncategorizable experimental rock outfit, Prinzhorn Dance School. The two began tooling around with the spare instruments Prinz had scattered about his flat, specifically the drum and bass. As Horn puts it; “We didn’t set out to start a band – and now it’s ten years on.”

The A-Ok’s with Be Like Max and guests at The Bluebird Theater

The A-Ok’s with Be Like Max, White Cat Pink, Rotten Blue Menace and Short Bus Rejects at the Bluebird Theatre Saturday, June 20th. The historic Bluebird in Denver is a blast, and these talented local bands delivered an epic performance.

Like A Weed? Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino Grows Up

Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino has gone through some noticeable changes since the duo’s 2010 debut, Crazy For You. Aside from her smaller appearance (the result of lots of exercise), her confidence has blossomed and she’s much more self-assured on stage. Whether that’s the result of the dissolution of her long-term relationship with Wavves’ Nathan Williams or simply getting older, on Best Coast’s third studio album, California Nights, it’s clear she’s a new woman. Album opener “Feeling Ok” and “Wasted Time” seem to touch on finding strength after a break-up and reflecting on what went wrong. While her lyrics are nowhere near complicated, it’s the simplicity of them that make them so relatable. Everyone’s experienced these feelings at one point yet she’s not afraid to talk about them. While the ‘50s/‘60s surf-pop influence is still heavily intact, the album shows more maturity than past efforts. It’s not all about bong hits and the love for her cat. As Best Coast prepares to kick off another national tour, Cosentino opens up about body image issues, her not-so-secret love for Hillary Duff and California Nights.

Post Widespread Panic Power Jam returns with JoJo Hermann and Duane Trucks at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom

This years Annual Post Widespread Panic Power Jam at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom is set to feature two members of the band this weekend during the three day Widespread Panic show at Red Rocks. Even an entire …

New Music Monday: Teen Men — Teen Men

Set against the 90 degree days and the blood orange sunsets of Colorado summer, Teen Men are a tall glass of cool, dry water. The debut record is out now on most major music services, and look out for the vinyl on shelves July 14.

BandWagon Choice Awards at The Moxi Theater

This weekend marked the first annual Bandwagon People’s Choice Awards hosted at the Moxi Theater. Modeled after, you guessed it, the People’s Choice Awards, Greeley’s own music and culture magazine founded the event in order to recognize your favorite bands and the people who are transforming the Northern Colorado music scene.

And It Don’t Stop: Del The Funky Homosapien, Still Killin’ It

Born Teren Delvon Jones, Del didn’t stumble into it by accident. As Ice Cube’s cousin, he had plenty of influences surrounding him during those early years. Yet Jones was always a bit of an anomaly and decidedly went a different route than his West Coast gangster rapping contemporaries. When he was just 18-years-old he released his 1991 debut, I Wish My Brother George Was Here. He took a more tongue-in-cheek approach to hip-hop, sampled a lot of Parliament and it was obvious he was a having a lot of fun with it. That album produced the single “Mistadobalina,” now a cult favorite. A couple of years later, he came out with 1993’s No Need For Alarm, which also introduced the entire Hieroglyphics crew. It showcased a style that was unparalleled to what was coming out of the Bay at that time.

Album Review: City States – Geography

No two people explore loss in the same way, particularly when it comes to musicians. Whether it’s the dichotomous musical and lyrical tandem of Mike Ring and the Connection, the raw anguish of The Antlers, or the sprawling light-in-the-dark hopefulness of Arcade Fire, music as a coping mechanism is a powerful thing. Chicago-based City States uses their newest release, Geography, to do the same thing in honor of frontman Joel Ebner’s father. Joel was kind enough to answer a few questions about the band and the album.

Album Review: Deerhoof – La Isla Bonita

Imagine Speed Racer has just collided with a cargo train full of toxic sludge and candy. Dead and injured are everywhere, fire wrecks the countryside, as a shambling, stumbling figure emerges from the carnage. It’s the entity known as Deerhoof! Candy coated and chaotic, Deerhoof is here to lay waste to your musical comfort zones. They come armed with a 20-year discography, and minds that pump out frenetic, frenzied noise. Basically, you don’t stand a chance.

Album Review: A Place To Bury Strangers – Transfixation

After some much needed down time the trio reformed with a new and refreshed outlook on the project and proceeded to lay down the most raucous addition to their discography yet. On February 17th, APTBS released their new album, a perfect representation of why we need pop music and all its predictability. Transfixation exists, if only as a measuring post against the aural insanity that is Transfixation.

Album Review: Dark Bird is Home— The Tallest Man On Earth

In late 2006, Kristian Matsson charmed listeners with his debut selftitled EP The Tallest Man on Earth. The sounds present were mournful, bluesy, folkloric, and odiously recorded. Despite the tinny quality present in the tracks, Matsson’s command of sound was clear. Almost two years later Matsson released his full length debut, Shallow Grave, which traded in the Ozarkian twang for a sweeter folk bend, and redolent, flowering lyrics. Now, at the tail end of nearly a three year break, The Tallest Man on Earth returns with his fourth record, Dark Bird is Home.

As Famous As He Wants To Be: Sage Francis Sits Comfortably At The Helm of His Career

The Providence, Rhode Island-native, former spoken word champion, seasoned emcee and founder of Strange Famous Records has built a comfortable career for himself over the last two decades, but he would rather stay under the radar. Francis has never been one to seek out fame, it kind of found him. His incredible writing talent was undeniable. Coupled with a strong stage presence, it was only a matter of time before he attracted attention. Curiously, it’s the attention he tends to want to avoid. As a self-proclaimed introvert, he’s much more relaxed inside the fours walls of his home than he his outside in the world. However, that all goes out the window when he takes his first step on stage; he explodes with confidence.

From All Star to Ah Shit: Smashmouth Unleashes on Bread Throwing Fans At Taste of Fort Collins

There are several issues going on with the whole Smash Mouth incident that occurred over the weekend. Granted, they are one of the last bands on Earth that should have been booked, well, anywhere, but lead singer Steve Harwell should have been able to deliver his god awful music in peace.

New Music Monday: Sharon Van Etten — I Don’t Want to Let You Down

For me, the best artists (musical or not) are the ones who are growing from project to project. Whether the development is a growth in the boundaries of their particular sound, or an emotional one, which garners tasty new morsels of insight, it’s important to me that the struggle is present. It makes the music feel more genuine, more organic. Last year, when Sharon Van Etten released Are We There, we glimpsed into the gnarled and fraught mental scape of a woman on the edge of love. Now, in her new EP, I Don’t Want to Let You Down, we visit Van Etten on the same heart break, now with room enough for perspective.

Brit Floyd: The World’s Greatest Pink Floyd Cover Show at Red Rocks 06/11/15

  Editors Note: The rest of our photos from the show are now up and can be found here!   The sky was dark and the rain kept pouring down until the encore. That didn’t …

The 11th Annual Greeley Blues Jam

The 11th annual Greeley’s Blue Jam at Island Groove Regional Park Arena featuring The Burroughs, Elvin Bishop, Delbert McCinton, Jimmy Hall With My Blue Sky and more.

Barenaked Ladies with Violent Femmes at Red Rocks Amphitheater

Red Rocks Amphitheater was alive this weekend as Colin Hay opened up the Barenaked Ladies show who’s acoustic set consisted of mostly classics from his days back with Men at Work. He ended his set with a beautiful cover of the Beatles song, “Here Comes the Sun.” Violent Femmes took the stage for a 45 minute set that included the first new song that the band has performed in 15 years.

Crítica del àlbum: Fórmula Vol. 2— Romeo Santos

Después de su desintegración de Aventura, Romeo Santos se lanzó como solista en el 2011. Aunque la desintegración entristeció a fans, Romeo Santos ahora gira promocionando su álbum Fórmula vol. 2 que estrenó el 28 de enero del año pasado. Su gira Formula vol. 2 world tour ha llegado hasta nosotros en Denver al Pepsi Center este 14 de junio. El álbum consiste de 16 canciones que como siempre lo hipnotizan a uno con su bella voz y su letra y sonido inolvidable. El cantautor nos enamora de él y la vida con su romanticismo que recuerda todos los aspectos del amor.

Fooling Around and Falling in Love With Elvin Bishop

Elvin Bishop has had a long and prolific career as a blues guitarist. A teenager in Chicago during the ‘60s, he had the privilege of both witnessing and taking an active role in blues in it’s heyday. Under the tutlage of several blues greats such as Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and John Lee Hooker he honed his skills in the best way possible before launching into an incredible career that included a song that peaked at #3 on the US Billboards in 1975 with the song “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” which featured Mickey Thomas and Donny Baldwin of Jefferson Starship (and for you younger kids was on the Gardians of the Galaxy soundtrack with last summer). Gearing up for the Greeley Blues Jam, we had a chance to sit down with Bishop to talk about the blues and his amazing career.

Album Review: Kamasi Washington— The Epic

If you’ve never heard the name Kamasi Washington, there’s a reason for that. It’s because up until now, he’s had no solo records outside a few small self releases. Like Kishi Bashi, Washington has supported many a musician. His first national tour was with Snoop Dogg, and he joined Raphael Saadiq for his first international tour. Before releasing his new record The Epic, he lent his skills to records like Flying Lotus’ You’re Dead! and Kendrick Lamar’s masterful To Pimp A Butterfly.

Making Breakfast With Twin Peaks

If there is one thing you can say about the music industry it’s there are a lot of people really working their asses off. From the countless promoters, managers, photographers, press outlets, sound guys, door guys, bartenders, and not to mention all the artists putting everything out there every night just to scrape out a living, everything is a grind to have a seat at the table. But then there are those people who walk in, step on stage and are just so talented that everything fits perfectly together before our eyes.

New Music Monday: Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment — Surf

If you were confused this week about reports of a new Chance The Rapper album, don’t worry, you weren’t the only one. And even if you and I are the only two who were, I’ve got the facts here: while Chicago born kid dynamo Chance The Rapper does have new content out, it is not his highly anticipated follow up to Acid Rap. The new album is credited to Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment. What is The Social Experiment? Beginning as Chance’s band on his “Social Experiment” tour, the four person group (Chance The Rapper, Donnie Trumpet, Peter Cottontale, and Nate Fox) are now some sort of songwriting/production/band amalgam, and have released their new album, Surf.

Album Review: Bones Muhroni— Maxwell

Bones Muhroni drummer Ryan Wykert describes their music as a funky folk band, but Ryan was always a little weird. Now that I think about the time they lived in Greeley and we named them the winner of the 2012 BandWagon Battle of the Bands, all the guys in Bones Muhroni were pretty weird. Now living in Los Angeles, the Muhroni boys have out done themselves with their latest release Maxwell and that weirdness has congealed into something special. Unpretentious, unabashed, soulful, and honest, Bones Muhroni have created something unique in today’s world of following trends. Although grandiose at times and the production drifting into the ‘big for the sake of big’ realm, Maxwell lives in the classic world of rock’s forefathers.

New Music Monday: My Brightest Diamond — I Had Grown Wild

When the whisper quiet fire that is My Brightest Diamond first hits your headphones, you wouldn’t expect that its matriarch Shara Worden hails from Arkansas. For that matter, you wouldn’t assume she hails from this solar system. Beginning her musical career in the band AwRY, Worden soon left the group, and began producing music under the moniker My Brightest Diamond. Enrapturing fans with the deft composition and ghostly vocals of her debut record Bring Me The Workhorse, Worden would go on to release a her Shark Remixes EP series, as well as a handful of full length albums, including the ethereal and cheeky All Things Will Unwind.

New Music Monday: Mac Demarco — “The Way You’d Love Her”

“The Way You’d Love Her” is the lead single from Another One, the mini-LP scheduled for an August 7th release. The track doesn’t do much to push outside Demarco’s wobbly-kneed stoner yodels, but I’m not sure anyone wanted him to. I know I didn’t. “The Way You’d Love Her” features the same smiley strumming and light keyboard work we have come to expect, though the vocal ventures closer to earlier works from Rock and Rock Night Club. Demarco creates a lazy river with his melodies, which the listeners glide abidingly down. The author has an unusual knack for writing melodies that feel upbeat, while creating a sneaking feeling that the content doesn’t echo the sentiment.

The Thrill is Gone: The Passing of BB King

RIP: Riley B. King (1925-2015)

New Music Monday: Mumford & Sons — Wilder Mind

Mumford may have gained their fame riding (some say starting) the wave of popularity for pop-folk music, but Wilder Mind finds the band ditching almost all of their familiarly twangy tunes for a fairly straight laced alternative rock sound. In place of fever pitched banjos come shining, sometimes dry guitars. The resulting sound places them closer to War on Drugs, Ryan Adams, or Ben Howard than any of their pop-folk contemporaries.

Ablum Review: Breach & Bellow – “Burn the Effigy”

esse Spencer, local celebrity and adamant musician released his latest endeavor from his solo project Breach & Bellow this last month. Burn the Effigy is B&B’s debut album, but Spencer is anything but novice to the music scene. From Longmont, Colorado he was born into music.

New Music Monday: Peach Kelli Pop — Peach Kelli Pop III

The tunes on Peach Kelli Pop’s aptly named third record Peach Kelli Pop III are crunchy, low-fi, and (maybe obviously) poppy. Think Ariel Pink meets Blink-182 with a Sailor Moon costume. Tracks like “Princess Castle 1987,” the album’s intro track, features the same fuzzy nerd-pop fans have come to expect from Peach Kelli herself, Allie Hanlon. With releases stretch back to summer of 2011 with her first EP Panchito Blues, Hanlon dances the line between The Runaways and MC Chris, blending nerdcore sentiments with headbanging riffs.

His Own Self: J-Live Juggles It All

New York City native Justice Allah Cadet, better known as J-Live, has a laundry list of collaborations, albums and EPs he’s done since emerging in the mid-90s. He’s worked with everyone from Handsome Boy Modeling School and DJ Rob Swift to DJ Nu-Mark of Jurassic 5 and Oddisse. Prince Paul, who had his hands in De La Soul, Stetsasonic, Gravediggaz and, of course, Handsome Boy Modeling School, really took J-Live under his wing. Being from Long Island, Prince Paul was easily accessible to J-Live at an early age. Their first collaboration was on Rawkus Records’ now infamous compilation album, Soundbombing II. From there, they did J-Live’s album 2001’s The Best Part and formed a tight-knit friendship along the way. Eventually, J-Live popped up on a Handsome Boy Modeling School album and ended up contributing vocals to one of the strongest tracks on the record, “The Truth.”

Album Review: Joe Lee Parker— Daiji

For the last few years, one of the local artists I’ve personally supported was musician/photographer/former BandWagon staff member Joe Lee Parker, who has been one of the mainstays of the Greeley music scene for the last few years due to his Sound Art Live shows. In January, Joe released Daiji, a collection of his experimental snyth/electronic music, on Bandcamp and on CD, but due to the hustle-and-bustle of the new year I completely missed it until I attended one of Parker’s shows in March, where he gave me the CD himself. Since then, I’ve gotten to listen to it a couple times, and it’s great.

New Music Monday: Alabama Shakes — Sound & Color

If fans were worried about the band resting on laurels on their second time around, they need not be. Sound & Color is a noticeably more challenging collection of tunes. What made B&G so great was its immediacy. The second you put in the headphones, it was as if the songs coming through had been on your “most listened to” for years. Sound & Color finds the band leaving one foot in their Southern rock roots, and planting the other in soul and blues. While the lead singles, “Gimme All Your Love,” “Don’t Wanna Fight,” and “Future People,” highlighted the electric Brittany Howard’s ability to send hooks screaming into your long term memory, the majority of the tracks require a little more patience.

Album Review: Save Me—Racing On The Sun

Released in January 2015, Save Me, the new EP from alternative-rockers Racing on the Sun, was the perfect way to kick off the new year for the Northern Colorado music scene. Recorded at the Blasting Room in Fort Collins and released at the Moxi Theater in Greeley along with a fancy new light show, Save Me marks a new era for the band. The EP is comprised of three emotionally charged songs and is the perfect introduction to the band’s new and refined image to new and old fans alike.

Crítica del álbum: La Deriva— Vetusta Morla

Vetusta Morla, un grupo musical originado de Tres Cantos, Madrid, es reconocido por sus melodías de género rock alternativo. Desde el ’98 esta banda de seis miembros ha estado participando en concursos musicales estatales, tocando en conciertos de radio y de beneficio, publicando álbumes y demos, y girando por todo el mundo presentando sus discos estilo indie español.

new Music Monday: Tyler, The Creator — CHERRY BOMB

24 year old rapper/producer/writer, and founding member of the Odd Future hiphop collective, Tyler, The Creator is without a doubt, one of hip hop’s most controversial figures. Exploding onto people’s desktops with the infamous “Yonkers” music video, Tyler would go on to release two albums full of the pervasive, bludgeoned horror-core he would come to be known for, Yonkers and Bastard. Though in 2013, with the release of Wolf, Tyler dropped the horror-core facade, in favor of a jazzier, more main-stream sound that capitalized on the snot-nosed braggadocio Odd Future does so well, while still leaving room for the best storytelling we’ve received from the rapper so far. As big of a departure as Wolf was, Cherry Bomb is from Wolf.

Album Review: Sequential—The Panoramic

Sequential is the brutal, five track EP released in December 2014 by progressive metalcore band The Panoramic. The band is comprised of four extremely talented musicians from around Colorado, with half of the band being Greeley residents, although they claim to be based out of Fort Collins. To keep things interesting, the band also draws from a multitude of different influences ranging from world music to spoken word.

Album Review: Wild Onion Twin Peaks

To dismiss Twin Peaks simply because they share a name with an old television show beloved by some and forgotten by others would be a mistake. Indeed, the Chicago quartet is rudimentary at face value, but the second the disc starts spinning they reveal their true colors as something much more exciting and special. Their newest LP, Wild Onion, is an entertaining piece that keeps things relatively grounded to huge success.

Friday Fest: Cale Dodds @The Penalty Box

Photography by Dylan Adams BandWagon Magazine

The Historic Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

If it’s not already evident, maintaining a band presidency for forty-nine years is a pretty impressive feat, especially when the band is a 16 member jazz ensemble that came about during a racially tense America in the ‘60s. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra has welcomed several top named professionals in the industry and undergone a succession of directors, but they’ve consistently produced lively, intricate jazz performances throughout their existence. They currently post up in New York City performing the historically reputable Village Vanguard, where they’ve been a weekly headline for decades. The VJO have successively preserved the initiative of big band music against all popularity odds allowing their talent to transcend listeners back and forth through time.

The Amazing Deborah Brown

From Kansas City, Missouri to the farthest borders of Indonesia, renowned jazz soul singer Deborah Brown has been establishing footholds in contemporary jazz for over thirty years. Her discography expands 26 albums and as jazz is inevitably a list of collaborations, Brown’s book includes legends such as pianist Monty Alexander, trombonist Slide Hampton, double-bassist Red Mitchell and trumpeter Clark Terry among others. All big names aside, Brown has made her own path in jazz and although her music isn’t as prevalent on American radio, with good reason she doesn’t mind that her talent has a greater influence on the international jazz community.

Album Review: Policy— Will Butler

In May of last year, I was lucky enough to score some tickets to see one of my favorite bands in concert. The show was at the Pepsi Center (not my first, second, or third choice in venue) but the show was everything I hoped it would be. It was raucous and colorful. The band’s members were decked out in Bowie-esqe face paints, the set changed with every song, and at one point, the stadium was filled with gold confetti to the effect that I couldn’t see my hands in front of my face. To the left of the singer, holding a tambourine, or guitar, or pounding on the keys, was who I would later come to know as the lead singer’s younger brother. I know the singer is typically the focus in band settings, but the energy coming off the tambourine man was inescapable. The music was his voice, and he screamed his throat raw every song. The band was Arcade Fire, and the man was Will Butler.

Spiritual Fitness: Tribal Seeds Works It Out With Reggae

Growing up in San Diego, California made it easy to fall in love with reggae. The sound of the ocean, the inevitable “chill” vibe and countless music festivals around southern California painted the perfect picture for reggae music to thrive. Brothers Steven Rene and Tony-Ray Jacobo were immersed in the music early on. Consequently, it comes as no surprise they are the co-founders of the San Diego-based reggae band, Tribal Seeds. Founded in 2005, it was the Jacobo brothers’ way of finding a spiritual connection through reggae music. Much like their predecessors, which include Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Steel Pulse, among others, reggae gives them a sense of peace unparalleled by other musical genres.

The Legendary Chris Potter

Chris Potter is no stranger to hard work and the nature of the beast that is the professional jazz world. With over fifteen album releases and 150 guest spots on records of some of the most prolific musicians in the industry (a list that includes Steeley Dan for all you non-jazz heads out there) Chris Potter sits in the top echelon of saxophonists in an ever changing and modernizing international scene.

New Music Monday: Desaparecidos — City on the Hill

Love him or hate him (because it’s more than likely one of the two) Conor Oberst is one of his generation’s most eminent singer/songwriter, not to mention prolific. Most commonly known as the one man/band folk rock act Bright Eyes, his side projects include Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, Monsters of Folk, and Desaparecidos. The latter is a punk-rock band. As a fan of his works, I was a little surprised (and embarrassed) to find an Oberst project I hadn’t heard of. When the guy who turned me on to Bright Eyes told me about the single, I knew what I’d be writing about this week.

Album Review: Isosceles Ivory Circle

It was the later days of her first project, and Connie Hong was beginning to feel like it was time to move on. She approached friend and producer Chris Beeble about beginning a new project, and from those early days of collaboration, Ivory Circle was born. Now armed with three extra members and a clearer musical focus, the band finds themselves in the middle of an EP trilogy. This month, the BandWagon caught up with Connie Hong to talk about the trilogy, and its process.

Album Review: Full Nelson — In The Whale

Former Greeley band, now Denver favorite hit the ground running with their latest EP Full Nelson. It’s a raucous, thunderous expansion on their already raucous and thunderous sound. On Full Nelson we hear In the Whale in full command of this wild animal of a band birthed out of a particularly grueling time in the Greeley music scene. Since then they have clawed their way up the Colorado music latter with show after show, release after release, and now tour after tour. Full Nelson has them at their current best with five tracks of honest rock and roll.

New Music Monday: Faith Healer — Cosmic Troubles

I’ll admit, I judged this book by its cover; the album cover, that is. Expecting some sort of sloppy metal, I braced myself for what I might hear. I could not have been more wrong. Jalbert commands the mic from first to last. The vocal that came as coy in Loyola loses the cuddle in favor of something more listless, lilting, and sardonic. The change is apparent in the instrumentation as well, which sports a fuzzy coating of 60’s psych, and sunny 70’s pop. The effect is something close to The Zombies meets Kimya Dawson, without any of the kitch.

The Geometric Play of the Ivory Circle

This month, The BandWagon sat down with Connie Hong, lead singer of Denver’s very own Ivory Circle. During our discussion, we talked about the release of the band’s triple EP series. They are titled Equilateral, Isosceles, and Scalene, respectively. In the first two chapters, Hong and her cohorts have crafted a thrumming, vibrant collection of dream-pop tunes. Equilateral is out now, and Isosceles hits shelves April 14th. Scalene is currently slated for a 2016 release. During our talk, we discuss Hong’s creative goals for this project, and how recent life events found their way into the the backbone of its content.

Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes: The Modern Day Bowie

As a fan of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and other “riff rock bands,” as he puts it, Barnes is not afraid to go big. Evidence of that comes within two seconds of the opening track, “Bassem Sabry.” With its heavy guitar riff, it’s more reminiscent of “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath than an Of Montreal song, but as soon as his vocals kick in, it goes into a disco beat. This is typical of Barnes. He loves to experiment with all types of music and often incorporates several genres into one track. Often described as a “modern-day Bowie,” Barnes doesn’t shy away from this comparison at all. It’s clearly a compliment.

New Music Monday: Courtney Barnett — Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

This week, Australian singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett has released her highly anticipated sophomore album, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit (which for brevity’s sake, shall be referred to as Sometimes from here on out). The patently Australian chill that was present in her first album still rings true, while lazily wandering into new musical territory. There’s a warmth present in her tunes that beg for the album to be enjoyed on a couch, or front porch. Even the punchier tracks like “Dead Fox” or the lead single “Pedestrian at Best” have a “neighborhood BBQ” vibe to them.

New Music Monday: Twin Shadow – Eclipse

George Lewis Jr., the artist also known as Twin Shadow shoots for the top on his third album, Eclipse. He misses the mark but the effort is not without a few solid jams.

J Boog: Compton’s Reggae King

If music is a universal language, Jerry “J Boog” Afemata has mastered that language through reggae. Born in Long Beach, California and raised in Compton as the youngest of eight, J Boog worked to make his sound a collaboration of family influence and personal freedom. With the help of reggae artist Fiji in 2005, J Boog produced his debut album Hear Me Roar. Joining up with Wash House Music Inc, he worked with reggae family legend Ambassador Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage, island producer and artist Don Corelone, and international reggae star Yami Bolo to put out his Billboard charts topper Backyard Boogie in 2011. He won Best New Entertainer at 2012’s International Reggae and Music Awards. He continues to produce singles that make their way to the top charts for reggae and put out his latest EP Live Up in 2014.

Uncle Tony Speaks: Blockhead Offers More Instrumental Brilliance

Producer Blockhead (real name Tony Simon) is currently on another leg of his solo tour in support of his latest album, Bells & Whistles, which was released in November 2014. His last effort, 2012’s Interludes After Midnight, offers more instrumental brilliance and puts the cherry on top of an already impressive catalog. From 2004’s Music By Cavelight (his Ninja Tunes debut) to 2009’s The Music Scene, literally every track that bares Simon’s touch is flawless. Growing up in Manhattan, he was enamored with hip-hop since the moment he heard it. He met emcee Aesop Rock while attending Boston University in 1994 and it was on from there. Although Simon prefers rap music over instrumental music, he has a deep appreciation for all genres

New Music Monday: Death Grips – On GP

Death Grips fans rejoice! We have been eagerly (and impatiently) awaiting the release of the hiphop trio’s “final” album for quite some time now. After splitting up in July, the band promised the 2nd half of their final album by the end of the year. If you’re reading this, I don’t have to tell you that MC Ride and crew squelched on their promise. After the release of the unexpected Fashion Week LP, and numerous release date changes, it appears as though Death Grips has finally settled on a release date, and they mean to keep it. Jenny Death, the 2nd half of the powers that b, will be release March 17th. This Tuesday. Like I said, rejoice.

Album Review: Navigate—Aspen Hourglass

Each member brings forth a unique musical background, ranging from jazz, to classical and metal. Only when the members of Aspen Hourglass combine these elements does something magical happen. Ethereal at first, but with time, and multiple listening sessions, the complexities of the music begin to reveal themselves.

Album Review: The Hotboxed EP – THC

The Hotboxed EP is intended to be a showcase of his abilities as a songwriter, producer, and performer. The album incorporates many reggae elements and features local reggae talent Bad Kat, President Destine, and Spellbinder. The album dropped while opening for Afroman last year at the Moxi Theater.

New Music Monday: Purity Ring — another eternity

This week, Purity Ring released another eternity, the 2nd studio release for the duo. The lead singles, namely “push pull” did a good job of describing the sugary sweet synth that we’d be getting in this album. The digitized Megan James vocal is the perfect candy-coated counterpoint to the whomping, swirling bass. Each song is a druggy fever dream tumbling through your computer screen. James and band mate Corin Roddick know their sound, and they do it well.

Crítica del álbum: Loco de Amor— Juanes

Juanes incorpora el amor con su estilo de rock n’ roll que todos conocemos y nos encanta de el. Como el lo describió en su entrevista con Billboard Track by Track, Loco de Amor “es como poner un rayo de amor por un prisma es todos los diferentes enfoques que el amor tiene entre relaciones.” El álbum comienza con la canción titulada “Mil Pedazos” donde da referencia a su corazón roto. Menciona una navaja y como el filo le corta el alma, continua a decir que el es mil pedazos de un amor. La canción tiene la tradicional guitarra de Juanes pero también tiene el ritmo parecido al latido de un corazón dominando todo el tema.

DoomTree Ushers In All Hands

Anyone who has followed Doomtree’s career knows emcee P.O.S (real name Stefon Alexander) was having severe health issues that caused him to lay low for the better part of three years. The Minneapolis native and Rhymesayers signee had just released 2012’s We Don’t Even Live Here when he was forced to cancel a major national tour due to health concerns. Thankfully, that ordeal is over and he is now the proud owner of two new kidneys. Naturally, he’s back to killing it. The Doomtree crew, comprised of Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan, Sims, Lazerbeak, Paper Tiger, Dessa, and P.O.S., dropped their latest studio album, All Hands, January 27, their first full-length since 2011’s No Kings.

Album Review: After—Lady Lamb The Beekeeper

At 15, when Aly Spralto began writing music of her own in the basement of a DVD rental she worked at, she grew into the habit of keeping a journal by her bed. They would hold doodles, lyrical nuggets that begged to be written down, and figments of dreams. Sometimes, she would wake up to find a message written by her half-asleep self. This was the case with her moniker. What she awoke to find scrawled on the journal page, would soon become the name on her debut effort, Ripley Pine, as well as her new album After, which hits stores March 3rd.

New Music Monday: Tallest Man on Earth — “Sagres”

In 2006, Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Mattson released his self-titled debut to overwhelmingly positive reviews under the moniker The Tallest Man on Earth. Eight years later, and with 3 albums under his belt, The Tallest Man …

Zion I Spreads the Love

In Oakland, California, if you mention the name Zion I, most likely people know who you’re talking about. Go further inland and there’s less of a chance people have ever heard of them. However, emcee Zumbi and producer Amp Live are on a mission to change that. They’ve come a long way since their 1997 debut, subsequently spitting out albums on a regular basis for over 15 years. With Amp Live’s futuristic production and Zumbi’s introspective, often metaphysical lyrical content, Zion I stands out amongst the contemporary rappers of today. Zumbi is more likely to rap about yoga before he raps about “da club.” As we continue to sail through the worst economy the world has seen in decades, it’s ironic that mainstream rappers brag about how much money they have, something Zumbi approaches with common sens

Album Review: In Tall Buildings— Driver

If Erik Hall, the mastermind behind the Chicago based band In Tall Buildings, could have everyone listen to two albums it would be Neil Young’s On The Beach and Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians, two strikingly different albums. One is a powerful expression of minimalism that is highly technical and enveloping, the other is well, Neil Young hanging out on the beach. The albums are far removed from each other but after listening to In Tall Buildings’ latest release Driver which is out February 17th, the influences they’ve had on Hall couldn’t be more apparent.

INTERVIEW: LADY LAMB THE BEEKEEPER

This month, The BandWagon sat down with Aly Spralto, more commonly known as Lady Lamb The Beekeeper. In our conversation, we talk about her creative process, touring, and the writing and recording of her new album After. Check out the March issue of BandWagon Magazine to see our review.

NMM: Smoke and Mirrors— Imagine Dragons

Imagine Dragons, the quartet from sin-city capital Las Vegas, Nevada released Smoke and Mirrors this weekend. Their second studio album stands to fill some large shoes as their debut album Night Visions went platinum winning the band’s number one single “Radioactive” a Grammy for Best Rock Performance. Smoke and Mirrors track “I Bet My Life” has been looping through radio networks since last fall, giving fans a taste of the upcoming album, yet their single is no indication as to the overall sound of the album.

Humble Fish: Chali 2na Keeps His Ego at Bay

As the baritone voice of Jurassic 5 (J5), Chali 2na has been lending monumental contributions to hip-hop culture since he emerged from Los Angeles’ Good Life Cafe scene in the early ‘90s. Originally part of the Unity Committee (with Cut Chemist and Mark 7even), Chali 2na formed J5 after merging with The Rebels of Rhythm (with Akil and Soup) in 1993. After J5’s self-titled debut dropped in 1998, the group followed up with 2000’s critically acclaimed sophomore effort, Quality Control. On the track “Contribution,” Chali 2na spits: “The most that you can spend on any child is time.” It’s a philosophy he took to heart and carried into his family dynamic. Growing up on the Southside of Chicago, the now 43-year-old artist was lacking a strong male role model in his life.

Album Review: The Potato Pirates— Raised Better Than This

Just as diverse as the big city itself, Denver punk band The Potato Pirates’ new album has something for everyone. Raised Better Than This came out on October 7, 2014 after a much anticipated wait by local fans and the band. This quintet is usually known for being a Mile High punk band with occasional ska influences and the curveball bagpipe player. They have come a long way since their first self-titled album released in 2008. The twelve songs on their new album include several different influences that make this collection as incredible as the first two albums were.

Interview: Oliver Ackermann of A Place to Bury Strangers

This month, the BandWagon had the distinct pleasure of having a conversation with lead singer of A Place to Bury Strangers, Oliver Ackermann. The noise-rock trio is based out of Brooklyn, and have just released their 4th studio album, Transfixation. In our conversation, we talked about the the song-writing process, performing live, and the band’s brief hiatus. Transfixation comes out February 17th. Check out the March issue of the BandWagon Magazine for our full review.

Misfits for Music’s Sake: Hypnotic Vibes Wins Battle of the Bands

They are six distinct characters that don’t initially seem to match one another. A juggler, a poet, a bilinguist, a mechanical mind, a beat-boxer, and a Rubik’s cube master, are all musicians with a singular vision: to play good music. And that vision won this funkadelic reggae band the 2014 BandWagon Magazine Battle of the Bands.

New Music Monday: Alabama Shakes — Don’t Wanna Fight

In 2012, Alabama locals Brittany Howard, Zac Cockrell, Steve Johnson, and Heath Fogg released their debut album, Boys & Girls. What began as a trickle, soon became an unstoppable waterfall of fandom for the band. The album snagged them a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, as well as a headlining spot at the awards in 2013. This week, Alabama Shakes has announced their wildly anticipated sophomore album, Sound & Color. “Don’t Wanna Fight” is a smoky, sexy take on the band’s trademark bluesy rock vibe.

Album Review:The Decemberists — What a Beautiful World, What a Terrible World

A few weeks ago in our New Music Monday column, I said that the debut singles from The Decemberists’ new album suggested we might be seeing another warm, kind, folksy album. While What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World may sound at first to be just that, it is far away the toothiest album to The Decemberists’ name.

Cursive Celebrates te Ugly Organ’s Reissue

The Ugly Organ would prove to be the group’s breakout record, earning accolades from Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly. There are several tracks on the album where the use of the cello is abundantly clear and contributes a powerful element to already electric songs. Thankfully, as Cursive gets ready to reissue The Ugly Organ and head out on tour in support of the record, the group has decided to reintroduce the cello at each show.

Album Review: Montoeros— If You Think You’re In The Wrong Place, You’re Probably Here

Al describir así mismos como una banda bilingüe de math/punk/indie rock, Montoneros captura algo por lo que varias bandas locales matarían. Con temas en español e inglés, Montoneros abraza sus raíces y se acerca a una audiencia con las ganas de alguna representación en el corazón del rock en Colorado. Debutando con el albúm If You Think You’re In the Wrong Place, You’re Probably Here a finales del 2014, Montoneros llega al escenario con un disco que es honesto y sorprendentemente vulnerable.

New Music Monday: Courtney Barnett — Pedestrian at Best

Though original content dates back to 2011, it was with the 2013 release The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas that Australian rock artist Courtney Barnett first grabbed American attention. While “singer-songwriter” would be accurate, it gives Barnett an implied sweetness that she quite simply doesn’t have. Her lyrics are biting and sarcastic, and her deadpan sing-song can range from Mac Demarco to Johnny Rotten. Her debut album Sometimes I Sit and Think and Sometimes I Just Sit arrives in late March. Luckily, we have an amazing new single, and an accompanying music video.

Album Review: Death Grips — Fashion Week

If you aren’t a prior Death Grips fan, here’s a little background. This is a band that positively described the vibe at their own concerts as “volatile” when speaking to Pitchfork in November 2012. This is a band that left their label over disputes concerning the release of their fourth album, Government Plates for free to the public. This is a band that after later launching their own label, “Third Worlds” in conjunction with Harvest and Capitol Records, broke up seemingly out of no where, and cancelled all upcoming tour dates, including an opening slot for Nine Inch Nails at Red Rocks.

New Music Monday: Milo Greene — Control

When members Andrew Heringer and Robbie Arnett started sending tracks to each other after they graduated, they soon discovered the hardships of booking their own gigs. To address the issue, a fictional booking agent was invented. The character was British, well-read, confident, wore a monocle and three-piece-suit, and his name was Milo Greene.

NEW MUSIC MONDAY: Ryan Bingham — Fear and Saturday Night

Think about classic country. People like Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Hagard, Dolly Parton. What do you think of? Soulful and sad melodies, and (depending on who you’re listening to) some politically tinged lyrics. Like it or not, country music is a big part of American culture and American music. If you consider yourself a true music lover, its important to give it a chance (if you haven’t already). When you do, you get people like Ryan Bingham.

The Flaming Lips Get Weird, It’s One Concert To See Before You Die

In 2013, the Lips’ released its 16th studio album, The Terror, which completely abandons any formulaic methods of songwriting and delivers something refreshingly unique. It may not be as commercially accessible as previous efforts, but it’s another descriptive chapter in The Flaming Lips’ story. They followed up with 2014’s With A Little Help From My Fwends and also released an EP called Peace Sword. Once again on a massive nationwide tour, which makes three stops in Colorado, Drozd took some time out of his day to talk about Wayne’s “celebrity status” and drug addiction.

Album Review: Duchovny —Crystal Broth

“It’s not about meth,” says Noel Afan Billups, of Greeley-based band Duchovny, regarding their new EP Crystal Broth.

“Well, if you want it to be, I mean, sure,” adds Dylan Sonke, the second principal songwriter of the group. Billups and Sonke met during freshmen orientation at the University of Northern Colorado more than three years ago and formed Duchovny soon after. Since then they have been grinding away at their live set with constant gigging and a series of small tours that honed their sound into a psychedelic ethereal dream pop. The record title was inspired by a UNC English professor of the same name, which is equally as weird, but the imagery of “crystal broth” fits the album like a glove.

New Music Monday: Shady Elders — The Night Air EP

While their name might evoke images of seniors engaging in dangerous or illicit activities, the sounds from their previous records featured heavy, lush instrumentation, and a moody melody. Hailing from our beloved capital city, I am speaking, of course, of Shady Elders. The follow up to the No Favors EP has arrived: The Night Air EP.

Soul Sonic Forces: Aesop Rock and Rob Sonic are Hail Mary Mallon

Aesop Rock, real name Ian Bavitz, is one of those rare hip-hop artists who has developed such a unique rhyming style, he’s basically impossible to replicate. The second you hear his voice, you immediately know it’s him. While his rhymes often appear nonsensical and so cryptic it’s difficult to decipher any meaning, once you dig deeper you can discover a lot about the man behind the moniker. For example, he craves solitude, has no interest in “fame” and is just as down to earth as any one of us. Those qualities alone are the most refreshing about him. In an industry supersaturated with massive egos, especially in the hip-hop world, humility is hard to find. Aesop Rock is like a breath of fresh air. However, all coyness goes out the window when he grabs the mic and jumps on stage.

Album Review: J. Cole 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Second only to folk music, hip-hop is the paramount storytelling genre of all time. It builds on the abilities of funk and blues, two great predecessors. Most typically, we see it used as a poppy-hit-machine, though at its most realized, hip-hop is an outlet for feelings of rage, frustration, and oppression. While hip-hop stars are most often characterized as hyper-aggressive chauvinists, when used correctly the genre allows them to rise above and to tell their stories.

Born in Germany and raised in North Carolina, J. Cole grew up in a house with a folk-hippie mother and a hardcore gangsta rap loving father. As such, his sounds are blended and nuanced. His new album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, is without a shadow of a doubt, his best release yet. This is the most sensitive we have seen the J. Cole character to date. He’s frightened at the state of hip-hop and the world he lives in. The album is a call to action that is partially piggybacked from Jay-Z’s Magna Carta… Holy Grail; “We need to write the new rules.”

New Music Mondays: Guster- Evermotion

Ryan Miller, Adam Gardner, Brian Rosenworsel, Luke Reynolds, and Joe Pisapia make up Guster, a Tufts University-birthed pop outfit, which began when Miller, Gardner, and Rosenworsel met Freshman year. Evermotion is their long awaited 7th studio album, and it’s just the dose of cheer that I needed, full of atmospheric charm, and stellar melodies.

Malcom’s World: Mac Miller Takes the Reins

Talking to Pittsburgh native Mac Miller is just what you’d expect. He’s a smart ass, laughs a lot and appears not to take his career too seriously, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Mac Miller (real name Malcolm James McCormick) is self-made and essentially a workaholic. He knew from an early age he wanted to make music for a living and he made it happen. As a child, there was never any doubt Miller was musically gifted. At the age of six, he taught himself how to play piano, drums, bass and guitar. His older brother was getting into hip-hop in the mid-’90s and soon little Mac was pilfering his albums.

New Music Monday: Kanye West “Only One”

After months of posturing, Kanye West’s ravenous fan base have been chomping at the musical bit for something new. The details up until now have been vague at best, and frustratingly stingy. Sources close to West including funny-man Seth Rogen and musician Theophilus London have generated whispers of secret and smoky listening parties, and a rough cut of the rumored single “All Day” was briefly (as in hours) featured on Instagram. Apart from that, fans only had repeated promises that the album was finished, and waiting for release. Well, folks, it’s 2015, and there’s no new album, but we do have a new single.

Crítica del álbum: Miranda! Safari

Este verano pasado Miranda! nos presentó con su sexto álbum llevando por nombre Safari. Ahora Alejandro Sergi y Julieta Gattas (ambos vocalistas) se encuentran sin la presencia de Lolo Fuetes, quien fue su guitarrista estrella desde el comienzo de la agrupación en el 2001. El primer sencillo de Safari se lanzó en diciembre del 2013 y lleva por nombre “extraño,” en el nos ofrecen una letra muy magistral y juguetona. La letra sugiere una relación que ya no es lo que había sido y extrañan esa parte, por el otro lado son como dos desconocidos o dos extraños donde no hay marcha atrás. “Extraño” tiene un sonido que caracteriza a Miranda! y sin lugar a duda una buena elección para darnos una probadita del resto del disco.

Album Review: She & Him Classics

Nostalgia. One of the more relevant feelings in the age of “10 Things Only 90’s Kids Will Get” listicles. It’s an itch that might be scratched by watching Even Stevens, The Goonies, or old Warner Brother’s cartoons. Or maybe listening to oldies music. The clean cutting guitar of the Beach Boys, the cajoling croon of Frank Sinatra. There’s something in the sound that evokes a warmth for a better time, or at least a different one. Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward make up the duo known as She & Him, a group that has built their music largely on the back catalogs of American music.

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

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.

All About the Bass

“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.

New Music Mondays “In a Dream” The Juan MacClean

The Juan MacClean (real name John MacClean) has been a major player is the world of electronic music for almost a decade although most fans of the current style of the genre wouldn’t know it. One of the original artists on the DFA label, which was founded by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, The Juan MacClean is an artist who has been a rock in the electro dance punk scene.

Album Review: Run the Jewels Run the Jewels 2

Run The Jewels has never claimed (or wanted) to be anything other than themselves. To the auteurs behind this project, Killer Mike and El-P, Run The Jewels is more than a title, more than a catchy hook. It is a call to arms; take to the streets, and raise hell. You’re in, or you’re out. The effect is so encompassing, that their 2013 debut began with the song “Run The Jewels,” making that “Run The Jewels,” on Run The Jewels, by Run The Jewels. The sequel, aptly titled Run The Jewels 2, is a tactically precise release that feels like it answers all questions early critics had, while simultaneously doing whatever the hell they want. If they’re careful, there will be much more to see from them in the future.

Album Review: The Echo Chamber Synesthesia

I’m going into The Echo Chamber’s new release, Synesthesia, completely blind. While I have an interest in electronic music, I don’t necessarily listen to a lot of it, and while The Echo Chamber has played here in Greeley, I can’t recall ever attending one of their shows. So I’m largely judging it as if this is the group’s first album, even though this is the Fort Collins-based group’s second release.

Album Review: Los Condensadores de Fluzo Rockabilly “Typicat” Spanish

Condensadores de Fluzo es la traducción incorrecta de Flux Capacitor que debería de ser condensador de flujo cuál es la parte principal de la máquina del tiempo de la película Back to the Future. Esta traducción incorrecta es de España de donde se originan el grupo más exacto de Jaén. Los Condensadores de Fluzo es un grupo mas nuevo que empezaron en el 2010 que tocan música Rockabilly. Los miembros son Fernando Valverde o conocido como “Perro rabioso” que toca la batería, el bajo lo toca Tonino McFly, Juan Antonio Plutonio toca la guitarra, y el vocalista que también toca la guitarra es Carlos o conocido come “Fluzo.” Rockabilly “Typicat” Spanish fue estrenado apenas este año después de su exitoso lanzamiento de su álbum “Back to the Fifties” en el 2012.

New Music Mondays: “Lake Song” The Decemberists

At the release of this article, it has been nearly 4 years since The Decemberists released a new studio album. This is not uncommon for the group, who have taken multiple-year breaks before. The longest break prior to this was taken in between the albums The Crane Wife and Hazards of Love, the latter being the groups paramount release (at least from my perspective). One can only hope that time away is just what the group needs as they prepare to release What a Beautiful World, What a Terrible World.

Album Review: Springtime Carnivore Self-Titled

Greta Morgan Salpeter (better known simply as Greta Morgan) began playing piano at the tender age of three. With a classical pianist for a mother, Morgan has many fond musical memories, especially with her father:

“My Dad is tone deaf, but he loves music. So he always took us to musicals, and I actually remember dancing with him to motown in front of our juke box as kids.” You can sense the importance of these memories in Morgan’s voice

Music continued to be a fierce passion into her teens.

Winter Wonderland Jam Offers Up the Classics

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.”

Rising Stars: Jager’s Got Talent

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).

New Music Monday: The Endless River

Pink Floyd released a new album which marks their first studio album release since The Division Bell in 1994. The album titled The Endless River presents newly worked tracks from material that was once a part of the production of The Division Bell.

Album Review: Born to Wander – Self-Titled EP

It’s not every day that you get a debut album from a jazz trio, but more often than not, the music on it doesn’t sound that much different from anything else out there that’s getting play on the radio. Born to Wander, which consists of vocalist Kate Skinner, guitarist Steve Kovalcheck and bassist Erik Applegate, manage to stick out a bit. They’re a jazz outfit with a mellow yet peppy sound and an electric guitar ato offer style change their songs. Their debut album is a fun, cool production that shows what jazz can be.

New Music Monday: Manchester Orchestra Releases Hope

Manchester Orchestra is not new to the game. With four critically acclaimed albums under their belt including their fantastic fourth album Cope which dropped April 1st of 2014, they can pretty much do whatever they want musically. So in true bands-that-do-whatever-they-want fashion, the Manchester Orchestra boys dropped Hope, a stripped down, not quite acoustic version of Cope.

They re record the entire album song by song in a true testament to their prowess as songwriters and musicians. They completely re envision the intensity of the album, holding on to the desperate driving nature of Cope while at the same time creating something fresh for themselves and fans.

What makes this album so interesting is the care and the meticulous nature of the production in each song making this more than a simple vanity project. One thing you see from successful touring bands is a certain kind of boredom with their own music. Manchester Orchestra breaks from this by reinventing themselves without completely departing from the things that fans have come to know and love. For one album the band lets out their inner Sufjan Stevens, something every band should probably do from time to time.

As a stand alone album Hope tip toes slightly into Boresville when listening from beginning to end if you’re expecting hard rock Manchester Orchestra and something is lost when recreating the intense breakdowns of Cope. But when you compare the two albums they work together and by listening to one the other becomes that much better. Especially Cope, that album is the tits.

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

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.

Album Review: Crunchy Kids – Mint

When thinking of Minneapolis and hip-hop, Rhymesayers is the undeniable forefront. But the independent group Crunchy Kids takes a contending stand among the idols of underground music out of Minnesota. The four man project combines quick-beat vocals (Slim Chance), live drums (Marcus Skallman), bass (Eric Burton) and the keyboard (Eric Mayson) giving hip-hop a greater live band sound. They qualify their music as hip-hop and other but it’s hard to categorize these badasses.

Food For Thought: Imortal Technique Breaks it Down

When Immortal Technique speaks, you listen. There’s no way to get around this. You sit in your chair and you listen because every word he says carries weight. Sometimes it’s almost too heavy and you want him to crack a smile, but he stays steadfast in what he’s saying. There’s no wavering from his agenda—an agenda that started in 2001 when he released his first album, Revolutionary Vol. 1 with his own money and pushed it down the throats of anyone who would listen. And again, they listened. Immortal Technique, born Felipe Andres Coronel, emigrated from Peru to Harlem in 1980. As a teenager, he often found himself in hot water with authorities, which led to a yearlong prison stint during college. After he was paroled, he took up political science at Baruch College in New York City and at the same time polished up his rapping skills. All of his hard work paid off and soon he was rubbing shoulders with pioneers of the genre, including Chuck D of Public Enemy, KRS One and Mos Def. Armed with messages of a political nature, his lyrics revolve around controversial issues surrounding global politics, although he believes the word ‘revolution’ is used too loosely these days.

Afroman: Older. Higher. Wiser.

Afroman could quite possibly be the best spokesperson for the legalization of marijuana. His first single, 2000’s “Because I Got High” became the pothead anthem of the new millennium and sent Afroman spinning out of control into a media frenzy. The South Central Los Angeles native never imagined that song would carry him so far, but it did. Now we’re here. Afroman, real name Joseph Foreman, released a remix of “Because I Got High” in mid-October and the internet exploded. With over one million hits in two days, it almost seemed like Afroman never left, although he’s been flying under the radar for the past few years. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t making music. Since 2000’s Because I Got High album, he’s put out over 25 various albums, singles and EPs. He never stops creating. At 40-years-old, he is experiencing a resurgence of popularity, but there’s a newfound maturity to Afroman’s style.

The Tenacity of Kyle Gass: KGB Hits Greeley

Mention Tenacious D and people’s faces light up. The superstar duo comprised of Jack Black and Kyle Gass has delivered their signature brand of comedy-infused rock since 1994. At the time, they only had five original songs, including “Tribute,” “Kyle Quit,” “Krishna,” “Melissa,” and “History.” Since then, of course, they’ve catapulted to international recognition and appear to be unstoppable. Black has released several lucrative films while Gass has made a number of movie appearances, as well. At the same time, they’ve balanced an incredible musical career revolving around “the D.” Gass also started The Kyle Gass Band [KGB] in 2011 alongside fellow D guitarist John Konesky, guitarist/vocalist Mike Bray, drummer Tim Spier, and bassist Jason Keene. Talking to Gass is what one would expect- a non-stop laugh riot. That’s right. Riot. It’s impossible to have a serious conversation with a guy like Gass. And why would you want to? He knows he was put on Earth to make people laugh and that’s what he does. In anticipation of KGB’s appearance in Greeley this month, we got him on the phone as he was driving to the Shrine Expo Hall in L.A. to prepare for his Festival Supreme event, an annual extravaganza he puts on with Black.

Album Review: Silver and Gold – Compression

Silver and Gold have been a Greeley talent treasure trove with bounds of musical silver, and surprise, surprise… premium gold. The five star band features Davis Williams (drums), Brandon Vela (bass), Claire Jensen (keyboard/ vocals), Pie Lombardi (guitar/ vocals) and Devon Hildebrandt (guitar/ vocals). They just keep getting better. Their new EP, Compression is a direct reflection of how well they work together.

Album Review: The Deadwood Saints 6th Street Trinity

Alternative country is something that I don’t necessarily pay much attention to, even though I have a love and appreciation for country music. The alternative scene pushes country in directions one wouldn’t normally hear on KYGO. For those that think country is about daisy dukes, pick-up trucks, drinking, Jesus, and ‘MURICA, I’d ask you to look into alt country music.

Album Review: Too Many Zoos, Fanimals EP

Self-described brass house trio Too Many Zooz has only been around since late last year, and rose to national prominence sometime in January when someone posted a video of the group performing in Union Square. Fans have said that the first time hearing the group was when they were walking through the area and “suddenly heard this massive, incredible sound.” That’s about accurate.

Grieves A different Kind of Wolf

Could it be? Could Grieves, the Rhymesayers emcee, be leaving hip-hop for neo-soul? Not so fast. Although the Seattle-based artist’s most recent album 2014’s Winter & the Wolves offers more soulful singing than previous efforts, it’s still very much a hip-hop album. After all, Grieves (real name Benjamin Laub) has been “professionally” rapping since his brief stint with Black Clover Records in 2007.

Little Dragon: Fired Up for the New Tour

The moment vocalist Yukimi Nagano drops her first note on the 2010 Gorillaz track “Empire Ants,” she promptly steals the show from Damon Albarn. As the 32-year-old front woman of Little Dragon, she’s used to being in the spotlight by now. Since 2009’s Machine Dreams, the Swedish four-piece (sometimes five) has been steadily on the rise, especially in the United States. Their third album, 2011’s Ritual Union, appeared to cement their arrival, reaching number 78 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. It’s their most successful album to date.

The Evolution of DJ Qbert

“Everyone can have fun being a DJ,” DJ Qbert says. “But it still takes a lot more to be a scratch musician.”

The San Francisco native has carved out his own spot on the list of legendary turntablists, beginning with his involvement in FM20 with Mix Master Mike (of Beastie Boy fame) and DJ Apollo in the early ‘90s.

Album Review: Camila, Elypse

Por primera vez en la historia de Camila tenemos un dúo. Así es, su tercer álbum fue lanzado en Junio del presente año y solo cuenta con dos integrantes. Samo había sido parte de la agrupación desde sus comienzos en el 2006, más sin embargo decidió decir adiós para dedicarse a su carrera como solista. Mario Domm es el productor de Camila, también es compositor, cantante y toca varios instrumentos musicales como el piano y la guitarra. Pablo Hurtado es el guitarrista y co-productor. El más reciente álbum lleva por nombre Elypse. En el buscan escribir una nueva historia como lo han hecho en el pasado, la diferencia es que en Elypse no hay reglas. Es sin confort, sin limites y sin miedo como lo describe Domm.

Riot Fest: Three Days of Badass Rock Music

First off, Riot Fest was awesome. There is no other way to say it, after it’s all said and done and we the critics have our say about what went well and what didn’t and ask the ultimate festival question of if it was worth the ticket price, Riot Fest was still awesome. To see this particular line up whether you grew up listening to them or not was something everyone there knew would only happen a few times in our lives. To see The Flaming Lips then literally turn around and see Primus begin made me wonder, where the hell am I?

The Mastermind Behind the Mask, Slow Magic

Aside from the mesmerizing instrumental electronic music Slow Magic makes, there’s a mysticism surrounding the young producer that pulls you in even more. The “young” part is even a guess because nobody really knows for sure who the mastermind behind Slow Magic is, his real name or what he looks like. Armed with a multi-colored imaginary animal mask, Slow Magic takes to the stage like the untamed beast he represents. He pounds on the drums like he’s harnessing his primal instincts and delivers an infectious sound so sweet, it’s impossible not to love. More performance art than anything, Slow Magic reveals why he hides his identity.

Clutch Shares Their Success at Riot Fest

Clutch, an original 90s rock band played the Byers General Store Stage at Riot Fest this weekend and an interview with drummer Jean-Paul Gaster shed some light on the process of building upon their legacy as successful musicians.

Up the Mountain – Conor Oberst Plays the Mishawaka

Singer-songwriter Conor Oberst always seems to be in high demand, at least in terms of interviews. He seldom consents to one and if he does, it’s for the typical major publications like Rolling Stone or Spin. It’s a rare day when he agrees to one on a smaller scale. However, Oberst grew up in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. I’ve seen him around since he was a wide-eyed 14-year-old at Creighton Prep, an all-boys Jesuit high school. Even then, Oberst had his eye on playing music, not so much his studies.

The Truth is Here: Brother Ali Talks Independent Music

Rhymesayers Entertainment artist Brother Ali has been spitting out albums since emerging out of Minneapolis with 2000’s Rites of Passage. It was a brave introduction to the life of an albino rapper and a little insight into his heavily politically minded views. 2003’s Shadows on the Sun, 2007’s The Undisputed Truth, 2009’s Us, and 2012’s Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color continued Brother Ali’s path of delivering content-driven, independent hip-hop.

Album Review: Zoe- Programaton

Zoé es una banda Latinoamericana formada por cinco integrantes. La banda tuvo su comienzo en la ciudad de México. Su establecimiento retrocede hasta mediados de los años ‘90. Su música originalmente fué influenciada por el pop británico sin duda alguna como los Beatles.

León Larregui (vocalista y guitarra), Sergio Acosta (guitarra), Jesús Báez (teclado) y Ángel Bosqueda (tambores) emprendieron Zoé en 1994. Casi veinte años más tarde, los mismos cuatro integrantes más la incorporación de Rodrigo Guandiola (batería) son a lo que llamamos Zoé. Hoy en día los podemos apreciar con un estilo de rock alternativo e indie rock que se podría clasificar entre más estilos.

Jimmy Angel: The Yankees, Mommy and the Mob

Every dream 79-year-old Rock ‘n Roll idol Jimmy Angel ever had growing up was to be a New York Yankee, not a legendary Rock star. But when his baseball career with a Yankees farm team was cut short by an injury, the pressure to support his mother who he humbly referred to as Mommy couldn’t be solved by a simple day job.

Album Review: Tv Girl – French Exit

TV Girl started as a collaboration between Brad Petering and Trung Ngo before becoming Petering’s solo act in 2013. Petering casually refers to French Exit as a solo album “Depending on how you look at it,” which is an odd line considering this follows a 15-track mixtape a couple of years ago titled The Wild, the Innocent, the TV Shuffle. The album’s Bandcamp page goes on to advertise “12 songs about lost lust, too much love and not enough.”

High Art Hip Hop: Lyrics Born Rock With Chali 2na

As we all know, hip-hop has a revolving door of rappers. With contemporary artists being chewed up and spit out faster than you can say Lil Jon, the probability of a career spanning multiple decades is highly doubtful. Notable East Coast emcees such as KRS-One, Mos Def and Talib Kweli are among the few that can claim years of longevity. Lyrics Born (real name Tom Shimura), however, has been at it since the early ‘90s and is still going strong with his latest release, As U Were. Growing up in Berkley, Shimura had a hard time getting his hands on good hip-hop. Fortunately, he crossed paths with future label mates, Gift of Gab (Blackalicious) and Lateef the Truthspeaker (Latyrx) while attending school at UC-Davis where the idea for Quannum Projects was born. In addition to putting out their own records, the three entrepreneurs started putting out material by artists like DJ Shadow, Lifesavas and Pigeon John under the Quannum moniker. As Lyrics Born, Shimura has reveled in plenty of success with his funk and soul-infused hip-hop, something he learned as a college radio DJ in California.

Album Review: Ty Segall – Manipulator

Laguna Beach native Ty Segall has exploded with popularity since he started popping up in lo-fi garage rock bands around Orange County in the early 2000’s, and now, Segall’s solo career is on fire after releasing 2008’s self-titled debut. With an affinity for fuzzed-out guitars, surf rock and ‘60s-inspired psychedelic garage rock, Segall has proven to be on the front lines of the recent garage rock surge. Fortunately for Segall, he made the move to San Francisco before MTV’s reality show, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County, landed on his front door. It transformed his hometown into something unrecognizable to him. Fortunately, that’s beginning to change.

Album Review: Operations – EP 1

In terms of comparisons, Operators are probably closest in sounds to Handsome Furs. Not to be confused by the hard rock band of the same name, Operators sport a peppy electronic sound that splits the difference evenly among its songs between clean, exciting beats and softer, fuzzier sounds. It mostly works quite well, and with the different types of ideas and sounds Boeckner experiments with on the album, it’s exciting to anticipate what he’ll do with the next Operators release, especially if that release is enabled by the expanse and budget of a full-length album.

Feeling the Vibe – Vibe Squad Talks Business with The BandWagon

Considering the music Aaron Holstein makes, you’d never guess the man behind VibeSquaD is a trained multi-instrumentalist with a background in jazz. The talented Colorado-based music producer emits sounds that can make your ears bleed with its pounding bass, swirling synthesizers and relentless energy—just don’t call it dubstep. His infusions of funk, hip-hop and other polyrhythmic textures into his electronic concoctions defy categorization. Combined with his eccentric stage persona, Holstein is in a world of his own.

Cooler Than A Polar Bear’s Toenails: OutKast Hits Up the Mad Decent Block Party in Denver

When Big Boi walked out on to the Red Rocks Amphitheater stage in 2010 for a Rock the Bells performance, Andre 3000 was noticeably absent. Nonetheless, he performed many of Outkast’s singles, including “Elevators (Me and You),” “ATLians” and “Rosa Parks.” However, it just wasn’t’ the same. This year, when Big Boi and Andre 3000 perform at Denver’s Mad Decent Block Party on August 22, things will be a little different.

Album Review: Bear In Heaven – Time Is Over One Day Old

Formed in 2003, Bear in Heaven have been releasing contemplative, psychedelic synth music since before (and now quite a while after) such a sound stumbled its way into the zeitgeist. Up to this point the highlight of their career is probably 2009‘s Beast Rest Forth Mouth, a dark, spiraling collection of mind-bending synth-pop. With Time Is Only One Day Old, Bear in Heaven seek to improve their sound while also leading the listener down a stranger, more introspective path, and it’s difficult to listen to this ten-song collection without thinking they have succeeded.

When Jimi Played Woodstock Sha Na Na Was There

Sha Na Na, the doo-wop band who began their successful career in the 1969 performance of Woodstock, is touring through Northern Colorado for the 1st Annual Rocky Mountain Rock n’ Roll Sing-Along Festival 45 years after their magical beginning.

The band started as an a cappella group at Columbia University. In the summer of ‘69 they decided to give the competitive musical scene of New York a shot. It was only their 8th musical gig when they impressed their peers at a downtown nightclub and landed the biggest live performance of their career.

ARISE Music Festival Spotlights: A Few of Our Favorites

ARISE Music will be held August 8th-10th at Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, Colorado. Here are a few bands we are excited to see this year.

Album Review: Fallen Dean M. Curtis

Dean Curtis, a Fort Collins-based musician and singer, seemingly threw everything into Fallen, his 2014 album. I suspect if he could use a kitchen sink as an instrument, he would’ve done so. It’s an impressive solo debut album for Curtis, who’s the bassist for the reggae band DubSkin and has been producing music for the past ten years.

Album Review: Fucked Up – Glass Boys

Glass Boys is a follow up to 2011’s David Comes to Life, which saw the band’s first ranking on the billboards and created a big name for them. The album was conceptual and followed a light bulb factory worker that falls in love with an activist, who is killed by a bomb they build to blow up the factory. And while concept albums often feel forced, the band’s raw energy and the musical talent really pulled it into the foreground. This latest release is very similar, despite not being an official concept album though the “getting older” theme threads it together.

Fuck Being Anything Else But Crazy

Clearly the atypical rapper, he deals in fallen angels and atheism, which alone sets him worlds apart from most other MCs. He has a style that absolutely murders the competition; speedy raps that combine wicked, tricky wordplay with melodic hooks, an on stage presence that involves tribal face paint, a straight jacket and blood red hair, making him one of the most unique figures in the game. With a career spanning over two decades, including fourteen studio albums and over two million independent sales, he’s no slacker either. After becoming increasingly frustrated with major labels, Tech launched his own imprint, Strange Music, Inc. in 1999 with his manager.

Ceschi’s First Taste of Freedom

Fake Four, Inc., a small independent record label in New Haven, Connecticut, has far surpassed the expectations of its founders, brothers Ceschi and David Ramos. Established in 2008, it was born out of a mutual passion for music and grown by the love and support of its fans. As Fake Four was gathering momentum, putting out album after album and touring the world, Ceschi Ramos found himself in a terrible predicament, one even Hollywood couldn’t make up.

Album Review: The Burroughs – Self Titled EP

Whether they’re starting a full-on dance contest during a show with original compositions or performing rip-roaring covers of everything from Beyonce’s “Love on Top” to the Ghostbusters theme, The Burroughs are never short on energy. In under a year of operation, the band has already displayed impressive talent and limitless confidence to match a group several times their tenure. The wait has seemed longer than it actually was, but The Burroughs EP is here, and as expected, is plenty of fun.

Album Review: Dub Thompson – 9 Songs

It’s not easy being weird. Bands that attempt it come off as either trying too hard, or simply botch the effort to produce a product that skews too heavily in one direction: either half-hearted and boring, or so aggressive and outrageous, it’s off-putting. How impressive it is, then, that duo Dub Thompson toes that line astonishing precision, edging debut album 9 Songs into territory that lies comfortably between those extremes and rarely veering off-course.

Album Review: Anchorage – Anchorage

I don’t envy bands that have the desire to carve out a fresh niche in the music scene. With the industry populated with so many new (and occasionally fresh) acts, introducing a new sound is not easy. Denver rockers Anchorage set out to do just that, advertising broad stylistic backgrounds and genre-bending music to be a unique new player in the rock scene.

Album Review: Afghan Whigs – Do to the Beast

Whigs_cover_nobandIt’s been 16 years since Greg Dulli released an album under his outfit The Afghan Whigs. It’s almost baffling to consider peripherally that the last album dropped in the late 90s. Dulli has remained active under his other groups, The Twilight Singers and The Gutter Twins, but with the former starting to blur stylistic lines with his original group, Dulli felt it was time to come full circle and return to his roots with Do to the Beast, which mostly delivers exactly what Dulli followers are looking for—more dynamic, elaborate instrumentation and smoky.

UNC’s Jazz Festival Profile: Swingle Singers

Recently, a viral video surfaced of a construction worker boarding a crowded subway train. He starts beat boxing, using a cardboard coffee cup to amplify the sounds coming out of his mouth. After some bewildered stares another passenger starts singing. And then another. And another.

The Ultimate Freak: Sir Mix-a-Lot Still Swass

In the early ‘90s, Seattle native Sir Mix-a-Lot proudly proclaimed: “I like big butts and I cannot lie” on 1992’s Mack Daddy, his third studio album and first for Def American. However, little do people know the two albums that preceded Mack Daddy contained some of his best material. From “Square Dance Rap” and “Swap Meat Louie” to “Posse on Broadway” and “Beepers,” there’s more to Mix-a-Lot than just big butts.

Album Review: In the Whale – Nate

As always, In the Whale boasts a driving, electrifying power that takes up an incredible amount of sonic space despite being composed of just two guys. The basic guitar-and-drum formula works, and while there’s nothing at all elaborate about the band’s music, it’s the earnestness with which they perform it that makes it so damn fun.

Album Review: The Wild After – Lesson Learned

People who consume music on a casual basis don’t realize what a strange process it is to start a band. Local acts are constantly splitting, joining, or reinventing themselves. So when former members of The Heyday, Randall Kent and Ryan Buller, teamed up with a new rhythm section comprised of Jesse Spencer and Chris Beeble in October last year, it wasn’t anything unusual. What is unusual is the remarkable sounds they’re making in such a short time together. Their new EP, Lesson Learned, is releasing late March. Fortunately we got a streaming preview to let you know why you should check it out.

Album Review: Protomartyr – Under Color of Official Right

Once a beacon of progress and success, Detroit has become the standard modern example of what can go wrong in an American city. There’s poverty, crime, corruption–the myth of the city itself has transformed from the quintessential American Dream, to a less affluent Gotham swathed in a brutal struggle for its own soul. Art that emerges from Detroit is expected and often possesses a certain tint of nihilism, but most interesting are those artists who manage to both own the new myth of their city and transcend it. Hip-hop artists like Eminem and Danny Brown have done it, and now Protomartyr emerges almost fully formed with Under Color of Official Right.

Album Review: Musketeer Gripweed – Floods and Fires

It’s difficult to liken comparisons to Musketeer Gripweed. Maybe hints of Zakk Wylde vocalization and Black Keys catchiness can be sought, though such associations only apply sporadically—Musketeer Gripweed is ferociously singular in their style and genre, whatever that specifically may be. Either the band doesn’t know either or they don’t care, given that their official Facebook page refers to their genre as “American Revival Stomp Ass Shake Holla!” The description is fitting: Floods and Fires is a rip-roaring album with very few moments of weakness.

Album Review: Pandas & People – Pandas & People

It’s always exciting when an existing band branches off to explore a new sound and style. Members of the alt-rock (and generally pretty decent) band Five Day Rhetoric, in their downtime, decided to start experimenting with folk rock–a decision that eventually spawned their new project, Pandas & People. The name is catchy, and the music is nice and catchy. However, the product doesn’t break much new ground in terms of the genre, despite the clear presence of passion and potential.

San Francisco Based k.flay Is a Strong Female Voice in a Genre Driven by Men

With a string of solid EPs and some serious chops, her rap is intelligent (a degree in psychology and sociology from Stanford helps with that), frankly speaking to the things that make the average hip hop fan normal. She doesn’t boast about street cred or display an image of a rich kid roughing it, she simply tells her story. Oh and she’s fast.

Album Review: Giants and Pilgrims – Almanac No. 1

Tim Coons represents a new generation of musicians who are coming into a world of over saturation and perpetually chased website clicks. For Coons (35), he’s seen it from the beginning. Consistently recording albums since his time as a music student at the University of Northern Colorado, Coons watched on the outside as the Internet and the music industry decentralized the local musician’s support structure.

Cover Story: The Chain Gang of 1974 is Not Just ‘Sleepwalking’

No, Kamtin Mohager, the brains and the brawn behind The Chain Gang of 1974 is not a DJ. Although he may do a DJ set from time to time, the synth heavy dance rock sound that has dominated their music since their conception is electro in nature, the sounds you hear are band driven.

Album Review: Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues

Transgender Dysphoria Blues is an album inherently bound to its context. Against Me! have cemented a reputation as a rock band that balance old-school punk energy with brutally honest lyrics and this album in itself does little to alter this legacy. By now, even most casual alternative music fans have probably heard of lead singer Laura Jane Grace’s coming out as a transgendered woman.

Love and Theft – From the Opry to UNC’s Spring Concert

For Greeley-area fans, the duo’s show March 29th at the University of Northern Colorado’s Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion stands to be memorable for them. It’s the only stop on Love And Theft’s tour this year that will be in Colorado. Liles said that he and Gunderson love the state, except for possibly the horse at DIA.

Album Review: Thee Dang Dangs – For The People

Infused with the sounds of where the desert meets the ocean, Denver’s Thee Dang Dangs ride above the noise of surf and psych rock on their new album For the People. This four-piece garage fuzz band gives the Colorado music scene something else, something equally dark, and even reminiscent of Karen O’s work on David Lynch’s album Crazy Clown Time. Ok, there is a lot of noise on For the People and if you were going to put a label on it, call it shoegaze surf rock. But this album fills those shoes with sand and not the kind from the beach.

Album Review: Wildbeasts – Present Tense

With the glut of electronic artists saturating the music market in recent years, it can be frustrating to find something that doesn’t sound like the rest of the crowd. Copy-paste beats, generic hooks, and unimaginative samples can make the electronic landscape boring at best and grating at worst. Artists such as CHVRCHES and Cut Copy have helped break that monotony. The newest release from UK-based Wild Beasts, Present Tense, is another; and it lies far enough on the right end of the spectrum to hang with the big boys of electronica—if they’re not part of that group already. Present Tense makes a strong case for assured membership.

Album Review: Quilt – Held in Splendor

Who said it was not good living in the past? After Quilt’s first demonstration of their vintage musical savoir-faire in 2011, they kept up the good work with their new album Held In Splendor. Following the same lines and using the good old recipe of psychedelic sixties rock, a decade from which the trio borrowed their haircuts and outfits.

Album Review: Big Gigantic – The Night is Young

Big Gigantic should be listened to loudly in order to fully embrace the complex jazzy vibe. The intricate Boulder Colorado based jamtronica group Big Gigantic, has just released their new long awaited album The Night is Young February 11th 2014. The album is an incredible piece of art that combines dance, electronica , hip-hop, jam band, funk, and jazz music styles, to create entrancing sounds that build energy and keep the audience fully engaged.

Von Stomper @ The Moxi Theater 02/12/14

One of Fort Collins blue grass bands, Von Stomper, came to The Moxi for a NorCo collaboration with The Primary People, an up and coming Greeley act, for a dance your ass off, whiskey drinking, foot stomping good time.

Album Review: Ben Allison – The Stars Look Very Different Today

The title of Ben Allison’s new album, The Stars Look Very Different Today, might ring a bell with most music fans. Its title is a reference to David Bowie’s song “Space Odyssey,” itself a reference to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Album Review: Mogwai – Rave Tapes

Mogwai has been churning out albums at an incredible rate. Though their official albums number less, the band has been releasing music every year since 2010 and almost as consistently before that. This has not diluted the quality of their output in any way; the darlings of what has been dubbed “Sub Pop” at some times and “Post Rock” at others continue to pump out quality releases one after the other, albeit with little variation. At last, Mogwai decides to reinvent a bit, and the results are easy on the ears as always.

Album Review: Alcest – Shelter

Shoegaze is an odd musical genre, with the difference between transcendent power and boring repetition resting squarely on effective execution. A secondary challenge for bands in the genre is redefinition, as the label refers to the performers literally looking down at their feet as they perform—not really the most exciting of images. Sigur Ros has thrown everything but the kitchen sink into carving their own niche, right down to using a violin bow on a guitar, while My Bloody Valentine opts for a more raw, upbeat sound.

Album Review: Grits and Gravy – Space Clinton

Since their early releases, Grits & Gravy have found a unique perspective on hip-hop to explore in their music, focusing on every aspect in an academic and technical way. Each recording since has further developed a different focus and through that, a different style.

Local Band Disguise the Silence Paving the Way With Their Debut Album Roads

In a time when popular rock is filled with indie and folk acts, and hard rock with the same generic rock that’s been on the radio for years, Disguise the Silence fills a gap that few bands fit into. Their energetic live performance at the Battle of the Bands got the crowd moshing and jumping and demonstrated the bands connection to their songs.

2014 Battle of the Bands Winner: The Burroughs

If there were a single word to summarize The Burroughs as a band it would be family. Yes, three of the members are brothers but for this modern soul outfit, the name Burroughs reaches beyond the bloodline.

BoomBox Brings the Sound of Muscle Shoals to Colorado

It was unseasonably cold for an Alabama Winter. The temperatures were record setting; black ice caused by the Tennessee River was developing on the O’Neil Bridge each day. A peculiar something was developing in Muscle Shoals, Alabama that year; something different. This wasn’t the ‘70s when Muscle Shoals was “The Hit Recording Capital of the World.” This was 2005, the last hit song written by anyone in the Shoals area was “I Swear” by Gary Baker and performed by both country music legend John Michael Montgomery and pop- group All 4 One in the ‘90s. The Pussycat Dolls were climbing the Top-40 charts, and the terms EDM and tweet had yet to sink their claws in the English vocabulary. BoomBox had just gotten the master recording of Visions of Backbeat back from their mastering engineer, and I didn’t know I would get lucky enough to be in the room when the box of CDs came in. I didn’t know I would be listening to the record as much as I did when I first put the disk in my car stereo. I didn’t know I would get lucky enough to be so close to the beginning of something bigger than I was.

Album Review: Pearl Jam – “Lightning Bolt”

For a while, Pearl Jam had become a band that is mentioned and everyone nods and acknowledges them. They were in danger of merely existing, while the world either forgot about them or worse: just didn’t care. They’ve barely escaped downfall and obscurity multiple times. But they get another chance, four years after their last album, to jump back into relevancy. The result is “just another Pearl Jam album,” which, after years of the same feel, will feel worn out to all but the most devoted of fans.

Album Review: Paul McCartney – “New”

Paul McCartney is one of the most electrifying, successful musicians of all time. Not only does he enjoy immortality as a member of the Beatles, he went on to form Wings and continued after that with a robust solo career.

Album Review: Darkside – “Psychic”

Dark and brooding electronic music is not difficult to find, but electronic musician Nicholas Jaar has managed to stand out from the pack with his cerebral, beat-driven style.

Album Review: The Dig “You & I”

Based out of New York City, the members of The Dig are no strangers to the workings of the modern music scene. In a seemingly constant state of “record then tour” since their first album in 2010, their hard work has taken this four piece on the road with acts such as The Walkmen, The Antlers, and Portugal. The Man. Now, the release of their latest EP You & I shows a band locking in on sound ready for a bigger stage.

Album Review: RJD2 – “More Is Than Isn’t”

RJD2 is known for his talent when it comes to instrumental hip-hop music. You may have heard his music without realizing it in the theme to the AMC television show Mad Men. The smooth, catchy vibe exemplified in that track is what the artist does best, and it’s a strength that he brings to the table for his latest album, More Is Than Isn’t, to great effect.

Album Review: Sleigh Bells – “Bitter Rivals”

“Noise pop” is a subgenre wholly unique and perfectly fitted to its namesake; this is music (put that term in quotations for some non-fans) that puts a lot more emphasis on distortion and electronics than it does actual melodies, but Sleigh Bells made the style work with their stellar debut album Treats, and again with Reign of Terror.

Review: Ben Pu – “Relax”

Relax, is the solo work of Ben Puchalski newest album that embodies the multiple talents that this man has to offer. Unlike past albums made with the complete band, Ben Pu and Crew, Puchalski cut up, arranged, recorded, and mastered this particular album all on his own.

Album Review: The Naked and the Famous – “In Rolling Waves”

The Naked and Famous released their debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You in the fourth quarter of a tumultuous 2010. The synthpop indie album was a breath of fresh air, an anthem of happiness and energy. Listening to the New Zealand outfit’s catchy, pounding synth somehow makes you feel like everything is going to be all right. The wait between their debut album and its successor was only a couple of years, but the painful lapse felt far longer. At last, the follow-up In Rolling Waves is here, and it does not disappoint.

Album Review: Nine Inch Nails – “Hesitation Marks”

Reznor’s music was always so full of hatred, solipsism and self-loathing, I’m pretty sure everyone thought he was going to kill himself. Between his anger and past drug addictions, I think everyone is just surprised that he now has a supermodel wife, two kids and is a well-respected soundtrack composer (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network).

Album Review: Washed Out – Paracosm

Ernest Greene started out as a jobless librarian recording music on his computer in the upstairs bedroom of his parent’s house. They were humble beginnings that did nothing to dampen the allure of a young man who would become known as Washed Out.

Album Review: BLKHRTS – Death, Romance, and the Color BLK

Combining the disparate worlds of gothic music and hip hop, BLKHRTS exemplify the creativity that the Colorado music scene generates. Denver rappers King F.O.E., Yonnas Abraham, and Karma the Voice have produced an album of fast and unflinching lyrics layered over droning and reverberating synth lines.

Album Review: Ty Segall – Sleeper

Brazen post-punk millennial darling. That sounds like a lot, but it actually describes San Francisco artist Ty Segall pretty accurately.

Album Review: Ramshackle Glory/Ghost Mice – Shelter

Funded by a Kickstarter campaign, Ramshackle Glory and Ghost Mice’s split album Shelter was first described by Ghost Mice lead singer Chris Clavin as being “about the ideas of shelter and home. Ideas like sleeping on floors and living in punk houses and not having anywhere to live at all.”

Plastik Factory and the Mission for Singularity

The team is a close knit artistic duo with Warren Jones providing the musical aspect and Jeremy Vanley, the visuals. They have been previously seen and are best known for their noise and performance art show: Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror which debuted at the Mile High Horror Film Festival in 2012, for a sold out show. Together they work towards a cohesive style which cooperates to form a larger vision.

Album Review: The Ghoulies

Recently releasing their self-titled debut album, The Ghoulies’ multifaceted brand of rock is constituted by vocals reminiscent of ‘70s punk bands, guitar work that alternates between power chord punk, groove-oriented blues, and a rhythm section of bass and drums that invigorates a constant energy and excitement.

Album Review: Twin Peaks – Sunken

Sunken boasts simple, charismatic lyrics supported by youthful and impressively executed instrumentals.

Album Review: Huff N Keen – Foul I See

The local hip hop group has been working hard to produce some unique tracks, what they call “soul hop,” and have released another successful, underground project hip-hop fans everywhere should give a listen.

Los Lonely Boys Talk Their Love of Colorado Before Taking on the Greeley Stampede

Jojo Garza, the bassist of Los Lonely Boys who will be one of the Greeley Stampede headlining acts on June 30th, spoke with the BandWagon about their experiences in Colorado and what it’s like to be in one of the most prominent Texican rock bands to take the stage of the Greeley Stampede. Currently on their Brotherhood tour with Los Lobos and Alejandro Escovedo, Jojo spoke on his excitement to be returning to Colorado.

Album Review: Epoch When – E-sides

Alex Koutsoukos, better known as Epoch When, released his new album, E-sides, April 15th in an endeavor that demonstrates his lyrical talent while sharing some very personal moments from his life.

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper Talks About Life on the Road and Recording Her First LP

Aly Spaltro, 23, or better known to her fans as Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, began making music in secret. She produced several basic recordings in the basement of the DVD rental store she worked at in Brunswick, Maine, with no intention of showing them the light of day. But thanks to the encouragement of her boss at the time, she found the courage to do a few local gigs. Having since spawned into several national and international tours, as well as the release of her first full length LP entitled Ripley Pine on Ba Da Bing Records, her “secret” has found a home in the hearts and minds of music fans everywhere.

Album Review: Nasty Bunch of Bitches – Dysfunction

As their name naturally invokes a sense of unadulterated expression, so too does their music. Their forthcoming EP, entitled Dysfunction (released June 1st release), displays a range of musical stylings, while sustaining the steadfast energy that is the essential core of all punk rock.

Album Review: Yellowbirds

Songs from the Vanished Frontier is an album that is immediately attractive to the ear. “Stop Tonight” is a spacey, bubbling opening act for Vanished Frontier that leads to eight more pleasant tunes. In one of the singles from the new album “Young Men of Promise,” Cohen sings “Leaving you was like a car crash / I’m a river, you’re a raging sea.” The lyrics are delightful with a simple honesty that makes it one of the best tracks on Vanished Frontier.

Blues Artist Martin Harley Speaks to the BandWagon About the Blues and Traveling the World

Harley’s music is modern and natural, neither contrived or overreaching and seems to speak from his heart. As an Englishman, he brings an outside perspective to the genre and while for some it is easy to pigeonhole British blues musicians, Harley is a reminder that blues as a form of music does not belong to anyone or any place.

Album Review: Afraid of Heights

Modern surf rock’s darlings Wavves make a triumphant return to the record store with Afraid of Heights, their first full-length album since 2010’s King of the Beach. Released in March, these thirteen tracks are undeniably some of the band’s best. Their lo-fi, grungy sound, consistent with Wavves’ other releases, does not disappoint.

Review: Kid Cudi – Indicud

After Kid Cudi stopped smoking weed and decided to make a rock album, critics and fans began to question whether his music would ever be as successful as his early releases. However, when he announced that he was working on his newest album, Indicud, which he stated would be his “version of [Dr. Dre’s] The Chronic 2001,” speculation began that he had parted ways with sobriety and would begin rapping again. The speculations were confirmed when the first single, “Just What I Am,” was released. Featuring Cudi’s signature hazy, stoner production, the track is primarily about smoking marijuana with the words, “I need smoke, I need to smoke,” repeated through the hook. It was obvious that the Cudi that fans had grown to love was back.

Review: Anamanaguchi – Endless Fantasy

Anamanaguchi, out of New York, is a band that fits in an odd niche. They create 8-bit music that feels like the dream you should have after playing video games all night. They found national presence by producing the music for Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game. Endless Fantasy, their second full-length album (being released on May 14th,) is intense, unrelenting, seizure-inducing, and oddly addictive.

Review: Shady Elders – No Favors

No Favors, Shady Elders’ debut EP, is a refreshing breath of reality to the Colorado music scene. Neither dreary nor meandering, these are simple pop tunes that are relatable and extremely catchy, never drowning listeners in sunshine or using flashy gimmicks. Labeled as shoegaze, Shady Elders speaks more as an old-fashioned rock and roll outfit using melody and strong vocals to keep the record fresh. Although not completely perfect, No Favors gives audiences a break from the bow tie rock that has been dominating Colorado airwaves.

Cover Story: Capital Cities Make Colorado “Safe and Sound”

A musician’s status is usually measured by the number of record sales, number one singles, and sold-out shows they achieve, but the indie duo Capital Cities has found success without even releasing a full-length album. Their first single, “Safe and Sound,” has been in heavy rotation on alternative and pop radio since its release and has continually grown in popularity.

Review: King Tuff – “Was Dead”

Was Dead, both then and now, is sublime garage rock. It combines lo-fi vocals with heavily distorted riffs and a surfy, often arpeggiated rhythm guitar. It is more laid-back than King Tuff, and fans who only know Thomas from his 2012 release will be pleasantly surprised by this rerelease.

Denver’s Speakeasy, Tiger Reunites at the Marquis

Electro-rock group Speakeasy, Tiger returns to the stage after a nearly three-year hiatus tonight at the Marquis Theatre in Denver.

Q&A: Huff ‘n Keen @ FoCoMX

Huff n’ Keen played day one of FoCoMX at Washington’s Bar on the downstairs stage. Although the sound for the stage was below average, the artists still managed to put on a great show with their catchy beats and fine-tuned lyrics. After the set I was able to talk to Dustin and Patrick from the group about their music and future goals, as well as their views on the Colorado hip-Hop scene.

Q&A: Danielle Ate The Sandwich @ FoCoMX

Danielle Ate the Sandwich filled up Everyday Joe’s to the point that standing room in the back of the audience was shoulder to shoulder. The young and extremely gifted acoustic folk band was fantastic to watch and full of good vibes. Danielle, Denis, and Chris have been playing as a trio for three years and their great chemistry shows both on and off the stage.

Q&A: The Wendy Woo Band @ FoCoMX

The Wendy Woo Band played to a packed house, bringing everyone into their Mile High spirit and the audience really responded to their energy. The band is composed of six members, including two guitarists, a bassist, drummer, keyboardist and a multi-instrumentalist (violin/guitar).

Q&A: MISCOMUNICADO @ FoCoMX

MISCOMUNICADO brings dance, psychedelic, rock, and sweet guitar licks together to melt faces. Mine was liquidated, for sure. I remember looking over to the guy next to me and saying, “This right here is baby making music!” He said, “What?” I just smiled and nodded and he did the same, both of us dancing like headless chickens.

Q&A: Rachel and the Kings @ FoCoMX

Rachel and the Kings looked like they were bigger than Kings of Leon and Florence and the Machine combined on that stage. You could see the passion on their faces and hear it in their songs. I think Rachel and I made eye contact once.

Q&A: WhiteCatPink @ FoCoMX

All of a sudden we, the audience, were surrounded by furries who were all dancing madly to the leader of the animal gang, David Jacoby, donned in a fuzzy cat outfit of his own and playing the drums, singing insanity into the microphone.

Review: Robotic Pirate Monkey – “The Booty Snatch EP”

The Booty Snatch EP, released on March 13th, consists of five tracks full of groovy electronic melodies and heavy bass. This EP has a lot to offer for RPM fans that have been anxiously waiting for some new tracks. RPM has gone out of their way to create a well-constructed project that shows their growth as musicians, as well as their clever creative musical direction.

Review: Phoenix – “Bankrupt!”

Phoenix is such a delight. If you are having a crappy day and you need something to pick you up, and keep you up, try out their new album Bankrupt!, which is due out the week of April 22nd.

Review: Lady Lamb the Beekeeper – “Ripely Pine”

Assuming the moniker of Lady Lamb the Beekeeper and releasing her first album on February 19th of this year, Aly Spaltro has traded in her modesty for an all-out musical declaration. Ripely Pine is an album made for playing with volume all the way up.

Photos: Purity Ring @ The Gothic Theatre, 4/8

Shots from the Purity Ring show at The Gothic Theatre in Denver on April 8th.

Photos: The Epilogues @ Summit Music Hall, 4/6

Photos of The Epilogues’ show at Summit Music Hall in Denver on April 6th.

Photos: Iceage @ The Marquis Theater, 4/4

Photos from the Iceage show at The Marquis Theater in Denver on April 4th.

Cover Story: The Moxi Theater and the State of the New Greeley Music Scene

Now is the time. You have always wanted to start a band. You already play music: you rap, jam in the garage with your friends, program beats in your bedroom, and you probably play in your church band. Now is the time to give it a form and let the world see. On April 25th at the 9th Street Plaza in downtown Greeley, The Crew Presents will launch Greeley’s first all-ages dedicated music venue, capable of bringing to town the acts the good people of northern Colorado deserve.

Review: Vondelpark – “Seabed”

Vondelpark’s newest endeavor and full-length LP, Seabed, dropped April 1st on R & S Records and moves just like its clever title implies. Vondelpark floats through the ten-track album like they are walking on the bottom of the ocean floor.

Review: Epoch When – “GRIM”

Epoch When is a lyricist and producer out of Fort Collins who has been growing a fan base across Colorado. Over the past year, Epoch When’s first album GRIM, released on November 15th, 2012, has been a great success for the new artist.

Review: Grits & Gravy – “Symphony”

Last month, G&G dropped another addition to their growing discography with their latest EP titled Symphony. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any better, the pair takes a whole new approach to hip-hop by incorporating the style and feel of major symphonic works, tastefully combined with the drive and flow that they are so well known for.

Local Band Profile: “The Howling Hex”

Neil Hagerty, of The Howling Hex (and formerly of Royal Trux and Pussy Galore), has just released his newest album, ironically titled The Best of The Howling Hex. The songs sound like a single insane polka number from a circus staffed by schizophrenics and sociopaths. It’s fun, frightening, and a bit off-putting, but certainly never boring. And it’s obvious Hagerty knows what he’s doing.

Review: The Strokes – “Comedown Machine”

Comedown Machine sounds like Angles version 2.0, but that’s what they said about Room on Fire after Is This It. Personally, I think if you’re on to something juicy, keep squeezing. You can get the highly-anticipated fifth The Strokes album March 26th.

Photos: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis @ UNC

Shots from the rap duo’s performance at University of Northern Colorado’s spring concert on March 3rd.

Snowball 2013: Three Days of Fun and Chaos

Artists performed on Snowball’s three stages constantly throughout the weekend. A large torch launched eight-foot flames into the sky at the center of the festival grounds. A big air snowboard/ski ramp featured professional riders showing off their skills.

Review: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – “Push the Sky Away”

Hot off the heels of his 2012 film Lawless, Nick Cave returned to the studio with his most successful career project, The Bad Seeds. Push The Sky Away was released on February 18th and features some of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds’ most cinematic music to date.

The Hidden Gems of Snowball Music Festival

We’ll have coverage of some of the best acts of Snowball early next week on our blog, but this month in our print issue we featured some of our favorite performers from this year’s event. Here are the BandWagon staff’s picks for the hidden gems of the 2013 Snowball Music Festival.

Review: American Tomahawk – “So So Slowly, The History of a Perfect Spiral”

Lead by Ault, Colorado native and Los Angeles, California resident Adam Halferty, American Tomahawk is a dream-like voyage that tells the story many people are living. With the help of friends Michael Spear and Mathew Wilcox, American Tomahawk has released two records and their second endeavor, So So Slowly, The History of a Perfect Spiral shows a band ready for a national audience.

Cover Story: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Macklemore’s career is proof that you can work hard enough to earn your place in the spotlight. Ben Haggerty, the rapper known most commonly as Macklemore, found his love for music and began writing rap in his teens.

Intimate Performance by Buke & Gase at Larimer Lounge

The Larimer Lounge was perfect dark and intimiate venue to house Buke & Gase on February 11th. Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez came to the Denver venue armed with their signature handmade instruments and an impressive, yet modest set of pedals.

Review: Anchorage – “Patience”

Some may be familiar with the old version of Anchorage, the hardcore/metal outfit that has graced Greeley and all of northern Colorado with their sounds for over four years. They’ve come a long way since their first release, “I Have Seen Further,” an album that had a chaotic and almost alternative metal sound behind it’s eerie synthesized interludes.

Starfucker Spins New Album Live on Web

Starfucker (STRFKR) released their latest album, Miracle Mile, yesterday (Feb. 19), which is now available in the usual formats as well as an über-hip cassette tape. (Remember those? They’re like 8-tracks but newer and less hip.) To celebrate and promote the launch, the members of the band created avatars to DJ their tracks live on Turntable.fm.

Review: Rhythmic Fuzz – “Rhythmic Fuzz”

At its core, Rhythmic Fuzz’s self-titled album is a reggae hip-hop album. But within this umbrella are elements that nudge it in a direction away from standard fare dub albums. These factors are the product of the creatively diverse members of the band who come from very different musical places.

Feed Me “with Teeth” Chomps Into The Ogden

Jon Gooch, famous in the electronic dance music scene as Feed Me, performed at the Ogden Theater on Tuesday, February 12th. The 29-year-old DJ, originally from England, conducted his show “Feed Me with Teeth” for all his dedicated Colorado fans. Even though the concert was on a Tuesday night the line to get in the Ogden wrapped around the block.

Drunkenest Coverage of the 2013 Grammys

There’s only one thing more disgusting than the music industry and that is the night when the entire train wreck comes together to stroke itself off, congratulating itself for exceeding previous mediocrity and breaking the will of even more Americans: The Grammys.

Review: Buke & Gase – “General Dome”

Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez make up the inventive duo from New York, Buke & Gase. After being discovered by Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National, they were signed to Brassland Records in 2007. Although relatively new to the music scene, Buke & Gase have already made their mark in an industry where standing out is becoming increasingly difficult.

ROOKE5 Releases New Debut “Colossal Chronicles”

One local Greeley rapper’s music has finally started to take off. ROOKE5 released Colossal Chronicles on January 22nd and received lots of positive feedback on his project. The 24 year-old rapper started performing when he was 13 growing up in northern Colorado. The local hip-hop artist has been working hard on Colossal Chronicles for the past three years and has finally completed his well constructed project. The album is the first for the rapper Luke Whitrock, better known as ROOKE5.

The Photo Atlas – “Stuck In A Honeytrap”

In a time when electronic dance music rules the airwaves, The Photo Atlas is refreshing proof that post-punk is still breathing and can serve the same demographic. Their unique style of danceable hardcore music has rocked bodies throughout Colorado and across the country. The band’s first full-length release, No, Not Me, Never, introduced these alternative rockers to the nation. Its fantastic follow-up, Stuck In A Honeytrap, is set to drop this month.

Review: FIDLAR – “FIDLAR”

Step aside, LMFAO; the real party rock has arrived. Los Angeles-based surf punk band FIDLAR (Fuck It Dog, Life’s a Risk) dropped their debut, self-titled album on January 22nd with Mom + Pop Records. Their brand of party rock is a bit more chaotic than the dance club sound of LMFAO, though. This is party rock for those parties where there’s more coke than beer. FIDLAR is the kind of album that makes you want to drink beer just to keep up.

New Strokes Tune – “One Way Trigger”

The Strokes released a new single today called “One Way Trigger.” Upon first listen you might ask, “Who in the left-hell is singing?!” It would seem Julian Casablancas is once again attempting to diverge from his usual drunken mumbling and occasional cracked yelping with an interesting falsetto. The sound overall is closer related to Casablancas’ solo album, “Phrazes For The Young,” with more keyboard-sounding guitar riffs. The guitar at some points almost sounds like steel drums on a Nintendo.

Exclusive Download: Katey Laurel – “From Here”

Denver-based singer/songwriter Katey Laurel has offered BandWagon readers a chance to download her EP From Here for free. The 8-track folk pop record is available free here exclusively to the first 200 downloaders, so don’t wait.

Bloc Party Rocks the Ogden

[slideshow gallery_id=”1″] Bloc Party played a killer show at the Ogden Theater in Denver on Tuesday (January 22nd) to a severely stoned audience. (I’ve never seen and smelled that much cannabis at a concert before. …

Review: Pearl Necklace – “Soft Opening”

Straight out of the Brooklyn electronic music scene, Bryce Hackford and Frank Lyon make up the band Pearl Necklace. Pearl Necklace immediately draws attention to themselves with the blatant innuendo in their name, along with the title of their first album, “Soft Opening.” These naturally creative Brooklyn boys recently signed with the Norwegian label Smalltown Supersound, and their debut album is set to be released on January 29th.

Review: Lydia – “Acoustics ’12”

It is rare for a band to produce two albums in less than two years, but Lydia hates to disappoint. So, to keep their fans at bay before the release of their fifth full-length album in February 2013, they released Acoustics ’12, a small EP that packs a soft but reassuring punch.

Review: David Leonard – “To and From”

Leonard’s 2011 debut album, consisting of pleasant classical guitar noodling, is something you listen to after the end of a long day to unwind. Anyone can rock out or get their thrash on, but sometimes it’s nice to just listen to something calming, and that’s what Leonard’s pickings are.

Review: Juvenile – “Juvie Tuesday”

“Juvie Tuesday” is the first mixtape or album release since June for the 37-year-old rapper from New Orleans, Juvenile. What makes it so unique is that it features members from Cash Money’s group Hot Boys, such as Lil Wayne and Birdman, who have not rapped together in years.

BOTB: Squid Kids

The Squid Kids have been around the block a few times when it comes to playing shows in Greeley. Moving up a spot from fourth to third from last year’s Battle of the Bands, these Greeley natives continue to elevate themselves musically with each show.

BOTB: Grits & Gravy

Grits & Gravy stand apart from other hip-hop acts. The duo of Neal Titus, providing the instrumentals, and Marcus Steward, aka GiovanniRaps, on vocals, are both classically trained musicians and bring a unique perspective to the rap scene. What has typically been a street-driven and trained art form has grown to the tipping point, becoming an art that can be studied and composed academically.

Review: Nightlands – “Oak Island”

Dave Hartley, bassist for Kurt Vile’s The War On Drugs, is set to release his sophomore solo-album, titled Oak Island, on January 22nd of this year under the name Nightlands. With a sound that effortlessly evokes a blend of The Smashing Pumpkins and Bon Iver, Nightlands is poised for a breakthrough year in music.

Review: Bones Muhroni – “Savvy”

Bones Muhroni is a name that has a very soft spot in the northern Colorado music scene. The group spent their founding years in Greeley, performing in just about every venue the town had to offer for a folk rock band. Having played extensively in Colorado, Bones built a strong base for themselves in their home state. On Christmas Day 2012, the boys dropped the long-awaited full-length album Savvy, a record that truly captures the quirky, soft-hearted sound northern Colorado fans have come to love.

BOTB: Leghounds Mark Their Territory

With layers of harmonies that exist to move and flow, a soulful sweetness, and technical savvy, there is little surprise as to why the Leghounds won our Battle of the Bands and the $1,000 prize. With their new End of the World EP, the Leghounds are marking their territory as a Greeley groove machine.

2012/13 New Year’s Eve Events

We get it, you’re just like us and leave everything to the last minute. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back: Here are all the hottest New Year’s Eve events for you to ring in 2013 in style.

Review: Wild Nothing at Larimer Lounge

Dream pop outfit Wild Nothing makes music perfect for  listening to on cool, rainy days, and it’s even better when you catch their live show on a damp, chilly Colorado evening.   Wild Nothing is …

Review: “Jack’s House Part 2”

Just off the corner of Laurel and College, at 109 East Laurel Street, there is a little place called TI Bar. Although seemingly tucked out of the way, TI Bar plays host to some of …

Album Review: Matthew Wilburn Skinner– Play For The King

Matthew Wilburn Skinner makes up one-third of the band Tallgrass, picking up the banjo and guitar, playing the harmonica and contributing his raspy vocals to the band. Tallgrass managed to nab a spot on NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest as well as share a stage with former President Barack Obama. Skinner is a solo performer and earlier this year put out Play For The King, a perfect showcase for his Delta Blues/jazz style of playing.

A Campaign for Unrelenting Terror: “North Woods” Indie-GoGo fundraiser ends soon!

Over a year ago, BandWagon Magazine spoke to local horror filmmaker Jason Kasper on his project, North Woods, a retro slasher film in the vein of Evil Dead and Phantasm. The film now boasts the …

Film Review: The Judge

Did you know Robert Downey, Jr. has been nominated for an Oscar twice?

Yes, back in 1992, the man who would be Iron Man was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of silent film star Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin. Not long after that, Downey would soon be better known for his drug addictions and his trips back-and-forth to rehab and jail, events which would make him the perfect candidate for bringing womanizing, boozing weapons designer Tony Stark to the big screen in 2008.

Film Review: Tusk

When I was younger, I willingly sat through three Saw movies without flinching. I have a deep appreciation for the likes of Evil Dead, Halloween and Videodrome. However, it has been a while since I’ve seen a horror film, and walking out of one recently made me question if I’ve gotten soft as I’ve grown older.
And the man responsible for it? Silent Fucking Bob.

Film Review: Snowpiercer

For the past year or so, Captain America star Chris Evans has been stating in interviews that he’ll probably retire from acting after his contract with Marvel Studios is done, with plans to go into directing shortly thereafter. Looking at his resume, it might seem understandable: he’s been a few movies that leave much to be desired, such as the Fantastic Four films and stuff such as Push and The Nanny Diaries.

Movie Review: Chef

Jon Favreau has had an encompassing career in the film industry. Starting out as an extra on film sets, he hit it off with Vince Vaughn early on, writing his starring role in the film Swingers and eventually directing the charming Christmas film Elf.

Film Review: The Raid 2

Unlike last year, which seemed to be the year of disappointing sequels for me, (I’m looking at you, Iron Man 3 and Star Trek Into Darkness) I was enthralled in April with follow-ups to two of my favorite movies: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and The Raid 2. Both were films I was looking forward to, and I walked away with a level of satisfaction I haven’t really experienced with a sequel since 2012’s Skyfall.

Film Review: Need For Speed

For the last few years, Aaron Paul has been known for playing a character whose catchphrase is, “Something-something-something, bitch!” Now that Breaking Bad is off the air though, he’s moving into film, and his first lead role in a Blockbuster is an adaption of EA’s car racing game Need For Speed. It’s not as horrible as other critics have portrayed it. Those that are into cars, such as myself, won’t be that disappointed, but it’s not perfect. Then again, it’s an adaption of a car racing simulator; no such film is aiming for high art. It is entertaining though.

Film Review: Noah

If one were to compile a list of directors that would be a suitable fit for a Biblical epic, Darren Aronofsky likely wouldn’t rank very close to the top at first glance. With his topics ranging from drug abuse (Requiem for a Dream) to fatally fame-obsessed delusional ballerinas (Black Swan), a story from the Bible doesn’t exactly fit into that class. But one needs look no further than a smaller, earlier film called Pi, in which a man was struck with the unflinching belief that the number 3.14 was a message from God detailing the apocalypse. It’s interesting then that Aronofsky’s latest film, Noah, is about a man speaking to God about just that topic. And what a film it is.

Light in the Dark a Film of Music and Dance at Kress Cinema

For those interested in dance and local filmmaking, The Kress Cinema and Lounge will be premiering a short film on Saturday, April 12th titled Light in the Dark. The short, directed by Greeley resident Casey McConnell, was inspired by a choreographed dance by Wendy Klein of the Colorado Dance Collective, which McConnell expanded upon.

Film Review: Endless Love

Going to the theater alone on Valentine’s Day to ironically watch Endless Love while surrounded by couples is not among the most exciting parts of my life. It’s superseded just barely by the teller asking “Just one?” when I ordered my ticket then apologizing profusely after realizing how it came across. I quickly assured him of the nature of my visit: far from wanting a wistfully romantic experience on February 14th, I was merely excited to see what someone had referred to as “a movie so hilariously bad, it’s like Airplane without the punch lines.” Sadly, this was not the case.

Film Review: The Lego Movie

legoThe Monomyth. You have seen it in action if you’ve ever watched a Star Wars movie, seen an episode of Community, or read through The Hobbit. Commonly known as The Hero’s Journey, it’s a structure that many myths and stories follow, often unintentionally. Summed up by mythologist, lecturer and writer Joseph Campbell in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces, storytellers such as George Lucas and Dan Harmon have used it to put together their creations, and Hollywood has used it as a guide to screenwriting.

Film Review: Her

Few things hurt quite as deeply as losing a loved one. While losing someone to a deadly disease, it might be more painful when someone you’ve loved decides that they are no longer willing or …

Film Review: Nebraska

It sucks getting old. It probably sucks just as much when you’re watching someone you love grow old. It can be frustrating. It can be angering. There are days where you just feel like curling …

Film Review: Ride Along

The plot of Ride Along is yet another of the cut-and-paste, generic buddy movie templates : aspiring police officer, Ben (Kevin Hart), at the behest of his girlfriend, Angela, must get the blessing of her …

Film Review – Thor: Dark World

Another year, another installment in the huge Marvel movie universe. Far from just a series with a set of films, the Marvel movies are a multifaceted collection of stories and characters that are less a linear narrative and more a web of plot. Their interconnectedness gets more impressive with each passing film, as each installment hearkens back to past films and sets up new ones. Thor: The Dark World does a decent job of each, but the writing isn’t quite strong enough to rank among the best of Marvel.

Review – “Gravity”

There’s some innate genius about the way director Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) can juxtapose beauty with death and darkness. Gravity, a passion project over four years in the making, is yet another example of this skillful blend. It opens with text explaining, “Life in space is impossible.”

Review – “Prisoners”

A short ways into Prisoners, there is a quote on the radio about the importance of patience and penance, and working through trying times. The Lord’s Prayer is uttered at least twice, and faith plays a prominent role. But every man has a breaking point, and different ways of handling hardships.

Review – “The World’s End”

There is nothing inherently wrong with nostalgia, but if you’re not careful, you into one of those guys who listens to Springsteen’s “Glory Days” and utters the words, “High school was the best time of my life.” In Edgar Wright’s new sci-fi-comedy The World’s End, that guy is Gary King.

Review: The To Do List

Taking place in 1993, the movie revolves around Brandy Klark, played by Parks and Recreation’s Aubrey Plaza. Unlike her past roles where she was a malcontent or snarking hipster, Plaza’s Brandy is a tightly-wound nerd who has dominated all her classes and extracurricular activities, graduating top of her high school class.

Review: Jobs

Although the role for Steve Jobs is played by the unexpected Ashton Kutcher, who’s most memorable from “That 70’s Show” as playing the notoriously unintelligent role of Kelso, he puts on a remarkable performance that’s captivating, and wistful.

Help Complete “North Woods!”

You might have seen the above flyer around town the past month. It’s not an actual missing person. It’s for the IndieGoGo campaign for the indie horror film North Woods.

Film Review: House (1977)

The origin of the film is rather peculiar and makes sense, given the context. Jaws had come out two years earlier, and the bosses at Toho Studios thought that if a then-amateur like Spielberg could do that well, they could do the same.

Film Review: This is the End

If you go into the theater expecting another stupid, overly blue comedy without any substance beyond satirized stoner impressions and pussy actor bitches… you won’t be disappointed. There’s plenty of that shit, but also a surprising amount of morality and commentary on the shallow behavior of Hollywood actors and their lifestyles.

Film Review: The Great Gatsby

The camera doesn’t stop for a moment, always gyrating around millionaire Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio) and his confidante Nick Carraway (Maguire), the less than humble narrator, as the veil of the mysterious life of the great Gatsby slowly tears, revealing his true intentions behind the most extravagant parties ever seen. Which are truly a spectacle akin to Cirque Du Soleil on crack. Luhrmann brings to the table much of what made Moulin Rouge such a visual delight.

Film Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

It’s difficult being a film buff in this era. On one hand, if you’ve always wished Hollywood would adapt your favorite comic book tales into well-made films that did more than sell toys to kids, it’s a great time to be a lover of film and all things geek. On the other hand, the monetary success that geek-friendly properties have achieved over the past decade, alongside the other successful blockbusters of The Aughts, has lead to Hollywood developing a fixation on only stories with built-in audiences, i.e. existing franchises instead of new, unproven films. If you wanted something truly unique or at least emotionally satisfying, your options are limited.

Movie Review: It’s a Disaster

Nothing takes a backseat to couples brunch drama. Not even the end of the world.

Movie Review: To the Wonder

Since 1954 the world of cinema has had a definition for filmmakers who use the medium to generate “high art”. The Auteur Theory has been championed by directors like Francois Truffaut, Jean Renoir, and Alfred Hitchcock over the years. The theory asserts that an auteur makes films that share a common aesthetic and break through the wall of studio interference to generate a work of moving art. Terrence Malick is perhaps the best example of an auteur in present cinema. With only five films under his belt Malick is responsible for some of the most important films in the last few decades. In 2011 Malick released Tree of Life, reinventing his style with a more angelic approach to story-telling. His latest effort, To the Wonder, takes all the style of Tree of Life and none of the brilliance.

Review: “Oz the Great and Powerful”

Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful goes back in time to tell the story leading up to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. James Franco stars as Oscar Diggs, who begins as an amateur magician, going by the stage name Oz, trying to make a living at a traveling circus in Kansas.

Review: “A Glimpse Into the Mind of Charles Swan III”

The only thing that dragged on longer than the title of this film: this film. My god, we get it, Charlie Sheen isn’t a bad guy. My god, we get it, director Roman Coppola wants out from the shadow of Wes Anderson. My god, we get it, love hurts.

Review: Iceage @ The Marquis Theater, 4/4

The Marquis Theater in Denver was filled with black T-shirts and denim vests last night as Iceage took the stage. The punk crowd patiently listened to the opening bands, but as soon as the four guys from Copenhagen came on, all bets were off. The crowd suddenly became wild when Iceage began their set with the first song from their new album, “Ecstasy”.

Review: Evil Dead, Evil’s Not Dead… Not Yet

Anyone who claims to be a fan of the original cult horror films starring Bruce Campbell and directed by Sam Raimi might feel the undead chill of hesitation about watching a 22-years-later remake. But do not fret, the original duo have produced and have their hands/chainsaws deep in this new-school gore extravaganza.

Review: “Hitchcock”

Director Sacha Gervasi set about honoring the man himself with his biopic Hitchcock, an entertaining romp through one of Hitchcock’s biggest challenges in his career: Getting his adaption of the book Psycho to the screen.

Review: “A Good Day to Die Hard”

In A Good Day to Die Hard (or Die Hard 5) young director John Moore tries his hand at the franchise, and comes up short in just about every way imaginable.

Review: “On the Road”

The 2012 film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s bohemian classic On The Road does not fail to inspire feelings of boyish excitement and wonder. But for those easily lost in nostalgia for a time most of us never experienced, America’s glory days of the 40s and 50s, this movie will spin you into a fit of whiskey swilling and amphetamine insanity.

Review: “Django Unchained”

Oscar season is upon us, and this year there is slightly more controversy than usual surrounding the film industry’s celebration of the Best of the Year. One such film being Quentin Tarantino’s homage to the western genre, Django Unchained.

Films to Look Forward to in 2013

2012 was an interesting, often surprising year for film. Especially surprising, given 2011’s output. As we get older, the enthusiasm we had for what we loved in our youth begins to fade, be it sports, …

Review: “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”

On paper, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” sounds like a typical “coming of age” film: Troubled, insecure Charlie (Logan Lerman of “Percy Jackson & The Olympians”) navigates his first year of high school, becoming friends with a pair of outcasts (Emma Watson and “Californication”’s Ezra Miller,) falling in love and dealing with the terribleness that is being a teenager.

Review: “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is the first in a new trilogy of films based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1937 “Lord of the Rings” prequel of the same name and directed by Peter Jackson. Starring British television favorite and “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” star Martin Freeman as a young Bilbo Baggins (relative of Frodo Baggins from “LOTR” and previously played by Ian Holm.)

Selfish Health (Toxic Pain) by Shanghai Metro Temple | Single Review

When someone close to you is constantly in crisis, you can spend all of your energy on that person without even realizing it. Years go by in the blink of an eye and suddenly you …

Beats Antique @ Meow Wolf Denver | 03.02.24

Beats Antique headlined a memorable night at Meow Wolf Denver’s Danceportation event on March 2, 2024, delivering a powerful mix of dance and world music. The lineup also included artists like Adam Deitch, Borahm Lee, …

Slow Joy: Emotional Honesty and Universal Appeal

Digging Deep Esteban Flores, the visionary behind the solo project Slow Joy, stands out not only for his unique blend of grunge, emo, and shoegaze but also for his deeply introspective approach to music creation …

March 2024 – Slow Joy

In This Issue: Slow Joy | Doogie | Shanghai Metro Temple

Danno Simpson & Kade Hoffman @ The Moxi Theater | 02.17.24

Colorado’s rising outlaw country star Danno Simpson performs at the Moxi Theater With Kade Hoffman. Images captured by Jason Alfaro of Right Eye Media.

GEMINI by Heartsick Heroine | Album Review

Historically, progressive rock and metal have been genres primarily reserved, or perhaps almost exclusively enjoyed, by a largely male demographic. However, with their latest release, the female-led Heartsick Heroine not only smashes the stereotypes of …

Talib Kweli @ The Oriental Theater – Denver, CO | 02.10.24

Talib Kweli ignited The Oriental Theater on Saturday, paying tribute to 50 years of Hip-Hop, honoring late legends like J Dilla and MF DOOM. The night was captured by Jason Alfaro of Right Eye Media.

The Legend of Danno Simpson

As Danno Simpson sat in the intake room of the Larimer County Jail sobering up, he tried to piece together the disjointed fragments of the night before. He remembered getting angry, swinging his fists and …

February 2024 – Danno Simpson

In This Issue: Danno Simpson, Casper Allen, Heartsick Heroine

Casper Allen: The Honesty of a Broken Voice

Casper Allen’s Wild Ride In the ink-stained tapestry of Casper Allen’s life, the meanings behind his tattoos, even the regretful ones, serve as a vivid narrative of his crazy journey. “I like that the not-so-good …

Wheelwright @ The Black Buzzard – Denver, CO | 01.25.24

Wheelwright once again brings back his Neo-Western music style to his devoted fans in Denver. These intimate photos of the night where captured by Jason Alfaro of Right Eye Media at The Black Buzzard.

Charley Crockett @ Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO | 01.19.24

Charley Crockett ‘$10 Cowboy Tour’ Pre-Sale starts Thursday Jan. 22nd with Code: BandWagon

A COLLUR-ful Piece

An Empty Canvas In 2023, COLLUR’s journey as an artist resembled that of an explorer venturing into uncharted palettes of styles and melodies. His words began painting a canvas that deepened in shades and hues …

Aquiles: A Musical Journey Through Tears and Triumphs

Aquiles cried as he prepared to record the song “Burning It All,” so much so that the producer gave him a few minutes to let the tears flow. This was not unusual for the Broomfield …

Inside My Head by CITRA | Single Review

Denver rock band CITRA is catapulting into the new year with their new single, Inside My Head. The band’s local reputation as a gritty, high-energy crew with an irrefutable radio sound is furthered by this …

January 2024 – COLLUR

In This Issue: COLLUR | Aquiles | CITRA

Underseer WINS The 2023 BandWagon Magazine Battle of The Bands

After more than 100 applications and four preliminary rounds of intense competition, Underseer, The Stephen Lear Band, Cami Maree and The White Moms went head-to-head in the final round of the 2023 BandWagon Magazine Battle …

Celebrating a Swinging Hanukkah

Jewish jazz musician Domi Edson released an album of her favorite traditional songs. The Holidays were always a complex time for jazz bassist Domi Edson. She enjoys the classic jazz holiday recordings by the Vince …

Violet Wild Digs Deep on “Steal My Body”

One Year to Live… A cancer scare provoked the kind of question from Joanna Branum that most of us ask at one point or another: What if I had one year to live? In her …

Zella Day & Jesse Woods as Chaparelle | Moxi Theater | 12.8.23

Power-couple and indie-folk duo, Zella Day and Jesse Woods, formed the project Chaparelle to tour the country together. One of their stops was The Moxi Theater in Greeley, Colorado, where they put on an entrancing …

Sam Tallent: A Hilarious Journey to the Top

Sam Tallent is killing it. The Colorado-based stand-up comic has become a source of pride for many of those who witnessed his rise to the top of the comedic mountain—and likely the source of childish …

December 2023 – Sam Tallent

In This Issue: Sam Tallent | Violet Wild | Domi Edson

An Interview with Emerging Artist, COLLUR

In the heart of Colorado’s music scene, COLLUR, an alternative artist and college student, has been making noise with his genre-defying sound. In this exclusive interview, COLLUR takes us on a journey through his evolving …

Ovira is on a Mission to Spread Intergalactic Love

Fighting the Force Not so long ago in a galaxy somewhere nearby, an alien empress walked down a boulevard lined with her adoring subjects on her coronation day. Before she could reach the dias, a …

Plasma Canvas | Dusk Album Review

If you’ve kept up with the rock scene in Northern Colorado for the past several years, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Plasma Canvas. And, if you’ve happened to be fortunate enough, you’ve had the outfit rock …

2023 BandWagon Magazine Battle of The Bands Line-Up Revealed

BandWagon Magazine announced the 2023 Battle of the Bands last month, pushing bands up and down Colorado’s front range to put their foot in the race with the prospect of a $5,000 grand prize and …

November 2023 – Ovira

In This Issue: Ovira | COLLUR | Plasma Canvas

Tyler Halverson: What The Hell To Do With “Different.”

Dive into Tyler Halverson’s online presence, and you’ll be greeted by a cheeky cartoon: a Western cowboy, sporting stubble and flashing a grin, while a joint smolders between his lips, captioned “Western Amerijuanna Music.” This …

INTHEWHALE – Chosen at Random Album Review

Unless you’ve been living underneath a rock in a compound with no electricity, you’ve more than likely heard of the phenomenal force of nature that is Colorado’s Inthewhale. Inthewhale is the loudest two-man operated rock …

Welcome to Thrash Hard City (Take Two)

On the first of April this year, Northern Colorado metal bands Thrash Hard City and Phantomstone played back-to-back opening sets at the Moxi Theater’s 10th anniversary. Each band was less than a year old and …

October 2023 ~ Tyler Halverson

In This Issue: Tyler Halverson | Thrash Hard City | INTHEWHALE

Block Party Music Festival Gallery Captured by Jason Alfaro of Right Eye Media

The Block Party Music Festival in Downtown Greeley on September 8th, 2023 was a memorable night of incredible music, diversity, and the celebration of Greeley’s vibrant community. Jason Alfaro of Right Eye Media was in …

The Burroughs: Greeley’s Hometown Heroes Craft a Cosmic Symphony

In the dynamic realm of the indie music scene, there are albums, and then there are sagas—musical odysseys that weave tales as enthralling as the notes themselves. The Burroughs’ latest offering, “Honey Imastar,” falls firmly …

The Greeley Block Party Unveils its Lineup for FREE Upcoming Music Festival

School is back in session and summer’s end is around the corner, which means it’s time for Greeley’s biggest, most diverse music festival of the year! This morning, BandWagon Presents unveiled the lineup for The …

September 2023 ~ The Burroughs

In This Issue: The Burroughs | NOT A TOY | Kaitlin Butts

PRBLMS by NOT A TOY – Album Review

NOT A TOY’s new album, PRBLMS, is a thrilling, genre-defying gem. Lead singer and producer, Branson Hoog, brings a unique vocal timbre to every track, delivering an authentic sound, while exploring an array of musical …

Ben Chapman: The Trail to and from Nashville

The heart of country music lives in Nashville, and Red Dirt Country artist Ben Chapman is capturing the heart of the city after his last two records and national tour with Lainey Wilson. With his …

Afroman Is Running For President (No, Seriously)

When people picture a presidential candidate, Afroman certainly isn’t the first person to come to mind. His suits are typically covered with marijuana leaves, he carries a gold chalice with him nearly everywhere he goes—which …

August 2023 – Afroman

In This Issue: Afroman | Bootsy Collins Rocks FoCo | Ben Chapman | NOT A TOY  

A Few Questions With Toad The Wet Sprocket’s Dean Dinning

There are countless ridiculous band names—from Chumbawamba and Limp Bizkit to Hoobastank and Thirty Odd Foot of Grunt. Then there’s Toad The Wet Sprocket. What’s a sprocket, why is it wet and what does that …

Arrested Development’s Speech Remains Steadfast In His Message

Arrested Development played Washington’s in Fort Collins on February 27, 2020, just days before COVID-19 shuttered the live music industry. Anyone who caught the show was greeted by the same positive, Afrocentric vibes the kaleidoscopic …

The Mysterious Magic of 311

As 311 was driving from Omaha to Los Angeles with dreams of making it in the music business, they made a pit stop at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado. Standing in front of the …

Carti Ferrari Set to Release New Album, You’ll Burn Your Eyes Out

The Sounds and Stories Behind The Work The last four years have produced a definite truth: change is the only constant. Some may say change is the easiest part of the journey, but moving on …

Kaitlin Butts – Greeley Stampede 2023 (Special Edition)

In This Issue: Kaitlin Butts – What Else Can She Do (Album Review)

July 2023 | Carti Ferrari

In This Issue: Carti Ferrari | 311 | Dean Dinning | Speech of Arrested Development

Why David Cross Will Never Quit Stand-Up

The Comedian, Writer & Actor Talks Parenting & Life On The Road David Cross is perhaps best known from his role as the naive and tumultuous psychiatrist Tobias Futge on FOX’s Arrested Development. His voice …

Casino Bonus ohne Einzahlung in Österreich: Ein Überblick

Ein casino bonus ohne einzahlung Österreich ist eine attraktive Möglichkeit für Spieler, in der Welt des Online-Glücksspiels einzutauchen, ohne ihr eigenes Geld zu riskieren. Dieser Bonus ermöglicht es den Spielern, eine Vielzahl von Spielen zu …

Colorado Singer-Songwriter Nathaniel Riley Pours Emotion into “Bird Songs.”

Rootsy Fort Collins singer-songwriter Nathaniel Riley can’t help but pour his emotional life into music. To him, songwriting isn’t just art, “storytelling” or entertainment, it’s a way to sort things out and heal old wounds. …

MonoNeon is Bringing his Bass Magic to The Aggie

Memphis native Dwayne Johnson Jr., who plays under the pseudonym MonoNeon, is an otherworldly talent. A prodigious bass player, the 32-year-old musician began playing guitar at just four years old—but not exactly in the traditional …

The Burroughs – Honey Imastar Album Review

The Burroughs Don’t Settle For Singles In Their Second Full-Length Album  Even with attention spans reduced to 15-second blurbs on TikTok and indie artists spacing out their music releases to one single at a time, …

Outlaw Saloon Announces CFD After Party Lineup

The Outlaw Saloon’s CFD After Party Concert Series is on the horizon. As usual, it promises a remarkable lineup of country and rock music’s finest, set to take the stage from July 21st through July …

Milquetoast Renditions A Timeless Classic On “Nights In White Satin”

Frontman James McAndrew and bassist Dan Zangari from the Denver-based sextet Milquetoast & Co. were out on the golf course when they spoke with BandWagon Magazine about their nostalgic new single, “Nights in White Satin.” …

Insert A Clever Pun About Sam Having “Tallent” Here

“I just flew in from Vegas and boy are my arms tired.” Sam Tallent is killing it. The Colorado-based stand-up comic has become a source of pride for many of those who witnessed his rise …

It’s OK To Feel Blue, Just Don’t Rap About It

DNA Picasso Deconstructs Vulnerability in Hip-Hop with his New Album “The Colour Blü“ DNA’s DNA If you happen to run into Denver rapper DNA Picasso on the street, chances are he’ll be dressed in a …

Built To Spill: On Tour

Paranoia to Peace Doug Martsch is somewhere in Little Rock, Arkansas mid-tour with Built To Spill. He hasn’t ventured outside of the bus yet, but he hears it’s really hot. As the frontman for the …

May 2023 – Built to Spill

In This Issue: Built to Spill | Sam Tallent | DNA Picasso

Lindsey Jordan Doesn’t Want To Write Sad Songs— At Least Not Right Now

Snail Mail’s bandleader on love, existential dread and losing her voice Lindsey Jordan’s Pain and Healing Sometimes the best albums are born from the worst circumstances. When Lindsey Jordan first began to string chords, melodies …

Cursive Plays Domestica: Tim Kasher On The 2000 Album That Defined An Era 

Omaha in the 1990s was an indie rock incubator for a swathe of bands primarily signed to Saddle Creek Records. From Bright Eyes and Norman Bailer (which would eventually morph into The Faint) to Cursive …

April 2023 – Cursive

In This Issue: Cursive Plays Domestica | Snail Mail's Lindsey Jordan Doesn't Want To Write Sad Songs

Shine On: City of the Sun Aims To Bring Its Instrumental Brilliance To The World 

Zach Para and John Pita, collectively known as City of the Sun, recorded the Segunda Alma EP at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the concert industry brought to its proverbial knees, there was …

March 2023 – City of the Sun

In This Issue: City of the Sun | Plasma Canvas | Soulfly

February 2023 – Tanner Usrey

In This Issue: Tanner Usrey | Phantomstone | The Collection

xDeadBeatx Ignites a Hardcore Punk Resurgence in Fort Collins

“When I moved to Fort Collins, I didn’t want to have to drive to Denver to go to hardcore shows,” Billy Fabrocini tells BandWagon. “Now people will drive up here to go to shows. That’s what DeadBeat was always about. DeadBeat was about showing people, ‘yeah, we can do it ourselves. We can do it here.’”
In addition to being a hardcore band, xDeadBeatx is “straight edge,” a label that arose from the hardcore scene in 1981, after the seminal band Minor Threat released a 46-second track by the same name that disparaged drug and alcohol abuse. Since then, straight edge has evolved, morphed and splintered into its own genre and subgenres. A strict set of ethical guidelines come along with the musical characteristics — no drinking, smoking, drugs, promiscuous sex or addictive behaviors of any kind for life. 
Each member of xDeadBeatx has his own reason for embracing the straight edge ethos. Each of those reasons can be traced back to long before the band was founded in 2019.

Silver & Gold: Saving Face

The band members in Silver & Gold don’t seem to believe it, but it was a decade ago when they were just a group of college kids crowded together in a music rehearsal room at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley to go over some songs they’d just written.
They were regulars after 9 p.m. most nights at Frasier Hall, the music building, where they honed their craft beyond jazz choir, soon becoming one of Northern Colorado’s most beloved rock bands.
The band will release a new EP next month, and the six songs reflect a group much more sure of itself than those kids in Fraiser, Hildebrandt said. This is despite the fact that they recorded the album just a few months into the pandemic. Maybe, in fact, because of it.

No More Running: Seth Beamer Shines Solo

Strong inspiration can carry you a long way. For Denverite and man of many musical hats Seth Beamer, inspiration struck at least once recently and the propulsion is palpable. Having embraced a solo career path after parting ways with Wildermiss (a group he founded) a handful of years ago, Beamer has embraced his true self: a connector, teacher, master of many trades, and conduit of positive energy.

Releasing his debut single “The Runaround” on December 7, 2022, Beamer has hit the ground, well, running – racking up tens of thousands of instagram followers and winning Channel 93.3 KTCL’s annual Hometown For The Holidays competition last month. For Colorado artists, that’s a huge deal.

January 2023 ~ Silver & Gold

https://issuu.com/bandwagmag/docs/draft_bandwagon_january_2023 In This Issue: Silver & Gold "Saving Face" | Seth Beamer Shines Solo | XDEADBEATX Ignites a Hardcore Punk Resurgence

Treaty Oak Revival: An Alliance Between Punk and Country

Treaty Oak Revival didn’t really have a choice but to be a country band. They grew up in West Texas, a market that practically demands bands play country, and, well, it’s also hard to escape your roots. 

“I have an accent,” said Sam Canty, the band’s lead vocalist, in an interview with BandWagon – and for the record, he sure as heck does.

Even so, all that Texas red dirt country the band seemed destined to play couldn’t bury their love of rock and roll, especially in a world of modern crossovers. Canty is unafraid to proclaim his love of big punk acts such as Sum 41 and Blink 182 and Treaty Oak Revival finds themselves with their feet in more than one arena.

Album Review: Trash. – Ghosts

Let’s face it. For many, the past couple of years have been pretty garbage, in a lot of ways. However, for Colorado’s progressive pop-punk outfit Trash., it would seem the past two years have been about growth and preparing a sophomore release that, in every sense of the word, is quite the opposite of what the band’s moniker projects.

100 to 16, Now Down to 4: BandWagon’s Battle Of The Bands Closes in on Title Bout

Eternal Glory, $5,000 and the cover of BandWagon Magazine are grounds for musical fisticuffs in Colorado. Last month, 16 Colorado bands who stood out from 100 submissions slugged it out (yes, metaphorically) at 4 of the state’s most worthy music venues: Oskar Blues Colorado Springs, The Moxi Theater in Greeley, The Coast in Fort Collins and The Black Buzzard in Denver.
The four finalists rocked hard to surpass their contenders and secure their spot in the final round on December 10 at The Moxi Theater. In the initial rounds, each act was assessed by a panel of celebrity judges on a combination of talent, skill, stye and conduct (along with an element of fan voting) to determine the finalists. Here’s what the original sweet sixteen brought to the battlefield in the first round.

December 2022 – Treaty Oak Revival

https://issuu.com/bandwagmag/docs/bandwagon_december_2022_web In This Issue: Treaty Oak Revival | TRASH. | BandWagon Battle of the Bands

Everyone Should Start a Band

“Everyone should start a band.

You’ll begin by gathering some friends to meet in a dingy classroom and start practice on a drum set with busted heads and an amp with crunchy outputs.

You’ll be bad at first. Or maybe not terrible, but awkward and too loud. But it will be fun to make noise and write songs that aren’t so serious, and maybe a few that are. You’ll laugh harder than you have in years. You’ll leave practice looking forward to the next one.

You’ll play a show …”

Album Review: Jellyfish Farm – Jellyfish

Progressive rock is certainly its own multi-tentacled beast. Its key characteristics align with virtuosic musicianship and a sort of refined taste which, as with caviar or any stereotype, can lend itself to negative connotations.

But the debut release from Colorado’s Jellyfish Farm could not be further from any preconceived notion of “stuffy” progressive rock. Rather, it’s a delightful and abstract breath of fresh air for not only the state’s local music scene, but modern prog as a whole.

Album Review: Logan Farmer – A Mold For The Bell

Following in the Soft-Croon tradition of fellow Colorado folkers Covenhoven and Gregory Alan Isakov, Fort Collins’ Farmer paints with a palette of little more than acoustic guitar and vocal. But a flutter of woodwind textures, flecks of orchestral harp and thoughtful string arrangements elevate the album’s eight songs to a 10.

Fans of Bon Iver will love A Mold For The Bell, but expect a few unique brush strokes in this impressionist piece, namely, the pointed, trembling timbre of Farmer’s vocal: It’s hushed and rife with vibrato yet convinced with a determined grit.

Langhorne Slim: A Semblance of Stillness

Langhorne Slim’s “Strawberry Mansion” was the result of a burst of creativity that emerged from the pandemic and after winning a battle with clinical anxiety and prescription drug abuse. He’s still happy to talk about that time and his never-ending struggles, and he remains honored to share his experience with mental health organizations. But sometimes he has to remind people that those are things he’s dealt with his whole life. They do not necessarily define him.

“I’m also having fun too,” Slim said with a laugh in a phone interview with BandWagon. “It’s not beating me every day. For the first time ever, I was finding some semblance of stillness. I wasn’t running from myself because I wasn’t able to.”

November 2022 – Langhorne Slim

https://issuu.com/bandwagmag/docs/bandwagon_november_2022_draft In This Issue: Langhorne Slim | Jellyfish Farm | Logan Farmer | Everyone Should Start a Band - Briana Harris

Nothing to Hide Behind: Wheelwright’s Jared Kolesar After The Mill

“I think there’s an element of a lonely cowboy out on the trail,” Jared Kolesar of Wheelwright tells BandWagon. “There’s many songs now with a story that is best told while I’m alone with my guitar.”

The reworked songs give his Jared & The Mill fans a chance to preview his new sound, one he calls more sonically interesting, with more synth and more effects to his vocals to go with some new hip-hop vibes. He calls the sound Neo-Western and compares it to a mix of 80’s futurism and Americana. Or, in his own words, “like Blade Runner with more cowboy vibes.” 

Finding Herself: Briana Harris Steps Up as Band Leader on Debut Album When We’re Found

On a whim, Briana Harris submitted a grant proposal along with a demo of her soulful song “Ground Up” which she had performed for The Burroughs’ Virtual Telethon in 2020. That June, Harris received a message that she was awarded the funding to record an album.

“I wanted to make the most volume of work I could, and see where that would take me,” Harris said. “I want to really present what I feel is the fullest version of myself. Just the process of doing that for me has been important and empowering.”

Birth, Death and Time In The Sun: SUSTO’s Justin Osborne Finds new Dimesion

“There were ravines growing between me and people in my life,” Justin Osborne tells BandWagon. “And with COVID, everybody got pushed back together. Some of those changes had to be faced head on.”

Osborne is the commandant of North Carolina’s Susto and he’s just gone through some of the most intense years of his life.

“If humans are dimensional,” he says, “there’s a whole new dimension of myself that was awakened.”

Susto’s sound sits between Americana, psych-pop and the indie-rock church of rootsy folk. A mix of satire and earnestness adds a roughness; a raised eyebrow setting it apart from rural radio. Its dark, drug-influenced sentimentality and staunch idealism is, at its heart, just barefaced American songwriting.

“There were a lot of attempts at reconciliation – my own beliefs with how I was raised,” he says. “I’m trying not to disrespect,” he says, “but to participate in these big life events.”

Album Review: Draghoria – Dangerous Species

Colorado mainstay metallers Draghoria have long been a force to be reckoned with. Their latest effort, Dangerous Species, has not only maintaineed their place on the mountain but have effectively secured their territory at the top.
Draghoria is known in the Colorado community for sheer, sonic brutality, creating an amalgamation of old-school thrash and modern metal held together by forceful melodies, unmatched musicianship, and nods to a plethora of styles that scream (pun intended) pure metal.

September 2022 – Susto

In This Issue: Susto – Birth, Death, Time in the Sun | Shinyribs – Kevin Russell Goes Big | Draghoria – Dangerous Species

Permission to Shine: Shinyribs’ Kevin Russell Goes Big

Kevin Russell was nearing age 40, and given the upheavals in his career, should have been facing the clichéd mid-life crisis. Instead, he gave himself permission to be himself.

He left a band he’d played with for nearly 20 years, to focus on Shinyribs.

“The odds were against me for sure,” Russell said in a phone interview with BandWagon, “But I felt like I had to do it. It was a now-or-never kind of feeling. It was a gamble. But it was so great. We are now an instant party – wherever we go.” 

Play it For Your Mates: Tones And I Rises Up Solo; Puts the “I” in Team-Macklemore

You’ve heard it.

It was written by a busker, in a closet, for a few friends at a youth hostel but somewhere on Planet Earth in the last three years, you’ve heard it.

The song is “Dance Monkey” and the number of times it has been streamed online is literally incalculable.

“I didn’t write that song to release at all,” Toni Watson aka Tones And I tells BandWagon. “I lived at a hostel. Like – I’d parked my van there, I used the showers. I played that song for a year on the street before I decided to release it.”

Now, for the first time, the one woman wonder is ready to collaborate – with her musical hero Macklemore, of course. “It’s just the most perfect track for both of us,” Watson says.

And she will finally release her first song ever about love. “I don’t mean to, but I’ve actually never written a love song,” Watson says. “I just don’t feel like I’d ever really known what it is.”

Bevin Luna: 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Featured Artist

“Madison & Angelus is a garage rock EP because it’s rock and roll. And it was literally recorded in a garage in LaPorte, Colorado,” Bevin Luna says.
True to the garage band ethos, the 6 tracks mesh originals, covers and co-writes with big, fuzzy guitars, overdriven vocals and bashing drums. But the garage has a heart and some depth behind its door. Much of the writing discusses the turmoil of being a musician in the digital age, and as Luna puts it: “In the middle of a pandemic sandwich: never knowing where to begin or if it’s ever going to end – constantly trying to reassure ourselves that everything was gonna be OK.”

Album Review: People in General – friends

People in General are making the leap. Since their first release Piglet in 2019, the trio has grown into a full 8 piece band with horns, extra vocalists and more. The sounds on the new EP Friends are more mature, with bigger, fuller arrangements. But the shift isn’t only because the band is suddenly all grown up. Like it or not, the vocalist is the most identifying element of any band, and People in General have changed that up too.

Album Review: mon cher – tell me baby

Denver’s femme trio, mon cher, explore synth-driven dream pop in their new EP tell me baby. It’s meditative and vibey, reminiscent of synth-pop groups like Washed Out (the group that wrote the “Portlandia” theme) and the Minecraft’s ethereal composer, C418.

The Bones of J.R. Jones: Desert Rhythms and Dancing Through the Blues

J.R.’s life as a touring bluesman came later than some. In his late 20’s, he was living in Brooklyn, bartending and teaching at a pre-school. He had a masters degree in printmaking, but the medium was quickly being usurped by digital alternatives. Still, he needed a creative outlet. 

A few years before, J.R.’s college roommate had introduced him to a song that made him fall in love with the blues. It was Blind Lemon Jefferson, a 1920’s singer and guitarist who is sometimes credited as the “Father of the Texas Blues.”

“I had never heard that raw, gritty passion in anything else,” he said. “It just kind of leveled me.”

From then on, J.R. spent his in-between time — in between work, school, relationships and everything else — playing the blues.

“There were a lot of DIY venues that popped up in loft spaces or garages. They were perfect for the type of music I was playing,” he explained. “All you needed was a condenser microphone, a picnic table and a cooler of PBR.”

Album Review: Pathos & Logos – Cult

When you find yourself on the old familiar quest for heavy, ethereal, instrumental music that takes you on a sonic journey through space and time, look no further than the latest effort from Colorado’s Pathos & Logos, “Cult.”
Pathos & Logos is a two-man operation that sounds like a galaxy of performers smearing a solar system of sounds together.

Michal Menert: Things Burn Down

Michal Menert has been thinking about fire.

The fires that have burned vast tracts of land near his childhood home in Colorado and not far from his former home in California. The fire that burned a warehouse full of his merch in Detroit last December. A fire that burned down the house in Fort Collins where he used to live with his bandmates in 2004. And all of the other metaphorical fires that have raged through his life over the years.

“Things burn down and then you watch the flowers grow back out of the cracks,” Menert reflected in an interview with BandWagon.

The theme has permeated the Pretty Lights cofounder’s music in recent months.

Album Review: Musuji – Blanket Statement

To say that Musuji’s reputation precedes them would be an understatement. Known for their “wild with madness” moniker, Musuji mash together layer upon layer of sound and energy to create their own blend of funky, intense indie rock that is equally as chill as it is disastrous – and that’s in a good way.

Single Review: Hutty – “Broke Bank”

Since making his mark with his 2021 album and over 1.5 million streams on Spotify for his hit “Body Low,” Hutty has been exploring different genres and influences, using hip-hop as his foundation.

Single Review: Eufórquestra – “Arizona to Georgia”

Eufórquestra’s recent single, “Arizona to Georgia,” leans into groovy funk-rock, with jammy vibes and a big sound, reminiscent of early Steely Dan or Steve Miller’s “Fly Like an Eagle.” This song has a lot of potential to extend to a full jam, pushing audiences to have a “little less talk, a little more listen” as the lyrics demand.

Single Review: Connor Terrones – “What Can I Do?”

Guitarist Connor Terrones debuts his solo project with his first single, “What Can I Do?” giving listeners a peek into the lofi tastes of the long-time Colorado soul and R&B sideman.

July 2022 – The Bones of J.R. Jones

IN THIS ISSUE: The Bones of J.R. Jones | Michal Menert (Pretty Lights) | mon cher | Musuji | Pathos & Logos | Hutty | Connor Terrones | Eufórquestra | Bevin Luna | 105.5 The …

A Century of Country – Greeley Stampede’s New Stage Set for Brad Paisley and More

The Greeley Stampede’s new stage was built with Brad Paisley in mind.

The last time he played here, in 2007, Paisley had 10 semi-trailers full of equipment, said Justin Watada, executive director of the Stampede. Way back then, three “up and coming” acts performed with Paisley, including a young lady named Taylor Swift.

The brand new stage is bigger and much better, with all the fixins you’d expect from a show at Red Rocks, including a platform that will allow the artists to walk 50 feet out into the crowd. And Paisley is back as the Stampede’s biggest act in a lineup that includes Stone Temple Pilots, Jon Pardi, Cole Swindell and Jordan Davis.

Video Premiere: Jelie – Just Like You

We last heard from Denver hip hop up-and-comer Jelie in May when the rapper / producer released the pandemic-inspired “Cope” to coincide with mental health awareness month. Today, she’s back, premiering the music video for “Just Like You” via BandWagon – and it cuts just as deep.

Album Review: I In Team – Bad Neighbors

Knock, knock – It’s Nick Sanville and Dugan’s group I In Team ushering you into your living room, commandeering the nearest bluetooth speaker and showcasing cuts from their freshly minted project Bad Neighbors – a rap album made with intention. Not the intention of doing something on purpose – rather, something done with purpose.

It’s barrel aged and small batch, but without the pomp of a soft launch for some hipster yerba maté bar. It’s meticulously crafted hip-hop refined by a pair of artists who take their music – not themselves – quite seriously.

OGT: To Re-Write a Legacy

Kodean IX doesn’t know where he would be without music, but he knows it wouldn’t be good.
He has been in and out of jail, and one of his cousins was in Greeley’s chapter of the infamous 18th Street gang. 

“He asked me why I was gang-banging,” Kodean recalled, “and I said, ‘Because I grew up here.’ – He told me to do something better. Break the legacy. And I did.”

Kodean and a grieving Keen OGT (who lost his sister to suicide) were rapping to help quell the pain they felt, and they began to call themselves OGT, or One Great Team.

Then the Moxi Theater gave OGT a chance, a big show, and Korean hasn’t forgotten it.

“I’d still be in a different life,” Kodean told BandWagon. “[The Moxi] gave me a chance to show what I could do.”

Single Review: Joy Scout – “Pretty Itty Bitty Kitty”

During the pandemic, Joy Scout’s Paul Beverage brought home a tabby named Josie, wrote a punk-infused 12-bar blues about her and he wants you to know about it. Mee-ow!

Orville Peck & The Nude Party at The Lincoln

Many online casino players might be interested in attending The Nude Party concert in Lincoln. In addition, Orville Peck, who hosted a concert with The Nude Party, also shared what was the reason for the ...

How The Arcadian Wild was Loved Into Being

The Arcadian Wild really listen. You can see it in their patience with fans, their gentleness with each other, and most of all in the cohesive interplay of each melodic line in their music. Like mycelium spreading nutrients throughout a forest, each individual is inseparable from the whole.

The band began in an impromptu post-choir-class jam session in 2013. The lineup has shifted so often over the years that founding member Lincoln Mick refers to the band as a “revolving door,” but he remembers the band’s five-or-so departed members with much more sweetness than bitterness.

“To take a turn of phrase from Fred Rogers, so many people have ‘loved this band into being’ over the years,” he told BandWagon.

Album Review: Companion – Second Day of Spring

Fort Collins based identical twin sisters Sophia and Jo Babb, otherwise known as Companion, release their debut folk/americana album Second Day of Spring with vocal harmonies that match as perfectly as their DNA.

They find creative ways to use their voices throughout, processing the trauma of their father taking his own life and their own feelings of isolation. Their unisons are striking, the balance and the carefully constructed harmonies giving the illusion that they are coming from the same person.

10 Slot Machines a Dinheiro Real Musicais de Todos os Tempos

As slot machines com temas musicais há muito que atraem jogadores de todo o mundo. Estes jogos divertidos oferecem uma experiência de jogo distinta, fundindo a emoção das slot machines com a paixão pela música. …

Album Review: Neoma – Hyperreal

Denver synth-pop resident Neoma brings her Ecuadorian influences to the Front Range with her new album Hyperreal. Her definitive style brings a welcome slice of musical diversity to Denver’s predominantly americana/rock scene, and her ‘sad-girl’ aesthetic doesn’t stop listeners from wanting to dance-it-up like they’re at the club.

Single Review: Spliff Tank – “Lie”

There’s nothing subtle about Spliff Tank’s latest single. In the opening measures of “Lie,” an uptempo beat collides with droning guitars and a soaring melodic synth lead.

Album Review: Draghoria – Dangerous Species

Colorado mainstay metallers Draghoria have long been a force to be reckoned with. Their latest effort, Dangerous Species, has not only maintaineed their place on the mountain but have effectively secured their territory at the top.
Draghoria is known in the Colorado community for sheer, sonic brutality, creating an amalgamation of old-school thrash and modern metal held together by forceful melodies, unmatched musicianship, and nods to a plethora of styles that scream (pun intended) pure metal.

June 2022 – Arcadian Wild

IN THIS ISSUE: Arcadian Wild | Polyrhythmics | OGT | Neoma | Companion | Draghoria | Jen KorteJelie | Jay Scout | Spliff Tank | 105.5 the Colorado Sound

Polyrhythmics and the Definition of Vibe

When the Polyrhythmics first gathered in a Seattle recording studio a decade ago, they planned to make a vinyl record and then, perhaps, go their separate ways …

“When we started, we wanted to perform the music we recorded,” Bloom said, “and now our live set is a living, breathing thing that we do every night. There is this ethos from the fans that they want to see something new, and that feedback has played into what we do live. We are still sort of trying to reach something every night. We are trying to leave room for magic.” 

Alysia Kraft: 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Featured Artist

Alysia Kraft can keenly use nature as a metaphor in her music. But in the case of “Little River,” a song with rich layers of meaning and potential interpretations, the inspiration was frighteningly literal.

“I almost drowned in the river by my parent’s ranch in the summer of 2020,” Kraft tells BandWagon. “It was a freak accident. The railing snapped on a bridge I was standing on and I was instantly tossed into a very high, very debris-choked river raging with freshly thawed spring snow.”

She lived to tell the tale. And in turn, make some of this year’s most resonant music.

A Wyoming native, Kraft’s is known in Colorado as one third of folk-rock favorites Whippoorwill and the voice of The Patti Fiasco. With therapeutic guidance, she came to an epiphany following the river trauma.

Blast N’ Scrap is Back on Track

Blast N’ Scrap has become the de facto community hub for underground music in Fort Collins, but the organization does far more than event production. Its projects include a 6-week theater program for school kids, weekly screen printing classes using sustainable and recycled materials and Band Blast Off, a music education program teaching professional skills to aspiring musicians ages 7 to 17.

The prolific volume of Blast N’ Scrap initiatives is due, in large part, to the scruffy 38-year old at the helm. Michael Gormley is bursting with ideas.

And though Blast N’ Scrap events now include established local bands, Gormley adamantly says they will always be there for local bands to play their first show.

Jon Wolfe Ticket Giveaway

Jon Wolfe is playing in Casper on Friday, May 27, and Cheyenne on Saturday, May 28. This is is your chance to get a free ticket to those shows, with the purchase of a ticket …

Son Lux Scores Everything and Frees Up Their Tomorrows

If André 3000 playing a Mayan double flute for your band’s movie score isn’t proof that the multiverse exists, we don’t know what is.

But it exists. And there’s so much more. André, Moses Sumney, Randy Newman, Mitski, and David Byrne are among the guest artists Son Lux acquired for what became a 49-track film score with more musical ideas than one universe can hold.

Son Lux (Ryan Lott, Ian Chang and Rafiq Bhatia) have been making music from their own universes for years. In 2019, they were contacted by film directing team Daniels to score their mind bending, multiverse movie ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once.’ It was a match made in multi-heaven.

Now on tour supporting their recent, triple album ‘Tomorrows I, II & III,’ Son Lux bring an organic approach to represent their cinematic, layered and dynamic music.

Horse Feathers: The Endearing Nature of Justin Ringle’s Earnest Sound

Horse Feathers’ spin on traditional folk and Americana spans barn dance to backyard reverie, airy ballads to full-blooded country jigs.

Justin Ringle launched Horse Feathers shortly after moving to the Pacific Northwest at a time he says “all the cliches from Portlandia were being developed.” Rent was cheap and you just needed a shitty job to keep your creative aspirations afloat.  
  
“It was really less preposterous for me to try to become a professional musician than it was to get a job in graphic design at the time,” he said. Though dispelling any romantic notion, Ringle points out, “There was really high unemployment in Portland and it was just kind of tough going. Everything was really close to the bone.” 

Goatwhore: With a Vengeance

Even with a name like Goatwhore, there’s room for subtlety.

Yes, there are Satanic overtones in Goatwhore’s lyrics — duh — and their music reflects it, with the kind of hardcore black metal crunch you’d expect in the drums, guitars and, of course, the vocals (also duh). But the last record’s lyrics come from a concept album, Vengeful Ascension, which portray Lucifer as an underdog slighted by a God who was equally oppressive.

L. Ben Falgoust II, the band’s singer (and keeper of one of the best metal monikers in history), uses historical references to color the themes, but Zack Simmons, the drummer, likes to apply the lyrics to real life.

Cloud Catcher: Carry the Heavy Torch

Some kids grow up listening to Barney, Elmo or Little Einsteins. Rory Rummings listened to Dio, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. 
“My Dad raised me on the classics,” Rummings tells BandWagon, and you can hear it in Cloud Catcher, the Denver band he formed nine years ago. Rummings is the frontman and main songwriter, and he loves paying homage to the classic metal of the 1980s as well as the bands that started it all, such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. 
But Rummings insists that Cloud Catcher isn’t just another replica.

EP Review: Elektric Animals – Channels

Denver’s Elektric Animals ring in the summer via the upbeat rock sound of their new EP Channels. They guarantee that every song, no matter how few, is a bop you will dance to as the weather warms up.
“Come Clean” pulls listeners right in with a fast, dancy drum groove and rhythmic guitar and Nick Sanders’ gritty vocal is sent boiling into a fevered scream. If they haven’t already, 93.3 needs to put this track in their rotation now.

May 2022 – Son Lux

  In This issue: Son Lux | Anthony Ruptak | Alysia Kraft | Blast N’ Scrap | Horse Feathers | Cloud Catcher | Goatwhore | Electrik Animals | Ronan Andrews | 105.5 The Colorado Sound

Album Review: Anthony Ruptak – Backrooms

Like Ruptak’s earlier work, Backrooms is emotionally charged, but themes of anger, regret and despair are balanced by love and connection.

“The overall arc is one of evolution and healing,” Ruptak explained.

Scenes that play out over fragile, haunting melodies include a funeral for a well-loved dog, an ambulance ride to a hospice center and a white-knuckle drive to the house of a suicidal family member. On “Angie,” Ruptak proposes to his wife. Literally.

EP Review: Ronan Andrews – Quarter Life Crisis

Ronan Andrews’ new solo EP Quarter Life Crisis features upbeat and bright pop with some groovy jazz and soul undertones that should please fans of Mayor Hawthorne or Silk Sonic.

There’s a happy, feel-good air about his songs, like the upbeat opening track “Dancing Like a Fool,” featuring a bouncing piano groove, full vocal harmonies and cool guitar licks. It gives “Sunday Morning” by Maroon 5 feelings, especially when the piano plays lush, jazz-influenced chord changes.

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Pink Fuzz: Blood Runs Deep

If you notice a particular sweetness in the vocal harmonies soaring above the sludgy riffs, ripping guitar and ruthless drums of Denver rock trio Pink Fuzz, you’re on to something. If you pick out stylistic parallels to another Denver trio The Velveteers, you’re getting even warmer.

The sound you hear in the voices of John and LuLu from Pink Fuzz is called blood harmony. That sounds pretty metal, which is appropriate, but it’s a term used to describe the unmatched accordance that happens when blood relatives sing together.

Jyemo Club: 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Featured Artist

“From my own experiences, I’ve always wished more people from this country would listen to music that is not sung in English,” Jonny Jyemo tells BandWagon. “There is so much out there. Language should not be a barrier, but an invitation to connect.”

Jyemo is the founder of Jyemo Club, a Colorado band with members from 5 different countries. The band is based on a simple, inclusive idea: a concert where people from anywhere in the world would feel welcome. Where beats invite dancing and lyrics are felt beyond language. The Club has so many varying backgrounds that they can only be described as universal. 

Joshua Ray Walker: King Of The Honky-Tonk Misfits

Joshua Ray Walker’s role model for his hit “Sexy After Dark” was not Tim McGraw, Billy Ray Cyrus or Keith Urban. It was Conway Twitty.
Twitty, Walker said in a phone interview with BandWagon, was sort of a goofy guy who managed to sing some of the most romantic songs in country music. It’s not like Twitty belonged on the cast of Hee Haw, but he wasn’t Elvis. One of the intentions of “Sexy After Dark,” Walker said, was to pay a backhanded but lighthearted tribute to all the people like Twitty.

“There’s a history of country crooners who aren’t sexy – putting out sexy songs,” Walker said. “‘Slow Hand’ is one of my favorites. Twitty is so goofy-looking, but he sold it. He really sold it.”

The other intent, Walker said, was to poke fun at himself. He knows he’s also not Elvis.

Album Review: Holdfast. – Movies

Holdfast.’s new album Movies brings their expected electro dark-pop and rock aesthetic but leans into other styles that open their doors to new fans.

Singer Charlie Maddocks demonstrates a dramatic contrast in dynamics, one that MUSE’s lead Matt Bellamy is well known for, though Maddocks’ tone is undoubtedly his own, becoming one of Colorado’s most recognizable lead vocals. Holdfast. continues to deliver strong songs while experimenting with new sounds and textures.

Album Review: Young Habitat – In First Person Perspective

Music seldom tells you what to imagine in a concrete, absolute way. It requires you to fill in the gaps — sometimes thin, sometimes wide. Young Habitat’s debut EP In First Person Perspective, is a meditation on this idea.

Riley Sbarna and saxophonist Hayden Farr (Trash Cat, The Burroughs) have long riffed about a potential musical collaboration, but the inspiration to finally follow through came from an unlikely source: the pandemic.

Though In First Person Perspective retains the emotional vulnerability of Sbrana’s previous work, the sonic landscape is a left turn. Understated vocals often devolve into heavily affected opacity. The instrumentation is reminiscent of lo-fi hip hop with frequent saxophone odysseys provided by Farr. It’s one part contemporary Bon Iver and one part Porches with a sprinkle of neo soul. It’s both melancholic and beautiful. 

Album Review: Kaitlyn Williams – Under These Lights

“Under These Lights,” the new album from Denver’s Kaitlyn Williams, walks the line between neo soul and music for the masses, departing from the bedroom pop she showcased in her 2019 album and subsequent singles. A contributing factor to this shift in style is the live recording, which leaves less room for glittery production and more room for natural musicianship.

April 2022 – Joshua Ray Walker

In This Issue: Joshua Ray Walker | Pink Fuzz | Holdfast. | FOCOMX | Jyemo Club | Kaitlyn Williams | Young Habitat

Pełny przegląd karnawałów i konferencji w Polsce: Przegląd w sercu nauki i rozrywki

Od energetycznych festiwali i gastronomicznych przygód po emocjonujące wydarzenia sportowe i niesamowite festiwale muzyczne, Polska jest krajem, w którym wydarzenia w dziedzinie kultury, sportu i rozrywki nigdy nie zawodzą i przyciągają zarówno mieszkańców, jak i …

Corb Lund: Country Muse, Clean Water and Frontier Justice

Corb Lund is the son of a ranching family that goes back eight generations in Southern Alberta. If he can tell you something in three words, he won’t use 20. “Pretty country,” was all he needed to say in an interview with BandWagon to evoke the rolling sage brush on his family’s ancestral homestead. 

While Lund may be conversationally economical, he is lyrically verbose. Over the course of twelve full length LPs, he has become one of Amercana’s most beloved songwriters; lyrically and sonically a modern embodiment of life on the range.

Last May, the Alberta provincial government rescinded a 1976 ban on open-pit coal mining on the slopes of the Canadian Rockies which threatened to scar the landscape and taint the water of nearby communities.

“It pissed off everybody up here, not just the lefties — ranchers, hunters and the first nations people,” Lund said. “It affects the water I drink. This was too egregious to let go.”

Lund collaborated with other Canadian musicians to re-record his 2009 song “This Is My Prairie,” in protest. A few months later, the government backed down and even introduced new protections.

Album Review: Dead Man’s Alibi

Fort Collins-based Dead Man’s Alibi keeps a post-grunge metal sound while tossing in some blues on their debut. They have a classic early 2000’s sound, with some Alice in Chains mixed in on tracks like “Hole In A Hat,” and “Lowly Saint” which feature roaring guitars and rowdy drum grooves.

The vocals show some grit but shy away from the screaming and growling most bands these days employ. Epic guitar solos call up Judas Priest, but what makes Dead Man’s Alibi cool is the blues influence in their sound.

Album Review: Big Brooklyn – Everyone Everywhere

Denver based Big Brooklyn begs the question “what is jazz?” with their new album Everyone Everywhere, in which every track dips a toe into different sub-genres underneath the jazz umbrella. 

They have enough “straight ahead” stuff,but they also share some funky fusion you might hear from Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters era. Their incorporation of Melody Dornfeld on clarinet (and bass clarinet) lends a quirkier sound for a group that doesn’t focus on gypsy jazz or 1920’s repertoire.

Album Review: Thom LaFond – The Moon Leans In

Nederland, Colorado’s Thom LaFond is most well known as the guitarist and singer in Denver’s four-piece gypsy jam rock outfit Banshee Tree. But on this, his debut full-length, he lets his inner voice shine.

Close, acoustic and intimate speckles of piano, pizzicato violin and nimble upright bass frame his hushed, masculine baritone with gorgeous minimalism; a composition on par with a Kandinsky.

“Did they take the moon you were after and give it back piece by piece?” the record’s first lyric asks, initiating a song and an album dense with gorgeous prose, artful arrangements and beautiful music.

Math Rock and the Immigrant Experience: ZETA “Dances It All” – from Venezuela to Miami to Fort Collins

“Every song is a different rhythm that represents a region in Latin America,” Zeta’s Juan Yilo Alvarado says of Todo Bailarlo, the Venezuelan punk orchestra’s upcoming LP. “It was really liberating and really challenging at the same time.”  

“Our communities dance through everything: sadness, happiness, the good, the bad,” Alvarado said. “We are always dancing through life, moving and adapting and looking for better opportunities in remote places.” 

But Zeta has not lost its frenetic exuberance by embracing its roots. This is calypso (and salsa, samba, latin jazz…) made for moshing. “It’s still rock and it’s still progressive,” Alvarado assures.

While Zeta’s sound might be aggressive, the band’s ethos is the opposite. They are compassionate, inclusive and intent on fostering community wherever they go. Dani “Debuto” Hernandez, the band’s other guitarist/vocalist in addition to Alvarado, is notorious for feeding tour mates, fans and anyone else that walks by. In keeping with the band’s shared pacifistic and environmental ethics, his cooking is vegan (with a Venezuelan flair).

“We’ve connected to, not only to latinos, but also to immigrant people from other countries and ethnicities,” Alvarado explained. “We all feel very identified with the immigrant struggle. In the band and orchestra we are all either immigrants or the kids of immigrants.”

Big Richard: 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Featured Artist

“It is SO FUN,” cellist Joy Adams says of Big Richard. “We’re always laughing until we cry, and there’s no competition. It’s just genuine, supportive fun.”

Big Richard formed specifically to be the token all-female band at McAwesomefest in Colorado in May of 2021. Lucky for fans of bluegrass, authentic vocals and a little something different, what started as a token quickly alchemized into gold.

Right Back Into It: Ben Pu Stays True

At the end of most of his gigs, and in conversations with other musicians or friends, Ben Puchalski gets the question: “Dude, why aren’t you bigger?”

Puchalski, these days, answers with a shrug, and that’s not because he’s a little tired of answering it, even though, truth be told, he kinda is.

“You always try to increase your fan base no matter how long you’ve been doing it.”

“I’ve had a lot of good fans, especially through the pandemic,” he said. “They really kept me afloat. They still come out. It’s unfathomable.”

March 2022 – Corb Lund

https://issuu.com/bandwagmag/docs/web_bandwagon_march_2022 In This Issue: Ben Pu | Zeta & the Abajo Cadenas Orchestra | Thom Lafond | Big Richard | Dead Man's Alibi | Big Brooklyn | 105.5 the Colorado Sound

Still Thirsty: G. Love & The Juice Stir it Up

The band still carries his name, but G. Love is taking a step back from the spotlight. 

G. Love was as synonymous with the Special Sauce as a Big Mac and fries, but he’s now touring with The Juice, and the move signals a shift in musical direction, both in his music and the way he approaches it. 

“Special Sauce has been great, but I’d been thinking about a bigger band for some time,” G. Love said in a phone interview for BandWagon. “It was a chance to play with a lot more soloists instead of just a trio. It was a lot of fun for me.”

Single Review: Isadora Eden f. Duke Justice – “Glycerine” [Bush Cover]

Eden’s reimagining of the Bush classic fits the song’s mystical and mysterious feelings of being in love by surrounding the listener with ambient synths and heavy reverbs. Justice’s vocals have a grungy texture reminiscent of Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, a nice call-back to the original.

You Can’t Bullshit Metal Fans: Soulfly’s Max Cavalera

“Little by little, my own tastes came through for Soulfly,” Max Calverra tells BandWagon. “As I get older, you’d think I’d get more mellow. But I like the heavier and heavier stuff. When you get older, you play what you like. You play what you feel.”

“Riffs are my church,” he said. “That’s my paradise. I will spend hours riffing on the guitar and just chugging on the guitar. I call it Chug Life. When you finally find a killer riff, man, it’s like you’ve won the lottery.

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EXCITE WIN egy nagyon új csillag a különböző kaszinók. Van elég szerencsejáték minden ízlést vár rád, mint egy játékos ebben a csodálatos szerencsejáték-szolgáltatás. Ebben a szerencsejáték-létesítményben szórakozhat és energikusan töltheti szabadidejét azáltal, hogy belép a …

The Collection: Better to Get Lost Than Never to Have Lived at All

On the last day of 2021, David Wimbish, a millennial, posted a viral video on TikTok. It’s is a perfect snapshot of what The Collection does best. The instrumentation is catchy and Wimbish inhabits the unambiguous emotion of the song with his vocal performance. The lyrics are intense, vulnerable and painfully relatable (“another lockdown stuck inside this shit town I can’t find a way round my intrusive thoughts now”). 

“I went from someone who was trying to please everyone, to someone who is outspoken about my sexuality,” Wimbish told BandWagon later. “Why are you so afraid of pleasure,” he sings in their new single ”Get Lost,” and this celebration of pleasure is on full display at the Collection’s live shows. Wimbish twirls his mic stand theatrically from among the folds of flowing white clothing and band members bounce around the stage wildly during instrumental breaks. Huge grins and perspiration are the band’s unofficial uniform.

Common Ancestor: LowDown Brass Band’s New Hotness Has Roots

“LowDown Brass Band has roots in the Jazz education world,” MC Billa Camp tells BandWagon, “but the Jazz education world has the habit of treating Jazz like an island. As if – Jazz isn’t birthed from the same struggle as Hip Hop. As if they are not Black father and son, born fighting the same fight.” 

Lowdown Nights, the latest and most future-leaning record from LowDown Brass Band, was appropriately released during Black History Month. It takes things further out of the pigeonhole and into the pan-genre stage, using the history of the African American experience as its guide. 

Especially with the hit single “Be The One Tonight,” they go mainstream – and that’s a good thing. The collective has enough talent within its ranks to deliver a show with as much variety as Beyoncés 2018 Homecoming at Coachella. It’s the multi-lingual, multicultural, multi-genre kind of mainstream pop and dance music that encapsulates the musical stew of 2022.

Spoke In A Wheel: Zachary Williams of The Lone Bellow Hits the Road with Dirty Camaro

Zachary Williams, whose powerful voice drove him out from the Brooklyn Bar4 open-mic world and onto the international stage, is best known as the belting leader of The Lone Bellow. His new solo record Dirty Camaro is indeed an escape from that band’s gravity; one that’s weird, head-turning, soulful and fresh.

Williams says “I’ve wanted to do it for a long time – really, right after Jim James from My Morning Jacket released his solo record.” He says James had “graciously come out to a couple of my shows,” and the two connected.

What began as a two day trial session resulted in the full length record. The album is rich with expert pedal steel guitar, orchestral strings, saxophone and a Texas-band backbone that really cooks.

Album Review: One Peace – A GLORIOUS ONE

A GLORIOUS ONE from rapper One Peace finds itself at the crossroads of trunk-knocking production, emotion-soaked sampling, and vivid, unapologetic songwriting.

Released on independent Fort Collins-based record label Lion League Music, it’s a nostalgic yet relevant album that feels as diverse as it does cohesive. Sonically, it could stand in as the score to a Tarantino flick or the tracklist for a forthcoming Grand Theft Auto radio station with OP’s speaking voice alone commanding more presence than the average MC yelling full volume into the mic.

Single Review: Bekka Jean – “What If I Forget About You ='(”

Following the passing of her mother, Greeley’s Bekka Jean independently released her folky, shoegaze single “What If I Forget About You ='(” in the vein of Phoebe Bridgers.

Single Review: The Burroughs – “My House My Car”

The Burroughs continue to progress their sound while retaining some of the retro vibe that first captured the hearts of Northern Colorado: 70’s and 80’s musical tropes, a flirtatious female response chorus, loud synth and their 4-piece Stax-style horns. A rap from baritone sax player Hayden Farr adds a fun new bit too.

Album Review: Fast Eddy – Take A Look

As modern rock groups lean into synthesized productions, Denver’s Fast Eddy keeps the standard rock ‘n roll traditions alive in their new full-length album Take A Look. The album is fun, upbeat and packed with …

Writing at the Helm: Hunter James & The Titanic on the Creative Process

“A lot of bands say ‘well, we can’t box ourselves into a specific genre because we play funk and jazz and rock or whatever,’” Hunter James & the Titanic says. “It’s nice to be in a band that says, ‘we play rock and roll 109% of the time.’”

Hunter James & the Titanic refuse to be lured into the post-genre vortex despite that impossible percentage and their lineup of eclectic players. They play Americana — no caveats. Well maybe a couple.

“I really wanted to have this band feel really focused.” Hunter James explained. “But, there’s something inside of me that won’t let me just write like that. But, we always sound like us no matter what.”

In just three years, the band has put out an EP, five singles and two full-length LPs. Their latest album, 2021’s La Liberté, finds the band settled even deeper into a roots rock sound.

February 2022 – The Collection

https://issuu.com/bandwagmag/docs/web_bandwagon_february_2022 In This Issue: The Collection | Fast Eddy | Hunter James & the Titanic | G. Love & the Juice | Soulfly | Zachary Williams | The Burroughs | Isadora Eden | Bekka Jean ...

George Cessna: 105.5 The Colorado Sound Featured Artist, January 2022

Hundreds of hours spent in the basements of dive bars don’t often yield respectable accolades, but for George Cessna, that’s arguably how he came to be this month’s Colorado Sound featured artist.

Cessna and his close friend Brian Buck literally clocked as much time in the basement of Denver’s beloved Hi-Dive, recording and eventually emerging with Lucky Rider, a twangy, dark and lo-fi album released in December.

Album Review: The Matterhorn Project – Traveler

When the phrases “prog metal” and “solo studio project” occupy the about section of a band’s website, a couple of red flags go up. But Zahari Tzigularov, a Bulgarian-born long time Denverite and the mastermind behind The Matterhorn Project, has used his studio time well. Though his musicianship is apparent, his artistry is front and center. The 5-song EP is at once lush and foreboding. Tzigularov’s compositions weave between sludgy bass-driven riffs, wandering clean guitar melodies and fantastical whisper-growled lyrics.

Aviator Aposta: Alcance as Alturas da Emoção com o Jogo do Aviãozinho!

If you’re a thrill-seeker and enjoy the rush of online games, Aviator is your ticket to excitement and potential winnings. In this article, we’ll dive into the captivating world of Aviator Aposta, exploring the game’s …

TX2: A Punk with Pull

“There was a point where I was trying to end my whole life,” Evan Thomas – aka TX2 – tells BandWagon. “I felt worthless. And I had friends help me out. Once people feel like they’re alone, they need someone to talk to. I feel like that helps save lives.”

In addition to putting on cathartic, high energy pop-punk shows, Thomas is the founder of The X Movement, an online safe space for his fans (and anyone struggling) after battling with his own mental health.

Single Review: Branson Hoog – “No Vacancy”

Intimate and sexy, Branson Hoog’s nimble, close-up vocals evoke an alluring darkness. The NOT A TOY (fka Shatterproof) frontman employs deep and minimalistic beats on “No Vacancy,” the second release under his own name.

Single Review: Co-Stanza – “20 Minutes”

Dropping realness like a reference to FaceTime helped folks relate to FoCo’s Co-Stanza (to the tune of nearly 2 million streams on “I Don’t Mind”) and by the sound of this hooky new toe tapper, Co-Stanza will continue racking up fans with each tick of the clock.

Mom Rock Wants To Kiss You On The Mouth

A few years ago, Mom Rock booked their first gig at The Garden, a notorious house on the Boston DIY basement show circuit. They were ecstatic… until they saw the 6 pm time slot. Barely anyone would be there. What happened next cemented the quartet as a fixture in the scene.

“We went up to play and the crowd was electric,” guitarist/singer Josh Polack told BandWagon. “It was the first time I ever crowd surfed during a guitar solo.”

“Our fans are the best people on earth,” guitarist/singer Curtis Heimburger said.

Album Review: Crescent City Connection – Yeah You Right!

Fort Collins based Crescent City Connection brings New Orleans flavor to the Colorado funk-rock scene with their new album Yeah You Right! Powerful rock organ, scratched rhythm guitar and horn lines infuse their niche sound with characteristics popular in Nola Brass and Dixieland traditions.

Single Review: DEBR4H – Cassi-0-Peia

It’s 2022 and yes, it’s possible that your garage band owns 100 synthesizers. Out January 20, “Cassi-o-Peia” pushes DEBR4H’s blipping to a full-on synth stomp at the outset, thickening things up to a dense sparkle as intricate as the Milky Way on the chorus.

Album Review: N3ptune – RENAISSANCE

N3ptune’s RENAISSANCE is an appropriate title for an album by an artist who does it all: acting, singing, modeling, producing and performing. It is a birth of style that combines elements of trap, dark dance pop, and heavy blues rock and there’s nothing else like it.

Pecos & The Rooftops: More Than One Damn Song

The night Pecos & the Rooftops wrote the song that gave them their breakout success, they really weren’t even a working band yet – just a bunch of friends who liked to hang out and jam to cover songs.

The quintet’s frontman, Pecos Hurley, had just begun writing songs, and he was playing the chords to one when magic struck: One of the other guys began singing a chorus to it. 

“Damn, that’s good,” Hurley recalled saying during a phone interview for BandWagon. “Do you care if I try to finish it?”

Finish it he did, and the result, “This Damn Song,” was a smash hit.

January 2022 – Pecos & The Rooftops

In This Issue: Pecos & The Rooftops | Mom Rock | TX2 | Crescent City Connection | The Matterhorn Project | N3ptune | George Cessna | Co-stanza | DEBR4H | Branson Hoog

New Year’s Eve 2021 Shows: BandWagon’s Top Picks

Not too long ago, warm temperatures and plummeting infection rates brought an early-summer wave of optimism to the live music scene. With coronavirus cases rising again, those days are gone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dance your face off this New Years Eve. Depending on where you live, you may need proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to gain entrance to a venue, but the show must go on. So, get your booster shot or bedazzle your mask, but definitely pop that bubbly, and we’ll see you out on the dance floor.

Album Review: Magpie the Band – Under The Maple Tree

Folk trio Magpie the Band emerges into the Northern Colorado scene with their debut ‘Under The Maple Tree,’ featuring more Celtic and Eastern European sounds than the western Americana commonly heard in the Colorado scene. Balancing the amount of slow, introspective songs, and bouncy foot-stompers, the album plays like an intimate house concert put on by close friends.

Single Review: Emma Griffin – Sell My Soul

“Sell My Soul” is a breakthrough for Emma Griffin, allowing her to keep the Lorde and Billie Eilish sound she’s established while introducing a blues touch.

Album Review: This Broken Beat – Far From Home

Julio Perez, lead singer of This Broken Beat has the kind of pop-rock cross-over voice that would make Adam Levine turn his chair around. Perez’ tenor shows clear Ed Sheeran influences, and with such an asset at the heart of their sound, it’s no wonder This Broken Beat shot for the stars on Far From Home.

Break It To Make It: Okey Dokey Hits The Coast

It’s 1 am in San Antonio, Texas and Aaron Martin wants to give you a hug.

He’s the singer and co-founder of Okey Dokey and why wouldn’t he give you a squeeze? You are, after all, a part of Okey Dokey too.

“It’s everything you’d want after two years of, you know, the absence,” Martin tells BandWagon of their current tour. He’s been excited to finally practice Okey Dokey’s mission statement with the people who make the live music experience what it is to him: pretty much everyone who’s not in the band.

“The whole statement is kind of anti-separation,” Martin says. “Bands aren’t just a band. It’s everyone involved.”

Single Review: Poinciana – Focus

“Focus” features tender vocals by lead singer Sawyer Davis and beautiful acoustic guitar picking, but Poinciana doesn’t abandon high-energy rock.

INTHEWHALE Gets Real on Vanishing Point

What sets Eric Riley and Nate Valdez apart from other heavy acts isn’t their musicianship (though it is excellent) but their ability to translate unflinchingly raw moments into music. Starting with INTHEWHALE’s last EP, Dopamine, the band’s tone shifted from the sophomoric humor of their earlier releases to brutally honest explorations of the darker moments of life. These explorations continue on Vanishing Point. The band wrestles with pharmaceutical addiction, suicidal ideation and gentrification. The pain and anger is palpable.

Los Mocochetes: 105.5 The Colorado Sound Featured Artist, December 2021

Los Moccochetes, Denver’s award-winning latin funk band, springs from a group of highschool friends and acquaintances from the music and poetry scene. The raw, “la famiglia” vibe is potent both on stage and in their new, multi-lingual, socially conscious EP Mucho Gusto. Los Moccochetes are here to party for the right to fight.

UPLIFT: FoCo – New Generation on the Rise

“My thinking was, ‘Yeah, get me off this bus,’” Andy Whilden said. He decided to leave touring as a musician for a job at The Matthews House, a place for underserved youth. 

Starting the Uplift: FoCo festival two years ago gave Whilden more personal satisfaction than he expected. The benefit festival will feature acts that are acoustically driven. “They can play any genre,” Whilden said of the house band, though the 2021 installment will also deliver something different, and, well, a little less tenured.

December 2021 – Okey Dokey / INTHEWHALE

I am raw html block.Click edit button to change this html In This Issue: INTHEWHALE | Okey Dokey | Uplift: FoCo | Colorado’s Best New Year’s Eve Shows | This Broken Beat | MAGPIE THE ...

BandWagon Expands: Tony Mason Hops On as Booking Stretches from Colorado Springs to Sheridan, Wyoming

After leaving his job as the lead talent buyer managing Lost Lake, Larimer Lounge and Globe Hall in Denver, Tony Mason saw a new position booking for the famed Gas Monkey in Dallas turn into a depressing slog of cancelling shows remotely from Denver during the pandemic.

Now, Mason will put his contacts to use to work for an expanded BandWagon enterprise which will offer a full-on, regional concert promotions and event production entity from Colorado Springs to Casper, Wyoming.

Video Premiere: Holdfast. – “Time”

“Time” is the final music video from Stay and Fight, the debut album from Windsor-born, Fort Collins rock trio Holdfast. It premieres exclusively via BandWagon today.

“We are all trying to beat the clock,” Holdfast. tells BandWagon. “It’s such a universal problem. We don’t have enough time – but what’s beautiful about that is we have to try our absolute best to fit what’s actually important in our lives.

Single Review: Elektric Animals – “Cheers”

Elektrik Animals dish up alternative rock and upbeat feelings without superficial optimism on the new single “Cheers.”

The Velveteers: Nightmare Dream-Team Graduates from the Garage

When The Velveteers (Demi Demitro, Baby Pottersmith and Jonny Fig) pulled up to a hip, all-ages venue in Detroit, they didn’t expect anyone to recognize them.

“Most of the last two years we’ve just been doing the same thing we always do, which is the three of us practicing music alone in a tiny garage,” Pottersmith tells BandWagon.

As soon as they stepped out of the tour van that day, the illusion of isolation was shattered. Maybe shattered is the wrong word. A fan, sporting Adidas flip flops, a Johnny Cash t-shirt and playing air guitar on a squash racket, was pacing outside of the venue and screaming the lyrics to the lead single “Charmer And The Snake” from their deliciously sinister hard rock album Nightmare Daydream.

Trash Cat and the Absurdity of the Human Experience

Greeley’s greatest-of-all-time cartoon-inspired indie funk rock band Trash Cat features Mary Claxton on lead vocals and electric ukulele, Hayden Farr on baritone sax and Brian Claxton on drum kit.

“Imagine you’re 13 years old and you’re trying to write about your innermost feelings,” Mary Claxton tells BandWagon of the band’s character writing. “It’s a lot to share. On some level I felt the same way about myself.”

Though all three members hold down day jobs and tour with The Burroughs, they have clearly carved out plenty of time for their “side project.” Their live performances are exceedingly danceable, and their recordings are meticulously produced. 

On December 3, Trash Cat will set the mood during rounds of cosmic bowling at Chippers Lanes in Fort Collins, marking the first ever live performance of the band’s sophomore album, The Tide.

Album Review: Mr. Fredo – Movement

Fort Collins-based Fredo The Rapper brings intricate layerings in his new EP Movement, featuring his long-time collaborator, producer (and step-brother) Suburb based in Chicago, IL. The movement is chill, and his relaxed tone glides over the complex trap and lo-fi beats.

Kiltro: 105.5 The Colorado Sound Featured Artist, November 2021

“‘Cuchito’ is a song about a cat. It’s kind of about my cat,” Christopher Castillo Bowers says. But Kiltro’s most recent single, holds more layers than the obvious, much like the band’s spry sound: an intricate mix of acoustic instruments, warbling vocal and polished dance grooves.

Album Review: No Hands Brass Band

No Hands Brass Band brings an upbeat New Orleans sound with considerable chops to Colorado, with their debut EP “Off The Curb.” It features an instrumental mixture of pop, jazz, funk, and traditional Dixieland swing through their original compositions and arrangements, and it shreds.

November 2021 – The Velveteers

https://issuu.com/bandwagmag/docs/web_bandwagon_november_2021 In This Issue: The Velveteers | Trash Cat | Kiltro | No Hands Brass Band | Fredo The Rapper | Bison Bone

Wreckno: B-Queen Drops it Like a Boss

An unlikely icon has burst onto the EDM scene. Brandon Wisniski, known eponymously as Wreckno, creates earth-shaking bass drops, raps about pulling up on your dad and refers to himself as a “FULL TIME BUSSY BOPPER” on Twitter. He may be the biggest, loudest, gayest producer the bass scene has ever seen, and he’s just getting started.

Wisniski’s music melds together the aggression of old-school gangster rap with the manic energy of bass music and the glamour of a drag show. It’s a perfect fit, but it has never really been done before.

The Motet: Colorado Sound Featured Artist, October 2021

A motet, in Western classical music, is a composition, diverse in form and style, dating all the way back to medieval times; a polyphonic form described by scholars as “a piece of music in several parts.”

Today, we might call such a conglomeration simply … a jam. Maybe that’s where the head of drummer Dave Watts was in 1998 when he founded what would become one of Colorado’s (and the world’s) most well-loved live bands: The Motet.

Always laying on a fresh coat of funk, rock, soul and jazz, the band is known for surprising their die-hard audiences with top-tier special guests, but have other tricks, and indeed treats, up their sleeves too, especially for Halloween.

Album Review: Covenhoven – IV

For Coloradans, the name Covenhoven has become synonymous with intimate and heartfelt yet cinematic and powerful folk music. Over the course of three previous full length albums, Joel Van Horne, the stalwart man behind the timidly convicted voice around which the music of Covenhoven swirls, has unflappably delivered expertly crafted, immersive music which seems to speak directly from his heart into our ears.

Album Review: Augustus – Ragtime World

Ragtime World, the new album from Boulder, CO’s Augustus mixes their psychedelic rock sound with classic rock vibes and folk, giving listeners no expectation of what will come next. After releasing several full-length records, with Ragtime World Augustus can take pride in keeping their music fresh.

Album Review: The Crooked Rugs – THAT!

There is a cultural, dad-inherited fondness for flipping through AM radio channels while driving late at night. The Crooked Rugs’ new LP, THAT! is what you’ve been searching for on that AM dial all of these years – something that manages to sound otherworldly and familiar at the same time, drawing from every era of psychedelic rock.

Tech N9ne: New Torment in a Faster World

Even when he’s in bed, trying to calm his crazy mind so he can sleep, Tech N9ne keeps his phone within reach. He never knows when the next lyric will come, and when it does, he wants to be sure he gets it down.

“I hate to lose my ideas,” Tech N9ne said in a phone interview with BandWagon. “My mind races. I have that kind of torment. I can see things behind my eyelids.”

That’s the kind of devotion you’d expect from a rapper who’s recorded 14 albums — with a new one on the way soon — but it’s also the kind of work he has to put in (even as he’s about to turn 50) for his record label Strange Music. 

October 2021 – Tech N9ne

In This Issue: Tech N9ne | Wreckno | Augustus | Covenhoven | Crooked Rugs | The Motet

Sublime with Rome, Dirty Heads and Hirie at The Chinook, Terry Bison Ranch – September 2, 2021

Sublime with Rome, Dirty Heads and Hirie live at The Chinook at Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne Wyoming September 2nd, 2021. All photos by Dana Gage.

Always Moving: Graham Good & The Painters Bring the Optimism

“Keep believing in yourself. Keep believing in your dreams and the value you bring to the world,” Graham Good tells BandWagon. Good is the frontman of the Northern Colorado pop folk-rock outfit Graham Good & The Painters, and he delivers that statement with the well known blanket optimism he has towards life. This optimism has become a staple in his music and he sees spreading that positivity a part of his musical journey. “Just know there’s so much good you have to offer every second of the day,” Good says. “To spend that time thinking you’re not good enough, you’re underdelivering on what you’re capable of providing.”

Birth of The Band: Delvon Lamarr Steps Into the Spotlight with DLO3.

“When you believe in something, you don’t have to sell it,” Delvon Lamarr tells BandWagon.

The Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio were playing festivals before they had recordings and the way Lamarr shreds across the keys and seamlessly grooves the organ pedals with his feet, you’d think he had been doing this his whole life. But he didn’t even touch an organ until his early 20s.

And with guitarist Jimmy James and drummer Dan Weiss on board, Lamarr says “the combination felt unique and connected. No one person makes the band, but what puts it in perspective is all of us.”

Lady Denim: Colorado Sound Spotlight Artist, September 2021

“We were desperately trying to stay optimistic,” Lady Denim’s lead vocalist Nick Lundeen tells BandWagon, “which – to be honest, was a lot easier said than done.”

On September 10, Fort Collins indie-pop quartet Lady Denim release “Loosely Held Hands” with plans to rock the block at Downtown Greeley’s Block Party festival that night in celebration of the EP’s release.

“Loosely Held Hands is about holding on to something during tough circumstances,” Lundeen says. “We became a lot more dependent on one another and the songwriting became more fluid.”

Album Review: We Are William – We Are William

Listening to Fort Collins-based We Are William gives a refreshing perspective on just how difficult it is to play progressive metal, and the band deserves props. Though they may not have reached the peak of “metal Everest” on their self-titled, first full-length album, the effort is admirable and the band shows a lot of potential, and flashes of greatness can be heard.

Album Review: Diez De León – Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix

What’s impressive about Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix from Diez De León is that the album occupies two worlds simultaneously. It’s thoughtful, introspective and authentic, and effortlessly pairs it with the best qualities of modern hip-hop: catchy hooks, head-nodding grooves, and addressing the all-important question, “but does it slap?”

Formerly known as B.B.T.U.C. of Colorado rap trio Soul Brothers, Diez De León showcases a high level of artistic maturity on his debut album. Death of a Martyr, Birth of a Phoenix displays a degree of lyrical finesse that’s refreshing in today’s musical landscape.

Album Review: Jackson Maloney – Dharma Farm

Jackson Maloney: singer, songwriter, folk musician, and Colorado transplant via Northern California. The coarse-voiced busker has found himself a home in unincorporated Boulder County, at a place called Dharma Farm – a small hippie commune near Hygiene, CO. The location, in fact, where Maloney recorded his latest EP – a six track EP that encapsulates the simplicity of a working farm, which, after having been recorded in a ruined grain silo, ‘checks out.’ It’s a bare-boned, extended play that is completely comfortable with skimping on the pleasantries.

Album Review: The Cuddies – Fix It Myself

Greeley’s jazz-leaning (Hannah &) The Cuddies put on a rock show, but shine in moments of intimacy on their full-length debut Fix It Myself, a gloss-rock review via theatrical means. The band flexes their arrangement chops with big horns and fast guitars, offering tricky rhythms in the vocal. Akin to female-fronted bands like Letters to Cleo or the Cardigans, the Cuddies cleverly twist the unexpected into four-on-the-floor fun.

If You Build It: That 1 Guy on Making an Instrument and Setting Songs Free

Mike Silverman – AKA That 1 Guy – knew what it would take to make it. Only his band wasn’t willing to live that hard life. So he did it himself.

“I was working so hard to fill this cosmic space,” Silverman said of the bass, “and I was playing on this thing that wasn’t meant to do that.” So he built an instrument that would help him create a big sound.

“It was very hard,” he said. “Some instrument builders study their whole lives to do this.”

LP with Tai Verdes at Edge Fest – Cheyenne, WY August 28, 2021

LP, our cover artist for August, crushed Edge Fest in Cheyenne with Tai “totally blowing up right now” Verdes as direct support. Bob Lefevre & the Already Gone opened up the night with DJ Sundown spinning to kick things off. All photos by Keith Forney.

September 2021 – Graham Good & The Painters

In This Issue: GRAHAM GOOD | THAT 1 GUY | DELVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO | HANNAH & THE CUDDIES | DIEZ DE LEóN | WE ARE WILLIAM | ELI REY | SILVER & GOLD | …

Album Review: Jaguar Stevens – Jaguar Stevens

If you’ve ever gone out drinking with public school teachers, you know they’re a rowdy bunch. Maybe the job requires the same kind of youthful energy that carries you through to late night karaoke. Maybe ...

Single Review: Silver & Gold – Saving Face

BandWagon Magazine’s favorite band Silver & Gold are at it again, and instead of going home, they went big on their new single “Saving Face.” Catch them Friday, September 10 at The Block Party in downtown Greeley.

Single Review: Griffith James – “Market and Black” (feat. Tennis)

Griffith James has released his most noteworthy song yet, “Market and Black,” which features Colorado legends Tennis on backup vocals. This folky groove, with James’s almost Simon and Garfunkel vocal, feels removed from the modern era in an off putting yet infectious way.

Single Review: Eli Rey – That Kinda Feelin

With slick, red dirt country rock production and a starry-eyed demeanor, Eli Rey elevates the local country scene to a radio-ready level with “That Kinda Feelin.”

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The Infamous LP hits Edge Fest with Irreverent, Vulnerable Pop

“I don’t think they could deal with what I looked like and what I sounded like,” LP tells BandWagon.

“Jay-Z was there and L.A. Reid and everybody. They made me perform three or four songs in completely disparate directions. I was one of the artists dropped at the end of the session.”

Fourteen years later, LP is at the height of her career as an international pop star. She has billions of streams to her name and devout fans from Italy to Poland, Mexico and all over the world.

“It went from ‘who do you think you are?’ to ‘who are you?’,” she said.

On August 28, LP brings her irreverent, vulnerable, one-of-a-kind pop to Edge Fest; a free show in Cheyenne’s West Edge District with special guest Tai Verdes.

Roll Over Reverend: Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band clings to nostalgia for Hard Times

The Reverend Peyton always had an appetite for nostalgia – everything from the traditional country blues that influenced his guitar picking, to the vintage 1950’s outfits he and his wife Breezy wear on stage. Those touches complement their rowdy rockabilly and southern roots sound, so the Rev decided to take it all the way on his new album. He recorded it using the best technology available in the 1950’s. That meant analog. If you don’t know what that means, go ask your grandfather or any recording engineer worth their weight in two inch tape.

Album Review: Southern Avenue – Be The Love You Want

At their best live, Southern Avenue finds enough soul, R&B and pop to please middling blues fans while maintaining enough roots and respect for the genre to satisfy hardcore blues veterans. 

The Memphis-based band’s virtuosity and energy on ‘Be The Love You Want’ is pronounced and the album is a joy. The title track hits like a wallop, and “Move Into The Light,” (a co-write with Jason Mraz) is better than 95 percent of what’s on the radio. The production seems louder, tougher and sharper, with brassy horns and a clearer sound than their previous release ‘Keep On.’

Album Review: King Crawdad – King Crawdad 3

Fort Collins-based rock outfit King Crawdad has hit an impressive new stride, producing an EP alive with the particular energy they are clearly looking to translate. Taking their latest material to the renowned Fort Collins recording studio The Blasting Room and adding Tucker Valentine into the mix on bass, King Crawdad 3 stands as some of their best work yet. It punches where it needs to punch, kicks out the jams when it needs it the most, and shows a band really honing in on their sound.

Album Review: Banshee Tree – Banshee Tree

For the past few years, Banshee Tree has played in barrooms, theaters and music festivals all over Colorado and Wyoming. Although the band’s music showcases each member’s impressive chops, the recurring theme is vibrant energy. Dancefloor denizens will sway to neo soul for one song and spin their partner to gypsy jazz for the next.

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Orville Peck at The Chinook, Terry Bison Ranch – July 24, 2021

Orville Peck live at the Chinook at Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne, Wyoming July 24, 2021. All photos by Jordan Dean and Michael McGrath for BandWagon.

Buckle Up: FoCoMX Drive and Jive Continues Despite BoHo NoGo

Taking place on Sundays this month at the historic Holiday Twin Drive-In, FoCoMX: Drive and Jive continued its live offerings last month with further programming into August and beyond. Reimagining the series to feature a mix of established veteran Colorado acts as well as “discovery” artists from the region, Drive and Jive aims to build engaged audiences and more.

In light of yesterday’s news that the Bohemian Foundation’s recently announced Bohemian Light Music Festival is now in fact cancelled due to COVID precautions, the Drive and Jive series offers a live music format which has proved to function well under pandemic restrictions.

Album Review: Julie Koenig – Renaissance Woman

Julie Koenig’s debut album explores what it means to be a woman – both the strengths and vulnerabilities – through the singer-songwriter genre and jazz.

Unapologetic about her features and her attitude, Koenig uses them to draw strength and elicit feminist ideals, employing a fierce set of original lyrics on being rambunctious.

Colorado Sound Spotlight Artist: The Burroughs

Starting now, 105.5 The Colorado Sound and BandWagon will bring you a Colorado Spotlight Artist of the Month! We couldn’t imagine a first choice better for that late summer festival season than Greeley’s hometown heroes The Burroughs, who’s single, “Baby Get Down” dropped late last month. The accompanying, full-scale music video is set for an August 13th premiere, and the band is set to play several shows this month and next!

Bohemian Light Brings Heavy Hitters Back to Famed Fort Collins Festival

The Bohemian Foundation will put on a music festival this summer in downtown Fort Collins, and though the headliners are big names, fans of Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest should temper their expectations somewhat.

Dubbed the Bohemian Light Music Festival, free, live concerts will commence two nights instead of three, featuring psychedelic soul band Black Pumas and singer-songwriter Randy Newman, plus Shovels & Rope and dozens of Colorado’s top bands.

August 2021 – LP

In This Issue: Reverend Peyton & His Big Damn Band | Bohemian Light Music Festival | Edge Fest | Banshee Tree | Julie Koenig | King Crawdad | Southern Avenue | 105.5’s ARTIST OF THE …

Orville Peck: Home On The Fringe

“I don’t get blowback from traditional country fans,” Orville Peck said in an interview with BandWagon. “There’s always been something new introduced to that genre, whether it’s an instrument or Willie singing about weed or it’s me singing about men and wearing a mask. Everyone freaks out and says it’s not country, and then slowly it becomes part of it. I don’t mind that blowback. That means I’m doing it right. I take it as a challenge.”

Single Premiere: Cody – “I’m Not Really Listening”

After years of solely identifying as the co-front man of Colorado’s adored brother-band Slow Caves, Jakob Mueller steps away from those familiar indie guitar shoegaze shores. Adopting the pseudonym Cody, Mueller dips his toes into new, even washier waters. Cody’s first single “I’m Not Really Listening” premieres below, via BandWagon today.

Album Review: Ms. Nomer – TAOTUNU

Fusion and rock group Ms. Nomer are releasing their debut full-length album TAOTUNU (IE; “things are on the up n up”) July 16 at the Aggie. Ms Nomer’s music already pulls a jazz sound with their colorful chords and complex grooves, but the addition of three additional musicians pull them out of the “rock jam band” genre and into a jazz fusion realm, reminiscent of instrumental giants Herbie Hancock or Chick Corea.

Single Review: Lady Denim – “Old & New”

Bright, energetic and bursting with pop polish has been the name of the game for Fort Collins indie rockers Lady Denim and it’s paying off. Releasing one of their sharpest songs yet, they take a stab in the right direction with “Old & New.”

Album Review: Desert Dwellers – Night Visions 3

From the Playa at Burning Man to the mountains, deserts, and jungles of world’s most iconic festivals, the seminal duo Desert Dwellers are known across the globe for their ability to craft lush, worldly soundscapes and renegade dancefloor vibes.
If the wait to see the Boulder-based duo live at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre on July 17 proves too long to bear, feel comforted that the freshly-released third installment of their Night Vision series can tide you over until then.

Single Review: Slow Caves – “Before I Leave”

When Slow Caves puts out a track, the Colorado music scene collectively gazes on in awe. A ‘90s post-psychedelic stroll through the minds of the Mueller brothers, “Before I Leave” shows signs of something different.

Single Review: Devin Tremell f. Dante M’$ – “Light of Mine ii”

Devin Tremell is one of those surprises everyone saw coming. In the last two years Tremell has cranked out an impressive amount of material, and his latest single “Light of Mine ii” – released on Juneteenth – stands on its own.

Yawper Goes West: Nate Cook Defies Death; Cycles Nation-Wide for Musicians’ Sweet Relief

“I’m terrified. The scope of this is insane and it’s going to be heavily publicized,” The Yawpers’ front man Nate Cook tells BandWagon. The last time he attempted a feat a quarter as intense, he stated: “I was absolutely certain I was going to die.”

This summer, Cook’s attempts a nation-wide, musicians charity bike ride stretching from Greeley Square in NYC, through Death Valley in August, to LA in September with live gigs along the way. With characteristic dark wit, he quips: “I’m concerned about failing, although, I feel like if I get hit by a car or something it will drive donations even more.”

July 2021 – Orville Peck

In This Issue: Orville Peck | Ms. Nomer | Desert Dwellers | Slow Caves | Devin Tremell | Lady Denim | Make More Everything | Nate Cook Cycles Nation Wide

Make More Everything: FoCo Film and Music Collide and Connect

“A lot of people that are emotionally driven tend to gravitate towards the arts,” musician Maxwell Tretter tells BandWagon. “But, then they also hit this pivotal moment between the path of isolation or the path of connection. I’m sick of hearing about the tragic origin story. I want to hear about the well connected, like, ‘life went great for me and I made amazing shit’ story.”

And thus sparked Make More Everything, a “game of telephone between writers, musicians and visual artists.” Tretter collaborated with film-slam organizer Jesse Nyander, culminating in a bonanza, multi-media event Friday, July 2nd at The Lyric in Fort Collins.

CharlestheFirst at The Chinook – May 30, 2021

CharlestheFirst live at the Chinook at Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne, Wyoming. All photos by Jordan Dean and Peary Schroeder.

Ian Munsick Finds His Own Lane

When he’s reminded that he will open for Dwight Yoakam, who was country before country was hip the way it is now, Ian Munsick’s reflexive response is exactly what you’d expect from a rising young star: “Oh, man, that’s gonna be awesome,” says the Wyoming native. But then he pauses and chuckles when asked how he thinks the crowd will respond to him at the 99th annual Greeley Stampede. Are those nerves?

“It’ll be interesting,” Munsick tells BandWagon. Munsick, after all, is doing what he can to push the music beyond the traditional sound that made Yoakam and others like him a legend.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – June 2021

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May Play 2021

Concert photos from the 2021 MayPlay event featuring Mike Zito’s Big Blues Band, The Great Salmon Famine, Hannah & The Cuddies, DEBR4H. Estin & the 86’d, Charlie Stevens Band and shots of the crown from the year’s first Friday Fest on May 28, 2021. Photos by Backstage Flash and Peary Schroeder.

Casino Espinho: Um Destino de Entretenimento e Diversão em Portugal

Quando se trata de encontrar um destino de entretenimento e diversão em Portugal, o Casino Espinho é uma escolha popular entre os jogadores e entusiastas de cassinos. Localizado na bela cidade litorânea de Espinho, este …

Album Review: Magic Beans – Slice Of Life

Longtime fans of Magic Beans keep coming back for their staple rock-funk sound, filled with high energy grooves and invigorating rock organ. Their new album, Slice of Life, still has that, but those fans might also cock their head in confusion.

Catch them live at The Beanstalk Festival on June 24 in Bond, CO.

Album Review: Tenth Mountain Division – Butte La Rose

On Butte La Rose, Colorado’s mountain-bred quintet Tenth Mountain Division find space between extremes: A party with a big band, booze, questionable substances and endless jams; and relatable, folk-influenced storytelling. They stamp a crisp modernity on top, incorporating styles as far reaching as the Rockies themselves.

Album Review: Lighthouse Sessions – D.C. Myers

‘Lighthouse Sessions’ is the debut EP from Denver’s D.C. Myers, and while it’s a dark catalogue of a sad man alone in a room with his electronics, it’s also one of the most engaging, smart and fun records to come out of Colorado in months. Myers knows this well: stimulate the more sophisticated neurons of those goths and their black-leather-clad hips will follow.

Flobots: Our Patriotism Is Future-Facing

As footage of the capitol riots circulated online, James Laurie, aka Jonny 5, watched with a unique kind of discomfort. A discomfort that stemmed from familiarity. Some of the rioters looked like they could have been at a Flobots concert circa 2008 — an era where the band’s merch was decorated with stars and stripes and their music was the soundtrack to protests against the Iraq war.

Their latest single, “When It All Falls” directly addresses the tumultuous, to say the least, landscape of the past year – one which mobilised, yet polarised much of the nation on both intimate and massively public scales.

Single Review: People In General – “icicic”

Fort Collins indie poppers People In General find themselves aptly named for the theme of their upcoming single “icicic.” Seeking universality in songwriting is usually a great idea. If lightning strikes and the writer finds …

For Life: Emily Nelson on The Drums

Emily Nelson had a feeling the universe had something in mind for her.

“The drums were just a fun way to get healthy again,” she said, “and a year later, Erica was there.”

Erica, Brown, the Denver blues diva and Greeley favorite, brought Nelson in to her all-woman band the Cast Iron Queens after several life-changing events gave Nelson the strength not to be paralyzed by perfectionism.

June 2021 – Ian Munsick

In This Issue: Ian Munsick | Magic Beans | D.C. Myers | Tenth Mountain Division | Ian Munsick | Emily Nelson | Flobots | The Colorado Sound’s My5

Single Review: Cous – “Turpentine”

Smooth and understated, Denver’s Cous, continues to find ways to make writing simple and approachable music look easy. “Turpentine” is easy going yet packed with a loneliness just below the surface that gives some wonderful depth to its sentiments.

Single Review: NGHT WLVES – “C’est La Vie”

“C’est La Vie,” the latest from NGHT WLVS, clearly shows them taking the things they’ve learned through 2020 and stepping up their game. Staying true to their synth-hop nature, crisp and pristine.

Album Review: LVDY – Gold

The Denver-based acoustic duo LVDY (pronounced “lady”) show what beautiful sounds two women and a guitar can make on their full-length album, Gold. In 11 songs, Kathleen Hooper and Aubrey Mable give us tight harmonies, the sway of natural acoustic pop refrains and a warm folk ambience, showcasing the creative ways two women use sparse instrumentation and vocals to create full sounds.

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Single Review: Cole Scheifele

Cole Scheifele writers heartbreaking music and delivers a soaring melody with unrestrained emotion. Behind his voice, an ambient brew of siren-like drones creates texture while he keeps time on an acoustic guitar.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – May 2021

50 years of NPR, the history behind Goth, the 36th Godzilla movie, the return of Red Rocks Shows, your influence on Colorado radio and so much more in this month’s My5 from the Colorado Sound.

Home Team For The Win: The Burroughs’ “Zero Sum Game”

After a year, The Burroughs have re-emerged with a new video and single, “Zero Sum Game,” a first time songwriting collaboration between drummer Mary Claxton and frontman Johnny Burroughs. It marks Claxton’s official debut as a lead vocalist with The Burroughs. On one Saturday afternoon at Greeley’s huge, vacant Union Colony City Center stage, the video was filmed in a single, continuous shot, keeping focus on Claxton’s unbroken gaze as her environment seamlessly changes around her.

Album Review: VYNYL – The World Is On Fire, and I’m Lonely

In Denver, a hyperactive, fashion-forward group is making music that could just be the cutting edge of this pop punk resurgence. Though VYNYL strayed into synth-pop territory with their first EP, Pink, 2021’s aptly titled The World Is On Fire, and I’m Lonely is full of grit without losing any of the hookiness of the band’s earlier work. Catchy melodies are paired with crisp production and colossal energy, making it a good case as the perfect bittersweet summer soundtrack into the final stretch of the pandemic.

Single Review: OptycNerd – “Realistic”

When it comes to writing and recording modern dance music in Colorado, OptycNerd are in a class of their own and “Realistic” is their latest.

Album Review: Mlady – Maladaptive Daydreaming

Denver-based Mlady’s full length album Maladaptive Daydreaming feels like its title: an atmosphere of vivid dreams told by lead singer Hannah Beeghly, accompanied by washy, pop orchestration. The record favors reversed reverb and atmospheric textures …

Pump Up The Jam: Festivals Get the OK in Vaccinated NoCo – We Break It Down

Justin Watada sighed through a tired laugh. “I’ve had better years,” he said. Watada’s run 17 Greeley Stampedes and this year’s been the toughest. Yes, this year, even with the good news that there will actually be a 2021 Stampede. “We are on version 10 of our budget this year,” Watada said. “We are 50-some days away, and there’s still so much unknown.”

Still, even more big events look promising, The Greeley Blues Jam, May Play, Friday Fest, The Greeley Arts Picnic and more promise to happen, but what they’ll look and sound like remains to be seen. If last year was a bummer, this year is more like chaos. Let’s Dig In.

May 2021 – Pump Up The Jam

In This Issue: LVDY | MLADY | VYNYL | The Beeves | Cole Scheifele | The Colorado Sound’s My5

DEBR4H – “The Court Of Richard II”

“This isn’t the normal, like, girl-joins-the-band story,” DEBR4H’s Jed Murphy tells BandWagon. “I was really kinda hitting the end.”

Murphy’s dead-end feelings were palpable to his audience and especially to his romantic partner. “Kayna literally got tired of going to shows and just sitting there,” Murphy laughs, “so she joined the band.” 

But it’s not that simple. “It’s more about having a team,” Murphy says, citing DEBR4H’s newest single “The Court Of Richard II” as a turning point, with synth modulations atop an ever-steady beat, while stabs of disoriented Kraftwerk-keyboard undercut Murphy’s Morrisey-like monotone.

“Richard the 2nd was a boy king. He did whatever he wanted. Then he’s overthrown and they starve him to death. I really liked that idea: have whatever you want, but it can turn bad.”

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – April 2021

A true Colorado story becomes a gripping film, a Summer Music Camp for adults hosted by famous rockers, a new release from French / Cuban sisters, a father singing a song written by his late son, and lots of fun Oscars / Music cross-over. That’s The Colorado Sound’s My5 for April! This month’s top picks for what to check out include all that and more, courtesy of Colorado’s home for music discovery, 105.5 The Colorado Sound.

Failure to launch: Shuttered Venue Operators Grant application is delayed after months of anticipation

For the past three-and-a-half months, independent venue owners around the country have anxiously awaited an application for the now $16 billion in grant funds that the U.S. Congress allocated to “shuttered venues” at the end …

Album Review: Ellsworth – Ellsworth

Denver’s Ellsworth has struck a vein with her eponymous 11-song LP, traversing anxiety, self-doubt and lost love in gorgeously graceful strides.

Soft but with immense conviction, her quiet tone conveys intimacy, like an earnest conversation meant for one person’s ears in a crowded room. 

“When we push away our feelings of sadness or anxiety, we are in fact pushing away a part of ourselves,” says Ellsworth.

In just a handful of masterfully crafted folk songs, she taps into the shared trauma of a generation.

Just Wanna Have Funds: Did the Colorado Arts Relief Grant Support the Organizations it Intended?

Over 63 days, Colorado Creative Industries (CCI), created a set of criteria, launched an application, administered the selection process and allocated just under $6 million to organizations and businesses state-wide including music venues.

“We were given the charge to distribute the funding as quickly as possible,” a CCI spokesperson told BandWagon.

This hasty allocation of public funds was met with cynical speculation from independent venue owners who were not awarded money. 

Until now, the controversy over the grant has remained purely speculative. No one has pointed to specific evidence of nepotism or neglect on CCI’s part. But, thanks to the Colorado Open Records Act, BandWagon was able to obtain a copy of the scoring rubric used to evaluate grant applicants.

Tom Amend: Ditching the Band Scene for an Improvised Life

Tom Amend has been in a band since he was 6 years old, playing piano for his dad’s yacht rock cover band (when his hands were just big enough to reach a few chords) up until 2019 when he stepped down as the Burroughs’ keyboardist of many years. Now at 26, he’s making his mark in the Denver jazz scene as one of Colorado’s best pianists, playing one-off shows every other night with a constantly rotating collection of musicians.

“It’s the freedom of everything – the spaces, the sound, the tunes… [jazz] is a free form of music. It’s cliche, but it’s truly why I love it,” Amend tells BandWagon.

Single Premiere: Carti Ferrari – The Farthest

The term “in the box” has taken on more meaning over the past year, especially for musicians forced to do almost everything from only (and often for only) their computers. But that doesn’t mean artists like Carti Ferrari aren’t thinking outside of it.

On his new single “The Farthest,” Ferrari flexes a talent for wordplay, compressing all the feelings of a sad, romantic saga into a tight two and a half minutes of sharp rhymes.

“The Farthest” premieres exclusively today via BandWagon.

April 2021 – Into The Great Wide Open

In This Issue: Ellsworth | Debr4h | Carti Ferrari | Devin Tremell | CO Sound’s My5 | Tom Amend | Colorado Arts Relief Grant | Will Venues see a Full-Capacity Fall?

Into The Great Wide Open: NoCo & WY Venues Hopeful for a Full-Capacity Fall

President Joe Biden believes we’ll have smaller gatherings with family and close friends by the Fourth of July. But this Labor Day sounds like it could be a party. 
Northern Colorado venues say they are hopeful they can host full concerts again by September and venue operators still plan to hold limited-capacity concerts throughout this spring and summer.

“There are people saying July or August, but we are confident things will be returning to normal in September,” said Dani Grant, owner of the Mishawaka Amphitheater.

Other venues don’t have to follow the same restrictions as Colorado, such as the Chinook Drive In at the Terry Bison Ranch in Cheyenne. “We are super stoked,” Hamilton Byrd, a promoter with the Chinook says. “That definitely creates a ton of optimism.”
As for restrictions? “We have 27,000 acres. That’s a pretty wide net.”

Arts Funding Rubric

Click HERE to read the original Bill 20B-001 And Click HERE for a complete list of which entities received funding and how much each venue was awarded.

Album Review: A.J. Fullerton – The Forgiver & The Runaway

Colorado’s A.J. Fullerton is a roots, blues artist with a reputation for slick, fingerpicking guitar and bottleneck slide talent. He has won 16 Colorado Blues Society Members Choice Awards in 9 different categories – all while under 30 years of age.

Featuring a Canadian cast of handpicked session musicians, AJ leaps from the acoustic to a rich full-band sound on The Forgiver and The Runaway.

Intense, haunting guitar work, funky bounce and searing soloing pair with tasty, powerful harp from guest harmonica players Paul Reddick and Jake Friel throughout.

Video Premiere: Devin Tremell – Lord Knows

Devin Tremell gives us glimpses of his dual lives as the artist and as the worker in the “Lord Knows” video which premieres today, exclusively via BandWagon.

BandWagon Magazine Battle of the Bands

Join us for the Final Round of BandWagon Magazine Battle of the Bands! These four great Northern Colorado acts battled it out in early 2020, and the time has come to pick a winner! Grand …

Album Review: Bones Muhroni – Boom Snap Clap

Bones Muhroni, aka Crew Rienstra has done a lot over the years to find ways of making interesting music. While folk rock was always at the center of the breadth of material Rienstra (along with many other talented musicians) released under the Bones Muhroni name, there was always something bizarre and out of place happening underneath.

Packed with nuance and texture, Boom Snap Clap is Rienstra letting go in a lot of ways, creating something that bounces between electro, R&B, grunge rock, even a metal tune.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – March 2021

((( Don’t forget: each My5 title is a link. Click on, NoCo! ))) 2. Rock Hall Nominees – The Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame has announced the 16 noms for 2021. From Foo Fighters …

Album Review: Wolf van Elfmand – All Blue

Coloradan songwriter Wolf van Elfmand’s music has always had a western flair. This remains true in his newest album All Blue released in February, but he also incorporates what the title suggests: the blues.

Cool and steady like a long lost J.J. Cale gem, van Elfmand incorporates improvisation and musical playfulness between the melody and simple chord structures, leaving comfortable spaces for harmonica, pedal steel and lead guitar to add conversational nuances to the texture. 

Casinos online fiáveis com um depósito mínimo de 10 € em Portugal em 2023

O mundo actual do entretenimento do jogo é tão diversificado que, por vezes, pode ser difícil para os utilizadores perceberem tudo por si próprios. Para que todos possam ter uma experiência de jogo de casino …

Album Review: Shwarma – Loveworthy Live

On (yes) Valentine’s Day, Colorado’s funky genre-hopping Shwarma continued their saga of madness with the Loveworthy Live EP, debuted as a live stream. In the video, the overtly-silly mix of tightly-arranged funk jams and melodramatic ballads is accompanied by a revolving door of meticulous costumes, sets and effects.

Stayin’ Alive: Unconventional Venues Save The Scene

When Ben Mozer was 14, he took a trip to Spain with his family. Across from their hotel, a theater was playing the newly released hit Pulp Fiction, which he and his brother had been unable to see in the U.S. due to its R rating. But what stuck with him after the movie was over wasn’t Samuel L. Jackson’s iconic monologue. What stuck with him was the theater. 

Earlier this winter, Mozer’s Fort Collins movie theater the Lyric was one of the only venues in Northern Colorado that was still producing live music.

And Mozer isn’t the only one finding a creative way to amplify local sounds. This winter, Dan Mladenik has tapped local talent for the Mishawaka-produced Live on the Lanes series at Chipper’s Lanes, converting a bowling alley into a cosmic live music experience.

Turning The Dial: Radio’s Stu Haskell Passes On

Stu Haskell shot rattlesnakes for fun and shot tequila with co-workers. But he also wore a suit and tie to work every day and understood the sales part of radio as well the programming, to …

Kolby Cooper’s Best, Worst Year

Kolby Cooper returned through single-digit temperatures and deep snow to his East Texas home on January 17 to find the hallways full of water.

That just sounds like a country song, doesn’t it? Well, here’s how Cooper referred to it in an interview with BandWagon: “Whatever man, it’s nothing. Yada yada yada. We were lucky, man. It was a horrible year, and a great year,” Cooper said.

March 2021 – Kolby Cooper

In This Issue: Kolby Cooper | AJ Fullerton | Bones Muhroni | Wolf Van Elfmand | 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s My5 | Unconventional Venues | Stu Haskel’s Legacy See Less

Video Premiere: Isadora Eden – Ghosts

Denver singer/songwriter/shoegazer Isadora Eden’s history includes living in New Orleans and New York City where underground music scenes the likes of the late, great Sidewalk Cafe shaped her talent for forlorn, connectable music. The soft …

Single Premiere: Goth Club – Sweep Me Up

“Sweep Me Up” premieres via BandWagon today, and it’s a black lipstick affair. Goth Club’s third release, it sinks to the half-spoken, sultry depths of Monster Magnet’s “Paradise” or even Ramstein with an added layer of synths and old-school drum machines akin to an early Depeche Mode. McFadden looks directly into the black mirror on “Sweep Me Up,” finding shadows, distortion and sludge within it.

Battle Profile: Nelsen

“The momentum was really good,” Nick Nelsen said. “We were doing four gigs in a one month span.”

On the first day of February last year, Nelsen (the band) beat out Hot Tub Wrestler, Ethan More or Less and the Able Dogs in round one of BandWagon’s 2020 Battle of the Bands. The success was three years in the making. Nelsen had also competed in 2018 and 2019, never to make it past the first round.

Now, armed with tearjerkers new and old, Nelsen is poised and ready to make the audience “feel” when the Battle of the Bands returns on March 12.

Battle Profile: Lady Denim

“We were starting to get the ball rolling, you know, the snowball effect,” recalls Lundeen, Lady Denim’s lead vocalist, of the band’s momentum heading into March 2020, “and then it all got paused.”

Lundeen looks back on the band’s last headliner at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins, where the band walked out to a crowd of 450. At a show a month later on March 13, just as news of COVID-19 began to flare up, the band walked out to a crowd of less than 50. 

“The silver lining of it all was that we were able to set aside time and record,” Lundeen reflects. Trading rehearsals for recording sessions not only brought the band closer, but also yielded the seeds for what Lundeen said will be their next release.

Battle Profile: Hannah & The Cuddies

Hannah Rodriguez knew that The Cuddies were entering a new chapter in January of 2020 when they won the first round of BandWagons’ Battle of the Bands. She eagerly planned their finalist set and looked forward to the future. But the future had changes in store.
So now, after a year-long unplanned intermission, losing / gaining new band members and the optimism of a vaccine, Hannah is ready for The Cuddies’ first gig in 2021.

Battle Profile: Graham Good & The Painters

Graham Good is relentlessly upbeat. Not only is that really his last name, it’s his nature, and it’s the band’s aesthetic. Even the band’s website greets you with “I believe good things are coming.” He wants people to be happy.

So after a year-long delay between the semi-finals and the finals of our Battle Of The Bands, he’s ready to rock.

Single Premiere: Pie Lombardi – “Some People”

Northern Colorado’s Pie Lombardi presents his finest work to date with the moving single “Some People,” which premieres today exclusively via BandWagon.
Etching honesty into the stone of post-emo indie rock, Lombardi finds a new musical space, distinct in its everyman delivery and folk-song realism.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – February 2021

((( Don't forget: each My5 title is a link. Click on, NoCo! ))) While listening to music beds to play at 7:30 for Today In Music History, I realized all of these could help you ...

Single Review: Plume Varia – Hold On To Me

A haunting tune, “Hold On To Me” is like a nighttime journey through the southwest, channelling the late night cold of the desert. For their latest single, Plume Varia return to their comfort zone of spacey goth country.

Album Review: Yung Lurch – B ALL IN

Denver based multi-instrumentalist Brent Somermeyer, under the name Yung Lurch, is not an artist tied down by conventions. If ever that was apparent, it is on his new EP entitled B ALL IN, a four-track peek into the life and work of a unique recording artist deeply entrenched in the music making process.

Album Review: Isadora Eden – All Night

Isadora Eden’s second EP, the vulnerable ‘All Night,’ opens like a dark, reverberated flower in your headphones. Eden’s young, muted alto offers sad solidarity to those who will listen, while she and bandmates Sumner Erhard and Corey Coffman carry her shy messages on the shoulders of stately guitars, dignified drums and echoey atmosphere.

Single Review: Andy Sydow – “Piece Of The Valley”

Andy Sydow enters 2021 with “Piece of the Valley,” a raucous and bombastic single that pulls no punches. Leaving the mark of someone with a clear ear for what they want, Sydow shoots for the fences as one of Colorado’s most notable working songwriters.

Single Review: Retrofette – Photogenic

2021 is going to see Denver’s best synth pop outfit Retrofette become one of the biggest bands in Colorado. Stripping away the frill and grandeur of modern electronic music, their new single “Photogenic” is a simple yet textured synth number throwing back to groups like Hot Chip and Hercules & Love Affair. It’s clean, simple synth tones lay the groundwork for vocalist Sean Culliton’s cool, sultry mumble-like voice to set the mood.

Album Review: Jess Parsons – Hear Me Calling

Stop sifting for obscure ‘70s soft-pop on Spotify playlists like “candle-lit living room slow dance” and buy Jess Parsons’ “Hear Me Calling.”

Denver’s Parsons knows well that charm and honesty go a long way. Often compared to Fleetwood Mac, she finds her true groove somewhere between Jenny Lewis, Aimee Mann and the disco side of Feist on her new EP “Hear Me Calling.” The record has a core of sweet, singer-songwriter sincerity, but keep a spot on your dance card free for that special someone, because it’s got hips.

Joy as Resistance: Wayne Watts Raps Decompression for Revolutionaries

Wayne Watts is a man of letters, but he is also an educator and activist.

“I wanted to make music for revolutionaries to decompress to. While you’re fighting these things it’s really essential to remember to breathe.”

The power of his dedication to words lies in the myriad of ways in which he employs them.

“They’re filled up with a lot of manifestations and affirmations,” he said. “I treat my mantras like songs.”

As an educator, Watts co-founded the Dream Create Inspire Tour. “The intention has always been to create an incubator to give disenfranchised creators a platform.”

February 2021 – Battle of the Bands

In This Issue: Wayne Watts | Pie Lombardi | Jess Parsons | Isadora Eden | Yung Lurch | Goth Club | The Colorado Sound | Battle of the Bands

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – January 2021

((( Don't forget: each My5 title is a link. Click on, NoCo! ))) 1. Ken Burns Jazz Box Set – I picked up an item from Craigslist and the guy tossed in some CDs, including ...

Album Review: The Crooked Rugs – IT!

On their debut LP IT!, Colorado quintet The Crooked Rugs take the compulsory ingredients of modern rock band instrumentation and create something wonderfully foreign. Echoes of psych, prog and garage rock resound, but each song is clearly the result of diligent experimentation.

IT! was recorded this summer in Durango, and for an album made in a barn in rural Colorado, it’s anything but folksy.

Jogo do Bicho Online: Como Jogar, Regras, Dicas e Resultados

Se você é um entusiasta de jogos e está em busca de uma experiência emocionante, o Jogo do Bicho Online pode ser exatamente o que você procura. Neste artigo, vamos explorar as origens deste fascinante …

Desvende a Emoção de Aposta em Mines: Um Jogo de Cassino Lucrativo

Se você procura uma experiência de aposta emocionante e potencialmente lucrativa, Mines é o jogo de cassino online que você estava esperando. Vamos explorar o fascinante mundo de Mines, onde estratégia e sorte se encontram …

Dead Amps: Where We Are Now / Harnessing the Chaos

Erin O’Toole isn’t Dr. Phil, but she does have a little marital advice:

“If you can record an album together and remain happy,” O’Toole says, “you can survive anything.”

O’Toole would know, given that she’s made music with her husband, Jonathan Payne as the band Dead Amps since 2005, a year after they met. She says when they both find something they like, it can be magical )as on their new full-length “DA4”) but it’s usually more arduous than that. Just like a marriage with moments that inspire rom-coms and adult contemporary hits, there’s a whole lot of hard work behind the magic.

A Brother’s Bond: Holdfast. Stays, Fights and Reflects

“We are three brothers” is the first sentence Holdfast. wrote in their Facebook bio and they’re not really wrong about that. Brothers Tom and Mikey Maddocks and their cousin Charlie Maddocks grew up right next door to each other in Windsor, CO. They did everything together, including signing a sync licence with Audio Network in 2020 and releasing their first full length Stay And Fight on January 8, 2021.

Album Review: Fresh Fruit! – Independently

The groovy, Denver-based soul band Fresh Fruit! released their first EP on January 1st. And while the chill, yacht rock vibes of their past occasionally surface, “Independently” accentuates their soul sounds in a way that is groovy and more commercially appealing.

Album Review: Antonio Lopez – Roots and Wings

Antonio Lopez’ voice sits delicately perched at the center of his fourth full-length release, Roots & Wings. The fragile purity of his vocal delivery as the record’s focus proves a point: When given a proper chance, an honest voice can rise to previously un-reached heights.

As the executive director of the music/empowerment nonprofit Sound Bridge and having funded Roots & Wings via Kickstarter, Lopez knows well that respectful contributions from those who back you is a gift as precious as family and as freeing as flight.

DIY Kick: Colorado’s Recording Industry Takes It Home

Independent artists made more music online and at home during lockdown, and recording studios have adapted. Mike Davis was uniquely prepared for this shift, founding Koncept Jewel Studios, an itinerant collection of recording equipment and instruments that operates wherever Davis happens to be living at the time. 

“It’s kind of an amorphous thing. I’ve moved around since I started it and plan to continue moving around,” he said.

This can-do, remote DIY sentiment is echoed by Ben Behrens of Wright Studios: “It doesn’t matter how cheap or weird your gear is. If it works, we can make something cool with it.”

Stone Cottage studios in Boulder has even turned its space into a stage for live-streaming artist performances online.

Sarah Slaton Says It’s Time to Get Up and You Know It

Despite the chaos that was 2020, Fort Collins singer-songwriter Sarah Slaton has been able to find one gig: “I’m joining a bunch of other folks from the music industry who have been laid-off from their normal jobs,” she tells BandWagon. “We are part of a Covid rapid-response team, going to small cities to build testing infrastructure and testing sites.”

Because let’s be honest, if you need to build a mobile facility meant to deal with a lot of people, call are the music festival folks. “We get shit done quickly,” Slaton says.

Additionally, Slaton released the “Get Up” single and video in December, which speaks to what so many are going through. She championed the Save Our Stages Act, spearheaded community events and much more.

Album Review: Nick Sanville & Timo Massa – Eat Out Culture, Vol. 1

For listeners looking to skip the drive-thru, Eat Out Culture, Vol. 1 from rapper Nick Sanville and guitarist-turned-producer Timo Massa (Stella Luce, VIVIAN) reminds us of the value of a home-cooked meal. This 4-track EP covers sonic landscapes seldom heard from contemporary Hip-Hop artists, combining intricately woven punchlines with masterfully crafted moody atmospheres.

Video Premiere: People In General – Take It Or Leave It

People In General head straight into 2021 swinging with the premiere of the “Take It Or Leave It” video. Recorded entirely in bassist/keyboardist Matan Birnbaum’s basement, the track’s production is crisp and inviting, and the video introduces us to their rabbit hole of imagination.

January 2021 – Holdfast.

In This Issue: Holdfast. | Antonio Lopez | Crooked Rugs | Fresh Fruit! | Dead Amps | Co’s Recording Industry | Sarah Slaton | The Colorado Sound's My5

They Saved Our Stages: Pandemic Relief saves hundreds of stages just before the deadline

The “SOS” in Save Our Stages was a bit of a happy accident, but it also wasn’t a coincidence. The $15 billion in grants set aside for locally owned venues, movie theaters and performance halls ...

Single & Video Review: Modern Leisure – “Rita”

Modern Leisure has, once again, harnessed millennial malaise and channeled it into an achingly beautiful 3-minute track. According to the band, the newest single “Rita” is a thesis statement for the series of singles they have released throughout 2020 on the whole.

Album Review: Alright Alright – Crucible

Alright Alright’s new album Crucible is an intimate experience with dreamy orchestration and relatable lyrics, something for which they are already known. But here, that intimacy is closer than before, like the genuine musings of a close friend.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – December 2020

((( Don't forget: each My5 title is a link. Click on, NoCo! ))) Simply enough, here are my 5 fav holiday tunes. 1. Bruce Springsteen - “Merry Christmas, Baby” – I’ve seen him sing this ...

For Once In My Life: John March Remembers Ted Greene.

During the 2013 Colorado Floods, John March broke both of his elbows and then continued trying to make a living as a gigging guitarist despite crippling pain.

“Two weeks later, I was playing at a fundraiser for people whose homes had been destroyed in the floods,” March said.

MusiCares was the first organization to provide financial assistance to March, who is now donating a portion of the proceeds from his new album For Once In My Life to three charities, including MusiCares.
The album is March’s second tribute to his former mentor and jazz guitar legend Ted Greene.

Album Review: Musketeer Gripweed – More Than Ever

Musketeer Gripweed released “More Than Ever” late last month, taking their bluesy Americana sound and infusing it with gospel and soul. Gospel and soul sounds are appropriate for a project that was brought back to life after it was halted by COVID-19.

Single Review: Enzi – “Mad Chemistry”

As with all of Enzi’s music, her full-throated vocal performance on “Mad Chemistry” carries the track. She croons through a hooky chorus while calling and responding to a many-layered harmony of her own voice. You get the feeling Enzi is jut getting started.

Video Premiere: The Sickly Hecks – “Four Years”

Good music waits for no man, and pandemics make shit times for everyone, so what better time to release a sad-boy pop punk album?! Fort Collins-based The Sickly Hecks are doing just that with the …

The Thin Black Line: Venues Fight To Survive

“It’s nowhere near the money I need to sustain, but I was lucky,” says Travis Ragan.

Ragan was a partner in the Roxy Theater in Denver and the Mesa Theater in Grand Junction, booking shows in 15 different markets. Now he hauls equipment for his brother, a construction manager out of Colorado Springs.

“I know venues are closing down, and yet, we have no leadership backing us and supporting us. We have no one telling us what we should do as opposed to what we shouldn’t do,” Ragan says.

“The place is not made to be at a 250 person capacity,” Renee Jelenik says of The Lincoln Theater in Cheyenne, “and even then, it’s not like we sold out those shows. People just aren’t coming out.”

“We’ve been asked to shut down, or told to shut down, for months now,” says Ely Corliss of The Moxi Theater in Greeley. “We’ve done that, and where are we now?”

December 2020 – Thin Black Line: Venues Fight to Survive

In This Issue: John March | Musketeer Gripweed | Alright Alright | The Sickly Hecks | Enzi | Modern Leisure | People in General

Single & Video Review: The Beeves – Mercy Be

On “Mercy Be” the Beeves leave behind their beloved flailing antics, revealing their influences to be just as loyal to the Flamingos, The Beach Boys and Elvis as they are to The Vines and The Strokes.

The accompanying video is a slo-mo-rodeo prom night dream. Its beautifully shot, beautifully sequenced simplicity masks The Beeves in more intrigue; the kind of dark mystique indicative of Princes, Bowies and Mercurys.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – November 2020

As the holidays approach, The Colorado Sound’s thoughts turn to: Things you can do to help members of your vibrant community through tough times; The best TV and film to cozy-up with; and most fun of all – the best music about food!

Single Review: Bones Muhroni – “I SHOULD HAVE IT RN”

Making the best of quarantine, Crew Rienstra (aka Bones Muhroni) released “I SHOULD HAVE IT RN”, a song and video summarizing all the weirdness your average person is going through RN and a genius take on the quarantine video.

Single Review: Machu Linea ft. Evllqn – “Feelitboi”

Denver’s future-electro R&B musician Machu Linea is bringing his jazzy experimental sound back to the people with the release of “Feelitboi,” the first single ahead of his second album HeXotica (out now).

Single Review: 30 – “Homesick”

A Massachusetts native by the name 30 recently moved to Colorado to make the best of covid reality, releasing genre-non-specific singles in support of his full-length “Introspects Of A Psycho,” out October (yes) 30.

Singe Review: Método ft. Neoma and Amantina – “Gold Chain”

Ecuadorian-pop-songstress-turned-Denverite Neoma has been making waves in Colorado since relocating here in 2018. Recently, she was featured on the single “Gold Chain” by Ecuadorian hip hop artist Método, a sexy down beat R&B track that will speak to people no matter what hemisphere they live in.

Single Review: Joel Ansett – “Ease”

Denver’s Joel Ansett says he finally noticed how much emotional energy he spent on “just trying to be liked. It’s so childish,” he tells BandWagon, “but it turned into a habit; just how I would function in social settings.”

“Ease” is about non-approval-based friendships, but it’s deserving of high praise.

Through Thick and Thin: Heartsick Heroine

Allen and Hannah Maddox want you to believe that their world is pain. But it would be hard to find a greater contrast between Heartsick Heroine’s image and the actual lives Allen and Hannah lead together. Some of the anguish is real (2020 sucked all their gigs away) and the band is more than a hobby – but it is not their lives.

2GETHR 4EVR: NGHT WLVS Find The Formula

For Northern Colorado-based synth hop trio NGHT WLVS, creating music together was nothing new. Long-time friends Will Duran, Sam Archuleta, and Tommy Martinez began making music together over a decade ago, and while life took them down separate roads, they reconnected. Rocking a sound saturated in the lushness and sparkle of classic synth pop while sticking to their hip hop roots.

Everybody Loves An Outlaw: Break on Through to the Other Side

Before “I See Red” went viral, Longmont-based soul rock duo Everybody Loves An Outlaw were just DIY, writing the songs, producing the records, and managing the band themselves. Then, they got signed to Columbia records and “I See Red’ got featured in the Polish soft-core film ‘365 Days.’ This thrusted them into a new world, but they remember every little step along the way.

November 2020 – Everybody Loves an Outlaw

In This Issue: Everybody Loves an Outlaw | Heartsick Heroine | NGHT WLVS | Bones Muhroni | Machu Linea ft. Evillqn | Metodo ft. Neoma and Amantina | 30 | Joel Ansett | The Beeves

Album Review: Stubby Shillelaghs – Glass To Mouth

The Stubby Shillelaghs’ forthcoming full-length LP “Glass to Mouth” (out October 30) will mark ten years of silly drinking songs and sea shanties for this Greeley band, complete with impressive musicianship, humor, and well-placed profanity. All-in-all, “Glass to Mouth” is as good a jolly-olde-time as it is tongue-in-cheek.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – October 2020

Volumes of deep-cut pop music education, celebrity voices working for you, Famous Cuban-born frontman releasing music in Spanish for the first time, your favorite one-hit-wonder and Live music options you may not have known about in Colorado! Sounds like the Colorado Sound’s My5 for September.

Walking The Walk: New Greeley Murals Celebrate and Beautify the way Downtown

For her new mural on the Maddie Apartments in Downtown Greeley, Betony Coons found herself challenged with how to include Union Colony’s most famous principle: temperance. Not only is “the active moderation of libation intake” hard to paint, but ironically, one of the reasons downtown Greeley continues to thrive is the world class breweries and distilleries it inspired.

Album Review: Kid Astronaut & Psychologic – Kenopsia

Pervasive feelings of extreme unknown lurk in the consciousness of most citizens on planet earth these days, which is why the similarly intangible music, soundscapes and dark, thrilling emotions on the concept EP Kenopsia hit so hard. A brilliant and concise collaboration between Denver-based R&B hip-hop vocalist Kid Astronaut and producer Psychologic, the record’s pop sensibilities are balanced by an epic, dystopian sense of drama and purpose.

The Long Haul: Sunsquabi Funks Through the Covid Era

Sunsquabi sit in a very unique spot in the music industry. With the career they’ve had so far and the following they’ve built, they were able to step into isolation somewhat comfortably until things return to normal. If and when things do, they’ll be hitting the scene with a lot of great momentum built on the dedication to their craft and their love of the music.

“Obviously we want to play shows in [traditional] venues again but we’re grateful to the drive-in thing because we’ve been having a lot of fun with it,” says guitar / synth player Kevin Donahue.

Album Review: Augustus – Color TV and Tall Tales

Founders Colin Kelly and Jim Herlihy of the Boulder-based band Augustus have delivered a technicolor whopper. “Color TV and Tall Tales,” their 5th LP due October 9, features guests from Eldren, The Yawpers and Dragondeer, who add flesh and flare to the bones of the band, but the original duo’s rock rawness remains the focus of this accessible, eccentric rock n’ roll romp.

Something To Vibe To: Black Pegasus Is On A Whole Different Frequency

‘Pandemic Proof’ by Black Pegasus obviously speaks to the current times. The world has been drowning in the COVID-19 pandemic since March, subsequently bringing the music industry to its knees.

“I’m doing my best to adapt,” says Black Pegasus. “It’s pretty tricky, but I’ve always been a hustler and an innovator so I’m not worried.”

He’s also vocal about important socio-political issues and is wary, yet hopeful for the future.

“I really believe in the current movement for social justice and equality,” he says. “I also believe that the movement has been infiltrated by corporations and political agendas.”

October 2020 – Sunsquabi

In This Issue: Sunsquabi | Black Pegasus | The Stubby Shillelaghs | Kid Astronaut & Psychologic | Augustus | The Colorado Sound's My5 | Betony Coons & Greeley Murals

Album Review: NOT A TOY – Not A Toy

Gaudy for the sake of it, NOT A TOY’s self-titled release is as bombastic as it is fearless. Coincidently signed to Fearless Records, the former Fort Collins (and formerly named Shatterproof), Denver band is hitting an incredible new level. NOT A TOY is one of the most prolific recording projects to come out of Colorado in a while.

Album Review: The Wild After – Former Lives

Colorado alt rock legends The Wild After are back with their second EP after the release of Lessons Learned in 2014. It’s a long stretch between releases but that doesn’t mean they weren’t been busy. …

Album Review: Royce DeZorzi & The New Freedom Movement

Royce DeZorzi & The New Freedom Movement have a pocket groove, play elongated solos, and do a great job of building energy collectively. But what really stands out about their debut album is not the notes they play, but how they want the listeners to hear them: every track on the album is a first take recorded live, directly to tape.

Album Review: Bison Bone – Find Your Way Out

Bison Bone is a little bit country, a little bit rock & roll, and fully led by the boisterous singer/songwriter Courtney Whitehead. Where heady, heavy, post-hippie Americana is what many find themselves drawn to these days, “Find Your Way Out” (due October 25) gets there enough times to tickle the fancy of most fans of the style. But the deeper side of the genre is what Whitehead and crew truly feel in their bones.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – September 2020

Volumes of deep-cut pop music education, celebrity voices working for you, Famous Cuban-born frontman releasing music in Spanish for the first time, your favorite one-hit-wonder and Live music options you may not have known about in Colorado! Sounds like the Colorado Sound’s My5 for September.

Hungry for Humor: Comedy Fort Takes the Place of Hodi’s HalfNote

David Rodriguez’ first comedy set, more than five years ago, was at Hodi’s Half Note, the beloved FoCo rock club which recently announced its closing. He believes it’s fitting, then, that he will open Comedy Fort in the Hodi’s building, probably sometime in January. “When this opportunity came about, it just felt perfect,” Rodriguez said.

Girls Just Wanna Own A Label: 17-Year-Old Maddie Hein’s Dream Cult Press Provides a Platform For DIY Musicians

“I mean, what is stopping us? Why don’t we?” said Maddie Hein of Dream Cult Press. Well, she was 17, but that wasn’t enough, apparently. Nor was the fact that they met online and not in her hometown of Greeley (one of them, in fact, was from Kazakhstan). The new indie label released their first album in July 2019 and started picking up fans and followers, but quickly also decided to use their platform to benefit individuals and organizations that were helping out during protests across the country.

Album Review: Gasoline Lollipops – All The Misery Money Can Buy

One of Colorado’s most popular bands, The Gasoline Lollipops, will be delivering what can arguably be considered their masterpiece on September 11, 2020. “All the Misery Money Can Buy” has been described by the band as a politically charged union of soul music and Southern rock, blending singer Clay Rose’s gritty singing style with what appears to be a full-on gospel choir. It sounds like it was recorded at the Crossroads in the presence of the devil himself.

Kyle Hollingsworth Band Finally Jams On A Full Tank

Kyle Hollingsworth and his bandmates in The String Cheese Incident had been on tour for a solid decade. They needed a break, so they took 6 months off. Then, live music itself took a break for the foreseeable future. Ironic, isn’t it?,” Hollingsworth said. On September 11th, Kyle Hollingsworth Band will play a socially-distanced Drive-In Theater show at The Chinook in Cheyenne, Wyoming, another first for him. “We’re just, so excited to be playing – it’s shining out of us. We’re bringing great energy.”

Writing on the Wall, Festival on the Screen: FoCoMX at the Drive-In and On the Web

This weekend, in lieu of the real, re-scheduled thing, FoCoMX will offer “A Digital Retrospective” of photos taken by fans as well as rare backstage shots by FoCoMX staff on September 4-5 via the festival’s social media channels. The festival wants to celebrate the fan perspective and involvement as well as host live, in-person music to folks in their cars every Tuesday via Drive & Jive, pulling from its scheduled lineup of more than 400 acts.

September 2020 – Kyle Hollingsworth

In This Issue: Kyle Hollingsworth | Dream Cult Press | Comedy Fort at Hodi’s Half Note | FoCoMX at the Drive-In | Bison Bone | Gasoline Lollipops | NOT A TOY | Royce DeZorzi | ...

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – August 2020

The best Colorado bands, eye-opening music documentaries uncovering stuff you never knew about artists you know oh-so-well, music made by typewriters and maybe the best Beatles cover ever … Must be The Colorado Sound’s My5 for July!

Album Review: Daniel Rodriguez – Sojourn Of A Burning Sun

Going solo after the end of the renowned Elephant Revival, Daniel Rodriguez entered a new world. His music changed, some of his relationships changed, and the world changed around him. That’s where his new album Sojourn of a Burning Sun (out August 28) finds us. Stepping away from some of the more existential elements of Elephant Revival but taking the smokey folk music with him, Rodriguez safely steers his boat to that lonely island meant just for him.

R.W. Perkins: Small Town Remedies

A comedy-drama from R.W. Perkins of Loveland, “Small Town Remedies” tells the story of two siblings (Andrea Dratch and Ty Sells; Dratch is also an executive producer) dealing with their relapsing alcoholic mother (Sally Knudsen) while juggling their own personal struggles and surprises. It’s not a prototypical film about addiction, and that was Perkin’s intent, saying he had a different take on addiction as a family dynamic.

The film premieres September 10 at the Horsetooth International Film Festival.

Album Review: Estin & The 86’D – Long Live The River

Long Live the River by Estin & The 86’D kicks off with an ode to classic southern rock filled with pure, unadulterated attitude. With lyrics referring to being baptized in rock and roll, it’s a hell of a way to be introduced to the band. Full of emotion, great songwriting and musicianship, “Long Live the River” (out August 14) is like a stiff drink at the end of a long day.

Album Review: Charlie Stevens – Charlie Stevens

Charlie Stevens by Charlie Stevens is the first official album release from Northern Colorado’s young bluegrass extraordinaire of the same name. The first to ever graduate from the University of Northern Colorado’s world renowned music program with a degree in bluegrass, Stevens possesses dual credentials in classical and bluegrass guitar. The album is what any bluegrass fan could ask for, featuring traditional elements of stringed instrumentals and folksy storytelling.

Album Review: Cary Morin – Dockside Saints

Fact is, on “Dockside Saints” it’s all really good stuff. Throughout, Cary Morin has an amazing ability to mix in a little of just about everything, while staying unique and true to himself. A masterful guitarist, songwriter and singer, he honors his Native American Crow background with some of the most beautiful blues ever heard and a powerful mix of rock, jazz and zydeco.

Reunited and it Feels So Downtown – Greeley’s United Plaza and Socially Distanced District

Downtown Greeley’s been quiet since March, when the outbreak shuttered bars (for the second time now), restaurants and other fun places that made downtown as successful as it’s been in decades. But business owners hope to make some noise by closing 8th and 9th streets and putting open dining tables out. They also added an open container law that essentially extends the Go Cup law full-time until fall, only with loosened restrictions: Any alcohol is OK now, even if you have some from home, though the idea is to support the businesses on the blocks. The Greeley City Council approved the plan and began it July 1.

Can We Just Live? Devin Tremell Speaks Out with Hip Hop as a Tool of Influence

Devin Tremell insisted to the crowd of hundreds looking up at him from the Lincoln Park gazebo in Greeley that he was just a regular Black dude. “The message had to reach all the nooks and crannies of the country,” Tremell, a UNC student, rapper and activist said. “Greeley is kind of out of the way, and it needs to reach there too,” he says of the Black Lives matter movement. “This is a problem across the board. But I was surprised at the amount of people who felt the same way I did. I see more of that coming out.”

Album Review: Alcario Artuso – I Will Always Be With You

Alcario Artuso’s tracks on his new double single EP “I Will Always Be With You “(feat Kyle Kounovsky and Terrah Schultz) revive the alternative indie rock sound of the late 2000’s, where distorted guitars and sprinkles of synthesizers met minimal production, and a live musician still stood behind every beat and note. The double-single EP premieres via BandWagMag.com

August 2020 – Devin Tremell

In This Issue: Randy Perkins | Downtown Greeley Reunited | The Colorado Sound’s MY5 | Cary Morin | Charlie Stevens | Estin & the 86’d | Daniel Rodriguez | Premieres

On The Road Again: Four Months Of COVID-19 Madness & One Bike Accident Later, Kosha Dillz Is On A Mission

Going from doing at least 80 live shows a year (with everyone from Mos Def to Nappy Roots) to performing for a six-year-old’s backyard birthday party in Arvada, Colorado is just one of the many ways the coronavirus pandemic has impacted his typically flourishing career, but Kosha Dillz is a rare breed. With 16 years of sobriety under his belt (to the day) he must guard his recovery like he guards his life, something that’s even more challenging when you’re immersed in the music industry.

Single Premiere: Ruby Daze – “TLC”

Greeley-based duo Ruby Daze’s new single “TLC” premieres via BandWagMag.com today. It is an anthem to that lover or close friend you haven’t seen since COVID-19 hit. While the song could talk about any period of separation, lines like “I’m coming over even if it kills me” are particularly tongue-in-cheek in our current climate.

A Change is Gonna Come: Robert Randolph Spreads the Message of Unity

If you ask Robert Randolph what his 2006 hit “Ain’t Nothing Wrong with That” is about, his answer would be: “It’s about what’s going on today. I write songs to inspire and to love each other, because if you don’t have respect, you don’t have love.”

Randolph’s songwriting focuses on bringing people together, which is his mantra as an individual and an artist. He continues to uphold that mantra with every album he’s released since then. He believes those messages are more relevant now than ever.

Join Robert Randolph and his All Star Super Band at The High Plains Buffalo Jam on Saturday, July 25 in Cheyenne, Wyoming with Allman-Betts Band, Deitch & Shmeeans (Lettuce) Blackberry Smoke and The Burroughs.

Video Premiere: Oliver Mueller – “I Wanna Play At The Moxi”

The music video for Oliver Mueller’s new single “I Wanna Play At the Moxi” premieres via BandWagon today. Under his solo-project pseudonym oliverrr, the track is a love-letter to his favorite NoCo music venue, as performers and concert go-ers alike bemoan the absence of live music. Mueller brings the same dreamy alternative style he displays in his band Slow Caves, but combines it with punk flare and humor.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – July 2020

The best Colorado bands, eye-opening music documentaries uncovering stuff you never knew about artists you know oh-so-well, music made by typewriters and maybe the best Beatles cover ever … Must be The Colorado Sound’s My5 for July!

Album Review: David Burchfield – State To State

Whether it’s your first time going on a hike since lockdown, or an anticipated camping trip, David Burchfield’s album “State to State” makes for a proper soundtrack to a mountain getaway. He combines elements of Americana, Country, and traditional Celtic to set the scene for a night around the campfire. Songs like the opening and title track show that this folk style is his fluent language.

EP Review: Polyakov – Hazy

Dream pop, as a genre, has a home in Northern Colorado, and in a way has come to represent the leisurely stroll through anxiety you get from living here. Capturing this is Polyakov’s four track debut EP ‘Hazy’ – a luscious and well textured delivery that lives up to the title. Killer vocal harmonies, guitar effects and layering techniques here are mesmerizing, making Polyakov another NoCo artist to watch.

Album Review: My Dog Ate Chad – Krakatoa

My Dog Ate Chad is exactly what it should be. A conglomeration of 5 flanneled friends from high school throwing their influences at the wall to see what sticks. They’re looking for their true identity on their full-length debut Krakatoa with wide eyes, open ears and loud-ass guitars.

Double Single Review: The Beeves – “Playing Bingo” & Slow Caves “Walk In The Park”

With top production, austere turn of phrase and beautifully transparent melodic construction, “Walk In The Park” by Slow Caves sparkles with the slow motion lens-flare of memories you haven’t even made yet.

Riff-heavy with the pizzaz and swagger of the White Stripes, The Beeves’ new single “Playing Bingo” highlights the proper rock yelps of vocalist Ian Ehrhart and the grooving instrumental playfulness of bassist/vocalist Margot Sease and drummer Will Ehrhart.

Hitting The High Notes: Diane Bolden-Taylor Helps Youths Find Their Voice

Diane Bolden-Taylor grew up in the Baptist church, where anyone with a voice would have an audience, and anyone who hit the high notes would be praised as a hero – regardless of their skin color.

She received multiple degrees, sang Opera professionally in Switzerland for 18 years, became fluent in German and taught voice at the University Of Northern Colorado.

Notably, she returned to her native St. Louis to expose classical vocal music to the young black community there. “And you know what?” Taylor said, “they absolutely love it!”

Drum As You Are: Eric Riley Throws Down The Beat As A Black Musician In Metal

Even with all the fun Eric Riley has thrashing onstage with his longtime friend Nate Valdez, there is always that one drunk person who has to point it out: a black guy in a metal band!

“I mean, there’s not a lot of diversity [in the Colorado Metal scene] but it’s not really anyone’s fault,” said Riley, drummer for heavy rock duo In The Whale.

Riley grew up listening to black soul artists from the 60’s and 70’s, but the harder rock acts were where his heart was.

Hayden Farr: Love and the March of an Angry Introvert

Until recently, the pandemic, and our directive to stay put, wasn’t all that hard for Hayden Farr, baritone sax player for The Burroughs and Trash Cat. Farr is an introvert, so when was invited to protest for Black Lives Matter in Denver, he declined.

“But I’m wondering,” Farr asked, “why do we need to have this conversation every two years? I wonder if it’s because people are stuck at home and forced to see what’s going on, or is it because people want to see a change?”

If You’re Listening: Greg Carroll on the Black American Art Form with an Inherent Sense of Democracy

Even though it was the music that got Greg Carroll into his jazz career, he became a champion of the art form, teaching, preserving and protecting the history of it, because it is the music of his fellow black Americans. “It excites me to see everyone play it, but jazz was created by African Americans, born out of the experiences of people forced on this land as a way to honor their culture – the only thing that couldn’t be ripped away from them. It’s a gift to the world, and it’s welcome to everyone. But it’s historically black, and the more I got into it and learned the history of it, the more I appreciated that. It made me proud.”

July 2020 – Black Lives Matter

In This Issue: BLM | Drive-Ins, The New Music Experience | Live Music Returns at a Distance | David Burchfield | My Dog Ate Chad | Polyakov | The Beeves & Slow Caves

Highway To Heaven: Drive-Ins Revive The Live Music Experience

“I’ve reset my expectations with everything we do in the music business,” said Adam Aijala. “The best attitude is to just roll with it.” The last time his group Yonder Mountain String Band played was March 12, 2020. Then coronavirus hit. With band members scattered across different time zones in the lower 48, they made video collaborations. But then, their agent called. They had a gig. A live one. Blue Pig Presents in Cheyenne took a chance and installed a drive-in theater set-up at Terry Bison Ranch, booking Yonder Mountain live.

The idea of drive-in concerts spread almost as fast as the virus itself, with The Holiday Twin Drive-In Movie Theater in Fort Collins collaborating with FoCoMX to fill the festival void with their Drive & Jive concert series.

Going For It: Live Music Returns, At A Distance

The Mishawaka Amphitheatre’s second live show during the pandemic happens at the night before Independence Day – and it’s not for the money. For independent music venues and clubs across Colorado, July 1 is perhaps as important as the day we celebrate our independence as a nation. Governor Polis’ new guidelines take effect that day, allowing the assembly of crowds which make live music possible, if not exactly feasible.

Album Review: VIVIAN – The Warped Glimmer

Even during the pandemic, Fort Collins-based dream pop band VIVIAN pushed forward the release of their debut full length album The Warped Glimmer, and according to the band, are already well into producing a full length follow-up.
Spacy in all the right ways and saturated in the tell tale signs of art-rock gone pop, The Warped Glimmer is VIVIAN turning on cruise control and putting the seat back for you. It’s a warm envelope to rest in but exciting enough not to put you to sleep.

Album Review: Andy Sydow – Wicked Dreams

‘Wicked Dreams’ – the title track of Andy Sydow’s most recent EP, is an alt-country story about nation-wide travel and going through the motions, while deep down the storyteller longs for true purpose. Reminiscent in style of early Wilco and Ryan Adams, it’s highlighted with a slide guitar solo that might appear in one of Derek Trucks’ dreams. After rambling through several states, the protagonist lands in Colorado which he “calls home,” full of “beauty, adventure, and a different kind of tone.”

Album Review: A.M. Pleasure Assassins – Careless Laughter

With their (yes) fifteenth release Careless Laughter, A.M. Pleasure Assassins remind us there’s a whole scene of bands in Northern Colorado who refuse to care what you migh think. They remind us that making music is supposed to be fun; it’s about putting yourself out there.

Single Premiere: Corsicana – “Wreath”

The subtle tug-of-war between the power of youth and the perspective of experience usually comes when young artists break the mold put in place by seasoned veterans from the former generation. It’s how new art ...

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – June 2020

Honoring the legacy of musicians who passed away due to COVID19, your role in controlling content on the airwaves, the best music made during Quarantine, and a legendary punk band’s first record in 35 years … what could it be but The Colorado Sound’s My5? Find some gems, learn some stuff and be a part of the scene every month.

The Fate Of Festival Future

Even right after she was the sickest she’d been in her life, Alison Hamling still cried after she essentially canceled Friday Fest in Downtown Greeley. Live music “pales in comparison” to the need to avoid a second wave, Hamling said, even as she hated her decision.

Concert producer Colin Bricker says “I find it hard to imagine pulling off any live music this summer. There’s just no way to do that.”

But WAIT! If you don’t mind sitting by your computer, part of Greeley’s summer festival season may in fact, still be on.

In My Room: Music Teachers Turn To Online Methods, Keeping Musical Communities Together

With stay-at-home orders in place, students still want to make music with their teachers and with their peers. Fairview High School students in Boulder decided to try a “virtual choir.” Virtual ensembles, including choirs, are a huge trend worldwide, allowing musicians to collaborate with their friends, bandmates, or favorite artists from home. But putting together a collaboration of 15-plus people requires a lot of time, a hefty budget, and in this case, a supportive community.

Band Together: National Independent Venue Association Saves Our Stages

“There was no one to speak for us,” Stephen Chilton said. “Everyone was talking about the big events and festivals, and no one was talking about the mid-size venues and clubs.”

Chilton heads the National Independent Venue Association which is fighting to #SaveOurStages in the fallout of coronavirus repercussions.

“What is the most unsafe thing right now? It’s mass gatherings, and we produce mass gatherings,” he said.

In two months time, more than 1,600 have joined NIVA, but it still pales in comparison to the thousands in the restaurant industry.

June 2020 – The Fate of Festival Future

In This Issue: Music School Goes Online | National Independent Venue Association | VIVIAN | A.M. Pleasure Assassins | Andy Sydow | 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s My5

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – May 2020

A stunning bootleg recording method from the 70’s revived by The National, life during quarantine – 40 year old albums and the best time-killing websites, Radiohead’s Ed Obrien goes solo, Coloradans climbing the deadliest cliffs, Lucinda Williams bringin’ it, and a Nicholas Cage movie that’s … actually, pretty underrated! Lots of goodies to check out in this month’s My5 from the Colorado Sound. Dig in!

Album Review: King Crawdad – King Crawdad 2

Two-piece Northern Colorado rockers King Crawdad entered 2020 like many bands around the world; with high aspirations and a sudden wipe-out of the entire music industry. But a little pandemic isn’t going to stop a band self described as a “hug you can hear” in a time when we could all use one.

“King Crawdad 2” is Miles Mercer (guitars/vocals) and Nick Perich (drums) tackling their older material in a way they felt it deserved.

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Album Review: I Am The Owl – I Can’t See

“I Can’t See” is an evolution for I Am The Owl. Their no-nonsense shredding with a twist of experimentation has flourished into a galloping monster of thought-out riffs and rhythms that will have Every Time I Die fans grinning from ear to ear. It deserves to be heard and supported, so buy this EP if you can.

Album Review: Michael Morrow & The Culprits – I’m With The Banned

Michael Morrow & The Culprits have proved themselves to be a mainstay in the Colorado music scene with their latest effort: I’m With the Banned. Their grasp on classic 1970’s rock with bluesy undertones allows them to carry the KISS-like torch for Northern Colorado as proudly now as they would have back in the day.

Album Review: Bones Muhroni – Triquetrum

Bones Muhroni and it’s figurehead Crew Rienstra have been a lot of things over the years: cheeky, folksy, a touch uncouth, but always a good time. Triquetrum is the happy and painful accident that, in my opinion, gave us his best music to date. It has some of the country quality old friends and fans of Bones have come to love on “The Ballad of Clifford Griffin,” but musically Rienstra has clearly moved beyond that being his primary sound.

Album Review: JuiceBox – JuiceBox EP

JuiceBox emerges from the ashes of Colorado funk outfit Moves at Midnight to produce retro, funky sounds reminiscent of times before most of us were even sipping on Capri Suns. They combine funk, rock, and R&B with strong horn lines under a 70’s aesthetic umbrella, curating a collection of fun jams for bouncing while they search for Soul with a capital S.

May 2020 – Redefining the Music Industry Online

In This Issue: Rocky Mountain Music Relief | I Am The Owl | Quinn Ayers | Juicebox | Michael Morrow & The Culprits | King Crawdad | 105.5 The Colorado Sound's My5

With A Little Help From My Friends: Resources & Relief For Musicians During The Pandemic

In 2013 and 2017, Chris “K” Kresge had what he called “crazy ass idea” to raise a million dollars for the musicians affected by natural disasters and community devastation, now called Rocky Mountain Music Relief.

With live music shut down due to DOVID-19, every week, RMMR updates a spreadsheet that points musicians and music industry professionals to grants and resources.

A slew of financial resources are available to musicians, but there’s more. The Music Minds Matter organization provides a platform for mental first aid as well via free, weekly online meet-ups.

Redefining The Industry: Could Live Streaming be the Woodstock of the COVID Era?

Coronavirus continues to devastate bar and club owners, restaurants and musicians, but there may be a bright spot: the power of streaming live concerts. Some are even making good money at it.

“We’ve learned how to use the tools of social media better now. We are using them rather than just placing facades online,” said Tim Coons of Giants & Pilgrims.
“If I can make $100 sitting on my couch, that redefines the industry for me,” said Brandon Harris of NoCo Band Meat & Potatoes.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – April 2020

What to do under quarantine? The Colorado Sound’s My5 has some of the best albums and shows to “quarentine to” and upcoming releases to get you stoked. But they’ve also got tips on how YOU can make life for others in your community a little easier during this global pandemic.

All Together Now: The Burroughs’ Bands Give Back Initiative

“The arts are a mental lifeline for kids in the public school system,” says Mary Claxton, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and singer for Trashcat and the Burroughs. “Everyone deserves to express themselves and have joy throughout the school day. It’s not a privilege.”

Her band The Burroughs have launched the Bands Give Back Initiative, engaging students in music education while raising funds, constructing instrument storage and more for the Greeley, Evans School District 6.

Album Review: Space Force – EP 1

Space Force does not play smooth jazz. Their true genre, Jazz fusion, is easily mistaken for commercial artists like Kenny G (you know, your dentist office’s official soundtrack) but it deserves more credit. The 6-piece Fort Collins outfit debut their record Space Force: EP 1, and it celebrates what jazz fusion really is: a melting pot of rock, jazz and funk.

April 2020 – NoCo Music NoGo

In This Issue: NoCo Music NoGo and Covid-19's Massive Impact on Colorado's Music Industry | Bands Give Back | The Burroughs | Cory Wong | Space Force | 105.5 The Colorado Sound's My5

NoCo Music NoGo: COVID-19’s Massive Impact On Colorado’s Music Industry

“It’s pretty easy to see how unprepared everyone was,” said Brian Claxton – a touring drummer and music educator based in Greeley, Colorado. Music venues, restaurants and bars across the globe and in Colorado have been ordered to close due to coronavirus precautions, essentially cutting off the lifeblood of the music industry. But the ramifications go deeper, from the 50th anniversary of the huge UNC Jazz Festival delaying one year to smaller bands such as Float Like A Buffalo cancelling their shoestring budget tours.
“I think it will take a year to recover, not just in the economy but in the entertainment industry here,” Moxi Theater Ely Corliss said, “and that’s if we resume in April. If this goes until May 11 or so, it’ll be catastrophic for the Moxi and (his restaurant) Luna’s both.”

Out Of The Perils: Old Man Saxon

“This is like some horror movie shit.” Old Man Saxon is looking back on one of the scariest moments during the 13 months he was living in his 2001 Ford Explorer Sport while trying to “make it” in Los Angeles. It was the middle of the night and he was sound asleep when a loud noise jolted him awake …

… but with homelessness now in his rearview, Old Man Saxon was able to focus on his next adventures, which included landing a song on HBO’s Silicon Valley soundtrack (“That was a miracle,” he says), a teaching role at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood where he taught rap and a spot on the Netflix competition show Rhythm + Flow. 

Album Review: Glass Cases – In Between

In Between, the debut album from Fort Collins trio Glass Cases, strives to relate to the band’s own demographic: a generation disillusioned with adulthood. Combining elements of synth-pop and alternative rock, Glass Cases create a vibe that’s both interesting and marketable. With rapid, spoken-word, and sung vocals that shine like Keane, Glass Cases’ topically relevant lyrics about social media and insecurity hit close to home for any millennial or gen Z-er.

The band’s originally planned release show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre March 21 was to be their debut at the famed venue, but has been cancelled due to coronavirus precautions.

Max Barcelow: The Fragile Big Time and Saying Yes

Max Barcelow’s life as a professional musician in Fort Collins has had plenty of twists and turns. Drumming for prolific folk artist Gregory Alan Isakov, he’s played Red Rocks, in Europe, with the Colorado Symphony and attended this year’s Grammy ceremony on January 26 at The Staples Center, long dubbed “Kobe’s House,” on the day of Kobe Bryant’s death.
An evening torn between celebrating music and hastily trying to address and honor Bryant, Barcelow witnessed the pomp and grandeur of the Grammy’s while being reminded of how no one can escape life’s fragility – even with success and money. “It’s funny how death just brings it all back home,” Barcelow said.

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Plinko, un gioco divenuto iconico nei programmi televisivi e nei casinò online, rappresenta l’essenza del divertimento semplice e immediato. In questo gioco, i partecipanti lasciano cadere dei dischetti su una tavola forata inclinata, piena di …

Plinko: Das Spiel, das Trends Setzt und Herzen Gewinnt

Plinko, ein Spiel, das ursprünglich aus Game Shows bekannt wurde, hat sich zu einem Phänomen in der Welt der Unterhaltung und des Glücksspiels entwickelt. Seine einfache Prämisse, bei der Spieler Chips auf eine mit Stiften …

Album Review: safekeeper – bummer beach bonanza

When it comes to good music in Northern Colorado, everyone has their own approach. Some seek perfection with meticulous engineering, and then there are bands like safekeeper who just don’t give a shit. “bummer beach bonanza” (out March 21) is a glorious mess, painting a dreary, apathetic picture, but the lo-fi quality gives it charm and that extra something special you need in making a stand-out indie rock record.

Into The Original: Tyler Walker & John DeWitt at the RMCMAs

As the talent booker for the Greeley Stampede’s music acts, John DeWitt always liked the Tyler Walker Band. But now that he’s in the band, he’s an even bigger fan. “I believed in him for a lot of different reasons,” DeWitt says. DeWitt and Walker will be part of this year’s Rocky Mountain Country Music Awards at the UCCC in Greeley on March 13.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – March 2020

Cherokee Heirloom seeds locked in an arctic vault. An unsung hero known as “The Female Elvis.” The most famous mime saving children during a world war. Girls skateboarding in Kabul. The demise of the most rock’ n’ roll magazine ever (no, not us…).

What do they have in common? Why they’re in this month’s My5 from The Colorado Sound, of course! Always worth checking out what’s on the minds of our radio gurus – March is no different!

Album Review: MountianUs – Captured Live at Chimaera

Since their inception, MountainUs has been leading the way in Northern Colorado’s expanding reggae world. The Fort Collins fivesome has a new EP, ‘Captured Live At Chimaera,’ which holds the kind of energy that would never be attainable from a studio recording. They release the album at Hodi’s Half Note in Fort Collins on March 13.

Jim Curry Is Not John Denver

Jim Curry is not John Denver. Well, no #@%*!, you say, but when you see him sing on stage, you may have doubts. Curry brings his Denver act to Greeley, performing with the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra March 6. Curry has worked with Denver’s old bandmates themselves, though admitting: “I never did embrace the idea that I could have a music career.”

Plinko w magazynie BandWagon

Plinko, gra znana z popularnego programu telewizyjnego “Cena jest dobra”, zdobyła serca widzów na całym świecie, stając się synonimem emocjonującej rozrywki. W swojej esencji, Plinko jest prostą grą polegającą na upuszczaniu dysków na planszę pełną …

Sizzling Hot w magazynie BandWagon

Gra Sizzling Hot, stworzona przez Novomatic, to klasyk wśród automatów do gier, który nie traci na popularności nawet po wielu latach od swojego debiutu. Jest to prosta, ale wciągająca gra, która przyciąga zarówno nowych, jak …

Single Review: The Burroughs – Love & Unity

Colorado’s ‘Sweaty Soul’ band The Burroughs step out of their James Brown and retro-funk style to deliver two distinctive tracks. Love & Unity, released on March 3rd, is a digital two-sided single featuring a new evolution of The Burroughs: modernized funk mixed with psychedelic texture via producer Eric Kranso.

Album Review: Gabrielle Louise – The Unending Alteration of the Human Heart

Gabrielle Louise lived alone for the past couple of years, existing in slow, rural life in Paonia, CO. Her new album ‘The Unending Alteration of the Human Heart’ (out March 20) is the soundtrack to that life. She captures the earthy, folk essence with twangy guitars, acoustic bass, and her clean, lightly brassy voice. But she’s comfortable letting the music breathe by providing sparseness and leaving herself exposed in the record’s intimate tracks.

March 2020 – Old Man Saxon

In This Issue: Old Man Saxon | Tyler Walker & John Dewitt | Jim Curry as John Denver | Max Barcelow | Glass Cases | MountainUs | Gabrielle Louis | Safekeeper | Colorado Sound’s my5

Album Review: Whitewater Ramble – Pseudonymous

Whitewater Ramble recently dropped their third full length, the long awaited non-live release Pseudonymous. Bluegrass at their core, Ft. Collins-based WWR stray from the norm with rock, soul, and dance infusions. Self-branded as “High Octane Rocky Mountain Dance Grass,” Pseudonymous gives fans what they’ve been waiting for and challenges new listeners too.

Album Review: Amaya Arevalo – Love Wears Many Faces

Amaya Arevalo is starting to make her mark in the Northern Colorado and Denver jazz scene. She frequents the stages at Dazzle and Nocturne, supporting various bandleaders and groups with her expressive saxophone playing or on accompanying piano. But jazz isn’t her only language. Her debut solo album Love Wears Many Faces shows her audience everything she can do as she looks for her voice as a solo artist.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – February 2020

Probably the best short read you’ll do all month. Internet overwhelming? We get you. So does the Colorado Sound. Check out their My5 for February and sift through the music and culture mire no longer!

Album Review: Saints Of Never After – Return to Tower: Part 2

Saints Of Never After are Fort Collins’ answer to the amalgamous sub-genre known as post-hardcore. Combining the somewhat contrary elements of metal and emo to create a truly unique sound, the band returns with full force on their latest EP, Return to Tower: Part 2, due out Feb 21 at The Moxi Theater.

Cover Story: Kyle Emerson – Coming Down and Into His Own

At the end of every show on his first tour as a solo artist, Kyle Emerson found himself exhausted. Emerson supported his first solo record, 2017’s Dorothy Alice, which he named for his late grandmother, with a lengthy tour.

Now, with his release Only Coming Down, Emerson focuses on the energy and connection with the crowd, bringing his more upbeat band shows to The Moxi Theater in Greeley on Thursday, February 20, presented by The Colorado Sound.

Album Review: Satellite Pilot – Toad Tone and His Symphonic Swamp Creatures – Deluxe

As far as local bands go, Loveland, Colorado-based Satellite Pilot can be a lot. Identifying as something like Dr. Dog meets Polyphonic Spree, Flaming Lips, and The Kinks, Satellite Pilot push all their weirdness to the front. Yet that weirdness feels as natural as sliding on an old pair of shoes. This is the case with their fourth full length album titled Toad Tone and His Symphonic Swamp Creatures – Deluxe: on the surface, it’s the psychedelic mess you might imagine it being, but underneath it is so much more.

Satellite Pilot release Toad Tone and His Symphonic Swamp Creatures – Deluxe on February 14, at Pinball Jones Campus West in Fort Collins, accompanied by a children’s book co-written by the band and illustrated by Bailey Corimer.

Sultans of Shred: Greeley Teen’s World-Class Guitar Chops Run In La Familia

Greeley’s Liam Garcia is 17, a junior at Greeley West High School, and by all accounts plays guitar better than just about anyone else in the world his age (and honestly, most people twice his age).

He traveled to London in September for the Young Guitarist of the Year competition as the only American selected for the finals.

He plans to study at the Berklee College of Music, but the biggest exhilaration is playing with his dad Socrates on stage.

Ani DiFranco: Still Righteous After All These Years

Since the 90’s, Ani DiFranco has been steadily creating a legacy for herself. She released 20 albums under her own record label Righteous Babe, and inspired an entire movement of women artists. Now the year is 2020, and the industry has changed once again. But Ani’s message hasn’t.

“I think there’s many people who think feminism doesn’t seem urgent,’ but you can’t prevent imbalance without addressing it,” DiFranco said.

Album Review: Cold Reading – ZYT

Precision has long been one of the favorite descriptors the world uses when talking about the Swiss, and Lucerne, Switzerland-based indie rock quintet Cold Reading certainly don’t break the mold set-forth by the neatly ticking clocks their ancestors meticulously crafted.

Their newest concept album, a three-part guitar-drum-bass-keys opus called ZYT is literally an homage to the concept of time in it’s lyrics and musical composition (and the title if you speak Swiss German). But the long-running Swiss ideology Cold Reading also exemplify on is that of staunch autonomy and independence.

Marco Benevento: The Fourth Voice In A Trio

An instrumental jazz pianist at heart, Marco Benevento has always searched for new sounds, musical tools or ways of composing, though his newest discovery is that of his own voice, and that’s worth a champagne toast.

Benevento calls his vocals a direct extension of his composing. “It’s just like another instrument,” he says. “It’s the fourth member of our trio, but it’s still the trio.”

The Marco Benevento Trio play The Aggie Theater on Thursday, February 6.

February 2020 – Kyle Emerson

In This Issue: Kyle Emerson | Ani DiFranco | Marco Benevento | Liam & Socrates Garcia |Saints Of Never After | Satellite Pilot | Amaya Arevalo | 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s my5

Гральні веб-сайти без підтвердження даних і паспорта в Україні

Інтернет азартні ігри стали дуже поширеними в Європі в останні роки, і є безліч порталів, які пропонують такі ігри, як крепс, гральні апарати та онлайн-покер. Здебільшого азартні сайти – це інтернет сторінки, які пропонують казино …

Theo Katzman: Modern Johnny Explores The Darkness With The Light

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.

Album Review: Brian Claxton – When I Get Home

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.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – January 2020

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.

Hit The Ground Running – Hodi’s Half Note: 10 Years of the FoCo Music Mainstay

“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.

Album Review: Mike Shamrock – “Not I” Said The Lil’ Mouse

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?

Album Review: Tyler T – Wild Flower

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.

Album Review: Meat And Potatoes – After Math

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.

Who Gives A Scrap About Your Art? Blasti Does

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.”

Rapper’s Delight: Andy Seth Breaks The Struggle Through The Wisdom Within Hip Hop

Not everyone has to meditate for an hour and a half every day like author/rapper Andy Seth does, but he wants everyone to achieve their goals, as they resolve to do in the New Year. He chose the parable of a rapper to communicate his philosophies in his book and album Bling.

“Hip-hop is a big part of my life. I wanted to provide a book that’s accessible, along with music that is a part of our culture, to make [life] lessons stick,” Seth says. With reflection and flow, he believes success and balance – not only the struggle – is real.

January 2020 – Theo Katzman

IN THIS ISSUE: Hodi’s Half Note | Andy Seth | Blast N’ Scrap | Brian Claxton | Mike Shamrock | Tyler T | Meat and Potatoes | 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s My 5

Wildermiss: Star-Faced but Grounded

In many ways, Wildermiss made it big a couple years ago with their first album “Lost With You,” spawning regular rotation on 93.3 KTCL, performances at Red Rocks and a slot on Last Call With Carson Daly. But they’re not exactly flying in private jets when outside the comfort of Colorado. In fact, they’re still driving vans that suck. Wildermiss haven’t forgotten where they came from because they can’t afford it yet. And that’s reflected in their new album “In My Mind”.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – December 2019 – Top 105 albums of 2019

This month, the Colorado Sound’s My 5 is our choices for the Top 5 albums released in 2019. On December 31, we’ll once again count down the Top 105 Albums Of The Year as voted by Colorado Sound listeners. What are YOUR Top 5 of 2019? Go to ColoradoSound.org to submit your picks by December 21 – each submission enters you to win a pair of tickets to The Colorado Sound’s 4th Birthday Party show at Washington’s on Saturday, February 29. Tune in on New Year’s Eve from 6am to midnight to see where YOUR choices land on the list!

Breaking the Cycle – UPLIFT: FOCO Plucks For a Good Cause

Andy Whilden knew exactly who to turn to when he was putting together a house band for his first music festival: bluegrass players.

Uplift: FoCo is a fundraiser for the The Matthews House, an organization based in Old Town Fort Collins that works to break the cycle of poverty by empowering families and young people.

The event is December 21 at The Aggie Theater in Fort Collins featuring a house band of the region’s finest bluegrass musicians backing a slew of top folk and Americana singer/songwriters.

Album Review: Last Call Romance – Double Funeral

Emily and Chris Winters are the duet behind Last Call Romance, a six-person Rockabilly band out of Fort Collins. Within the Rockabilly world, they’re a fairly well respected outfit, traveling to the Hemsby Rock n’ Roll Weekender festival in the UK and pulling accolades from Blue Suede News Magazine. Their 2019 release, Double Funeral Volume 1, is a perfect example of the genre, aimed straight at the hearts of Rockabilly die-hards.

A Shared Approach: Silver & Gold Collaborate with Brix Brewery, support Boys & Girls Club

A shared approach to creation is the driving force behind an upcoming collaboration between rock band Silver & Gold and Greeley’s Brix Brewery and Taphouse. On December 19, a collaborative beer release and concert benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Weld County will take place in Downtown Greeley’s Moxi Theater, showcasing the spirit of collaboration.

Album Review: Marbin – Strong Thing

Marbin’s new album ‘Strong Thing’ is the love child of prog rock and jazz fusion. Eddie Van Halen and Charlie Parker surely smiled down on the Chicago based quartet when they recorded it; their collective energy and virtuosic solos are enough to invigorate both long-distance runs and epic boss-battles royale.

Video Premiere: The Great Salmon Famine – Ebekeneezer’s Tweezers

Space Exploration, goofy rhymes, fantasy cartoons and reggae-nspired funk. This eclectic combination of aesthetics is perfectly indicative of the pastiche of style, genre and humour abundant throughout everything The Great Salmon Famine does. The Fort Collins quintet premiere the music video for “Ebekeneezer’s Tweezers” exclusively via BandWagon today.

Album Review: The Great Salmon Famine – Kelp!

The Great Salmon Famine’s newest release ‘Kelp!’ along with their recent, packed Aggie Theater CD release party are helping to solidify their place among the Burroughs, Silver & Gold and other stellar Northern Colorado bands of note. From breakneck speed funk to deep grooves, ‘Kelp!’ is a record no lover of good times can afford to miss.

Album Review: People In General – Piglet

People In General is a self-described jazz-pop band out of Fort Collins, though their new record ‘Piglet’ is no One-Note-Samba. Delivering complex sound behind the cutesy lyrics guitarist Abe Dashnaw sings, the trio deftly use the technicality of their compositions to draw the listener in without being heavy and pretentious.

Video Premiere: Mitchell James – Monte Carlo

Fresh on the heels of ‘Further Notice,’ NoCo hiphop artist Mitchell James continues his collaborative efforts with the swahv-produced music video for “Monte Carlo,” which premieres exclusively via BandWagon Magazine today, involving multiple members of the Colorado Hip Hop scene.

Album Review: Mitchell James – Further Notice

Have you ever been so fed up with your 9-to-5 that you decided to quit your job and pursue your true calling? Further Notice, the new album by NoCo rapper Mitchell James, paints the picture of somebody who chooses to act on that urge and all the dreams and nightmares that come along with it. Catch his switch-up flow live at The Moxi in Greeley December 13 and Hodi’s HalfNote December 28 in Fort Collins.

Trying To Catch A Wave: Murs & The Music District Bring Open Mic Hip Hop Back

Murs was well aware the open mic part of hip-hop culture was dying, or at least inching toward its last breath. So he and The Bohemian Foundation started Groundwaves: a monthly hip-hop open mic / proving ground mentored by Murs himself,the finale of which was lat month. There, hopeful MC’s would spit their stuff in front of a critical, constructive audience of their peers. “I think you can get your feedback right there. That one little word of feedback (from the crowd) is all you needed to do more work,” Murs explains. Before Groundwaves returns in 2020, Hodi’s Halfnote will house Co-Op, an open mic workshop hosted by Bad Neighbors.

December 2019 – Wildermiss

IN THIS ISSUE: Wildermiss | Groundwaves with Murs | Uplift: FoCo | Boundless Septet | People In General | The Great Salmon Famine | Mitchell James | 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s My 5

Album Review: Liam Maye – Overthinker

Born from a young perfectionist’s downward spiral of indecision, ‘Overthinker’ is a confident, polished and mature debut from Swiss/American pop artist Liam Maye. Though he laments “I forgot who I was” in the EP’s first single “Note To Self,” it’s clear that his unique voice as an artist makes him who he is.

Album Review: Boundless Septet – Boundless

Boundless, the debut record by the jazz septet of the same names sounds like many other modern jazz projects to come out in the past few years. But that isn’t a bad thing. Rather, it’s …

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – November 2019

An amazing month of gems from The Colorado Sound, from the best music you’ve never heard of from Zambia to the West and The Netherlands. Plus amazing choices for music documentaries on the punchy times of Ginger Baker and events like the Colorado Music Hall Of Fame’s induction December 3rd and music and mental wellness in Fort Collins.

Album Review: Luna Shade – Flock Together

What sets FoCo’s Luna Shade apart from many reggae bands is their use of the Spanish language: the majority of the stand-out tracks on
Flock Together’ feature a Spanish verse. And as ‘invierno’ approaches in Colorado, we’ll need a break from the snow. Thankfully, when ‘Flock Together’ drops on November 28, it’ll be a sunny day in reggae paradise.

The Blasting Room: FoCo’s Punk Rock Heart Beats For 25 Years

The Blasting Room didn’t start with a Big Bang, as you might expect, but a drunken nap. The engineer for one of the Descendents’ mid-80s records fell asleep at the recording console. As he snored, Bill Stevenson, the band’s drummer, rolled the engineer’s chair out of the way to work the dials himself. 25 years later, the studio he built with Jason Livermore has become a punk rock recording institution, producing pop and folk records too. But the heart of the original Blasting Room still beats like a punchy snare, a place where young bands make their punk rock dreams come true.

A Tempest Of Inspiration: Whippoorwill and The Nature Of Storms

Alysia, Staci, and Tobias were in the middle of nowhere, Oklahoma when the sky turned green. They could see the tornado dead-ahead through an eerie, rainy clearing in the atmosphere. Even though the gusts of winds were powerful enough to lift their van packed with equipment, the three friends made it safely to the next stop. Literally and metaphorically, this resulted in Fort Collins folk trio Whippoorwill’s first full length album The Nature Of Storms. The album releases November 15 at Washington’s in Fort Collins.

Album Review: Post Paradise – Lonely Worlds

Post Paradise has been a staple of the Northern Colorado music scene for several years with their blend of cello, piano and guitar-driven alternative prog rock. Their latest record ‘Lonely Worlds’ (recorded at The Blasting Room) solidifies their place as high-ranking NoCo musicians, exhibiting their potential as contenders for international acclaim.

Album Review: Kenyon Brenner – The Long and Short of It

Colorado-based Jazz saxophonist Kenyon Brenner steps into the spotlight on his first solo album The Long and Short of It. He doesn’t rely too much on his soloing prowess to showcase his personality – the album listens like a novel, each piece communicating an emotional story through beautiful composition and sensitive playing.

November 2019 – The Blasting Room

In This Issue: The Blasting Room | Whippoorwill | Post Paradise | Luna Shade | False Report | Kenyon Brenner | 105.5 Colorado Sound’s my5

Album Review: False Report – Tear The Pages

False Report is a band that hasn’t played by anyone’s rules. Their latest EP, Tear The Pages is proof that great emo music in Colorado isn’t going anywhere. Their fourth release in just as many years, Tear The Pages is the sound of False Report hitting their stride. Striking a more somber tone than some of their previous work (which says a lot for this band), they touch the nerve of something special with this release.

Album Review: Grey Paris – Medea

Berlin iconically represents the concepts of borders and breaking through them. Electronic Berlin-based piano, bass and drums trio Grey Paris exemplify that attitude on their second full-length electronic jazz release Medea, channeling the sounds of the established past through the fiber optic feel of the future.

Video Premiere: Casual Male – Takin’ It Easy

Tim Lappin set out to make something of his own after years of playing in different projects like Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker) and more. His new band Casual Male premiere their video for “Takin’ It Easy” via BandWagon today.

The so-called “skate video’s” narrative depth hints at the flux of group dynamics with perhaps a not-so-on-the-nose influence bleeding through: Lappin’s hard-earned experience in the music world. Groups form, members join, and when the golden light hits just right, it’s beautiful.

The Lone Vulf: Cory Wong Ventures Outside The Pack

As much of a beast as Cory Wong is on the guitar (and how catchy his composing and songwriting is) “Motivational Music For The Syncopated Soul” isn’t exactly a pedestal of attention for himself. Instead, he collaborated with several well established musicians, evoking a collaborative vibe like that of his other band Vulfpeck. Wong (with support from Paris Monster) play sThe Aggie Theater on Halloween night as well as Boulder and Denver November 1 and 2.

Album Review: Paris Monster – Lamplight

The initial jaw-dropping shock one goes through at their first Paris Monster show is thus: how are just two people doing this? Josh Dion simultaneously sings unstoppably pure, mammoth-powered soul while drumming and playing keys, and the ominous bass murk and whine of feedback via Geoff Kraly’s electric bass wired through modular synth pulse hard. Dion’s pure, eloquent vocal soars in an open atmosphere of Kraly’s electro-arpeggios; making high art out of foggy funk.

The duo support Cory Wong at The Aggie on Halloween night as well as the Fox on November 1 and The Bluebird November 2.

Album Review: Lacy Jo – Self-Titled EP

Greeley-based country singer-songwriter Lacy Jo’s forthcoming, self-titled EP is mainly ballads – raw songs focused on being real, which Lacy wrote based on her own life. Produced by Dave Beegle, the EP releases October 25 with a Moxi Theater show with Smooth Hound Smith.

Rebirth Brass Band: Old Tradition, Different Groove

The Rebirth Brass Band have to answer two questions every time they play a gig: 1 – Are you going to play some traditional stuff? 2 – Are you going to play your own stuff?

“We’re not trying to recreate the wheel,” founder and and bass drummer Keith Frazier said, “but we want to do something different.”

Catch the Grammy-winning band October 25 at Washington’s in Fort Collins and October 26 at The Ogden in Denver.

Album Review: Catcalls – The Catcalls EP

The Northern Colorado music scene is truly a unique animal. We've got everything from bluegrass, new-grass, indie, alternative, and metal. However, if there was ever a void for a sultry, chill style of blues rock, ...

Album Review: Jarrod Gipson – Heart Eyes. Cycles. Clear Mind.

Jarrod Gipson, known in the local scene as the drummer for Colorado’s own Nina and the Hold Tight, ventures out with debut solo album Heart Eyes. Cycles. Clear Mind. It’s an impressive, ambitious introduction to him as a soloist, where he throws everything he’s got at us. Look for it October 11 and check him out live on November 9 at ALMAGRE in Colorado Springs.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – October 2019

Each month, The Colorado Sound’s My5 open your ears and eyes to the all the haps in Colorado music and beyond, from The Downtown Artery changing it’s tune to Sacha Baron Cohen’s new, serious role and the best music books to curl up with this fall. Don’t miss their music meeting in Loveland October 10th!

First Class: Greeley Arts Legacy’s Hall Of Fame

“We do not want to forget what happened,” said Ed Rogers, chairman of the Greeley Arts Legacy board. “It’s easy to select what we know, but we also want to go back and make sure our past is remembered.” The Arts Legacy board did just that, honoring Ruth Savig, a visual artist for decades in Greeley, Hellen Langworthy who started Little Theater Of The Rockies 80 years ago, the Greeley Philharmonic and more. Friday, October 4 at Union Colony Civic Center, all 6 inductees will be celebrated.

October 2019 – Rebirth Brass Band

In This Issue: Rebirth Brass Band | Cory Wong | Greeley Arts Legacy | Catcalls | Jarrod Gipson | Paris Monster | Lacy Jo | Colorado Sound My 5

Mike Doughty: Escape and Return to Ruby Vroom

Mike Doughty knew he wouldn’t be able to shed his association with Soul Coughing, though he describes the band as “a dark, abusive marriage.” The only thing he chose to keep was their approach to music: the idea that compositions were fluid, not songs to be played in their recorded forms to-the-note. “You reinterpreted it,” Doughty said. For his current tour he broke his own rule and listened to ‘Ruby Vroom’ (Soul Coughing’s debut) for the first time in decades, using it as a reference to honor the 25th anniversary of the recording. He performs ‘Ruby Vroom’ in its entirety October 5 at Washington’s in Fort Collins.

Weld Found: Tim Coons And The Anti-Isolation Movement

Tim Coons, a longtime spiritual musician in Greeley who’s released several albums now works for the Weld Community Foundation. He recently launched Weld Found – a new podcast examining the phenomenon of isolation and loneliness in the modern world, particularly in Weld County. Episodes feature Neyla Pekarek, Sociologist Dr. Josh Packard and more.

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club: Denver’s Dark, Prolific Mess Passes The Test Of Time

“Our audiences are like us,” Slim Cessna says. “They don’t belong in any category. More often than not, they’re just music lovers, and those are the people we attract.” With 27 years as a Colorado band, and several side-projects under their cowboy belts, Slim Cessna’s Auto Club brings their macabre, avante-garde roots music to Greeley for the first time, Friday, September 20 at the Moxi.

Video Premiere: chitchat – Right Here

Denver synth-pop duo chitchat premiere the video for “Right Here” via BandWagon Magazine. Josh Kern, multi-instrumentalist, engineer and producer from such institutions as Rocky Mountain Recorders and the now-defunct band Left Hand Shakes teamed up with musical theater turned pop-punk vocalist Madisen Kwon forming the light yet emotive, nuanced electro-pop duo.

Album Review: Race To Neptune – Share My Frequency

Since Race to Neptune’s inception in 2015, they’ve been delivering gritty yet fun, melodic alternative rock to Northern Colorado. Their upcoming EP Share My Frequency kicks off with the angsty “Unnatural Desires,” which delightfully reeks of flannel and Converse, though it doesn’t stay in one vein, drifting into pop-punk territory, employing spooky vibes and even cinematic, sentimental imagery. Catch them September 13 at Blast N’ Scrap and September 28 at The Downtown Artery with Valdez and Plasma Canvas.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – September 2019

You’ll be cooler and smarter once you read The Colorado Sound’s My5. The top things in music, Colorado, film and more – from Jon Batiste’s new Jazz Record featuring members of Lake Street Dive and Iggy Pop’s The Stooges self-titled turning 50 to Ken Burns making you a country music fan, read up on what’s piqued the interest of 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s DJ’s each month!

Album Review: VYNYL – PINK

The moody synth-pop elements on VYNYL’s new record PINK, out October 3, are reminiscent of vintage synth groups from the late 80’s like Erasure, a departure from their former alternative rock sound. Dark and moody, they take some classic new wave ideas, dressing them up in 2019’s clothes. Dig them live at White Groves Barber & Taproom September 13 and Lost Lake Lounge October 3.

Album Review: The 14ers – Mountaintop Folk-Pop

Ryan Kirkpatrick, frontman and songwriter for Fort Collins’ The 14ers, has a love of the outdoors, to say the least. His lyrics and crystal-clear tenor are reminiscent of the band Fun, and fun seems to be the point on ‘Mountaintop Folk-Pop.’ The band’s “pay-what-you-want” release has a joyous, travelling feel, and The 14ers celebrate it’s release Friday, September 13 at Washington’s in Fort Collins.

My Favorite Band Of People

Peter Paul & Gary (yes, Gary) are going into their 24th year as a band, and they are unoriginal in every way. Intentionally. On September 13 they will headline the 12th Annual My Favorite Bands entertaining the patrons of the Moxi Theater with a performance of, as per their own tradition, an iconic movie soundtrack. This time, it’s “Back To The Future” with Trash Cat performing Flight Of The Conchords and Matt Skinner performing Willie Nelson.

September 2019 – Mike Doughty

IN THIS ISSUE: Mike Doughty | Slim Cessna’s Auto Club | My Favorite Bands | Race To Neptune | The 14ers | VYNYL | 105.5 The Colorado Sound’s My5

Album Review: David Baker – Minus Piano

David Baker’s new jazz album “Minus Piano” is just that. A trio without a piano, or any chordal instrument. Ironically, Baker chose to feature songs written by famous pianists. Without the density of a chordal instrument, the arrangements allow space, demonstrating that bells and whistles can drown-out the tune itself. Baker plays Jay’s Bistro in Fort Collins August 23 & 24, and at Tower 56 in Greeley on August 29.

Video Premiere: Nuancer – Scratch That Itch

As exciting as an en masse display of Denver pop-cluster connectivity promises to be at Nuancer’s August 30 at The Hi-Dive, indie musical mastermind Daniel DiMarchi shines as a leader producing in the box. His solo project Nuancer (which is really anything but) premieres the video for “Scratch That Itch” today on BandWagMag.com.

Wyoming Parties On The Edge: K-Flay Plays Cheyenne’s Edge Fest At New Amphitheatre

The 5th annual Edge Fest on August 24 in Cheyenne Wyoming is anything but country. The free outdoor concert in a brand-new amphitheatre park features K-Flay, a Grammy-winning, out, female rapper as the headliner.

Album Review: Places Back Home – The Color & Decay EP

Seeing music as a chance to honestly express complicated realities, Fort Collins rock quartet Places Back Home focus their music on darker topics brought earnestly to the forefront on The Color & Decay EP, out August 20. But don’t be fooled by the sincerity – the band will have you on your feet nodding your head at their release parties August 23 at Lost Lake and August 24 at The Downtown Artery.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – August 2019

Tonight The Rolling Stones play Mile High and Bonnie Raitt plays Bohemian Nights. 30 years ago, Raitt released ‘Nick Of Time’ and 50 years ago, the Stones played Fort Collins! So much more cool stuff is paralleled in August’s My5 – Colorado Sound’s DJ’s top picks for what’s up in music history and more – read on!

Album Review: Oxeye Daisy – They Say You’re A Demon

Even when Denver’s Oxeye Daisy steps out of the box from the feel of their newest EP ‘They Say You’re A Demon,’ they find ways to integrate new textures without sacrificing the dark, spacey vibe. Straying from the dreamy atmosphere by evoking Dick Dale playing punk, Lela Roy’s fearless wails embellish the band’s frantic tension until it floats off to vivid, dreamy Pink Floyd territory mid way. Catch them at Bohemian Nights August 10th in Fort Collins

Charley Crockett: Full Of The Fire – The Old Sounds Of Struggle

Charley Crockett spent a decade on the street, making a living off tips he earned as a busker. He played the “old sounds of struggle” that he identifies with even now. Recovering from heart surgery and mindfully straying from the rough life he lead at a young age, he plays Fort Collins this month: BandWagon presents Charley Crockett at the Aggie Theater Wednesday, August 7.

August 2019 – Jared & The Mill

IN THIS ISSUE: Jared & The Mill | Charley Crockett | DJ DREZ at Arise | Charley Crockett | Places Back Home | David Baker | Colorado Sound My5

Jared & The Mill: Big Statements and A Sense Of Home

Jared & The Mill was birthed into the hot Phoenix sun by Jared Kolesar and his Arizona State University buddies in 2011. Since then, they’ve been consistently creating their own brand of what Kolesar refers to as “Western Indie Rock.” Touring the country and even performing for US troops on an aircraft carrier, the band hits The Moxi Theater Friday, August 16 in support of their “big artistic statement,” aka their newest album This Story Is No Longer Available.

Rock Om: DJ Drez heads to ARISE

DJ Drez is rooted in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene. He’s rubbed elbows with Eminem, collaborated with Macy Gray, Black Eyed Peas, Black Star and KRS-One. Now, Drez his wife Marti Nikko are heavily involved in the yoga world, founding the Rock Om program and headlining Loveland’s ARISE August 2-4 in the festival’s Yoga village.

It Takes A Village: Arise Festival Leaves No Trace

If you’re considering the Arise Music Festival in Loveland August 2 – 4, here’s a tip: Bring your own water bottle. The festival provides water itself, but no single-use plastic. They even plant a tree for every ticket sold. Bands and performers who follow the guidelines of ‘Leave No Trace,’ headline the event: Tipper, Leftover Salmon, Railroad Earth and more. “We are more than a music festival,” organiser Mo Hnatiuk said. “It’s a movement. Music is supposed to feed your soul.”

Still At It: Producing the Greeley Arts Picnic Ain’t Just A Day In The Park

Rhonda Welch, festival / event coordinator for the City of Greeley answers calls from close to 150 artists and crafters, 24 performers (including 18 music groups) more than a dozen food vendors and representatives for the Coors beer garden at The Greeley Arts Picnic. She’s spends most of June and July inside so you can be outside in Lincoln Park the weekend of July 27 for the 41st annual Arts Picnic, featuring a kick-off party on the 26th by Funkiphino. For now, Welch is still at it.

The Longest Curve: DeVotchKa returns, plays The Moxi

“Songwriting was the longest curve,” Nick Urata of DeVotchKa says. “You have to write all these bad songs before a good one comes out. It took a lifetime really.” Formed in the 90’s, each member of the band make up an orchestra themselves and they each ‘got it’ from the beginning. After years as a famed Colorado act, DeVotchKa play Greeley for the first time July 17 and 18 at The Moxi Theater.

Album Review: American Tomahawk – Mr. Griever

American Tomahawk has been a well regarded name in the Colorado music scene for years despite being Los Angeles residents since 2011. Growing up in Ault, Colorado, frontman and mastermind Adam Halferty formed his musical identity in Northern Colorado as an active member in a surprising and sorted list of Colorado bands. “Mr. Griever” is achingly beautiful in its simplicity with a slight stench of toxic masculinity lingering over it, bringing a brutality to that honesty. Catch “Mr. Griever” live at Magic Rat on Friday, July 26 in Fort Collins.

Single Premiere: Kind Dub featuring Sarah Slaton – Limited Time

Limited Time” is a ‘life is short’ anthem aligned with vocalist Sarah Slaton and FoCo Hip Hop duo Kind Dub’s perspectives on collaboration. Stream it exclusively at BandWagMag before it drops worldwide tomorrow, July 12 and catch them at Hip Hop On The Hillside on Friday, July 19 at The Mishawaka Amphitheatre.

Don’t Keep It Like A Secret: Built To Spill Comes To The Mish

Built To Spill was ultimately grouped in with the “Northwest sound” from the outset, a result of being signed to Up Records. Although they left and signed with Warner Bros., they managed to retain their independence. After eight albums, the Doug Martsch-led group are still a mainstay in the indie rock world.

“The main key is, of course, luck. But there’s also the fact that I am so simple, I don’t get bored playing these songs over and over again,” Martsch jokes.

Built To Spill play The Mishawaka Amphitheatre July 26.

Cody Johnson @ Greeley Stampede

Photos By Laurence Wilson

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – July 2019

What do the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, American Ninja Warrior, Paul Sherwin, Fontaines DC and Iron + Wine’s collab with Calexico all have in common? They’re all part of The Colorado Sound’s My5 this month! Check out what else is on the radar at NoCo’s home for music discovery.

Concert Under The Stars Under A New Roof: FY5 And More

At this summer’s Concert Under the Stars series at the University of Northern Colorado, Fort Collins bluegrass band FY5’s performance will be in a new, indoor venue. Although the concert series name directly refers to its typical venue, the university’s outdoor Garden Theatre stage, more than half of this year’s shows will be in the new Campus Commons Performance Hall. A first since the series began in 1931.

July 2019 – Swerve

In This Issue: Swerve | DeVotchKa | Built To Spill | Soul Brothers | American Tomahawk | Colorado Sound’s MY5

Swerve: From The Classroom To The Stage – Cover Story July 2019

Led by singer Lauren Johnston, Swerve are colorful, quirky, exciting and eccentric, but they all wanted to be in a band playing music that was not only fun, but their own. “You don’t need permission to do anything musically, which is great,” said bassist and back-up singer Julian Cary. After winning the 2019 BandWagon Battle Of The Bands, Swerve’s future is uncertain, but they will hit the Stampede Free Stage Tuesday, July 2nd.

Cody Johnson Stays True By Singing A Different Song

“Good luck trying to find someone to sign this contract,” remarked the label representative. Cody Johnson knew country artists rarely demand complete creative control, but he insisted upon it. As his 2016 album title states, he’s just ‘Gotta Be Me.’

“You don’t work for 12 or 13 years to give up all you worked for,” Johnson said in an Interview. He headlines the Superstar Concert Series at The Greeley Stampede July 5th and 8pm.

Album Review: Soul Brothers – Inertia

Sampling is an art. Though you’ll hear a few you recognize on Greeley hip hop group Soul Brothers’ new album Inertia, which dropped today, what an artist does with the chopped-up interpolation can be the difference between a good song and a great song. Catch the trio live at the Greeley Stampede Extraction Stage on July 5 and The Moxi Theater July 20.

Home Is Where The Hip-Hop Is: Nappy Roots On The Greeley Stampede Free Stage

“You can drop us anywhere in Colorado,” Nappy Roots emcee Fish Scales says. “We bring entertaining hip-hop to people who otherwise wouldn’t see a hip-hop show.” The Kentucky rappers play The Greeley Stampede on July 5th at the free Extraction Stage, adding: “I definitely am country.”

Stampede’s a comin’: a first look at acts to catch in 2019’s Independence bonanza

Kimberly Dunn has described her sound as country-without-a-box, Eli Young Band started out as just an acoustic duo and Resurrection have more connections to the real Journey than you might think. They’ll all crush the Greeley Stampede stages this summer.

Red Baraat: Hear The World In The Beat Of The Bhangra

Colorado may not be as familiar with the bhangra as is Red Baraat’s home city of New York. The upbeat North Indian style of playing which colors the band’s music might be rare to these parts, but everyone can relate of the musical elements the band incorporates. Bandleader Sonny Jain says: “I would argue that our sounds aren’t foreign really anywhere.” Red Baraat bring their colorful, amazing show to Fort Collins June 27 at Washinton’s.

Music Video Premiere: Swerve – “Green”

Swerve premiere “Green” – their debut music video – today via BandWagon Magazine. Goofy though they are, the Greeley’s quintet are an impressive and funky force newly unleashed on the Northern Colorado music scene. Having won the 2019 BandWagon Battle Of The Bands, the outfit play The Greeley Stampede on Tuesday night, July 2.

Album Review: The Trujillo Company – Home

The vibe of The Trujillo Company could be summed up as a steady cloud of reefer smoke wafting out of a storm drain into the misty Seattle air, we’ll say circa 1991. Despite this, the Denver outfit is nothing short of a breath of fresh air for the Colorado music scene, releasing “Home” June 22nd at Larimer Lounge.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – June 2019

What do the “20 Feet From Stardom” background singer’s documentary, My Dog Ate Chad, The Denver Zine Library and Bee Savior Cards have in common? They’re all part of The Colorado Sound’s My5 this month! Check out what else is on the radar at NoCo’s home for music discovery.

Album Review: Dressy Bessy – Fast Faster Disaster

If you just heard Dressy Bessy for the first time, you missed quite a lot. Formed from the same seminal Elephant 6 collective that gave birth to Apples in Stereo and Neutral Milk Hotel, the group released half a dozen reliably enjoyable records. Dressy Bessy is a Colorado cause célèbre, releasing ‘Fast Faster Disaster’ June 13 via Yep Roc Records at Downtown Artery and Lion’s Lair respectively.

Album Review: Johnny Burroughs – DAY 1

When you think about contemporary worship music, you think of 20 piece bands singing with at least three acoustic guitars. When Northern Coloradans hear the name Burroughs we think of the 9 piece “sweaty soul band” fronted by Johnny, the eccentric red-haired dude who commands you to get up and dance.
“DAY 1,” Johnny Burroughs’ debut solo record is clearly not The Burroughs and is distinctively about singing praise to God, but it’s done with soul, in both the literal and metaphorical senses.

Keeping It Fresh: Friday Fest Kicks Off Greeley Outdoor Concert Season

You’ll see more variety at this year’s Friday Fest series in downtown Greeley. You also won’t see many bands that you saw last year. But one thing is for sure: You’ll want to dance once they play.

“It has to be danceable,” said Alison Hamling, of the Downtown Development Authority.

You’ll notice some changes in this year’s lineup too, starting Friday, June 7 at the Greeley Blues Jam kickoff.

Album Premiere: Bellhoss – Geraniums

Geraniums, Bellhoss’ debut record, premieres today via BandWagon Magazine!

The ennui of this 7-song bummer-rock collection engages without dragging it’s heels; a credit to Becky Hostetler’s honest, forward-leaning twang which distinctly brightens up the mid-tempo telecaster sway throughout, bringing to mind Pinegrove, ALVVAYS, and even Kurt Vile in feel and frankness.

June 2019 – Cody Johnson

IN THIS ISSUE: Cody Johnson | Nappy Roots | Red Baraat | Dressy Bessy | Johnny Burroughs | The Trujillo | Friday Fest in Downtown Greeley

2019 May Play Music Festival Photos – Downtown Greeley

Photos by Juan Gonzalez Photos by Peary Schroeder

Shemekia Copeland Says What She Wants: Blues Jam Headliner Speaks Her Mind Through Her Music

Shemekia Copeland was pissed off on a Tuesday morning. It was something she heard from one of Trump’s “offspring,” as she calls him, about how if poor people want more in life, they just have to work harder. Recognized by many as the finest blues singer of her generation, Copeland headlines the Greeley Blues Jam June 8. She also draws attention for being outspoken in a world that tends to be surprisingly silent about social issues.

Cha Wa: Mardi Gras Indian Funk Stirs Greeley Like Gumbo At The Blues Jam

Cha Wa, the New Orleans funk band incorporates the tradition of Mardi Gras Indian music and the feel of a New Orleans brass band with all the attitude of a proper funk ensemble. “It was a perfect pot of gumbo,” said J’Wan Boudreaux. Cha Wa performs Saturday, June 8 at The Greeley Blues jam at Island Grove Park.

The Colorado Sound’s My5 – May 2019

The top 5 music and culture blips on the collective DJ radar at Northern Colorado’s home for music discovery, from Marvin Gaye postage stamps and the new venue Mission Ballroom to the film Generation War andThe Miami Showband Massacre via Remastered on Netflix. Read up, tune in!

Album Review: Ethyl and the Regulars – Honest Work

Ethyl and the Regulars’ new album “Honest Work” is a reflection of just that – a mature Americana sound grounded in tradition, yet they incorporate jazz elements including a Thelonious Monk melody as a thematic tool for instrumental conversation.

Leave It To The Beeves: Erie Rock Trio’s Release ‘Adam And Beeve’ Brings It

The band needed a name. Matthew Sease pulled the biggest book from his mom’s shelf, opened to a random page and pointed to a word. “The.” That wasn’t going to work. Now properly named, The Beeves will be hitting the Fox Theatre May 17 in Boulder to release their first album Adam and Beeve. Their sound mixes punk, 60s mod, and country – and it comes out like an exorcism on stage.

Southern Avenue: Keep On

Ori Naftaly grappled with his record label, Concord Records, over Southern Avenue’s upcoming album, Keep On, out May 10. Fortunately for us, they both came out on top. “I want people to listen to this in 2040 and think we sound as relevant honoring the music that we love from back in the day,” Ori says.

Album Review: Chess At Breakfast – Wealthcare

“Wealthcare” is an eight track wander through the vast scope of Rock n’ Roll. Anxious yet contemplative, the new record from Chess At Breakfast burns hot at times with tracks like “Ambulance” and “POTUS Blues” but bounces quickly to the cool modes of “Hello Haunt” and “Glaciers.” “We love that super trapped-in-the-head kind of weird, wonky stuff,” says lead vocalist Caleb McFadden.

Video Premiere: Johnny Burroughs – God Is Love

BandWagon premieres the video for Johnny Burroughs’ first single “God Is Love” from “Day 1,” his debut solo release out May 24.

May 2019 – Shemekia Copeland

In This Issue: Shemekia Copeland | Cha Wa | The Beeves | Southern Avenue | Chess At Breakfast | Ethyl & the Regulars | Tyto Alba

Album Review: Tyto Alba – Sucker

A newfound polish and poise comes to Denver dream pop / shoegaze indie rockers Tyto Alba with their forthcoming record Sucker, out May 4. Melanie Steinway’s yelp of “we gotta bring this sucker down” peeks out amidst rich, swirling builds like something off The Cure’s “Disintegration.”

Bands To See At FoCoMX 11

FoCoMX is this weekend! There’s too much amazing music to see for even a whole magazine, so here are five favorites of ours this year. See you in Old Town Fort Collins!

UNC Jazz Fest Hits A New Home

The Greeley/UNC Jazz Festival is more than just a way to celebrate America’s original form of music. It’s a recruiting tool. The University is excited to bring the festival to its campus for the first time ever at the new Campus Commons venue. “We’ve been doing this for however many years without anyone seeing the campus,” said Michael Alexander, the director of the UNC School of Music.

311 Plays The Aggie and S.A. Martinez is ‘Bout it ‘Bout it.

My reaction to 311 playing the modest Aggie Theatre was probably similar to other locals. ‘What!? How!? It’s so small. These guys sell out Red Rocks and have their own 311 cruise for god’s sake.’ But I quickly remembered the same people who book the Mishawaka Amphitheater took over the Aggie’s booking in March, so maybe they really wanted to kick off the concert season with a bang?

Take 6: What It Takes To Be Iconic

The first time Take 6 came to the UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival the guys packed rooms full of squealing girls who asked questions such as “boxers or briefs?” That was in 1999, a time before smartphones, streaming or even much of an internet. Take 6 returns 20 years later to the Jazz Fest at UNC’s new Campus Commons venue April 25.

Album Review: Goatz! – Sweet Inspiration

“40 years in radio. 50 years as a working musician. This is my official debut, at age 64. Crazy huh?” This is the line we got from Chris Kresge, frontman of GOATZ! when he sent us his debut bluegrass/Americana record “Sweet Inspiration”

Michael McDonald: A Fool Who Still Believes

When Michael McDonald is on stage Thursday, April 11 at Union Colony Civic Center in downtown Greeley, singing our favorite songs like “Taking It To The Streets,” or “I Keep Forgetting,” for the millionth time, he is thanking us for continuing to love who he is.

Album Review: Julian Cary – heaven?indeed

Julian Cary is a jazz artist, but he doesn’t allow the idea of what jazz should be interfere with his expression: On “heaven?indeed” he neglects traditional song form, adapting the music to fit the form of E.E. Cummings’ poems. The record retains a subtle honesty wrapped in moments of dynamic, tonal beauty.

Album Review: Graham Good & The Painters – Good Things

The Fort Collins “Funk-n-Rock-n-Roll” band Graham Good & The Painters’ second EP opens with the uplifting gospel-esque of “Good Things,” like the start of Sunday morning service, but Graham Good & The Painters take it further than church.

April 2019 – Take 6

IN THIS ISSUE: Take 6 | 311 | Michael McDonald | FOCOMX 2019 | Overslept | Julian Cary | Graham Good & The Painters | Goatz! | The Colorado Sound’s My5

Album Review: Overslept – With Or Without

“With Or Without” (Overslept’s newest) is melodious and melancholy, yet it’s jarring enough to keep discerning pop rock ears piqued, pushing past the boundaries of traditional indie into new, dissonant territory.

Album Review: Trash Cat – Welcome To Trash City

Try not to say “quirky” when describing Trash Cat. Red-headed singer/bandleader Mary Claxton wields a sassy ukulele, backed by her husband Brian, a beardy University jazz instructor, and funky, mohawked baritone saxophonist Hayden Farr. (Say what?) Throw in references to Scooby Doo and titles like “Robot Girlfriend” and it pretty much seals the quirky deal. Plus, their release show takes place inside a laser tag arena. Say what?

Album Review: Triton – The Abyss

Though it’s impossible to know, it’s safe to assume that while the world was “doing the Charleston,” H.P. Lovecraft had a very different tune in his head. Whilst writing his masterpiece about the terrifying sea beast Cthulhu, Triton’s The Abyss could easily have been the soundtrack.

Album Review: Slow Caves – falling

On March 22, Slow Caves will release their long-awaited debut full-length, falling: an eleven-song suite of the chillest right-crosses to the thorax you will find committed to wax in 2019.

The Steady Hand Behind The Jam: Leftover Salmon’s Jeremy Grant

Jeremy Grant admits he doesn’t even really like jam bands. Regardless, the 40-year-old Greeley native is the monitor engineer and stage manager for Leftover Salmon, one of the most celebrated jam bands around.

He Will Rock You: Gary Mullen and One Night Of Queen

Every time Gary Mullen sings, he says grace. His uncanny ability to sing like Freddie Mercury gave him a nice career as the frontman for One Night of Queen, a tribute to one of the greatest bands in history. Mullen and crew play in Greeley on March 8 at the Union Colony Civic Center in downtown Greeley.

Millions Of Views, Millions Of Notes: Andy McKee On Finding Your Own Thing

Andy McKee’s technical brilliance, so unique that many had never seen it before, went viral in 2005 (which, back then was just called popular) earning him millions of views in just a few weeks. It wasn’t long before people wanted him to play – in person – around the world. Catch McKee at The Moxi Friday, March 8.

March 2019 – The Unlikely Candidates

In This Issue: Andy Mckee | Jeremy Grant | One Night of Queen | Triton | Slow Caves | Trash Cat

Album Review: Infinite Conscious – Becoming

Greeley’s Infinite Conscious has not only succeeded in paying offerings to the gods of the riff, but have also created a dark, adrenaline-pumping hunk of metal that caters to headbangers across the board. Catch Infinite Conscious at The Moxi Theater March 23 with Triton.

The Unlikely Candidates: Kyle Morris On Seeking The Unexpected

Since their beginnings, The Unlikely Candidates have toyed around with a slew of different sounds, despite charting more than once in Billboard’s Alternative Rock category. “We’ve Always been influenced by bands who weren’t stuck on one particular sound,” Kyle Morris Says. The Unlikely Candidates play The Moxi Theater on March 3.

Album Review: Race To Neptune – Abandon Fashion

“Abandon Fashion” from Fort Collins’ Race To Neptune is a sturdy four track EP and one of the better modern interpretations of early ‘90s grunge and alternative rock. It’s reminiscent of the music that followed hair metal’s death in the ‘80s. But this is not a throwback album. Check R.T.N. out at Pinball Jones on March 1.

Album Review: DEBR4H – Taipei Rock City

Moving forward takes change. Luckily for indie synth pop fans, Jed Murphy did just that. He stepped down as editor of BandWagon Magazine, fell in love, moved to a different city and extinguished the torch he held for his band Futurebabes. Kind of. Bringing his girlfriend, vocalist, keyboardist and designer (yes, your band needs a designer) Kayna Hobbs into the creative fold, the two re-branded as DEBR4H.

Luis Coronel @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Luis Coronel at Moxi Theater in Greeley on February 16th

Album Review: Jenna McLean – Brighter Day

Jenna McLean abandons the path of the lounge songstress, instead programming “Brighter Day” like a horn player. As winner of Downbeat’s 2018 Outstanding Vocal Jazz Soloist award in the graduate category, McLean has truly refined her craft.

Old Ghosts Make For New Friends – A Diverse Greeley Brought To Life By Its Legends

Noel Johnston envisioned a play where the protagonists are group of smart, curious kids who are – most importantly – different from one another. Three speak Spanish and English fluently, and several other characters give a second language a solid effort. The Stampede Troupe premieres this original play February 22-23 in Downtown Greeley.

Silver & Gold @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Silver & Gold ‘Color’ Ep Release at Moxi Theater in Greeley Co.

Silver & Gold @ Moon Room – Denver

Silver & Gold ‘Color’ Ep Release at Moon Room at Summit in Denver on February 8th.

Album Review: Pedro The Lion – Phoenix

After the release of Pedro The Lion’s 2004 record Achilles Heel, the term “emo” would be weaponised as a slur—by outsiders and longtime acolytes alike—and earnest and plaintive music was largely cast aside for the irreverent, angular, and abstract indie rock that would define much of the next decade. Fifteen years after the band’s last release, hordes of music listeners will gather in front of stages throughout 2019 t(including The Bluebird Feb 10) to see Pedro the Lion in support of its long-anticipated return on Polyvinyl Records.

The True Colors Of Silver & Gold

Silver & Gold’s new EP Color (out February 8) used the influence of a short production span, their closeness as a band (both geographically and emotionally) a man named Dan Diaz to create an album that stands out from the rest of their work.

Heaven: Los Lonely Boys’ Jojo Garza On Living Their Dream

Jojo Garza laughs easily. The Los Lonely Boys vocalist/bassist — who plays at Washington’s in Fort Collins February 2 alongside his brothers Henry and Ringo — applies his positive attitude to everything he does, especially Los Lonely Boys’ music, though his brother suffered major injuries on stage in 2013. “Even to this day we’re feeling the after effects,” he admits. “It hasn’t gone away at all.”

Album Review: Pie Lombardi – Worry Lines

Pie Lombardi’s second album “Worry Lines” presents a somewhat autobiographical outlook. It’s a coming of age, but not quite a blossoming into the expectations set for oneself. “I’m trying to get into a bigger scope of just writing and not really thinking about what it’s supposed to sound like,” Lombardi says. “Worry Lines” releases January 25 with a Moxi Theater appearance supporting Neyla Pekarek.

Album Review: Kaitlyn Williams – Sunset

There’s a youthful power to Kaitlyn WIlliams’ lark-like breathiness. Her debut EP ‘Sunset’ reveals fun, Beyoncé-in-the-bathtub tones and vocal runs contrasting her stronger suit of vulnerable introversion a-la The Staves. Williams glides over electro-climaxes with cool touches of distant synth yowls. Slip into something more comfortable and prepare for a close, rewarding listen.

Open Fire – A Bond Forged By Metal

During a rare quiet moment the “Dave Cave,” a basement devoted to metal music, members of Open Fire remember the day Dave MacKenzie sent out the news that his son, Tyler, was killed in Iraq in 2005. Just two months before, they’d had so much fun playing their first big gig before thousands at the first “Thunder in the Rockies.” This month, Open Fire play their 14th anniversary show Saturday, January 26 at The Moxi Theater.

Neyla Pekarek: Watch Her Rattle, Hear Her Roar

Before Neyla Pekarek became a third of The Lumineers, she saw Rattlesnake Kate’s famous dress and read the story while she attended the University of Northern Colorado. The story stuck with her. “She spoke her mind and lived completely outside of what was expected of women.” Pekarek says. “Western stories are so dominated by men. The tales of women have yet to be told.” Her debut solo record Rattlesnake premieres at The Moxi Theater January 25.

Album Review: The Motet – Death Or Devotion

Death Or Devotion, The Motet’s ninth album, showcases the band’s reverence for the funk tradition through masterful execution of the style. Each track exudes booty-shaking energy, thanks to airtight grooves from the rhythm section, crisp but nasty horn lines, and soulful vocals. Catch them January 11 and 12 in Aspen and Telluride and at Red Rocks this summer.

Everbody’s Got The Blues at Cranford’s

Since June, 2018, Cranford’s Tea Tavern has hosted the The Blues Party, a recurring Wednesday night hang for musicians, from those who only know three chords to experienced professionals who’ve played their whole life. It didn’t matter what instrument they played, Buchholz and Haug gave them an equal opportunity to play. In between songs, the players exchanged song choices, guided each other through grooves and made sure they knew how to kick off the songs.

January 2019 – Neyla Pekarek

In This Issue: Neyla Pekarek | Open Fire | Crandford Blues Party | The Motet | Pie Lombardi | Kaitlyn Williams

Gogol Bordello – An American Band Of Gypsies

Each member of Gogol Bordello’s multicultural melange grandstands throughout, exuding practically nuclear energy. From Russian-born Pelekh’s dizzying solos to Pedro Erazo’s spitfire Ecuadorian rapping en Español, native Ethiopian Thomas Gobena’s rich, reggae bass and more, the whole band take the spotlight with a prowess that commands respect, invigorating Gogol’s crazy crowds. Catch their New Year’s shows at The Aggie December 30, The Ogden December 28 and 29, and The Boulder Theater December 31.

105.5 The Colorado Sound: Top Picks You Should Hear – December, 2018

Villagers have just released their 5th album, The Art Of Pretending To Swim, with sophisti-pop influence perfect for a snowy Sunday outside your window.

David Bowie said the work of Hiss Golden Messenger put him in mind of, “mystical country, like an eerie yellowing photograph,” and Devotion: Songs About Rivers and Spirits and Children, a limited-edition box set, only reinforces that opinion.
The Teskey Brothers have been making music for more than a decade but are just now releasing their debut Half Mile Harvest. The warm and sultry sounds take you back to the early Muscle Shoals and Stax era.
Alejandro Escovedo has created the most ambitious release of his career with The Crossing, a concept album focused on the story of two friends: one from Italy, the other from Mexico

Album Review: Greta Van Fleet – Anthem Of The Peaceful Army

Greta Van Fleet have gained a lot of popularity by appealing to rockers both young and old. Their second full-length album Anthem Of The Peaceful Army once again pays homage, both musically and lyrically, to their heroes. You can hear melodic bits of John Paul Jones and the energy of Pete Townshend supporting the aggressive wails of Josh Kiszka, especially in tracks such as “When The Curtain Falls” and “Age of Man.”

Long Cut – Shaping Up For A Hick-Hop Future

Rapping is a tiring, literally breathtaking affair, and Bryan Thomas, quite honestly, didn’t have the stamina for it. He was, to be blunt, too fat to rap. He then endured a sickly stint in the hospital that led to him having throat surgery. So he quit drinking, stopped taking street drugs and started eating better, including flirting with a Vegan diet, and exercising. Since he and Adams formed the hip-hop/country band Long Cut in January, he’s lost 115 pounds.

Album Review: safekeeper – On Sludge Summit

Boiled down into an emotional lo-fi art rock reminiscent of an early Modest Mouse, safekeeper is releasing the aptly named On Sludge Summit December 14. This five-track EP glistens with slow ride emo guitar licks and drunken yawls that drudge through at a satisfying pace. Catch them at Pinball Jones December 21.

The Stubby Shillelaghs: Growth, Depth and The Great War

On the new Stubby Shillelaghs EP, The Great War, the band covers classic tunes that detail the horrors of war, with a special focus on World War I. Knaub got the idea for the record from a popular podcast, Hardcore History, by Dan Carlin, a show that details “the extremes of human existence,” Knaub said. The band will play at the Moxi Theater on Saturday, December 15 performing The Great War in its entirety, but you shouldn’t expect to see the Stubbies play many gigs in Greeley any longer.

Album Premiere: Anthony Ruptak – A Place That Never Changes

In a musical era defined by digital austerity, A Place That Never Changes is a powerful ode to maximalism, a carefully layered production of towering melodies and micro-cacophonies that cede just the right amount of space for Anthony Ruptak’s searing lyrical attack. Stream the album exclusively at BandWagMag.com

Album Review: Anthony Ruptak – A Place That Never Changes

In a musical era defined by digital austerity, A Place That Never Changes is a powerful ode to maximalism, a carefully layered production of towering melodies and micro-cacophonies that cede just the right amount of space for Ruptak’s searing lyrical attack. It captures 2018 America’s prevailing feelings of confusion, anxiety and dread.

Album Review: Igaus Davis – Keep Your Candles Close By

Keep Your Candles Close By is sonically, emotionally intimate and thematically concise, teasing at something we won’t see pan out. Some strife within the band Igaus Davis has lead to this being their final release, creating sonically solemn vignettes of despair and resignation.

December 2018 – Gogol Bordello

IN THIS ISSUE: Gogol Bordello | The Stubby Shillelaghs | Long Cut | Igaus Davis | Safekeeper | Anthony Ruptak | Greta Van Fleet

Single Premiere: Chess At Breakfast – Paper Crane

“From soft and subtle, gradually building with spacey synth leads to an all-out head bang, complete with a Gilmour-esque guitar solo and vocal effects spiced in for grungy flavor.” Stream the exclusive premiere of Paper Crane below, read the full review HERE and catch Chess At Breakfast Saturday, December 1 at Magic Rat in Fort Collins with Bright Silence and December 6 at The Moxi Theater in Greeley.

Single Review: Chess At Breakfast – Paper Crane

With Paper Crane, Chess at Breakfast stay true to their blend of atmospheric psychedelia and gut-hammering riffs, paired with lyrical themes of despair, angst and fantasy. The band goes on a musical journey from soft and subtle, gradually building with spacey synth leads to an all-out head bang, complete with a Gilmour-esque guitar solo and vocal effects spiced in for grungy flavor. The track ends with a satisfying glam-rock supernova for its climactic finale.

Ubiquitous of Ces Cru: Life After Ces

The rap duo Ces Cru have been Strange Music mainstays for 12 years. But over the past few months, there’s been a noticeable change within the group. Ubiquitous has embarked on his own solo tour while Godemis is seemingly laying low. During Tech N9ne’s 2017 Independent Grind Tour, there was some type of incident on the bus that resulted in Godemis leaving the tour.

105.5 The Colorado Sound: Top Picks You Should Hear – November, 2018

Kurt Vile has left behind the ‘galloping tempo’ of his former group War On Drugs. Here, his reverbed, moody voice and banjo (his 1st instrument) take “Come Again” from sounding like it’s of the Mother Maybelle Carter catalog to “Oh, that’s Kurt Vile” territory.

Southern Culture On The Skids release Bootlegger’s Choice featuring 16 new recordings of the most requested songs from their out-of-print major label releases.

Carl Broemel, the classically trained guitar player, holds down the lead-guitar spot in My Morning Jacket and has three solo albums under his belt. He and has just released his fourth, Wished Out.

Loretta Lynn has just released her 41st album: Wouldn’t It Be Great. The album features songs written by Lynn over the years which she has decided to re-work for a more contemporary feel.

Album Review: The Panoramic – Dead Trumpet Call

Northern Colorado’s metal fans have needs, and those needs are filled by the sheer sonic brutality of The Panoramic who surprise-dropped the independently released EP Dead Trumpet Call on October 13th. It’s fresh as new blood and proves that The Panoramic is as heavy as ever.

Saved By The Nerve: Gary Dean Smith’s Voice Returns

For Gary Dean Smith it’s been a transformative year. The 55-year-old singer-songwriter signed a deal with The Symbols’ vocalist Mer Sal and Grammy winning Jazz musician Jeff Lorber to Manta Ray records – a division of Sony. But one year ago, Smith was bouncing back from a botched surgery that destroyed his vocal chords, leaving him uncertain of his musical future.

Album Review: Bryce Merritt – CHROMA: III

Freshly releasing CHROMA: III (the five-track follow up to 2017’s CHROMA: II) on October 26, Bryce Merritt is at it again with some of his best work yet. Both sexy and sleek, it could be read as disingenuous on the surface, but it shows a musician stepping out of his comfort zone and going for it. At its heart, that’s what all Bryce Merritt’s previous releases have been as well: pulling out all the stops and going for it.

Album Review: Trash. – January

Trash., in a way, has been a long time coming. Kayleigh Gutskey and Michael Olivier have been very active in the Colorado music scene for years, both together and separately. Once upon a time they were Greeley punk heroes Nasty Bunch of Bitches. Love it or hate it, there is a lot to respect – they are independently doing everything themselves. These aren’t your Bitches anymore, this is Trash.

Album Review: Nelsen – The Wind

Fashioning themselves as Americana rock, there’s a streak of folk influences in The Wind, but it’s really a rock album with nothing to prove. Nelsen showed up to BandWagon’s Battle of the Bands with only their raw talent and came close to winning their round. The Wind is the result of that polished, raw talent showcasing each member’s abilities.

The Greeley Phil’s Got You (And Your Kazoo Too)

The next time you attend a Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra concert, you may want to bring your kazoo. Oh, you don’t have one? That’s OK. The Philharmonic’s gotchu.

On November 9, the orchestra will play, among other classics, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, perhaps the most striking and well-known piece in classical music (yes, you’ve definitely heard it). To celebrate the performance of this masterpiece, the Philharmonic wants the audience to play along using, yes, a kazoo.

November 2018 – Ubiquitous

IN THIS ISSUE: Ubiquitos of Ces Cru | Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra | Gary Dean Smith | The Panoramic | Nelsen | Bryce Merritt | Trash.

Album Review: Soul Brothers – God’s Sons

Greeley Rap trio Soul Brothers show off their talent while furthering their immersion into the culture of Hip-Hop, both on God’s Sons and live in concert, so pay close attention. With inspiring performances that promote crowd participation, their lyrics are relevant and relatable to anyone with even a mild appreciation for rap and hip-hop

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Top Picks You Should Hear In October

If you were to play this album for anyone unfamiliar with Boz Scaggs, they’d be VERY surprised to learn his first album came out in 1965. A few bars into the leadoff track “Rock And Stick,” that unique and still-smooth voice belies his 74 years. If you aren’t familiar, Great Lake Swimmers are a Canadian band built around a loose collective of musicians and the guiding light of singer/songwriter Tony Dekker – they went into the studio with the idea of creating an album without one instrument: the acoustic guitar. On Jungle’s For Ever, you’ll hear catchy, synth-laden goodness worthy of the needle drop. Don’t miss the stand-outs: “Beat 54” (an homage to Studio 54), “Happy Man” and “Heavy California.” Rarely do bands have record labels get into bidding wars for their services with only has one song in their repertoire. Such is the case with Austin’s Black Pumas.

Widow’s Bane – The Afterlife Is A Never-Ending Party

You think your life is bad? Let’s consider the life of Gov. Mortimer Leech. It would seem that Leech would make you jealous. Leech is eternal, so his nasty coke and hooker habits don’t harm him. He’s a musician, and he lives the lifestyle, partying with Stevie Wonder in Denver, gigging for hundreds of years, getting to be a snarky smartass in interviews with the press. His band, The Widow’s Bane, is still relatively hip, even if they’ve been around for hundreds of years. The band will release an album of the music they wrote for the production and will perform a proper headlining full-band show at Washington’s in Fort Collins on Halloween night, October 31.

Eminem – Kamikaze

Eminem fans were elated when he surprise-dropped his 10th studio album Kamikaze at the end of August. The album was chock-full of carefully plotted disses aimed at everyone from Lil Pump and Tyler The Creator to Machine Gun Kelly. “The word I called him on that song was one of things that I felt like, ‘This might be too far,’” Em told Sway. Machine Gun Kelly continues to milk the “Killshot” diss track for publicity. Mathers just released the viral, so to speak, music video for Venom.

The Collection – The Natural Order Of Chaos

“I was so down-and-out mentally,” says David Wimbish the vocalist and bandleader of The Collection. We spoke over the phone while he was in Asheville, North Carolina safely just outside the path of Hurricane Florence where he was preparing for a five-week tour to support The Collection’s latest album Entropy which perfectly describes where Wimbish was in his life. Entropy is defined as the gradual decline into chaos and Wimbish was feeling it after a rough string of life events, from an almost crippling bike accident in Frisco, Colorado to core members of The Collection doing some real soul-searching about the longevity of the project. Wimbish is excited for Entropy’s recent October 5 release and upcoming tour dates, including a three-date run with Greeley’s Silver & Gold culminating in a combined Moxi Theater appearance Saturday, October 27.

Album Review: Alright Alright – Nearby

Seth and China Kent are the married couple behind Alright Alright, each of whom have very different musical backgrounds, explaining AA’s unique, diverse sound. China is a classically trained pianist from Vanderbilt University; Seth a former guitar tech for The Fray (“How to Save a Life”). Alright Alright stand out from the masses with a gentle sense of depth and even gravitas on their new album, Nearby.

Misty Boyce – Lady Boss Among Lords

Misty Boyce is no stranger to big stages in Colorado. The New Mexico native has performed at Red Rocks, The Gothic Theater and plays a sold-out show at Denver’s Ogden Theater on October 5th, clocking more performance time than the headliner. How? By not quitting her day job. “If I’ve had a big break it was playing with Sara Bareilles. It was life-changing. That propelled me into a sphere of musicians that elevated everything.”

October 2018 – The Widow’s Bane

IN THIS ISSUE: MISTY BOYCE | THE COLLECTION | EMINEM | SOUL BROTHERS | ALRIGHT ALRIGHT | THE COLORADO SOUND’S TOP PICKS

Block Party 2018 – Wildermiss, Silver & Gold, Shatterproof, The Great Salmon Famine and Bryce Merritt

The Block Party in Downtown Greeley – September 21st, 2018 – Photos by Talia Lezama.

Live photos of Silver & Gold, Wildermiss, The Great Salmon Famine, Shatterproof and more!

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Top Picks You Should Hear In September

On their 9th studio album, Death Cab For Cutie continues the sound that started bringing them fans 20 years ago. Rich Costey’s ethereal production keeps Ben’s light & dream-like vocals out front so we can hear the nuances in his thought-provoking lyrics.

Brooklyn’s Josh Karpeh (aka Cautious Clay) is a 25-year-old artist with a very clear sonic vision. He made a splash earlier this year with his debut EP Blood Type and a quick follow up with the Resonance EP in June.

Charley Crockett is a troubadour in the truest sense of the word. Crockett left home in his teens, hopping railroad cars and busking on the streets to earn his keep. He even spent a year in Paris before returning to his native Texas.

In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, The Rock*A*Teens were a band you liked so as to be cooler than your Pavement & Liz Phair-loving friends. Over their 5 albums, no band has combined the ethos of indie rock, rockabilly, and punk better. Hailing from the thriving music neighborhood of Cabbagetown in Atlanta, GA, their influence has been crucial to indie rock.

Album review: Jungle – For Ever

London based neo-soul band Jungle are gearing up to release what is going to be the best sleeper album of the year. For Ever is a vibrant cosmopolitan display of what it means to be a musician in 2018. What started as two multi-instrumentalist friends in 2014 making music in their London bedrooms is now a seven-piece musical movement making infectious dance music. Catch Jungle fever, so to speak, at The Aggie in Fort Collins on Saturday, September 29.

Album Review: Murder By Death: The Other Shore

In 2014, Murder By Death was the first Rock & Roll act to play the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park; this year, their fifth annual winter residency extended to five sold-out shows. As much as the American Gothic sound of Murder By Death fits the open prairies and rugged mountains of Northern Colorado, it is equally out of this world. It’s fitting, then, that their latest studio album, The Other Shore is a space western.

Shatterproof: The Re-Definition of Fine

Speaking with Shatterproof drummer Benji Spoliansky over the phone, the excitement he had looking forward to 2019 was almost palpable. So much was in the works for this Ft. Collins hardcore gypsy alt-rock band but… he couldn’t really talk about it except in cryptic, nondirect affirmations so as to not give it away. “I feel like everything we’ve done this far as a band has led to what’s going to be happening next year,” says Spoliansky.

Breaking News: Comedian Gallagher Suffers Heart Attack, Postpones September Dates

Legendary smash-comedian Gallagher has suffered a heart attack early this morning, September 11th, 2018.

Postponing a slew of shows including his only scheduled appearance for September at The Moxi Theater in Greeley, Colorado September 16th, the 72-year-old performer is currently in recovery at a Los Angeles hospital. At the of time of this article, his recovery status is unknown.

Album Review: Draghoria – Thrash AD

Draghoria is a multi-generational metal band from Greeley with a recurring theme that describes their music to a tee – thrash metal. The follow up to their first EP, appropriately titled Thrash AD, will be released during Downtown Greeley’s 12th annual Block Party (via Sweden’s Big Balls Production) undoubtedly to a room of sweaty kids in black shirts that beat up their friends for fun, but pick them up when they fall.

Greg Holden Is Ready For The Power Shift

Greg Holden’s music has always been incredibly timely and inspired. Rallying the emotions of a global fan base, the British born singer-songwriter’s tunes might be more familiar to you than you think. “Half of it boils down to the fact that I’m writing about current events. The way I’ve written has always changed and it really is just whatever has been swirling around in my head. I don’t sit down and say ‘I’m gonna write a song about a Sudanese refugee now’ – I just wait for it to hit me.” Catch him with Butch Walker at The Bluebird Theater this Sunday, September 9th.

The Great Salmon Famine – Pinnacle Fun

A fun-focused consideration of audience perspective permeates the party ethos of The Great Salmon Famine. Releasing the single “The Funky Circus” September 4 via bandwagmag.com and winning our 2018 Battle Of The Bands with a dancey, fan-favorited final round, their energetic live show is an expected highlight at this year’s Block Party in downtown Greeley on Friday, September 21.

Gallagher – Smashing The Script

As tempting as it would be for legendary comedian, performer Gallagher to cull from his many stand-up comedy shows on Showtime or his fame as one of the more well-known comics of the 1980s because he smashed stuff on stage, Gallagher doesn’t want to rehash those gags or rely on a bit that he’s performed thousands of times. He couldn’t work that way. Gallagher will play on Sunday, September 16 at the Moxi Theater, which, as cool as it is, is not an art center. It’s a concert venue, which means Gallagher can make a mess.

Single Premiere: The Great Salmon Famine – The Funky Circus

This month’s cover story and 2018 Bandwagon Battle Of The Bands winner The Great Salmon Famine premiere their lead single The Funky Circus via Bandwagmag.com today.

A downtempo bass guitar pulse thumps along with a Sgt. Pepper organ twirling about in the background setting the perfect scene for The Great Salmon Famine’s mantra: play.

September 2018 – The Great Salmon Famine

In This Issue: The Great Salmon Famine | Shatterproof | Gallagher | Murder By Death | Draghoria | Jungle | The Colorado Sounds Top Picks

DeVotchKa at Mishawaka Amphitheater (“This Night Falls Forever” Released Today)

Drew Carlson photographs DeVotchKa at Mishawaka Amphitheater for Bandwagon Magazine

New West Fest 2018 – Fort Collins

New West Fest 2018 in Old Town Fort Collins

Flatland Cavalry – The Real Stuff

Cleto Cordero grew up in Lubbock, Texas, a dusty city in an area dominated by oil rigs and the badlands. Like most kids who live in a quiet hometown, Cordero believed there wasn’t much to do. But he looks back on that time with fondness: That’s how he grew into the eventual frontman and songwriter for Flatland Cavalry, a Country-Folk and Americana band on the verge of a breakout. The band plays on August 16 at the Moxi Theater.

Eugene Mirman Has A Voice For Comedy

Eugene Mirman has a voice for comedy. Speaking with him over the phone for this interview with BandWagon Magazine ahead of his performance at Washington’s in Ft. Collins on August 8, it was almost hard to believe the man on the other end was responsible for so many beloved comedy characters (most notably Gene from Bob’s Burgers) but there he was. After a few minutes of back and forth with the comedian, it became clear how this sharp and experienced Massachusetts native has become one of the most well-liked names in the business.

Paul Noffsinger – Most Magic Sucks

“Most ‘magic’ sucks,” Paul Noffsinger says. In our interview with the magician and member of The Mystery Collection, this stuck out like a joker in a stack of spades. Noffsinger returns to The Moxi Theater on August 23 to perform a show called “Unreal.” It’s a showcase of unexpected, bigger, more involved routines that he can’t do in the smaller venues and private house shows which are his bread-and-butter.

Single Review: Gingerbomb – Wildfire

Getting a 5-piece, all-redhead band with members from New York, Denver and Los Angeles together is an accomplishment. Colorado songstress Megan Burtt has wrangled such a group, aptly named: Gingerbomb. LA via NYC producer/drummer Ryan Vaughn and engineer/multi-instrumentalist Zach Berkman along with Burtt, vocalist / keyboardist Sara Dee and bassist Casey Sidwell join forces for the project with a maturity that defies any red-headed stepchild jokes critics might conjure. They kicking off the Bohemian Nights New West Fest in Fort Collins August 11th, 2018.

DeVotchKa’s ‘Night’ Finally Falls On Fans’ Ears

“Straight Shot,” the lead single from DeVotchKa’s forthcoming release This Night Falls Forever, takes both citizens of “Old Denver” and global fans of the pioneering Gypsy-Folk band “right back to the good times – before the paperwork got signed.” After years of soon-to-be-released announcements, the album finally arrives this August 24. “We have been extremely lucky in attracting so many great collaborations,” Nick Urata says. He admits, however, “with the benefit of hindsight, we now see that it took us away from finishing our album. We can only hope that the projects we have done will somehow find a way to influence our latest music.”

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Top Picks You Should Hear In August

Sparrow is Ashley Monroe’s 4th album, a record that shows the Nashville singer-songwriter heading in a new direction.

Since 2014, Mike Peters, lead singer for The Alarm, has taken on ‘re-imagining’ some of his band’s catalog for 30th-anniversary tributes. Reflecting the world today is the angle Peters takes on the new Alarm album “=” (pronounced “Equals”).

Iggy Pop, one of the grandfathers of punk, continually collaborates with interesting musicians; musicians one would not expect Iggy to venture into the studio with. But perhaps that’s his point.

August 2018 – Flatland Cavalry

In This Issue: Flatland Cavalry | DeVotchKa | Eugene Mirman | Paul Noffsinger | Gingerbomb | The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks

Thievery Corporation – Inside The Temple Of I & I

One cold February morning in 2015, the two masterminds behind Thievery Corporation—Rob Garza and Eric Hilton—left the frigid air of Washington D.C. and touched down in Kingston, Jamaica. They then made the 60-mile journey to the jungle-hemmed city of Port Antonio, a place the locals call the “real Jamaica,” where they would record their 10th studio album, The Temple Of I & I.

Dynohunter – A Constant Evolution

Boulder-based Dynohunter never want to completely fit in with what’s going on around them. Cutting a way for themselves through the festival and EDM scene across the country, they have opened for legends such as Infected Mushroom, Papadosio, and Bonobo. A household name amongst the Colorado festival circuit, each year their name climbs higher and higher on the line-up posters. We spoke with the Dynohunter guys ahead of their gig at ARISE about all the things that make them tick.
“We love that house and techno seem to be catching on with a larger festival and jam audience. Being born out of the jam scene and gravitating towards house and techno ourselves, we have helped others see how, for example, a DJ is able to weave together a 2-hour set and take the audience on a ride in a similar way to a jam band.”

Living Legends Arise – “We Are Definitely Back Together”

West Coast collective Living Legends — Murs, Eligh, The Grouch, Aesop, Bicasso, Sunspot Jonz, Luckyiam and Scarub — are ready to rock the Eagle Stage at The Arise Music Festival with their classic boom bap, no-frills hip-hop. Over the years, the group have taken a couple of hiatuses, but Aesop confirms their reunion is official (however, it’s unclear if Murs will be at the Arise Festival). “We are definitely back together,” says Aesop. “Our break was for spiritual reasons if you can call it that.”

Aaron Watson and Chancy Williams @The Greeley Stampede – Greeley

Aaron Watson and Chancy Williams at The Greeley Stampede on July 1st

Jukebox The Ghost: Off To The Big Gig

Queen. When did this obsession start? Is it an obsession? “It’s funny – It’s almost accidental and almost as if the world willed it to be so. We were getting compared to Queen well before there was any conscious effort to emulate or borrow from them. My voice would be compared to Freddie Mercury’ s (which was always a huge compliment) which I see as a natural progression of learning to sing at the piano. When you have to sing over an instrument that big and loud you think about range and volume differently.

Album Review: I Am The Owl – A Mission to Civilize: Part II

I Am The Owl’s newest release is for longtime fans of the Fort Collins punk/metal band and new listeners alike. Recorded at the Blasting Room, a heavy hitting local recording studio readers should familiarize themselves with (if you haven’t already), A Mission to Civilize: Part II rips. Fans of the hybrid genre will dig the searing guitars and signature “tight, but huge” drums.
Following up their first release, A Mission to Civilize: Part I, the new drop expands on I Am The Owl’s galvanizing sound with much-welcomed production value increase. Fans of local DIY punk rock, don’t let that turn you off.

Album Review: Heavy Beauty – Self-Titled EP

The Golden-based “Desert Grass” quartet Heavy Beauty has a clean but unfiltered sound to their work. The three songs on the EP – “Dreams,” “Butterflies” and “Stars” – are simple but elegant. They possess a slow, even flow to their singing that never stutters or overpowers certain elements. Dobro player Mike Testagrossa, bassist Angel Edgemon and Willie Thomas on the mandolin provide vocals, with Dax Hunter Jordan on drums.

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Top Picks You Should Hear In July

Lake Street Dive vocalist Rachael Price says she’s this generation’s heir apparent to Bonnie Raitt. You’ll hear it in the torch of “I Can Change” and the defiant grit of “Good Kisser.” Their seventh album Free Yourself Up proves this is no novelty act.

Dr. Dog’s new album Critical Equation is the band’s first album of new material in over 5 years.

On his third solo album, Call The Comet, Johnny Marr seems at long last to have found his voice, literally.

It’s rare to have the first song you record top the charts, but that’s exactly what happened to Alice Merton.

July 2018 – Thievery Corporation

IN THIS ISSUE: LIVING LEGENDS | DYNOHUNTER | I AM THE OWL | MODERN LEISURE | HEAVY BEAUTY | THE COLORADO SOUND’S TOP PICKS

Sublime w/ Filter, Hairball @The Greeley Stampede – Greeley

Sublime with Filter, Hairball at The Greeley Stampede in Greeley Co on June 29th

Album Review: Modern Leisure – Super Sad Rom-Com

Modern Leisure’s Super Sad Rom-Com is a chilled-out / bummed-out illustration of a songwriter’s studio apartment life. Having departed from former Denver bands The Outfit and Shady Elders, mastermind Casey Banker “wanted to express the loneliness and euphoria of being a guy living in a semi-big city in my 20’s.” Made layer by layer and then re-recorded from scratch, the resulting collection of mid-tempo dream-folk jams make us want to hit the beach and text our ex with a Bluetooth boombox and ice-cold LaCroix in hand.

Sean Curtis & The Divide / Cale Dodds @ Greeley Stampede – Greeley

Sean Curtis and The Divide and Cale Dodds at The Greeley Stampede on June 22 and 23rd

Darius Rucker @ Greeley Stampede – Greeley

Darius Rucker at The Greeley Stampede in Greeley, Co on Wednesday, July 24th

Ben Pu & Crew, One Flew West, Graham Good & The Painters @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Ben Pu & Crew, One Flew West, Graham Good & The Painters at Moxi Theater in Greeley on June 23rd

Charley Crockett, Pie Lombardi & Samantha Brewer @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Charley Crocket with Pie Lombardi & Samantha Brewer at Moxi Theater on Thursday, June 14th 2018

Greeley Blues Jam @ Island Grove – Greeley

Greeley Blues Jam in Island Grove Park on Wednesday, June 6th.

Hawthorne Heights, Listener, Hotel Books @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Hawthorne Heights, Listener and Hotel Books at Moxi Theater in Greeley

Cold War Kids – The Best Versions Of Themselves

Cold War Kids are a force of nature in popular music. With six full-length albums and several chart-topping hits including the song “First” which peaked at number one on the U.S. alternative charts, the label of indie rockers hasn’t applied to them for years. For lead singer Nathan Willett, looking back on his career (and looking forward) the name of the game is being the best versions of themselves they can be.

Devon Allman – Fathers, Sons and a Band of Brothers

Devon Allman is a hard-working dad. Raised by his mother and growing up in the distant shadow of his father, Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers, Devon didn’t have much of a relationship with his …

Bad Frequencies Ring Familiar – Hawthorne Heights Return

Almost two decades after their debut, Dayton, Ohio’s Hawthorne Heights continue to live up to their reputation as s one of the seminal bands of the emo-rock genre. Lead vocalist and frontman JT Woodruff says Bad Frequencies (their first release as a band in almost 3 years) “is about going back to some of your favorite times in life and using those memories to push you forward.” It’s a compilation of undoubtedly new yet strikingly familiar emo-rock anthems akin to the ones that kept the class of 2007 company in high school. Catch them live at The Moxi Theater in Greeley on Saturday, June 2nd.

Album Review: Covenhoven – A Kind Of Revelation

“Where To Begin” – a simple question revealing that there’s much to tell. So is Covenhoven mastermind Joel Van Horne’s gift: the ability to fill oceans of meaning through simple use of poetry, guitar and voice. This opening track and the entirety of A Kind Of Revelation weaves an arpeggiated spell on us with its haunting mix of plucked strings, synth beds and cavernous vocal reverberations.

Inspired by time on the west coast, Van Horne calls A Kind Of Revelation his “ocean record.”  Impressively self-produced, his only additionally credited recording engineer is his late brother Ben.

Album Review: Kinesics – Surfacing

The release of Kinesics’ full-length album Surfacing will be its third attempt at seeing the light of day. Self-proclaimed “sad rock songs” sung mournfully and deep, this is the full and final realization of music which began its journey back in 2015.

There’s a beauty in the unexpected here, most notably the fact that the somber, low voice of Kinesics’ songwriter belongs to the diminutive, dare we say cute, alto – Kenzi Everitt. A solo project on her first two tries, there’s now a universality to the work. The androgyny in her liquid vocal delivery, fully-invested band arrangements, and the fact that her main collaborator (guitarist Jason Bartek) is also her fiancé reflect the band’s mantra of community, teamwork, and equality. Did I mention that the drummer and bassist are married to each other too? They are. It’s adorable.

Album Review: Chloe Tang – Stranger

Hometown For The Holidays finalist Chloe Tang’s newest EP Stranger has the Denver songstress aiming for the fences. Rich with a pop sound that is accessible as hell, Stranger shines. This five track EP comes to us after a series of singles since 2016’s “Forgive You Again,” and gives listeners a songwriter and vocalist taking herself to the next level.

Video Single Premiere – Kinesics: Back To You

In anticipation of their melodious full-length debut album Surfacing on June 22nd, Denver indie-rock quartet Kinesics premiere the album’s video single “Back To You” exclusively via Bandwagon Magazine. Comprised of singer-songwriter Kenzi Everitt, her fianceé Jason Barteck on guitar and a married rhythm section (Corban and Malena Robers – drums and bass, respectively) the prog-leaning band arrangements provide a bed for a lilting alto voc

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Top Picks for June, 2018

If you’re going to be born Alejandro Rose-Garcia, and want to stand out in the music world, it makes sense you’d adopt a stage moniker given to you by friends at a campfire when you’re all coming up with Indian guide names.  Whether he liked the name or not, Alejandro became firmly attached to Shakey Graves after the massive success of “Dearly Departed” with former Paper Bird member Esmé Patterson singing along. On this 5th full-length CD, I got the feeling Shakey opened his mind to aural possibilities. In December he Tweeted “Next album. New sound. Sell your suspenders.”

June 2018 – Cold War Kids

In This Issue: Cold War Kids | Devon Allman | Hawthorne Heights | Chloe Tang | Covenhoven | Kinesics | The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks

2018 May Play Music Festival – Downtown Greeley

2018 May Play Music Festival in Downtown Greeley on May 11th 2018

Big Bill Morganfield, Delta Sonics @Moxi Theater – Greeley

Big Bill Morganfield with Delta Sonics May 4th 2018

Brent Cowles Hasn’t Figured A Damn Thing Out

It’s a good time for Brent Cowles and his music. Recently signed to Dine Alone Records alongside industry giants like Dashboard Confessional and Jimmy Eats World, How To Be OK Alone is set to pop. “We were talking to a few different labels at the time. I guess there are a few super important things you want to consider. First off, does it seem like they care about your music? When you meet someone in person you can tell if they’re being genuine and real. When we met our label rep Jason it felt like the right decision.”

Iller Than Most: Del The Funky Homosapien On His New LP With Amp Live & His Reason For Rapping

As the hygienically-sound MC celebrates the release of his joint project with producer Amp Live — Gate 13 — Del The Funky Homosapien is making his way across the country in support of the album. People go nuts for Del and he’s one of the few MCs out of the Hiero crew who’s really forged a lucrative career separate from the rest of the guys. From his work with the Gorillaz to his side project Deltron 3030 with Dan The Automator and Kid Koala, artistically he’s always stood out.

Trout Steak Revival – Play Us Some Mountain Music

I attribute a lot of Trout Steak’s success to stamina. As we built the band, it felt like the steps of growth took much longer than we expected. We play about 120-150 shows each year. While we are on tour we travel in a van a lot, sleep in a different place every night. There are a lot of amazing moments on stage, there are also a lot of moments that cause you to ask yourself why you’re in a touring band. The thing that has held Trout Steak together over the years is communication. We treat each other fairly, we know each other very well and we know when to tread lightly and when to sit down and talk about it. It’s a family and we were friends first. My advice for a budding band would be to start a band with people you admire and trust: your friends!

Steve Harms – Sound Life Choices

Walking into Harms Labs in Old Town Square, Fort Collins, one immediately discovers that founder Steve Harms’ passion for music and high-quality speakers drives him every single day.

But Harms is a discovery all his own. The Chicago native, whose father wanted to name him DoNo (as in ‘Do No Harms’), attended Colorado State University in the ‘70s, where he stumbled upon his life’s work. Harms, who started building speakers at 14, was an electrical engineering student at the time. He started to realize speakers were his future when he unexpectedly had to provide a P.A. for a band whose monitors had blown out during a campus party.

Album Review: Bitter Suns – Broke Off Blues

Bitter Suns is on to something with Broken Off Bones. Produced by Alan Hlavacek of the Ft. Collins band Attack On Venus, the tracks are tight and the guitar tones crisp, making a fine punk record. It’s less of a ‘fuck the man’ style of punk and more of a ‘what’s your damage dude, I’m trying to get pitted with my boys’ sound. The song “Pitted” summarizes the whole vibe of the EP (and the band) with lyrics like; “yesterday I got totally pitted, it’s been a while since I’ve been this broke off.” Not exactly Shakespearean level poetry, but coupled with the rich punk instrumentals throughout, it hits the mark more closely than if they sang about something they didn’t care about.

Album Review: Chain Station – Where I Want To Be

This proud bluegrass band – consisting of Jarett Mason on the mandolin, Jon Pickett on bass, Alex Thoele on guitar, and James Weatherly on Banjo – is held together by the harmonizing voices of Mason, Pickett, and Thoele and the fast-paced picking of all four members. Where I Want To Be, released in 2016, is probably the most pure bluegrass album we’ve heard in some time.

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Top Picks you should hear in May

Joshua Hedley’s Mr. Jukebox is one of the most anticipated releases of 2018. Hedley has been a fixture around the Nashville music scene for years. He holds a standing gig at Robert’s Western Wear and has become affectionately nicknamed “The Mayor of Lower Broad” for being in such high demand as a player for almost every genre of music. Glen Hansard spent many years making and playing music before that Oscar-winning film Once.

May 2018 – Brent Cowles

In This Issue: Brent Cowles | Trout Steak Revival | Del & Amp Live | Steve Harms | Bitter Suns | Chain Station | The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks

The Burroughs @ Washington’s – Fort Collins

The Burroughs at Washington's in Fort Collins April 30th, 2018

Wild Child: Connecting with Their Audience One Show at a Time

We spoke with Alex from Wild Child about their show at the Bluebird Theatre this past Saturday. The Austin based indie-pop band performed a very intimate and lively show to a sold out crowd in Denver. The seven piece group played some of their oldest songs from their first record as well as played their brand new songs from their recently released album Expectations, which came out February 9th of this year. The group’s refreshing songs had everyone dancing and singing while lead vocalist and violinist Kelsey Wilson went into the crowd to perform their song “Pillow Talk” off of their first album that was released in 2011.

Cut Chemist: Fresh to Death

As Cut Chemist was making his way to Colorado, the tenured Jurassic 5 turntablist and Los Angeles Hip Hop staple endured an appearance at Austin’s annual SXSW festival, a bout with the flu and trip to Montana. But it’s all par for the course. At this stage in his nearly three-decade career, he’s learned to adapt to whatever life (and tour) throws at him.

Album Review: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats – Tearing at the Seams

Nathaniel Rateliff is a name that carries a lot of weight in the Colorado. Born out of the south Broadway scene in Denver, those running in music circles watched as year after year his star continued to rise until one day to the surprise of no one, his soul band Nathaniel Rateliff and Night Sweats popped with a little song called “S.O.B”.

Quentin Turns Away and Finds Themselves

I Turned Away, is a Quentin finding themselves in their own noise. What set them apart early on in the northern Colorado music scene was their jazzy approach to modern rock music. A band molded out of the music performance program of the University of Northern Colorado, Quentin formed when guitarist Jack McManaman and drummer Adam Gilsdorf wanted to branch out from the traditional jazz and classical music they were learning in college.

Album Review: Left Hand Shakes – Sit Still

First and foremost, while the band is breaking up after the release of this album, it is not the end. When a band separates there is usually a negative connotation that is associated with it. Immediately people often conjure up images of blow out fights between members or self destructive drug habits catching up with them, but for Left Hand Shakes, this is not case.

April 2018 – Cut Chemist

In This Issue: Cut Chemist | Left Hand Shakes | Quentin | Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats | Jenny LaJoye | The Colorado Sound Top Picks

Album Review: Chris Daniels and The Kings with Freddi Gowdy – Blues with Horns Vol. 1

He was inducted in the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2013. He’s an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado’s Denver campus. He beat back Leukemia after being diagnosed in 2010. He’s been featured in commercials for Ford and McDonalds, made music for television, and acted as a record producer. (He helped put together Andy Sidow’s Reasons for Departure, which we reviewed recently.) And since 1984, he’s been fronting the blues outfit Chris Daniels and The Kings, putting out album number 15 in September of last year. That album, now featuring Freddi-Henchi frontman Freddi Gowdy, is Blues with Horns Vol. 1.

105.5 Colorado Sounds Top Picks: April 2018

Ron – Little Steven, Soulfire If you’re waiting for that next Springsteen album to come out, I have the next best thing for you.  After almost 20 years, Steve Van Zandt (Miami Steve, Little Steven) …

Quentin @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Quentin Album Release at Moxi Theater in Greeley on March 31st 2018

The Mowgli’s Find That “Real Good Life”

Last Friday, Los Angeles based band The Mowgli’s hit the stage at Globe Hall playing to a sold out crowd. The feel-good alternative rock band played their Denver show on one of the last dates of their “Real Good Life” national headlining tour. Finishing the tour with them was Mainland out of NYC to open their show. The Mowgli’s also celebrated the release of their new single “Kansas City,” which also came out Friday. We chatted with Andy from the band to talk about their upcoming single and what’s next to come for the band.

BandWagon Magazine Battle of the Bands @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

The Great Salmon Famine, Soul Solum and Igaus Davis at BandWagon Magazine Battle of the Bands in Greeley on March 24th 2018,

Alex Cameron & Roy Molloy Are No Cheap Dates

Alex Cameron and his business partner/saxophonist Roy Malloy know what it means to put in time. From their humble beginnings in Sydney, Australia to their consistently sold out shows around the world, the name of the game has been stay on the grind and cash those checks when you can.

Antibalas Is The Medicine Everyone Needs

As the lead singer of Antibalas, Amayo is used to juggling the various demands that come along with being a working musician. Founded in 1998 by Martin Perna, the 11-piece outfit was inspired by Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, who wove jazz, funk, Ghanaian/Nigerian highlife, rock, and traditional West African chants and rhythms into one cohesive fabric.

Slow Caves – Poser / Rover 7″ Release

Slow Caves evoke a depth of maturity that belies their youthful, blonde, surf-rock appearance. Their freshly squeezed 7-Inch release Poser / Rover stays the chilled-out course for the Denver/Ft. Collins quartet’s consistent brand of loveable, lilting slack-rock.

Poser / Rover sets cruise control smack-dab between Morrissey and Ric Ocasek era Weezer, with both tunes coasting in at a steady 135 bpm. It’s just enough drive to let your hair blow in the breeze – like a Mac Demarco tape was in the deck as you drove down Colfax to Poser / Rover’s release show a few Fridays ago.

105.5 The Colorado Sound: Top Picks – February 2018

Ron – Calexico, The Thread That Keeps Us On the 15-track new Calexico album, I can hear the almost-30-year musical history Joey Burns and John Convertino have between them. Ever since their pre-Friends Of Dean …

Album Review: Giants & Pilgrims – Bellwether

Giants & Pilgrims call themselves “a marriage of art and music.” Aptly, Bellwether, the Greeley group’s forthcoming full-length, feels like an impressionist painting, lush with color and rife with rustic detail. The picture painted here explores three examples of sacred spaces via an array of instruments and close mic’d vocals whispering almost mythic indie-folk wisdom.

Album Review: Andy Sydow – Reasons For Departure

At age 26, Andy Sydow has already put out four albums since 2013, Reason for Departure being his newest. BandWagon Magazine hasn’t heard much of his stuff, but his new album, a relaxing rock album rife with blues touches – possibly thanks to album producer and guitarist Chris Daniels of Chris Daniels & The Kings – is not a bad introduction to the Denver-based singer-songwriter.

Album Review: Tyja3 – 3Piece

Tyja3 bleeds hyphy and embodies fun on the project, bringing a very new school vibe to old-school braggadocio bars and flow. Even the deeper track “TML” keeps the momentum of the feel-good vibes while still giving a story of facing adversity. For old heads on the search for a nostalgia kick, tracks like “Dope” and “Forces” give the feeling that Tyja3 just snatched the mic from the DJ and started spittin’ his heart out.

Alex Cameron @ Globe Hall – Denver

Alex Cameron w/ Holiday Sidewinder and Molly Burch @ Globe Hall

March 2018 – Alex Cameron & Roy Molloy

In This Issue: Alex Cameron & Roy Molloy | Antibalas | Slow Caves | Giants & Pilgrims | Tyja3 | Andy Sydow | Colorado Sound Top Picks

Bitter Suns Premier New Video for “Skate or Die”

If anything is clear in their latest video “Skate or Die”, our Bitter Suns boys came to do two things: Skate and party.

Help Greeley Folk Band Igaus Davis Complete Their Next Album

Since 2016, orchestral folk band Igaus Davis has been playing up and down the Front Range to great acclaim, even winning the first round of BandWagon Magazine’ 2018 Battle of the Bands on February 1. …

Blitzen Trapper’s Eric Earley Explains The Road To Americana Gold

Nine albums and several Rolling Stone nods later, Blitzen Trapper — Earley, Erik Menteer, Brian Adrian Koch, Michael Van Pelt, and Marty Marquis — is at the forefront of modern Americana. Serving as a follow-up to albums like 2008’s critically acclaimed Furr and 2015’s All Across This Land, the group’s ninth studio album, Wild and Reckless, is filled with personal anecdotes about a bygone era. From the moment the album opener “Rebel” begins, it immediately draws comparisons to Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, something he hasn’t grown tired of… yet.

One Flew West – Explicitly Themselves

Tried and true emo-honesty comes off OFW’s chest in spades, but the truth is, more and more of Northern Colorado is all ears. Shout-y open-throated hooks throughout the EP evoke images from its release show last month at The Bluebird Theater, packed with hoodied disciples bopping and shouting along.

“One thing we tried really hard to convey on this EP was the energy of our music that we display at our live show” OFW says. “A big part of that was incorporating gang vocals into the recording. We always get the audience to sing along when we play live and we wanted to harness the energy that comes with that into a recorded song.”

.idk – Money Moves

Maryland-based rapper .idk (formerly Jay IDK or IDK for short) lost his mother in 2016. Out of that tragedy, he’s delivered some of his most personal work to date with his debut album IWasVeryBad. Released in October 2017 on Adult Swim’s imprint, the 12-track project features hip-hop royalty like Del The Funky Homosapien and MF Doom (now DOOM), and veteran beatsmith Swizz Beatz.

Washington’s Opens to Sold Out Crowd

Saturday, February 3, the historic Ft. Collins landmark will once again be re-birthed as a 900 capacity music venue simply dubbed: Washington’s. A sold-out crowd will unite that evening for the venue’s inaugural performance by Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue.

Michael Olivier – Tired Bones

Tired Bones is still very much an emo/hardcore album, which is Olivier’s natural habitat, but his rock and roll roots peek out from time to time, giving us a glimpse at the scope of this maturing songwriter. While his work in Disguise The Silence pushed for an intense heaviness, the end result could at times come across as sporadic to the casual listener. Tired Bones is much more concise, with tight guitar licks and dare I say poppy melodies, clearly showing Olivier as the captain of the ship.

Decatur – Self-Titled

Denver-based quintet Decatur proclaim their sound as “slithering guitar rock.” It’s an apt descriptor for the ominous atmosphere, overdriven guitars and cigarette-flecked vocals that permeate their eponymous EP.

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Top Picks You Should Hear

Ron – Aretha Franklin: Lady Soul January 22 was the 50th anniversary of Aretha Franklin’s Lady Soul album. A week prior, Rhino Records released this seminal collection in a limited edition, 180-gram vinyl version. It’s …

Chillin’ with The John Adam Smith Experience

John Adam Smith is a one man band whose smooth and raspy vocals accompany his guitar in a captivating way. His looping skills and homemade stompbox allow him to focus on the melodies and intricate stylings he plays on his slide and acoustic guitars, while singing his all original self-written songs.

February 2018 – Blitzen Trapper

  In This Issue: One Flew West | IDK | Washington’s Grand Opening Decatur | Michael Olivier | The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks

Silver & Gold, Overslept, The Bright Silence, Tyto Alba @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Silver & Gold album release show with Overslept, The Bright Silence and Tyto Alba at Moxi Theater on January 19th, 2018

Redlands, Its Just Bugs, this broken beat, Valienta @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Redlands with Its Just Bugs, this broken beat and Valienta at Moxi Theater on January 14th, 2018.

Wildermiss Carry Each Other All The Way

Denver indie-pop group Wildermiss combine rhythmic, harmonic tension with the chart-tested power of hook repetition. Though first looks at synth-wielding front-woman Emma Cole may conjure pop stereotypes, look deeper. Wildermiss are a guitar band in …

Silver & Gold – The Long Road Home

When Silver & Gold began five years ago in Greeley, Colorado, reaching the point where they were releasing material and actively touring was a distant dream. At the time, most of the band were students …

Demun Jones – Listen to ‘Ya Speaker’

Jones County, Georgia musician Demun Jones is almost the last person you’d expect to draw musical inspiration from hardcore gangsta rappers N.W.A — but don’t judge a book by its cover. Jones has been rapping along to songs like “Fuck The Police” and “Straight Outta Compton” since the ‘90s.

Album Review: Wildermiss – Lost With You

Denver indie-pop group Wildermiss combine rhythmic, harmonic tension with the chart-tested power of hook repetition. Though first looks at synth-wielding front-woman Emma Cole may conjure pop stereotypes, don’t be fooled. Wildermiss are guitar rock kids at heart – Heart they carry through their debut EP Lost With You and their engaging live shows.

Flaaaavor Flaaaaav!! The Public Enemy Legend’s Next Chapter

People tend to equate Flavor Flav with being the star of VH1’s now-defunct reality show Flavor Of Love. Every week, he’d floss his oversized clock while yelling his signature catchphrase, “Yeahhhhh boyyyeeee” at the top of his lungs. But there’s much more to the New York native. As a member of the legendary hip-hop group Public Enemy, he’s established himself as one of the best hype men in the music business. In fact, he essentially invented the role. Perhaps surprisingly to some, he’s also a self-taught musician who plays over a dozen instruments.

Album Review: False Report – Your Addiction Sleeps Tonight

Your Addiction Sleeps Tonight is the newest EP from Denver based pop-punk band False Report. The four-piece has steadily been putting out quality releases since they released Same Mistakes in 2016.

Album Review: Ian Cooke – The Flight I Flew

Denver music scene icon/Greeley kid Ian Cooke leaves us with a night-sky full of memories after 15 years. The Flight I Flew is an homage to his 2007 debut The Fall I Fell which put him on the cello-based prog-folk map in Colorado. There’s a map for that, right? The new album, allegedly written under starlight exclusively, parallels the vastness of the cosmos with that of love lost and found, released upon Cooke’s end as a Colorado resident this fall.

Album Review: Vektroid – Seed & Synthetic Earth

Vaporwave is probably one of the most niche music genres in existence, as well as the only one that the Internet could claim as its own. Mostly found on Bandcamp, Vaporwave is a nostalgia-tinged, remix-heavy genre of ambient electronic music that sets out to recreate mall music/elevator music of the 1980s and 1990s. Its name is a take-off of Vaporware, a tech industry term for hardware that never really existed outside of tech demo and trade shows. And the most prominent artist of Vaporwave is Vektroid.

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Picks for 2018

Get hip to Alex Lahey now before she’s playing SNL. Actress and musician Charlotte Gainsbourg (daughter of Serge Gainsbourg, arguably one of France’s most revered musicians) has released an achingly pretty pop album Rest.” “It’s evident in the opening track off “Milano,” Luppi’s tribute to Milan in the ‘80s which spotlights the decadence and deviance of the time. The city was alive, and the possibilities appeared endless. The track, “Soul and Cigarette,” shares this optimism opening with the whimsical sounds of a glockenspiel and containing lush lyrics rich with imagery.

January 2018 – Silver & Gold

 In This Issue: Silver & Gold | Demun Jones | Wildermiss | False Report | Ian Cooke | Vektroid | Danielle Luppi | Parquet Courts

Big Head Todd @Aggie Theater – Fort Collins

Big Head Todd at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins on December 21st

Gasoline Lollipops Dig Deep

Earlier this year, the Boulder area based band, Gasoline Lollipops, comprised of Clay Rose on guitar and vocals, Bradley Morse on standup bass, Adam Perry on drums, Donny Ambory on stratocaster, Jeb Bows on fiddle, and vocalist Alexandra Schwan, had their most legendary show to date — playing on the Red Rocks Amphitheatre stage for Film on the Rocks.

Album Review: Giants & Pilgrims – The Joyous Mysteries

The best songs stand on their own. Shiny packaging can make for an attractive top 40 hit, holiday gift or Christmas cookie, but the ones that really resonate are the personal ones hand-made with love. Giants & Pilgrims’ The Joyous Mysteries sets out to give us such a gift, though not without some slick sonic tricks up its green sleeves.

The Burroughs Got To Feel

“I’m so proud of this, from top to bottom,” says Johnny Burroughs, vocalist and band leader of the Greeley soul band The Burroughs about their latest album, Got to Feel.

Maddy O’Neal: Big Year, Bright Future

For the last year, EDM artist Maddy O’Neal has been hitting the road hard. For this St. Louis native turned Denverite, it’s all been a dream come true as her music has taken her to some of the best venues in the world. With a relaxed, nuanced style of electronic music that is more about melody and rhythm than pushing cliches, it’s no wonder she is becoming one of the most sought-after artists in Colorado. We caught up with O’Neal mid-tour to discuss the industry, her music, and her goals for the new year.

Album Review: Modern Suspects – II

II is, as the name suggests, the second EP from the Denver based synth-pop group Modern Suspects. Formerly known as Claymore Disco, the band updated their guitar driven sound for a more modern, synth based sound and moved from a four piece to a three piece. The five song EP is packed with tracks that make you want to get up and dance alongside tunes with more personal lyrical content.

Perry Farrell: Lifting The Veil

In the early ‘80s, New York native/lead singer Perry Farrell fled the concrete jungle for the sunny side of the United States and landed in California. He wanted to pursue his love for surfing and …

Album Review: this broken beat – What’s On Your Mind?

Denver pop band this broken beat has been rising to the top for the last year since releasing their first single, “Sweat And Blood,” in 2016. What’s On Your Mind, their first album, showcases radio-ready songs, including “Sweat And Blood,” with some interesting artistic choices scattered throughout the album. While it is a solid record, this broken beat is still figuring out what their sound is.

Album Review: Michael Morrow & The Culprits – Raucous

We have gotten some throwback/retro albums over the years at BandWagon from a lot of different genres, but one we never expected to get is a 1980s-style hair metal album. Michael Morrow & The Culprits’ Raucous is technically a debut album but Morrow had previously released a solo album, Bad Penny – which is very much an ‘80s metal album, bringing to mind Sammy Hagar more than Def Leppard. Raucous is relatively under-produced; it sounds like an unadorned three-piece rock-and-roll band with a distinctly ‘80s influence.

105.5 The Colorado Sound – Top Picks For Listening

RON:  Chris Daniels and The Kings with Freddi Gowdy What can you say about a 40-year friendship and waiting 30 years for a #1 album? That’s the short ‘behind the scenes’ description of the new …

December 2017 – The Burroughs

In This Issue:

Jane’s Addiction | Maddy O’Neal | This Broken Beat
Michael Morrow & The Culprits | Modern Suspects

Neyla Pekarek, Patrick Dethlefs @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Neyla Pekarek and Patrick Dethlefs at Moxi Theater on November 16th, 2017

The National Parks Tell Their Story

Brady Parks, vocalist and songwriter of The National Parks, was drawn to folk music by the storytelling aspect of the genre. “There is something about telling a whole life story in a three minute song,” he said in a recent interview with BandWagon Magazine. It’s this love for folk music and conveying himself artistically that eventually led him to form The National Parks in 2013 and there was no turning back.

(hƏd) p.e.: Sustaining The Dream

(hƏd) p.e. is a highly energetic, socio-political, in your face band that brings a sense of familiarity to their listeners. (hƏd) p.e. has shared lineups with bands like Black Sabbath, deftones, System of a Down, Skindred, Primus, Snot, Powerman 5000, Kottonmouth Kings and Tech N9ne just to name a few. Studio albums have been recorded from 1994 to 2016 scattered over four different record labels. The spirit of the band has evoved over the years, but the above-mentioned description stands the test of time. The one common denominator throughout the years has been their frontman Jhared. We caught up with (hƏd) p.e. to gain some more insight.

Face Time with Face Vocal Band

They’ve been booked before Jay Leno, Bon Jovi, Reel Big Fish and recently the Barenaked Ladies at the Greeley Stampede, and they did it all with only their voice.

Something from Nothing: The Music District Presents ‘Hip Hop History Week’

Although Fort Collins is often considered a creative hub of music and art, Hip Hop often gets underrepresented in the overall big picture. There are a few sporadic shows with artists like EPMD, Doomtree’s P.O.S. or Zion I, but for the most part, indie rock acts and folk music is more common in the Front Range-area. The Music District aims to change that with November’s week-long celebration of Hip Hop culture.

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Picks You Should Hear This Month

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Picks You Should Hear This Month featuring Jade Jackson, Beck, Julien Lennon and Hiss Golden Messenger.

Album Review: Matthew Wilburn Skinner– Play For The King

Matthew Wilburn Skinner makes up one-third of the band Tallgrass, picking up the banjo and guitar, playing the harmonica and contributing his raspy vocals to the band. Tallgrass managed to nab a spot on NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest as well as share a stage with former President Barack Obama. Skinner is a solo performer and earlier this year put out Play For The King, a perfect showcase for his Delta Blues/jazz style of playing.

Album Review: Melkbelly – Nothing Valley

Melkbelly’s debut, full-length album Nothing Valley may be one of the most refreshing albums of the year. Spanning a multitude of genres such as noise rock, punk, jazz, doom, and psychedelia.

Album Review: The Great Aerodome– Happy Birthday to Me, I Guess

Genre-bending rockers, The Great Aerodrome knock it out of the park with their debut album Happy Birthday to Me, I Guess. The band is comprised of members: Justin Maul, Philip Sellabarger and Michael Ross, but they have a larger than life sound. Combining elements of punk, dance-rock and metal makes for a high energy album that is fun to listen to from start to finish.

November 2017 – The National Parks

In This Issue: (Hed) P.E. | FACE | The Great Aerodrome | Melkbelly | Matthew Wilburn Skinner | Hip Hop History Week

BandWagon Release: Bitter Suns – Surfin’ With Scoob

If anyone knows how to get weird in the Northern Colorado music scene for Halloween it’s going to be the dudes from Bitter Suns. Staying true to themselves and the season, Bitter Suns released a new instrumental single called “Surfin’ With Scoob”, a fun and spooky horror surf rock tune inspired by doom metal and everyone’s favorite monster hunting, crime solving dog. 

The Maine, Night Riots, Dreamers @ Summit Music Hall – Denver

The Maine, Night Riots, and Dreamers at Summit Music Hall on October 28th 2017

Pandas & People Release New EP Out to Sea

Pandas & People’s debut album, Out to Sea, is good. And, frankly, it should be. Pandas & People have been together since 2013, putting out EPs and singles, opening for the likes of The Doobie …

The Burroughs Premier New Video “Touch the Sky”

I hope you are ready because The Burroughs are back at it! Premiering their new video “Touch The Sky” in anticipation of their new album out January 9th, The Burroughs show why they are so good at what they do.

ITS JUST BUGS。

Its Just Bugs。 are one of the most outrageous bands to ever win the BandWagon Battle of the Bands. Entering as the underdogs, no one saw them coming as they swept the whole thing, winning the cover of this magazine and taking home the $1,000 prize. Essentially a hip-hop band, Its Just Bugs。 mixes elements of hardcore, electronic, and comedy into an honest and insanely original wrapped package. Made up of MCs Patrick Richardson and Alex Koutsoukos, Noel Billups on keys, Tyler Sanderson on drums, and Jack Jordan on bass, Its Just Bugs。 has found themselves resonating with audiences. We spoke with Richardson and Koutsoukos about winning the battle of the bands and the answers weren’t quite what we thought they would be.

Gleemer– Meticulously Curated

With the dreamy, shoegaze Fort Collins band’s newest record on the way, songwriter, frontman and engineer Corey Coffman reflects on conviction in inspiration, friendships, and the writing and engineering process behind new album Anymore.

BADBADNOTGOOD

Canadian Jazz collective BADBADNOTGOOD is currently comprised of four dudes— Matthew Tavares, Chester Hansen, Alexander Sowinski and Leland Whitty. Since emerging in 2010, they’ve inched their way towards notoriety with albums like 2011’s BBNG and the aptly titled BBNG2, which they released in 2012.

Gasoline Lollipops and The Artistic Vision of ‘Soul Mine’

The Boulder-based folk/punk/alt-country outfit Gasoline Lollipops launches a successful Kickstarter campaign to complete their new album, Soul Mine, back in July, resulting in their first vinyl release. We quizzed drummer Adam Perry about the creation of Soul Mine, the Kickstarter campaign and releasing their first vinyl record.

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks You Should Hear This Month

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks for October featuring Nick Lowe, The National, Deer Tick and Tyler Childers.

Album Review: Get Along– Let My People Go

Get Along is a husband and wife indie-pop duo made up of Nicholas and Cara Yañez, who just released their diverse EP, Let My People Go. They may be a two piece but they don’t let that limit them in the studio as their arrangements are bold and ambitious. Their songs range from upbeat, danceable synth-pop to orchestral ballads and everything in between.

Album Review: Protomartyr– Relatives in Descent

Relatives in Descent, Protomartyr’s third full-length record reads like an existential crisis, full of the bitterness and anger we have come to expect from their style of post punk. Anxiety and frustration rides high on this record, and brings with it a tension that gives their sound form. At the front of it all is vocalist Joe Casey, who’s mumbled crooning is delivered like the venomous philosophies of a drunk and angry step dad.

Album Review: Pandas & People – Out to Sea

Pandas & People’s debut album, Out To Sea, is good. And, frankly, it should be. Pandas & People have been together since 2013, putting out EP’s and singles, opening for the likes of the Doobie Brothers and Twenty- One Pilots, and placing in the top three of 93.3‘s “Hometown for the Holidays” twice over the last couple years. Not bad for a folk/alternative band formed in Greeley only four years ago.

The War On Drugs Pay Tribute to Tom Petty

Selling out two nights at the Ogden Theatre October 14th and 15th, The War On Drugs established themselves as a Colorado favorite. Playing material primarily from their new album A Deeper Understanding and crowd favorites from their 2014 album Lost in a Dream, The War On Drugs gave an impassioned performance that showed both the complexity of their sound and the simplicity of their arrangements that has made them so successful.

Greeley Celebrates Dia de Los Muertos

To honor the memory of their deceased loved ones, the peoples of ancient mesoamérica (e.g., the Azteca, Tolteca, and Olmeca) held elaborate festivals and processions with music, dance, food, and flowers. Today, the tradition—known as Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead)—is continued by Mexicans, Mexican Americans, and the U.S. mainstream society as well. Celebrations take place on November 1st and 2nd.

Multicultural Festival Shines Light on Greeley’s Diversity

As the time goes by, the fabric of Greeley is changing. With over 65 languages spoken in Weld County’s school district alone, it is clear that our beautiful city is growing, being woven into a colorful, unique tapestry. Realizing this, community members decided it was time to celebrate this diversity on a local level and partnered with the Downtown Development Authority to create the 2017 Greeley Multicultural Festival.  

BandWagon Magazine – October 2017

In This Issue: Badbadnotgood | Gleemer | Pandas & People Gasoline Lollipops | Protomartyr | Get Along

The Block Party 2017 – Downtown Greeley

11th annual Greeley Block Party in Downtown Greeley

BandWagon Records Showcase – My Body Sings Electric, Silver & Gold, Bryce Merritt @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

BandWagon Records Showcase at the Moxi Theater featuring My Body Sings Electric, Silver & Gold, Bryce Merritt

In The Whale – Not Their First Rodeo

For Nate Valdez and Eric Reilly of the two-piece rock band In The Whale, the last seven years has been a wild ride on the slow burn to success. From their humble beginnings in the early days of the Greeley music scene to their grind touring at a national level, In The Whale has evolved both sonically and professionally.

Thundercat Comes Into His Own

“As long as I don’t start murdering people are robbing banks in the name of Thundercat, I’m good,” Stephen Bruner says regarding his fixation with the ‘80s action figures and cartoon series. “I kind of had a creepier fascination with it when I was younger. It scared my parents a bit. My mom had to be careful and pay attention because if she didn’t, she would turn around and I would seriously be worshiping the toys. I’m sure eating the cat food, staring at the toys and not really playing with them would scare anybody though [laughs].”

Don’t Always Believe What You See: Brotha Lynch Hung

Infamous for his tendencies towards dark, twisted rap tales, or what many call “horrorcore,” Sacramento native Brotha Lynch Hung (real name Kevin Mann) has established himself as an inimitable force in the business. Since stepping out with the 24 Deep EP in 1993, he’s continually pumped out solo albums, only taking a hiatus between 2003‘s Lynch by Inch: Suicide Note and 2009’s The Gas Station Mixtape Volume One. Admittedly, he was not exactly sure what he was going to do during that period of his life.

105.5 The Colorado Sound’s Top Picks

105.5 The Colorado Sound shares its picks for the albums you should be listening to.

Album Review: Victim Culture – Self-Titled

Back in April, Denver-based hardcore band, Victim Culture, released their debut, self-titled album. Coming in at eight songs and a breezy 23 minutes, the album packs a heavy, but swift punch from start to finish. Comprised of Zack Hill on guitar and vocals, Connor Hampton on vocals and bass, and Noah Shockley on drums, the band’s sound is rooted heavily in punk. They have a raw but defined sound, blending together melodicism with dissonant, angular guitar riffs.

Album Review: Attack On Venus – XO

Attack on Venus is your local pissed off galactic explorers. With the release of the album XO they explore new territory. XO is a fairly short release that focuses on bringing you along their journey. If you have listened to Attack on Venus live it is very much a sonic exploration, however this EP directs you more towards structure and catchy hooks with an occasion sonic bloom.

Album Review: Ian Mahan – Rockford

Ian Mahan, based out of Denver, says he blends together pop, blues, folk, “and old-time entertainment,” and his latest album, Rockford, particularly leans toward an acoustic indie/pop blend with gentle, relaxing lyrics. The album could be called sweet, or in less generous terms, sappy. But for an independent singer-songwriter, Rockford is a good step forward.

Album Review: She-Devils – Self Titled

The self-titled debut from Montreal-based rock band She-Devils possesses a fresh eccentric edge and is a well put together album as far as composition, songwriting and singing is concerned.

September 2017 – In The Whale

In This Issue: Thundercat | Brotha Lynch Hung | Ian Mahan | Attack On Venus | Victim Culture | Whitehorse | Dan Auerbach

David Cook @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

David Cook at the Moxi Theater in Greeley, August 18th, 2017

Atmosphere: Freeing the Ego

Roughly one year ago, Atmosphere released its most personal album to date – Fishing Blues. MC Sean “Slug” Daley rapped about fatherhood and marriage, or what he calls #DadRap, ad producer Anthony “Ant” Davis got a new creative burst after putting down the Budweiser and cigarettes. In particular, Daley appeared to present a new, more mature side and seemingly shed the once overbearing ego that was often so prevalent on older albums like 2002’s God Loves Ugly.

Josh Blue– Can’t Knock Me Down

Life as a stand-up comedian is not easy, just ask Josh Blue. Winner of the fourth season of Last Comic Standing, this Denver resident made a name for himself for his unapologetic candor regarding his cerebral palsy. His national success has made him an important figure in the Denver comedy scene where he’s maintained a strong presence over the years. His success has also attracted the attention of some unsavory characters and recently during his show in St. Paul, Minnesota, he was assaulted in the bathroom of the venue. We got the chance to speak with Blue about the assault and his life as a Denver comic.

Fort Collins Is a Thriving Music Hub

Fort Collins, Colorado is a collaborative, non-competitive, startup music city without a big ego. This is a city built for musicians by musicians. For over ten years, musicians laid the groundwork for the next golden era of “musicprenuers“ by constructing an ecosystem built on encouragement, support, and empowerment. This shifts the paradigm and disrupts the music industry systems of the past.

Album Review: Bryce Merritt: Chroma II

Last November, we spoke to Oklahoma native Bryce Merritt, a singer-songwriter and YouTuber, who had released his first album CHROMA I at the time. Growing up, Merritt had thought only country music existed since that’s all his parents listened to in the car, and began to write country songs. Upon getting his own car and picking his own stations, he discovered Motown and other genres which pushed his songwriting into a Pop direction. Merritt’s follow-up, CHROMA II, is a continuation into pop music, but it’s still a really good album.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear’

New from Royal Blood, Cage The Elephant, Lorde, Foo Fighters and Dirty Heads.

Album Review: Leslie Tom– Self-Titled EP

Hailing from Denver, traditional country music songstress Leslie Tom spent a few years traveling around the country, opening for the likes of Josh Turner and sharing the stage with Jeff Bates and Lee Roy Parnell.

Album Review: Bad Ass Freaks– Neighbors

Bad Ass Freaks’ debut record showcases the joys that come from late night jams with close friends and the musical relationship between Yamirah Gercke, a one-time University of Northern Colorado music student, and her father Lenjes Robinson.

Album Review: Foxxes– Self-Titled

Denver-based quartet, Foxxes, make their debut with this nine-track, self-titled lo-fi album with a nice DIY vibe to it. It keeps a consistent sound throughout, bringing in elements of garage rock, psychedelic pop and indie rock. The first track “Patterns and Sequences” is a mid-tempo tune that has a ‘90s alternative feel to it. The song opens up with big whole note guitar chords before singer Chris Felbush’s washed out vocals float along on top.

August 2017 – Atmosphere

In This Issue: Atmosphere | Josh Blue | Bryce Merritt | Foxxes | Bad Ass Freaks | Leslie Tom | FOCO Music Scene

ARISE Music Festival 2017 – Loveland

Arise 2017 Photos of Rising Appalachia, Brother Ali, Sunsquabi, Fractal Tribe (dancers), Jeff Austin Band

Rooney and Run River North @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Rooney and Run River North at the Moxi in Greeley.

Lettuce: Erick “Jesus” Coomes Could Be Your Best Friend

Bassist for the funk band Lettuce and accomplished studio musician Erick “Jesus” Coomes earned a degree from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in the mid-90s. Over the past couple of decades, he’s honed his craft to become one of the most prolific bass players out there. His brother, producer Tycoon, has multiple platinum hits and works with some of the most successful people in the industry, including Ron Fair, Diane Warren and Dr. Dre. Coupled with their musician father, who essentially came up with “Jesus music,” it’s truly a family affair.

Talkin’ Shop with Rooney

Rooney is a band you know you’ve heard. The commercial success of songs like “Don’t Let Your Heart Go Missing” and “I’m Shakin” made them a part of the high school experience for many young people growing up in the early and mid-2000s. What many casual listeners don’t know, bandleader Robert Schwartzman is also an accomplished filmmaker. In 2016, he released his directorial debut Dreamland at the Tribeca Film Festival while almost at the same time releasing Washed Away, Rooney’s first full-length album in six years. We spoke with Schwartzman about his incredible life as an artist.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear’

New music from Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Arcade Fire, Blink-182, The Unlikely Candidates and Barns Courtney.

Album Review: Infinite Conscious – Trials and Tribulations

Sludgy thrash is the best way to describe the contrasting and somewhat ironic style that Infinite Conscious brings to the table on their latest EP Trials and Tribulations. This style alone really shows the internal conflict that is explored throughout the EP. Starting the tracklist is “Passed Over and Done” which is a sledgehammer of emotion. Starting with a slow almost anthem-like guitar line, the song starts the album with a trudging drone and increases with intensity over time.

Album Review: Coco Montoya – Hard Truth

Coco Montoya’s latest album Hard Truth demonstrates the 65-year-old Stratocaster singer’s ability to play and sing the blues. Montoya certainly holds his own with the blues community and has a storied resume. He even used to play with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, filling a spot once occupied by Eric Clapton and Peter Green.

Album Review: Brent Cowles – Cold Times

After transitioning from leading You, Me, and Apollo and opening for big names like The Lumineers, Brent Cowles has released his first solo EP titled Cold Times. With contemporary musical inspirations like Nathaniel Rateliff, he quickly learned that going solo doesn’t mean hanging up the electric guitar.

July 2017 – Lettuce / Rooney

       IN THIS ISSUE: LETTUCE | | ROONEY | BARENAKED LADIES | BRENT COWLES | COCO MONTOYA | INFINITE CONSCIOUS | ARCADE FIRE | BARNES COURTNEY

Barenaked Ladies and Face Vocal Band @ Greeley Stampede 2017

Barenaked Ladies at the Greeley Stampede

this broken beat and Ian Mahan @ Moon Room – Denver

this broken beat and Ian Mahan at the Moon Room in Denver.

If He Had A Million Dollars: Barenaked Ladies’ Ed Roberston Would Be Doing The Same Thing

By now, most people have heard of the Barenaked Ladies — the ‘90s alternative band responsible for the Billboard Hot 100 hit “One Week” and songs like “If I Had $1000000.” Established in 1988 by Steven Page and Ed Robertson, the Canadian group never intentionally set out to use its band name as what eventually became a clever marketing tool. It just kind of…happened.

Silver & Gold and Valienta @ Marquis Theatre – Denver

Silver & Gold and Valienta at the Marquis Theatre

Bad Suns, Hunny @ Boulder Theater – Boulder

Bad Suns and Hunny at the Boulder Theater in Boulder.

Greeley Blues Jam @ Island Grove – Greeley

Greeley Blues Jam held at Island Grove in Greeley

Blues Jam 2017 Spotlight: Southern Avenue, Samantha Fish, and more

2017 Greeley Blues Jam Spotlight featuring Southern Avenue Band, Samantha Fish, My Blue Sky and Walter Trout.

Twiztid: Behind the Masks

Still riding high from his performance in Baltimore the night before, Twiztid MC Monoxide Child (real name Paul Methric) is admittedly anxious about the second show. The Detroit native was pleasantly surprised by how well the first show of The Psychomania Tour went despite the group adding several new tracks to the set list.

Corey Feldman & The Angels: Standing By Them

When illustrious ‘80s actor Corey Feldman emerged with his recent musical project, Corey & the Angels, many people were left scratching their heads. They couldn’t seem to understand how the long time thespian’s passion for music could transcend any insecurity he was apparently supposed to feel. After his now infamous Today Show performance video went viral and drew harsh criticism, he retreated from the public eye for a while, which if you know Feldman, is completely understandable. The Los Angeles native, by all accounts, is one of the most congenial “celebrities” out there.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear’

New on 94.3 The X this month: Tash Sultana, Paramore, Saint Motel, Dream Car and Foster The People.

Album Review: Scarlet Canary– Perspective

Scarlet Canary’s new EP Perspective fits the band name very well, showing with this wild songbird can do. The album is a mishmash of heavy rock and’ roll riffs combined with elegant vocals. The tracks have an interesting dynamic of party-starting vibes and determined vocals. The album follows a loose concept around perspective, starting with the track “I’ll Be Okay,” which is a very energetic way to begin the record. Touching on the emotion of a broken heart, what led to it, and the outlook afterward, it fits the theme well. This song is a great example of the many catchy hooks that litter the album.

Album Review: Inner Oceans – I Don’t Mind

I Don’t Mind is the first proper full-length album from synth pop Inner Oceans. Upon first listen you’ll most likely think, “Wait this band is from Denver???” Originally yes, but they just recently made the big move to Los Angeles. Coming in at five members, the band packs a huge punch with their own brand of stadium ready, psychedelic, synth pop. Amid the state’s craft beer-centric, bluegrass, rock, funk, and EDM saturated music scene, there is a lot of great pop music and artists that often get overlooked. The band delivers a sound that is almost too big for Colorado to contain.

June 2017 – Southern Avenue

In This Issue: Southern Avenue | Corey Feldman | Twiztid | Samantha Fish | Walter Trout | My Blue Sky | Inner Oceans | Scarlet Canary

Southern Avenue, The Burroughs, Walter Trout, Samantha Fish @ Greeley Blues Jam 2017

Southern Avenue, The Burroughs, Walter Trout, Samantha Fish ~ Live in concert @ Greeley Blues Jam 6/13/17. Photographer by Peary Schroeder for BandWagon Magazine

Not Your Grandfather’s “Cardiac Arrest”

Los Angeles based Band Suns entered 2017 with style. With the release of their second album Disappear Here, they proved they weren’t just a flash in the pan. Their first album Language & Perspective made them a household name, but it is Disappear Here where we see Bad Suns expanding their sound. Full of the pop hooks and lush vocals long time fans have loved, Bad Suns are at their best.

Ben Pu & Crew – On Solid Ground

If you were to ask around the city of Greeley who the best guitarist in the area was, the general answer will be Ben Pu. A few will make note of one of the students or faculty of the University of Northern Colorado’s jazz program, but to the regular folks who don’t frequent the UNC jazz recitals, Ben Pu, real name Ben Puchalski, along with his band, Ben Pu & Crew are our shining stars.

Anville – The New Kid on the Block

Every once in awhile a notable local rapper comes along, but few have blindsided the rap game like Angelo Robert Trevino-Villamil, otherwise known as Anville. In just 4 months he’s opened for multiple notable artists including; Madchild, Krizz Kaliko, Kosha Dillz, OG Maco, and even Devin The Dude. Anville also performed an unofficial set at SXSW this year in Austin, Texas this year. His journey to this point has certainly been a testament to his drive and ambition.

Reigning It In: Kongos Keep Their Egos In Check

Egomania is defined as “the quality or state of being extremely egocentric,” according to Merriam-Webster. In the music business, ego can often cloud the better judgment of artists and other industry players and, consequently, become a huge turn-off for anyone who crosses their path. Fortunately, for the four South African brothers of the band Kongos — Daniel, Dylan, Jesse and Johnny Kongos — they basically have built-in moral compasses that allow them to check each other if they ever feel their egos are getting out of control. The group’s third studio album, Egomaniac puts the topic front and center, and dives into the curious human condition. Although the brothers often go off on their own to write their individual parts of the music, they usually wind up with one, cohesive idea.

It Takes Courage: Greeley’s Mural Scene Goes to New Heights

“Wes has been exploring courage for some time now,” Silva explained, “as far as his work goes, and it just so happens that I’ve been exploring the symbol of the heart. How it’s a thing we all have, to have life, it’s something we have reference to. We dug deeper into these two things, and we find that they actually have a common root. So we decided to go from there and grow from that.”

BandWagon Hot Pick: Fenech-Soler

Fenech-Soler at the Moxi Theater in Greeley. Monday, May 5th at 8pm.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need to Hear This Month’

New on 94.3 The X from The 1975, Bleachers, LP, K.Flay and Night Riots.

Album Review: Montoneros – Good Bones

Good Bones is the latest release from Denver-based, math rock band Montoneros. The self-proclaimed ”Mile High Twinklers” effortlessly combine intricate guitar riffs with catchy pop melodies that makes for an accessible sound that musicians and casual listeners can both enjoy.

Album Review: Pie Lombardi/Little Lights – Split EP

The split EP by Pie Lombardi and Little Lights molds a certain beauty to a modern-day folk sound. It’s not just the graceful vocals produced by both Lombardi and Devon Hildebrandt, but the energy in their sound.

May 2017 – Ben Pu & Crew

In This Issue: Kongos | Anville | Fenech-Soler | Pie Lombardi | Little Lights | Montoneros | The 1975 | LP | K.Flay | Night Riots | Bleachers

Mayplay 2017 @ Downtown Greeley

Mayplay 2017 held in Downtown Greeley

This Broken Beat, Valienta,Overslept, VYNYL @ Larimer Lounge – Denver

This Broken Beat, Valienta,Overslept, VYNYL at the Larimer Lounge in Denver

Shatterproof, Valienta, Bedford Falls, This Broken Beat @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Shatterproof, Valienta, Bedford Falls, This Broken Beat at the Moxi Theater in Greeley

Judah & The Lion, Wilderado @ The Ogden Theater – Denver

Judah & The Lion, Wilderado at The Ogden Theater in Denver

Devin The Dude–Still Floating on Air

For Devin The Dude, it would seem there’s no better place to perform than in Colorado. The weed-friendly state has more dispensaries popping up than it does Starbucks and welcomes anyone fond of it endless herbal treats. As Devin The Dude (real name Devin Copeland) prepares to descend on Northern Colorado in support of his new album, he’s undoubtedly looking forward to the perks that come with playing our great state. After all, the Houston native has been synonymous with marijuana for years now, however, it’s not necessarily something he sought out to do.

Peelander Z: Conversations in Yellow

When it comes to colors in the rainbow, yellow is the loudest. And when it comes to personalities in the art and music world, Peelander Yellow (sometimes known on planet Earth as Kengo Hioki) frontman for the action punk band Peelander Z is the same. With his yellow skullet, missing teeth, and ageless embrace of the punk lifestyle, Peelander Yellow’s vibrancy is magnetic and contagious.

Tech N9ne: Still At The Top Of His Game

Rap titan Tech N9ne (real name Aaron Yates) is sitting in his Star Coach tour bus behind the Slowdown music venue in Omaha, Nebraska, where he’s presumably getting ready to take material from his latest album, The Storm, to the stage. Fully stocked with a bed, shower, toilet and an entertainment center in the back, the bus is a symbol of the undeniable success he’s attained since establishing his Strange Music, Inc. imprint in 1999. Based in his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, the label now has a massive roster, including Krizz Kaliko, Rittz, Murs, and Ces Cru. Not everyone, however, is impressed by his rock star status.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need to Hear’

New on 94.3 The X this month from Portugal. The Man, Lorde, SWMRS, Weezer and The Orwells

Album Review: Kris Lager Band – Rise and Shine

Rise and Shine is another big step forward for the Kris Lager Band and offered fans a satisfying place to return to. This album proves they really know how to deliver solid blues and rock tunes, but it’s some of the funk and R&B tracks that don’t quite add up. I get it, they want to explore some different tunes and create something unique, but KLB fans know what they want and it’s the blues.

Album Review: Civilian– You Wouldn’t Believe What Privilege Costs

With their latest release, You Wouldn’t Believe What Privilege Costs, the band Civilian’s indie rock album is bound to remind you of something old and new. Based out of Nashville, Tennessee, with this album the duo of Ryan Alexander and Dan Diaz continue their journey which they state is “to make the world a better place,” specifically through music. A bold statement but filled with proof after hearing the different tracks on this album. This Nashville duo is no newbie when it comes to finding their own sound, although there is a reminiscent feel to the album drawing comparisons to Ben Gibbard and Band of Horses. There are new sounds to be heard throughout the album from the first track “Skulls” that opens in brief acapella to the last “Judas” with a harsh closing statement of “I am not damaged, just discouraged.”

Album Review: Bones Muhroni– Grounded

For the first time going into the recording process, Crew Reinstra found himself the principal songwriter for Bones Muhroni. A band to come out of Greeley and winner of the BandWagon Battle of the Bands in 2011, Reinstra, Ryan Wykert, and Chris Jones who made up the band at the time move to Los Angeles together. Now, fast forward to 2017, Jones got married and moved back to Colorado to be close to family, and while Wykert is still in the band, he is tied down by several other projects.

April 2017 – Devin The Dude

In This Issue: Devin The Dude | Tech N9ne | Peelander Z | Bones Muhroni | Kris Lager Band | Civilian | SWMRS | Weezer | Portugal.The Man | Lorde

Underoath @ 1st Bank Center – Broomfield

Underoath at the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield

Poets & Wolves, One Flew West, The Fame Riot, The Unlikely Candidates @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Poets & Wolves, One Flew West, The Fame Riot, The Unlikely Candidates at the Moxi Theater in Greeley

This Broken Beat, The Fame Riot, The Unlikely Candidates @ The Black Sheep – Colorado Springs

This Broken Beat, The Fame Riot, The Unlikely Candidates The Black Sheep in Colorado Springs

Eisley, CIVILIAN, Backwards Dancer, Silver & Gold @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Eisley, CIVILIAN, Backwards Dancer and Silver & Gold at the Moxi Theater in Greeley

Igaus Davis and The Collection @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Igaus Davis and The Collection at the Moxi Theater in Greeley

STRFKR with Psychic Twin @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

STRFKR with Psychic Twin at the Moxi Theater in Greeley

Milky Chance @ Bluebird Theater – Denver

Milky Chance at the Bluebird  Theater in Denver

Slow Caves and My Body Sings Electric @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Slow Caves and My Body Sings Electric at the Moxi in Greeley.

“I’m Only Dreaming” & The New Eisley

20 years ago Sherri DuPree was writing and performing music with her sister Chauntelle out of their family’s coffee shop in Texas. By 2001 the two sisters had recruited their other siblings Stacy and Weston to join the band. Pretty soon Eisley was breaking into the Dallas music scene and beyond signing to Warner Bros. in 2003. Over the years, the DuPree family has toured and collaborated with an impressive list of indie rock bands as Eisley including New Found Glory, Switchfoot, Say Anything, Taking Back Sunday, Rooney, and Mutemath among others. Sherri and her sisters would even lend their voice to the Bright Eyes album Cassadaga in 2006 while in the studio for their second album: Combinations.

Psychic Twin’s “Strange Diary”

Thirty-four-year-old Erin Fein, better known by her alter-ego Psychic Twin, found inspiration for her latest album, Strange Diary, as her marriage began to dissolve. Out of pain, often comes powerful art, and the nine-track album is no exception. While the project is a sometimes brooding and emotional ride through her divorce, it also provided some much needed therapy at a crucial time as she tumbled through her painful, artistic purge.

Allegaeon: Keeping Metal Alive in The 21st Century

It’s great to see when Colorado bands ‘make it.’ Touring year-round opening for huge bands, playing big festivals, and shredding for the impressionable youth. However, it’s not always easy for those bands to continue playing music because of how tough the music business really is. The reality is that until you reach a certain level, things are well… financially underwhelming. Touring is also extremely dangerous from all the time spent driving, and longevity is nothing but an uphill battle while most lucky and successful metal bands only become self-sufficient… if they stay together.

New on 94.3 The X– ‘Songs You Need to Hear’

New music from The Heydaze, COIN, Sundara Karma, Cold War Kids and Missio.

Album Review: Shady Elders–Inside Voices

Inside Voices is the debut, full-length album from the Denver based quartet, Shady Elders. An appropriate album title as the songs are dreamy, lush, and moody. Singer/guitarist Fox Rodemich’s smooth alto voice compliments the band perfectly and is the defining force behind the songs.

Album Review: STRFKR–Being No One, Going Nowhere

STRFKR’s fourth album Being No One, Going Nowhere is named after Ayya Khema’s popular book on meditation. Fittingly the album explores the Eastern philosophical concepts of existentialism and introspection. But this is still a STRFKR album. While it delves into more serious themes, the music is nevertheless fun and groovy in the most cosmic ways possible.

The Unlikely Candidates – Bed of Liars EP

The Unlikely Candidates new EP Bed of Liars arrives in style. The EP is an elegant alternative sound that has plenty of fans tuning in. Steering away from their previous, acoustically dominant EP Follow My Feet, Bed of Liars delivers a powerful performance that fully utilizes Kyle Morris’ electric and wide-ranging vocals.

One Flew West – Ten Years Later/All In My Head: Review

One Flew West is flying into the public eye, and fast. The Longmont, Colorado indie folk band has announced the upcoming release of their two new singles titled, “Ten Years Later” and “All In My Head,” both will be available on March 3, 2017.

March 2017 – Eisley

In This Issue: Allegaeon | Psychic Twin | The Unlikely Candidates | STRFKR Shady Elders | Coin | Cold War Kids | Missio | The Heydaze

Album Review: Lazeraretto Jack White

A visit to the inside of Jack White’s head would be an interesting one. The prolific rocker, responsible for such diverse acts as The White Stripes with relationally ambiguous Meg White and the far too short-lived The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, and who has also appeared on a James Bond theme song with Alicia Keys and an Ennio Morricone-inspired Danger Mouse album, breaks ground with every new record.

Todd Barry vs His Audience

“Stand up comedy takes guts.”

That’s a quote from me. I said that. I said it to myself last night after a drunk guy shattered his beer glass on the floor while I was mid joke. I said it again when 20 percent of the crowd (one lady) fell asleep and started snoring. I said it a third time, I don’t know why, in the bathroom when a guy walked in on me pooping after my set. And I’ll say it again right now: stand up comedy takes guts.

The Man Behind The Moniker: Killer Mike

Mike Bigga may be more recognized by the name Killer Mike, but underneath the menacing moniker is a Southern-bred heart of gold. Bigga is a former Morehouse College student who values the lessons instilled in him by his grandmother, adores his children, loves his wife, but at the same time can murder a microphone with his politically charged and brutally honest lyrics.

The Hip Abduction– Basking In The Glow

For the guys in the tropical indie-rock outfit The Hip Abduction, life could be worse. Based out of St. Petersburg, Florida, according to bassist Chris Powers when they’re not on tour or recording new music, they’re spending time on the beach. A band since 2007, it wasn’t until 2013 that the band began to experience a breakout when they released their self-titled album to a warm reception in the reggae market.

New on 94.3 The X: Songs You Need To Hear

New this month from Bastille, Cage the Elephant, Love Thy Brother, The Shins and Sigma.

Album Review: Gasoline Lollipops– Resurrection

Back in October, we reviewed Death, the 2014 album from folk/punk outfit Gasoline Lollipops. Clay Rose, the lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist of the Boulder-based band, said that the creative process for Death was “a very manic free for all.”

Album Review: Autumn Burn– Reach up to the Stars

A good song should always make being human totally sweet and terrible all at the same time. A good song like a dream takes me on an adventure to a robot alien saloon in space and I’m reaching for my six-shooter laser blaster because there’s a robot who’s had too many oil cans and he’s about to start a brawl. Then suddenly my alarm clock is going off and it’s time to leave for work. A good song makes me forget I exist then it’s over and I want more.

Album Review: Wrinkle– Notice

Notice is the first full-length album from Denver based band Wrinkle. Coming in at a whopping 15 tracks, the album may seem like an intimidating listen amidst the sea of four track EPs, but only three of the songs are over three minutes. The band is the brainchild of Amos Helvey, who sings and plays guitar and keyboards on the album. He is accompanied by a Evan Kallas bass and Nick Manske on drums. The trio has a very organic sound as they have played with each other in various projects in some shape or form in the past. They also rotate on instruments to form the band PACEMAKER.

February 2017 – Todd Barry

In This Issue: Autumn Burn | Wrinkle | Gasoline Lollipops | Killer Mike | The Hip Abduction | Todd Barry

The Wailers– Marley’s Right Hand Man Still Carrying The Torch

The Wailers are eternally synonymous with the word ‘reggae.’ Its music was sparked by a revolutionary time when social unrest was bubbling to the surface, but it’s soundtrack was fresh and innovative. Along with the late reggae icon Bob Marley, The Wailers successfully attained International recognition and continue to spread its positive messages built on the foundation of Rastafarianism around the world despite Marley’s untimely death in 1980.

The Floozies– Brothers on a Funk Mission

Mark and Matt Hill of The Floozies are two brothers on a funk mission. Since their first show as The Floozies in 2008, The Hill brothers have taken that mission around the world, sharing their brand of EDM everywhere from house parties to sold out festivals alongside so many industry greats. Recently, we spoke with The Floozies about the things that make their world go around.

Wheelchair Sports Camp– Kalyn Heffernan Rolls With It

For Denver-based MC Kalyn Heffernan, life has never been easy. Born with brittle bone disease she’s had to endure countless surgeries in a lifetime of judgment due to her, what she calls “CripLife” (short for crippled life), but that’s who she is- witty, funny and bursting at the seams with personality, especially when she grabs the mic. The results are nothing short of explosive.

Album Review: Draghoria– Portal to Extinction

In an age where it is becoming increasingly uncommon for a band with high-energy live performance to be able to showcase that same intensity while in the studio, Draghoria is a breath of fresh air for the metal scene. At just slightly over 40 minutes, their long-awaited debut album, Portal to Extinction, is eight tracks of madness. Recorded by Greg Keenan at Sound Minon Studio in Longmont, the quality and attention to detail is what sets this album apart from others. From the moment the opening track, “Suicide Serenity” hits your ears, it is clear that this record is not for the faint of heart. With subject matter ranging from the mass shootings plaguing America on “Kill or be Killed” to inner demons on “Awaken the Wicked,” Joes Brim delivers a brutal vocal style that is in-your-face and straightforward.

Album Review: Edison– Familiar Spirit

Denver-based folk/rock outfit Edison, consisting of singer/guitarist Sarah Slaton, multi-instrumentalist Dustin Morris and former Lumineers guitarist Maxwell Hughes gave been around since late 2014, and spent most of that time on the road. The hustling paid off as the trio signed with Rhyme & Reason Records in late 2016 and soon after released their first album, Familiar Spirit.

New on 94.3 The X– ‘Songs You Need To Hear’

New songs from Night Riots, Young the Giant, Dirty Heads, Twenty One Pilots, and The Wind + The Wave.

Badflower, In The Whale, Austin Young, this broken beat @ Moxi Theater – Greeley

Badflower, In The Whale, Austin Young, this broken beat ~ Live in Concert @ Moxi Theater on 1/6/17. Photos by Talia Lezama for BandWagon Magazine

Album Review: The Caveat– Self-Titled

With powerhouse bands like Animals as Leaders, Chon, and Russian Circles storming the music scene, it’s clear that the art of constructing instrumental music better left for the prodigies who hide away in the shadows making sweet love to their instruments for days on end.

January 2017 – The Wailers

In This Issue: The Wailers & Aston “Familyman” Barrett | The Floozies | Wheelchair Sportscamp | Edison | Draghoria | The Caveat

American Blackout– Yeah So What EP

American Blackout, the punk band out of Ft. Collins is here to have a good time. In today’s heavily charged political climate, it’s easy to associate their name with a more protest oriented style of punk but the truth of the matter is these guys came to party.

Singles Review: futurebabes – “Wolves” // “Thirsty Man’s Hungry Plea”

futurebabes just released two singles, “Wolves” and “Thirsty Man’s Hungry Plea”, just in time for the holiday season. The synth pop outfit is the brainchild of singer/keyboardist Jed Murphy who is joined by Mikey Unruh on bass and Zach Shepherd on guitar. The band channels ’80s nostalgia with the pulsating rhythm of drum machines, lush synths, and Murphy’s crooning baritone voice.

Album Review: Underseer – Self-Titled

Underseer is an explosive band, new to the Greeley music scene. Starting as an instrumental group, Austin Southern, Christian Nunez, and Damon Tyson on guitar, bass, and drums respectively got together to play some heavy, in-your-face, and groovy tunes. After a while of playing as a three piece, Michael Olivier, formerly of Disguise the Silence, joined the band as the lead vocalist. Olivier’s vocals added a totally new element to the band as his clean vocals nicely compliment the band’s heavy riffs. Shortly after, the band hit the studio to record a self-titled, eight-track album with Olivier also serving as the recording, mixing, and mastering engineer for the album.

Aaron David Best

Over the last few years, a culture of muralists and visual artists have emerged in Northern Colorado. These artists, embraced by the local community and business owners, brought vibrancy to many of the empty walls the residents have known for so long.

Album Review: Empire of the Sun– Two Vines

Since the massive success of 2008 breakthrough Walking On A Dream, Empire of the Sun have been touring voraciously, gradually floating to the top of the international headliner circuit. The Aussie duo of Emperor Luke Steele and Lord Nick Littlemore aim to solidify that status with Two Vines, their third studio album and follow-up to 2013’s Ice on the Dune.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear This Month”

New songs from The Unlikely Candidates, The Fame Riot, Rag’n’Bone Man, Bishop Briggs, and Sundara Karma.

Brother Ali: Leading By Example

Rhymesayers Entertainment artist and Minneapolis native Brother Ali has been spitting out albums since 2000’s Rites of Passage. It was a brave introduction to the life of an albino rapper and offered some insight into his heavily politically minded views. In 2003, he released Shadows on the Sun and followed up with 2007’s The Undisputed Truth, 2009’s Us, and 2012’s Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color, delivering content-driven, independent hip-hop. There’s a new business model in the rap game and Brother Ali is vocal about his stance on where things are going. He took a few minutes out of his schedule to talk about his stint with Rock The Bells and the independent music business model. Brother Ali plays The Aggie on December 15.

Badflower: Behaving Like Animals

Formed in Los Angeles in 2013, blossoming indie rock group Badflower is comprised of lead vocalist/guitarist Josh Katz, lead guitarist Joey Morrow, drummer/percussionist Anthony Sonetti, and bassist Alex Espiritu. After playing gigs around West Hollywood and a bevy of popular venues in L.A., the group started gaining more traction with its single “Animal” after playing the 2013 SXSW Music Festival, where iHeartRadio Austin decided to throw the single in its rotation. In November 2013, the band’s acoustic rendition of LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” played on The Voice of Germany and since then, Badflower’s notoriety has exponentially increased. Signed to Republic Records/Universal Music Group, Badflower has just begun to plant its roots. Katz took a few moments to talk the band’s name, what it felt like to put out their first album and why “no mediocrity” is allowed.

Danielle Ate The Sandwich– The Terrible Dinner Guest

Folk singer/songwriter Danielle Anderson has been playing as Danielle Ate The Sandwich since she initially started putting out YouTube videos of her work. Since 2009, she’s held successful Kickstarter campaigns for her albums and tours and has even had her work featured on the soundtrack to the HBO Documentary Packed in a Trunk: The Lost Art of Edith Wilkinson.

December 2016 – American Blackout

In This Issue: American Blackout | futurebabes | Underseer | Danielle Ate The Sandwhich | Badflower | Brother Ali | Aaron David Best

Bryce Merritt: Connecting Through Chroma

Bryce Merritt’s latest release, Chroma: I, effortlessly blends pop with elements of funk and R&B. He pulls his influences from artists ranging from Stevie Wonder to John Mayer, but it was actually country music that first got him into writing songs. “I grew up in Oklahoma and just based on what my parents listened to, growing up, the only thing that I knew existed, musically, was country music. They controlled the [radio] dial in the car,” recalls Merritt. He knew he always wanted to sing, so naturally he got his start writing country songs. “But then I got my car whenever I started driving in high school and I had control over the radio and I started discovering so much more music. The first thing I really got into was Motown,” he says, realizing that was the music that he wanted to make.

Jai Wolf: Ahead of The Pack

When Sajeeb Saha, A.K.A. Jai Wolf, made the move out of EDM he discovered a sound that finally fit the musician, and person, he was.

Toro y Moi: Ever Evolving

Born in South Carolina, Toro Y Moi (born Chaz Bundick) is in the middle of a career that is taking him all over the world, which could explain his rather eclectic musical style. From 2010’s Causers of This to 2013’s phenomenal Anything In Return, he’s found a way to incorporate everything from ’70 style funk and disco to downtempo grooves and ‘80s R&B.

Southern Avenue

Memphis, Tennessee based band Southern Avenue, has a co-sign that most bands dream of. They recently have signed to the legendary music label Stax Records which has been home to Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and the ‘King of Rock and Roll’ Elvis Presley. Their self-titled debut album is set to be released February 17th, 2017 on Concord/Stax Records and the profile of the band is quickly rising. Members include Ori Naftaly, Tierinii Jackson, Tikyra ‘TK’ Jackson, and Daniel McKee. Speaking to Bandwagon Magazine Ori spoke on the process behind the new album, his musical upbringing, and the story behind the formation of SA.

New Partnership Brings New Energy Into Fort Collins Venue

Hodi’s Half Note has been a long time staple of the Northern Colorado music scene. Once known as The Starlight, it has changed hands several times over the years but it has always served as one of the best places to catch local and national music in Ft. Collins.

New on 94.3 The X: ‘Songs You Need To Hear This Month’

New from Saint Motel, K. Flay, Paper Route, JOSEPH, and Blink-182.

Album Review: The Symbols– Symbolize

The Symbols, consisting of singer Mer Sal, guitarist Jasco and drummer Don Stahl, is a peppery rock band out of Fort Collins that exude positive energy in their work. Symbolized, their newest album that was released a few months ago, showcases the unique cover songs they play between their original songs at live shows.

Album Review: Post Paradise– Bring It To Life (Side B)

Post Paradise is a band with chops. Few Northern Colorado bands have the experience or industry know-who as the members of Post Paradise. This alt-rock band led by Nick Duarte based out of Ft. Collins has made a name for themselves for their signature rock and roll with a nice dose of cello on top.

November 2016 – Bryce Merritt

In This Issue: Post Paradise | The Symbols | Hodi’s Half Note Toro Y Moi | Southern Avenue Band | Jai Wolf

The Summer Set: Made For You Tour 2016

The beginning piano chords on The Summer Set’s latest album Stories for Monday tell the story of optimism and promise. But, it was only last year that The Summer Set nearly broke up ending their almost decade long career. “There was a lot of pressure for our fourth album and we always want to grow artistically,” says lead singer Brian Logan Dales. “We want to keep moving forward and never be satisfied.” The band consisting of Dales, Josh Montgomery, John Gomez, Stephen Gomez, and Jess Bowen were at a crossroads. After touring and playing for many years the gravity of having to follow up their successful previous album Legendary was evident.

Book Review: Life vs. Death Revised: My Life Story, By Beef Sloan

Long Time Greeley Resident Beef Sloan is the taxi-man you call when you need to ride anywhere in town, unless you call Stacey and Sassy. A few years ago, however, we at BandWagon were introduced to him when his self-published autobiography Life vs. Death came out. Yes, you can get it on Amazon and Goodreads, but there are print copies out there, which we got our hands on. The new revision of Sloan’s book, that is.

Album Review: In The Whale – Quicksand EP

Since In the Whale began they have been a band not afraid to take chances. Bands starting out usually have certain hurdles they have to get over to reach the next level. Recording professionally, marketing, a solid live show, and hitting the road are all things bands face on their journey to making it. While others stumble, In the Whale has leapt forward each time, embracing whatever comes. Their latest EP, Quicksand, is proof all of these things are coming together in a big way.

Rittz: Top of The Line

Growing up in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Strange Music rapper Rittz (real name Jonathan McCollum) was exposed to a wide variety of music, which really influenced his current musical style. His father made a living playing music for the first nine years of his life and inspired him to walk the same path.

Album Review: Gasoline Lollipops – Death

According to Clay Rose, lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist for Boulder-based Gasoline Lollipops, it took him about 30 years to put together their first album, Dawn. “Then it took about one year to record it.” …

Album Review: Race To Neptune – Oh Contraire

Oh Contraire is the first full-length release from Fort Collins rock band, Race to Neptune. Formed in 2012, the band has been a staple of the Fort Collins rock scene and now, with the release of their new album, they have a solid body of work to show for. The band has an overarching sound of 90’s alternative but they pull from a multitude of different influences that span a 30 year range, from the 60’s to late 90’s. What’s impressive about this album is the band’s ability to go from “in your face” riffs, to soft ballads, to even country while still staying true to their sound.

Album Review: Overslept + Father Mountain– Split EP

Recently, the BandWagon sat down and spoke with Elias Armao of the up-and-coming Denver indie band, Overslept, to discuss their latest split release with sister band, Father Mountain. “We met the guys in Father Mountain when we opened up for them on the Denver date of their winter tour back in January. It was pretty evident right off the bat that these guys made music from the same place we did, even though they played a very different style/genre. The idea of doing a split together happened pretty naturally and was really spawned out of friendship. I think the beauty of splits is using the different styles and regional influences as a juxtaposition,” starts Armao.

Tay Don Die And The Long Way Back From Rock Bottom

When local hip-hop artist Taylor White (aka Tay Don Die) walked into the Wells Fargo Bank on 23rd avenue and 16th street in Greeley, Colorado on November 20, 2015 he had reached rock bottom. He approached the teller with a note that demanded $10,000 and after that there was no going back. Panicked, White left before receiving any money. “I came out with nothing so I now I’m tripping out. I was like, ‘fuck, I have to do this.’ So I went down to the Guarantee Bank and did that one and got the cash,” says White in a recent interview with the BandWagon. White made off with about $2,000.

The Power of Partying: Andrew W.K. Takes It To The Next Level

Every week, Andrew W.K. pens a popular advice column for the Village Voice in New York City that offers poignant nuggets of wisdom on a variety of life topics. From questions like, “Does heaven exist?” to “How do I make my friend put bros before hoes?,” the topics swing from the wildly absurd to mundane, seemingly common knowledge type of inquiries. Andrew W.K., however, finds a way to not only intelligently answer each one, but also does it in such a way that it feels like the reader is getting a lesson in philosophy. The Michigan-born musician, motivational speaker, and producer is essentially taking his column on the road with his Power of Partying Speaking Tour.

New on 94.3: ‘Songs You Need To Hear This Month’

New from Empire of the Sun, Declan McKenna, Jimmy Eat World, Colony House, Zipper Club.

October 2016 – Rittz

In This Issue: In The Whale | Overslept | Father Mountain | Race to Neptune The Summer Set | Andrew W.K. | Tay Don Die | Beef Sloan

New on 94.3 The X: Songs You Need To Hear This Month

Dreamers – Sweet Disaster For anyone who dresses like The Rolling Stones, and dances like the Talking Heads while listening to some ‘young Ramones,’ you and I have a lot in common, and the latest …

Album Review: Igaus Davis – Too Fallow, Too Long

Igaus Davis, real name Matt Davis, has a story relatively common in the emerging Greeley music scene. Like many musicians in town, music was more or less a hobby until they started going to shows and seeing some of the bands coming through on tour. The collective thought from local musicians seems to have been, “Wait, I can do that.”

Album Review: MISCOMUNICADO – Fun-Land Express

Take the hooks from the best music of the 1960s, hand them over to an EDM outfit with a couple good singers/guitarists, and you would get Fun-Land Express, the fifth album from MISCOMUNICADO, a Fort Collins-based EDM/Psychadelic Rock fusion band that originates from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They call their music “Future Classic Rock,” and the artists they also like, they only answer “Everything.”

Album Review: Johnny & The Mongrels – You Ain’t Ready

Singer Johnny Ryan, Bassist Jeff Bostic and Guitarist Jeff Mere are the trio behind the Fort Collins blues outfit Johnny & The Mongrels. The three met at an open blues jam sometime in 2015, officially starting The Mongrels in April of last year, then lucked into the SpokesBuzz Springboard Program, playing live shows and recording You Ain’t Ready, their debut album that dropped earlier in 2016.

888: No More ‘Critical Mistakes’

When Denver musician Danny Stills was surfing the internet one day, he stumbled across an 888, which is a tape made for a machine manufactured in the 1960s used to record the Beatles and other timeless acts. Stills brought the suggestion to Aaron Rothe and Danny Cooper, who also gravitated towards the idea of naming their electro-pop project, 888.

Album Review: Top Flite Empire – Bad Decisions

In the opening track of Top Flite Empire’s Debut LP Bad Decisions, they give the definition of a bad decision. It states that it is a “poor judgement, conclusion, or resolution reached or given. The act of making up one’s mind.” These words set the precedent and theme for the rest of the album both lyrically and sonically.

Album Review: The Circus House– Graceful Jungle

Graceful Jungle is the newest album from Denver pop collective, The Circus House. Consisting of members from jilly.fm, Ancient Elk, Candy Claws, and Retrofette the group is spearheaded by Armando Garibay, who is 1/2 the mastermind behind the songwriting and production team, The Blackout Beat. The Circus House brings their unique brand of ‘90s-esque pop to Denver and breathes a breath of fresh air into the music scene.

The Spill Canvas

As one can imagine, growing up in the vast nothingness of Sioux Falls, South Dakota doesn’t exactly provide for an exciting upbringing or much of a musical landscape, but The Spill Canvas vocalist Nick Thomas …

Prophets of Rage: Making America Rage Again

The United States is currently in a state of emergency. Fresh on the heels of the police shooting deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, and the massacre of five Dallas police officers during a Black Lives Matter protest, the Prophets of Rage supergroup could not have surfaced at a better time. Coupled with an intense political race between presumptive nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, Prophets of Rage are urging people to get off the sidelines.

Atmosphere: Growing Pains

In June 2003, when 16-year-old Marissa Mathy-Zvaifler was raped and murdered backstage by the venue’s janitor at an Atmosphere show in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Sean “Slug” Daley’s perspective on life changed forever. Since that dark, dark day, the Rhymesayers Entertainment co-founder realized it wasn’t just about him anymore. He had a greater purpose, one he’s been chasing for the past 13 years.

September 2016 – 888

In This Issue: 888 | The Spill Canvas | Prophets of Rage | Atmosphere | Igaus Davis Circus House | Top Flite Empire | Johnny & the Mongrels

Album Review: FKA twigs— M3LL155X

Art relies on experimentation for its continued growth. If Chuck Berry had never thought to have two guitars on the track instead of one, well, someone else would have eventually done it, but you get my point. If you take an existing idea (the thesis) and fold into it a new and challenging thought (the antithesis) that makes something new, and thus, growth! In the past decade Black music has had no shortage of new and challenging thinkers, and Tahliah Barnett is among them.

Ziggy Marley

As the eldest son of reggae icon Bob Marley, Ziggy Marley had impossibly large shoes to fill. After his father’s untimely death in 1981, the young Marley was left to continue his father’s legacy, one that began in the early ‘60s. Through his music, Bob Marley called for political and social reform, spoke out against injustices and soothed the souls of countless fans. It was a daunting job, but the seven time Grammy Award winner has managed to slide into the role with ease.

The Epilogues–The End Of An Era

It’s safe to say The Epilogues have put in their time in the Greeley scene. Ten of the last twelve years they have been a band they have regularly made the trip from their home in Denver to play for the local scenesters. While they have rode the rollercoaster that is the professional music business with both extreme highs and extreme lows, Greeley has been inconsistent with its appreciation of the band. Having personally been to probably several dozen Epilogues shows, I have seen a hundred people turn out on some nights and five people turn out on others. Part of it is the somewhat spoiled nature of Greeley concert goers who have the best in Colorado music presented to them and it still not being good enough to buy a ticket, and The Epilogues not having a sound that resonates with a secondary market like Greeley where there is less experience with live (and different) music and more experience peering through the pop filters of the internet.

Album Review: Quentin

Some things are fleeting, and Quentin insists you do not forget that — but the Greeley band will comfort listeners through cynic solidarity.

Album Review: The Patti Fiasco

Years ago, we covered an independent feature film made in Fort Collins titled Whensday, a comedy that had it’s love of bicycling, beer and Colorado on its sleeve. This included it’s soundtrack, which was a best-hits of NoCo music circa 2013. However, one of the songs featured in the film, “Small Town Lights,” was created by an outfit originally from Wyoming, The Patti Fiasco. The five (man) band, lead by Alysia Kraft, have kind of become a fixture within the Fort Collins music scene, winning FoCoMA’s Best Front Person award in 2013, and have gotten to play alongside the likes of Charlie Musselwhite and Big Head Todd And The Monsters. And we now have their latest album, Saved By Rock And Roll.

Mark Sultan’s One Man Show Comes to Fort Collins

Before he was in The King Khan & BBQ Show, Mark Sultan played drums for the Canadian punk outfit Powersquat, who were noted for particularly violent live shows. After Powersquat disbanded, Sultan took over vocal duties for The Spaceshits, who also had a reputation for violent shows. They were so crazy in fact, The Spaceshits were eventually blacklisted from multiple venues in Montreal. Needless to say, Sultan has quite the history.

Album Review: Retrofette

Earlier this year, electro-pop duo Lzrwlf, comprised of Sean Culliton and Xavier Provencher, announced that they would be changing their name to Retrofette. The 3 track EP I Don’t Mind EP is their first proper release under the new moniker and it marks a new beginning as they hone in on their danceable, new wave/synth-pop sound. Along with the name change, the band brought in Ben Weirich on synths and Dylan Johnson on drums to take their live shows to the next level.

Album Review: Omni – Deluxe

It’s strange to describe a record so aesthetically planted in nostalgia as anachronistic, but it’s oddly difficult to describe Omni’s debut record otherwise.

Artist Profile: Wesley Sam-Bruce

The best part of Greeley-based visual artist Wesley Sam-Bruce’s work is it’s clear he goes all the way with an idea. When he conceptualizes a piece, no matter how intense or bizarre the idea is, he makes it happen. Recently, the BandWagon got the chance to speak with Sam-Bruce about his work after his return from San Diego, California where he recently wrapped up a massive project with the New Children’s Museum. Listening to Sam-Bruce describe his projects, for the most part his ideas seem weird and far-fetched. He paints a very large picture for very large ideas and approaches his projects only limited by his own imagination. The grandioseness of it could easily be brushed off by sceptics… But then he delivers. Not only does he deliver, but he makes a living doing it.

NEW ON 94.3 THE X: SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH

The 1975 – Somebody Else If you needed a post-breakup song, you can thank The 1975 for this. As sad and beautiful as Matt Healy is in the music video, it does such justice to …

Girls Rule: Bleached

When sisters Jen and Jessie Clavin were little, the Los Angeles natives would play around with their father’s guitars, often daydreaming about starting a band one day. As they discovered groups like Siouxee and the Banshees, The Slits and the Velvet Underground, they realized it was actually a possibility. Right before graduating from high school, their dreams finally surfaced into reality.

August 2016 – Ziggy Marley

In This Issue: ZIGGY MARLEY | THE EPILOGUES | MARK SULTAN | BLEACHED | QUENTIN | OMNI | THE PATTI FIASCO | RETROFETTE | WESLEY SAM-BRUCE

The Reimagination of JR. JR.

Before Jr. Jr. was unmistakably on the musical radar, multi-instrumentalist Daniel Zott was still living in grandmother’s basement, where the duo actually recorded 2010’s reinterpretation of The Beach Boys’ “God Only Knows” off their first EP, Horsepower.

Madison & Main Bike Show

Rodney Barnes, ceramist and President of Madison & Main Gallery, has never met Colorado Springs native Mike Rust, but said that he has come to know Mike through stories and riding his High Wheeler, also known as a Penny Farthing.

Flying Lotus– It’s So Easy To Get Lost

Flying Lotus (real name Steve Ellison) came from a musical background. As the great-nephew of the late jazz pianist Alice Coltrane and saxophonist John Coltrane, it quite literally was ingrained in his DNA. Music, however, wasn’t his first love.

Rusted Root Takes a Trip to The Mish

Comprised of founder/vocalist Michael Glabicki, bassist Patrick Norman, percussionist Liz Berlin, percussionist Preach Freedom, and guitarist Dirk Miller, the current incarnation of Rusted Root explore and execute almost every type of musical genre. This fact alone is what makes them so unique. African, Latin American, Native American, and other various forms of world music are injected into their material, which are sounds Glabicki sought out in the beginning stages of the band.

Time Is New– Kevin Johnston of The Bright Silence

After ten years in New York, Bright Silence singer Kevin Johnston returned home to Colorado to make the biggest leap of his music career yet. Fortunately for music listeners, he came bearing gifts – namely the winsome nine-song LP Time Is New, set to release on July 22nd.

Album Review: Bryan Thomas

While we’ve reviewed our fair share of country albums here at BandWagon, Denver-based singer Bryan Thomas is the first artist we would compare 100 proof whiskey; while casual listeners probably won’t gravitate to it, but for someone looking for something “harder,” this is it. While there are hints of country, Burn It To The Ground, it is undeniably Southern Rock. Thomas doesn’t possess the typical twang/drawl of a country singer; his voice is more of a guttural growl filled with the kiss-my-ass attitude you would more associate with hard rock/metal singers.

Album Review: Roy Catlin & The Dudes

“I’ve always been interested in the concept of fate because I believe there are two sides to it. I believe there’s a side you can control and that side is your thoughts and actions. The way you think and act can definitely have an effect on your fate for better or worse. I also believe there’s a side of fate you can’t control and have to learn to accept.”

Album Review: The Baltic

These days, there seems to be no shortage of new psych rock bands that are worth checking out, and today that band is The Baltic. Hailing from good ol’ Denver, Colorado, the band is comprised of drummer/singer Graham Epstein, guitarist/vocalist Adam Dankowski, guitarist Ari Kononov, and bassist Josh Kaplan who have been playing together since high school. They are a force to be reckoned with having just recently signed a record deal with Misra records and releasing their trippy, new EP: Archipelago.

July 2016 – JR JR

In This Issue: JR JR | FLYING LOTUS | RUSTED ROOT | THE BRIGHT SILENCE | THE BALTIC | BRYAN THOMAS | ROY CATLIN & THE DUDES

NEW ON 94.3 THE X: SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH

Mollie Kendrick | On air Mon.-Fri. 6am – 10am

Macklemore– Unstoppable

Only a handful of indie hip-hop artists have experienced the meteoric rise to fame Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have. From relative obscurity to the cover of Rolling Stone, the Seattle-based duo is deeply submerged in the spotlight. It’s all moving incredibly fast, but they are apparently enjoying the roller coaster ride. The pair’s latest album, This Unruly Mess I’ve Made, chronicles his growth as a husband and father while juggling the insanity that comes along with his new celebrity status.

Blues Jam Spotlight: Davy Knowles

Growing up in the Isle of Man, 29-year-old blues musician Davy Knowles learned to play guitar by listening to records he’d find in his father’s collection, which included artists like Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher, Oasis and Eric Clapton. At 19, after sharpening his skills in the local music circuit, he opted to split for America, where he toured with his band, Back Door Slam.

Blues Jam Spotlight: North Mississippi Allstars

Bringing a little taste of Mississippi country blues to the Greeley Blues Jam, Luther and Cody Dickinson are the two brothers behind North Mississippi Allstars, celebrating its 20th Anniversary this year. Both are the sons of Memphis institution Jim Dickinson, who, along with fronting Mud Boy and the Neutrons, also worked along Aretha Franklin, Kris Kristofferson and Bob Dylan as a pianist and producer. So Cody and Luther have an enviable background. They describe their sound as “blues-infused rock and roll.”

Blues Jam Spotlight: Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band

Blues music is not a homogenous genre. The various sub-genres of blues music are very much shaped by the location they come from. Zydeco, for instance, hails from Louisiana, shaped by French Creole speakers and taking its inspiration from blues, R&B and indigenous music from both Louisiana Creoles and Native Americans. And Grammy Award Winner Chubby Carrier is bringing some Zydeco to the Greeley Blues Jam.

Album Review: Gregory Alan Isakov

Having played with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at Boettcher Concert Hall back in November 2013, Gregory Alan Isakov has recently revisited that night by recording a full length of many of his older compositions featuring the Colorado Symphony.

Album Review: I Am The Owl– A Mission to Civilize: Part I

A Mission to Civilize: Part I is the first EP from Fort Collins punk rock band, I Am The Owl. Staying faithful to punk’s D.I.Y. mentality, the EP was recorded, mixed, and mastered by the band’s vocalist and guitarist, Josh Rivera, with the exception of the drums being tracked by Oliver Mueller of Slow Caves. With well written and executed parts, I Am The Owl is a good reflection of modern punk music.

Album Review: Gleemer– Moving Away

Loveland, Colorado is a strange place. Situated conveniently on the I-25 corridor, it is simultaneously too far from anything cool and perfectly located between many awesome things to do. A true Colorado city, life in Loveland can be quiet, suburban, and scenic. But like everywhere else, when you mix these things together you get a reaction and often it is an artistic response to the loneliness and the self-imposed isolation of living in what can feel like a suburb of a suburb. The four-piece dream pop outfit Gleemer is that reaction.

Charlie Musselwhite “Play Your Own Heart”

Born in Kosciusko, Mississippi. Charlie Musselwhite was exposed to music early on in his life. His father played guitar and harmonica, his mother played piano and one of his relatives was a bonafide one-man band. When he was 3-years-old, Musselwhite moved to Memphis. At the time, Memphis was experiencing the period when rockabilly, western swing, and electric blues and other forms of African-American music forged together to birth rock and roll.

Matisyahu’s Spiritual Journey

By 2006, Matisyahu (real name Matthew Miller) had experienced a meteoric rise to fame. The live version of “King Without a Crown” had broken into the Modern Rock Top 10 and he was named the Top Reggae Artist by Billboard that same year. With his roots firmly planted in his Jewish heritage, the fact he was a Hasidic reggae artist became his whole persona. Not surprisingly, when he shaved off his infamous beard in 2011, a lot of people were shocked.

June 2016 – Charlie Musselwhite

IN THIS ISSUE: CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE | MACKLEMORE | GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV | MATISYAHU | I AM THE OWL | GLEEMER | JULIETA VENEGAS | NORTH MISSISIPPI ALLSTARS | CHUBBY CARRIER

Patrick Richardson

Everyone finds comedy in life. For Patrick Richardson, comedy is found in the act of living–and the funny shit that comes with it. Already having a prominent presence in both hip-hop and short films, he has been making a name for himself within the comedy scene of Northern Colorado. Recently we sat down with Patrick and asked him a few questions.

Har Mar

Har Mar, real name Sean Tillman, met The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas at a house party, a momentous moment in the making since leaving high school. As soon as he graduated, the Owatonna, Minnesota native moved to St. Paul, where he really started to hone his unique musical talent, which often included stripped down performances in not much more than his underwear, sometimes even less.

Explosions in the Sky

Over the course of the last 17 years, Explosions in the Sky have perfected its self-described “cathartic mini-symphonies.” The Austin-based group— guitarists Munaf Rayani, Mark Smith, bassist Michael James and drummer Chris Hrasky— create intricate, guitar driven ballads full of wonder. All four members are equally as vital and each experimental instrumental they create is as elaborate as the one before. The group’s latest album, The Wilderness, is out now, prompting the band to head out on a (mostly) sold-out international tour, which hits Denver May 10 and 11. Hrasky took a break from sound check to talk about the decision to be all instrumental, living in Austin and doing the music for Friday Night Lights.

105.5 Colorado Sound

In late February, NPR affiliate KUNC (91.5 FM) went to an all news format, seemingly leaving music fans on the front range in the wind. However, it came to light in March that KUNC had launched a new music-only station on 105.5 FM, dubbed The Colorado Sound.

Album Review: Bishop Nehru – MAGIC:19

Rapper Bishop Nehru is not a bishop and his last name isn’t Nehru— it’s Scott—but the New York native is making some of the most authentic hip-hop out there.

NEW ON 94.3 THE X: SONGS YOU NEED TO HEAR THIS MONTH

Shelby Taylor-Thorn: On Air M-F 3p.m.-7p.m. KONGOS – Take It From Me Take it from me, the accordion is not an easy instrument to pull off – like, really, I’ve tried. However, the guys in Kongos …

The Sound of Old – Aesop Rock Delivers Seventh Solo Album

It’s been three years since New York-bred emcee Aesop Rock (real name Ian Bavitz) has released a solo album, an excruciatingly long wait for those enthralled with his signature brand of independent hip-hop. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t keeping us entertained with one of his many other projects—Hail Mary Mallon with Rob Sonic, The Uncluded with Kimya Dawson and Lice with Homeboy Sandman—but he had to wait until the timing was right to unleash another one into the world. That all changed April 29, when Bavitz released The Impossible Kid, his seventh solo album.

Save Our City: A Doors Tribute

“It started with a beard, and some sunglasses and a friend saying I looked like Jim Morrison.”

May 2016 – Slow Caves

IN THIS ISSUE: THEY CALL ME HERO | JIMKATA | BISHOP NEHRU | COLORADO SOUND EXPLOSIONS IN THE SKY | PATRICK RICHARDSON | AESOP ROCK

A Rare “Wolf” from London Comes to Red Rocks: Wolf Alice

If you’re lucky enough to have heard the band from North London known as Wolf Alice you know that they are a band of many genres. The uniqueness of both their music and the members themselves will compliment the uniqueness of the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater at the upcoming show on May 2nd with The 1975.

Album Review: Jimkata – In Motion

As far as synth bands go, the three-piece Jimkata from Ithaca, New York is not here to fit in any EDM or electro indie pop box that so many modern bands find themselves in.

Album Review: T.V. Girl – Who Really Cares

Upon first listen, the lush layers, hushed vocals, and bedroom style production put you into a dreamlike haze that makes you want to dance your way down to the beach on a summer afternoon. Petering’s soft spoken vocals perfectly compliment his production, and can be compared to the likes of Toro y Moi, The Books, or Washed Out.

One Bar at a Time – Masta Ace’s Rise to Veteran Rapper Status

In 1987, Masta Ace (real name Duval Clear) was back in his hometown of Brownsville, Brooklyn for Christmas break. He had been studying at the University of Rhode Island, where he was pursuing a degree in marketing. During that time, he got a phone call that would change the trajectory of his entire life. He didn’t know it at the time, but his decision to head down to the United Skate of America skating rink for a talent show was a pivotal one.

Back in Effect – Luniz Reunite for 420 Show

There’s not a stoner alive who doesn’t know the song “I Got Five On It” by the Oakland-based duo, Luniz. Released in 1995 on their seminal album, Operation Stakola, it took Yukmouth and Numskull from every day street hustlers to platinum selling artists seemingly overnight.

EP Review: Montoneros – Heat Horse

The latest offering from Montoneros, Heat Horse, is an exciting release which goes on a journey through many different and incredible musical elements. Recorded in Black and Bluhm Studios with Chris Fogel, the group was astonishingly able to record the entire EP in a single day. Don’t let this fast paced studio venture fool you; this EP is well thought out and the musicianship in these songs is undeniable.

Shinin’ – Up Close and Personal with Bastard Suns’ Clay Hiers

Bastard Suns are hitting the road partly in support of legendary ska band The English Beat and make a stop in Greeley Tuesday, April 19. Hiers took some time in between soundchecks to talk Powell Peralta, comparisons to Sublime and why he’s a “bastard sun.”

New on 94.3 The X: Songs You Need to Hear This Month

Mollie Kendrick | On Air Mon.-Fri. 6am-10am

The UNC Greeley Jazz Festival

The UNC Greeley Jazz Festival is shaking things up once again this April. The 46th annual will be held April 21st-23rd, 2016. This event, according to the UNC festival website, “brings together internationally recognized artists, jazz lovers, award-winning clinicians, and over 250 college, high school, and middle school big bands, combos, and jazz vocal groups from across the country.”

Album Review: Grace Kuch – Self-Titled Debut

While BandWagon covers any and all music thrown our way, we have never heard any work from a child artist up until now. So when Grace Kuch, a 12-year-old blues singer from Fort Collins, approached me during a Symbols concert last month with her debut album, I had to give it a go.

April 2016 – Luniz

IN THIS ISSUE: Luniz | The Bastard Suns | Masta Ace | Grace Kuch | Rabanes | Montoneros | UNC Jazz Festival | TV Girl  

Album Review: St. Lucia– Matter

Synth-pop band St. Lucia, created in 2012 by South African native, Jean-Philip Grobler, have just released their second studio LP, Matter. The sounds blended together in the tunes by St. Lucia are a creative twist of Grobler’s love for R&B, ‘80s pop, and alternative rock.

El Ten Eleven

El Ten Eleven isn’t the typical “post-rock” band. They don’t have a singer, aren’t aided by a laptop and the music is entirely instrumental.

Hieroglyphics

Good news has descended upon the hip-hop community: not only is the entire Hieroglyphics crew reunited for a tour, but they’re bringing Del the Funky Homosapien along with them.

Greeley Philharmonic to score Disney’s Fantasia

Glen Cortese, Maestro of the GPO, said over the phone that the live scoring of Fantasia was one of many collaborative projects the Orchestra is doing with the UCCC.

The Panoramic– Sacred Anatomy

Sacred Anatomy, the debut album from The Panoramic, is one of the most intense metal albums Northern Colorado’s music scene has ever seen. With bone-crushing grooves, rigorous guitar leads, a driving rhythm section, and soul splitting vocals with brutality to match, the LP is as ambitious as the men who sought out to create it.

First Platoon Studios – A Family Dynasty

Skipdogg tha Souja is a man of the Greeley hip hop scene. Few people have dedicated themselves to the development of local talent like Skipdogg, and for the last 10 years Skipdogg built First Platoon Studios into the go-to place for local hip hop.

Silver and Gold @ Moxi Theater

Photography by Ben Stivers

Battle of The Bands @ Moxi Theater

Photography by Ben Stivers

In The Whale @ Moxi Theater

Photography by Ben Stivers

Delta Sonics @ Moxi Theater

Photography by Ben Stivers

New on 94.3 The X: Songs You Need To Hear This Month

  The Neighbourhood – Cry Baby They presumably made stores sell out of ‘those little high-waisted shorts’ in 2013 with ‘Sweater Weather.’ Now, The Neighbourhood is back with their next west coast dream-hip hop song …

Album Review: Grizfolk– Waking Up The Giants

Grizfolk, a five piece indie rock band that hails from Los Angeles have just released their highly anticipated debut album, Waking Up The Giants via Virgin Records. Here is an album that successfully melds together folk, electro-pop, and indie rock in a way never done before.

March 2016 – The Panoramic

BandWagon Magazine – March 2016 – The Panoramic In This Issue: The Panoramic, Heiroglyphics, Lewis Black, St. Lucia, El Ten Eleven, We Speak Imaginese, First Platoon Studios

Lunde Station: No Time To Waste

When Ft. Collins’ Americana band Lunde Station travelled to Portland, Oregon in October it was not to waste time. The point of the trip was to film a music video to their song “Burnside Bridge” on location and with only three days for the whole trip, they had a lot to get done and not a lot of space to do it in.

STRFKR: No Going Back

The group’s fourth studio album, 2013’s Miracle Mile, finds the band in top form. Almost like a modern-day disco album, Miracle Mile is full of uptempo beats, ethereal keys and the whimsical musings of mastermind Hodges.

Battle of the Bands @ Moxi Theater

Photos by Ben Stivers // 2-4-16

Everything is Wonderful Now: Everclear’s Art Alexakis Grows Up

With 27 years of clean time under his belt, Alexakis has resurrected Everclear with 2012’s Invisible Stars and 2015’s Black Is the New Black, clearly a new chapter for the once self-destructive artist.

The Original Holy Banjo Emperor: Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn

Bela Fleck’s love affair with the banjo began after hearing the theme song of the 1960s classic television show, The Beverly Hillbillies. He didn’t know what the instrument looked like at the time because it wasn’t pictured during the show, but whatever it was, he knew he had to get his hands on one.

BandWagon Español: Roka Hueka

“We are strong and rather difficult to break, but at the same time there is a space inside where we put all our ideas and dreams together.” When members of Roka Hueka arrived in the Mile High City they hadn’t imagined the great musical adventure they would embark on thanks to the creator of the group, Andy Gonzalez.

Album Review: Panic! At The Disco, Death of A Bachelor

The goal of Death Of A Bachelor is trying to express a celebration of life changes, which the lyrics succesfully show, but the ever-eccentric, power pop duo (including Dallon Weekes) sees Urie’s powerful voice wielded like a hammer, sometimes inspiring a mild headache.

Album Review: Anderson Paak, Malibu

Equal parts illustrious and excessive, genuine and humble, Malibu builds on the boozy charm of Paak’s debut, Venice, doubling down on atmosphere and lush, live instrumentation.

Album Review: The Symbols – Smile

Chill. Charismatic. Mellow. Funky. Rocking? It’s hard to describe Smile, the latest album from Fort Collins band The Symbols, beyond saying it’s awesome.

February 2016 – STRFKR

BandWagon Magazine – February 2016 – STRFKR IN THIS ISSUE: STRFKR | BELA FLECK & ABIGAIL WASHBURN | ART ALEXAKIS | LUNDE STATION | THE SYMBOLS | PANIC! AT THE DISCO | ANDERSON PAAK

Battle of the Bands @ Moxi Theater

Photos by Ben Stivers // 1-21-16

Greeley Computer Services

Forget the Geeks, Call the Professionals! Check us out at: www.greeleycomputer.com Free PC Check-Ups in shop! • Virus & Spyware Solutions • System Upgrades/Repairs • In Shop & On-site Service • Custom Built Computers

RJD2 NOT R2D2

Ramble Jon Krohn, better known as producer RJD2, was born in Eugene, Oregon, but grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where he met other artists affiliated with the Ohio hip-hop scene such as Blueprint and fellow MHz rapper Copywrite. His debut album, Deadringer, was a flawless masterpiece that put him on the map and eventually catapulted his career to new heights.

People Under The Stairs @ Aggie Theater

Photos by Ben Stivers // 12-30-15

A New Year & A New Career

Startek in Greeley is now hiring Customer Service & Tech Support Reps. *Paid Training & Benefits Apply Now @ www.startek.com/careers or 1250 H St. Greeley, CO or Call recruiting @ 970-351-5768

Ablum Review: Plum – Light Years, Dark Years

Denver rockers, Plum, have done it again as they just released their highly anticipated EP Light Years, Dark Years. This three-piece psychedelic rock band has taken the local music scene by storm.

BandWagon’s Top Ten Albums of 2015

Alabama Shakes: Sound & Color Our Top 10 begins with the sophomore release of  Alabama Shakes, the effervescent Southern rock outfit that exploded into our lives with the debut Boys & Girls, due in no …

Roma

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A Stubby Goodbye – The Stubby Shillelaghs Drink Their Last

The Stubby Shillelaghs have a special place in the heart of the people of Greeley. Holding down their weekly Tuesday night spot at Patrick’s Irish Pub, for the last five years they have hosted a night of traditional and original Irish music in a fashion only four nerdy metal heads could provide.

Album Review: Qbala – Battle Cries

When Fort Collins superstar emcee Kahlie “Qbala” Quinones was 27, she finally had the courage to verbalize she preferred females over males. Little by little, she started becoming more comfortable with who she was and discovered, through music, she was able to divulge the truth.

Wing Shack Wins!

Greeley’s Best Wings for 10 years in a row! 2 locations in Greeley… 2704 8th Ave, Greeley, CO 80631 Phone:(970) 356-7900 1815 65th Ave, Greeley, CO 80634 (970) 356-4651

January 2016 – Krizz Kaliko

BandWagon Magazine | January 2016 IN THIS ISSUE | Krizz Kaliko | QBALA | RJD2 | SHATTERPROOF | THE STUBBY SHILLELAGHS | PLUM | THE PHIL TURK BAND | TOP TEN 2015

Album Review: Danny Shafer – Weddings, Floods and Funerals

Shafer, initially from Chicago, has played over 200 shows a year between his solo gig and the band he’s a part of, The 21st Century, and the polished talent that comes with that level of prolificacy shows itself with Weddings.

Album Review:Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 12

At some point in the career of a band or artist there’s a switch made from “chart topper” to “main stay.” Their weight in social currency is edged out by a growing wealth of respect and ubiquity.

The Ever Elusive Everlast

Before House of Pain was telling everybody to jump around, Everlast (real name Erik Schrody) was just another punk kid running wild in the streets of New York City. In 1992, however, the trio’s massive single “Jump Around” put them on the map with bagpipes, kilts and a healthy dose of attitude. Everlast, Danny Boy and DJ Lethal were quickly catapulted to international recognition thanks to the incredible success of their self-titled Tommy Boy debut.

Disguise the Silence – It Felt Like Drowning

“Music for me has always been this thing that is transcendent of all the other BS in life. It’s something that grounds me and makes me belong and makes me feel like I’m safe. I want other people to know that feeling,” says Michael Olivier, guitarist and lead singer Michael of Disguise the Silence.

Album Review: Rubedo – Love is the Answer

Epiphany can come in a myriad of strange and unexpected ways. In the the 1978 Superman film, Lex Luthor pontificates that “Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it’s a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe.”

Night Riots: On the Ride of Their Lives

“We calculated recently that we have only been home for a grand total of one month this year,” Hawley says. “The rest has been spent in Los Angeles recording or driving around the U.S. and Canada in busses and vans or flying around the country. My favorite part is playing shows, meeting people and going new places.”

The Rev: Bow Down to the Horton Heat

People basically worship Jim Heath as if he’s the Jesus Christ of unconventional rock-n-roll. Better known by his stage name, Reverend Horton Heat, the Texas native helped usher in a whole new genre of music in the mid-‘80s, which is often referred to as “psychobilly.” Upon further exploration, however, it’s a term Heath isn’t exactly comfortable with, but has grown to accept over time.

Still Rising… De La Soul – Ascension Into Hip-Hop History

As a kid, Kelvin Mercer (Posdnuos) would overhear his older brothers talking about cassettes featuring rhyming on them. Unbeknownst to him, he was hearing the emerging culture of hip-hop; artists like Cold Crush Brothers, Fantastic Romantic 5 and Afrika Bambaataa. This was the ‘80s, when hip-hop was new and exciting, especially to young, curious kids.

Startek – Now Hiring in Greeley

Startek in Greeley is now offering a $350 Hiring Bonus for Customer Service & Tech Support Reps. Apply Now @ 1250 H St. Greeley, CO or Call recruiting @ 970-351-5768

Top Tunes Thursday: Will Butler — Policy

As the year comes to a close, all us music geeks can finally start openly discussing the “best of” lists that have been taking up valuable storage in our brains. Best EP’s, best albums, best singles, best artists; From the months of October to January, the inside of your average music junkie’s brain is a tiny imaginary Grammy’s, rewarding and unrewarding as new albums put their name on the ballot. This week on TTT, I take a look back at one of my favorite records of the year, one which almost definitely appear on my own year end list (the official laminated one that I show people). The record is Policy, by Will Butler.

Album Review: Fuzz – II

If you’re a regular reader of our Top Tunes Thursday column, then you’ve heard me talking about my adoration for the side project. Low professional and high personal stakes make for an amicable environment for most artists, feeling the chains of “keeping food on the table” slip away.

December 2015 – Night Riots

IN THIS ISSUE: NIGHT RIOTS | DE LA SOUL | EVERLAST | DISGUISE THE SILENCE | BOB DYLAN | REVEREND HORTON HEAT | RUBEDO | DANNY SHAFER | 2M2X

Top Tunes Thursday: Khruangbin — The Universe Smiles Upon You

While I find the majority of instrumentals have a regional style, not always glaring, but almost always present. L.A. jazz, Delta Blues, the sample heavy style of production prevalent in the East coast, generally speaking there’s something you can grab on to. Khruangbin plays like a musical atlas, sending fiery frets to Japan, then Brazil, and back over to Africa. The eighth track, cheekily titled “The Man Who Took My Sunglasses,” almost creates the illusion of needing them. Blinding sun beams reflect off polished surfboards and sparkling fret boards, cutting through swirling cigarette smoke on its way. Four tracks earlier, guitarist Mark Speer cools the jets to a low roar, infusing in its exhaust at first a wiff of the Far East, then an utterly American crashing collapse of guitar, amp, and kit.

The Good Ol’ Boys of Parquet Courts

Brooklyn-based quartet Parquet Courts has come a long way in its six-year tenure as a band.

 BandWagon Magazine – Northern Colorado’s Premier Music Publication!

BandWagon Magazine is a free monthly publication and marketing company, based out of our office inside Moxi Theater at 802 9th Street in Downtown Greeley, Colorado. Our goal is to help cultivate and report upon live music, arts, entertainment, nightlife, and community in Colorado.

Distributing over 15,000 copies of our magazine each month, we stretch across northern Colorado covering Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, and more.  While our target audience is young adults ages 21-35, BandWagon reaches across multiple demographics with our publication.  Our articles cover a range of topics including album reviews, new songs on the radio, and full-page spreads on upcoming bands and tours to the area.  A special portion of our publication also highlights up-to-date concert calendars for venues from Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver to Hodi’s Half Note in Fort Collins to Mishawaka Amphitheater in Bellvue.

Bandwagon Magazine - Colorado's Premier Music Publication