This Saturday night Denver was taken over by Canadians as Sum 41 and friends packed the house at The Gothic Theatre. Recently acquired by AEG, this is one of The Gothic’s first shows under it’s new promoter, and by the looks of the packed room and the “SOLD OUT” signs in the box office windows, it seemed like the new partnership is suiting the venue well.

Starting off the evening was IAMDYNAMITE. A new personal favorite of mine, I was eager to watch the group live since falling in love with their full-length release SuperMegaFantastic. At the end of the night, I caught up with Drummer Chris Phillips who assured me they would be back in Denver within the next few months. For anyone curious, you can catch watch the band’s “Where Will We Go” music video. In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for a post about their upcoming tour dates in the next few months, as well as a full review of their new album.

Kiyomi McClosky of Hunter Valentine (Photo Credit: Maddie Casey)

Next up was all-girl punk band Hunter Valentine. Although I’d never heard of the group before, these girls meant business and quickly went about proving themselves to the young crowd. Lead singer Kiyomi McCloskey’s raspy, deep voice is unique and fitting for the band’s punk sounds. Driving guitar, and heavy bass lines marked the band’s almost retro-punk sound. With banter reminiscent of Blink-182 and their teenager-esque inappropriate remarks, the girls rocked the stage and riled up the crowd for Sum 41.

Just past the 11pm mark, the house lights dimmed and Sum 41 took the stage. In my mind, Sum 41 is attached to endless amounts of middle school memories, and the years when I was first falling in love with punk rock. With All Killer, No Filler releasing in 2001, and the hit-filled Chuck taking over the airwaves in 2004, Saturday night’s show was probably a welcome throwback for much of the audience like myself. The setlist for the evening was filled with favorites like “In Too Deep”, “Underclass Hero”, “Pain for Pleasure”, “Motivation”, a slew of songs off of Does This Look Infected?, as well as cult-classics like “Fat Lip” and “Some Say”. Years have gone by and both the band and their fans have grown and changed, but their heavy-hitting stage presence has stayed the same. Admittedly, I was incredibly happy by lead singer Deryck Whibley’s unique voice nearly unchanged; a welcome surprise since this was my first time seeing them perform. Saturday night’s show went off without a hitch, and was perfect for fans both new and old. There was a surprising amount of young teens in the audience; proof that angst-filled pop punk will always be perfect for young adolescence. Sum 41 released a new album, Screaming Bloody Murder, in 2011, and you can find it for free on Spotify.

Check out more photos here.

Maddie

When I first started writing this article, I was really really excited about a new act I had heard about and couldn’t stop listening to! Apparently 2013 has plenty of new, exciting music in store for me, because in a matter of a week I realized that this was going from a one band article to three. Consider this “Maddie’s Musical finds of January”, something I wouldn’t do unless I felt like there was really something to share.

I will be the first to admit that I tend to fall into musical ruts and get stuck listening to the same bands and the same old favorite records over and over again, fearing the tedious search for new, exciting sounds. Recently I’ve had not one, not two, but THREE songs from bands I’ve never even heard of before catch my attention - something I haven’t had happen in a long while. Here’s a list in no particular order of three new songs from three new artists that are playing three shows in Denver in the next three months that I have been excited to share with you:

ATLAS GENIUS. Their name itself is unusual and exciting, but this Australian duo has a very unique, multi-dimensional sound to their music that is unlike anything else I’ve heard in awhile. Maybe it’s because I’m subconsciously getting tired of these huge 7+ person bands with even bigger sounds, but Altas Genius’ subtle, catchy rhythms and even more dynamically building songs feel very refreshing. Their four-song EP, titled Through the Glass is currently available on iTunes and Spotify, so listen away! Be sure to keep your eyes out for my review of their full length record, When It Was Now, which will be released February 19th, just in time for their concert date here in Denver opening for Imagine Dragons on March 23rd.

IAMDYNAMITE. This band is just so catchy and dance-y I didn’t even know what to do with myself the first time I heard their single “Where Will We Go”. The two person group from Detroit bring the same fun, catchiness to their music that fans fell in love with in The Fratellis back in 2007. With poppy rhythms, unique harmonies, and a sound that takes you back to the good ol’ days of traditional rock n’ roll, it’s hard to not immediately fall in love. If it takes you longer than the 30 seconds it took me to get hooked, the name of their record (SuperMegaFantastic) should reel you in :) You’ll be able to catch these guys opening for Sum 41 next weekend at The Gothic Theater (Sat. Jan. 26th). Tickets are still on sale, and only $20 in advance, so don’t miss your chance to see a band I’m sure will be gaining huge attention throughout 2013.

A SILENT FILM. Another unique name that I’d never heard before, but their certainly left me interested to hear more. Their current single “Harbour Lights” has some fun “whoa-ohh” parts that get you singing along the very first time you hear it. A more slow-paced band, their lyrics are interesting, and their songs are dynamic like scenes from a romance movie. This band just announced a date in Denver at the Larimer Lounge on February 20th. For those of you who are into a bit more slow-paced, melodic tunes, these guys are for you!

With the year just starting, there will be plenty of new bands and songs to gain your attention, but these are just the three that have caught my ear early on in the new year. We’re a lucky city to have not one, but all three of these bands visiting in the near future, so make sure to get to at least one of these shows and support some new and up-and-coming acts.

Cheers to a new year and new music!

-Maddie