Velorama: Bikes, Booze and Fun.

The 2nd annual Velorama Festival took over Denver last weekend with amazing music, brand installations, food, and amazing beer.

The festival was once again held in the parking lots off Blake Street in the Rino District. We were on hand to catch the music performances from some of the best acts in music today as well as some equally impressive local bands and dj's.

The first night saw things open up with local faves Slow Caves who set the tone of the night with a rather raucous performance with their usual chill rock vibes. Philly's own Hop Along was also on hand to perform an amazing set as the crowds started to fill in. It has been awhile since we saw the dynamic duo of Jamie Hince and Alison Moshart who form the rockcentric The Kills. Those unfamiliar with the band got a first hand dose of straight in your face rock and roll. The scheduled headliner for the night was Modest Mouse who unfortunately had to cancel due to travel issues, the decision left a bitter taste to those who came out just to see the band. We've been covering music for quite sometime now and realize that stuff like this happens all the time. The band did however get added to the following night's headlining slot.

Day two started off with local crooner Brent Cowles and his talented band. The band played a jubilant set that would have to rank as one of the best we have seen from the band. We weren't quite sold on Lo Moon who seemed like they killed a little of the buzz Cowles had left. A rather subtle set, the band just wasn't doing it for us or the crowd. The band that we had circled as a must see was Rainbow Kitten Surprise who blew our expectations as they probably had the best set of the weekend. Fronted by lead singer Samuel Melo, he channeled his inner Mick Jagger and Freddy Mercury dance moves as they gave life to the bands performance. The band is no stranger to performing in big festivals as they danced and swayed and encouraged the crowd to do the same. Cold War Kids (who seem like they play in Denver every other weekend) was on hand to deliver a nostalgic set for us as as they mentioned the last time they had performed in a parking lot was for the 2008 Democratic National Convention which we were also part of. The Growlers were another band who didn't seem to live to our expectations, not sure if it was the lack of our knowledge of their discography or that they followed Rainbow Kitten Surprise. Modest Mouse finally showed up and played an array of their amazing catalog that stretches back years. Frontman Isaac Brock did seem a little seem to banter a bit which at times made no sense to anybody but aside from that it was a great way to end the second night of the festival.

The last day of the festival had us scrambling to get to the grounds in time for Wildermiss, the local band who has been creating a huge buzz locally is starting to look more comfortable on stage as the band seemed more loose moving around the stage playing their customary indie pop sound. Another band we had been looking to perform was Cults. The duo of Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin has been our playlist for years now and although we missed the last time they performed here, we were anxious to catch their set which had us reminiscing (older stuff) and excited to hear newer material. The night ended with a bang as Matt and Kim took to the stage and all hell broke loose. With a reputation for amazing live shows, the band did not let off the gas as they mingled and encouraged crowd participation throughout their set. The crowd of course ate it up and preceded to play along to the indie band hailing from Brooklyn.

Aside for a few minor quirks (beer lines, band rescheduling, water stations) the festival was an enjoyable weekend for music lovers as the bands that participated were a perfect pairing for a great weekend.

Day One: Levi Double U, Slow Caves, Hop Along, The Kills

Day Two: Brent Cowles, Lo Moon, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Cold War Kids, The Growlers, Modest Mouse

Day Three: Wildermiss, Cults, Matt and Kim

A Walk Through the Colorado Music Hall of Fame

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As if the naturally perfect outdoor acoustics of the rock formations at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre weren’t amazing enough to behold, nearby stands an epic bronze statue of a familiar figure. Upon closer inspection, it’s revealed to be none other than Colorado folk-rocker John Denver, complete with his trademark guitar slung over his back as a great eagle perches on his outstretched left hand. The Colorado Music Hall of Fame acquired the statue of Colorado’s favorite son back in 2013. There used to be some push back from John Denver fans as to where the statue should be located. Today, as the statue stands right next to one of Colorado’s greatest natural treasures, it’s plain to see that John Denver himself couldn’t have picked a better spot.

This is what The Colorado Music Hall of Fame is all about. The CMHOF is a privately sponsored non-profit organization with the mission of preserving, protecting, and propagating the state of Colorado’s varied contributions to music. It contains historical exhibits that feature artifacts from, and information about, Colorado’s most outstanding and influential musicians, venues, events, and institutions. The first inductees where John Denver, followed by the Red Rocks themselves for providing a Colorado venue worthy of hosting legends like the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and U2.

Another notable inductee to the CMHOF is the 1960s band The Astronauts, who were the first Colorado band to make it into the national charts. Despite being a landlocked surf band, their hit songs Movin’ and Baja gave the more famous Beach Boys a run for their money. Other artists featured in the exhibits include Billy Murray (also known as the Denver Nightingale), Paul Whiteman, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Firefall, Harry Tuft, and many others. The most recent inductees include legendary singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg, Joe Walsh and Barnstorm, and the Caribou Ranch studio, all of which were recognized in 2017 at an induction ceremony at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre.

Apart from artists, places, and institutions relevant to Colorado music, the CMHOF also celebrates historic events that have shaped the music of Colorado and America. You can see this in one of their exhibits called Backstage Past, which features the photos of George Kealiher, the unofficial backstage photographer of the then-newly constructed Denver Coliseum in 1952.

Kealiher captured many of the national acts booked by the Denver Coliseum, including Patsy Cline, George Jones, Faron Young, Ray Price, the Louvin Brothers, Little Jimmy Dickens, and even Johnny Cash. At the time, most of these now iconic artists were directly influenced by a then-young Elvis Presley’s fresh rockabilly sound. This is what makes Backstage Past different from other exhibits about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s musical legacy. His hardcore fans already know the stories behind billboard hits like Hound Dog, Love Me Tender, and All Shook Up. Meanwhile, Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas is hailed by many as one of the greatest poker songs of all time. Alongside it is King Creole and Jailhouse Rock, which are also already famous for being titular movie songs. What many of his most hardcore fans might not know about is how much Elvis has influenced the Colorado rock and country sound. This is what Backstage Past is bringing to the fore.

These are just some of the exhibits you’ll see while taking a walk through the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. Make sure to bring a good camera – a visit to the CMHOF would be remiss without at least a couple snaps of the nearby majestic Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

GOODNESS Block Party Set To Take Over Denver September 1st

Labor Day weekend just got a whole lot better here in Denver. Our good friends at Red Bull and DJ Low Key are putting together a block party of epic proportions here in the Mile High!

On September 1st, 2018, Red Bull Music presents a Goodness Block Party with DJ Low Key & friends.  A celebration of Denver music and community, the day-long event is inspired by DJ Low Key’s longstanding party “Goodness” a signature event of the city’s RiNo neighborhood since 2012. Taking over 27th Street between Larimer and Walnut, the Goodness Block Party will spill onto the space out front of its longtime home at The Meadowlark to feature a stacked lineup of hip-hop and soul inspired artists including DJ Low Key, DJ Jazzy Jeff, YaSi, CRL CRRLL, TiRon & Ayomari, Kayla Marque, and Sur Ellz. In addition, the event will host the debut of Goodness Greatness, an all-star band with Phonte, Exile and friends. Tickets are $10 in advance of the event, and are available HERE.

DJ Low Key has been an influential presence in the Denver hip-hop scene for well over a decade, with his summer series Goodness now in its 7th season and his weekly the Solution (with fellow Denver fixture DJ Lazy Eyez) turning 12 years old next February. Bringing celebrated DJs and hip-hop legends from Denver and beyond to perform, DJ Low Key has created a space to showcase Denver’s unique, independent hip-hop, soul and DJ culture. With the Goodness Block Party, Red Bull Music and DJ Low Key look to highlight and celebrate the uniqueness of Denver’s East Side/RiNo neighborhood, shining a light on the community that has continued to build the area’s renowned musical and artistic legacy.

“The name Goodness comes from the idea of featuring all the goodness possible at the party - from music to people to food to drink to art and beyond. Over time, that focus brought together a whole lot of interesting, like-minded people,” DJ Low Key explains.  “Everything starts with the love of the music and then expands out from there in different directions, with a lot of unexpected great things coming from it... it’s a party for everybody, but not just anybody."

The Underground Music Showcase Shines Under New Leadership

Crowds Enjoy The Underground Music Showcase. (Photo Credit: Aly McClaran)

Another year and another Underground Music Showcase in the books. The funnest weekend of the year for us once again had us scouring the streets of South Broadway taking in some of the best national and local acts in music today. Under the new ownership of Two Parts, the festival took on its own identity while keeping the traditional elements of the long standing institution. For us it was our eighth year in a row covering this festival and quite possibly the funnest. Each year brings new memories and discoveries, this year was no different. The festival switched from a four day format to a three day format this year and added a slew of bigger stages tucked away among the gritty yet majestic Baker neighborhood. (Scroll Down For More)

Gallery by Aly McClaran (All Rights Reserved)

Los Mocochetes playing to the Sesh Stage crowd at The UMS. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

With three main stages this year attendees had more opportunities to see more than just music. A beer-centric stage that combined Two Parts's successful Sesh Festival combined with a music stage adequately named the Sesh Stage gave us an opportunity to enjoy our favorite session beers all while listening to the likes of bands such as The Velveteers, Slow Caves, and Los Mocochetes.

The Imagination Stage provided with some adequate amenities during the fest. (Photo Credit: Aly McClaran)

Another crowd favorite was the Imagination Stage tucked inside Import Mechanics. The area was a delightful oasis with an array of activities, murals, and shaded lounges to enjoy. Modular music installations as well as a record shop on wheels were amongst the favorite attractions. An El Camino with a ball pit in the the bed made for some rather interesting moments all weekend as well. 

Friday night headliners The Overcoats got things started off. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

PPL MVR (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

After dusk the streets of Broadway turned into a music lovers paradise with venues such as Three Kings Tavern, The Hornet, Illegal Pete's, Gary Lee's Motor Club and The Skylark hosted a who's who of some of the most talented bands in our city and surrounding areas. Although crowded and sometimes impossible to get into, it was the sidewalks where conversations and yearly reunions took place all while the blaring sounds reached far beyond the the clubs and into the streets.

The Denver All-Stars (Photo credit: Robert Castro)

Wes Watkins of The Other Black. (Photo Credit: Aly McClaran)

The buzz amongst festival attendees was pretty consistent as many enjoyed this year and had nothing but praise for the new direction the festival is headed into. As for us we cannot wait until next year to celebrate once again one of the best weekends our city has to offer. 

Words - Robert Castro

UMS AWARDS

1. Best Dressed Band: Tyto Alba (matching baseball tees), Wildermiss (dem gold jackets), iZCALLi (Karate Kid themed ensembles) The Corner Girls (prom dresses) Parallelephants (fringe on fleek) Yasi (denim queen) Madge (boxing outfits).

2. Best performances: Madge, Panther Martin, Nasty Nachos/Rumtum, Optycnerd, Tyto Alba, Hot 8 Brass Band, ALVVAYS, Bud Bronson & The Good Timers, Bison Bone, The Guestlist.

3. Best use of advertising: iZCALLi (wood screen printed signs, and numbered) Honorable Mention: The Trujillo Company, The Hollow (don't ask).

A pool full of teddy bears. (Photo Credit: Aly McClaran)

4. Best venue: Imagination Stage

5. Best place to grab a bite: Illegal Petes (a lifesaver every night)

6. Most common phrase: "Where are you?", "Is there a line?".

Gallery by Robert Castro (All Rights Reserved)

First Look: David Burchfield & The Fire Guild "State To State"

We have the first look at the new video from David Burchfield & The Fire Guild. The video is called "State to State", the catchy number will make you want to grab your partner and dance the night away. The song conjours up a plethora of genres including americana, folk, with a hint of country. You can see David Burchfield & The Fire Guild this weekend at the Underground Music Festival. The band will be closing out the Banded Oak Brewing stage from 11 pm to midnight.

First Look: Deezie Brown "Drive" Video Premiere

Based out of Austin, Texas, Deezie Brown delivers a very edgy, dark, and rebellious depiction of Alternative Hip-Hop and Electronic Pop. Deezie Brown was exposed to hip-hop at an early age while he rode around with his dad listening to some of the great artists of the South such as OutKast and UGK. Fresh off the heels of his recently released album Judith, Brown delivers a unique sound that is evident in the video above. 

Deezie Brown presents his video for the single "Drive". The Texas native is set to bring the heat this upcoming weekend to The Underground Music Showcase here in Denver. He will playing on Saturday at 8:00 PM at The Blue Ice Lounge.