Astroworld Invades Denver Thanks To Travis Scott!

December 14, 2018

Travis Scott spared no expensive on his Astroworld Tour. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

If you are not familiar with Astroworld, let’s get into a brief history lesson. Astroworld was a Six Flags themed park (think Elitch Gardens) in the city of Houston that was demolished in 2005, it was one of the main attractions in the city of Houston and was known to introduce the very first water rapids ride. It was also home to many prototype rollercoasters that featured many twist and turns while suspended in the air. It was only fitting that Travis Scott took the amusement park from his hometown and brought it to life on this tour. After his performance here in Denver let’s just say he nailed it. Flanked by two stages one that resembled a circle-shaped apparatus suspended chair that took Scott in a 360 degree turn all while belting out lyrics. The other was a mini suspended roller coaster that was located right down the middle of the crowd suspended in the air.

The show got off with a bang as Scott tore through several songs accompanied by flames and pyrotechnics that are usually reserved for a Fourth of July celebration. While many expected him to appear from the main stage, he actually popped out from the back without anybody’s knowledge (we dropped hints to those by the stage during the openers set, you welcome kids). Opening up with a whirlwind as he danced across the stage with a frenzy (briefly mentioning the altitude, but who doesn’t).

The show was non-stop turbulent energy from beginning to end. Hits including “Antidote”, “Stargazing”, “Goosebumps”, and our nominee for song of the year “Sicko Mode”. Fans truly got their dollars worth with this performance, aside from the performance Scott has been one the true pioneers of the streetwear scene all evident by the most impressive selection of merchandise he offered. Lines stretched far and wide for an opportunity to sport the coveted “Wish You Were Here” $95 dollar hoodie. Astroworld although demolished was brought back to life for one special night. The night got off to a rowdy start by impressive openers Sheck Wes and Gunna Gunna who got the crowd all primed up for the main event of the night.n’t

Travis Scott performs in front of a packed Pepsi Center crowd. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

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

December 5, 2018

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.

Rüfüs Du Sol Warms Up The Fillmore Auditorium

November 12, 2018

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)

First Look: The Simple Parade - "Going Through Something"

November 2, 2018

We have the pleasure of sharing the exclusive premiere of the video for “Going Through Something” from The Simple Parade. The band was able to share some thoughts on the song and vision for the video, as well as what’s coming up for the band in 2019.

This song came out a very physically and emotionally exhausting part of my life. After years of struggling with severe heath issues, it all came to a head with one very impactful and jarring health scare that nearly took my life. After this unnerving wake up call, I decided that I was going to start being more honest with people about how I was actually doing. I began to have very real conversations with people (usually over coffee), and I found that when I was vulnerable about my struggles, others started opening up to me about there struggles as well. This song is a collection of some of the stories I heard in my journey (I changed the names, of course), and a realization that we are all going through something, and that there is no need for us to feel alone here. It has been my experience that peace comes in two phases. First, we need to be open about our struggle and let people into our story. Second, we need to be advocates for each other and help each other in our struggles. If anything, I pray this song gives people permission to he honest and hope in the community that surrounds them. A big ask, I know, but why not put something good out there and hope that it helps make life a little better!

When asked about how the idea for the various locations of the video came about.

The idea was to film us playing the song in various locations where people were, well, going through something (aka everywhere!). The concept of incorporating the mailbox for people to write out what they were going through was our videographers idea (well done Mikey!), and I think it really helped bring the whole theme of the song together in a tangible and poetic way.
We filmed this video in various locations throughout the Denver Area (chapels, theaters, downtown, coffeeshops, hospitals, etc) over the course of a full year (hence the various beard lengths:) ), and although it was definitely a labor of love we are very encouraged to see how it turned out!

The band has some big things in store for early 2019 that will aim to reach out to those who share the crazy up’s and down’s of everyday life.

This song "Going Through Something" is a single that will be on our second album "Seeker" that will be released in early 2019. Since the release of our first album "A Love Story" (that we recorded back in CA and released in 2016), we had actually put The Simple Parade on the back-burner. However, we are very excited about this new album and feel like it could be a true encouragement to people who are wrestling with doubt and faith in this crazy life journey. With that, we are hoping to start playing more shows in the Denver area, so check our website to see when/where we are playing next.

Your Guide To Everything Grandoozy

September 6, 2018

The biggest weekend in music is about to invade Denver next weekend and we want to make sure you are prepared for all that is Grandoozy. The inaugural event is set to take place on the grounds of the Overland Golf Course on September 14, 15, and 16th. We want to provide you with a guide to help you get familiar with all that is being offered.

The Lineup:

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As you can see the lineup boasts some of the best acts in music today, from the reigning king of hip hop Kendrick Lamar to Indie Rock Goddess Florence and The Machine and lastly the legendary Mr. Stevie Wonder. Throw in some of the best local acts and dj's and you have yourself the best selection of music a festival has to offer.

Devour Denver:

Devour the best of Denver at - well - Devour Denver (see, we can name things with regular words). Grandoozy’s food & drink program features the best bites from the high plains to the front range, led by a fearless team of Culinary Ambassadors - Adam Schlegel, Biju Thomas, Dana Faulk Query, Jeff Suskin, Justin Cucci, Carrie Baird, Jen Jasinski and Tommy Lee. Vegan or carnivore, sweet tooth or fry fanatic - tuck that napkin in and prepare for a fantastic culinary voyage.

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Arts & Crafts

May we interest you in a whimsical, abstract sour? Perhaps you'd prefer the sharp, hoppy futurism of an IPA? Whatever your tastes, you'll find a delicious masterpiece at Arts & Crafts - Grandoozy's craft beer experience. Curated by Steve Kurowski of the Colorado Brewers Guild, it's the perfect place to sample some of the region’s finest breweries (plus plenty of variety from beyond the plains) while surrounded by beautiful local art.

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Flight School:

Fasten your seatbelts and get in the spirit to be schooled by some of the best craft distillers from Colorado and beyond. With Denver’s Chad Michael George as our captain, we’ll be serving up flights ranging from smoky and barrel-aged to juniper and vanilla-baring, featuring bourbon, mezcal, gin and more. Afraid of flying? A first-class selection of cocktails will be on deck. Over and out!

Flights: Smoky Spirits | R(HUMS) of The World | Agave Tour | CO Whiskey Flight | Amaro Digestif Flight

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The Backyard:

Friday September 14

CONSERVATION CONVERSATIONS: HOLDING ON TO OUR PUBLIC PLACES
From climate change to our current administration's position on environmental policy, our national parks and lands are undeniably in danger. Join our panelists in discussing the challenges, long-term implications and opportunities our country faces in ensuring the conservation of these cherished spaces.

Saturday September 15

BUSINESS AS ACTIVISM: HOW THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY IS BECOMING A POLITICAL FORCE
Patagonia called out President Trump when he shrunk Bears Ears. Yeti denounced the NRA after a school shooting. Brands are taking big stands on big issues as they begin to realize that they—and their customers—want to do more than have nice gear.

Sunday September 16

OFF-SEASON: TALKING TO GREAT ATHLETES ABOUT THEIR LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS
Being outside isn't just fun—there are documented health benefits. From being in a pine forest to pushing yourself in the mountains, we'll discuss how the outdoors can change your life.

EXPERIENCE YOUR FAVORITE OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE BRANDS IN A WHOLE NEW WAY AT THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND CURATED MARKETPLACE, FEATURING LIMITED-EDITION GRANDOOZY COLLAB ITEMS AND MORE.

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80's Ski Lodge

Go back from the future and relive the iconic ski aesthetic of yore (OK, guess it's not all that long ago) with a party so hot, it'll fog your goggles. The 80s Ski Lodge will be rockin' all weekend long with totally tubular DJ sets, a hair metal cover band and more. Radical!

Check out the lineup here

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The Break Room:

Break it down at The Break Room, Grandoozy’s all-day dance area. Be transported from the discotheques of Berlin to the warehouses of Detroit, onwards across the space-time continuum of dance music then land back home with your favorite local DJ collectives. With an eclectic lineup of established and emerging artists, this open-air space will welcome all, casual fan and aficionado alike.

Check out the lineup here.

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Unplugged II

September 3, 2018

I had a chance to take some photos of some familiar faces and some new friends this year. My Unplugged photo project took place earlier this summer and I was able to capture 40 plus artist all up and down the concrete jungles of South Broadway. This is a project that I hold dear to my heart and love to be able to capture musicians with their guard down in their most intimate setting. Thank you to all of the bands that participated (and showed up on time).