Thrice Brings the Energy To Summit Music Hall | June 25, 2016

When was the last time you were at a sold out show where the entire crowd was screaming the along with the band?  If you were to ask us, that is how we spent Saturday night as post-hardcore band Thrice played at Summit Music Hall. 

photo credit: Matt Smith/Ultra5280

Thrice has some of the most devout fans I have come across – although, I would argue most fans of the pop-punk/emo/post-hardcore genre bands are the most consistently devout fans in general. Thrice had taken a 3 year hiatus starting in 2012, and returned to life in 2015, performing at several big festivals including Riot Fest Denver. After a quick tour last year, they joined again in the studio to record a new album To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere. This 11-song album received a mix of reviews, most focusing on it's seemingly overly political agenda rather than top tracks like “Blood on the Sand” and “Black Honey”.

Saturday's opening act, La Dispute, did not fail to stir the crowd. Lead singer Jordan Dreyer has an amazing stage presence.  While singing he was jumping around, moving back and forth across the stage and even hopping in the crowd a few times. Dreyer leans more towards spoken word/ poetic style of lyrics, a unique departure in a genre that is consistently filled with very similar acts. His deep, disturbing lyrics cause the listener to turn inward and self reflect, while imaging visuals to go along with the heartbreaking stories. La Dispute is certainly best seen live rather than simply listened to, so don't skip on your next catch to catch one of their shows. 

fans literally screaming along to every word (photo credit: Matt Smith/Ultra5280)

As the stage went dark, an erie thunderstorm sound began to boom as Thrice walked on stage and opened with “Hurricane” the first track of off their new album. They proceeded to jump back in time to “Sillohouette” off their breakout album The Artist and The Ambulance.  Frontman Dustin Kensrue and bandmates were immediately playing hard and rocking the crowd's faces off.  As the mosh pit started, fans screamed along to the lyrics and crowd surfers went flying over heads – the show's energy was really starting to peak.  Thrice ended the night with a three song encore of older hits like “The Artist And the Ambulance”, “In The Years To Come” and finished with “The Earth Will Shake." As the music and crowd settled, sweat covered fans looked disappointed that show was over, itching for more, yet still very satisfied.  As fans began to leave, the merch table was mobbed by fans anxious to pick up anything to remember the night while supporting a a band that they're thankful to have performing once again. 

- words and photographs by Matt Smith

Music | It's a Death Star Dance Party: Nerd Prom 2016

Where can a Princess Peach dance with a dapper Captain America? Where can Lego people beat Batman at a Mario Kart Grand Prix? In what universe do Deadpool and the X-Men actually get along? Nerds of all shapes, sizes, pixels and universes will find themselves right at home at the 5th annual Denver Nerd Prom, happening this Saturday night at The Summit Music Hall.

What began as a fun themed Valentine’s Day concert for now-defunct Denver band Bop Skizzum has quickly transformed into one of Colorado’s largest geeky events of the year. Nerd Prom returns to The Summit Music Hall this Saturday for it’s fifth year of dorky dancing, delicious drinks, and the annual Nerd Prom King and Queen competition. Sponsored by companies like Twist & Shout, Denver Comic Con, Alamo Drafthouse, Pop Culture Classroom and more, this event is a great way to support the geekiest businesses in Denver while wearing your Comic Con best. Drink sponsors Red Bull, Serpent’s Bite, and New Belgium Brewery will help spice the night up with scrumptious, hilariously named custom brews on Nerd Prom’s event-specific drink menu. 

Vexed by video games? The team from Bits & Brews are supplying a variety of classic and modern machines for you to play on all night long, including a few tournaments throughout the night. Summit’s upper level will be converted to an exclusive VIP section and will host two gaming set-ups accessible only to the VIPs, guaranteeing shorter lines for gameplay all night long. The VIP section also boasts a private bar, meet-and-greet opportunities with all the bands, assorted “noms” from the Snack Attack Bar, and automatic entry into a raffle to win one weekend pass to this year’s Denver Comic Con. VIP tickets are $50, but with a limited number available, we recommend you grab one quick before it’s too late.

Consumed by Cosplay? Nerd Prom hosts a top-notch cosplay competition each year. Judged for craftsmanship, presentation, and overall epic-ness, the winner of the cosplay contest will walk away from the night with an extra $250 in their pocket (cash, not bitcoin). Contestants must register no later than 8pm at a table in the Summit’s merchandise area, and will be judged after One Flew West’s set later in the evening. 

Down to dance? We hope so! Nerd Prom will feature sets from DJ Hollow (best known as the house DJ for Lipgloss) between performances by One Flew West, SkyLaw, the horn section from ContraBand (can someone say Cantina band?!?), and Andy Rok & The Real Deal performing a special Nerd Prom set - guaranteed to satisfy your inner nerd with a variety of comic classics.

Keen for a crown? Nerd Prom’s “creme de la creme” is it’s royalty competition. Contestants were required to submit an online profile proving their “nerdiness” for fans to vote on. The three who received the highest number of votes on the event’s Facebook page will duke it out at the show to earn their titles. After a few rounds of mini-competitions throughout the night, the Nerd King & Queen will be crowned with unique, custom-built Lego crowns. 

High school Prom might have not been your thing at the time - it wasn’t for a lot of us. Young or old, DC or Marvel, Nerd Prom is the place of all of us to have the kind of night *we* always dreamed of - one without chaperones, shitty limos, or a poorly spiked punch bowl.  A place where anyone who is slightly different can feel right at home, Nerd Prom is the musical celebration of the counter-culture and all it’s variety. There are dozens of different “nerd universes” out there, but from Alderaan to Gallifrey, from The Moon Kingdom all the way to The Grid, they can all party together in the universe that is Nerd Prom.

GA and VIP tickets for Nerd Prom 2016 are available here.

Music | Show ALERT: Punk Rock Bowling Invading Denver | June 2-4 | Summit Music Hall

Punk rockers rejoice! Punk Rock Bowling was started back in 1999 as a way to bring the independent music community together for an annual party in Las Vegas, Nevada That’s why it was an easy decision for Soda Jerk Presents to partner with Punk Rock Bowling to bring this incredible punk festival to Denver. Wanting to focus on creating a festival with sustainable growth and an intimate feel, it was decided to keep the festival indoors for the first year.

The initial lineup is stacked with legends, including Buzzcocks, Millencollin, , FLAG
(featuring Keith Morris, Chuck Dukowski, Bill Stevenson, Dez Cadena and Stephen Egerton), The Briefs, 88 Fingers Louie, D.O.A., Anti-Nowhere League, Youth Brigade, Love Me Destroyer (reunion), Potato Pirates, Wiredogs, Spells and more.

Click here to see a recap of the 2015 Punk Rocking Bowling festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Punk Rock Bowling will be held at Summit Music Hall, June 2 – 4. Doors to open at 7:00PM and is an all-ages show. A limited amount of three day passes will be available for $60.00. Individual day tickets will be $22.00 advanced and $25.00 day of show. For tickets or more information please visit www.sodajerkpresents.com.

Music | The Darkness & In The Whale | Summit Music Hall, October 16 2015

Do you "believe in a thing called love?" This past Friday we were at Summit Music Hall to see the British rock band The Darkness and prove just that. We knew it was going to be a great show, but we had no idea what we were really in for.

our favorite rock-n-roll troubadours, In The Whale. photo credit: Andrew Rios/Ultra5280

Turns out that the tour's opening band was having some troubles going through customs at the Canadian boarder, so our hometown favorites In The Whale got a last minute phone call to fill in! Needless to say when we heard this news, we just about lost it! Most of the people we ran into didn't know who In The Whale was, but we assured those we talked to that they were in for an insane performance. Nate and Eric rocked as hard as they always do, making friends proud, and amazing those unfamiliar with their unique brand of rock and roll. As soon as the duo left the stage, their merch table was packed with people wanting their CD and their famous "Eat Shit and Die" koozies. That dynamic duo never disappoints! It's now been confirmed that the band The Darkness can be added to the group's fan club - enough so that they have asked the gents to continue along with them on their tour across the US, at least for a few more dates. 
 

The Darkness. photo credit: Andrew Rios/Ultra5280

The Darkness busted out of the green room and the whole crowd blew up! Frontman Justin Hawkins, dressed in a Beetlejuice style get up, definitely knew how to boost the energy in the room. There were an abundance of crowd surfers floating their way through the sea of people as the band ran through their repertoire of songs. They even pulled a couple who had just been married up onto stage to party as the guys played "I Believe In A Thing Called Love". Hawkins was then carried out into the crowd on the shoulders of one of the fans as he rocked out on his guitar. He then proceeded to climb up on the gates on one side of the venue, standing tall above everyone, he spread his arms and leaped into the crowd. We were in utter shock! These guys made huge fans out of us and we'll definitely be on the lookout for the next time these crazy Brits are in town. Until then, check out some of the photos our staff photographer Andrew Rios captured that evening.

Bayside, Senses Fail, Man Overboard | Summit Music Hall | Saturday, March 21, 2015

Bayside never fails us. From their high energy shows to their well written songs, fans of this group have been spoiled rotten by New York's finest gentlemen for the past decade and a half, so it was only right for the good people of Denver to show up in full force to celebrate the group's tremendous career this past Saturday at The Summit Music Hall. Joined on this 15-year Anniversary tour by friends Senses Fail and Man Overboard, fans were treated to a perfectly pop-punk lineup spanning each era of the group's musical career. 

Check out the great photo review from Matt Smith below! 

Music | An Evening with Night Riots | Interview & Review

Spring is a great time of year to be living in Denver when music is your thing. As bands slowly make their way west towards Austin, TX for the music week of South By Southwest (SXSW), Denver tends to be one of the last stops for many groups before they plunge into the festival’s insanity. While some might think it’s a little overkill to watch the same band multiple time in the course of a few short weeks, I love getting the chance to watch artists play a proper concert before seeing what can often be disjointed, quick sets in rooms packed to the gills with festival goers. Last week I sat down with California-based Night Riots to talk about SXSW, touring, and all things Oregon Trail (yes, the crappy 90’s computer video game) before the band heads to Texas to battle the beast that is SXSW. 

photo credit: Maddie Casey

The room was moderately packed for a chilly Friday night at the Marquis Theatre when I arrived after a tedious battle with the pothole-filled streets to get downtown. It had been snowing all week, but you couldn’t tell from the warm buzz of the crowd once you got inside. “We always pick the coldest time of the year to come to Denver” guitarist Mikel joked, wrapped in a peacoat and boots as he met me at the door and walked us downstairs to meet the rest of the band. Playing that night with locals The Epilogues, the Denver music scene has become a welcome friend to Night Riots. They’ve played this city a slew of times over the past few years and were paired with The Epilogues as local support so often its lead them to ask the group to now accompany them on some tour dates through California and along the west coast. Although the band has continued to grow and change, Denver’s familiar crowd is refreshing amidst their newest endeavor: their first full national headlining tour. Kicking off on January 19th, the band will be out until the end of March, a lofty endeavor for any group regardless of size or tenure. “It’s been surprising how awesome the shows have been so far” lead singer Travis Hawley admitted to me on their green room couch. “It’s been nerve-wracking to be the headliner for the first time, but it’s going well so far”. “We think our drummer has dysentery, but he’ll pull through” guitarist Matt joked. 

The past year has seemingly been one long, eclectic experiment for the band as they played with a crazy variety of different artists throughout the year. Touring with experimental rapper K Flay, playing festivals with The Mowglis and Cage The Elephant, and even a few Saosin reunion shows in the fall, the group has certainly stretched the limits of their dynamic sound, one which I’ve been known to describe as “brooding disco meets alt-pop”. When asked about their unique sound, Hawley said “We don’t wanna write the same song every time. All these pieces, each song, should be a different story, but they’re all from the same life. We’re always trying to relate pieces that are an adventure through (coherent) lifetime.” From the simple, poppy bass lines and piano of “Young Lore” to the emotive, 80’s style lyrics of “Back to Your Love”, into the dark and mysterious tracks of their newest release, 2014’s Howl, Night Riots might not seem to “fit” any of the bills they’ve been booked on, but it’s been made clear that they are the square that can become the rectangle, not the rectangle that cannot be the square. “It’s been really interesting to watch how fans react to us in each situation” Mikel concedes to me while we chat, “It hasn’t been planned for us to play such diverse shows, but it’s certainly been surprising to see how each show goes. Not all the fans at every show connect, but there’s been a good portion of fans that have been interested in what we do. I think that K Flay’s fans were the most surprising because she’s so different from us, but then again, she has a really varied fan base to begin with.” 

photo credit: Maddie Casey

Another experiment the band tried in 2014 was their month-long residency at Hemingways, a smaller, “hipster” venue in Los Angeles. Artist residencies have for the most part become a thing of the past with the exception of legacy acts at Madison Square Garden and shows in Vegas, so for such a young band to try it out seemed curious. “It’s something that’s kinda weird to think about, but it turned out rad for us” the group says. Playing four nights throughout the month of August, the band actually toured other states in between their shows each week instead of hunkering down in the city. “We regretted building the schedule like that in the end since we were traveling and touring so much (during that time period too), but we got it to work for us. It really hyped up the (fans in) LA, and was cool to see certain fans returning for each show week to week”. 

As 2015 begins, Night Riots seem more focused on carving out new futures than they are on continuing to experiment. The group is headed south in a few weeks to Austin, TX for their second duel with the monster that is SXSW. “It’s interesting…wild…something that you just have to fully accept to make the most of” the group says when asked about the festival. “We went last year, and it was cool because there are just so many people there. Some you know, some you don’t, but you do have to have good shows to really make it worthwhile.” While the band is prepping to make solid first impressions on many down south, Denver’s familiarity with the band can be seen as one of the small pressures to keep them focusing on growth. During their set that at the Marquis, fans were singing and dancing along to each song, fully immersed in all the show had to offer. Vocalist Hawley was moving around the stage, climbing on speakers and twirling his mic stand through one of the better light displays I’ve ever seen in the tiny venue. After the group’s dynamic 45-minute set, fans called for encores despite the group already playing their current single “Contagious”. The crowd left happy at the end of the evening, although I’m sure I wasn’t the only one in attendance itching to hear new material from this group of avant-garde musicians.

Night Riots will be back in Colorado this summer during their stint on the Vans Warped Tour, but I hope that will be the last time we see them until they return with a full-length album in tow (they say they’ll record as soon as they have the chance). It’s certainly going to be a crazy week down in Austin for both the Ultra5280 team and the bands performing, but one thing i’m looking forward to is seeing Night Riots in a different setting, getting to watch new fans react to this eclectic sound that Denver has come to love like one of our own.