DenverThread

Erik Husman: Golden Troubadour to Throw a CD Release Party May 10 – Then: Hiatus

Billy — Tue, 08 May 2012 03:11:40 +0000

Golden’s Erik Husman, along with his then-band The Golden Rule, recorded a full-length album at the Walnut Room on March 24, 2011. Now, nearly 14 months later and going solo, Husman is ready for the CD release party. It’s set for this Thursday night at Mead Street Station – 3625 W. 32nd Ave in Denver [...]

Take A Minute for MCA – RIP Adam Yauch, Namasté

Billy — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:51:32 +0000

When MCA and King AdRock announced a few years ago that the Beastie Boys would be delaying the release of their next album due to Adam Yauch beginning a battle with throat cancer, I don’t think anyone of us fans took the news lightly. But I also don’t think many of us ever thought the [...]

“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Synchronicity and the Populist Promise of Kickstarter

Billy — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:41:55 +0000

Ben Dicke, local theater professional, looks for Kickstarter Funding to Premiere the Controversial Emo-Punk Musical at the Aurora Fox, Just in Time for Election Day. Could it be any more ... prophetic? In an election year that’s rife with populist rhetoric, where pundits on both sides seem to pontificate endlessly about the problems of the common folk of Main Street, the excesses of the rich and Wall Street, and how neither side has the right idea about either, Ben Dicke, a local theater teacher and accomplished producer, director, playwright and performer, has been called by the muses to produce an uncannily appropriate play in the Aurora Fox - “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.” These always tricky (or so I’ve been told) muses have called out to him over an emo-sounding band (actually, it could be argued that emo - with its roots in common angst and the everyday futility of making it through in an overwhelmingly unfair (but often tearfully beautiful) world - might be the epitome of rock’s populist side), to produce and act in one of American Theater’s few emo-rock operas. And - also like much of the real-life action and rhetoric of this year’s supremely important pastime - this musical-American-political-history-lesson-slash-controversial-production promises to pack a strong comedic punch.

Alash Ensemble – Tuvan Throat Singing – Comes to Swallow Hill this Friday, April 6

Billy — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 04:50:43 +0000

If you’ve heard it, chances are you’re either mesmerized by its outlandish beauty, haunted by its sweeping sonics or fascinated by the physics. Either way, there’s not another vocal style that’s anything quite like Tuvan throat singing. And there’s no touring troupe that pulls it off like the Alash Ensemble. Four native Tuvans, Alash have [...]

American Music: Local trio Dirty Femmes to cover the Violent Femmes first LP, Sat., April 7 at the Hi-Dive

Billy — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 17:30:18 +0000

How often do you find yourself inadvertently – almost subconsciously humming Blister in the Sun, Kiss Off, Add It Up, American Music or just about any of the seminal hits from early alt-folk (alt-punk? folk-punk? Angst-folk?) trio Violent Femmes? I know for me – and a whole sew of folks who were dragging themselves through [...]

DenverThread Interview – Flipper – Steve DePace

Billy — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 01:07:11 +0000

OK - Who remembers Flipper? More appropriately: Who knows why they should remember - or at least be aware of - Flipper? Get this: - It could be argued that without Flipper, there may have been no Nirvana, or much of the sloppier side of "Grunge," or at least the whole scene would likely sound a little different (less sloppy, maybe?). Disagree? Let's discuss (in comments). In any case,regardless of what we all think, Flipper has left an indelible mark on music in its 33-years as a band on this accursed planet. A deep-cut-with-a-dull-blade, thick and juicy sludge trail, maybe - and one that may have laid the original tracks for sludge metal bands like Sunn-0))), Sleep, The Melvins and the like - but indelible nonetheless. And if that kind of connection can hold true, then we should all remember Flipper, and they should be held aloft in our music appreciation lists alongside heavy hitters like Black Flag and Black Sabbath, in reflection of their contributions. I think that Flipper may indeed have been before its time in a sense. We were described as a Grunge Band in 1980, a full 10 years before it became a musical format. - Steve DePace And - even if you disagree, or don't even know whether or not you agree - you're in luck, because Flipper is holding a two-day residence this Thursday and Friday - March 29th and 30th - at the venerated Lion's Lair to kick off another long touring season (Europe - for about a million dates - is next). The seminal pre-post-hardcore-avant-sludge-proto-noise-punk band is celebrating two Punk Rock Art Show openings in Denver this week with the shows. First, on Thursday, March 29th, "Ruby Ray: Punk Passage" opens at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center (445 S. Saulsbury St., Lakewood), and celebrates the San Fransisco punk scene of the late '70s. Then, on Friday, March 30th, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver will open up "Bruce Conner: The Primal Scene of Punk Rock," which focuses on the San Fransisco punk scene in 1977, with flyers, photos and videos. But enough of anything not about Flipper. In sync with the two-show Lions Lair residence, DenverThread spoke with Flipper drummer Steve DePace about Flipper's history, now and future, and a few other things. Check it out - and get to these shows:

New Threads You Need Now – Night of Joy, Achille Lauro, Lee Ranaldo, Willis Earl Beal – more!

Billy — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:00:10 +0000

Night of Joy, Achille Lauro, Black Postcards (Local); Lee Ranaldo, Willis Earl Beal, Jeffrey Lewis (not local) Well - This post we’ve got a bucket of sounds, and none too soon (having missed a while - our apologies).... This one features a slew of locals - two from the same label (Hot Congress) and another totally DIY group that’s almost too new ... but has promise. It also features a pile of national acts - a few coming to town soon, but all should be traversing your grey matter between you headphones - if not already, then soon.... Night of Joy - Hardcore Girls are a Hoax Night of Joy has been around the Denver scene doing everything themselves for a bit - and have always been mighty impressive. Pulling its sound from somewhere amidst the part of New York’s late ‘70s No-Wave scene led by Lydia Lunch’s Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, Glenn Branca’s Theoretical Girls and of ‘80s Post-punk like UT and Big Black, and ‘90s Breeders and Bikini Kill, Hardcore Girls are a Hoax (available now on Hot Congress Records’ site, officially released March 21st) is a solid, visceral ride.

The DenverThread Interview: Michael Gira

Billy — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:29:42 +0000

Gira discusses SWANS and more, before an upcoming gig with Wovenhand, The Howling Hex, March 24 at the Oriental Theater When I discovered SWANS at a 1986 punk show at the Eagle's Lodge (they played cuts from their then-current LP "Greed," with two bombastic drummers, thundering bass and bulldozing guitar, Jarboe screaming and Michael Gira - barefoot, shirtless, drenched and suffocating himself with a mic chord and self-loathing howls of terror - or pain - or disgust) it was one of the shows that changed my life, and cemented my lifelong involvement in the interpretation of music - especially live music. And it wasn't just because I was one of two people that I know actually enjoyed the show (my date being the other - and we still talk about that day). It was because I knew I'd seen something musically that, in my young 20-year-old mind, made no sense. In the context of destroying buildings with sonic explosions, or of torture, or of avalanches of rock and mud tearing through entire villages - sure, in that context what I'd experienced made sense. But not as music. My body, though, felt otherwise, and that gut feeling has remained with me since then. Fast forward 26 years, and SWANS remains one of the most intriguing and influential musical artforms in my life. And they've gone through a world of evolution - from that aggressive, sonically crushing noise in the '80s, through a terrifyingly beautiful and complex oeuvre of sonic sculpture as the '90s progressed, to a recently reformed, fully formed and mature modern prometheus the likes of which would likely make Mary Shelley quiver with delight upon discovering - so complete a match for something so human, so man-made, horrifyingly misshapen - and perfectly sublime. Suffice to say that, if you haven't seen or experienced SWANS - even on record - do it. The visionary leader behind the seminal noise and eardrum-crunching band, Michael Gira (pronounced gear-AH, I now know), is beginning a tour of the western side of the US and Europe, and is stopping here at our beloved Oriental Theater this Saturday night, March 24th, for a solo opening spot to "warm up" for David Eugene Edwards' local behemoth Wovenhand, and featuring The Howling Hex. It's a pairing not destined to happen again - to miss it would be a huge mistake. Gira was gracious enough to take some time to talk with me about SWANS, his views on illegal downloading, his music, David Eugene Edwards and more. Read on to see what we talked about....

Live Review: Erik Husman Reviews Radiohead at the 1st Bank Center, March 13, 2012

Billy — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:11:19 +0000

Local troubadour Erik Husman – of Erik Husman and the Golden Rule – was lucky enough this week to be able to stop in and take in Radiohead’s sold out Tuesday night show at 1st Bank Center, and was also gracious enough to write DenverThread a review of what will, no doubt, stand as one [...]

Who’s Playin’ What Where? DenverThread’s Gettin’ Out Guide – January 20 – February 4

Billy — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:08:46 +0000

DenverThread’s guide to where you should be and what you should be seeing – and, of course, hearing – for the next few weeks around Denver. The “Planet Rock” Art Show is Now Open in Broomfield, Artist’s Band The Pretty Sure Play Saturday Night Arlo White really is a post-post-postpunk-post-renaissance man. As many places and [...]

Shooting My Rock n’ Roll Wad, With Revenge

Billy — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:19:17 +0000

For our inaugural post for Unraveler, we’ve got a treat. Guest author Mike Argeropoulous, a native of Chicago by way of Marquette, Michigan – and plenty of hilarious and creative stops in between – offers a cautionary tale. Whether you believe it or not, enjoy the tale of revenge, of the slacker variety, as Argeropoulous [...]

Live Review: Black Heart Procession at Hi-Dive, Monday, December 12, 2011

Billy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:40:12 +0000

You could say that The Black Heart Procession bears a large portion of responsibility for the sound of “indie” today, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Since the members’ initial involvement in the seminal Three Mile Pilot in the late ‘90s, they’ve been championing a slow, psychedelic-but-gruff Pink Floyd style that’s only been solidified and made [...]

New DenverThreads: Kissing Party, Erik Husman and the Golden Rule and Mombi bring more to Denver’s sound

Billy — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 20:27:00 +0000

Kissing Party – Waster’s Wall Kissing Party’s latest record, “Waster’s Wall,” still reflects a little more Belle & Sebastian than it’s probably meant to. And I’m putting that out there right away because of Gregg Dolan’s reported frustration with that comparison. But it’s not mired in the Brit-pop band’s lo-fi jangle. For this record, the [...]

Pull on this Thread: Get your Rocktober started with terror at Bar Bar this Friday!

Billy — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 01:33:04 +0000

Aside from the fact that all the calendars around us agree, how else can you really tell Rocktober is beginning in full swing? Zombiecrawl is right around the corner, we can smell snow in the air (already!) and Spirit stores are popping up like Starbucks. And, while your heart might be racing at the prospect of next year possibly being the first (since most of you were born) to not feature a new season of The Simpsons, there’s a much more traditionally terrifying option happening at Bar Bar this weekend to kick off the 2011 mile High Horror Film Festival – the Mile High Horror Film Festival Showcase. And, it’s FREE.

Who’s Playin’ What – Where? Weekend of Sept. 30, 2011

Billy — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:50:11 +0000

Seems like this may be the beginning of the season of harvest in music, too - at least here in Denver. This weekend features a few awesome CD releases from local bands, and more! Read on to find out about two back-to-back Hot Congress release nights and an alt-country visit from Brooklyn to the Lion's Lair. Is it just us, or is the heavy weight of Rocktober just around the corner? Friday night showcases some fantastic Denver indie-meets-post-punk with the release party for Kissing Party's "Waster's Wall" album (officially out on October 18). One of Denver's most promising acts at the moment, Kissing Party bring together a sort of Belle & Sebastian feel to their sound, with a tint of bubble gum and a Manchester shadow. Saturday night brings the CD release party for Sun Red, a five-piece born out of the wreckage of Denver's (Die)Pilot, full of sweeping and tenacious prog-esque constructions spearheaded by Gene Brown's strong vocals. Their sound wavers across indie lines that corral such masters as Stephen Malkmus or Lou Barlow, but is very much something they've concocted on their own.

Live Reverb – Peter Hook & the Light play Joy Division’s “Unknown Pleasures,” Bluebird, 9-19-2011

Billy — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 23:32:46 +0000

At the risk of eliciting a chorus of jaded groans: Yes, Peter Hook & the Light, led by the bassist for the influential Joy Division, performed a rousing rendition of the post-punk swan song “Love Will Tear Us Apart” last night at the Bluebird in the first of two encores. Did you think they wouldn’t? [...]

New Threads – Denver’s Denver City Saltlicks and Josh Novak, Toronto’s Fucked Up

Billy — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 23:16:32 +0000

Fucked Up – David Comes to Life (2011) Fucked Up’s latest offering is much less an album than a movie, really. Listening to it, it’s hard to avoid imagining complex, high-budget plots and huge swaths of dramatic interplay as the vignette of David – the everyperson – unfolds. The concept album’s story lends itself: angst-ridden [...]

The Flaming Lips deliver Pink Floyd like no other – in their soundtrack to a hell of a life

Billy — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:48:26 +0000

In January, ’95 or ’96 (who can say for sure?), after a Flaming Lips show that (despite the fact that they’d opened for, of all bands, Candlebox) remains one that shaped my world view, my friend and I approached an open side door, shivering and giggling as we continued to find bits of confetti in [...]

Ambient drone is so neither, when you step into it … – An interview with Kevin Greenspon

Billy — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 06:08:51 +0000

So I guess it’s customary to pull a quote from the interview in question for an appropriate headline – but I didn’t. I pulled this headline out of the feeling I got from reading Kevin Greenspon‘s answers to my questions this evening, while being washed with his compositions. I came across Greenspon’s work as a [...]

Wait for it… the UMS isn’t over yet. It’s just getting stronger. Trust us.

Billy — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 23:31:45 +0000

The mighty UMS weekend may be drawing to a close, but it's far from done. The last day brings some of the best of the bunch, and you won't want to miss any of it. All three days previous have been more than spectacular - and have shown off the Denver scene for what it is: strong, diverse and more than anything just plain good. So you'll want to dust off your flippy-floppies and saddle up your hangover, drench yourself in sunscreen and get out on Broadway lickety-split - before it wraps itself up and we kiss another year goodbye! The final day has its work cut out for it, with a lineup that's definitely up to the task. Read on to see a few of our recommendations.

The UMS hits full speed today – plan accordingly! Don’t worry – we’re here to help.

Billy — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 20:25:17 +0000

The 11th Annual UMS is now in its third day, and rounding the inside corner to slingshot itself into full, reckless, dangerous and foolhardy speed, and you're going to want to grab on for dear life about now, and hold on. It's going to get a lot more beautiful before too long, and there'll be more than you can imagine to see, hear, taste and drink. All the more reason to follow our recommendations for which bands to see, where, and just a little bit of why. Today's also the day that the all ages crowd can take the most advantage of the many, many options - and we've put a little emphasis on the bands playing that anyone can see, to encourage you to get out from under the Xbox and GET OUT HERE, NOW!

The UMS is rockin’ – Here’s DenverThread’s list for Day Two

Billy — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:00:03 +0000

Day one's in the books, and it looks as if the 11th Annual UMS is off to a roarin' start! But - if you thought last Thursday night's activities were brilliant, epic, miraculous - or tragic, melancholy, maudlin - hold on to your pants. The momentum's just beginning! Friday is the New Black Here are our toppers for Friday, July 22 - and we're happy to say that it was a damned tough job boiling the lineup down! The first few are our predictions for Friday night's owners of the UMS. Scroll on down for a listing of the rest of our recommendations, in chronological order (still just a fraction of all the action!). Friday's UMS Lineup is owned by ... Colourmusic - 3 Kings Tavern - Sailor Jerry Stage @11PM Oklahoma seems to be fertile ground for a sort of bombastic optimism. Or maybe it's a heightened sense of existentialism that leads artists to just say "Fuck it! I'm partying!" And then watch everything in their lives happily begin to fall into place. It's chaos at its most beautifully complex, and most hilariously sublime. Cue Colourmusic. 'Nuff said. Go see them. SRSLY.

The 11th Annual UMS Starts Today – So do DenverThread’s lists – here’s day one

Billy — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:27:53 +0000

It's here! And it's definitely THE highpoint of Denver's summer music season! A full Red Rocks schedule, the Warped and other festival tours, multiple nights of Widespread Panic - even the monster U2 show in Invesco Field at Mile High - all pale in comparison to the magnitude of this weekend's pinnacle. The 11th Annual Underground Music Showcase (UMS) starts this Thursday evening, and will dominate a few square miles of South Broadway for the following three nights. This year's show features close to 300 bands, comedians , singer songwriters and other talents, and will be housed in a huge number of venues, restaurants, bookstores, skateboard shops and t-shirt shops along South Broadway (here's a handy listing, with a MAP!) - including two major outdoor stages - from 6th Avenue at the top to Cedar at the bottom. Needless to say, the choices for live music abound - heck, they're pretty overwhelming. Let's face it: there's no way anyone can possibly see all that the UMS has to offer, and it'd be a miracle to see everything you'd like to see. So let us at DenverThread take a little of the pressure to decide off of your shoulders, with our daily preview lists for this year's festival. Through the weekend, we'll be listing our choices of the best things to see - for a lot of reasons. Whether your tastes run into the sludge-stoner-metal quagmire, meander through dreamy twee-pop or get hypnotically lost in psychedelic shoegaze, we'll get you where you want to be, and make sure you're catching something you've hopefully never seen before while we're at it.