Ultra5280's Best Of 2018: Band of The Year

Los Mocochetes playing during this year’s Underground Music Showcase. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

We have usually shied away in the past from naming a band of the year. This year we decide to recognize a band that left blood, sweat, and tears on the stage with every performance. This group of gentlemen provided Denver with a message that was much needed in light of our current political climate. Sharing positivity and love throughout their sets, it was an easy choice to name Los Mocochetes our band of the year. The band had huge presence this year playing an abundance of shows all over our state (we had a chance to see them three times), they blend an array of sounds from Latin beats to funk to politically charged lyrics, add a high energy stage performance and you are guaranteed to dance your ass off. Cut from the same cloth as bands such as Rage Against The Machine and Ozomatli the band is looking to top their year in 2019 with their debut album. We look forward to seeing the band continue to ride their current wave and can’t wait to see what they have in store for the new year. Viva La Raza!!!!!!

Other bands worth mentioning that had an amazing year and should be recognized for their accomplishments this year.

Cheap Perfume

Oxeye Daisy

The Still Tide

Tennis

Citra

Yasi

The Velveteers

Dreadnought

It’s Just Bugs

Denver Music The Year In Photos 2018

Here are some random photos taken throughout 2018 of some of our favorite bands. Photo Credit: Robert Castro

Too many people to name.

Tyto Alba

Oxeye Daisy

Corsicana

One Flew West

YaSi

iZCALI

Crl Crrll

Water Aerobics

The Velveteers

Citra

Kayla Marque

Maxwell Hughes

HR People

Whiskey Autumn

Pout House

Wildermiss

King Eddie

The Corner Girls

The Corner Girls +1

Some of the most talented musicians in Denver!

Ultra5280's Best Of 2018: Top Shows

2018 brought us some amazing shows. From comebacks to the unexpected to the rebirth of a local festival. Denver finally got it’s own big festival after months of rumors with Grandoozy. Red Rocks continued to impress with probably its best lineup in years. It’s hard task when asked to name your Top 5, but we sat down with some of our friends and finalized our lists. The consensus from our panel would be that David Byrne returned in 2018 with the best show of the year, landing number one on many lists. Taylor Swift toured with her amazing production landing a few spots on the list. Other notable shows were Janelle Monae, Childish Gambino and a few new faces such as CupcakKe and Jungle. With 2019 announcements already starting to roll in we expect it to be bigger and better. Thank you to our amazing friends at Live Nation, AEG Presents, Illegal Pete’s, Do303, The UMS, Levitt Pavillion, Open Air, Behind The Scene Podcast, without you we wouldn’t be able to attend so many amazing shows. Until next year…..

Robert Castro / Editor In Chief Ultra5280

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  1. Janelle Monae- Austin City Limits Music Festival

  2. Travis Scott- Pepsi Center

  3. David Byrne- Austin City Limits Music Festival

  4. Taylor Swift- Mile High Stadium

  5. Childish Gambino- Pepsi Center

Amy Osgood / Certified Peace Sign Thrower

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  1. SZA- Coachella

  2. Taylor Swift- Mile High Stadium

  3. Beyonce- Coachella

  4. Janelle Monae- Paramount Theatre

  5. Florence and The Machine- Grandoozy

Bruce Trujillo / Programming Assistant at Open Air

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  1. Los Mocochetes/Pink Hawks/Vic N The Narwhals- Hi Dive

  2. Tammy Shine (of Dressy Bessy)- Sally Centigrade

  3. Ms. Lauryn Hill- Red Rocks

  4. Paul Simon- Fiddler’s Green

  5. Childish Gambino- Pepsi Center

Tobias Krause / Event Director at Underground Music Showcase

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  1. DUCKWRTH- Underground Music Showcase

  2. PPL MVR- Underground Music Showcase

  3. Dragondeer (as Bowie)- Globe Hall

  4. Childish Gambino- Pepsi Center

  5. Madge- Underground Music Showcase

Zoe Lanterman / Marketing Manager at Live Nation Colorado

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  1. Jungle- The Gothic Theater

  2. Rolling Blackout Coastal Fever- Larimer Lounge

  3. Cold Cave- Marquis Theatre

  4. Sylvan Esso- Red Rocks

  5. BROCKHAMPTON- The Ogden Theatre

Peter Wallace / General Manager at Do303

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Big Gigantic (Rowdytown 3D)- Red Rocks

  3. PHISH- MGM Las Vegas

  4. Travis Scott- Life Is Beautiful Music Festival

  5. Dave Chapelle- Summit

Joel Rekiel / Levitt Pavillion Denver

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats- Levitt Pavillion Denver

  3. Godspeed You Black Emperor-The Ogden Theatre

  4. MGMT- The Fillmore

  5. Rainbow Kitten Surprise- Velorama Music Festival

Shon Cobbs / Host of Behind The Podcast

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  1. The National/Sharon Van Etten- Red Rocks

  2. Jesus and Mary Chain/NIN- Red Rocks

  3. Ghostpulse-Syntax Opera House

  4. The Milk Blossoms- Lost Lake

  5. Beach House/Sound of Ceres- The Ogden Theatre

Virgil Dickerson / Fun Pusher at Illegal Pete’s

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Lizzo with Maggie Rogers and Haim- Red Rocks

  3. Janelle Monae- Paramount Theatre

  4. Cupcakke- Marquis Theater

  5. Shannon and The Clams- Crescent Ballroom

Ryan Garbarino- Marketing Manager at AEG Presents

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Khraungbin- The Bluebird Theater

  3. The War on Drugs- Grandoozy

  4. John Prine with Nathaniel Rateliff- Buell Theatre

  5. Taylor Swift- Mile High Stadium

Rikki Aston / Talent Buyer at Live Nation Colorado

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  1. David Byrne- Red Rocks

  2. Pearl Jam- Safeco Field

  3. Against Me!- Summit

  4. Janelle Monae- Paramount Theatre

  5. Sofi Tukker- Gothic Theater (can I have 5 more!!!)

Lina Skrzypczak / Lifestyle and Music Writer at Ultra5280

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  1. Black Moth Super Rainbow- The Bluebird

  2. Washed Out- 420 Block Party

  3. Childish Gambino- Pepsi Center

  4. Mac Demarco- Red Rocks

  5. Tycho- Summit

Danny Sax / Talent Buyer at AEG Presents

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  1. Bouncing Souls- The Bluebird Theater

  2. Highly Suspect- The Ogden Theatre

  3. Dropkick Murphy’s/Flogging Molly- Fox Street Compound

  4. Mac Demarco- Red Rocks

  5. Rancid/Bad Religion/Pennywise/The Interrupters/Mad Caddies/Potato Pirates - Fiddlers Green

Geoff Brent / Talent Buyer at Live Nation Colorado

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  1. Itchy-O Hallowmass- Summit

  2. Against Me!- Summit

  3. Turnstile & Culture Abuse- Marquis Theater

  4. BROCKHAMPTON- The Fillmore

  5. The Frights- The Bluebird

Ultra5280’s Best of 2018: Top Albums

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We have nailed down our lists of Best Albums for 2018. We also asked some of our best friends for their selections as well. Without further adieu we give you the 2018 edition of The Best Albums of 2018 presented by Ultra5280. Cheers to an amazing year in music and hopefully 2019 brings in the same.

Robert Castro / Editor In Chief Ultra5280

Amy Osgood- President of The Tobias Krause Fan Club

  1. Florence and The Machine- High As Hope

  2. Kanye West- Ye

  3. Kacey Musgraves- Golden Hour

  4. St. Vincent- MassEducation

  5. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats- Tearing At The Seams

Bruce Trujillo- Programming Assistant-Open Air

  1. Mountain Man- Magic Ship

  2. Black Panther Original Soundtrack- Kendrick Lamar

  3. Lucero- Among The Ghosts

  4. La Luz- Floating Features

  5. Vic N The Narwhals- Los Narwhals

Tobias Krause- Event Director -Underground Music Showcase

  1. Deezie Brown- Self Titled

  2. SiR- November

  3. Unknown Mortal Orchestra- Sex & Food

  4. Oxeye Daisy- Self Titled

  5. Dragondeer- If You Got The Blues

Zoe Lanterman- Marketing Manager- Live Nation Colorado

  1. Snail Mail- Lush

  2. Beach House- 7

  3. Jungle- For Ever

  4. Moaning- Self Titled

  5. Superorganism- Self Titled

Peter Wallace- General Manager- Do303

  1. A Star Is Born Soundtrack (with dialogue)

  2. Kacey Musgraves- Golden Hour

  3. Houndmouth- Golden Age

  4. Brent Cowles- How To Be Okay Alone

  5. Morgan Saint- Alien

Joel Rekiel- Marketing Manager- Levitt Pavillion Denver

  1. Rainbow KittenSurprise-How To: Friend, Love, Freefall

  2. Fucked Up- Dose Your Dreams

  3. CupcakKe- Ephorize

  4. MGMT- Little Dark Age

  5. Muse- Simulation Theory

Shon Cobbs- Host- Behind The Scene Podcast

  1. Machu Linea- Girl

  2. Kramies- Of All Places Been And Everything The End

  3. The Milk Blossoms- Dry Heave The Heavenly

  4. Curta- End Of Future Park

  5. Four Fists- 6666

Virgil Dickerson-Fun Pusher-Illegal Pete’s

  1. Anderson Paak- Oxnard

  2. Shannon and The Clams- Onion

  3. Janelle Monae- Dirty Computer

  4. CupcakKe- Eden

  5. Father John Misty- God’s Favorite Customer

Ryan Garbarino- Marketing Manager- AEG Presents

  1. Mastersystem- Dance Music

  2. Twin Peaks- Sweet 17’ Singles

  3. Hop Along- Bark Your Head Off, Dog

  4. Amen Dunes- Freedom

  5. Typhoon- Offerings

Rikki Aston- Talent Buyer- Live Nation Colorado

  1. Nombe- They Might’ve Even Loved Me

  2. Lizzo- Big Grrrl Small World

  3. Parcels- Self Titled

  4. Greta Van Fleet- Anthem of The Peaceful Army

  5. Kikagayu Moyo- Masana Temples

Lina Skrzypczak- Music Lifestyle Writer-Ultra5280

  1. Black Moth Super Rainbow- Panic Blooms

  2. J Cole- KOD

  3. Cardi B- Invasion Of Privacy

  4. Kanye West- Ye

  5. Anderson Paak- Oxnard

Danny Sax- Talent Buyer- AEG Presents

  1. Zeal & Ardor- Stranger Fruit

  2. The Interrupters- Fight The Good Fight

  3. Daughters- You Won’t Get What You Want

  4. Pig Destroyer- Head Cage

  5. Behemoth- I Loved you At Your Darkest

Geoff Brent- Talent Buyer- Live Nation Colorado

  1. The Frights- Hypochondriac

  2. Culture Abuse- Bay Dream

  3. Anderson Paak- Oxnard

  4. nothing, nowhere- ruiner

  5. Let’s Eat Grandma- I’m all Ears

Khruangbin Ends 2018 On A High Note In Denver

Khraungbin with an epic last night of their tour. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

We may as well call 2018 “The Year of Khruangbin”, it was a coming out party for the Texas trio (formed of Laura Lee on bass, Mark Speer on guitar, and Donald Ray "DJ" Johnson Jr. on drums) as they ended their US tour in our fair city this past Saturday night. The band has been around for a couple years but this year they managed to put the world on notice. The trio brought their unique musical blends of genres to a sold out house and managed to turn the venue into their own dance party. Relying heavily on their influences of soul, funk, rock, hip hop, psychedelia, disco, and Thai influences, the band took us on a two hour musical journey. With the opening chords of “Bin Bin” to the last rousing applause of “Maria Tambien” that evoked an emotional response from the band as they laid their instruments down one last time for a well needed break, toss in one of the best instrumental mash-ups we have ever heard and it made for a magical December night at The Ogden. Opening the night was one of our favorites from SXSW this year The Marias, the LA band was a last minute opener and meshed well with their soul influenced roots that won the crowd over.

Words and Images- Robert Castro

Laura Lee always looking fabulous. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

An epic setlist to close out their tour. (Photo Credit: Robert Castro)

Astroworld Invades Denver Thanks To Travis Scott!

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)