bandwagon magazine - december 2014

BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment DECEMBER 20144

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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment DECEMBER 2014 5

excellent singer, even if his voice seems really familiar in a way that’s almost generic, at least until the ending. The ending sort of pumps you up, and the only issue I have is the fact that it gets exciting… and then it stops.

“Strange Giant” recalls the score of Pacific Rim, until the horn section comes up, which really makes this track stand out. I think this is potentially my favorite track on Synesthesia, and it mostly has to do with the inclusion of the horns. Lots of electronic music is Generic Movie Trailer Music, Shitty Club Music or Daft Punk/Glitch Mob knockoffs with not much to really distinguish itself. This is truly a unique-sounding track, and for that I love it.

The album closes out with “Gold Blooded,” a melancholic-turn-choleric-and-back-again piece that tries to be hypnotic and then jerks you back out and cranks up the rock. This is another unique track, and a long one at that so you really come to appreciate it. “Gold Blooded” is a good “summary,” if you will, of what The Echo Chamber is good at, and it has convinced me that if you dig electronic music, you should track down Synesthesia.

The Echo ChamberSYNESTHESIA

I’m going into The Echo Chamber’s new release, Synesthesia, completely blind. While I have an interest in electronic music, I don’t necessarily listen to a lot of it, and while The Echo Chamber has played here in Greeley, I can’t recall ever attending one of their shows. So I’m largely judging it as if this is the group’s first album, even though this is the Fort Collins-based group’s second release.

Electronic music–particularly albums filled with Instrumentals, like Synesthesia–can sometimes be difficult to judge due to the experimental nature of the genre. What do you compare it to that people are aware of? The Echo Chamber compares themselves to the likes of Radiohead, Battles and Explosions In The Sky, but I’m not thinking of those groups while listening to the album.

“Into The Machine” is reminiscent of Greeley musician Joe Lee Parker’s solo Sound Art performances, a tonally dark electronic piece that’s interlaced with electric and bass guitar as well as drums. It also brings to mind the score from 28 Days Later. The title track, “Amorphous Colors in Dreams” and “Terrorvison” continue this aesthetic. A note on “Terrorvision”, despite its title, it’s much more upbeat in terms of tone and really rocks out towards the end.

“In Battle,” weirdly, reminds me of classic rock from the 70s, mostly due to the guitar playing of Ryan Gaudie, and mixed in with the MIDI work of Chris Thompson, giving this rock track a strangely relaxing mellow vibe.

“Morphine Tiger” is the one track with lyrics, bassist Brian Weikel providing the vocals. Weikel is an

Jay WallaceBandWagon Magazine

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Springtime CarnivoreSELF-TITLED

through her musical roots. The vocals fans have come to expect, twinkling and young, have since matured, taking on a much more affected, shimmering tone, which suits the fuzzed-out pop style of the album. Here, the artist speaks on her vocal choices, and the inspiration she draws from actor Jared Leto.

For now though, the 26 year-old is taking time to enjoy the another successful debut. “I feel really good about it right now. I think there’s always a process of releasing something and then outgrowing it, and that’s positive. So I’m happy now. Maybe in a year or two I’ll be ready to do the next one.”

Some of of Morgan’s favorite releases this year included the new albums from Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten and The Orwells, who she refers to as her “musical little brothers.” Springtime Carnivore is currently touring the West Coast, but hopes to return to the Mile High City soon.

kind of experiment. I wanted to fix my relationship with music a little bit, because I feel like it had sort of become off kilter for various reasons. I just wanted it to feel more the way it did when I was a teenager.”

The effort is clear in the album. Long time fans of Morgan’s work will be able to note the maturity present in this performance. Morgan gives us a fun, lilting, flowing collection of tunes that would be better suited for a summer release. With it’s ‘60s and ‘70s charm, this album is best suited for sipping an icy drink and soaking up rays, or cruising highways with the top down.

The Springtime Carnivore debut plays cohesively, which speaks to the talent of its author, as some of its tracks were written back in her Gold Motel days, some after their break up. This time around, it was important to Morgan to let the ideas flow freely. Whatever ideas came, came as a result of her personal brand of organic musical meditation:

“The first song that I demo’d was ‘Collectors.’ So some of the early demo’s go back that far, like two years ago. So for this record, first thing in the morning, I would have a cup of coffee, and go to my rehearsal space, maybe play along to a few records, and then I would dive into whatever song I was working on for a few hours. It seriously felt like magic, just working in a trance every day, just hanging out by myself.”

Morgan makes a point to leave no musical rock unturned in this journey

Greta Morgan Salpeter (better known simply as Greta Morgan) began playing piano at the tender age of three. With a classical pianist for a mother, Morgan has many fond musical memories, especially with her father:

“My Dad is tone deaf, but he loves music. So he always took us to musicals, and I actually remember dancing with him to motown in front of our juke box as kids.” You can sense the importance of these memories in Morgan’s voice.

Music continued to be a fierce passion into her teens:

“It was this really amazing, life-giving thing to be able to listen to your favorite song before you went to bed and have it be the first thing you want to hear in the morning. I would just play out of joy and excitement every day, with no expectations.”

It was at 16 that her musical career began, as the keyboardist/vocals for the Decaydance signed The Hush Sound.

Two albums and four years later, The Hush Sound retires on a high note, and Morgan moves to her new band, Gold Motel, who went on to release two sugary ‘60s pop album. Now, Morgan embarks on her first solo adventure under the moniker “Springtime Carnivore.” Morgan cites her newest project as a chance to re-focus her relationship with music:

“I guess what I was ready for with this project was just the freedom to

Clark LamsonBandWagon Magazine


In the sequel, everything that gained the pair such rapid and impassioned adoration–the brutality, the wit, the flow–have all returned with a vengeance. The pair pull no punches in what is a far darker, grimier project than its former.

The patented RTJ lyrical savagery has returned, more cringe-worthy than ever. Killer Mike takes the lyrical cake in this performance, and often overshadows El-P as a lyricist (though,

You’re in, or you’re out. The effect is so encompassing, that their 2013 debut began with the song “Run The Jewels,” making that “Run The Jewels,” on Run

The Jewels, by Run The Jewels. The sequel, aptly titled Run The Jewels 2, is a tactically precise release that feels like it answers all questions early critics had, while simultaneously doing whatever the hell they want. If they’re careful, there will be much more to see from them in the future.

Run The JewelsRUN THE JEWELS 2

Run The Jewels has never claimed (or wanted) to be anything other than themselves. To the auteurs behind this project, Killer Mike and El-P, Run The Jewels is more than a title, more than a catchy hook. It is a call to arms; take to the streets, and raise hell.

Clark LamsonBandWagon Magazine

in El-P’s defense, its worth nothing that he is both rapper and producer to the project). In one of three singles released for the album, “Close Your Eyes (And Count to F*ck)” Killer Mike paints the bloody picture of a gang army overthrowing a prison, in splattered, gorey swipes that would do any Tarantino film justice.

Around every corner is verse after verse that are so quotable, you feel like you’re watching your favorite comedy. The wit is elevated, as is the story telling. In “Crown,” the pair share tales of past hardships; Mike, on his time as a cocaine dealer, and El-P on his brief and ill-advised bout in the military. This is done not in sadness, or regret, but in acceptance that what’s done is done. Its a song about closure, and forgiveness of

one’s self and others, and gives credence to the fact that hip hop, at its best, is a storytelling medium.

While the content takes a step up, the sounds take a notable toning down. Not quite in quality (in fact, El-P continues to grow as a producer) but in the raw and raunchy punch fans felt in the first album. That being said, the result is a slower and (if such a thing can happen) a more mellow performance, but with no loss of intensity. The move is similar to the sophomore release from Death Grips, and aimed to show that the group could find back-to-back success, even when experimenting with quieter sounds. The message is clear: they’ve only begun, and there’s much more to come.


Los Condensadores de FluzoRockabilly “Typicat” Spanish

que rock and roll puede ser en espanol tambien como dice Antonio Gomez o “Tonino” en “Alligator Rockin” la revista “Tratamos de reclamar que un buen grupo de ‘rock and roll’ puede cantar en español y no solo en inglés.” Y vaya como lo reclaman con mucha fuerza y talento.

El álbum Rockabilly “Typicat” Spanish

nos sube a una máquina de tiempo y nos lleva a la era de Rock ‘n Roll. Tiene un sonido alegre que hace que todo tu cuerpo se mueva de piez a cabeza.

La primera canción es el mismo nombre del álbum “Rockabilly “Typicat” Spanish.” La canción tiene un estilo clásico del rock and roll que enseñan su patriotismo a espana diciendo “Rockabilly “Typicat” Spanish made in Spain”. Nos dicen como el rockabilly nos tendrá “bailando como gatos locos.” Después su tercer cancion se llama “Indie-ferentes” donde llama a la moda indie una tontería y se burlan de su tendencia a ser “indiferentes” a la modas. Y dicen cosas como “confunden arte con exclusividad,” y que “tienen complejo social.” Su juego en palabras en el título de la canción es igual de divertido a la canción. mientras te hace bailar te causa risa con sus burlas a la moda indie. Su patriotismo continua a Jaén con sus cancion “Himno a Jaén” donde la describen como “Radiante flor” y “ bella ciudad de luz.” A lo largo de la canción llaman Jaen mujer y se expresan como si fueran una y hablan del amor que le tienen.

Los Condensadores de Fluzo son un grupo encantador con su sonido espectacular y alegre. Rockabilly ”Typicat”

Spanish es la manera en que demuestran

Condensadores de Fluzo es la traducción incorrecta de Flux Capacitor que debería de ser condensador de flujo cuál es la parte principal de la máquina del tiempo de la película Back to the Future. Esta traducción incorrecta es de España de donde se originan el grupo más exacto de Jaén. Los Condensadores de Fluzo es un grupo mas nuevo que empezaron en el 2010 que tocan música Rockabilly. Los miembros son Fernando Valverde o conocido como “Perro rabioso” que toca la batería, el bajo lo toca Tonino McFly, Juan Antonio Plutonio toca la guitarra, y el vocalista que también toca la guitarra es Carlos o conocido come “Fluzo.” Rockabilly

“Typicat” Spanish fue estrenado apenas este año después de su exitoso lanzamiento de su álbum “Back to the Fifties” en el 2012.

Rockabilly empezó en los cincuentas es la convinacion de musica rock and roll y música country. De donde su nombre se derive de las palabras rock and roll y hillbilly que resulta en rockabilly como el nombre. Sus influencias de música varían pero uno que resalta más es claro el famoso y destacado Elvis Presley.

Crystal MendozaBandWagon Magazine

The song has a classic style of Rock ‘n Roll where they demonstrate their patriotism to Spain by stating “Rockabilly Typicat Spanish Made in Spain”. They tell us how the rockabilly will have us “dancing like crazy cats.” Their third song is called “Indie-ferent” which calls indie fashion silly and makes fun of the tendencies to be “indifferent” to trends. They say things like “confuse art with exclusivity,” and that they “have a social complex.” Their play on words in the title of the song is just as fun as the song. It makes you dance while you laugh at the teasing towards the indie trend. They continue their patriotism with to Jaén with their song “Anthem to Jaén” where Jaen is described as “radiant flower” and “beautiful city of light.” Throughout the song called Jaen is described as a woman and they express themselves as if they speak of the love they have for it.

Los Condensadores de Fluzo are a lovely group with a dramatic and lively sound. Rockabilly “Typicat” Spanish is the way they show that rock and roll can be in Spanish as well as Antonio Gomez or “Tonino” says in the magazine “Alligator Rockin” “We try to claim that a good group of ‘rock and roll’ can sing Spanish and not just in English.”and go and claim it with great force and talent.

Los Condensadores de Fluzo is the incorrect translation of flux capacitor, which is the main part of the time machine from the movie Back to the Future. This mistranslation occurs in Spain where the group originates from specifically from Jaén, Spain. Los Condensadores de Fluzo is a newer group that started in 2010 playing rockabilly music. The members are drummer Fernando Valverde or known as “Perro Rabioso (Rabious Dog)”, bass by Tonino McFly, Juan Antonio Plutonium on guitar, and vocalist Carlos also known as “Fluzo.” Rockabilly “Typicat”

Spanish was released just this year after its successful launch of the album “Back to the Fifties” in 2012.

Rockabilly began in the fifties which is the combination of rock and roll and country music. Hence its name is derived from the words rock and roll and hillbilly resulting in the name. Their music influences vary but one that stands out most is of course the famous and outstanding Elvis Presley.

The album Rockabilly “Typicat” Spanish puts us in a time machine and takes us to the era of rock and roll. They have a joyful sound that makes your whole body to move from head to toe.

The first song is the same name as the album “Rockabilly” Typicat “Spanish.”

en español

Photo By Jose Torreswww.josetorres.eu


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SHATTERPROOF

HYPNOTIC VIBES

ELECTRIC STAIR CHILD

Shatterproof is known as one of the rising stars of the Northern Colorado music scene. Based out of Fort Collins, they have built a name for themselves with their brand of alternative rock with punk influences, a term they use to

describe themselves on their Facebook and website but one that does not come to doing their sound justice.

Shatterproof ‘s sound is emotional and raw, tapping into the band’s deep seeded frustration and aw with the world around them. It’s energetic, engaging, and fun. The violin instead of a lead guitar is a nice touch too. If they win they plan to add their earrings to their band fund as they are saving up for an 8-track album that will cost roughly $10,000.

When asked what the band feared, lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist Bransen Hoog had this to say; “As a band, we have a general fear of a stop in growth. We fear that we will stop growing as musicians, that our fanbase will stop growing, and that our songs will stop getting better. In general, we strive to better ourselves as musicians and as songwriters with every new song we write. We strive to write each song better than the previous one. I am afraid one day the songs will stop improving.”

Jed MurphyBandWagon Magazine

Hypnotic Vibes, round one winner of Battle of the Bands looks forward to the compe-tition in the final round. Their cosmic, funkadelic, reggae, ambient sound is a jam the band continues to morph as they go. Their presence is undeniably precise, entertaining

and dedicated in feeding the energy of the crowd. For the final round they’ve created all original work. They’re passionate in creating an unconditional relationship between their music and the way people enjoy it. They feel their responsibility to music is to nurture a new sound as much as possible, but then let it speak for itself to learn and grow from where it originally started, constantly evolving.

The band started out as a simple acoustic act from Joe Solano (lead vocalist/guitar) and Stefan Lopez (lead guitar-ist/vocalist) but has bloomed in to a full band accompaniment to complete their musical destiny. The six member band consists of drummer Mario Alvarado, bassist AJ Garner, trombonist Sterling Swanson, trumpeter Alex Vilanova as well as the two original members. If HV sweeps the final round they plan to use the winnings to continue their journey out of Colorado and record a full length album, but they plan to do this regardless of the BOFTB results.

When asking the finalist what their collective fear as a band was, HV decided on being alone. Not in a traditional sense of being desperate for human attention or being physically alone, but being unconnected, divided as a band.

“When you’re in a band, you’re essentially married to your band mates,” Lopez said. “It takes all of us to be sure these dreams are accomplished. Stardom is meant to be all of us doing it together. But fear is necessary, because if you’re not afraid then you’re not challenging yourself or the world around you.”

Rose HedbergBandWagon Magazine

Electric Stair Child are a jam rock band based out of Greeley and have been laying down their weird amalgamation of jam funk rock there for several years now. Their set wonders through the realms of desert rock, reggae, funk,

and even a touch of hip hop, creating something tailored to a live experience. This appreciation of the live show is what they brought with them to this year’s battle and it paid off. Returning from last year, ESC came prepared with a solid game plan, bringing an epic live show that took them to the next level.

ESC enjoys things like cool solos, some nice spacey synth, and shenanigans with people in banana

and monkey suits. Speaking with guitarist and vocalist Caleb D’Aleo he says as a band, they collective-ly fear nothing. Together they will withstand anything the universe will throw at them and through positive jams they will destroy their enemies and triumph over evil. He also said that if they win the $1,000 the band intends to invest it back into merchandise in order to continue generating income.


SHATTERPROOF

HYPNOTIC VIBES


















SHATTERPROOF

HYPNOTIC VIBES



















Saturday, December 13thwith performances by:

EldrenGasoline Lollipops

Grant FarmiZCALLi

Maxwell HughesPandas & People

QbalaShatterproofThe Yawpers

Wasteland HopWinchester Holiday

...and special guest Lindsey O’Brien

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DOORs at 6pm

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Kyle EusticeBandWagon Magazine

It was a big surprise to hear Grand-

master Dee wouldn’t be joining the

other two members of Whodini for

the Winter Wonderland Jam on

December 6 in Denver. After all, as DJ

for the ‘80s soulful hip-hop group

Whodini, Grandmaster Dee carved

out a permanent place for himself in

hip-hop history with the celebrated

group. Hailing from Brooklyn, New

York, the trio’s second album, Escape,

was certified platinum and delivered

eight solid tracks, including hit

singles “Five Minutes of Funk,”

“Freaks Come Out at Night” and

“Friends.” Unfortunately, due to a

dispute over the Whodini name, the

three longtime friends can’t quite

commit to touring together again.

Nonetheless, the show must go on.

Whodini joins The Sugar Hill Gang,

Ohio Players, Zapp, Newcleus, Slave,

and Freestyle for a night of classic ‘70s

and ‘80s funk, R&B and, of course,

hip-hop, although a few musicians

will be noticeably absent. Sadly, Big

Bank Hank of The Sugar Hill Gang

passed away November 11, 2014 after a

long battle with cancer. It’s unclear

how his passing will affect the future

of the group. However, the remaining

members, Wonder Mike and Master

Gee, are still making the Denver trip.

Newcleus also suffered their own loss

when Chilly B died of a stroke in 2010.

Nonetheless, they forged ahead and

surviving member Cozmo D is look-

ing forward to the performance.

“There are a lot of kats I haven’t

played with before,” Cozmo says. “I’m

honored to share the stage with so

many legendary groups. There are a

lot of people on the bill I’ve looked up

to for years as a DJ.”

Born Ben Cenac, Cozmo grew up in

Brooklyn, New York in the ‘70s and

‘80s, which was around the time

While Cozmo is able to manipulate

vinyl, scratch and do all the things

that turntablists do, he’s not above

using Serato or a CDJ every once in

awhile.

“I have always used every tool at

my disposal,” he says. “ It’s all about

rocking the crowd. Right now, I just

built a new DJ room in my basement.

I have Technics 1200s, CDJs, Serato,

and controllers in there. I have it all.

Now if somebody just gets their

laptop out, just selecting records and

doing it poorly, you’re not DJing

because you don’t know the basics of

moving the crowd. There are kats I’ve

respected for many, many years that

now only use CDJs or only use Serato.

I know they can scratch, but they use

the tools around them to make the

crowd move. As long as they keep the

crowd jumping, I don’t care what

they use.”

The fact Whodini and Newcleus

are still doing shows in 2014 is a testa-

ment to the longevity of classic

hip-hop. There will always be an

audience for the people who laid the

foundation for so many others.

Although Grandmaster Dee won’t be

with his Whodini brothers, he recog-

nizes what they’ve all done collec-

tively for the culture.

“Your career lasts when you gravi-

tate towards the people, reach the

people and get in touch with the

people,” Dee says. “You keep it real

and don’t hold back. That’s what they

love. What makes me so happy still to

this day is I can walk into a Sprint

store or whatever and people will

recognize me. They tell me they

respect me for what I’ve done for

hip-hop. That’s a blessing. You have

artists that might just say what’s up

and keep going. Not me. I want to

share talks with them. It’s about

keeping it real. Reach one, teach one.

It’s all about love.”

hip-hop was beginning to emerge.

Needless to say, it was an exciting

time.

“It was magic,” he says. “That’s all I

can really say. We were just doing

what we were feeling. It wasn’t about

money. It was all about moving the

crowd and expressing ourselves.”

Cozmo came up during the block

party era, when people would get

together on their block to play music,

dance and hang out with other

like-minded friends. He credits those

block parties with carving his path.

“The block parties were every-

thing,” he says. “I would not be doing

what I’m doing now or any music if it

wasn’t for those block parties. We

started out as disco DJs, but as soon as

we got enough equipment and

hip-hop was hitting Brooklyn hard,

we were rocking crowds with

hip-hop. It transcended everything.

Every night was an event. It honed

our skills. We were feeling the

crowds and giving them what they

wanted. Half the time, you were

battling someone else. You had to be

on your toes. Eventually I got to the

point where I was moving crowds

with other people’s records. I started

thinking I could do that, too. I wanted

to produce and make music. It all

stems from that. I still have the same

attitude. I tell people all the time, I

have a battle mentality.”

It must have been incredibly

competitive back then. It seemed like

all of the music being made was

impeccably good. Groups like Whodi-

ni, Grandmaster Flash and the Furi-

ous Five, Funky Four Plus One, and

Kurtis Blow were all coming out

with their own distinct take on

hip-hop.

“When hip-hop first came out, it

wasn’t about stealing rhymes ‘cuz

everybody stole rhymes,” he remem-

bers. “It was about the style. Every-

body was for a unique style, but

everyone was trying to top everyone

else’s style. A major difference

between Uptown in the Bronx and

Brooklyn was in Uptown, they had

huge DJ and emcee crews up there

where they would do routines. We

didn’t do that in Brooklyn. Even

though we were in a crew together, I

was trying to do better than the next.

Every time you got on the mic, it was

a battle.”

As Cozmo’s style started to evolve,

he realized he was on to something. A

precursor to Newcleus was the group

Jam On Productions, which Cozmo

founded in 1977. He was a teenager at

the time and his uncontainable ambi-

tions easily guided him. By 1979, the

primary group's members were

Cozmo, Yvette "Lady E" Cook (who

would later marry Cozmo), Monique

Angevin and Bob "Chilly B" Crafton

(who would later marry Angevin).

The coming together of families

inspired the name change to Newcle-

us. Their first big single was 1983’s

“Jam-On Revenge,” which revolved

around the phrase, “wikki wikki

wikki.” It was originally just a joke.

“Remember, we started out as disco

DJs,” he explains. “We had crew at

one point with ten emcees and six

DJs. There were two kats in our crew

who scratched. Everybody else blend-

ed their breaks. So we battled this

crew and there was a younger kat. He

was really good, but we blew them

out of the water. He came up to me

and said, ‘Wow, you guys are bad! But

I bet you can’t do this!’ And he goes,

‘Wikki, wikki, wikki, wikki’ like it

was a movement he did with his

hand. I said, ‘Man, get the hell out of

here!’ That always stuck with me.

Later on, when I was making music

with our crew, I made a joke and that

joke ended up being ‘Wikki, wikki

wikki.’ That was it.”

NEWCLEUS WHODINI

Winter Wonderland Jam Offers Up the Classics

JAMMIN’


“I’ve seen a lot of personal friends lives be damaged, destroyed or ended through making the wrong decisions with drug use,” Lorin Ashton says. “I’ve also seen some amazing transformations happen from very limited and responsible experi-mentation. I want to be ultra careful about not condoning anything without express-ing how important it is to be safe and aware.”

Ashton, better known by his stage moniker Bassnectar, is often at the helm of massive EDM parties and has undoubtedly seen all sorts of debauchery in the crowd. However, at age 36, he’s learned valuable lessons over the years— not only as a musi-cian, but also simply as a human being.

Based in the Bay Area, the electronic mastermind behind 2007’s Underground

Communication and this year’s Noise Vs.

Beauty, he’s in a place in his career where he can finally coast on his laurels. In antici-pation of his upcoming Denver show on December 30, we talked to Ashton about everything from prevalent drug use in the festival circuits to death metal.

You cite metal as being a huge influ-

ence on you. How did you end up making

electronic music?

I definitely feel like each step in my musical evolution moved from one step to the next with a very related, but cryptic path. I appear to have interests that are very diverse, but to me, are very connect-ed. The death metal scene especially the underground scene when I was in high school was so remote that you were lucky to find one person that lived close to you that liked music as satanic, as filthy, as horrible and disgusting as you liked it. It

safety and awareness should be practiced when taking antibiotics, Ambien or Adderall. Any parent that is worried their kids are taking drugs and are letting their kids take Adderall is completely missing the point. It’s important to treat your nervous systems as absolute treasures. That goes for recreational drugs, coffee and diets, so of course, I’m horrified by how much drugs use goes on, not even at dubstep shows, but at concerts in general.

You’ve been touring nonstop for years

now. Is it difficult to recreate that same

magic in a studio setting?

I don’t really try to. They are different worlds. The live setting is all about how many live human beings are in the room. It’s basically me putting together a soundtrack for people to enjoy themselves to. The whole entire premise of the experi-ence is what is the atmosphere like and how does each human being feel? And again, I’m playing with their nervous systems.

How do you feel about the music you

make?

The music that I make is a very personal reflection. It isn’t always intended to satisfy your every need. It may be intended for something entirely different. I think some people get confused and think I’m trying to please them with every song I make and I’m not. When someone asks me to go back to my old style or return to my roots, that’s usually a sign that they have no idea what my real style is or what my roots are. I am fascinated by so many different styles and sound combinations that everything I make is just a natural result of combining those influences. And if something you hear doesn’t sound like Bassnectar to you then you just don’t know what Bassnectar sounds like yet. Enjoy it or don’t, but I hope you do.

was really tough to feel a community. There’s nothing like the rush of enjoying your favorite song with thousands of other people in one room and that was some-thing you couldn’t have in death metal. That was before the Internet so that meant we needed to gather in unique ways. One way we did it was by a really aggressive grassroots campaign of co-promoting each other’s music. I was really used to playing really small DIY type death metal shows and also promoting all of my friend’s music as well. When I found the rave scene it was a similar underground type of sound, but this time it was extremely friendly and open hearted and I felt a lot more resonance with that than I did with the death metal scene, which made it an easy transition.

What drew you to death metal? I’ve always been a goof and a little bit of

a pansy [laughs]. I liked death metal because it was so raw and intense and I also appreciated, when I was a 15-year-old boy, I appreciated the shock value. I wanted to push back on authority systems that were trying to make me believe in one thing or act a certain way and I needed help on asserting who I was and pushing back on Christianity and things that I thought were illogical. Death metal was an amazing technique to do that.

What do you like about the electronic

scene?

It’s interesting how the current electronic explosion doesn’t have that same formula to follow when it comes to style. I really like that. I like that there is more of a cross-cultural thing. It’s a more open scene with more types of people. It is open to the nerds. Calling all nerds. HAHA

Let’s talk about the hair. When was

the last time you got it cut?

[Laughs] I was 19. It’s been at least 15

years. It’s not like a hairstyle. It’s more like an anti-style. It’s been long when long hair was very popular and it’s been long when long hair was very unpopular. It’s there because I just don’t want to cut my hair. If I ever do, I will. I used to wear it up to keep it out of my face when I’d DJ, but I compul-sively twitch and bounce around and freak out and it would always fall out. I would always spend half my set having to tie my hair up. Now I just let it hang down and it’s nice because it’s like a little curtain that I can see through, but other people can’t. If you try to swing your hair in front of your face you can see through it. You gotta try it.

You said in an interview that you’ve

been sober since 1995. Is that still the case

and if so, what are your thoughts on

your shows providing an ideal platform

for drug use, something highly preva-

lent in the festival scene?

It’s a loaded topic. There are opposing views. I think it’s really important that people have freedom to explore, express and be who they want to be. On the other hand, I think it’s really important that people value their health and nervous systems and the magic and mystery of our bodies, which we can never comprehend because it’s so far beyond our grasp. So experimenting with drugs, whether it’s pharmaceuticals, whether it’s something legal like alcohol or whether it’s an illegal recreational drug, can be really dangerous. I’ve seen a lot of personal friends lives be damaged, destroyed or ended through making the wrong decisions with drug use. I’ve also seen some amazing transforma-tions happen from very limited and responsible experimentation. I want to be ultra careful about not condoning anything without expressing how import-ant it is to be safe and aware. That same



Emcee Gift of Gab of Blackalicious is a legend.

He is so much a legend that “Harry Potter”

(Daniel Radcliffe) took it upon himself to learn

every single word of “Alphabet Aerobics” and

rap it on Jimmy Fallon. Macklemore recently

“Instagramed” a photo of Blackalicious’ first

album, 1999’s Nia, with a caption that read, “One

of the most important albums I ever came in

contact with. It influenced me on spiritual

level. It validated things I felt but couldn’t put

into my own words yet. That’s what the power

of good music.” Of course, this post blew up and

kind of shone a spotlight back on the Oakland-

based hip-hop duo.

Comprised of DJ/producer Chief Xcel and

Gab, Blackalicious is real hip-hop. It’s the kind

of hip-hop that makes you think, challenges

everything you thought you believed and

inspires you to be the best version of yourself.

However, you’d never guess the man behind

songs like “Make You Feel That Way” and

“Purest Love” (both off of 2002’s Blazing Arrow)

has his own personal demons he wrestles with

on a daily basis. “Make You Feel That Way”

was actually written as an antidote to his own

depression and he’s currently on dialysis as

he awaits a kidney transplant. Despite these

challenges, Gab can normally be found with

a big smile slapped across his face and positive

words that illustrate his deep-rooted optimism

for the future, a future that’s looking bright.

Blackalicious is putting the finishing touches

on a new album titled Imani, the pair’s first

full-length since 2005’s The Craft. Needless to

say, it’s long overdue and fans are drooling

with anticipation. In preparation for the

album release, Blackalicious has embarked

on a sizeable world tour, which kicked off in

North America on November 29 in Santa Fe,

New Mexico and winds up in Colorado mid-

December.

“The record is finished,” Gab says with a

hint of excitement in his voice. “We have a

label and good management in place. We’re

getting ready to put it out in either March or

April. We’re about to do this tour this month

then we’re going to Canada in July and Europe

in February. We just got offered an Australian

tour this May so we’re hitting the world!”

It’s a great sign he’s talking about traveling.

As mentioned before, Gab has been battling

severe health issues, which have impeded his

travel for the past few years.

“I’m feeling good today,” Gab says.

“Everything is good. I’m taking a lot of vitamins,

probiotics, supplements, and I’m learning a lot

about what I need to do as a person on dialysis

to maintain optimal health. My transplant is

also looking good. I have three people in place,

but I need to lose more weight. By the time we

get off tour, I should be at the weight I need to

be [laughs]. Hopefully, I can have a kidney in

the next six months or by summer 2015.”

Perhaps that’s why the album is called Imani,

the Swahili word for “faith.” Gab has nothing

but faith in terms of his health, career, future,

and life in general.

“Life is based on faith,” he explains. “Then

there have been a lot of things that have been

going on for me personally like health and

weight. One thing in life is you gotta believe

and you gotta have hope. If you don’t have

faith, life can get dark. Life can get really dark,

really quick. You have to know all of this is

happening for a reason, or else it’s like what’s

the purpose of living?”

Although nothing has been leaked in terms

of content yet, the album will presumably

be brimming with powerful insights and

brutally honest lyricism. It’s something

Gab has perfected over the years. If you

listen closely, you can pick up on some of his

personal struggles in many of his songs. One in

particular is his love/hate relationship with

alcohol.

“There have been several songs where I’ve

written about it,” he reveals. “I’m definitely

in a better place now than I’ve ever been and

there will be songs about it on the new album,

but more so about faith than anything else and

my spiritual growth. Any addict that becomes

clean, to a degree, has to become more spiritual.

To me, there’s not a lot of middle ground. For a

person who is truly an addict, in my personal

experience, if you’re an addict you either find

God or you succumb to your drug. I don’t know,

but it’s different for everybody. I may not be

rhyming about the alcohol directly like I did

before. It will be more about how I’m growing

as a person. Once you get rid of the substance,

you have to deal with why you drank in the

first place. It will be more geared toward that.

People might not even pick up what I’m talking

about because it’s just human experience that

everyone can relate to.”

In terms of sound, Gab says there’s a lot of

funk, soul and “definitely a lot of hip-hop.”

Lateef the Truthspeaker and Lyrics Born (his

Quannum Project label mates and dear friends)

make an appearance, as well as singer Zap

Mama.

“I’m real proud of it,” he says. “Everyone I’ve

let hear it has been pretty mindblown, saying

that this is what people have been waiting to

hear from us. As a writer, I’m way more prolific

right now. I used to write in spurts when I

drank. I used to kind of get backed up, get

behind and then I’d just write here and there.

Now I find my writing is more consistent all

across the board. I’m excited about the new

record.”

Gab cites a roster of artists who inspired

him—from Run-DMC, UTFO, Big Daddy

Kane, Rakim, KRS-One, and Grand Puba to

Hieroglyphics, Freestyle Fellowship and De La

Soul.

“I’ve always been a style junkie,” he says.

“I want to hear something that takes me in a

new direction. When I first heard Criminal

Minded, my mind was blown because I didn’t

know it was possible to rap like that.”

Funny enough, his first rap was written in

self-defense. A kid from his neighborhood used

to battle everyone and one day Gab was in his

crosshairs.

“He wouldn’t even battle people,” he

remembers. “He would just destroy them. His

‘victim’ would be left crying. One day he chose

me. He just went off on me. I was like 11. So I

wrote a rap in self-defense. I was like, ‘Fuck

that, he’s not going to do that to me again.’ Seven

years later, I came back and I hung out with

this dude. They called him Star MC. I realized

I was better than that dude. And he said that,

too! He said, ‘Dude, you got better than me.’ My

confidence went through the roof. The incident

with Star MC was what really made me realize

that’s what I wanted to do.”

If you’ve never seen a Blackalicious show or

a Gift of Gab solo performance, your education

in hip-hop culture is incomplete. He’s one in

a million. It’s unclear if he even realizes just

how good he is or what he’s contributed to the

culture.

“Every now and then you stop and think

about how long you’ve been doing it,” he says.

“It’s something I’m still passionate about. I

always want to challenge myself. The day it’s

not a challenge is the day I fall off. It will never

be like, ‘Oh, I’m Gift of Gab so I don’t have to try

anymore.’

“I’m really looking forward to going back

to Europe because I haven’t been there since

2010,” he adds. “My health issues kind of

prevented that, but we’ve figured out how to

work around. I can’t wait to see some foreign

territory because I love traveling. I can’t wait

for this upcoming North American tour. I love

being on the road. I love this life.”


Photos By Chelsea Call

Jay WallaceBandWagon Magazine

When asked how he got into theater, 25-year-old Greeley native Daniel Mother-shed said he didn’t know.

“I sort of tripped into doing theater in high school,” he said. “I performed a little bit, but it was kind of on my own.”

Mothershed has put on theater produc-tions in Greeley, mostly at the Atlas Theater on 16th Street for the last few years under the title of Cheaply Intellectual Theater, a platform for skewering (and informing the audience about) topics such as The Bible, American History and Classic Literature. On November 19, Mothershed and his produc-tion partners, Shane White and Eric Long, took over The Moxi and put on their most ambitious show yet, Oh Greeley: An All Ameri-

can Musical.

Mothershed said that Oh Greeley has the essence of the Cheaply Intellectual produc-tions.

“The idea that, at its heart, it is people walking out on stage and telling jokes, and being a little informative,” he said. “It’s got that, but it’s a little bigger and, I would say, a lot less cheap. It’s cost us about a thousand some dollars… where as all the Cheaply Intellectual shows, I think the most we ever

of cropped as a necessity, and fortunately I seemed to be not terrible at it.”

Mothershed said he’s known White for 15 years, having met him in Junior high and even working with him on the doomed Alice in

Wonderland project. The pair also worked together on a web series a couple years ago. Long, who works for Frontier Academy, said he knew of Mothershed through his wife, who was his teacher.

“Daniel was a student of my wife's she directed a musical he was in,” Long said via e-mail. “Daniel is a sweet guy with a sarcastic attitude.”

Mothershed would ask Long to play small roles in his productions. He said that working with Mothershed could be “a little difficult at times, but Daniel is a talented writer so most of the difficulties are easily forgiven. I would love to see Daniel step out and do more projects in a more official capacity. He should be writing commercials for local business and writing columns, doing news, maybe even radio!”

As of right now, Mothershed doesn’t know what his next production is. One of the founding members of Cheaply Intellectual Theater got married and moved to Seattle, while White and Mothershed are kicking around ideas for future shows, such as The History of Theater or putting on the Classic Literature Show again.

spent on any show was, I think, $80.” The original idea for Oh Greeley, which

covers the general history of Greeley in a sarcastic/sincere manner, came from Long, who brought the concept to Mothershed two years ago because he wanted to do something for Prohibition Day.

“He was just talking about how there’s a lot of Greeley history things that people don’t know and haven’t heard of,” he said. “Some are ridiculous and funny, and some are actual-ly just genuinely interesting. Somewhere in between that we came up with the idea for the show, and I don’t actually remember. I was on the radio about it the other day and the guy asked me that, I was like, ‘I don’t remember.’ None of us remember, [Long] doesn’t remember. It’s kind of this weird grey area.

“The tagline [Shane White] created for it with was ‘The town you’ve never heard of, the musical you’ll never forget.’ Which is wonderful.”

Mothershed and Long wrote a draft of a Vaudville-style Bob Hope-Bing Crosby road movie “kind-of-a-thing.”

“I think there are only two songs in it,” Mothershed continued, “and as we talked about how to cover some things in history, we said ‘there should be more songs.’ We have a song about- like an Andrew Sisters-style 1930s song about Greeley having Prisoner Of War camps. Gradually, more and more songs

showed up, and we were like, ‘Oh, this is a musical, so we got to do it like a musical.’ I’ve done a lot of shows that have had three to four people in them. We got to have more people to sing songs. We can’t rely on my less-than-good musical skills.”

The end result was a hilariously informa-tive musical bringing in the likes of Horace Greeley, Nathan Meeker, Warren Monfort, Rattlesnake Kate and A.F. Ray, interlaced with comments on the stench of Greeley. Long portrayed the Garden City boozeman as well as the town’s namesake, while Mother-shed played the roles of Meeker and Monfort.

One of Mothershed’s early formative moments was working on a production Fiddler on the Roof. Which, when the live band pulled out of the production, became a production of Alice in Wonderland.

“It’s literally the world’s worst production of Alice in Wonderland that’s ever been produced,” he recalled. “And I still bump into people who saw it and I always feel like I owe them $7.50. And then… I hate when people say, ‘and then I was hooked.’ But, I really enjoyed it and got out of high school, and didn’t go to UNC, didn’t go to college, didn’t do anything. So it was my friends and I going, ‘we love performing, but we’re probably not going to get into a lot of shows, so I guess we’ll have to write our own.’ I would much rather just perform and act, but the writing has sort

FROM COWBOY HATS TO ANTIQUESAND APPLIANCES TO GROCERIES,EVEN CAR PARTS AND FARM SUPPLIES!GARDEN CITY HAS A DEAL FOR YOU.

A.F. Ray ( founder of Garden City)It has been rumored that during the prohibition of alcohol,

A.F. Ray supplied the residents of Weld County with bootlegged booze hidden in watermelons from his own patch.


COLORaDO CONCERT CALENDARTuesday December 2ndThe Stubby Shillelaghs@ Patrick’s Irish PubGreeley – 9pm

First Tuesday @ Hodi’s Half Noteft. Zion Soulja SoundsystemFt. Collins – 8pm

Open Jazz Jam @ Pourhouse w/ Pourhouse Jazz TrioLoveland – 7:30 pm

Electronic Tuesday@ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm ft. Jpod the Beat Chef w/ David Seied, So Down

Jenny Lewis @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 8pm w/ Orenda Fink

My Brightest Diamond @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – Crystal Ghost

Wednesday December 3rdSongwriters Showcase @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm

Freezing Drizzle Music & Art Collab @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm

Bahamadia x Georgia Anne Muldrow @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm w/ Dudley Perkins, Kankick, DJ Cavern, ArtistSent

Atilla @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 6pm w/ Crown the Empire, Emmure, The Acacia Strain & More!

Muscle Beach @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9pm w/ 1972Mako, Abrams, Iwakura

Roadkill Ghost Choir@ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ The Yawpers, Von Stomper

Thursday December 4thTalent Show & Open Stage @ Moxi Theater Greeley – 8pm

Tim Ostdiek @ Cranford Cove Tea TavernGreeley – 7pm

Ghost Owl @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm w/ Bill Smith, JJ Evanhoff Band

Dead Jam @ Avogadro’s NumberFt. Collins – 9pm

Technicolor Tone Factory @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm

Animal Collective (DJ SET)@ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm

Grass for that Ass Thursday @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm ft. Whitewater Ramble

K Theory Live @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 9pm w/ LivedLife Moment

Citizun @ Quixotes True BlueDenver – 9pm w/ Pika, King Sage

Friday December 5thThe Photo Atlas @ Moxi Theater Greeley – 8pm w/ Silver & Gold, Slow Cavesfuturebabes, Iconoplasty

First Friday @ Cranford Cove Tea TavernGreeley – 7pm w/ Armando Silva

The Infamous Stringdusters @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins - 8pm w/ The Drunken Hearts

Barton Abbey @ Avogadro’s Number Ft. Collins – 8:30pm

Pert Near Sandstone @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm w/ Dead Winter Carpenters

Snow Tha Product @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 9pm w/ Stay Tuned

Jerry Jospeph @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm w/ Ignatius Reilly

American Babies @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm w/ Eminence Ensemble, Trevor Jones Band

THE PHOTO ATLAS@ Moxi Theater ~ 12/5/14


Kayla Scintilla @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Nominus, Soulacybin, Templo

North American Scum @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm w/ Ableminds

Opeth / In Flames @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 7pm w/ Red Fang

Voodoo Glow Skulls / Mustard Plug @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 8pm w/ Dan Potthast

Krampus Comes to South Broadway @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9pm w/ Cult of the Lost

Triad of Dragons @ Summit Music HallDenver – 9pm w/ Illenium, Said the Sky

Sunday December 7thQbala’s EP Release @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm

Johnsmith @ Avogadro’s Number@Ft. Collins –7pm

Alex Clare @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 9pm w/ Taylor Berrett

The Original Wailers @ Summit Music HallDenver – 7pm

Monday December 8thFREE - Comedy @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 7pm

Exodus @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 8pm w/ Flight of Sleipnir

Vinyl Monday@ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9pmft. DJ J-Bone, DJ S.T. One

Suicidal Tendencies @ Summit Music HallDenver – 7pm

Tuesday December 9thThe Stubby Shillelaghs@ Patrick’s Irish PubGreeley – 9pm

The Original Wailers @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm

Open Jazz Jam @ Pourhouse Loveland – 7:30 pm w/ Pourhouse Jazz Trio

Ghost Owl @ Quixotes True BlueDenver – 9pm w/ Ekoostik Hookah, Aliver Hall

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 9pm w/ Patti Fiasco

Swing Hero @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9pm w/ Andy Thomas Dust Heart, American Haiku, Anterrior

Residual Kids Abominable Snow Jam@ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Bud Bronson and the Good Timers, and More!

Saturday December 6thBandWagon Magazine Battle of the Bands - Finals@ Moxi Theater Greeley – 8pm w/ Hypnotic Vibes, Electric Stair Child, Shatterproof

Pert Near Sandstone @ Hodi’s Half NoteGreeley – 8pm w/ Dead Winter Carpenters

Snow Tha Product @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm w/ BTP, NVMEE, Royal Fam and Hazy

Johnsmith @ Avogadro’s Number Ft. Collins – 7:30pm

Rebirth Brass Band @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm

2 Chainz @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 9pm w/ Red Dot, The Chronikles and More!

The Browning @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm

Flogging Molly @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 8pm w/ The Mighty Stef, Pasadena Band

Lemuria @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 7:30pm w/ Into It. Over It.

Blue October @ Summit Music HallDenver – 7pm w/ Zeale

Wednesday December 10thWorld’s Finest @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm

The Birthday Massacre @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 8pm w/ New Years Day

Blackalicious @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm RE:UP Wednesdays @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm ft. Kastle and Amtrac

Thursday December 11thEminence Ensemble @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm w/ Punch Drunk Munkey Funk

Shakey Graves @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm w/ Sean Rowe

Grass for that Ass @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm ft. Worlds Finest and Wood & Wire w/ Chain Station

Photo Atlas @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9:30pm w/ Instant Empire

@Aggie Thater ~ 12/9/14

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Lagwagon @ Summit Music HallDenver – 7pm w/ Swingin Utters, This Legend

Friday December 12thGreeley Blues F.A.C. - Ben Pu & Crew ( Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan)@ Moxi TheaterGreeley – 6pm w/ Primary People

Jeff Brinkman Band @ Cranford Cove Tea TavernGreeley – 7pm

Hell’s Belle’s @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm w/ Special Guests

The Velvet Rope @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm w/ Lindsey O’Brien Band

Wood and Wire @ Avogadro’s NumberFt. Collins – 9pm w/ Chain Station

Joey Porters Shady Business @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm w/ Eddie Roberts West Coast Sounds, Jaden Carlson Band

Grouch and Eligh @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 9pm w/ Cunninlynguists, DJ Abilities and More!

Sunsquabi @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm

Skinny Puppy @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 7pm w/ Front Line Assembly, Haujobb, Youth Code

Bonnie and the Beard @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9:30pm w/ Chella and the Charm

Shady Elder @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Plum, Male Blonding

Say Anything and Saves the Day @ Summit Music HallDenver – 7pm w/ Reggie and the Full Effect

Saturday December 13thOh Greeley (Encore Performance)@ Moxi TheaterGreeley – 7pm

SpokesBUZZ Band Together Compilaton CD Release @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 6pm w/ Eldren, Qbala, and More!

Trout Steak Revival @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm w/ Blue Grama Bluegrass

Cupcake Cabaret @ Avogadro’s NumberFt. Collins – 8pm

Shakey Graves and Friends @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm w/ Desert Noises, Clouds and Mountains and More!

The Congress and Eddie Roberts West Coast Sounds @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm w/ The Recovery Act

EOTO @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 9pm w/ Signal Path, Templo

Animals as Leaders & Devin Townsend Project @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 8pm w/ Monuments

The Other Black @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9:30pm w/ Man Mantis

Contact Denver @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Youngsta, Truth, Subliminal

Alice In WInterland @ Summit Music HallDenver – 6:30pm ft. Neon Trees

Sunday December 14th Blackalicious@ Moxi TheaterGreeley – 8pm w/ Daniel Marley, QBala, DJ Dabble

Mayday x Murs @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm w/ CES Cru and More!

Pallbearer @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 7:30pm w/ Solstafir, Mortals

Cervantes’ Hip Hop Showdown! @ Cervantes’ and the Other SideDenver – 4pm

Monday December 15thFREE – Comedy @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 7pm

Umphrey Mondays: Summer Camp 15th Anv. Celebration @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 7:30pm

Vinyl Mondays @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9:30pm ft. Kevin Wesley, Aaron Miller


Blackalicious & Daniel Marley @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm w/ Special Guests


Augustina @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 8pm w/ Scars on 45

Electronic Tuesday @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm ft. Bukez Finezt & Kursk


3BallMty @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Los Rakas

Wednesday December 17thA Bisl Klezmer @ Cranford Cove Tea TavernGreeley – 8pm

Esme Patterson @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 8pm w/ Kitty Crimes, Land Lines

RE:UP Wednesdays ft. G Jones @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm

Wolvhammer @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Fetch, Whilt

Down @ Summit Music HallDenver – 7:30pm w/ Orange Goblin, and More!

Thursday December 18thDEMISE UNSEEN @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm w/ Mortuary Whore, From Within the Trench, Tentative

Dead Jam @ Avogadro’s Number Ft. Collins – 9pm

So Gnar Presents Shredded Beats: P.O.S. @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 8pm w/ Sean Anonymous

Grass for that Ass ft. Gypsy Moon @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm w/ Left Coast Country

Waka Flocka Flame @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 9pm w/ Special Guests

Mega Blue Stallion@ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9pm w/ 18 Squeeler, and More!

Friday December 19thRetro ‘80s Christmas Party @ Moxi TheaterGreeley – 8pm

Kenyon Brenner @ Cranford Cove Tea TavernGreeley – 7pm

Hog MaGundy @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm w/ Afternoon Moon

Air Dubai @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm

Human Agency and TNERTLE @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm w/ Skydyed

Nathaniel Rateliff @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 9pm w/ Ark Life, Ben Kronberg

Saturday December 20thMr. J & The Smooth Expressions@ Moxi TheaterGreeley – 8pm Xerox Presents: Holiday Showcase

You Me & Apollo @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm

Railbenders @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm w/ The Hickman Dalton Gang, Brent Loveday

The Funky Meters @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 9pm w/ Special Guests

Honey Puddle @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm w/ RAH and Dorian Vibe

Dr.Fameus ft. Allen Aucoin @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm w/ D.V.S*, J Wail

PRAANG @ Quixotes True BlueDenver – 9pm w/ Shakedown Street, Yojimbo

Lola Black @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 8pm w/ Black Star Electra, Glass Delirium and More!

SPELLS @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9:30pm w/ Bud Bronson and the Good Timers, and More!

The Great Grigsby @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm

No Fair Fights @ Summit Music HallDenver – 7pm w/ Project 86, Random Hero and Many More!

Sunday December 21stThe Iguanas @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm w/ Samuel Mouton

Mlima @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 8pm

The Denver Battle of the Bands @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 4pm

Afton Showcase ft. James Boyce @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 6:30pm

Nick Thomas @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ My Body Sings Electric, Jesse R.S., Leash of Foxes

Monday December 22nd FREE - Comedy @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 7pm

Foleydub @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 8pm w/ Yukana, Dillard, Valac, and Umble

Vinyl Mondays @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9pm ft. Buck Burgess, Ned Garth

Tuesday December 23rdThe Stubby Shillelaghs@ Patrick’s Irish PubGreeley – 9pm

Electronic Tuesday @ Cervantes’ Other SideDenver – 9pm ft. Coffi

Friday December 26thFreestyle Friday@ Moxi TheaterGreeley – 8pm

Paper Bird @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm w/ The Centennial

Boombox @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 9pm

Wish We Were Floyd @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 9pm

YOU ME & APOLLO@ Hodi’s Half Note ~ 12/20/14

BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment DECEMBER 2014Luceda Tela @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 7pm w/ Dust:Orbiter, and More!

Monday December 29thFREE - Comedy @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 7pm

Lucero @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 9pm w/ Drag the River

Vinyl Mondays: Goth Night @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9pm



The Bouncing Souls @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm w/ PEARS, Allout Helter

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 9pm

Lucero @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 9pm w/ Murder By Death

Stript @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9pm w/ Landgrabbers, and More!

Saturday December 27thAllegaeon @ Moxi TheaterGreeley – 8pm w/ Draghoria

Zach Heckendorf @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm w/ Covenhoven

Victor Wooten @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 9pm w/ Garrett Sayers Trio


Russian Circles @ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 9pm w/Native Daughters, Dead Temple

Pale Sun @ The Hi-DiveDenver – 9:30pm w/ Prism Waves

Sunday December 28thAllegaeon @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 8pm w/ Iconocaust, Artemesis, Goatstorm

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue @ The Ogden TheatreDenver – 8pm w/ Analog Son

The Baltic @ The Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club @ Summit Music HallDenver – 8pm w/ Wovenhound, Denver Broncos UK

Wednesday December 31stThe Burroughs @ Moxi TheaterGreeley – 8pmGreeley Young Proffesionals Present

WhiteWater Ramble @ Hodi’s Half NoteFt. Collins – 8pm w/ Whiskey Tango

Superdiamond @ The Aggie TheatreFt. Collins – 7pm

The Bouncing Souls @ Bluebird TheaterDenver – 9pm w/ Potato Pirates

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece BallroomDenver – 9pm

Random Rab & More @ The 1up ColfaxDenver – 9pm w/ Love and Light


THE BURROUGHS@ Moxi Theater ~ 12/31/14

Lucero@ The Gothic TheatreDenver – 9pm w/ Murder By Death

Yonder Mountain String Band@ The Boulder TheatreBoulder – 9pm West Water Outlaws@ The Fox TheatreBoulder – 9pm

Slim Cessna’s Auto Club @ Summit Music HallDenver – 8pm w/ Wovenhound, Munly & the Lupercalians

The Epilogues@ Marquis TheatreDenver – 8pm

28


GAMES


family members look no further than Poo-Pourri, a household necessity and essential good smell. The packaging is discreet, the smell delightful and fresh, while the product itself is practical. It’s a spray combining natural oils that you spritz prior to laying a “creamy behemoth” in the porcelain bowl. The odor barrier keeps poo-smells out and leaves the scent of fresh cookies or lemon bars. Everybody poops, but keep it classy this year.

Top-rated for significant others and disgruntled office workers, is

the Wearable Pod that offers isolation in a

Nutshell. Take a break from one another and the harshness of the world, just pull over your shell and retreat. The pod covers the top half of your body with a hard structure and light shell. Your legs are free to move, much like a hermit crab while

Weather you believe in the birth of a miracle baby, the arrival of St. Nickolas or if you’re Dutch (6-8 black men show up with a thin Santa who used to be the old bishop of Turkey who then disciplines the children with a switch if they’re naughty) the giving holiday is upon us. The commercialized corporate industries have risen from their yearly slumber to bring you the

latest in goods and gadgets. Their business ensures

your holiday is filled with gifts that say I love you more than hand-made crafts or sweaters. To make your shopping a

little easier I’ve scoped out the latest in fun toys

and gifts fresh off the market.

For your roommate and


Words From an Editor

Forking Over Cash,Holiday Style

BandWagon Thoughts

your upper body is protected. But don’t worry about strange looks or judgment, because if you can’t see them, they can’t see you. The sleek design features no eye or mouth holes. Perfect solution to those tense holiday talks, just isolate yourself and return to the conversation when you can’t breathe through your pod.

The latest in children’s entertainment is Xeno, the “cute, cheeky interactive baby monster.” Forget fluffy this little guy is rubber and buggers, the latest in comfort. It comes with the ability to make 40 different expressions and full farting sounds. Included are removable “snot-droppings” and crazy devil eyes. Little Xeno hits the market in popular burnt orange for only $100 brand new.

But let us not forget the center of the family household, the market for our domesticated family members is bubbling with new treats and toys. Top of the line is this year’s Kim Jong-un Cat Scratching Post marked at $7,241. “Does your cat have an issue with North Korea?” Good question bigcartel.com. In fact if I did have a cat I think he would have an issue with North Korea.

“This scratching post was painstakingly handcrafted by a team

of artists and took over 200 hours to complete.”

It’s a one of a kind cat post that you just have to have. It’s a small price to pay in

proving your patriotic

loyalty.As we’ve safely made it through

Black Friday and transitioned in to Christmas music overload, let the real shopping begin. Get out there and open those wallets to show loved ones how much they mean to you. Happy holidays.

(PS- the scratching post proceeds all go to

supporting a charity protecting human rights)

SUBMIT YOUR PIX TO [email protected] TAG US ON INSTAGRAM #BANDWAGONPIX

photos by - kendra hamman, Mike Pope, mike halley

bandwagon magazine - december 2014

Documents

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unique track

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favorite track

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