Something Like Sound

Saturday night at the Bluebird started out with a modest crowd and a few bobbing heads and ended with a packed room full of dancing concertgoers. Jonny Woodrose & The Broken-Hearted Woodpeckers got things started with their unique style of folksy rock. I personally liked their song “Chumps” with its line “Don’t let your girlfriend wear your socks on her feet.”

Common Anomaly came from Fort Collins to play their first official Denver-venue-gig that night. Their sound was like a dancy wall-of-sound tempered with occasional singing. Every note was syncopated to the dance-beats, requiring each player to keep their parts tight and together. I would highly suggest seeing these guys live if they happen to make their way down to Denver again any time soon.

The dancing continued with The Photo Atlas. Despite some technical difficulties their set drew the crowd in really got things kicked in to high gear. They played mostly newer material (from their recent EP To Silently Provoke The Ghost) but also got a few older numbers in as well. Be sure to catch The Photo Atlas this Thursday at the Marquis for their SXSW sendoff party.

Finally it was time for The Knew. Before the set began, a screening of a documentary about the group from  PhotoRoadies showed the band’s progression up to the release of Pulperia. It all managed to build the energy in the room as The Knew took the stage. Their set was a full-out dance party complete with fog machines, beach balls, and some of the catchiest hooks coming out of Denver.

After the normal set ended the crowd was not quite satisfied. Upon their return to the stage everyone mustered the energy to dance for another 3 songs (there was also a marriage proposal thrown in there too). Overall, The Knew’s performance was one of the best I have seen this year from a local band.

View a full gallery from the show here.

Despite the fact that Young Coyotes have now played a handful of “final shows” over the last few months; Adam Halferty and Zach Tipton decided to come together at the Hi-Dive to showcase their respective side-projects and play once again as Young Coyotes.

Adam Halferty’s band American Tomahawk opened up the night and I was immediately intrigued. Wielding a guitar, rather than his normal drum kit, Halferty played through a solid set of reverb drenched pop songs with the help of his band (which consisted of members of another local group, The Photo Atlas).

Zach Tipton’s project I Am The Dot took the stage armed only with a laptop, two drums, a microphone, and a spiral of red light. Tipton, who has been steadily releasing EPs in a genre he has titled “Apocalypse Pop,” played a few new songs in addition to some of his more established tunes (“Love Song for Camus” was my personal favorite).

Adding to the eclectic nature of the show, hip-hop duo The Pirate Signal got the typically reserved Hi-Dive crowd dancing, moving, and “jigglin’.” MC Yonnas rapped about everything from going on Warped Tour to finding “Love in the time of Swine Flu” while DJ A-What kept the beats pumping.

For the final set of the night Young Coyotes shed their normal acoustic set-up to play an electric set. While this slight change didn’t really alter their sound, it certainly added a dynamic not previously seen. One of the highlights of the set was the song “Hammering,” a newer tune that has no official recording (and will likely remain un-released). Toward the end of the set it became obvious that both Halferty and Tipton were feeling the effects of playing two full sets that night. However, they still managed to end strong, leaving the crowd pleased as the night came to an end.

See a full gallery here.

If there is one thing that I have witnessed in the last year covering the Denver music scene it is community. It seems that no matter where I go there is the same core group of people supporting their own musical endeavors and those of their friends. Friday night’s show at the Skylark was no exception; friendly faces filled the bar as three exceptional local acts took the stage.

First up was a 7-person group from Boulder called Fellow Citizens. Their sound was a silvery mix of ambient guitar tone and intricate drums work (a fellow listener suggested that their tone was similar to Fleet Foxes). Each song swelled and sank as the set drove on. I recall being rather blown away by their last song; it was a climactic closer if I ever saw one.

Of all the tracks on the recent Hot Congress compilation, The Vitamins song “Sequined Dress” is a stand out. As would be expected, the song was a highlight of their set. Each note was spot-on as singer Lizzy Allen sang with a certain air of authority (there were several instances where she managed to hit notes that resonated in the room, it was impressive).

Old Radio is one of those groups that typifies the community I talked about earlier. With an “all star” line up, these guys have utilized some of the most talented players in Denver. Their set was a mix of old and new; songs that may show up on their debut record and an older favorite of mine, “In The Between” (from 2007’s The Blackwell Gate, when Old Radio existed, in part, as Roger, Roll). I found it difficult to quantify exactly what Old Radio sounds like live, but suffice it to say, Patrick Kelly is a passionate singer and they all know how to make a song ending “epic.”

See a full gallery from the show by clicking here and listen to a few featured tracks from these bands in our music player (on the right-hand side of this page)

Orbiteer

The Meadowlark, a quiet street-corner venue in lower downtown, appeared calm and cool from all outward appearances last Friday night. Inside the bar was a different story. Waves of sound pounded from amps and speakers as the space was filled to capacity. Those who had gathered in that cozy place found themselves carried away by the psychedelic sounds created by the Denver-local bands therein.

Woodsman

The night began to get interesting when Woodsman took the “stage” (which was mostly just a large swath of the floor). With two drummers providing the backbone for their style of ambient lo-fi, Woodsman added to the sound with two guitarists and a slew of effects. Building to crescendos and tearing everything down to its bones, Woodsman certainly showed that experimental music is much more than mere noise.

Fissure Mystic

Fissure Mystic, a group that has aligned itself with the local Hot Congress music collective, was up next. Their set was a nice change up from the spacey sounds of Woodsman and was slightly reminiscent of underground punk music from the early 90’s.

Tjutjuna

Tjutjuna (I know, just try to pronounce that name) closed out the night with one of the loudest sets of music I have ever been exposed to. Even with earplugs in, my ears were still ringing on the drive home. Their set was spacey and hard hitting. The bass from the speaker cabinets struck my chest as the other-worldly sounds of their Theremin player swirled around the room.

See a full gallery by clicking here.

Long Island-based Brand New is one of those groups that cannot be easily described in words or photos. Rather than simply putting on a concert, a Brand New show is more of a full-body experience. Hardcore fans scream every lyric as they push and claw their way to be near the stage. The music pounding out of the speakers is not quite the same as the emo-tinged anthems of years gone by, it is more raw, it is more free, it is brand new.

With their newest record, Daisy, Brand New toured the U.S. this past fall with the support of Atlanta-based Manchester Orchestra. Unfortunately for concertgoers in Salt Lake City and Denver those dates were postponed due to illness. Saturday night, nearly four months after the original date, Brand New returned to Denver.

The momentum of the evening really began to pick up when Manchester Orchestra took the stage. For a brief moment I thought I had been transported back to the early 90’s, to a Nirvana concert. However, the lyrics I heard were not reminiscent of nihilistic teenage angst, but rather turned out to be deep and thought-provoking. “Where Have You Been” is always the highlight of a M.O. set, and that night’s performance was no exception. Toward the end of the song (on the big build-up part) they had 4 drummers going simultaneously; it was a sight to see and a sound to (literally) feel.

I was unsure what to expect from Brand New. This particular show was my third time seeing them, and I anticipated they would play heavily from Daisy. Much to my surprise front-man Jesse Lacey started the set with “Soco Amaretto Lime,” a soft number from 2001’s Your Favorite Weapon.

From then on they pulled out all the stops. With each song the crowd never appeared to grow weary despite singing/yelling along and a generous amount of “rocking out.” Highlights included “Sic Transit Gloria (Glory Fades)” going straight in to “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows” and set closers “Jude Law and a Semester Abroad” and “Seventy Times 7.”

Looking back on the night as a whole I can say confidently that this was the best performance I have seen from Brand New. While they did showcase quite a bit of their new material (“Vices” was my personal favorite from that bunch), the group stayed true to their roots and fan base. For anyone who is unfamiliar with Brand New, go out listen to 2003’s Deja Entendu, the record that introduced me to their unique style and caused me to fall in love with their live set.

To see the full sets of photos from the show check out these two galleries: Set 1 | Set 2

Last Saturday was quite the night for local music. While John Common & Blinding Flashes of Light were celebrating their CD release and Swayback played the Hi-Dive with Houses, Rob Drabkin had a (birthday) party of his own. The Soiled Dove Underground was comfortably full when we arrived, just in time to hear Ryanhood.

Ryanhood was truly a delightful experience, especially for an opening act. The 2-man group combined melody and harmony with acoustic guitars and mandolin in a way that took full advantage of the venue’s excellent sound system. My only wish is to see these guys again some day with a full band. Levi Ware and his band also played a set that was good despite some technical difficulties.

The last person to play before Rob’s headlining set was a young girl from Nederland (whose name escapes me right now). She played with more skill than anyone of her age (or size) I have ever seen, and her original lyrics weren’t too shabby either. For her last song Rob Drabkin came out to play a duet, it was heartwarming, to say the least.

For the grand finale of the night Rob Drabkin and his band played a nearly 2-hour set consisting of most of Rob’s original music and a few covers (Paul Simon’s “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” was one of my favorites). Rob’s dad even made an appearance, adding saxophone solos and backup to complement the musicianship displayed by all of the players on stage. Everyone here at SLS would like to wish Rob a happy birthday.

The last few days have been a bit hectic. I realized that while I hadn’t had time to write a formal review of the Vices I Admire album release show, I did upload several photos from that night. For my thoughts on Vices I Admire, go read my review of The Politics of Apathy (and make sure you get your free download of that record on their website). But for now, here are some of my better photos from last Friday’s show

Glass Delirium

Other Side of Clearview

Vices I Admire

Being on vacation is great. No work, no school, nothing to do. To fight boredom I decided to head to downtown Fort Collins for some Northern Colorado-grown folk and indie-rock on a Sunday night. Rather than writing about each band I’m just going to post a few photos from the night’s sets. Enjoy.

The Riflemen

Danielle Ate The Sandwich

Paean

Sour Boy, Bitter Girl

The Bluebird was cold and quiet on Tuesday night as a dedicated few came out for Young Coyotes and Fiery Furnaces. With a rather unassuming attitude everything played through with a sort of simple, laid-back vibe.

Young Coyotes started the night up by playing what they were calling “Possibly our last show.” Although unclear about whether any other subsequent appearances are in the works, it did not appear that Young Coyotes would be calling it quits for all of eternity. In fact, they played a couple of new songs which I though were better than some of their previous material. “Hammering” showed a certain maturity both musically and lyrically. Overall, the set was drenched in reverb and a superb way to start the evening. Also noteworthy: Zach Tipton’s ‘fro has gone from great to epic.

Fiery Furnaces took the stage and I did not know what to expect. Having only seen a few videos of the group online I was unprepared for the delightfully fuzzy guitars and constant time-shifts. While the near-constant change-ups kept the growing crowd on its toes, they eventually became a little predictable and thus some people started loosing interest in the music. The Fiery Furnaces set as a whole was still quite enjoyable: a rowdy mix of blues, surf, jazz, punk, and rock.

It’s been a year of good-byes on the Denver music scene. This summer Hot IQs called it quits, a couple weeks ago Everything Absent or Distorted said farewell, and this past weekend Hearts of Palm (aka Nathan&Stephen) played a pair of final shows. Hearts of Palm unofficially broke up last year, but never had a proper sending-off, so they re-grouped and packed-out the Hi-Dive for the last time.

This review only covers their Friday night show (International Day at CSM, aka “the tastiest day of the year” was Saturday, so that show was not covered). The concert had a rather odd lineup: the progressive rock Titan Courageous, the heavy metal To Be Eaten, and finally the indie-pop-with-a-horn-section Hearts of Palm. While the other groups had personal connections to the headliners, it certainly made for a bit of a weird lineup.As Hearts of Palm took the stage a fog machine began to fill the space with smoke; flood lights illuminated the stage and the 9-person band (which consisted of at least 3 Till brothers) filled the stage to capacity. Playing through a few of their more upbeat numbers at the beginning of the set, singer Nathan McGarvey kept saying, “Alright, we’ve got one more for you” (even just 2 songs in).

The crowd quickly warmed up and began to sing along with the classic H.o.P. tunes “No Water” and “Happier.” It was certainly a family affair as Stephen Till took the time to thank his parents, especially his mother, who “birthed about half of the people on stage.” Similar to the EAoD farewell a few weeks ago, Nathan&Stephen played through every song they had ever recorded and released. While they did not necessarily need to reunite for a farewell show, everyone on hand greatly appreciated the opportunity to see Hearts of Palm say a proper good-bye.

As a special treat and addendum to this review, Something Like Sound is proud to partner with KVDU to present a previously un-released acoustic session with Hearts of Palm, recorded in November of 2008. The radio-set even features a couple songs that were never formally released, so this is a must-download for any H.o.P. fan.

Download “Hearts of Palm – Live at KVDU – 11/13/2008″

Tracklist:

1. Like You Don’t Care

2. Give “em Hell

3. Be Okay

4. Happier

5. Tip Your Glasses

6. Little Squares of Paper

7. Tunnel of Love

Special thanks to Eric Peterson for hooking us up with that. Also, be sure to check out Lance’s recording from the second night over at The Flat Response.