The Underground Music Showcase is scheduled to take over South Broadway again this summer, July 29-31st, and we’re going to give you our UMS Top Eight. But before we dive into our Top Eight, we’re going to give you a little background information on the festival–just in case this is your first Underground Music Showcase.
UMS is Denver’s annual three-day long music festival. Thousands of music lovers shut-down South Broadway and the surrounding Baker neighborhood for back-to-back acts on the main stages and inside local restaurants and venues. UMS was first minted back in 2001 as a single day festival to showcase local, underground artists, and to up their visibility on the Denver scene. In recent years, UMS has pulled headliners with national recognition (i.e. Shannon & the Clams and The Allah-Lahs in 2021), but they have continued to strike a balance by hosting both local, lesser-known acts and headlining well-established bands.
This year the festival will be co-hosted by local non-profit Youth on Record, a Denver-based nonprofit, who has joined Two Parts, a Denver-based entertainment company, to lead the Underground Music Showcase (UMS), the largest, multi-day music festival in Denver. As co-owners, Two Parts and Youth on Record will focus the UMS on Artistic Excellence, Community Impact, and Economic Sustainability, with a commitment to advancing opportunities for historically marginalized artists.
"By partnering with an organization with such deep roots and the full faith of the community, we gain the firepower to mobilize the community in new ways," says Berry, who led Two Parts' purchase of the festival from the Denver Post Community Foundation in 2018. "There's so much Two Parts and Youth on Record can do to build on each partner's existing programming and relationships to support artists and build the next generation of performers to carry the torch."
It’s safe to say that UMS is our favorite weekend of the year, and we’re stoked to see you there. Tickets can be purchased here.
BULLY
Hailing from Nashville Tennessee and recently signed with Sub-Pop Records, post-punk BULLY’s sound is reminiscent of Sleater-Kinney and Speedy Ortiz.
JAWNY
Philadelphia-based JAWNY’s fun, funky and danceable hits are not to be missed.
Sun Room
Sun Room brings solid surf rock in the vein of Mystic Braves, Levitation Room and the like.
Slow Caves
We first interviewed Denver-based Slow Caves back in 2017, and we’ve been watching their sets in Denver since 2016. With an obvious influence of 2000’s indie-rock and relatable, fresh lyricism, Slow Caves is a local staple.
Anthony Ruptak
Ruptak is a Denver based singer songwriter. Ruptak writes and composes solo, and his lyrics stand out for their raw relatability: “documents from the IRS/ and a silver can of gas/ I feel like such a fucking mess/ I should go out running”. Fans of Death Cab For Cutie and Sufjan Stevens, don’t miss Ruptak’s set.
Audrey Nuna
Audrey Nuna is a hands-down must see. Nuna combines rap, R&B, trap pop, and rock. Her punctuated rap contrasts at times with her sparse, Moses Sumney-esque vocals. Her range is incredible, and she’s sure to bring the heat during her set at this year’s UMS.
The Mañanas
Local indie-pop group The Mañanas reminds us of bands like The Walters and Vacations. Their light-hearted, listenable, and fun sound brings an easy, summery vibe.
Bailey Elora
Last but not least, be sure to see local singer-songwriter, Bailey Elora. Elora is a platinum ambassador with local nonprofit and UMS partner Youth on Record and Elora has been playing shows around the Denver area for a few years now, and we’re excited to see her take the stage during this year’s UMS.
Written by Kendall Morris