New York's The Dig Brought Denver Psych-Pop Clarity @ Larimer Monday 3/27

The Dig played an exclusive set at Larimer Lounge on Monday comprised of their newest Bloodshot Tokyo (2017)- a refreshing offshoot from predecessors Tame Impala and Dr. Dog. The Dig bring the raw relatability of the primary in their clever lyricism and tonality, yet elevate the mood with the syrupy psychedelia of the latter. The quattro has palpable magnetism; their far reaching harmonies were layered yet concise, dripping with charming clarity while remaining danceable and effervescent. 

Photo Kendall Morris

Photo Kendall Morris

David Baldwin and Emile Mosseri fronted the stage with a strange at-home electricity. The show was to be their last of the tour, thus they were familiar with set and stage, but also ready to blow whatever pent energy they had left post-road. 

Emile Mosseri took to the ledge, drenched in magenta light, channeling light, mild-and-airy vocals which Baldwin closely shadowed. Keyboardist Erik Eiser sifted through the melodies and keyboard settings with quick hands and quicker bare feet; his maze of wires included a varied pedal assemblage, multiple keyboards and synths, and a plastic water cup expertly tucked into his discarded sneaker for safe sips. 

On tracks like Jet Black Hair their pedalwork crafted intricate waves and rifts with oblique attention, while on others such as Bleeding Heart (You Are the One), synthy beats drove the set into saturation. Their set was largely explorative; sounds drifted over the crowd for interminable moments before flitting off into another pop-beat configuration. 

The Dig’s new sound is easy yet invasive and implacable. Their sound worms into your limbs and may just start moving them, but it posesses a cerebral and candid quality that is often impossible to mimic. While The Dig’s new release Bloodshot Tokyo is in conversation with the larger forces in the psych-pop movement, it remains it’s own entity, dolling out it’s own particular creativity rooted in it’s New York upbringing.

We’re excited to see where The Dig is going, particularly with their newest release. Their set is not to be missed, and posed as a reminder of the weird magic of music, the art of crafting songs with full-blooded entities out of the smoke in the barroom air. 
 

Denver Worshiped Demigod, Tom Fec of TOBACCO This Week and We're Kind Of Speechless

Tom Fec, front man of Black Moth Super Rainbow, and three others, took the stage as Tobacco and created a separate universe for those ready to celebrate analogue synth dreams. Having dropped his 4 the full length album, Sweatbox Dynasty, in August of this year, his loyal fans could only hope for a tour, and what they got was definitely a treat. Tobacco turned the Larimer Lounge into a house of worship this last Tuesday: A house of woozy, hallucinogenic synth worship that is.

A simple set up, with two main points of interest, the visuals consisting of a drippy logo of the artists name, Tobacco, with constantly changing, colorful, as well as psychedelic content and a gong with projections of just a few of the moderately creepy masks that front man Tom Fec is so fond of. The usual analog synthesizer, vocoder, and guitar that are key in his music were present, although from what I’ve read about past performances, there were special elements to this performance, such as the drummer’s presence and the fact Fec himself was not masked.

An enchanting mix of old and new, I thought this set was approachable and a ton of fun! With infectious sounds all across the board from ambient synth wave to metal inspired guitar riffs, they definitely kept the Denver crowd interested and engaged. With their glitched out, gritty, electronic synth sounds, Tobacco created an environment for the people who resonate with the unconventional, progressive sounds of their music. And by the looks of the constantly pulsing crowd, I’d say they were satisfied. 

The 80’s electronic synthesizers, strange sound filters, and glitch hallucinogenic grit that is Tobacco is probably not for everyone, but those who are underwhelmed with the modern music scene should let Mr. Fec take them on a journey down the rabbit hole. Anyone who attended this show can attest that it is definitely one worth falling down.

Filthy T | Album Release Show | May 10 | Larimer Lounge

Local group Filthy T will be releasing their first acoustic album on May 10 at Larimer Lounge. As you may be well aware we love giving tickets away here at Ultra5280, why not help celebrate the release album of one of the hardest working bands in Denver. As always check out our Facebook Page for all the deets. In the meantime check out "Can It Be" as featured on their new album. Let's just say we have been blasting this one at the office all week.

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Filthy T is the brainchild of six Denverites intent on blending modern rock and smart rap. The band’s signature sound is articulate vocals over soulful guitar parts and driving rhythms.

What We’re About:
The city of Denver is a successful mix of polar opposites – tech startups flourish in a cowboy culture, East Coast and West Coast natives live together in harmony, and hippies and republicans co-celebrate 420. Growing up together in the Mile High City, rapper-producer Russell Ben Hedman and guitarist Joe Barnholt envisioned that the same effortless integration could be achieved in mixing the clever rhythms of hip-hop with edgy rock sounds. The original duo has been joined by bassist Kirby Beegles, drummer Adrian Hernandez, vocalist Nikki Smith and axe man Joe Shull.

Filthy T’s three studio albums to date have garnered continual accolades, including selection for 93.3 KTCL’s Hometown for the Holidays Top 10 and Big Gig Competition Top 10. As a live band, Filthy T has headlined and sold out numerous venues (including the Bluebird Theatre), won a spot as a finalist for Westword's Best of the West, and landed stage time to represent the Denver music scene at the first ever Denver County Fair. The group has opened for touring artists including The Flobots, Vanilla Ice, Rehab and Sidewalk Chalk. The band is also committed to doing great things for the Denver community. Filthy T has organized and played
fundraising concerts for organizations like Children’s Hospital, the victims of the 2012 Aurora theater shooting, Claire Davis (Arapahoe High School shooting victim) and Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado.