Weekend Preview: New Year’s Eve 2011

So, we’re not going to do our traditional Weekend Preivew today. Instead, we’ll be focusing in depth on the many New Year’s Eve events in Denver. As you can see, we all have a difficult decision to make.

The Foot w/ Monroe Monroe, Vices I Admire, and In The Whale @ Marquis Theater

Doors at 7 PM, $10 – $12, 18 and over.

This is the one I’ve chosen to attend. Not only do I consider Monroe Monroe, Vices I Admire, and In The Whale great bands and great friends, but The Foot is on the road so much that when they are in town, it feels special. It’s also a hell of a deal! If you pre-purchase tickets at http://thefootnyeparty.bandcamp.com for $10 and NO SERVICE CHARGE, you receive an immediate digital download from each band AND a physical copy of each band’s latest EP at the show! Crazy, right?

Bop Skizzum w/ Eldren,  Lizzie Huffman, and In Due Time @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl

Doors at 8 PM, $15, 16 and over.

It kills me to miss this show, but there’s only one of me. Fortunately, I’ll have Aimee Giese there to contribute photos and a recap to Everyday (In the Mile High)! New singer Julie Almeria brings a pretty different vibe to Bop Skizzum, so check them out if you’ve seen them before with Erin and let me know what you think! There are very few bands out there that have managed to be as prolific and tight in such a short amount of time as Eldren has. They are definitely in my top 5 favorite local bands. I’ve also been meaning to see Lizzie Huffman, but it never seems to work out. Someday… Don’t forget the free champagne toast at midnght for those attendees of legal drinking age!

“Purple Reign” w/ Chadzilla & The Asteroids @ Gothic Theatre

Doors at 8:00 PM, $25 – $40, 16+.

Straight outta Las Vegas, Purple Reign is the best of the Prince tribute bands. The best choice for the over-40 set or those of you kids who wish you grew up in the 80’s.

Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk w/ Orgone @ Cervante’s Masterpiece Ballroom

Doors at 8:00 PM, $35, All Ages.

It’s gonna get stupid funky at Cervantes! But I feel like I just saw Dumpstaphunk at Cervante’s a few months ago…

Prince Paul w/ DJ Vajra and Cobraconda @ Beauty Bar

Doors at 9 PM, Presale tickets $23 – $30, 21 and over.

If you are an alcoholic, then this is your show! Your ticket gives you access to an OPEN BAR with premium well, wine, draft beers, and Red Bull!!! The event has a Lucha Libre theme, so bring your Lucha masks.

New Years Eve @ Illegal Petes Lodo

Doors at 9 PM, FREE, ALL AGES.

Mike Howard (Mr. How Weird) will be spinning records and there will be happy hour drink prices all night long. It may not be one of the more high-powered NYE events, but it’s the only one that is FREE and ALL AGES. Besides, Illegal Pete’s deserves some love for all they have done to promote the local music scene through it’s Thursday night free concerts, Starving Artists program, and Eat & Greet events. And Illegal Pete’s owner Pete Turner’s Greater Than collective helped get the latest Snake Rattle Rattle Snake and Ian Cooke releases made. So, even if you can’t make it on NYE, stop into an Illegal Pete’s sometime in 2012 and tell them “Thanks!”.

Pretty Lights w/ Zedd and Paul Basic @ 1st Bank Center

Doors at 7:30 PM, $60 + Service Charge, ALL AGES, SOLD OUT.

Derek Vincent Smith follows up sold out performances at Red Rocks and Fillmore Auditorium earlier this year with a Sold Out show at 1STBANK Center.

OTHER EVENTS

WEEN w/ Kid is Qual @ Fillmore Auditorium – Doors at 8:00 PM, $75 + Service Charge, 16+

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club w/ Munly and the Lupercalians and Casey James Prestwood @ Bluebird Theatre – Doors at 8:00 PM, $29 – $35, 16+

The Knew w/ Dendrites, FaceMan, Strange Americans, Broken Spirits, and others @ Hi-Dive – Doors at 8:00 PM, $10, 21+

G Love & Special Sauce w/ The Lumineers @ Fox Theater (Boulder) – Doors at 8:30 PM, $35, ALL AGES, SOLD OUT.

The Royal w/ Special Guest @ Lost Lake – Show at 10:00 PM, $5, 21+

Something Underground w/ The Current and Strip The Stars @ Soiled Dove Underground – Doors at 8:00 PM, $25 – $30, 21+.

The Samples w/ Desciples, O.T.I.S., and Matt Nasi Band @ Herman’s Hideaway – Doors at 7:00 PM, $28 (GA) – $163 (VIP for 4 people), 21+.

Young Dubliners w/ Special Guests @ Little Bear Saloon (Evergreen) – Doors at 7:00 PM, $50, 21+.

Jane’s Addiction w/ Special Guests @ Belly Up Tavern (Aspen) – Doors at 9:00 PM, $265 (GA) – $575 (Reserved – Sold Out), All Ages.

Paper Bird w/ The Devil Whale, Joshua Novak & Pink Hawks @ Oriental Theater – Doors at 8:00 PM, $20 – $65, 16+

Railroad Earth w/ Special Guests @ Ogden Theater – Doors at 7:00 PM, $55, 16+, SOLD OUT.

Yonder Mountain String Band w/ Special Guests @ Boulder Theater – Doors at 8:00 PM, $74, 21+, SOLD OUT.

Gauntlet Hair w/ Pictureplane, Kevin Costner Suicide Pact @ Larimer Lounge – Doors at 8:30 PM, $10 – $15, 21+.

Soul Daddy Open Mic & Dance Party @ Walnut Room – Doors at 8:00 PM, FREE, 21+.

The Motet w/ Euforquesta @ Aggie Theater (Fort Collins) – Doors at 8:00 PM, $25, All Ages.

Itchy-O Marching Band w/ Action Friend @ 3 Kings Tavern – Doors at 9:00 PM, $10, 21+.

S.L.U.T. w/ The Other Russia @ Lion’s Lair – Doors at 9:00 PM, $10, 21+.

The Hollyfelds @ w/ Vibes on Velvet, The Jekylls @ Skylark Lounge – Doors at 9:00 PM, $8, 21+.

Handicapping Hometown for the Holidays

Hometown For The Holidays

The Top 10, I mean Top 12 thanks to a 4-way tie for 9th place, has been revealed for this year’s Hometown for the Holidays competition sponsored by KTCL 93.3 FM. Now, it’s up to the radio listeners (those who signed up at RateTheMusic.com prior to December 9th) to vote for their favorite acts from the Top 12. The top three vote-getters will perform at the Hometown for the Holidays concert at Casselman’s on Saturday, December 17th and the band with the most votes will receive $3,000 worth of recording time at The Blasting Room plus pricless bragging rights. Visit Area93.comto hear the Top 12 songs. Here are my predictions of each band’s chances of making the Top 3:

The Heyday – “Somebody to Someone”
The Heyday has made it into the Top 3 for three out of the last four years, so you’d have to consider them a heavy favorite to repeat this year. “Somebody to Someone” might not be as strong overall as last year’s “Fools Go Fallin'”, but the chorus is a knockout punch. I’m a little concerned that the track is more country-rock crossover than they typically play on KTCL, but I still expect The Heyday to do well in the voting. ODDS: 2 to 1 (50% chance)

The Photo Atlas – “Tell Me Again”
This one is tough to gauge. The Photo Atlas are well respected within the local music community. They’ve won a Westword Music Showcase award in each of the last two years, and may already be familiar to KTCL listeners (or Burnout Paradise video game players) thanks to their modest hit “Red, Orange, Yellow”. “Tell Me Again” is pretty poppy for the band. Ultimately it’s going to come down to whether listeners love or hate Singer Alan Andrews’ unique high, vibratto vocals. ODDS: 3 to 1 (33% chance)

Fierce Bad Rabbit – “You”
The Fort Collins based Fierce Bad Rabbits is a very strong contender in this year’s competition. “You” is ladened with the same kinds of hooks found in last year’s local hit “All I Have Is You”. But the song may be too “adult alternative” to attract the kinds of people that are likely to vote. If they can mobilize their FoCo followers through social media, they’ll have a huge advantage. ODDS: 3 to 1 (33% chance)

Churchill – “Change”
Churchill has to be commended for this savvy song choice. By choosing a song that features Bethany Kelly rather than Tim Bruns, “Change” automatically stands out as the only female-featured vocal. Plus, this song is absolutely gorgeous and capitilizes well on the success of KTCL artists like Florence and the Machine. Churchill made the Top 10 last year (and the Top 3 in 2009) and “Change” may very well put them in the Top 3 this year. ODDS: 2 to 1 (50% chance)

Saints – “Dark Country”
I first heard this song on “Locals Only” last month and wrote down the name of the band so that I wouldn’t forget it. Some of their songs have an Oasis vibe, but “Dark Country” is more Jakob Dylan meets Franz Ferdinand. While the song has a funky, chill vibe to it, it doesn’t really go anywhere. There is no difference in the music betwen the verses and the chorus, and unfortunately not even the dynamic outro can save it. ODDS: 10 to 1 (10% chance)

Reno Divorce – “Lover’s Leap”
“Lover’s Leap” is another song that stands out from the rest as being the only pure punk rock song in the competition. Fans of Social Distortion, Bad Religion, and Rise Against will vote for this song in droves and they’ve done a good job of mobilizing their fan base to vote. Still, you have to wonder why the band has failed to crack into the Top 3 after being in the Top 10 for three out of the last four years. Maybe there is some backlash for sounding too much like Social D. ODDS: 3 to 1 (33% chance)

My Body Sings Electric – “Doctor”
Like The Heyday, My Body Sings Electric was in the Top 3 last year. Their new single “Doctor” is indie-pop perfection. If they don’t make it into the Top 3, I’ll eat my hat. ODDS: 3 to 2 (66% chance)

Eldren – “Sleepy Walker”
I was a little perplexed by this decision. “Sleepy Walker” is a fairly new song and hasn’t been “road tested” much. But, I have come around to the shrewdness of the decision. It’s a short (not even 2 and a half minutes long) pop nugget that is alternately bouncy and dreamy. Eldren’s primary disadvantage is their newness. But one listen is all that most people need to become believers in this band. ODDS: 5 to 2 (40% chance)

Beats Noire – “Castaways”
Talk about a “wild card”. Beats Noire is the only band I’ve never heard of before. Hell, before the results were announced, they had fewer than 200 Facebook fans. This song’s Gorillaz-like vibe is pretty on point, but I think they would have been better served by editing the song down from its almost 4 minutes running time by removing the jazzy-piano interlude in the middle that just kills the song’s momentum. ODDS: 4 to 1 (25% chance)

Monroe Monroe – “Summon The Sound”
I don’t know whether the tally of 2010’s votes were published, but I’d be surprised if Monroe Monroe hadn’t finished in 4th place. “Squeeze” was one of the best songs to come out of Denver in 2010. I’m not sure that “Summon the Sound” was the best choice of songs to submit (I’d have gone with “Love Language (Wild Hearts)”). Still, Monroe Monroe has some good momentum going. ODDS: 3 to 1 (33% chance)

The Swayback – “What Death Cares About”
The Swayback are another perrenial favorite. I’m sure they will do well in the voting, but this song just doesn’t do it for me. ODDS: 3 to 1 (33% chance)

In The Whale – “Heels”
Nobody does more with less (members) than In The Whale. These guys have never met a gig they wouldn’t play. And whenever they start playing, newcomers get this look on their face like “are these guys serious?”. But, it isn’t long before Nate and Eric make converters out of them. “Heels” is less The Black Keys and more Clutch. It may be a little too hard rock for KTCL. And one of the things that makes In The Whale so charming and likeable is their nerdy exteriors. But, this will be lost on radio listeners. ODDS: 5 to 1 (20% chance)

There you have it. My Body Sings Electric and Churchill will fight it out for 1st place and The Heyday will round out the Top 3. Who do you think the Top 3 will be?

Weekend Preview: December 8th – December 11th, 2011

Here’s what’s going on in Denver this weekend. The shows I plan on attending are in RED. Come say “Hi”!

Thursday, December 8th, 2011

• Baywood “Eat and Greet” @ Illegal Pete’s Lodo – Wanna split a “Big Fish” with the boys in Baywood and hear them play a few songs for free? Here’s your chance! 6PM – 9PM, All Ages, FREE!!!
• Monroe Monroe CD Release Party w/ In The Whale, Wire Faces @ Lazy Dog (Boulder) – Celebrate the release of Monroe Monroe’s new EP Hello Moon. No info cuz the Lazy Dog website blows. Probably 9 PM, 21+, and Free if i had to guess.
• Allen Stone w/ The Oak Creek Band, Sam Lee @ Larimer Lounge – 9PM, 21+, $12.
• Hearts in Space w/ Go Star, Bonnie and the Beard, Christ Airs @ Meadowlark Bar – 9PM, 21+, $7.
• Trevor Hall w/ Paper Bird @ Boulder Theater – 8PM, All Ages, $31.50.

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Vices I Admire

• Vices I Admire CD Release Party w/ Take to the Oars, Genre Theory @ Bluebird Theater- Celebrate the release of Vices’ new EP Venom and Fire! 8PM, 16+, $12.
• Baywood w/ The Yawpers, Woodrose @ Larimer Lounge – 10PM, 21+, SOLD OUT.
• Monroe Monroe CD Release Party w/ In The Whale, Wire Faces @ Road 34 (FoCo) – Celebrate the release of Monroe Monroe’s new EP Hello Moon. 9 PM, All Ages, $5.
• Reviving Cecilia w/ Popcult, Tommy and the Tangerines @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – Ouch, it hurts to miss this one. 9PM, 16+, $5.
• Seismic Event w/ Common Anomaly, Sleeptalk @ Walnut Room – 7PM, 21+, $10.
• Novus Folium w/ Random Hero, Your Own Medicine, Red Tide Rising, Dimmer Switch @ Marquis Theater – 8PM, All Ages, $10.

Saturday, December 10th, 2011

Monroe Monroe

• Monroe Monroe CD Release Party w/ The Photo Atlas, Caleb Slade featuring Input, In The Whale @ Hi-Dive – Celebrate the release of Monroe Monroe’s new EP Hello Moon with this amazing lineup – three bands that made it into the Hometown for the Holidays Top 12! 9PM, 21+, $6.
• Fair to Midland w/ Dead Letter Circus, Aficionado, Glass Delerium @ Marquis Theater – 8PM, All Ages, $14.
• Schism w/ Zeppephilia @ Cervantes’ Other Side – A TOOL cover band and a Led Zeppelin cover band. I’ve never heard Schism, but they have a solid reputation! 9PM, 16+, $14.50.

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

• The Chain Gang of 1974 w/ Hearts in Space, The Royal @ Hi-Dive – If you like the direction Beck is heading lately, plus a healthy dose of 80’s electronica, The Chain Gang of 1974 is for you! 9PM, 18+, $10.
• Baywood BBQ w/ Glowing House, The Maykit, DJ Savior Breath @ Larimer Lounge – In case you missed out on tickets for Friday night’s Baywood Show! 3PM, 21+, $12.
• The B-52’s w/ Sauna @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, $40.

Weekend Preview: December 1st – December 4th, 2011

Here’s what’s going on in Denver this weekend. I am totally undecided as to which of these shows to attend… That’s a great position to be in!

Thursday, December 1st, 2011

• Stache Bash Benefit Show featuring Fierce Bad Rabbit w/ The Don’ts and Be Carefuls, Young Cities, and The Outfit @ Hi Dive – A great lineup benefiting the Blue Star Connection organization, which donates their time through the power of music to children and young adults who have cancer and other life threatening situations – 8PM, 21+, $10.
• Churchill w/ You, Me, and Apollo and Danielle Ate The Sandwich @ Hodi’s Half Note (FoCo) – 8PM, 18+, $10.
• Fairchildren @ Lost Lake – The band featuring Meese brothers Nate and Patrick kick of a December residency tonight. 9PM, 21+, $?.
• Set in Motion w/ Gary Bragg Band, Ali Grayson, & Sugar Magnoli @ Toad Tavern (Littleton) – 7 PM, 21+, $?.
• Kid Rock w/ Ty Stone @ Fillmore Auditorium – Upjump the boogie! 7PM, 16+, $47.
• eTown: Big Head Todd and the Monsters w/ Nicole Atkins @ Boulder Theater – 7PM, All Ages, SOLD OUT .

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

• Be The Ant w/ Eldren and Colfax Speed Queen @ Summit Music Hall – I’ve always wanted to see Colfax Speed Queen. Could this be the night? Everybody knows I love Eldren and Be The Ant. 8 PM, 21+, $5.
• Rocket Summer w/ The Heyday @ Marquis Theater – The Heyday?!? Geez, this is a really hard decision! The twenty dollar ticket price is a little steep. 7PM, All Ages, $20.
• Churchill w/ You, Me, and Apollo @ Walnut Room – Then again, I’ve never seen Churchill either… 7PM, 21+, $12.
• The Queers w/ Lola Black, Reno Divorce, Knock-Out, Potato Pirates @ Gothic Theater – 7PM, 16+, $12.
• Social Distortion w/ Suedehead and Chuck Ragan @ Ogden Theater – This is the first of three straight nights at the Ogden Theater, and the only night with available tickets. 8PM, 16+, $30.
• Fire In The Asylum w/Devoutcast, Fire Aweigh, Extreme Turbo Smash @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – 9PM, 16+, $5.
• Hell’s Belles w/ MF Ruckus @ Fox Theater (Boulder) – The premier all-female AC/DC tribute band – 9PM, $18, All Ages.

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011

• I Fight Dragons w/ The Photo Atlas and Monroe Monroe @ AF Rays (Greeley) –  Remind me never to accept an invitation to a dinner party on a Saturday ever again! 9PM, 18+, $13.
• Sun Red w/Popcult and Attic Attack @ Meadowlark Lounge – Well, at least I don’t have to try and choose between this show and the I Fight Dragons show! 9PM, 21+, $?.
• El Toro de la Muerte w/ In The Whale, Mercuria and the Gemstars @ Summit Music Hall – 8PM, 21+, $5.
• Achille Lauro w/ Red Fox @ Hi-Dive – Lizzie Huffman had been scheduled to appear, but has canceled due to personal circumstances. 9PM, 21+, $6.
• Mickey Avalon w/ ManCub and Boyhollow @ Bluebird Theater – 9PM, 16+, $25.
• Scott Kelly (Neurosis) w/ Munly (Slim Cessna’s Auto Club) and Bob Wayne @ Hi Dive – 10PM, 18+, $12.
• The Epilogues w/ Common Anomaly and Flashbulb Fires @ Road 34 (FoCo) – 9PM, 21+, $8.
• Colorado Composer Collective featuring Greg Garrison – Five Denver area composers have composed works to feature Leftover Salmon bassist Greg Garrison along with strings and brass. What a cool idea! 8PM, 21+, $13.
• Social Distortion w/ Suedehead and Chuck Ragan @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, SOLD OUT.
• Me Talk Pretty w/ Madina Lake, Hell or Highwater, and more @ Gothic Theater – 6PM, 16+, $13.

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

• I Fight Dragons w/ SkyFox and Mr. Right – 8PM, 16+, $15.
• Deas Vail w/Sick of Sarah and Now, Now @ Hi Dive – 9PM, 18+, $10.
• Social Distortion w/ Suedehead and Chuck Ragan @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, SOLD OUT.

EXCLUSIVE EP REVIEW: Monroe Monroe “Hello Moon”

Frank “Bella” Abbatecola has a fascination with the Moon. Perhaps it was borne out of his time spent at an Antarctic scientific research center, where Moon sightings can’t be taken for granted during the Austral Summer. Maybe it has to do with the mythology of the Moon and its alleged ability to induce insanity. Or, maybe it is because the Moon signals the arrival of night when it’s time to go out and rock. Whatever the reason, nobody who knows Abbatecola should be at all surprised that Monroe Monroe’s new EP would be titled Hello Moon.

The band’s first EP Love Wins, which was released in January and contained the local hit “Squeeze”, earned the band major attention at the Westword Music Showcase Awards where they picked up the top prize of a recording package worth $10,000. The result of that award is a collection of five songs that builds upon the formula that made Love Wins so successful. Hello Moon starts off with a pair of danceable pop-punk love songs: “Adore” and “Love Language (Wild Hearts)”. Based on these two tracks, listeners will continue to draw comparisons between Abbatecola’s voice and U2’s Bono as their range, tone, and delivery are very similar. But the guitars sound bigger and the rhythms are more aggressive compared to Love Wins. Abbatecola’s lone guitar at the beginning of “Adore” (which you can stream from the widget above) is so rich and reverberant, you would swear that it was recorded in the Pepsi Center rather than in a booth at Rocky Mountain Recorders. The bass sound of Monroe Monroe’s newest member James Morrison (also of Young Cities) gives these songs more punch. Nobody will accuse Morrison of overplaying on this record. He keeps it simple and plays only what is needed to support the rhythm like a good bass player should.

Photo Credit: Rebecca Marie Photography

The album’s middle track, “A Place to Start”, is harder and more masculine than anything the band has released thus far. It starts of with a Sex Pistols meets Jimmy Eat World guitar duel between Abbatecola and Tavis Alley before the drums and bass step in to break up the fight and kick the song into high gear. Truth be told, Matt Morse’s relentless attack on the hi-hat is a bit distracting on this track (particularly on the chorus). A little restraint might have made the song sound even heavier. Morse’s impressive skills are better on display in “Summon the Sound” where he plays a funky syncopated rhythm using every piece of his drum kit including a drum synthesizer. I’ve seen the jaws of other drummers drop when they watch Morse perform this song live. The lyrical theme of “Summon the Sound” is one not frequently used by Abbatecola – I don’t love you anymore and I feel fine (“I believe I’m getting better. Over you”) – and it provides a refreshing change of sentiment. “Your Heart Sings”, an epic minor-key composition with fluctuating dynamics and a blistering outro, closes the album. It’s one of those songs that benefits from being positioned at the end of a record, allowing you to wrap your head around what you just heard in the silence that follows. Alley’s aggressive manner of playing is one of the reasons why Hello Moon moves Monroe Monroe closer to their own signature sound.

Photo Credit: Michael Thompson

One minor annoyance for me is that the vocals are sometimes buried in the mix or lazily enunciated. Abbatecola is a singer who seems to prioritize hitting the right note and nailing the cadence of the syllables ahead of the words themselves. But, in order for music of this genre to rise to the level of “anthemic”, fans needs to be able to belt out the lyrics at a live show, or their car, or their room. There are some who pore over lyrics to decode their meanings and evaluate their literary worthiness. Maybe Abbatecola is one of those people and lacks the confidence in his own writing to sing his lyrics clearly. But I think most people (myself included) just want to be able to sing along, and may find it more difficult to connect with a song if they can’t distinguish the words. That said, Hello Moon is a step forward for the band in many ways and should help propel them further up the Denver music food chain.

Promotional Notes:
December 3rd – Interview on University of Northern Colorado’s campus radio station, where the album will be debuted in its entirety.
December 3rd – Monroe Monroe will perform as a special guest of I Fight Dragons at AF Ray’s in Greeley. The Photo Atlas will also perform.
December 5th – Interview on MileHighUnderground.com at 10 AM.
December 8th – Hello Moon Release Party at The Lazy Dog/Brick House in Boulder featuring Wire Faces and In the Whale.
December 9th – Hello Moon Release Party at Road 34 in Fort Collins featuring Wire Faces and In the Whale.
December 10th – Hello Moon Release Party at Hi-Dive in Denver featuring The Photo Atlas, Input (feat. Caleb Slade), and In the Whale.

Freshies – November 2011

Here’s a list of the freshest tracks on the Denver music scene:

Monroe Monroe: “Adore”
The five-song “Hello Moon” EP will be released on December 10th. “Adore” will be the opening track. Frontman Bella Abbetacola played the un-mastered CD for me in his car, and I can’t wait to hear the final cut on a good set of headphones!

The Photo Atlas: “Move It Darling”
A sneak preview from their next album. Keyboards are up front and Joshua Taylor is pounding the skins on this one!

Yonnas Abraham: “SUICIDE”
The 2nd track to be posted by the BLKHRTS and Pirate Signal frontman ahead of his“Sextape” Release Party on December 16th.

Air Dubai: “Summer Solstice”
You’ve heard “Soul & Body” and “Lights Down”. Now that the first snow has hit Colorado, “Summer Solstice” seems like a timely choice to feature off of the newly released “Day Escape” EP. You can check out the whole thing at airdubaimusic.com.

Dirty Rotten Rhymers: “Shoes So Dope”
I still don’t think “arches” rhymes with “park bench”, but there are plenty of rhymes that are on point!

Della: “Love Me, Leave Me”
Della will be celebrating the release of their new CD “Love Me, Leave Me at the Marquis Theater on November 10th. Get the details here and check out the title track.

ManCub: “The New Sound”
ManCub has re-worked their own track “Sound” into a new track “The New Sound” (I immediately thought of This is Spinal Tap when I wrote this: “There was already another group in the East End called The Originals, and we had to renam ourselves The New Originals”. But, I digress…). This is one of my favorite tracks the duo has released as it features more bass tones than I’m used to hearing from them.

All Capitals: “Hypochondriac”
This track is from their recently released EP “The Time Is Now”. “Hypochondriac” sounds like Guns ‘N Roses filtered through The Strokes. Tasty!

The Fray: “Heartbeat”
The band fronted by Caleb Slade’s big brother has released a new single from their upcoming third album, Scars And Stories, which finds them sounding more and more like Coldplay (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

Places: “This Fire”
This song is like honey dripping down your earholes! The album is due out on December 13th. Listen and download (name your price) on NoiseTrade.

Note: Some of these tracks have been posted to SoundCloud as part of Reverb’s “Steal This Track” feature. So, make sure to head over to their Facebook page and show them some love.

Weekend Preview: October 27th – October 31st, 2011

OK, Kids! It’s Halloween weekend! And, since Halloween is on a Monday, here’s a special EXTENDED weekend preview!

Events I plan on attending are in RED. Come say “Hi”!

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

• Radiation City w/ Popcult and Medic @ Larimer Lounge – That’s a lot of dreamy pop rock for one night! 8:00 PM, 21+, $10.
• Portishead w/ Thought Forms @ 1st Bank Center – Can’t say I’m super familiar with Portishead – but I like everything I’ve heard and I’m sure I will regret not going to this. 8:00PM, All Ages, $40-50.
• Trevor Hall w/ Cas Haley and Rob Drabkin @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, $25.
• Tin Horn Prayer w/Jesse Manley Band, …and the black feathers, and Pinetree Refugees @ Walnut Room – 7PM, 21+, $10.

Friday, October 28th, 2011

• Nightmare on Blake Street featuring My Body Sings Electric w/ The Pirate Signal, Eldren and MORE! @ Summit Music Hall – Definitely the “go-to” gig of this Halloween season!!! 7PM, All Ages, $8.
• Air Dubai w/ The Epilogues and In The Whale @ Belly Up (Aspen) – Killer lineup (if you’re in Aspen or you’re not going to Nightmare on Blake Street). 10PM, All Ages, $15.
• Joe Mondragon and A-OK’s Halloween Zombie Apocalypse Party @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – 9PM, 16+, $5.
• Devotchka w/Churchill @ Ogden Theater – 9PM, 16+, $34.75.
• Skyfox w/ Crimson Red and MORE @ Gothic Theatre – 8PM, 16+, $10.
• Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe @ Boulder Theater – Denson and Tiny Universe featuring Anders Osborne will be performing the Rolling Stones’ classic Sticky Fingers in its entirety! 8PM, All Ages, $36.
• Cold War Kids w/ Young Man @ Fox Theater (Boulder) – The same lineup at the same time on Saturday night too! 9PM, All Ages, $25.

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

• Air Dubai w/ The Epilogues and The Photo Atlas @ Black Sheep (Colorado Springs) – 8PM, All Ages, $10.
• Denver Does CBGB’s @ Hi-Dive – Several of Denver’s elite bands pay tribute to the bands who got their start at the legendary NYC rock club CBGB’s – 9PM, 21+, $10.
• Reno Divorce w/ The Repercussions and MORE @ Marquis Theater – 4 out of 5 punk rockers agree: If you like Social Distortion – you’ll like Reno Divorce. 7:30 PM, All Ages, $12.
• Devotchka w/ Zombies vs Vampires @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 21+, $42.
• MiMOSa @ Fillmore Auditorium – 7PM, 16+, $35.
• De La Soul w/ The Black Sheep @ Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom – 9PM, All Ages, $34.50

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

• Air Dubai w/ The Epilogues and My Body Sings Electric @ Aggie Theater (Fort Collins) – 8PM, All Ages, $10
• The Motet @ Bluebird Theater – Boulder’s best funk tribute band performs the music of The Grateful Dead. 9PM, 16+, $25
• Method Man @ Ogden Theater – 8PM, 16+, $30.

Monday, October 31st, 2011

• Air Dubai w/ The Epilogues, Monroe Monroe, and ManCub @ Bluebird Theatre – Are you fucking kidding me with this lineup?!?!?! 8PM, 16+, $15.
• Inca House Halloween Party – The official Air Dubai after party featuring performances by The Photo Atlas (as Def Leppard) and Cobraconda (as Dr Dre and Snoop Dog).
• Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe @ Fillmore Auditorium – Denson and Tiny Universe featuring Anders Osborne will be performing the Rolling Stones’ classic Sticky Fingers in its entirety! 7PM, 16+, $25.

Weekend Preview: October 13th – October 16th, 2011

Here’s what’s going on in Denver this weekend. Events I plan on attending are in RED. Come say “Hi”!

Thursday, October 13th, 2011

• Dax Riggs w/ In The Whale, and guests @ Larimer Lounge – Riggs brings his band of Louisiana voodoo rock to the Larimer Lounge for two nights starting Thursday. Everyday (In The Mile High) friends In The Whale are opening! 8 PM, 21+, $15 ($20 for a 2-day pass).
• “FORTY FIVE with ALF” @ The Meadowlark – No, KTCL’s “Locals Only” DJ Alf is not turning 45 (but he’s not that far off). Wikipedia informs me that “45’s” are actually vinyl platters which are seven inches in diameter and have grooves that produce audio when a special needle is dragged along them. What will they think of next? He’ll mostly be playing instrumentals from the 50s, 60s and 70s.  Soul, funk, rock and jazz. 8 PM, 21+, cover unknown.
• Pete Stein w/ Statue of Liberty and Black Dots @ Lion’s Lair – 8 PM, 21+, $5
• Boulder Acoustic Society @ Illegal Pete’s Downtown – 7 PM, All Ages, FREEEEEE!
• The Photo Atlas begin their East Coast tour in Omaha, Nebraska. Knock ’em dead, boys!
• CSS @ Bluebird Theater – 7:30 PM, 16+, $20

Friday, October 14th, 2011

Dirty Rotten Rhymers

• Places w/ The Canopy, Dirty Rotten Rhymers, and CrOoKiD @ Rockstar Lounge – P is for Party! And S is for Sexy… and Shoes. Places rocks and Dirty Rotten Rhymers will debut their latest jam about footwear. 8 PM, 21+, $5
• Chris Daniels & The Kings @ Nissi’s (Lafayette) – The big news hear is “holy shit! There’s a live music club in Lafayette?!?”. 7:30 PM, 18+, $10
• Yellowcard @ Fox Theater (Boulder) – 9 PM, $25, All Ages

Saturday, October 15th, 2011 – HAPPY BIRTHDAY E.J. JOHNSON and ALEX HALVORSON (Popcult)!!!

Petals of Spain w/ In The Whale

• Petals of Spain w/ In The Whale @ Bar Bar – What’s black and white and has 14 arms and 18 eyes?  9 PM, 21+, FREEEEEE!
• Tankcsapda w/ Monroe Monroe @ Buffalo Rose (Golden) – Monroe Monroe has been pretty quiet while recording their new record. They’ll probably be playing lots of new stuff while opening for the Hungarian metal band. 8 PM, $15
• Rose Hill Drive w/ Dax Riggs and Mercuria and the Gem Stars @ Fox Theater – 9 PM, All Ages, $15
• Between Fate @ D-Note (Arvada) – Between Fate brings hard rock to Arvada! They’ll play some of their songs “unplugged” to make the ladies swoon. Sounds like a “target rich” environment! 9 PM, 21+, $5
• Howard Jones @ Summit Music Hall – The 80’s synth scientist will play his hit albums “Human’s Lib” and “Dream into Action”. I was totally gonna go until I realized that Jones and Thomas Dolby are not the same person – 7 PM, All Ages, $35
• Snake Rattle Rattle Snake begins their West Coast tour in San Diego, California. Knock ’em dead, boys (and Hayley)!

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

• Hawthorne Heights w/ Life in Electric, ViFolly, and Calibrate Me @ Hi Dive – The triumphant return of Life in Electric as they open for Ohio new-wave emo rock band Hawthorne Heights! Channel 93.3 Big Gig finalists Calibrate Me will also be on hand. Not to be missed! 6:00 PM, 16+, $10
• Roger Daltrey @ 1st Bank Center – The Who’s vocalist promises to perform the rock opera “Tommy” in its entirety plus Who hits and more! 6:30 PM, All Ages, $45 – $126

In the Studio: Monroe Monroe

At the Westword Music Showcase Awards last June, Monroe Monroe took home what was arguably the most coveted prize of the evening: the right to record an EP at Rocky Mountain Recorders for free (worth about $10K). While the other WMS awards were determined by public ballot, Monroe Monroe was hand-picked by the folks at Westword Magazine as most deserving of this prize.

On September 27th, the band invited some of their friends to join them in the studio to lay down gang choruses for the song “Love Language (Wild Hearts)”. Those of us who were able to sneak out of work for an hour were excited to hang out in the studio and offer our services. Among those on hand were In the Whale’s Nate Valdez and Eric Riley, super-fans Anna Apodaca and E.J. Johnson, longtime friend of the band Lan Wilcox, and the entire Everyday (In the Mile High) crew (i.e. me, PK, and our two kids). Thanks to the superb direction of Frank Abbatecola and Tavis Alley, and aided by engineers Andrew Vastola and 7-year old Erin (“one more take”) Thompson, the session went surprisingly quick. Look for “Love Language (Wild Hearts)” on Monroe Monroe’s next release, tentatively scheduled for a December release.

 
“Engines Will Come” from the EP Love Wins is available on iTunes and Amazon’s MP3 store.
Filmed at Rocky Mountain Recorders. All rights to audio are owned by Monroe Monroe and their publisher(s).
Monroe Monroe on Facebook

Why Doesn’t KTCL Play Local Music?

Denver has one of the most vibrant local music scenes in the country right now.  Over 13,000 people showed up to the Westword Music Showcase in June, and another 11,000 tickets were sold for July’s Underground Music Showcase which featured 350 local bands over four days.  You’d think that Denver’s Alternative Rock radio station, KTCL 93.3 FM, would want to take advantage of this demand for local music and play more of it.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Using statistics from http://www.yes.com/#KTCL and a mid-week sample date of Wednesday, August 31st, I discovered that KTCL had a total of 220 “plays”.  Of those plays, only 14 were from bands that are (or were) based in the Denver/Greeley/Fort Collins area.  That’s just barely over 6%.   It’s even more pitiful when you consider that these 14 plays only represented 7 unique songs.  One local musician said to me recently “People don’t need to hear [the Flobot’s hit] ‘Handlebars’ every fucking day”.  It may sound like he was exaggerating – only he wasn’t.  “Handlebars”, a song that is now 4 years old, was played twice on Wednesday.  “Girlfriends” by Single File was played three times.  As far as I can tell, these guys broke up almost two years ago!  Tickle Me Pink’s “Carolina” was played – they, too, are no longer together.  Breathe Carolina and The Northern Way (formerly known as Set Forth) also got two plays each.  Then there’s the biggest slap in the face: The Fray was played four times!  Why is this the biggest slap in the face?  Because, KTCL’s Alf was pretty much single-handedly responsible for breaking The Fray through his “Locals Only” show on Sunday nights.  Proof positive that radio airplay (along with listener demand) can turn a local act into a national act.  In fact, I’m not even sure it’s fair to count their four plays against the 14, because they are probably just part of Clear Channel’s “Premium Choice” program anyway.

Premium Choice is an initiative to “identify Clear Channel’s most effective content across music genres”, in other words: an approved playlist.  Clear Channel claims to give the local Program Director “total choice and flexibility in choosing the Premium Choice programming elements, and can use large portions, single elements, or none of the programming if they choose”.  But, there is no way that can be true.  According to his LinkedIn page, Nerf is not only KTCL’s afternoon drive DJ, but the station’s Program Director as well.  Nerf works very hard to get local bands onto larger stages, such as KTCL’s Big Gig, Hometown for the Holidays, and this year’s Denver County Fair (where he got  Take to The Oars, My Body Sings Electric, and others into the Stadium Arena at the National Western complex), but he can’t be bothered to play their songs on the radio?  It just doesn’t add up.  His hands must be tied.

So, what are we as concerned citizens and lovers of local music to do?  Stop listening to KTCL?  Do you think Clear Channel has any problem shutting down one radio station?  No way, and KTCL does too much good for the local music community to risk that.  My suggestion is to make “Locals Only” the most popular show on the channel by listening every Sunday night, and to call the request lines every other hour of the week to request local bands.  The fact is, I probably wouldn’t even be writing this blog right now if it wasn’t for KTCL spending 4 minutes out of a 1,440 minute broadcast day to play “Hunting Season” by The Epilogues.  Never in my 18 years of living in Colorado had I gone out to see a local band headline a show.  But that single play led me to the Bluebird Theater just days later where I saw Monroe Monroe, My Body Sings Electric, and The Epilogues.  Since then, I’ve been addicted to the scene and have shoveled money into the pockets of musicians.  One play.  That’s all it took.  Judging from my research, I got lucky.