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

Single Preview: My Body Sings Electric “She Wants To Be A Doctor”

Since April, I’ve participated in a few Kickstarter projects to help musicians get some studio time. It’s usually a win-win situation: the band gets money, and the “backer” gets some cool rewards – usually in the form of band merchandise. For larger contributions, some bands offer rewards that are more personal – such as the “Thank You” video that Monroe Monroe made for me (found here) for backing their project. One of my rewards for backing My Body Sings Electric’s Kickstarter project was exclusive access to the single that my contribution helped to get recorded.

My Body Sings Electric (photographer unknown)

The song is called “She Wants To Be A Doctor”. It is 3:14 long and around 160 BPM. It begins (and ends) with dueling stereo guitars – Jeff Fedel in your right ear and Nick Crawford in your left ear – reminiscent of the intro to “Jealous Teeth” by their Inca House Collective brothers The Photo Atlas. The overall sound is similar to that of their previous album “Changing Color”. Crawford’s and Fedel’s guitars complement each other and stay distinct in the mix throughout the length of the song. The rhythm is about as straightforward as MBSE gets, but Jason Bower’s punchy bass and Ben Scarboro’s kick drum and hi-hat shine through (particularly in the chorus and the bridge). Brandon Whalen’s vocals are strong and clear and employ multi-tracked harmonies.

As for the lyrics, it is a boyfriend’s lament about how his girlfriends no longer have time for him. One wants to be a doctor and “bury herself inside of books that I can’t even read”. The other wants to be a model and “dance around in pretty clothes that she can’t afford to keep”. While one is trying to better herself internally through learning and the other externally through her appearance, the boy has stopped caring about both his brains and looks and can barely get motivated enough to leave the couch. Whether his malaise is borne out of his own laziness or in response to the decreased attention; whether to feel sorry for him or yell through the song at him to get up off his ass and make something of himself is for the listener to decide.

It’s a catchy song. Easy to dance to, easy to learn the lyrics. They’ve played it live a couple of times and will most likely play it again at the “Nightmare on Blake Street” event that they are headlining on October 28th at Summit Music Hall with The Pirate Signal, Eldren, and more. If you’ve never backed a Kickstarter project, it’s pretty exciting to be an “investor” in the bands you like. By the way, my contribution also made me eligible to have a song written about me by My Body Sings Electric. It will be very interesting to see if the band is able to capture my “essence”. Ha ha!

Weekend Preview: October 6th – October 9th, 2011

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

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

• Vices I Admire w/ Take To The Oars and In The Whale @ Brick House Boulder – I love ALL of these guys musically and personally, so this was a no-brainer! Plus it’s free and that just makes the music taste better. 10 PM, 21+, FREE
• WAVES w/ The Photo Atlas, Popcult, and Shaky Molars @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – It hurts to miss this show, but there’s only one of me and I can use the 15 bucks for booze at Brick House. Way it goes… 8:30 PM, 16+, $15
• Chromeo w/ Mayer Hawthorne & The County @ Boulder Theater – Personally, I wasn’t all that impressed with Chromeo at the Westword Music Showcase. But, Mayer Hawthorne would be worth the price of admission (if the price of admission wasn’t $43.25! GEEZ!). 9PM, All Ages, $43.25
• Minus the Bear w / The Velvet Teen @ Summit Music Hall – 7:30 PM, All Ages, $22.

Friday, October 7th, 2011

• Inca House 1st Friday Party Featuring Petals Of Spain and Izcalli @ Inca House – The 2nd installment of a new monthly tradition! If you have to ask where it is, you’re not resourceful enough. Parking is EXTREMELY limited, so ride a bike and add it to the bike tree! 10 PM, All Ages, Entry and Beer are free, but cups cost money (no outside cups!).
• The Marrow w/ Jen Korte, Sarah Slaton, and Glowing House @ The Walnut Room – Sarah is my new bestest buddy, and I was knocked out by Glowing House when I saw them open for John Common. 7 PM, 21+, $8.
• Della w/ The Say So, Forget Me Not, and We Were Cosmonauts @ Gothic Theater – Celebrate Della’s release of their new video! 8 PM, 16+, $12.
• Yeah Great Fine w/ Mr. Right and Polcult @ Moe’s Original BBQ and Bowl – I’m not sure if this is Ultra 5280’s first concert production, but best wishes to Robert Castro and crew! 9 PM, 16+, $5
• Filthy T w/Calling Out West, YOM, Fairgrounds @ Bluebird Theater – 8:30 PM, 16+, $12
• Switchfoot w/ Anberlin @ Boulder Theater (SOLD OUT)
• Chromeo w/ Sammy Bananas, Mayer Hawthorne & The County @ Ogden Theater – 9 PM, 16+, $35.
• Lupe Fiasco @ Fillmore Auditorium – 8 PM. 16+, $46.50

Saturday, October 8th, 2011

• The Epilogues w/ The Photo Atlas @ Wahoo’s Fish Tacos (Fort Collins) – I’ve discovered that most Denver bands work for food. 4 PM, All Ages, FREE!
• Yeah Great Fine w/ The Photo Atlas and The Cold North @ Brick House Boulder – Apparently, The Photo Atlas prepares for their tours by scheduling 2-a-days! 10 PM, 21+, FREE!
• Bowling Ball 3 @ Luck Strikes Lane – Help raise money for Flobots.org to help empowering the youth of Denver by hanging out with Devotchka, The Flobots, and members of the Colorado Rapids. Performances by local artists including Churchill. 6 PM, All Ages, $100.
• Chris Heckman (of The Epilogues) w/ Andy Thomas (of Tin Horn Prayer) @ Illegal Pete’s Downtown – Burritos, tacos, and nachos, oh my! 10 PM, All Ages, FREE!
• X @ Summit Music Hall – The legendary L.A. punk band will be performing their debut album Los Angeles in its entirety and other classic punk/surf tunes! 8 PM, All Ages, $29.50.
• Places w/ Canopy @ Herman’s Hideaway – 8 PM, 21+, $8
• Supersuckers w/ Reno Divorce @ Bluebird Theater – 9 PM, 16+, $20

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

• FOO FIGHTERS w/ Cage The Elephant @ Pepsi Center – ‘Nuff said. 7 PM, All Ages, $44.50
• Airborne Toxic Event w/ The Epilogues @ Fillmore Auditorium – Go support Denver’s Epilogues as they play their first show ever at the Fillmore! 7 PM, 16+, $32.50
• The Misfits w/ Juicehead @ Summit Music Hall – 7 PM, All Ages, $17.50

Weekend Preview: September 9 -11, 2011

Thursday, September 8th

• Open Mic Night @ The Summit Music Hall – Melissa McIntyre is performing at around 9:30 and Chris Heckman from The Epilogues will join her for a song!  Plus no cover and $1 PBR’s!  21+
• Serious Moonlight @ Lazy Dog/Brick House – An indie-folk band featuring members of The Photo Atlas. 21+, Free(?)
• Paper Bird @ The Boulder Theater – Paper Bird is one of Colorado’s best Americana bands. All Ages, $17.50 – $19.50 (Under 21)
• PopCult @ Larimer Lounge – Fans of The Fray/Coldplay will love these guys. 21+. $10
• My Darkest Days @ Marquis Theater – Canadian rock for strippers. All Ages, $15
• King Rat @ Bender’s Tavern – Denver’s godfathers of punk. 21+, $10
• STS9 @ Ogden Theater – SOLD OUT

Friday, September 9th

• Back to School Bash w/ Regret Night, Kill Paradise, The Photo Atlas, Caramel Carmela, and Break Through Beautiful – This is the only thing worth going to on Friday night.  Trust me! All Ages, $10
• STS9 @ Red Rocks – The first of a 2-night stand. All Ages, $52

Saturday, September 10th

• DMX @ Gothic Theater – 16+, $35 ($40 D.O.S.)
• MSTRKRFT @ Ogden Theater – 16+, $25 ($30 D.O.S.)
• Justice League of Street Food’s Fall Helmet Bash @ 3507 Ringsby Ct – Denver’s best food trucks gather for a party including entertainment and booze from 5-10 PM. Wear a hat or helmet! All Ages.

Sunday, September 11th

• The Epilogues w/ Aloft in the Sundry, Be Brave, and Petals of Spain @ Hi-Dive – If you don’t come, the terrorists win. 18+, $6 (Are you kidding me! That’s a great deal!)