Grab your light-sabers and capes, step into your tights and booties, holy Hogwarts and hoverboards, Nerd Prom is back! Excluding Halloween, this was Denver’s one night a year throw on a costume, grab your squad of lovable dorks and hit LODO with the force.

Sadly I was late to the game and missed the opener. Sorry fam! Below are links to check out Rocket Surgeons.

http://www.rocketsurgeonsband.com

https://www.facebook.com/RocketSurgeonsMusic/

I started off my Nerd Prom with some lively, party-startin’ hip hop brought to you by MC Lars and Mega Ran. Their upbeat chemistry and playful synths got the crowd loose as a goose. Damn it if they didn’t find the two dorkiest dudes in the game. Don’t feel me?

They began to wrap up their time with us in the most likable and nerdiest way possible. The crowd was instructed to raise their props and other costume accessories in the air for MC Lars and Mega Ran to produce freestyle. They used whatever they could see in the nearby vicinity. Mr. Potato Head, Daenerys Targaryen, Storm Trooper helmets were all thrown in the mix. They wrapped it up with an all-crowd dance to Sugarhill Gang’s classic, circular hip thrust, giddy-up, "Jump On It." We loved their crowd interaction and turned up spirit!

In between sets you could check out merch and stop to play a few rounds of OG Mario on the way. Maybe get another round specialty nerdy cocktails like a ‘Marty McFly’ at the bar (something resembling the taste of a Long Island Iced Tea with Deep Eddy Sweet Tea Vodka and lemonade). We hope you got a souvenir Nerd Prom photo at the photo booth. Guests chose from items such as Star Wars helmets, Thor's hammer, Hulk's hands, etc.

Before we knew it it was time for our headliner. Our fearless leader of Nerd Prom, Andy ‘Rok’ Guerrero and his band of predominantly CU Denver students and alumni, “Andy Rok and The Real Deal,” Brought. The. House. Down. Those in charming prom attire, cosplay nerds, and losers like my friends and I who showed up nix creative costumes, ripped up the dance floor like ya mommas old panty hose. Andy Rok and The Real Deal made their appearance in full Stranger Things garb. The fierce female vocalists Michelle Rocket as Joyce, decorated Christmas lights around her neck, Andrea Pares as Dustin dressed in his representative 'Castroville' artichokes shirt and trucker hat, Rachel Taulbee even gave Nancy a cameo in her 80’s preppy style. Andy rocked his ‘Barb’ costume for some time including a disheveled grandma wig along with freshly shaven baby face. The brass section of Kyle Etges, Armando Lopez, and Jordan Skomal, dressed as Eleven and two scientists at the evil laboratory in full protective suits. Drummer Benjamin Hatch resembled a young Jim Hopper, Hawkins Police Chief. Former member of Denver's own Psychedelic Zombiez, Mike Friesen was the other male vocalist dressed as the replacement cook at the diner Eleven originally crashed post laboratory break out. To top it off, the bongo performer Rob Brandon, was dressed as Demogorgon (or quite possibly a flower baby from one of Anne Geddes photographs, but who can really be sure).

Andy Rok and The Real Deal as the cast of Stranger Things!

They delighted our senses with our favorite dance covers from Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” to Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” to The Spice Girls’ “Wanna Be.” Name any retro classics and they played them. Vintage favorited 80’s and 90’s movies as well as retro video game graphics were featured on the big screen behind the band to set the mood, “yeah we might be nerdy, but we’re here to party.” At one point, unbenounced to her, a friend grabbed one of my previous professors to dance. Complete strangers. That’s the awesome thing about Nerd Prom. You can let your guard down, dance like there’s no one around and even meet some fellow nerds in the process.

While breaking in between the retro dance classics, they slowed it down and encouraged us to “find that nerdy someone you love and uh...make out” as Andy said. I ended up sashaying off for a bathroom break and couldn’t dismiss a stranger dressed as cat woman twirling me in line during the cover of All-4-One’s romantic, ballad “I Swear.” Also in the realm of sensual tunes, we couldn’t get through the night without hearing George Michael’s (RIP) "Careless Whisperer." They brought those sax men up to the front to serenade our deprived ears with some dreamy, smooth jazz as the disco ball glimmered and danced across our giddy, dorky smiles.

Even at my own high school proms I didn’t get down that hard. Andy and his team gave us a night to forget our doubt and weight of daily life, and become our favorite fictional heroes with our real life squads. Cheers to KTCL’s 93.3 and Andy Guerrero for throwing a basher of a prom.

Stay nerdy and dirty, class of 2017.

-Kelly O'Keefe

Big Gig fit it’s title this weekend thanks to some huge performances from the bill’s seven different main stage acts. KTCL’s annual summer show packed Fiddler’s Green to the gills for sets from The Unlikely Candidates, Vinyl Theatre Misterwives, Young The Giant, X Ambassadors and Cage The Elephant.

*(photo credit: Maddie Casey/Ultra5280)*

Kicking off the day were performances on the Locals stage out in Marjorie Park, located just north of the main gates. Fans arrived in droves and put the park at it’s capacity within an hours after doors opening - something we’ve never seen before, but certainly appreciated. POPFILTER, One Flew West, Cody Qualls, and Almost, Maine kept fans dancing while enjoying $2 beers that disappeared quick. Locals Midnight Club were honored with the opening slot on the main stage, a perfect slot thanks to the big crowds so early in the day. Denver is showing more and more appreciation for our local groups, and KTCL’s dedication to supporting them certainly has not gone unnoticed.

Once the locals were done, national acts The Unlikely Candidates and Vinyl Theatre kicked off an afternoon of fun for fans. The Fueled By Ramen trio’s quick set was a perfect peak into their album for anyone unfamiliar. Ending their set with radio single “Breaking Up My Bones”, Keegan Calmes’ voice sounded so on point, we could have easily mistaken his live performance for a recording.

Next to stage were Ultra5280 favorites Misterwives. While we haven’t seen the dynamic sextet in nearly a year, Mandy Lee and her band of brothers haven’t missed a step. Rocking high-top Vans and pom-pom shorts, the peppy New York native commanded the stage with infectious joy. Amidst celebrating her birthday with bandmates (in Denver for the second year in a row!), Lee took a moment to remind the crowd that “we are all one,” mentioning how heavy her heart has felt over the recent ongoings in America before slipping into a beautiful rendition of “Oceans.”

The heart-wrenching actions of the last week weighed heavy on the artists on Saturday. Lee was followed by sentiments from Sam Harris of X Ambassadors, and Sameer Gadhia of Young The Giant - all urging fans to use their voice to stand up and support one another, condemning violence and hatred. It was timely, respectful, and incredibly important for these artists used their platforms to speak to the massive crowd. So many attendees at radio shows are young and look up to the performers, we’re thankful these artists recognize their ability to involve the youth, and chose to be vocal while others may stray fearing controversy.

X Ambassadors set was more than just politics. After hearing rumors of frontman Sam Harris feeling under the weather, we were astonished to see him charge on stage with a unexpected ferocity. Leading their set with tracks like “Jungle”, the all-too-quick performance from this explosive quartet was amazing. The energy from the band on stage translated to the crowd, with fans all the way back to the grass waving their hands, dancing along. Catching a full set from these “Renegades” has quickly moved up the list as one of our “must sees” before the year is out.

Fan favorites Young The Giant’s set felt quick, but gave fans an exciting taste of their new album, Home of the Strange, set to debut in August. Their new radio single “Something to Believe In” had fans dancing, and the introspective piece “Amerika” was fitting for the political undertones of the evening.

As for Cage the Elephant….words escape us. Photographer Maddie Casey is quoted saying “photographing (them) felt like having an enjoyable seizure...if that even makes sense.” Jumping into the crowd, dancing across stage, catapulting off drum risers, Cage The Elephant certainly lived up to the stories we’ve heard of shows past. Vocalist Matthew Shultz is a stage personality unlike anything we’ve seen before. Their set list full of radio singles and familiar hits spoke for itself, showcasing a deep, evolving discography. Even the most passive fans found themselves singing along to more songs than not - a tribute to the astounding success the band has garnered over the last nine years. A jam-packed set and crowd-surfing antics from Shultz during the group’s last song ensured that fans left feeling like they got more than their money's worth.

Check out the photos for more memories from Big Gig 2016 on our Photos page.