Childish Gambino Proves Why He Is The Best Entertainer In The Business

The show was a no-photo policy.

Donald Glover is what we can call a modern day Renaissance Man, a man who combines an array of talents and skills to entertain us. A skilled writer, actor, producer, dj and musician, Glover uses all of these components to provide us with his own unique methods of entertaining us.

Tuesday night it was his musical moniker of Childish Gambino that set the Pepsi Center a blaze with his performance. He tore through his 17 song set at will and urged concertgoers to put away their phones for the performance.”This is not a concert, this is church echoed through the packed house” Gambino is a showman with his customary screams and gyrating dance moves that are often portrayed in his videos. Seeing them come to life in a live setting is truly extraordinary.

Childish Gambino performing on his last tour ever. (iPhone photo: Robert Castro)

Gambino erupted through his short catalog (he’s only made three albums) of hits including “Worldstar”, “Summertime Magic” even making it through the lower corridors of the Pepsi Center randomly popping out of the 200 section to give the crowd and up close rendition of “Late Night In Kuai” and “Stand Tall”.

It was those moments that Gambino truly connected with the crowd and kept the energy hyped all night. Most artist complain about the altitude here in Denver, not a single word was mentioned by Gambino, add to that the fact that he is coming back from a recent leg injury, the dude left it all on the floor.

One of the best shows in Denver this year. (iPhone Photo: Robert Castro)

He erupted into “This Is America” to end his set and at that point you could feel the crowd give all they had left in the tank to dance and sing along. After a brief break he returned for his encore set including early catalog hits such as “Sweatpants”, “Sober”, and “3005”. It was an amazing experience to say the least and no better way to end the night than a crowd sing-a-long of “Redbone”, that sealed an epic night and for us a perfect way to send off Childish Gambino on his last tour ever.

Legendary Denver Club Night The Solution Has Found A New Home

HUUUUUUUUUGE NEWS!!! The Solution w/DJ Low Key & Lazy Eyez is moving the party for the first time in half a decade! After a fantastic run at The Meadowlark (starting on 12/15/2011, check the timeline below), the party is off to greener pastures in Capitol Hill at the award-winning Black Box (314 E 13th Avenue, basically 13th Ave & Grant). It’s a bittersweet move after so many classic memories over the years, but we’re super excited about the possibilities of upgrading to The Black Box’s renowned sound system, adding a more flexible setup for more out of town and local guests, featuring drink specials again, having options to live stream the party online, teaming up with a weekly food truck (The Jerk Truck, of Goodness fame) & lots more.

We’d also be lying if we said we weren’t excited to get away from the ‘New Denver’ crowds of randoms that have take over the "RiNo" neighborhood and turned off a lot of our friends and party people that make up core of party. When we initially moved the party to The Meadowlark, we loved that it was such a special space hidden in plain sight, but the secret’s been out for years at this point and it’s cost us some of the magic. With that said, hopefully this can be a reset from the randoms and a chance to make the party better than ever before. We’ve got a bunch of other announcements coming up, so make sure to join our e-mail list, follow us on social media (@DenverSolution) & stay tuned for more great memories at The Black Box - starting with a music video shoot "Party", the new single from longtime friends of the party, The Reminders!

P.S. Thank you so much for rocking with us over the years Denver!!! It’s been well over a decade since we started the party with the goal of making “the kind of party we’d want to go to” and we’ve been humbled countless times by how many magic moments have followed. We realize that all of that starts with having a great crowd of friends and party people supporting the party – so thanks again, from the bottom of our hearts!!!!!

Red Bull Music Presents: United States Of Bass | December 13th At Cervantes

Red Bull Music Presents: United States of Bass. On December 13th, 2018, Red Bull Music Presents a celebration of bass sounds from across the country at Cervantes’ Masterpiece in Denver, CO. Taking over both rooms of the iconic venue (The Ballroom and The Other Side), Red Bull Music is bringing together the pioneers and trailblazers of America’s most influential regional bass music styles from the East Coast, West Coast and Midwest for an unforgettable night in Denver.

The lineup features DJ Craze (Miami), Daddy Kev (Los Angeles), UNIIQU3 (New Jersey), Jubilee (Miami), Dieselboy (New York), Arabian Prince (Los Angeles), DJ Deeon (Chicago), and DJ Taye (Chicago). Additionally, Red Bull Music has curated set takeovers from four of Denver’s most exciting crews, VIBeRATION, Souls in Action, Sub.mission, and Recon DNB, each representing their own distinct genre within bass. From footwork and juke, to dubstep and drum and bass, these crews uniquely celebrate, highlight, and extend the rich culture of Denver’s booming bass scene which has thrived for over a decade, filling club rooms with sounds of the best bass music innovators in the country.

Nicole Cacciavillano, founder of Sub.Mission, explains, “Denver is the bass capital of America…The amazing thing about this city, is that in each genre of bass, we have incredible teams running things properly and doing it for the music. It is inspiring being a part of a city that is always pushing things forward.” Valerie Molano, of VIBeRATION, doubles down on this sentiment, stating, “Denver is a huge hub for electronic music because of the support in the community for talent and good music. There’s a lot of love and educated bass heads in this city and it’s attracting people from all over the nation and the world.”

Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door, and available for purchase here.

Get to know the artist

Recon DNB

Representing Denver DNB for over 14 years, Recon DNB is a DJ/Production team devoted to providing a launch pad for forward thinking drum and bass music in the US. Dedicated to drum and bass music for the heads: past, present and future. 

https://soundcloud.com/recon-dnb

Sub.mission

Sub.mission exists today for the same reason it began in 2007: dubstep. Powered by a passion for sounds that often elude the mainstream, Sub.mission carves a home for underground sounds at the foundation of Denver’s booming electronic music landscape. “The Potential for Moving People Thru Sound, Not Hype” is the collective’s motto and mission.

https://twitter.com/subdotmission

Souls in Action

Souls in Action was created in 2009 as an artist collective and community driven project to change things and boost Denver’s music scene.

https://soundcloud.com/milky-wav

VIBeRATION

In 2013, Valerie Molano created a weekly underground party called VIBeRATION in a grimy, little basement in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Molano and her crew managed to stuff in as many subs and bass heads as possible, creating a VIBeRANT buzz in the underground bass scene. Molano brough the party to Denver and has been vibin’ at The Black Box for the last year and a half.

https://soundcloud.com/valerie-molano

DJ Craze

DJ Craze plays hip hop, breaks, drum n bass and practices turntablism. He is the only solo DJ in history to claim the World DMC Champion title three times consecutively. Originally from Nicaragua, he now lives in Miami. Initially influenced by the Miami Bass movement when he was younger, Craze has gone on to incorporate elements of hip hop, drum n bass and breaks in his turntable routines. The style of his music carries many of his past musical influences.

https://soundcloud.com/crazearoni   

Daddy Kev

Kevin Marques Moo, better known as Daddy Kev, is a Grammy-nominated mixer, mastering engineer and prolific underground hip hop and electronic producer from Los Angeles.  He is the owner of Alpha Pup Records and founder of Low End Theory. 

https://soundcloud.com/daddykev 

UNIIQU3

First lady of the Jersey Club movement; UNIIQU3 began her music career as a sought-after vocalist in the club scene and recently solidified herself as one of the most electrifying producers in the game.

https://soundcloud.com/uniiqu3

Jubilee

Jess Gentile is known to the music world as the first lady of Miami bass. As a prominent member of the Mixpak Collective, she helped the Brooklyn-based dancehall crew win Red Bull Culture Clash 2016.

https://soundcloud.com/jubileedj  

Arabian Prince

Arabian Prince was an early West Coast electro pioneer and one of the founding members of NWA.  A rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer and DJ – he’s been in the scene for more than 30 years. 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5NMN8ahOjFuRoyYVjKGFGq 

DJ Deeon

A legend of the Chicago house scene and a career of collaborations that read like the who’s

who of dance music history.  He has captivated crowds all over the globe with his remixes.

https://soundcloud.com/djdeeon  

DJ Taye

Chicago footwork producer DJ Taye made his name as one of the youngest artists affiliated with the Teklife crew.

https://soundcloud.com/djtaye

Corsicana Deliver With Their First Single Quandary, New Album On The Horizon

Our friends at Corsicana have just released this beauty of a masterpiece for our listening pleasure. The new single “Quandary” from their forthcoming album Perennial (out 1/18/19) is set to a beautiful backdrop featuring an array of complementing sounds that fit perfectly with vocalist Ben Pisano’s ranging array of lyrical bliss. The song is arranged in a way that put the listener right in the line of fire of what the song is about, it’s as if everything is happening right in front of you and you are watching it play out in real time, only to realize the uncertainty of what just took place. Corsican is set to release their new album (tickets on sale now) just after the new year and we will keep you plugged on all the upcoming details. Stay Tuned.

Do you feel it too? When I pull you up the stairs, it’s the weight that’s yours to bear.

We burst into my room, we’ve caught the fear between our teeth, trapped it underneath the sheets.

You say “it’s best we never leave,” I think you’re feigning your relief.

Are you lost in the fervor? You’ll only push further.

In all the times you’ve had me stay over, I’ve never felt colder.

The fear tastes stale;

An old friend loiters in your home.

Feel my shame positioned like a weapon.

Can you hear it too? Our friends are at the door, seeking shelter from the storm.

They won't peer inside, cause they know you drew the blinds. Have you found your peace of mind?

We can't harbor our conceit in a sea of our deceit.


Corsicana

Ben Pisano - Acoustic/electric guitars, percussion, programming, synths, vocals/processing

Amos Chase - Drums

Jordan Leone - Electric bass

Melanie Steinway - Ambient (tremolo) guitar

Produced, engineered, & recorded by Ben Pisano.

Live drums engineered & recorded by Corey Coffman.

Song & lyrics written & arranged by Ben Pisano.

Mixed by Corey Coffman.

Mastered by Joe Lambert.

Artwork by Anna Bernard.

Design by Jordan Leone.

Austin City Limits Music Festival Shines Once Again

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Friday

Another year, another successful Austin City Limits Music Festival. We had a chance to make our way to our favorite music city destination last month to enjoy the second weekend of the beloved festival (nothing compares). This years lineup comprised of one the better ones we have had a chance to cover. From Sir Paul, to Metallica, to Arctic Monkeys there was a vibe for all to enjoy. The Austin weather played a huge role as it cooperated despite predictions of rain storms.

We got our weekend started on Friday with our first performance from Reignwolf who brought an early rock onslaught to the Honda Stage. Onwards we went to catch an amazing set from ALVVAYS (who we saw just this past Summer in Denver). A soothing yet energetic set from the band had us off to a great start. One of the bands on our must see was David Byrne, the former Talking Heads frontman has been touring with what many have called one of the best productions of the year. Let’s just say he didn’t disappoint and put on one of the best performances of the weekend. Soon after the Byrne performance we headed across the park to catch long time favorite Lily Allen perform some of her classics mixed in with a few newer songs. Highlight of her set was the dedication of her famous song “Fuck You” to our current POTUS, everybody ate it up and sang at the top of their lungs. Our last act of day one was Texas(now based in LA) hip-hop outfit Brockhampton. The collective managed to put on one of the most hyped performances of the weekend. Their style of hip hop resembles part Odd Future part Wu Tang Clan. The crowd was one of the most active as they sang word for word many of the bands songs.

Reignwolf

Reignwolf (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

ALVVAYS

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David Byrne

Lily Allen

Khalid

BROCKHAMPTON

Saturday

Day two began with a bang as latin songstress Mon Laferte gave the audience a rousing set with dance moves and tight rhythmic percussions to accompany her beautiful voice. One of the highlights of our weekend. Up next was Japanese Breakfast, the indie darlings have been making a name for themselves all summer and this was our first time seeing them live….they did not dissapoint. One of the performances we got to live stream during weekend one of the festival was Brandi Carlile who was absolutely brilliant. It was only fitting for us to catch her golden hour set as she steamrolled through her catalog even bringing up Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready to join in on the fun. One of our favorite albums this year Negro Swan has been on repeat at the office and we had our chance to catch Blood Orange for the first time. Dev Hynes is the mastermind behind this project and their performance was nothing short of amazing.

Mon Laferte

Japanese Breakfast

Brandi Carlile

Blood Orange

Sunday

The last day of a festival is always the hardest, you are sunburnt, your feet hurt, your muscles ache, but for us we have been doing this for far too long to let that get in the way of enjoying perhaps the best music festival in the country. Our final day started with a couple portrait sessions with Thunderpussy and Shakey Graves. Our first act was Parquet Courts who surprisingly we have never seen live. hey responded with high energy and powerful guitar riffs that sent the great into a frenzy. The set of the weekend would have to go to Janelle Monae, we were lucky enough to see her in Denver a few months ago and already knew what to expect. Her flare for fashion and dance made this performance one that will have people talking for years. The dancing continued as we trekked across to catch Tinashe perform with her dancers, a fun set with her belting out her lyrics with a smile that would not disappear. Another one of our favorite sets of the festival. One of hip hops most underrated emcees Vince Staples had the chance to hype the crowd on the main stage before Travis Scott. Flanked with no production Staples danced across the stage from side to side rapping to the already massive crowd, the set could have used a few more theatrics to be honest. We crossed over Barton Springs road to capture Shakey Graves as his crowd swelled way past the point of no return (could have commanded a bigger stage with no effort). He managed to slay us with his alt rock style we have come to love. Finally the main event for the day took stage. Blasting off the heels of his recently released Astroworld, Travis Scott gave his home state a performance for the ages. In a surprise move he even managed to bring out NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal for a song. The massive crowd, filled with the younger generation of fans managed to create a huge presence. All in all this would have to go down as one of the best lineups in recent year. Photo restrictions kept us from photographing Paul McCartney, Metallica and Arctic Monkeys.

Parquet Courts

Janelle Monae

Tinashe

Vince Staples

Shakey Graves

Travis Scott

Rüfüs Du Sol Warms Up The Fillmore Auditorium

The Fillmore Auditorium played host to back to back sold out shows from electro darlings Rüfüs Du Sol this past weekend. We had a chance to attend Sunday night, and while snow conditions existed outside it was nonetheless “lit” inside. We have been following the trio since 2010 and have loved seeing the band evolve from a sound and production standpoint. Opening with “Eyes” of their 2018 album Solace, the band did not let up keeping a consistent vibe throughout their whole set. They played all of their hits including “Innerbloom”, “Underwater”, “Like An Animal”, and “No Place”. The band loves playing in Denver and we love having them. (Words and images by Robert Castro)