Our Top Ten Must See Acts For The UMS 2021

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.

Music | Spokezbuzz, Lincoln Center Announce the Local Link Season Schedule

Spokezbuzz band Eldren rocking the crowd at UMS (Photo Credit: Andrew Rios)

One thing about our thriving music scene is that it extends north to our friends up in Ft. Collins. In fact I used to live in Ft. Collins for five years and remember catching many shows while living there as well as experiencing many Thursday nights at Wash Bars and happy hour shenanigans at The Rio on Fridays. Our good friends at Spokezbuzz always have something cool going on and this is just one of the things they are doing to promote music in our great state. Pleas make sure to check them out and many of the bands they represent at events like these.

SpokesBUZZ, a Fort Collins-based music nonprofit, and the Lincoln Center, Fort Collins’ premiere performing arts venue, announced today the full series schedule and lineup for The Local Link, a series showcasing local bands at The Lincoln Center in Fort Collins. The live music concerts -- featuring Colorado bands throughout the 2015-2016 season -- are a collaborative effort by the City of Fort Collins and SpokesBUZZ to connect emerging bands with music fans in The Lincoln Center’s unique performance facilities. 
 
The Local Link series will feature themed events in a club environment, with local bands performing around various holidays throughout the 2015-16 season. The schedule includes:

  • Aspen Hourglass: Thursday, October 29, 7 - 9 p.m.
  • The Shaley Scott Band: Thursday, December 17, 7 - 9 p.m.
  • Shatterproof: Sunday, February 14, 7 - 9 p.m.
  • Grim&Darling: Thursday, March 17, 7 - 9 p.m. 
  • iZCALLi: Thursday, May 5, 6 - 8 p.m.

The Local Link is intended to satisfy the need for “an earlier set time in a sophisticated environment, with the best regional alternative bands,” said Dani Grant, SpokesBUZZ executive director. “The Local Link is a tailored music set geared toward a cocktail party environment: a bit softer, more acoustic in nature -- a performance that allows for dancing, listening, and a conversation in the room,” Grant said. “I’m 45 years old, have three kids and a full-time job. Both my husband and I enjoy live music; we have always been concertgoers and keep up as best we can with new music and local music. It is a rare occasion that we get to see live music before our bedtime, 10 - 11 p.m. More often, we attend a city festival in the heat of summer on a steaming asphalt parking lot, or force ourselves to attend a show in a sticky dark room at midnight. We will still do that on occasion, but having this event is exciting.”

Members of iZCALLi giving us a dose of rock and roll. (Photo Credit: Andrew Rios)

With a full service bar, tapas/light appetizers, and an affordable ticket price -- $12 per show or the opportunity to purchase a $50 5-show season pass -- Grant said The Local Link provides a comfortable and approachable introduction to emerging local bands. 

“Patrons can bring friends who aren’t sure about local and unfamiliar music to join them and fall in love with these bands,” Grant said. “Small businesses may choose to bring the office team and spouses to the December show to host a holiday gathering there, rather than reserving restaurant meeting space or planning a party.” 

The Local Link launched on Saturday, August 1, with an acoustic show featuring members of Wiredogs. Season sponsors for the series include KUNC and Shaped Music. Season tickets for the series and tickets for individual upcoming shows will be made available at www.lctix.com. 

About SpokesBUZZ Fort Collins
Created from a love for music, amplified by radical collaboration with like-minded organizations, and funded by people and partners who recognize the extraordinary economic and cultural community impact, SpokesBUZZ raises global awareness of Colorado sound and culture by bringing worldwide attention to local bands. Find out more at www.spokesbuzz.org. 

About The Lincoln Center
The Lincoln Center is one of Colorado's largest and most diverse presenters of professional theatre, dance, music, visual arts and children's programs. It features two performing art spaces (a 1,180-seat performance hall and a 220-seat theatre), three galleries, and an outdoor sculpture/terrace/performance garden. It also has two conference/special events rooms available for rentals. The mission of The Lincoln Center is to be a leader in cultural experience and make it an essential value to the community. Find out more at www.lctix.com.