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SENIOR WRITERS Tru Blu Chris Daniels Ryan Edwards Thom Jackson Dana Mastrangelo Colleen Matsuura Charlie Sullivan Tim Wenger Torch PHOTOGRAPHY Jenn Cohen Ted Davis Alex Geller Ray Tollison
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Outdoor Concert Featuring The Samples Followed by a Movie in the Park at this Year’s People’s Fair by Colleen Matsuura
The Capitol Hill United Neighborhood’s (CHUN) People’s Fair has come a long way since its inception in 1972. Starting with only 2,000 fairgoers in the early years, and now reaching nearly 200,000 over two days, this Colorado tradition continues to grow each year and always offers something new for its fairgoers. This year will not be any different as CHUN introduces an outdoor concert and movie in the park on Saturday, June 6. This fair extra will begin at 8 p.m. as the excitement of the fair winds down and the music begins. This combination of live concerts and outdoor movies is one of the great benefits to living in Colorado. Nothing says welcome to summer like a free outdoor event to bring the community together for a good cause. CHUN has been working on behalf of the Greater Capitol Hill neighborhoods since 1969, when a group of passionate community leaders came together in opposition of the proposed conversion of 11th and 12th Avenues to oneway streets. The neighbors won their fight, and decided to stay together to work on issues such as historic preservation, zoning and liquor licensing, transportation, public safety and more. CHUN supports many local nonprofits by offering discounted booth spaces at the People’s Fair, and offering groups the opportunity to fundraise by staffing beverage booths at the festival. Beginning at 8:00pm on Saturday, June 6, the People’s Fair will feature a special FREE performance by Colorado homegrown band, The Samples. The Samples have been a big part of the Colorado music scene for nearly 25 years. Sean Kelley has been the one staple band member, in this Boulder born act. As the veteran in the band Kelley has been involved with 20 albums and over 1 million records sold. Immediately following The Samples’ performance, the People’s Fair will show “Ferris Bueller’s Days Off” (FREE for attendees!). This is one of those movies that everyone wishes they could duplicate in real life. Taking the day off from work or school and playing hooky with your friends is always a great time! But sadly, most of us stick out the five day week, waiting for the weekend to start. So this event is for all of you Monday to Friday people who bust your backs. Sit back and relax with live music and a movie. You earned it.
Indie Acoustic Project Announce 2015 Winners The Indie Acoustic Project is proud to announce the winners of the IAP’s “Best CDs of 2014” Awards. The winners in each of 7 categories were selected from among the 3 finalists in each category. It is the position of the IAP that all of the 21 CDs selected as finalists were in fact the 21 Best CDs of 2014. Accordingly, it was extremely difficult to determine the “winner” for each category, as all of the finalist CDs were outstanding in their own rights. But, since our award process is (loosely) modeled on the Oscar and Grammy Awards, a winner is expected to be chosen. The process for determining the finalists was difficult enough: the finalists were selected from the ever-growing multitudes of CDs considered for the awards. As always, the quality of the CDs submitted was terrific, leading to the only major problem we faced: because there were far more than 21 excellent CDs (and only 21 finalist slots), many deserving recordings could not be included. Once again, for everyone who submitted recordings for the awards, thank you for your excellent work and dedication, and for keeping up the excellent quality of independently produced music. It is our hope that these awards will help all indie artists by generating increased awareness of independently produced music from around the world. The list of winners and finalists may also be found on our website at ndieacoustic.com.. WINNERS: ALT COUNTRY Lynne Hanson River of Sand Self-produced INSTRUMENTAL Nick DiSebastian Window View FGM MULTI GENRE Mary Fahl Live Rimar PROGRESSIVE EDGE Mosey West Bermuda Mosey West ROCK Big Wreck Ghosts Anthem / Factor SINGER-SONGWRITER Lauren Shera Gold and Rust DigSin WORLD MUSIC Violons Barbares Saulem Ai World Village / Harmonia Mundi
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by Ryan Edwards
I’ve met hundreds of local musicians and I can honestly say that I remember every experience and wouldn’t trade any of those memories for the world. Around five years ago I was driving with an old college friend of mine and listening to a mix CD that he had. Yes, a time when we still owned and burned CD’s. The music on there was as eclectic as he is, but one particular song came on and really struck a chord with me. The song was called “Crazy” and the band was called The Northern Way. Not too long after that I landed a retail job and later discovered that I was working with the lead singer of that band, Stephen Melton. Melton’s band locally has done it all, playing at popular Colorado venues from the Fox Theatre in Boulder, the Bluebird Theatre in Denver and even Red Rocks. Also, getting lots of air time on KTCL, including a garage session with the popular radio station. Despite the success of The Northern Way, Melton had branched away and started his own project. Within the last few months, Melton has recently launched his own album, aptly titled Stephen Melton, a five song EP that speaks truthfully about relationships and shows off Melton’s skills on the keyboard as well as his strong vocals. I listened to the five songs multiple times. I somehow felt that Melton not only had grown from this solo project, but also was able to appease The Northern Way faithful. Something that is hard to do, but Melton did really well. And when I asked him about his thoughts on the differences between The Northern Way and his solo project? “The difference is that I focused an entire year of heart-and-soul exclusively into songwriting for Stephen Melton,” he says. “In a full year, there is a lot that happens and as a person, you go through a lot of transformation, so what you come away with is basically a musical story of what went on in that time period.” Not only is Melton’s character and personality expressed in the songs from this EP, but also who he is on the outside. Melton plans on taking twenty percent of the proceeds and donating to the Denver Animal Shelter, where he adopted his dog. “I would love to just give the Denver Animal Shelter a check for like four or five thousand dollars,” says Melton. After talking to Melton about his EP, I got the impression that this journey was priceless and that he was truly passionate about his work. I also believe that artists like Melton are what make Colorado’s music scene special and artists like him are why Colorado’s music scene is becoming recognized on a national level. And when I asked him about his overall thoughts on his first attempt at a solo career?
Designated food and beverage vendors will remain open for your late night cravings through the concert and the movie. There will also be a safe place for earth friendly bike riders to lock up your rides at the bike corral at Colfax and Broadway. Start your summer off right by joining us on Saturday June 6 and Sunday June 7 for the 44th Annual CHUN Capitol Hill People’s Fair at Civic Center Park in Downtown Denver. This family-friendly event runs from 10am-8pm on Saturday (with extended entertainment until 11:30pm), and 10am-7pm Sunday.
Stephen Melton Goes Solo
UP-TO-THE-MINUTE NEWS AT COLORADOMUSICBUZZ.COM
“To break old habits and change the game up,” he says. “It’s one thing to make a record and then play show’s hoping something great happens. It’s a completely different awakening when you make a record, start truly thinking outside of the box and using your innovation to do something very different and leave a real imprint. That’s what gets me up in the morning.” Online: stephenmelton.net
May 2015 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
Press Play: Boulder’s Planet Mish Mash Drop Video For “Green Light” by Tim Wenger
Planet Mish Mash is doing everything they can to stand out in Boulder’s him-hop and EDM scenes and beyond. Members TBONE and MARVELBELLADONNA have just dropped a new video for the track “Green Light,” filmed on location in Mexico, and are hard at work on the next collaboration and will be living in Los Angeles for the summer making connections and doing as much promo as possible. Here is the story on the video, which you can check out belowCMB: Tell us about the process of making the video. PMM: “Green Light” was an insane project to work on. We all flew down to Cozumel, Mexico, where my Planet Mish Mash partner 4 life, TBone, grew up. The car wreck scene in the beginning of the video is real…I, Bella Donna, ripped the transmission off one of our rental cars, driving into a giant crater, but I digress…. we faced a variety of hilarious, but stressful encounters. Walking around a foreign country with your face completely covered in green scales, wearing drop crotch pants isn’t exactly subtle. T-Bone had to shoot the part of his verse in front of the red VW bug right after we got in the wreck, because that was all the green make-up we had brought with us to Mexico. Personally, I think the stress added next-level intensity to his performance. CMB: How did everything come together for this collaboration? PMM: A little over a year ago, T-Bone and I heard the Riff Raff song, “Obtuse Angle”, produced by Mike Chek. T-bone refers to the moment as a life-changing, alien transmission. We purchased one of Mike’s beats off of Soundclick, recorded a song, and sent it to him. That song happened to be “Green Light”. There is no better way to put it than the stars aligned in perfect timing and Planet Mish Mash was born. CMB: What are the summer plans for everyone involved? PMM: We all have a huge summer ahead of us! This June we are moving out to LA for the summer to launch our promo campaign, leading up to our EP release and Showcase Event with a soon-to-be-announced (and EPIC) headliner, in August. Be on the lookout for a new video and track dropping monthly up until our EP release! CMB: Where can we more of your music online? PMM: We dropped a really trippy single called “Natural Mystic” in September, which was the first video project we collaborated on, produced and released. The video can be found on our Planet Mish Mash YouTube channel, and the track is on iTunes, Spotify, and Soundcloud. A mini-doc called “Planet Mish Mash Goes to Mexico” can also be found on our YouTube channel showing some of the fun we had.
ARTIST PREVIEWS Brooklyn’s DREAMERS
CMB: Other than HGMF, what is DREAMERS up to this year?
Denver’s The Bell Hours
DREAMERS. The name could not better describe the band. Self-described “cosmic rock” with imagery straight out of Tom Delonge’s playbook and music that is as upbeat and energetic as you’ll find anywhere in the indie rock sphere. Check out their music at the website listed below and catch them at Higher Ground Music Festival August 21-22 here in Denver. Here is DREAMERS’ Nick Wold on their band’s story and where he’d like to see indie rock heading.
NW: We are currently on a 3 month tour playing with rad and amazing bands such as Born Cages, Stone Temple Pilots and X Ambassadors. As soon as we’re done we’ll be hitting the studio to record a ton of new music, and we have a whole season of great festivals coming up. So stay tuned, much to come.
The Bell Hours are ready to cash in. From what angle, is what they are trying to figure out. Whether it is riding the indie-folk wave that has dominated Denver over the last few years, or front man Klaus Larson’s experiences playing out in California shining a new light on our scene, one this is clear- 2015 is poised to be a big year for the Denver five piece. We’ll be putting their souls on display August 21-22 at Higher Ground Music Festival, so we thought we’d give the guys a chance to speak out beforehand.
CMB: First things first. Give us the story of the band.
TBH: Klaus Larson, the songwriter and producer of the music, started the Bell Hours. He had compiled a list of songs over the last couple years that he had written on the side of other groups he was performing in. He teamed up with welcome. Joseph Chudyk on Drums to record the first album. Though The Bell Hours went through several line up’s since then, the current members are Klaus Larson (Vocals, Guitar), David Goodheim (Lead HIGHER GROUND FACTS Guitar), Austin Higher Ground Music Festival debuted in Trotter (Bass), and Joseph Chudyk August of 2012 in the mountains outside (Drums). They’ve of Central City, CO. been together through the second album’s release late The festival has showcased over 100 of last year and are still Denver’s top acts since its inaugural year, together.
by Tim Wenger
NW: Chris and I (Nick) grew up together in Seattle playing jazz and Nelson grew up in smalltown Maryland. We all eventually ended up in Brooklyn pursuing rock music dreams and being part of that scene, playing in various bands and projects. Dreamers formed about a year ago after Chris’ and my previous band had split up, and we went through a long period of writing and ‘cocooning’. Nelson joined and we finally had the team we had been waiting for. It was a fresh start, a second draft, and everything started working. CMB: How was the process of gaining traction in New York? Is the scene there very supportive, or have you guys felt that you’ve had to claw your way up? NW: It was definitely a sort of clawing, scratching motion. It was all a logical progression though, learning our instruments, writing tons and tons of music, building our amazing team, manager, booking agent, artist friends and collaborators etc. After a while it all started really clicking. Being in New York is certainly a grind, but being around so many motivated people is inspiring and fun. CMB: What direction do you see indie rock heading this year? NW: I am certainly no soothsayer, and I think great honest music always prevails over genre trends, BUT to speculate I could see it getting bigger and harder, more grungy!
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CMB: What is the best place to check out your tunes? NW: The World Wide Web of course. You can find us on iTunes, Spotify or better yet, our veryowncosmicdomain dreamersuniverse. com all dreamers are
by Tim Wenger
CMB: First things first. Give us the story of the band.
and has grown into a national showcase of emerging talent. If you want a chance to check out the nation’s top indie bands in an intimate setting, this is your chancebands like RDGLDGRN and DREAMERS will not be playing independent venues for long. The festival found its new home in Denver’s RiNo District in 2013 Last year, Higher Ground saw everything from rowdy cd release parties to intimate candlelight vigils. This year’s event looks to be bigger and better than ever.
CMB: How is the process of gaining traction in Denver? Is the scene there very supportive, or have you guys felt that you’ve had to claw your way up? TBH: We’ve found support mostly in our fellow musicians in Denver. There are many groups that we have supported in the indie rock scene that have supported us back. The most successful shows were made through teamwork and audience members have noticed this teamwork. When groups come
May 2015 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
together regularly this gives the feeling of belonging to a scene that musicians and fans both need. For playing for two years here in Denver I think we’ve had a steady increase in success. We’ve definitely gotten a lot more notice this year so far than last. CMB: What direction do you see indie rock heading this year? TBH: We’re not sure where it’s heading, but we know where we’d like it to go. For us the big area for development in the Denver Indie Rock scene, is in diversifying the live performances. Making them bigger and better. Meaning more impactful, either through developing show effects like lighting and other visuals, or in working better with venues to get the sounds bigger and better sounding live. There are a lot of great songwriters in Denver and what we as a band are looking for is the ability to provide greater live performances along with our fellow other groups. CMB: Other than HGMF, what is The Bell Hours up to this year? TBH: We’ve been doing about two shows a month in Denver, one a month in Boulder, and the occasional Fort Collins show. On top of this we’ve participated in supporting the Denver Handmade/Homemade Market and the UMS Festival. We’ve supported other local groups a few times this year in the promotion of their own music, opening and supporting both Clouds and Mountains’ and Glowing House’s EP releases. CMB: What is the best place to check out your tunes? TBH: We have our own web page; thebellhours.com. There are links to the music and where to purchase it. It is also on Spotify, iTunes Match, and Google Play to be streamed.
Syke 96 Are Rather Experienced, For Young’ens by Charlie Sullivan
Four years ago I had the opportunity to sit down chat with these lads: two were still in middle school, one was in high school, and the band name was Synergy. Now the band name is Syke Ninety Six, Josh Rock (guitar, keys, vocals) and Ryan Teater (bass, keys) are high school seniors, and Jay Rock (drums, vocals) is about to graduate from college. Best of all, the lads are still churning out some righteous tunes.
Local Company Tour Sync Connects Musicians With All Aspects of Their Career by Tim Wenger
Direct To Fan.’ The phrase has a great ring to it, and it is a phrase that transplanted Austinbased business Tour Sync has made their own since even before relocating to Denver late last year. Founder Chas Vergauwen brought his company to Denver last fall seeking to immerse itself in a market that strongly supports local businesses and that has an incredibly strong music community. It also didn’t hurt that several of his clients, who range from musicians to management companies and everywhere in between, have Colorado ties in one way or another. If you have ever ordered merchandise from an artist’s website, joined a fan club, attended an autograph signing, or been a part of any other medium that connects artists to fans, part of your impression of that artist is likely formed by the experience you had. In many cases, and most all cases involving large-scale musicians, the artists themselves are not directly involved in organizing these mediums. An extremely long wait at a meet-and-great or a screwed up mail order makes the artist look bad despite the fact that they had little to no control over the situation and often aren’t even aware of the situation in the first place. That is where Tour Sync comes in. By streamlining the processes and handling all aspects of their artist’s relationships with everything from promoters to fans, their mission is to see to it that everything is handled correctly, promptly, and as efficiently as possible. They understand that a successful artist’s strong point is their art, and the less they have to think about everything else, they better that art can be. The company came to fruition based two principles- artist to fan relations, and artist to management relations. “I played and toured for a little bit back in the day,” Vergauwen says. “Once I realized that wasn’t going to have a career path I got into management and a little bit of independent promotion. Then I found the niche in the direct to fan thing about five or six years ago in Austin. I basically utilized my experience of knowing the artist side of how they toured, and what managers did, and what booking agents had to do and understanding what it took to put on an event. That really set me up with understanding how to be a service provider for artists.”
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The company has grown mostly based on Vergauwen and his team’s ability to use the relationships they already had in place through what they’ve done previously to find new contacts and keep growing through referrals and by following through on projects. Basically, by making a good name for themselves through hard work. Their office, located at 1667 S. Acoma (about a half block west of Herman’s Hideaway), serves as home base for their operation. From here they ship artist merchandise directly to fans. A quick perusal at connect.toursync.com will get you up to date on everything and everyone they are currently working with, from local star Nathaniel Rateliff’s merh and music to classic rockers’ Kansas new documentary film There’s No Place Like Home. Behind the office is a storage room, where Tour Sync manages inventory and ships merchandise for artists on tour. “The cool thing about bringing this into one model is we can manage their e-commerce, their VIP fan club merch which is usually exclusive and different, and their tour merch, all under one roof.” Add in their connections with agents, Consonance Productions recording studio (conveniently located right next door to Tour Sync at 1669 S. Acoma), and management companies, and Tour Sync has the ability to handle all aspects of an artist’s back of house management and production under one umbrella. And for bands here in Denver, it’s all local. Vergauwen wanted to move his company out of Austin into what he viewed as a rising market, which Denver most certainly qualifies in that respect, as the scene here has pushed a plethora of bands out into the national market over recent years and the music community here is undeniably very well bonded. “We do a lot of technology as well,” he says. “We’ll manage websites. “From an industry standpoint, there is no labels or management companies that are burgeoning there,” says Vergauwen. “Over the last four or five years I’ve done a lot of business with 7S Management.” Much of that work has been with Rodrigo y Gabriela, whom Vergauwen and his team have been working with since 2011. “(The move) was kind of strategic in a way. Denver’s not LA, it’s not Nashville, it’s not New York. It’s kind of like what Seattle did in the nineties.”
The band members have been together now for seven years. Early on Larry Rock (Dad) managed the band and took care of business side of things. Now the boys shoulder the load, managing themselves, booking their shows, and arranging studio schedules. In the beginning the crew was a guitar driven power pop trio. Their niche was the fact that they were kids performing and writing some damn good music. They now find themselves rebranding the bands image and settling into a mature music environment. Josh Rock is writing well structured songs with strong melodies. The lyrics have matured and are more meaningful. The addition of keyboards and clear crisp vocals add a pleasant dynamic to the band’s sound. Josh writes all of the band’s music and brings the demos into the band’s rehearsals. As a group they sit and work with the demos; polishing it until it becomes a Syke song and then it’s off to the studio. With two EP’s and an album on their resume the band is putting the finishing
Durango’s Cactopus Returning Home For Summer by Dana Mastrangelo
Locals are thrilled Durango native band Cactopus is returning to Colorado for the summer, having recently moved to Austin. The dark and whimsical art-rock four piece has a talent of producing music with a multitude of different influences. Each song has the capacity to incorporate various genres into one cohesive sound, from jazz-fueled upright bass riffs to experimental tempo and chord progression alterations. Popular for their skillful original work as well as covering musicians ranging from Modest Mouse to Britney Spears, Cactopus released their 5 song EP Pesticide Paradise in April of 2014.
Get more info on what Tour Sync can offer your group, or just check out the mega-store, at connect.toursync.com.
May 2015 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
touches on a new album, as yet untitled, which is being produced by Nick Ryan at Crows Nest Studios. Ryan has worked with the band from the beginning. “The tracking has been done for a little while,” says Jay Rock, “We’re finishing up the mixes and want to have it ready for a mid-summer release.” “We also have a single titled “Teatering” available now as a free download,” adds Josh Rock, “The song memorializes Ryan’s brother Sean.” (Check out the link to Channel 9 News for the story behind the song) The band has toned down their new music, it’s not as punchy. The songs they’re tracking now are full of life and have taken on lot more meaning. The band lays down some nice smart pop with straight ahead rock ‘n’ roll. Now that the novelty of being a youth band has worn off the band is making it on the merits of their musicianship and the quality of the music they’re crafting. “We’re more active now than we were in the past,” says Jay Rock, “We’re booking one or two shows a month and getting into the studio more often.” If the band sticks with it I can see a record deal in the not too distant future. Check out the bands FaceBook page for upcoming events. “Don’t call yourself a rock music fan if the only bands you know are BVB and Linkin Park. Online: facebook.com/syke96
This summer will be spent performing locally and rehearsing for their upcoming album, which is to be recorded beginning in July. Their EP followed a semi-political, nihilistic, yet lighthearted analysis on the state of the world, and their upcoming 12 track album- the title yet to be revealed- follows a specific story line with alterations of viewpoints but consistently tells a tale of a protagonist named Scotty. One song from their EP, “Hallucinating At A House Party”, has made its way onto their album, the lyrics depicting a juxtaposition of sensuality and ere. “Her nails are rusty/But her fingers are soft”. Whether Cactopus is performing at Animas City Theatre, a local bar, or a house party, hips are bound to swing, fingers snap with enthusiasm, and clothes tend to disappear. To find their music online, visit https://soundcloud. com/cactopus-2.
Between The Covers: Twitterpated by Torch
TWITTERPATED
OK Go’s Tim Nordwind Talks Hunger Ghosts, Creating Media Empire by Tim Wenger
You’ve heard of OK Go. Their music videos are a spectacle in and of themselves, and have come to serve as the perfect representation of a band making a name for themselves purely on their own, slightly neurotic but always hilarious, terms. They perform treadmill acrobatics in their music video for the song “Here It Goes Again.” For the “Needing/Getting” video, they star as the world’ most fashionable racecar drivers. The group has gained internet notoriety for creative and hilarious videos, and oh yeah, they write some pretty unique alt/indie to match. The group has propelled itself to the national level much of their own doing, with a self-run and self-branded “media empire” that has not only dominated YouTube but also sent the band’s music (and the four eccentric dudes that make it) around the country in a non-stop shuffle of tour dates to bring the crazed, everevolving show to the masses. A new album is out now, and is the band’s most progressive offering yet. “Hungry Ghosts” is definitely the most electronic of the albums that we’ve made to date,” says bassist/vocalist Tim Nordwind. “And probably the most direct both in sound and in message and because of that it ends up being the poppiest.” Many of the demos for this record were made while OK Go were touring and did not have access to their full instrumentation, so the base of the songs became largely electronic. “When we got to the studio, it was all this electronic programming,” says Nordwind. The studio, though, allowed the guys to put their usual stamp on the music and make it something their fans will recognize but many of the programming dubs stayed in the songs in place of typical instrumentation. “But I think because we had to that out of necessity, we all got better at it. (On the road) we would temp in sounds for guitars that were actually programming, and when we heard them we were like ‘I know a real guitar is supposed to go there but what is there sounds very unique and is doing the job so let’s go with that.’” The result is a style that sounds much more like eighties music, with OK Go’s style mixed in. In order to sort of test the new songs, the band is released an EP prior the dropping the full album. “We felt like this record was a little bit different that the ones we had done before so we wanted to whet people’s appetites first,” Nordwind says. “Also we hadn’t put out a record in like four years, so we kind of wanted to just slowly dish out the information and get people used to a newer sound.” As an independent act, Ok Go no longer has the support of a record label like they had in the past. Instead, they (and the band’s
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management) handle all of the decisions and manage the workload in house. This gives them total control, and also gives them the freedom to express and promote their art in any medium they choose. “What’s nice about having our own label is that it basically acts as the distribution for all of our creative ideas,” says Nordwind. “A big reason why we went out on our own initially is that we are a band, we make records, we make videos, but we also do a ton of art projects, some of us write, some of us produce. I have a whole other band. There is a lot of stuff that we all do under the umbrella of OK Go and so it’s nice to be able to just have the freedom to follow the ideas that excite us.” Traditional label systems were tough for the group because the primary focus was on pushing records, not creativity. “As our business was starting to grow into all these different facets, it was a little bit of an issue because getting our music out there is not our only concern,” Nordwind says. “We were developing a new business model that didn’t really fit in the major label system.” It seems to be working for the group, who have accumulated over 100 million YouTube views on their official videos and are currently out on the road headlining theatres across the country. Check out the new album at okgo.net.
Caramel Carmela Doing Something Fresh For Denver by Tim Wenger
Caramel Carmela just might be the one band that has the ability to cast a different light on Denver’s music scene to the rest of the country. Instead of the usual indie-folkPBR-fedora scene that can never seem to give Broadway (or Colfax, or downtown) a break, these guys are a modern blip of energy on the post-hardcore movement that really is a breath of fresh air around here. They kick off their next tour May 8 at Summit Music Hall, and gave us the lowdown on what to expect in plain view, as well as what they do to pass the time behind closed doors. CMB: How hard was it to gain traction out of Denver? CC: Denver has a lot of really talented artists, so it can be tough to stand out. Things really started to change for us when we began writing our newest record, though. We started taking things seriously; we practiced longer and put genuine effort into making it work. We’ve been working hard for a long time and have had awesome managers working with us. We believe anyone can do it,
1)to be completely enamored with someone/ something. 2) the flighty exciting feeling you get when you think about/see the object of your affection. 3) romantically excited (i.e.: aroused) 4) the ever increasing acceleration of heartbeat and body temperature as a result of being engulfed amidst the exhilaration and joy of being/having a romantic entity in someone’s life. *http://www.urbandictionary.com/define. php?term=twitterpated Springtime is a time for madness, passion, lunacy, and love. Amber- “I caught myself staring at my boss’ tiny butt while he was at the copy machine. I was thinking it may be small but I bet I could bounce a quarter off it and catch it in my teeth. Whoa! Did I just think that about my boss? Bad girl… I could hear a scolding voice. But after that day, a man I didn’t find attractive I started to think about, then I started to notice other things, his humor, his guile. I found myself daydreaming about him, wanting him, surprising him… Fully knowing that what I wanted was a basis for a lawsuit. I finally decided to quit my job, never saying a word to him, not wanting to further embarrass myself. It has been almost a year and I still think about him, but I figure it will wear off eventually.” Kevin- “ It can happen in a flash. I was sitting at a stop light, in the turn lane when I noticed this long red hair in my rear view mirror, then I turned the mirror a little as she was in the lane to go straight. My jaw dropped as she drove by. Hot Damn! Was all I said as my foot if they apply themselves. CMB: What do you do on the road to kill time? You promote the party atmosphere quite a bit, but can guys actually party? CC: Haha I don’t really think you want to open that door. We love having fun with friends and connecting with new people. Sometimes the end result of this means having a fuzzy partial memory that could be a script for another Hangover movie. Mostly, we want the people around us to have a good time. On the road, we like to listen to music, watch movies, play video games during long drives and vibe. We’ve got VHS and N64 hooked up in our van, so that gets fun. CMB: Anything special in store for the Summit Music Hall show May 8? CC: May 8th is going to be the kickoff for our East Coast tour with The Things They Carried (NYC) and Bitter Kids (Ontario,CA). We got to finish out The Smoking Aces Tour in January at Marquis Theatre and it was the best way to be welcomed home. We are hoping Denver sends us off just as well this time. We are also excited to
May 2015 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
slipped off the break and I rear ended the car in front of me. Hot chicks are a driving hazard. My insurance company had no appreciation for my predicament. Really, it was the redhead’s fault. Right?” Jessica- “I was at Herman’s with my friends and yes single and looking. There was this guy with dark eyes, dark hair, and that cool sexy air about him. We had been checking each other out most of the night, and locking eyes. I was working on my courage to approach him when he tapped me on the shoulder, I turned around, he gently cupped my face and kissed me. It was a perfect kiss, not too long, no tongue, just a soft kiss. I swear my thighs burst into flames. He smiled at me, and we never spoke. It was too perfect that single moment. I got hot just thinking about that for weeks. Derrick- “It is hard to romance a girl and not be labeled as a stalker. I’ve seen this girl a few times in the library and figured she had a regular time to be there, so I left her some flowers on her regular study table with a note on it just before she showed up. The note said, ‘You are simply lovely.’ She looked around, and smiled for a moment, then got up and left. I thought she might like the romance of it, so the plan was that the next time she came to the library, I was going to ask her out for coffee but she never came back. I didn’t mean to scare her off. My friends said I was stupid and watched too many movies. I was trying to be nice. These are stories we all know, do, or relate to in some form. You can be married, or in a relationship but the daydream is your own private place to entertain the ideas of someone you fancy. Most of this is completely harmless unless you wreck your cark like Kevin, or become critical and distant with your spouse or partner. Dreams are delicious and should be savored but real life is where it is happening. Good luck , this is the most wonderful and painful part of being human. XXOXOXXX have so many good friends playing this show with us! Shout out to The Coast Is Ours, High Tide Low Tide, and Bastards. CMB: Any plans for new releases? CC: We’re working on a secret cover to say thank you to our fans when we hit 10,000 likes on facebook. The sooner that happens, the sooner it comes out. We’re currently at 9,092. We are also going to be releasing several music videos as a package in just a few months featuring a songs off of Till Death Do Us Party. As for new original material, we are working through a lot of ideas behind doors, but we are just really stoked to be playing Till Death Do Us Party right now. CMB: What is the best place to check you guys out online? CC: We’ve got 5 music videos and more coming, as well as updates, and momentsthroughourcareeronYoutube. com/caramelcarmelaco. If you are looking for our music, check out our soundcloud account where you can listen to songs from our 3 original releases and 2 remix albums. You can find content from us all over the web; iTunes, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Reverbnation.
The Manager’s Corner by Chris Daniels
I’ve managed my own band for 31 years and I’m in the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. All that’s nice but today’s music business is changing at light-speed and you have to be more engaged in the ‘biz’ than ever. Some things have not changed, careers are still built on some tried and true elements: great music, performance and timing. But today’s artists must work harder than ever to succeed. The good news is that we have new tools to help young musicians grow their fan base. The book I wrote for the course I teach at CU Denver on artist management is called “DIY: You’re Not in it Alone.” While you are ultimately responsible for your own career, these days it’s essential to make the most of all the help that is offered along the way. D is for dysfunctional. Do you have a member of your band that is taking all the fun out of dysfunctional? Are you so pissed at somebody in your group because he/she is being such a butthead that you are spending the entire drive home after the gig having a conversation with your windshield? Does that conversation last into the middle of the following week? If the answer to one or more of these questions is “hell yes” then you may have a problem that you can no longer avoid. It is not only the elephant in the room – that elephant is standing on your toes. So what the heck ya gonna’ do Vern? This happens to young bands starting out and to incredibly successful bands. Take Colorado’s own Churchill. Here was a band headed for major breakthrough success and because of interpersonal relationship difficulties – poof – they broke up. There are a number of reasons that this happens in each case but what can be done to evaluate the problem and solve it before it gets ugly? What are the best steps you can take to bring about the best outcome for a crappy situation? First, prepare for the worst and work for the best. Once you have a project that you feel really passionate that everybody seems to share the same degree of commitment to and the hard work necessary – make a simple band agreement. It should cover four basic topics: 1) who owns the name and the brand that you are creating and what happens to that name if a “key person” leaves 2) how you will organize the project, one-person one-vote or a benevolent dictatorship – are your decisions made unanimously or just by majority, how are people hired and fired 3) how the content you make is owned (songs, recordings, videos etc.), 4) how you will do your day to day business, meetings, rehearsals, division of money from gigs and merch, who will do what work (division of labor) and if one person is doing a majority (or all) of the “daily business” how will they be compensated? These are very big broad-brush questions but if you have this as a signed document (by-laws if you will) that you will live by – then if somebody “goes postal” you have some structure to use in dealing with the problem. Don’t try and write this in “legal” language. You are not lawyers (thank goodness). Write it in simple straightforward sentences. Example: “We the members of Band-X agree that the name is owned by all 5 of us. If any one member leaves the name can stay with the remaining majority. If the band breaks up completely, no
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one member will have the right to use the name. All members will have the right to be known as “formerly of Band-X.” The members of Band-X agree that we are an equal democracy when it comes to business decisions. We all agree that major decisions will be made through a majority vote. We further agree that one person will be the designated “leader” and spokes person for the band through a band-vote. That person shall serve in that position until he/she decides to resign and then the band will elect a new leader from within. The leader shall have the right to call for and set rehearsal times and places, book gigs, negotiate deals on behalf of the band etc. ……. All songs written as collaborations with the other band members shall be considered jointly owned and any profit from their use via publishing shall result in the band sharing in the royalties equally. The band and not any one individual in the group will own all recordings made by and with the band. Any band-member who brings in a song written solely by that member shall retain any and all ownership. The elected bandleader will organize meetings, rehearsals, gigs and recording sessions. Should any one member, including the elected bandleader become adversely effected by drugs, alcohol, ego or become a total pain in the ass, the majority will have the right to confront that individual and search for a remedy. Should the remedies prove unsuccessful the band has the right to vote the offending member off the island.” This is a very rough example – but if you have this much in place you could take it to an entertainment attorney who could turn this information into a legal document like and LLC agreement or a partnership.
measures. But sometimes these are serious situations involving the safety, reputation and even lives of the other members of the project. Last, a note on democracy. Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.” In bands it is probably the hardest way to conduct business. For that reason I strongly suggest you delegate tasks to the people who excel at those tasks. Respect their talent. And if you decide not to take their advice or disagree with what is being proposed – remember that you all appointed that person your representative for that area of business or arrangements or production or road management…whatever. Let them know in a fair and honest way that you disagree while respecting their talent or expertise. Projects are never easy. The way that I have kept mine together for 31 years is simple. It’s a benevolent dictatorship but everybody is involved in make the decisions. We split our money fairly, we all help with load in and load out, when the gig sucks we all put our shoulders to the wheel and get through it, we laugh a lot at the stupid shit in this business, at ourselves and at the amount of repetition – “same shit, different day.” We all know that the best days are shared by all of us, and so are the worst. We listen, we try and help any person in our little band of brothers that is hurting and, as silly as it sounds, we love each other and the music we play. That is the prize. And we always keep our eyes on the prize.
OK, so what if it’s too late to do this step, you are totally in it and you have nothing written down as an agreement – what do you do if the wheels come off the bus? There are any number of ways to approach this but I start by asking my students what they think is more important – sanity or the problem? We as humans get so involved in our own drama that we forget the basic gift we have everyday we wake up. This band, this project, no matter how great, is not the most important thing that happened today. As trite or Polly Anna as it seems – the fact that you are reading this means that you are alive and kicking. You only have about 650,000 hours on the planet and submerging into a morass of stress and tension is just times wasted … and lost. So do whatever it is you do to give yourself space away from the drama of the problem: take a hike, ride a bike, write a song, play a video game, just get away from the person who is taking the “fun” out of dysfunctional. If you are out on the road with that person it can be pretty hard. My cellphone has an entire library of audio books that can take me anywhere from Cuba to a Louisiana swamp in a matter of moments (with a good set of headphones.) Then, when the ass in the group is sober or straight or not so filled with their own ego that they cannot be reached – take him or her aside and make it very clear what you are willing and not willing to do. Example: “Look Jane, I am willing to help you with this problem you are having with drinking too much (or screaming at the road crew – or whatever it is) but only if you are willing to meet me halfway. If not then either I will leave the band for my own sanity or the band will ask you to leave for the good of the project.” Don’t do this in public. Don’t “ambush” them (three or more people attacking them). It should be one on one and at the most one on one with the support of one other person. And you damn well must be prepared to take the action you are discussing - - leaving the project or you have talked with the others to make sure everybody is on the same page to let the destructive person go. These are drastic
May 2015 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
The Raven and The Writing Desk- Some Get Started
Red Fox Run
by Tru Blu
Every now and again we get to review an album that’s time capsule worthy. If you were to find Red Fox Run’s self titled album 100 years from now under the rubble of Denver City and give it a listen you would know that they were making waves in this land locked town. Red Fox Run is Cold Play meets The Cure with a dash of The Pixies and Led Zeppelin sprinkled in and we get to claim them as a local band. We haven’t heard this before. As a collective unit their chemistry transcends formulaic convention and pushes boundaries with varied song writing and structure. As they say “We Don’t Make You Wait For The Good Parts”. They get the most out of every track with high impact lyrical content and each song sets itself apart as a stand-alone aha moment. Every time I listen I find a different favorite. Lead vocalist, Daniel Rondeau goes from wailing in full voice to tender falsetto as he weaves through the dramatic tempo changes and tone of each song. From Track 1 - Didn’t See You There, the band challenges you to get on board and take notice. I Am A Fox is their psychedelic anthem with the lyric “I am a fox… I need to run” Track 4 - Rollercoaster is a radio worthy triumph of love and spirit that will instantly suck you in. Their frenzied In With A Bang shows off their punk roots and versatility. With this effort the band has landed smack dab in the middle of the upper echelon of local acts in the Denver music scene. Red Fox Run is Rondeau - Lead Vocals / Rhythm Guitar, Joshua Hester - Vocals / Lead Guitar, Caleb Thoemke - Drums / Percussion, Seth Beamer - Vocals / Bass Guitar. They were supported on the project by contributing musicians Joe Richmond and Emma Cole, recorded by Kyle Parker Smith, produced and mixed by Joe Richmond, mastered by Jason Livermore at Blasting Room Studios Cattleist- Mean Cuisine
by Thom Jackson
To create death metal that can appeal to anyone other than metal-heads is not an easy task. Catchy, groove-heavy guitar riffs must be present alongside an on-point rapid-fire drum beat. Deep, intense, and swilled vocals must be strategically placed to coincide with both the former and the latter. Not many bands in Denver understand that, but Mean Cuisine, the new EP from long-time local heavy hitters Cattleist demonstrates that they have found the formula. What stands out the most on the EP is that the band has undeniable talent. Ripping through odd time signatures at near the speed of light, Cattleist has proved why they deserve to hold the Mile High City’s death metal torch. There is even a nice cameo from Homer Simpson on the track “Mr. Plow.”
by Tim Wenger
The Raven and The Writing Desk. Possibly the best band name in Denver, and seemingly the perfect fit for the intellectual dark-pop that the group creates. The new EP, Some Get Started, spares nothing on production value. The sound is clean, the vocals sitting right in the front of the pocket. Always ambient, never dragging, the EP is a very cohesive listen all the way through.
Wendy Woo BandTipping Point
The DBC- Out of the Blues
Wendy Woo Band has been working to master the radio-friendly poprock style and the new album Tipping Point is a big step in the right direction. Wendy Woo brings an authoritative, but tenderly appealing, vocal command that dominates the group’s sound and her lyricism is very personalalmost as if she is writing a letter directly to the listener.
The DBC are absolutely one of Denver’s hardest working bands of 2015. With a significant amount of time on the road and in the studio, the band is clawing their way up through a combination of raw talent and hard work. Their new EP Out of the Blues is an eclectic blend of funky jazz with pop-sense vocals. Lyrically, the songs get personal- Bastos is not shy about putting his heart and soul into his music. Exaggerated through horn lines, multiple avenues of percussion, and a taste of jam flavor, The DBC are in line with Petals of Pain as far as Denver’s strongest pop-jazz acts.
by Tim Wenger
Julia LiBassi brings the pop with light, textured vocals guiding the songs through intimate lyrics. The instrumentation is often distorted, and provides the dark ambience that signifies the group’s sound. While not necessarily the music you want to listen to on the drive to work, this EP is the perfect mood setter for just about any other time of daypreferably a transition from day into night.
The track “On With The Show” brings a harder, almost punk, feel that demonstrates the diversity of Woo and her crew, while the title track “Tipping Point” showcases the band’s typical groove-laden dance feel. There are moments on the album that remind me of Sarah Mclachlan, others where Woo ventures in her own very unique direction, but the feel of the music never strays from appealing and very danceable.
Online: facebook.com/
Online: wendywoo.com TKettleRocky Mountain Remixes
by Tim Wenger
TKettle brings a unique flavor to an often played out scene of electronic music. His new release Rocky Mountain Remixes presents his eclectic take on the styles of many well-known artists across multiple genre lines incluidng Pretty Lights and The Temptations, all with his signature electronic flare that gives the songs a distinctive but mellow danceability different from the original versions. What TKettle has down pat is presentation. Each song on the release is smooth, consistent, and appropriate not just for fans of electronic music. He creates a certain mood, very ambient, that avoids the usual fist-bumping, E-and-energydrink-laden shit show that has come to define the genre’s reputation. A solid listen all the way through. Online: tkettlemusic.com Doves and Wolves
by Thom Jackson
A fresh take on indie rock is exactly what Denver needed, and is exactly what Doves and Wolves is shooting for with their debut EP. Vocally, I was reminded at times of The Cure- emotional lyrics set under heavy effect, and presented solidly over mellow (if sometimes melodramatic) rock music. The thing that stands out the most about the EP is that the songs- both lyrically and musicallyeffectively tell a story. The music sets the mood and Adam Anglin’s vocals drive that mood home, the two working as a cohesive unit. A worthwhile listen. Online: soundcloud.com/doves-wolves
Online: facebook.com/cattleist
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May 2015 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
by Thom Jackson
Online: facebook.com/thedbcdenver
Youth On Record New Youth Media Studio in Mariposa District
Work on the plaza in front of the building at 1301 W. 10th Ave.
by Tim Wenger
Many in the inner-city Denver community, especially those with children, have become familiar with Youth On Record, a local non-profit that connects at-risk youth to music education. The organization was originally dubbed Flobots.org, started by Denver hip hop group Flobots as a way to give back to their community. At 3 PM on May 15, Youth On Record will host an open house showcasing their brand new, state-of-the-art youth media studio at 1301 W. 10th Ave in Denver. The organization was launched in 2007 and has grown from current and former Flobots members Jonny5, Brer Rabbit and Andy Rok teaching and performing in Denver school classrooms to a full-fledged non-profit seeking to empower the community’s at-risk youth through music and creative education. “Originally, we had started the organization as a way to help the community,” says Rok, a former Flobot and founding member of the organization. Rok and the crew worked with atrisk youth to improve their skills and confidence in song writing, recording, performing, and other aspects of the art. “We found that we always knew music was really powerful, but to see it have an effect on these kids that really need it the most is amazing.” A successful Youth On Record experience takes an at-risk teenager and puts him or her back on track to graduating from high school and pursuing a college or career pathway that they are excited about. The organization is currently working with six alternative schools and two youth residential treatment facilities serving 700 at-risk Denver students per year. Their concept employs musicians and other artists to teach, encourage, work with, and motivate students to use art to create positive energy and employing that energy to a continued education and eventually a career path in the arts field. These days, the organization has full-time staff members, and eclectic Board of Directors, and works with hundreds of kids each year. “A lot of people talk about college and career as, this is
photo credi: comunidad flor de la alma
where you need to go,” says Youth On Record Executive Director Jami Duffy. “Especially when they talk about career. It’s ‘Ok, we want to get you a job in manufacturing, or one of multiple fields that our young people aren’t terribly excited about. We are excited about the creative industries and we are trying to get them on the path to get jobs in Colorado’s creative industries.” On May 15, Youth On Record will unveil their brand new 500 square foot youth media studio at 1301 W. 10th Avenue in Denver’s La AlmaLincoln Park neighborhood. The event, running from 3 PM-7PM, will give the community an opportunity to experience a top-line recording studio and classroom/learning areas, la poetry kiosk, isten to live music, and learn about the opportunities Youth On Record is offering to atrisk youth in Denver. “We started three years ago with this wild idea that we wanted to build a state-of-the-art youth media facility,” says Duffy. “So that kids could learn not only from the best musicians in the state, but on top of the line equipment.” The idea is to take these at-risk youth and put them on the forefront of competitiveness as they look towards college and/or career choices. The organization received their first initial investment for the new studio from the Denver Housing Authority. Over the past three years Youth On Record has secured support from numerous private as well as
Instuctor and Hip-Hop artist Adrian Molina speaks with students. photo credit Kara Pearson Gwinn 26
corporate donors to raise the funds needed to build the studio. Because their spot is located below residential units, the housing authority needed to be a key player in order to bring this concept to life. The DHA took interest in the project as a key move in maintaining the artistic integrity of one of Denver’s most historic neighborhoods as it evolves to become more modern. “One of the community goals for the Mariposa district was to honor the history and culture of the neighborhood here,” says Ismael Guerrero, Executive Director of the Denver Housing Authority. “So knowing that we are going to be tearing down a lot of the old housing, there was a genuine concern that the neighborhood would lose its identity as the ‘West Side,’ of a primarily Chicano community. One of the ways they saw to not lose the history and the culture, and those values was for it to be an art-centric community. “With Youth On Record, what we loved was that they hit on three things. It was art-centric, the music and that expressive art form. They focus on youth at risk. For us, number one indicator of economic sufficiency for youth is their academic success. If we want to break the cycles of generational poverty, we’ve got to get that next generation to finish school and not become our next generation of residents living in subsidized housing.” The DHA also believes that art and selfexpression through music is good for the overall health of the neighborhood’s residents.
With Youth On Record providing access to that form of expression, Guerrero believes the wellbeing of the neighborhood will increase. “Our folks come from a high anxiety, high stress, almost toxic neighborhood environment,” says Guerrero. “This is really a cure for a lot of that. A lot of what we’re doing in the Mariposa district is about health.” Residents of the area and a group of community advisors have maintained a large say in how new developments in the district are funded and built. “In any programming that we do, it has a self-sufficiency angle,” Guerrero says. “For people who are living in public housing, subsidized housing, or just low income, how do we help them become more self-sufficient? We want art not just for the sake of art, but art for the sake of economic self-sufficiency. Those two have to come together.” Despite this, some long-term residents of the area are weary of gentrification in their neighborhood as they watch new, modern buildings replace the structures they grew up with. This is an issue the DHA takes seriously and is a big part of why they work so hard to keep the community involved in their projects. “Change is always scary,” says Guerrero. “Because we’re not done, there is still concerns. I would say that there is less (negativity) at the Mariposa district, with what we are doing here and and have planned for and been intentional about. More I think where we are seeing the
Early construction on the new youth media studio.
May 2015 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
pressures and challenges is in the surrounding neighborhood.” As the area becomes a more attractive place to live, property values rise. This leads to higher property taxes, which can lead to higher rent. “It can be a challenge for longer term residents, especially if they are on fixed incomes,” Guerrero says. “How do you keep up with that extra cost?” Affordable housing is part of their plan, and the DHA is working with like-minded non-profits and other organizations to ensure residents are not driven out of the neighborhood. As part of the Denver Housing Authority’s commitment to community, they asked the architect of each new building project what aspect of their building idea will be a committed community resource. In the case of the project at 1301 W. 10th Ave., the Youth Media Studio fit the bill. “The housing authority is so committed to community,” says Duffy. “They asked for architecture firms to apply to design each phase. We had good friends at an architecture firm who applied to design the whole building.” The original architectural firm that put in a bid on the project and planned to work with Youth On Record was not shortlisted for the project, but asked the Denver Housing Authority to consider the studio as the community outreach project to be housed in the building anyway, even without them. “I had worked with the architecture firm to write the proposal,” Duffy says. “We were thrilled that the (Denver Housing Authority) was so excited about it. We signed some paperwork and were able to get going, and that initial investment was the seed that we needed to get this going.” The concept and build-out of the youth media studio and the partnership with Denver Housing Authority has been so well received that the director of Denver Housing Authority and Youth On Record have been asked twice now to present in Washington, D.C. about the project and the model used to make the dream a reality. “Denver Housing Authority/Youth On Record is considered a new national model for partnerships within a community that really affect change on the youth population,” says Duffy. Because of the recognition they are receiving,
An artist’s rendering of the Mariposa District development. Youth On Record and the DHA are in a research and development phase seeking to have a streamlined model of their project for other cities to incorporate into future building projects. “We’re working at and looking into some mayor’s offices that have interest, school districts that have interest, and musician populations who have interested,” Duffy says. “For us to expand we have a committee now looking at who are we going to roll out with next.” Priority number one in making this decision is analyzing the number of high-risk youths in the area and how many will be able to benefit from the project. “High need for us means we have a high dropout rate and a high level of youth incarceration. For us and this neighborhood, when they started doing the feasibility study there was a 12% on-time high school graduation rate.” For Duffy and the rest of the organization, the work they do for the students does not stop after high school. Jobs in the arts and in music specifically are notoriously hard to come by, and even harder to make a solid living at. Youth On Record addresses this issue head on. “What we try to explain to the students is
multiple things,” Duffy says. “A, we can’t be more invested in their futures than they are. They are going to have to show the grit, the resilience, the determination of any of the artists in this town. That’s what they are able to see within their own teachers, that this is a struggle.” The students are taught that to have a career in the arts, they will have to approach their work from many angles. Whether it is teaching lessons, working in a recording studio, touring, or lecturing at universities, a career in the arts is not an easy thing to accomplish. Students at Youth On Record are taught that by keeping their head down and working hard, it can be done. It is this belief system and model for youth empowerment that is attracting national attention. “We know that what we’re doing deserves to be replicated, and I believe that we have a moral responsibility to replicate it,” Duffy says.
than somebody else having to go through the brain damage of creating something similar, we need to learn how in the non-profit world, how to take good ideas to scale and not have to recreate the wheel. Being able to take what we’ve done here and export it to another community.” “We have, for the first time in the United States history, a generation that will be less educated than their parents. We have an American dropout crisis, and Youth On Record has found a model that is working. Not only are we reaching some of the most at-risk, underserved, disenfranchised young people, we are also employing artists at the same time. We’ve chosen education as an American issue, and also employing artists and allowing them to be thriving members of the community.” Online: youthonrecord.org
“What excites me is having something that works here that has impacts across different areas,” says Guerrero. “Education, youth, community building. Arts and health. Rather
Students and staff in the control room at the new youth media studio. May 2015 | ColoradoMusicBuzz.com
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