Our favorite weekend of the year is upon us and we are celebrating our tenth year covering this amazing festival. The Underground Music Showcase is set to return to the streets of South Broadway this weekend and we have made our annual list of who to see. So without further adieu we present our “Ten Must See Acts”.
ERIN STEREO | OASIS STAGE AT IMPORT MECHANICS | FRIDAY 6:00-7:00 PM
We have had the pleasure of seeing Erin Stereo on various occasions throughout the years and there hasn’t been an empty dance floor needless to say. She commands and is in full control of her sets and is able to adapt on the drop of a dime. Let’s get this UMS started off right on Friday with her amazing set.
Citra
CITRA | STONEY’S CANTINA | FRIDAY 10:50-11:40 PM
Our favorite Denver rock act returns to melt your face. We always love when bands play early in the festival because it sets the bar for other bands that weekend to top what this four-piece brings. It’s going to get loud, it’s going to get rowdy, and it’s going to be an all out party. Be prepared.
The Grand Alliance (Photo: Anthony Maes)
The Grand Alliance | Showcase Stage at The Goodwill | Saturday 2:40-3:30 PM
The cat is out of the bag as The Grand Alliance has landed and is setting the pace for what is our early favorite for “Band of The Year”. Mixing elements of funk, hip hop, r&b, with a twist of afro-funk the band combines three Denver locals (who each have their own amazing solo projects) to give us an intergalactic dancer party. We suggest dressing up in your favorite space garb for this one, you never know what will go down.
NEOMA | SHOWCASE STAGE AT THE GOODWILL | SATURDAY 3:50-4:40 PM
It’s been a whirlwind couple years for Neoma, the Ecuadorian outfit has cemented their place in Denver as one of the most exciting live bands to see in the last couple years. Led by songstress who also goes by the name Neoma, she manages to capture the audience with a unique ability to sing in English and in Spanish rarely seen in pop music (think Selena meets Rosalia). Their set will leave you falling in love and appreciating every note from their infectious dance set.
POUT HOUSE | THE HORNET | SATURDAY 7:40-8:30 PM
Garage Rock isn’t dead yet. Just ask the members of Pout House who deliver a sound that is hard to compare with any other band. Utilizing their affection for early garage acts such as The Strokes, The White Stripes and to top it off throw in a hint of Blondie and The Velvet Underground. If you are seeking a sound reminiscent be sure to check out their set Saturday night to get your evening started for the late night heavy-hitters.
ADIEL MITCHELL | COCHINO TACO | SATURDAY 10:00-10:50 PM
Adiel Mitchell put on one of the most electric performances of UMS 2019, and now the prodigal son Is back for more. Wit a more polished set and mature sound, Mitchell has been honing his skills during the pandemic to give us what is set to be another epic performance. Fresh off an opening set for Bishop Briggs, Adiel Mitchell is going to turn your Saturday night into an unforgettable evening.
IZCALLI | STONEY’S CANTINA | SATURDAY 12:20-1:10 AM
At this point we can safely say IZCALLI are UMS veterans. Over the years we have had the pleasure of seeing this amazing Spanish rock outfit bring some of the most memorable live performances we have had to chance to cover. Not much has changed as the band continues to give us a mix of music the way it was supposed to be played….in all languages. The band has established itself as the festivals late night headliners and you will see why on Saturday night.
LEVI DOUBLE U | OASIS STAGE AT IMPORT MECHANICS | SUNDAY 5:00-6:00 PM
Producer/DJ/Drummer/…….we can literally go on. Levi Double U wears many hats among the Denver music scene, but it has been his DJ sets that have elevated him to one of the elites among the city’s best. With a love of house music, Levi Double U can spark a dance floor at the drop of a beat setting off a dance party that even you want to participate in. Look for Levi Double U to continue to set forth a blaze among the scene amongst his different projects.
ELEKTRIC ANIMALS | HI-DIVE | SUNDAY 7:40-8:30 PM
We are going to be honest here, we had never heard of Elektric Animals until an email reached our inbox back in July of 2020. We featured a song called “Reckless” that just blew our mind. We were the midst of the heyday of the pandemic so music was our only vice we could really enjoy. The band has grown on us and has become a regular on our playlist here at the office. This will be our first time seeing them live and we cannot wait. If you like rock music at its core you won’t want to miss this set.
VYNYL | STONEY’S CANTINA | SUNDAY 11:10-12:00 AM
One of Denver’s best pop acts will end our UMS this year. VYNYL gives us feel good rock that portrays their penchant for the love of music they have adopted as their own. With infectious riffs and heart felt lyrics, the band gives us our own version of what rock should sound like. We are excited to see these guys play as it has been way too long and we are craving some feel good music to end our fest this year.