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BandWagon Battle of the Bands

BandWagon Magazine has covered BandWagon Battle of the Bands in 67 stories since 2012, including 31 features, 11 reviews and 12 photo galleries.

67 stories · Page 2 of 4

FeaturesBattle 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.Gabe Allen · Feb 16, 2021

Four men pose between tall brick pillars at night, lit in red, wearing dark casual clothes and looking toward the camera.

FeaturesBattle 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.Diego Felix · Feb 15, 2021

Five people pose with swords and props in front of a red-lit mural of a painted warrior woman.

FeaturesBattle Profile: Hannah & The CuddiesHannah 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.Valerie Vampola · Feb 13, 2021

FeaturesBattle Profile: Graham Good & The PaintersGraham 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.Dan England · Feb 12, 2021

BandWagon magazine cover with black-and-white photos of musicians performing on stage at a Battle of the Bands.

February 2021 – Battle of the Bands[vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuJTNEJTIydHJ1ZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93JTNEJTIyZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUyMiUyMHN0eWxlJTNEJTIyYm9yZGVyJTNBbm9uZSUzQndpZHRoJTNBMTAwJTI1JTNCaGVpZ2h0JTNBMzI2cHglM0IlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjIlMkYlMkZlLmlzc3V1LmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkLmh0bWwlM0ZkJTNEYmFuZHdhZ29uX2ZlYnJ1YXJ5XzIwMjFfZmluYWxfd2ViJTI2dSUzRGJhbmR3YWdtYWclMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZpZnJhbWUlM0U=[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] In This Issue: Wayne Watts | Pie Lombardi | Jess Parsons | Isadora Eden | Yung Lurch | Goth Club | The Colorado Sound | Battle of the Bands [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]Ely Corliss · Feb 1, 2021

Heartsick Heroine, five band members in black and leather standing on gravel before bare trees and pink smoke.

FeaturesThrough Thick and Thin: Heartsick HeroineAllen and Hannah Maddox want you to believe that their world is pain.Dan England · Nov 9, 2020

Black-and-white photo of a man in a light shirt playing acoustic guitar while walking past a One Way sign.

MusicAlbum Review: Bones Muhroni – TriquetrumBones 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.Laura Giagos · May 7, 2020

A woman with long hair plays a sunburst semi-hollow electric guitar against a dark background.

MusicAlbum Review: Catcalls – The Catcalls EP[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 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, The Catcalls have filled it with the polished purr of their self-titled release. Led by singer and songwriter RileyNate Wilde · Oct 11, 2019

Photo for “Swerve: From The Classroom To The Stage – Cover Story July 2019”

FeaturesSwerve: From The Classroom To The Stage – Cover Story July 2019Led 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.Valerie Vampola · Jul 1, 2019

Photo for “Music Video Premiere: Swerve – “Green””

PremieresMusic 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.Kevin Johnston · Jun 18, 2019

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

FeaturesLeave It To The Beeves: Erie Rock Trio’s Release ‘Adam And Beeve’ Brings ItThe 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.Valerie Vampola · May 13, 2019

Photo for “Bands To See At FoCoMX 11”

FeaturesBands To See At FoCoMX 11FoCoMX 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!Laura Giagos · Apr 24, 2019

Bands compete in the 2019 BandWagon Battle of the Bands final (photo 1 of 10)

Concert Photos2019 Battle of the Bands Final Round PhotosThe Beeves, Saints of Never After and Swerve fought for the 2019 Battle of the Bands title, $1,000 and the magazine cover.Peary Schroeder · Apr 14, 2019

Photo for “BandWagon Battle of the Bands @ Moxi Theater – Greeley”

Concert PhotosBandWagon Battle of the Bands @ Moxi Theater – GreeleyPeary Schroeder · Apr 12, 2019

Photo for “Album Review: Julian Cary – heaven?indeed”

MusicAlbum Review: Julian Cary – heaven?indeedJulian 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.Valerie Vampola · Apr 8, 2019

Photo for “Album Review: Trash Cat – Welcome To Trash City”

ReviewsAlbum Review: Trash Cat – Welcome To Trash CityTry 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?Kevin Johnston · Mar 25, 2019

Photo for “BandWagon Battle of the Bands @ Moxi Theater – Greeley”

Concert PhotosBandWagon Battle of the Bands @ Moxi Theater – GreeleyEly Corliss · Mar 22, 2019

Photo for “Single Review: Chess At Breakfast – Paper Crane”

ReviewsSingle Review: Chess At Breakfast – Paper CraneWith 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.Nate Wilde · Nov 27, 2018

Photo for “Album Review: Nelsen – The Wind”

ReviewsAlbum Review: Nelsen – The WindFashioning 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.Jay Wallace · Nov 7, 2018

Five young men pose in a brick-lined city alley, wearing casual shirts, with no instruments or stage visible.

FeaturesThe Great Salmon Famine – Pinnacle FunA 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.Kevin Johnston · Sep 1, 2018