Nik Freitas Sun Down Team Love Records 01:00-01:45 of “Sun Down” “Sun Down” sounds like what would happen if a 14-year-old boy only owned two records, Harry Nilsson’s The Point and N’Sync’s N’Sync. What comes out of that is an adorable little song that sounds like it’s made for and…
This week on the Spiral, your intrepid hosts saunter off to the hinterlands of Arvada to sit down with the Archive. There they played with a stolen keytar and listened to Fat Guy’s pearls of sagely wisdom. WARNING: This podcast may not be suitable for sensitive listeners as it starts…
Joe Thunder isn’t known for his skills behind the mic. He isn’t known for creating hot beats either. He’s more likely to just listen to records than mix and scratch them. And you’ll catch him nodding his head before he’d bust out in a backspin. So what does Joe Thunder…
See full-size image Not only is this a flip-fantastic lineup, but this silk-screened poster is a work of art in itself…
Yellow Second. Remember that band? Scott Kerr and Andy Verdecchio’s post-Five Iron Frenzy, super badass power pop outfit? If not, you’ll have your chance to get reacquainted on Friday, May 9, at the hi-dive. Before the Fray and before record deals were being handed out like Handi Wipes at a…
Who: Debajo Del Agua In Their Words: “Formed in Denver, Colorado, Debajo is composed of musicians from Chile, Peru, El Salvador, Mexico and the States. We fuse a vast diaspora of styles incorporating elements of hip hop, Andean music, salsa, samba, cumbia, reggae, and more. Our music is a reflection…
Joel Harvey is Ari from East High School’s new hero. Mine, too. On his day off, Harvey happened to head into work at the Bluebird Theater and caught a phone call from Eli asking if the Bluebird would be willing to post his prom date invitation on the marquee. Having…
Smiling feels really good. Laughter feels even better. I think you’d have a hard time finding anyone who disagrees – except, perhaps, the misanthropic person who left the gratuitously vitriolic comment last week. But he probably just needs a hug. So we all agree that smiling and laughter are good,…
In the spirit of collaboration – and to further prove the IQs in the band – this week, I’ve opted to devote this space to my drummer Elaine Acosta. The following is a chapter from her forthcoming book, Holy Sweet Goddamn: The Memoirs of An Aspiring Rock Star and Psychiatric…
Great googly moogly! Are Flobots playing with the house’s money right now or what? At this moment, the act is still the top seller at Twist & Shout, outselling new releases from R.E.M., Nine Inch Nails, the Breeders, Raconteurs, Van Morrison and Gnarls Barkley. And next month in Tucson, Jamie…
Slide MF’in Show! Can a band tear the roof off a venue with the sheer force of energy and volume? Two acts answered this question with a resounding and barbaric YAWP at the Marquis Theater last night. –Photos by Aaron Thackeray…
Redline Defiance is dunzo. Or not, depending on what you’ve heard. “REDLINE DEFIANCE QUIT! NO LONGER A BAND!” reads a blind post on the band’s myspace page. That post was followed by a more in-depth pronouncement from guitarist Emerson Willis that was sent out to the band’s mailing list…..
I recently got a tip about a hip, safari-themed bar in south Longmont, of all places. Looking at the website of Tusk Safari Lounge, I envisioned a massive place with a jungle motif and a crocodile head sitting on the bar. The slogan alone — “drink, graze, chill” — was…
Emily Francis wants to make a difference. And now that Planes Mistaken for Stars is permanently grounded, the band’s former manager has an idea that’s ready for takeoff. Francis, who’s helped curate Denver Fest for the past three years, has teamed with Jeff Campbell, former NIPP staffer and current 3…
During the first half of the decade, John Schmersal, the guiding light of Enon, churned out ditties so quickly that he made hyper-prolific songwriter Ryan Adams seem like a slacker in comparison. But after years of affixing fresh compositions to the band’s website on practically a daily basis, he decided…
The organizers of the Communikey Festival of Electronic Arts want to accomplish two things: First, they want to make you dance, and second, they want to make you think about — and work toward — a sustainable future that embraces technology. “This festival smacks of Boulder,” muses Marko Manriquez, head…
The success of Juno, a modest independent film that earned multiple Academy Award nominations and over $200 million in worldwide box-office receipts, has brought many good things to Kimya Dawson, including recognition, renown and a share of royalties from the flick’s companion CD, which topped the Billboard sales chart earlier…
It takes a lot of balls for a band to play in matching Christmas sweaters. Although Eyes and Ears has done that, “ballsy” may not be the best way to describe the act’s sound; after all, one of the members is a girl. What Eyes and Ears lacks in testicular fortitude,…
It’s easy to understand why the Shapeshifters — Simon Marlin and Max Reich — have scored four crossover chart hits in the U.K., including a top single with their initial release, “Lola’s Theme.” The DJ and production duo cherry-picks the catchiest elements of any number of styles (techno, electro, deep…
Though powered by prog pretentiousness and punk pissiness, Sacramento’s Tera Melos isn’t just another band of post-rock pansies. These guys came to agitate and irritate anyone who shows up with a preconceived notion. Nick Reinhart layers guitars, loops, electronics — and even the occasional vocal melody — over Nathan Latona’s…
The songs on David Dondero’s most recent record, Simple Love, sound as polished and hooky as anything you’re likely to hear on “modern rock” radio. The difference is, Dondero, whose voice is ever so husky and quavers with undercurrents of strong emotion, has a knack for avoiding the type of…
Austin’s Ghostland Observatory is more than just another pair of sweaty dudes making party music. Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner crank up the heat on this formula by combining filthy French electro with ’60s soul and plenty of ’80s synth pop. While Turner churns out beats that butts can’t resist,…
