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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
ALBUM REVIEWS Pandas & People Self Titled
Chris Sheridan BandWagon Magazine
It’s always exciting when an existing band branches off to explore a new sound and style. Members of the alt-rock, now defunct (and generally pretty decent) band Five Day Rhetoric, in their downtime, decided to start experimenting with folk rock-a decision that eventually spawned their new project, Pandas & People. The name is catchy, and the music is nice and catchy. However, the product doesn’t break much new ground in terms of the genre, despite the clear presence of passion and potential. Pandas & People wear their influences on their sleeves. Mumford & Sons is the most obvious inspiration, but comparisons to that band leave Pandas & People coming up a bit short: once the banjo kicks in here it just serves as a reminder of that other talented group. The same thing happens to a lesser degree with similarities to The Lumineers. There’s nothing wrong with influences, but there’s not quite enough
of a unique spin on those styles here. It’s not all rote imitation, however; Pandas & People do inject a bit of nuance into the formula by incorporating stomps and hand claps, making for some nicely toe-tapping stretches for an overall fairly exciting EP. These interludes are exciting, but too scarce. The clear standout is “Howling Moon,” which features all that the band seems to do best. It’s a great track and hopefully a promise of what we might see from these folks in the near future. The best and freshest thing Pandas & People could have done is add a female backup vocalist, and it is this inclusion that slightly elevates the album. Megan Huffman’s voice blends well with that of Josh Scheer, and Pandas & People is nothing if not satisfying for this interplay, most exciting in the penultimate “Still Young.” It’s the actual lyricism that’s the biggest stumbling block, with oddly written lines and clichéd lyrics scattered about that are a bit distracting from the rest: “On My Way” actually features the line “put the pedal to the medal.” Closer “With You” almost
feels unfinished, with odd breaks in the writing despite its warm, pleasant music. It’s disappointingly uneven, but not completely without merit; with those and a few other exceptions, there are some good pieces of writing. Pandas & People isn’t bad, and the songs sound good, but the album is hampered by being too similar to other established acts. This debut EP is a strong foundation, however, and the talent is there along with threads of innovation. With a bit more freshness in the actual songwriting, and perhaps some courage to explore that innovative streak, Pandas & People stand to be a very interesting outfit, and one to keep an eye on.
The Wild After
Lessons Learned Aaron Hammond BandWagon Magazine
People who consume music on a casual basis don’t realize what a strange process it is to start a band. Local acts are constantly splitting, joining, or reinventing themselves. So when former members of The Heyday, Randall Kent and Ryan Buller, teamed up with a new rhythm section comprised of Jesse Spencer and Chris Beeble in October last year, it wasn’t anything unusual. What is unusual is the remarkable sounds they’re making in such a short time together. Their new EP, Lesson Learned, is releasing late March. Fortunately we got a streaming preview to let you know why you should check it out. The first thing that stands out about The Wild After is their musicality. This is no high school garage-band; each song has a sense of purpose and every line seems well thought out. Each song has a real melody to it, and each track nails the sweet spot between polish and authenticity. Clearly the cumulative experience of the band’s members is contributing to the whole, making it greater than the sum of its’ parts.
Photo by Ryan Kirkpatrick
The title track, “Lesson Learned”, is a solid pop-rock tune. It turns expertly back and forth between a sweet melancholy and an anthemic chorus that you want to sing along with right away. Each instrument balances with the others, despite the full layering that most groups struggle with. The next song slows it down with a waltz-y ballad. Randall manages to express a universal falling-out-of-love experience in “Ocean Floor” with unique lyrics such as “There’s no use trying to fight it anymore/ Like trying to set fire to the ocean floor/ We’re just not in love anymore”. “Meant For You” brings out a little of the country twang that’s been just under the surface on this EP. This song sounds familiar, yet new - with a melody that naturally flows through the lyrics. It’s difficult to tell if you’ve heard it before or if they’ve just pulled the natural music out of the words. A guitar solo that complements and references the song without trying to steal the spotlight completes this well rounded song, which blends into the next. “Old Familiar” reminds the listener of an old memory, that sepia-toned nostalgia that
you get when you lay under a tree in the summer sun. The closing track, “The Ship and the Sea,” drifts off in a dreamy folkflavored haze. Just when you think you know exactly where the song is headed, a creative chorus lifts you briefly out of yourself before drifting slowly back into the finger-picked trance. It’s a brilliant ending that leaves you feeling settled but wanting more. Lesson Learned is a fantastic collection of songs. If I wanted anything else, it would be another upbeat rock track like “Lesson Learned,” but I’m sure The Wild After still has something up their sleeves. An EP this good, right off the bat, is a rare thing. I can’t wait to see what these guys are doing next.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
Protomartyr
Under Color of Official Right Matt Hutcheson BandWagon Magazine Once a beacon of progress and success, Detroit has become the standard modern example of what can go wrong in an American city. There’s poverty, crime, corruption– the myth of the city itself has transformed from the quintessential American Dream, to a less affluent Gotham swathed in a brutal struggle for its own soul. Art that emerges from Detroit is expected and often possesses a certain tint of nihilism, but most interesting are those artists who manage to both own the new myth of their city and transcend it. Hip-hop artists like Eminem and Danny Brown have done it, and now Protomartyr emerges almost fully formed with Under Color of Official Right. Protomartyr manages to appropriate punk and postpunk in ways that make both styles seem fresh, and then absolutely fill every space with anxious guitars and an infectious, desperate humor. Songs like the fantastic “Want Remover” and “Scum,Rise” utilize punk energy to assault the listener, while “Tarpeian Rock” would likely do well on a congenial dance floor despite being an angry airing of grievances. There must be a prophecy somewhere about how perfectly Protomartyr would rectify punk and post punk and still sound new.
Barring the occasional snarl, vocalist Joe Casey sings in straight-faced baritone whether singing about abandonment, violence, or differentiating between good and bad advice. His voice is never exhilarating nor distracting, but remains a largely calm center that works as pissedoff punk and suave frontman equally well. Protomartyr never go out of the way to amaze, preferring to rely on an ultra-tight band and a common musical idea to craft a consistently great album. They carry the “weight” of their Detroit origin lightly, with an economy and tightness that mirror the city without being consumed by it. The lyrics often combine the abstract with the very real, good examples being “What the Wall Said” and “Violent.” Casey’s deadpan does not make the music unemotional but instead veils the songs in a sameness that dissipates once the album is ingrained in one’s head. Protomartyr have crafted an album full of punk impulse and aggressively good songwriting, all while sounding like nearly no one else in 2014. Under Color of Official Right is easily one of the best rock albums of the year so far, and many bigger bands will genuinely need to step up to deliver the collection this Detroit 4-piece has.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014 In the Whale Nate
Chris Sheridan BandWagon Magazine Nate Valdez slept on our couch for a week. During that time I got to know him and his strikingly unique personality–slightly brash, and certainly blunt, couch surfing here and there and landing where he could, simply because he could. There’s a candid video on YouTube involving fireworks. Nate does not care what anyone thinks. That personality, as well as his bandmate Eric’s, shine through the raucous music of In the Whale. The latest 4-track EP, Nate, has no surprises, but is as predictably solid as ever. As always, In the Whale
boasts a driving, electrifying power that takes up an incredible amount of sonic space despite being composed of just two guys. The basic guitar-anddrum formula works, and while there’s nothing at all elaborate about the band’s music, it’s the earnestness with which they perform it that makes it so damn fun. In no other track on the EP is this more noticeable than on the opener “Robert Johnson.” “Wedding Bells” is a bit weaker, sounding too derivative and familiar to be truly memorable. Still, it’s the duo’s passion that really sells the sound, and they launch back into a comfortable groove with the anthemic “Lake of Fire.” Closing track “Grandpa Pete” surprises with some heavy metal screaming, which sounds right at home with In the Whale’s music. This song is just plain bizarre with the impressively growled and darkly amusing line “Grandpa Pete is a creep” and a cleverly executed guitar interlude.
After all this time, the band mostly retains their raw, grungy sound. It’s rougher than it’s ever been before, too—this is the followup to Eric, and the albums absolutely need to be heard alongside each other. They form a great double feature with just enough variation to be two distinct bodies, but within the same family to
Photo by rachel waltman bandwagon magazine
make a strong cohesive work. Nate, however, is not quite as good as Eric, as that album easily ranks near the top of In the Whale’s discography. A thread of certifiable insanity runs through In the Wale’s music—an infectious energy that is difficult to ignore. This is a throwback to the wild garage rock of yesteryear that more or less
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doesn’t exist anymore in the current trend of clean, ultra-refined processed sound. A step away from that congested market is welcome, Nate, along with the rest of In the Whale’s work, is a good place to go.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
Musketeer Gripweed Floods and Fires
Chris Sheridan BandWagon Magazine It’s difficult to liken comparisons to Musketeer Gripweed. Maybe hints of Zakk Wylde vocalization and Black Keys catchiness can be sought, though such associations only apply sporadically—Musketeer Gripweed is ferociously singular in their style and genre, whatever that specifically may be. Either the band doesn’t know either or they don’t care, given that their official Facebook page refers to their genre as “American Revival Stomp Ass Shake Holla!” The description is fitting: Floods and Fires is a rip-roaring album with very few moments of weakness. “9 Pound Hammer” starts things off just right, with a simple acoustic riff and footstomping rhythm vaguely reminiscent of Judas Priest before integrating the rest of the band’s trademark bluegrass repertoire, dismissing all comparisons for a singular and thrilling sound. The second track, “A Train,” is a short-but sweet track that appears to exist solely for a great solo at the midpoint. In fact, Musketeer
Gripweed has a love for instrument solos that too few bands seem to respect anymore, and it’s a great throwback. Somehow it always seems like the hard rocking bands are the ones that write the best ballads, and this holds true once again with the more definitively bluesy and completely excellent “Desert is Out of Tune,” which allows some impressive vocalization and a very satisfying piano riff shine through. Follow-up “Rosie” mixes things up with some more elaborate vocalization. The album briefly falters with “End of the Day,” a frankly somewhat boring track that skews a bit too heavily into country territory in contrast with the rest of the album without incorporating any of the additional tricks and fun instruments present on the rest of the album. This track is pretty much the only stumbling block, and more noticeable because the rest of the release showcases Musketeer Gripweed simply having fun and showing off some very impressive instrumentation. “Sin Eater” is similarly lackluster, though not offensively so. The rest of Floods and Fires is jam packed with passionately executed arrangements.
This is most evident on the penultimate “Puppet,” arguably the album’s best track and a titanic piece featuring dueling guitar solos for several minutes with a satisfying underlying rhythm. And yet, it’s outdone by the following closer, “Facing West,” closing things out with a brooding, epic Black Label Society-style solo crossed with soft crooning and... is that an organ? It’s a fantastic way to close off the record. Floods and Fires is an awesome album. The catchy bluegrass themes and consistently exciting guitar interludes make this one piece that will have good staying power. Musketeer Gripweed knows how to craft exciting, fun riffs and engaging hooks. In a solid first half of 2014, Floods and Fires stands strong as one of the best thus far.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
FILM REVIEWS
EXPLORE MORE ONLINE www.bandwagmag.com
Noah 2014 - 139 Minutes – Rated PG-13 Chris Sheridan BandWagon Magazine If one were to compile a list of directors that would be a suitable fit for a Biblical epic, Darren Aronofsky likely wouldn’t rank very close to the top at first glance. With his topics ranging from drug abuse (Requiem for a Dream) to fatally fame-obsessed delusional ballerinas (Black Swan), a story from the Bible doesn’t exactly fit into that class. But one needs look no further than a smaller, earlier film called Pi, in which a man was struck with the unflinching belief that the number 3.14 was a message from God detailing the apocalypse. It’s interesting then that Aronofsky’s latest film, Noah, is about a man speaking to God about just that topic. And what a film it is. Noah is one of the Bible’s most recognizable and iconic stories. God, fed up with humanity’s wickedness, decides that He will flood the Earth and wipe out humanity. He instructs Noah (Russell Crowe), a devout human servant, to build a massive ark containing Noah’s family and two of each kind of animal, to survive the flood and repopulate the earth after. The story comprises four chapters
in the Bible, hardly enough to fill a two hour movie. Therefore, this Noah is a man that struggles with survivor’s guilt, following the instructions given to him, and general existential drama, to surprisingly effective results. Other creative liberties are taken as well, such as the presence of the Watchers, massive stone beings fallen from heaven. The story adds a villain in the form of Tubal-cain (Ray Winstone), descendent of Cain (who murdered his brother Abel) and king of the area, hellbent on killing Noah and taking the ark for himself. Aronofsky’s trademark is robust, striking imagery, and he continues that trend here. Dream sequences exhibit powerfully unsettling apocalyptic scenes, while a Creation retelling shoots through space and across the Earth as it blends CGI with breathtaking time-lapse nature photography. Noah, if nothing else, is a feast for the eyes and one of the most visually striking films of recent memory. Clint Mansell is on a literally baffling hot streak. The composer has not once composed something any less than outstanding, and he outdoes even himself with this score, which may be his best work yet. Noah’s soundtrack is
by turns sweeping, somber and foreboding. Noah will offend many. Those narrative flourishes are already stirring up controversy, and certain circles are calling for a boycott. Few of these liberties are really all that offensive, and a bit of research confirms that most of them have scriptural basis. Noah himself is a bizarre (though effective) amalgamation of JudeoChristian influences, Islamic strokes, and environmentalist characteristics, but what every textual account of Noah has in common is a man faced with a hugely stressful task. Noah deals with that as well as the psychological aftermath. So who should see it? Really, anyone can. One of the film’s greatest strengths is the respect is has for religion and for the text, never scoffing at the themes of the story while also not attempting to push an agenda. Aronofsky, a noted atheist, has made a film that simply accepts the possibly of a Creator in the boundaries of the story, including themes strong enough to resonate with the secular crowd, and tailoring it to his own remarkable visual style. Bravo.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
Need For Speed 2014 - 130 Minutes – Rated PG-13 Jay Wallace BandWagon Magazine For the last few years, Aaron Paul has been known for playing a character whose catchphrase is, “Something-somethingsomething, bitch!” Now that Breaking Bad is off the air though, he’s moving into film, and his first lead role in a Blockbuster is an adaption of EA’s car racing game Need For Speed. It’s not as horrible as other critics have portrayed it. Those that are into cars, such as myself, won’t be that disappointed, but it’s not perfect. Then again, it’s an adaption of a car racing simulator; no such film is aiming for high art. It is entertaining though. Paul plays Tobey Marshall, a former racing driver out of New York State who’s now running his deceased father’s mechanic’s shop. His well-off rival, Dino Brewster, (Captain America’s Dominic Cooper) rolls into town and offers Tobey a well-paying gig: finish a Shelby Mustang that legendary tuner Carroll Shelby
was working on with Ford before Shelby died. Marshall takes the gig to pay for a bank loan, but before he knows it, Tobey finds himself in jail due to a street race between Tobey, Dino and Tobey’s young partner Little Pete (Harrison Gilbertson) that gets Pete killed. Dino rammed Little Pete during the race and left him and Tobey behind, covering his tracks well enough so Tobey would take the fall. Two years pass, Tobey gets out of jail with plans to avenge Pete. He gets in contact with the owner of the Mustang he completed, asking to borrow it to compete in De Leon, an illegal road race held by internet DJ Monarch (Beetlejuice’s Michael Keaton) which Dino participates in. With help from his crew and exotic car allocator Julia Maddon (Imogen Poots of the Fright Night remake) Tobey sets out to put Dino behind bars. Let’s get this out of the way: Need for Speed is not The Fast and The Furious. Sure, there are some crazy stunts, such as the helicopter save and the jump
over traffic in Detroit, but it’s not as blatantly physics-defying as the F&F series. Need For Speed, at its core, is a revenge film steeped in car culture. And unlike the Fast & Furious franchise, it’s not about tuner culture, which is rather played out by this point. The film in general uses quite a few clichés in its storytelling and exhibits a couple of leaps of logic: Little Pete is annoyingly naïve and loose-lipped, pegging him as the guy who’s going to get killed and have his death avenged. Tobey is supposedly an incredible race car driver who somehow slipped through the cracks, even though his driving skill as demonstrated throughout the movie indicates he should at least be on a NASCAR track. Dino is an accomplished, wealth racer who everyone says isn’t as good as Tobey (Which Tobey himself acknowledges the ridiculousness of) and acts like an insecure prick around Paul’s character for no real reason beyond suffering from undiagnosed Small Dick Syndrome. Poots’ Julia, the car handler who sticks by Tobey
in the Mustang on its trip from New York to the race in California, seemingly develops an attraction to him that comes out of nowhere. (That last one in particular sounds like either a studio mandate or lazy scriptwriting.) Despite those issues, they don’t really take you out of the movie, because the whole plot of Need For Speed is designed to do one thing: set up awesome car stunts. Fast & Furious is known for crazy shit done with all things gas-powered, but Need For Speed dials it back to capture car culture at its finest. There is really not much in the film that’s too out-of-place (The Helicopter save and the Detroit Traffic Jump-Lane Change the exceptions.) and the stunts in general get right to the thrill of going fast on four wheels. The unique POV shots in the car during some of the hairraising driving is particularly impressive, making me wonder just how they pulled that off
without obstructing the driver’s view. Paul and Cooper do well as the lead hero and baddie, though Paul seems to be channeling a more talkative, less morally ambiguous version of Ryan Gosling’s nameless anti-hero from Drive. Those expecting a stunt-driving Jesse should stay away. Poots’ Julia is alright, but doesn’t really seem to have much to do beyond falling in love with Tobey. Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi is really entertaining as Benny, Tobey’s personal traffic reporter, but Rami Malek owns the film as crew member Finn, who quits his cubicle farm job to join Tobey in the most revealing fashion. Keaton also nails his performance as Monarch, giving the movie a level of enthusiasm and energy that makes Need For Speed a fun B-Movie instead of just a B-Movie. 6/10
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
Locally Produced Film to Premier at the Kress Cinema Jay Wallace BandWagon Magazine For those interested in dance and local filmmaking, The Kress Cinema and Lounge will be premiering a short film on Saturday, April 12th titled Light in the Dark. The short, directed by Greeley resident Casey McConnell, was inspired by a choreographed dance by Wendy Klein of the Colorado Dance Collective, which McConnell expanded upon. “[Klein] and her company spent a year, year and a half choreographing and putting this piece together,” said McConnell. “And we’re friends and she asked me to film it, just so they had it on film for the girls and herself, and one thing just lead to another and it morphed into this short film, and so we took this choreographed piece and then made a story out of it and made it quite a bit bigger.” Light in the Dark is based off of Schindler’s List, specifically the film’s music the dancers originally choreographed the piece to. “We took it a little bit further,” McConnell said, “and Sigorney [Moore, music composer] is kind of taking that score and is alternating it a bit so it’s a little more up to date.” McConnell described the film as somewhere in between a music video and a musical a la The Nutcracker, where the music and dance move the story forward. “We actually had seen a video that was done in Iceland,” he said. “It was actually a musical group, and they gave away $25,000 to every director and they had eight directors all over the world come and just create. We had all saw this ballet one and it was just beautiful. It was in this old building, and so that was kind of the emphasis of where this all started. I don’t really know what to call [Light In The Dark]. It’s a short film with dance, with music, trying to tell a story, there’s no verbal speaking or anything. The music and dance carry
the whole story.” Among those helping McConnell and Klein were Moore, a local music teacher and harpist who McConnell came across by chance. “I was at the Cranford Cove Tea Tavern one day, and she happened to be playing there that day,” he said. “I was in there and I just thought, ‘Wow, what a talented girl.’ So we connected then, before even Light in the Dark came on the radar. I just said, ‘Well, let’s get together sometime and just talk and see what you’re up to.” During that time, we ended up – Wendy and I – putting this together and I was like, ‘Let’s bring Sigourney into this; she’d be perfect to play this role.’ So she jumped right on board and, so yeah, it worked out.” Moore not only acts as the film’s composer, but McConnell said she also plays a role in the film as a “dark kind of figure who transforms through the piece.” Katie Ahl is the lead actress, with the rest of the cast rounded out by Stephanie Wilson, Kynsi Saye, Brynne Gaffney, Kaitlee Marshall, and professional dancer Brandon Freeman. “[Freeman] dances at Wonderbound. We connected through Facebook and I told him what we were up to and he said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be a part of this,’” McConnell said. McConnell said he has been playing around with video since 2005. He was previously the marketing director at a health club in Aspen, saying he normally worked with people on projects. “In the last year and a half, I’ve kind of moved behind the camera and want to edit,” he said, “have the finished product be a little bit more with what I was thinking in my head, instead of always trying to explain it to somebody else.” McConnell still works as a marketer, owning his own company called Qittle which specializes in marketing projects for businesses and non-profits. However, McConnell said he does have a couple screenplays he would like to work on in the future. For more information on Light in the Dark, including their April 12th premier at The Kress, visit their Facebook page at http://www. facebook.com/lightinthedarkfilm, and at http://qittle.com.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
in ss e n l l e W d n a s b r e H s e r Natu
s ' y t i c n Garde
4/20
m a j Is back
siness u b g in o d e r y' e h T , e im t and This
Chris Sharidan BandWagon Magazine
“420,” pronounced “fourtwenty,” has established itself quite definitively in the pop culture zeitgeist as a blanket term for all things marijuana, spawning everything from straight-faced legitimacy to raucous Internet memes. The exact origins of the term 420 are heavily contested, with theories ranging from connections to Bob Marley and Grateful Dead to the number being shared with the quantity of ingredients in cannabis and the code for marijuana consumption. All are untrue. Instead, 420 originated with high school students in San Rafael, California in 1971, who decided on a time—4:20 pm, though probably not on April 20th—to meet at a statue and smoke together. It stuck as a broader allusion to marijuana in general, and now enjoys its status as a flagship term for the drug. Headlines have been made these past few months, with the long-overdue legalization of marijuana as a recreational drug instead of a strictly medicinal one. Petty reasons for each side elongated the tug-of-war, until the final push for legalization was successful. Garden City business Nature’s Herbs and Wellness Center, previously a dispensary tailored exclusively to card-carrying beneficiaries of a medical marijuana license, now has the task of restructuring to sell to anyone of age who wishes to partake, and will celebrate its grand opening on—you guessed it—April 20th. The fourth annual 420 Fest will be a bit different this year, as fans of cannabis can now flock to get in on the action without the prerequisite of chronic pain or terminal illness. John Rotherham, who owns Nature’s Herbs and Wellness with his wife Alice, has been hard at work retooling his business to accommodate what will surely be a swatch of recreational marijuana users—and it doesn’t stop at
requiring everyone to have a license. When you walk into Nature’s Herbs and Wellness on the April 20, 2014 grand opening, you’ll see that John has installed separate entrances and exits depending on which class you fall into, with one set specifically intended for those under 21 that require medicinal marijuana. John also employs two separate growing operations to separate the medical from the recreational users. Despite the overhauls, John expects things at Nature’s Health and Wellness to be “business as usual,” though the longer-reaching effects of legalization are likely to be positive, particularly for health. “In a few years we’re going to find that this plant cures everything,” says John. “Legalization is going to open up much more research for it.” John is also optimistic about revenue generation, for his business, for the government— and for Garden City itself. Greeley and Garden City residents may recall that the area has a history with substance legalization which brings this new precedent to an interesting full circle. Northern Colorado was a hotbed of activity surrounding Prohibition back in that time. AF Ray, whose name is recognizable for the Garden City bar of the same name, spent years smuggling alcohol into Greeley in the 1930s. When Prohibition ended and Greeley’s alcohol ban did not lift, Ray simply started his own municipality, the tiny Garden City, in which alcohol could be purchased and consumed. This was a boon for the new city as Greeley residents flocked to Garden City to drink. Of course, once Greeley finally lifted the ban, Garden City lost the edge that had granted it such financial prosperity. History stands to repeat itself now, as marijuana’s legalization will be advantageous for the city as alcohol once was. Ideally, Garden City businesses will see a strong boost in patronage as a result of this. The bittersweet eventuality is
that the trend may spread to the rest of Northern Colorado, possibly crippling Garden City once again. Hopefully this doesn’t happen too quickly, as the quaint municipality deserves its time in prosperity as it leads the charge of an important new page in
substance consumption. Whatever your opinions on cannabis, the 420 Fest is worth checking out—old favorites Nappy Roots and The Flobots are being joined by Branded Bandits, Na’an Stop and Burrito Soup for a full day of music, with food supplied
by—who else—Wing Shack, and other, for lack of a better word, “munchies.” Smoker or not, show these folks some love on April 20th by heading over to Nature’s Herbs and Wellness Center at 522 27th St. in Garden City.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
t s i Art profile: Kyle Eustice BandWagon Magazine Several media outlets have recently asked been the question ‘where are all the female rappers?’ The answer to that question has remained the same since the beginning of hip hop; they are there, but the mainstream culture continues to overlook them. This is where San Francisco-based k.flay (Kristine Flaherty) sat for several years, passed over by a broader radio audience looking for sex appeal and a form of rap that does not break any kind of preset molds. k.flay has not lowered herself to these standards. With a string of solid EPs and some serious chops, her rap is intelligent (a degree in psychology and sociology from Stanford helps with that). She doesn’t boast about street cred or display an image of a rich kid roughing it, she simply tells her story. Oh, and she’s fast. The BandWagon caught up with flay as she prepared for her national tour with Colorado favorites Air Dubai and spoke about her live show, her favorite collaborations and a life of no regrets.
Air Dubai is known for being a full hip hop band which gives them a strong live presence that is often missing from hip hop shows. Though she has considered going this route, flay maintains a somewhat minimal, yet still loud, live show made up of herself and a drummer. “I’m a big fan of the two person live show set up. I think for the spirit of the music it’s got that hip hop element, but still sounds rough around the edges,” says flay. With several mixtapes and EPs under her belt, she has stacked an impressive list of collaborators including Detroit’s Danny Brown. For her new mixtape, West Ghost, she called on a few of her established hip hop cohorts such as Eligh, Grieves and Allen Stone. “Allen Stone is the shit. Not only is he a great person, but a great vocalist and songwriter as well. It was fun because I haven’t really collaborated with an R&B and soul element that often so that was really cool.” Her success has not come easy or
quickly and she paid her dues. Looking back on it, flay has no regrets and would not do anything differently. “There are always ways to look back on things but I’m really happy with the way things have gone. I was on a major label which I recently left, and that was an important growing experience for me. I feel really energized and good and I’ve really been finding that sound I’ve always wanted to make.” If someone were looking to compare k.flay to another, more mainstream artist, that microscope would eventually land on Lorde. Although Lorde does not rap, she has found a ton of crossover success, and the two have a similar vocal sound. Lorde’s popularity and ability to break into the male dominated rap world signifies a shift in the culture, making room for female rappers who are not only already established, but extremely talented. If a 17-year-old singing over stripped down drums and bass can make it to the top the charts, then maybe, just maybe, we can have a strong female presence there without objectifying them.
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Love And Theft
SirMixaLot T he Ult imat e F reak
Kyle Eustice
BandWagon Magazine
In the early ‘90s, Seattle native Sir Mixa-Lot proudly proclaimed: “I like big butts and I cannot lie” on 1992’s Mack Daddy, his third studio album and first for Def American. However, little do people know the two albums that preceded Mack Daddy contained some of his best material. From “Square Dance Rap” and “Swap Meat Louie” to “Posse on Broadway” and “Beepers,” there’s more to Mix-a-Lot than just big butts. Born Anthony Ray in 1963, Sir Mix-aLot is the true definition of a “D.I.Y. success story.” He founded his own independent label, produced his own albums and climbed his way into the MTV generation with both 1987’s “Posse On Broadway” and the aforementioned Grammy Awardwinning single, “Baby Got Back.” His debut album, 1988’s Swass, established Mix as a lyrical wrecking ball. Armed with a penchant for descriptive storytelling and rapid-fire delivery, Mix unloaded an arsenal of hip-hop hilarity. In fact, the word ‘swass’ eventually took on its own meaning—by accident. “It meant like ‘cool,’ ‘fresh,’ ‘dope,’ or whatever terminology you want to use,” Mix explains. “Later on, we just applied something to it what we kind of called an acronym, but it really wasn’t an acronym. It was a word we made up by accident. I used to work at an arcade and you know, fixing machines, handling change, and there was this pinball machine called Flash Gordon. Every time you’d win, it would say ‘flash,’ but it sounded like it said “swass” because something was wrong with the speaker. I thought, ‘Wow! That’s the shit.’ So we started using it joking around in different cities. We’d be like, ‘Man that is swass’ and people were like, ‘What is that?’ So we figured we would just call the album Swass.” Mix was surprised his own unique brand
of hip-hop got any notoriety. After all, his main focus was really DJing, mixing and producing. He recorded on an 8-track reelto-reel in a small, homemade studio. “Before “Posse On Broadway” I did another single, which actually made “Posse On Broadway” possible,” he says. “It was called “Square Dance Rap.” It was a goofy single I did. I intentionally disguised my voice because I didn’t want to be known for having a Smurf voice. So I put it out and the damn thing took off. I was like, ‘Aw man, it took off. Now what am I going to do?’ Then I started taking it more seriously. Remember, I started off as a DJ. I didn’t start off as a rapper. I was more of an engineer than anything. I love producing and I love mixing; all that stuff. That’s why I wasn’t Sir Rap-ALot [laughs].” Once Swass and 1989’s Seminar began garnering significant amounts of attention, Mix caught the eye (well, ear) of legendary hip-hop producer and Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin, who agreed to executive produce Mack Daddy. Along with production from Mix himself, Rubin and Mix quickly got to work. Upon its initial release, “Baby Got Back” became a pop phenomenon and catapulted Mix to a whole new level of fame. Despite the ridiculous nature of the lyrics and its subsequent video, the song touched on sensitive topics involving race, the definition of beauty and female objectification. One of his biggest strengths is being able to tell an incredibly descriptive and comedic story, something noticeably absent in contemporary hip-hop. “Some people have some fun with records, but for the most part they don’t,” he says. “Some people have really put some work in out on the street, but a lot of them haven’t and use rap as a cover. They think if they can tell somebody else’s hardcore story that
somehow makes them more credible. And it actually works because most of the fans buy that bullshit. Real talk— a lot of them haven’t seen what they claim to have seen. “Saying something funny on a record now is considered corny, which is weird to me,” he adds. “To me, the term ‘keep it real,’ when you take it literally, means if you had a mom and a dad, they did a good job raising you, and you’re well educated and well spoken, don’t be ashamed of it. That’s keeping it real! If you went to college, but you lied and said you were in jail, that’s bullshit.” He makes an undeniable point. In a world where Lil’ Wayne and Juicy J rule the airwaves with songs about purple drank and groupies, it’s nearly impossible to separate truth from fiction. At 50-years-old, he may not be the new kid on the block, but he’s still got his hand on the mic. “I still love hip-hop and always will of course, but the things that are bothering me on certain levels are the need to establish this bullshit credibility and that rap music has a date code on it now,” he says. “In other words, if you’re Eminem and you’re the best rapper in the game right now, but you’re over 30, the press tries to blow it off like you’re just trying to stay relevant. It only happens in hip-hop. Nobody looks at Mick Jagger and says, ‘Oh he’s just trying to remain relevant.’ The fact that hip-hop is starting to divide itself is ignorant. Let’s just keep moving.” Sir Mix-a-Lot with The Burroughs, Leghounds, and DJ Dabble, April 19, at Moxi Theater, Greeley, 8 p.m. Tickets are $18/ ADV and $25/DOS. Visit www.moxitheater. com for more information.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
Spotlights of the 2014
David Ochoa
BandWagon Magazine
UNC JAZZ FESTIVAL
Visit www.arts.unco.edu/music/jazz_festival for a complete schedule of performances.
April 24th-26th
Christian McBride Writers will often describe Christian Bride’s and his playing with a litany of reoccurring adjectives such as rock-solid, earthy, swinging, melodic, and compelling. While these are all accurate descriptions of McBride’s playing, the first word that comes to my mind is far less abstract: fun.
McBride, a Philadelphia native, moved to New York City at the age of 17 and quickly found himself sharing the bandstand with many of his heroes, such as Freddie Hubbard and Jimmy Smith. Although he grew up studying the jazz idiom, early exposure to R&B through his father, a professional R&B bassist, led him to work with James Brown later in his career. Not one to be pigeon-holed, McBride’s projects over the years have found him working with a variety of artists ranging from Sting to Pat Metheny. Recently, McBride has been touring with his piano trio featuring Christian Sands and Ulysses Owens Jr., playing to sold out crowds at venues such as Dazzle in Denver. For the Jazz Festival, McBride will be joining with the students of UNC’s award-winning Lab 1.
A tribute to
Ray Brown
featuring Jeff Hamilton, Larry Fuller and Christoph Luty
Chances are good that you’ve never seen a wedding ring used in lieu of a drumstick. Or heard a wire brush waved in the air for percussive effect. While on paper this might appear to be another cheap musical gimmick, in the hands of Jeff Hamilton it’s just another tool to create music.
Pianist Larry Fuller and bassist Christoph Luty will join Hamilton on stage in a tribute to bassist Ray Brown. Brown, who played in pianist Oscar Peterson’s trio for years, acted as a mentor to all the musicians in one form or another. Luty moved to LA in hopes of studying with Brown, Hamilton served as Brown’s drummer for a considerable length of time, shortly before Fuller joined the group in what would be its final incarnation. With a style rooted deep in the jazz tradition it’s bound to be a hard-swinging affair.
The Swingle Singers
Recently, a viral video surfaced of a construction worker boarding a crowded subway train. He starts beat boxing, using a cardboard coffee cup to amplify the sounds coming out of his mouth. After some bewildered stares another passenger starts singing. And then another. And another. This wasn’t an amateur flash mob by university students. It was an expertly executed a cappella arrangement of “Soul Bossa Nova,” the main theme from Austin Powers, sung by the Swingle Singers. While music editors and record stores are quick to give the septet a vocal jazz label, their repertoire and genre-bending skills have set them apart for nearly six decades. The group has a long history of mixing genre’s that traditionally don’t belong together. Their first album, Jazz Sébastien Bach, was recorded after Americanborn Ward Swingle gathered a group of Parisian session singers to sing some of Bach’s keyboard music. The resulting music featured vocal arrangements of Bach’s music over a jazz rhythm section of upright bass and drums, which led to a Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Performance by a Chorus, as well as a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. Now based in London, the group’s flexibility has granted them performing opportunities ranging from collaborations with the Modern Jazz Quartet to soundtracks for “Sex and The City” and “Glee.” When we spoke with bassist Edward Randell, he took time to explain to BandWagon that with such a wide and diverse range, the audience is ultimately what dictates the concert repertoire. “Since the very first album in 1963 the group’s had fun with juxtaposing different genres and moods, and we like to take audiences to surprising places. Our current show includes everything from Turkish folk to British indie to some classic Bach and Debussy. We also have a whole bunch of new original songs that we’re particularly excited about,” he said. He continued by saying, “As a general rule, we find that the music we’re most creatively invested in is also the music we can communicate with the most passion and charisma, which is what audiences respond to above all else.” To the music students that may be in the audience Randell had some words of wisdom, “Well, it’s a bit of a cliché, but nonetheless true: listen to everybody else, and then find your own sound.” It’s advice that has fared the Swingle Singers well.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
AGGIE
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
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COLORaDO CONCERT CALENDAR
Tuesday April 1st Guttermouth @ The Moxi Greeley – 8pm w/ In The Whale, Nasty Bunch of Bitches, and Potato Pirates The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub Greeley - 9pm
Open Jazz Jam with Pourhouse Jazz Trio @ Pourhouse Loveland – 7:30pm
The Used and Taking Back Sunday @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 7pm w/ Tonight Alive and Sleepwave Beenie Man “The Hottest Man ALive North American Tour” @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 9pm w/ Selasee and The FaFa Family Dirty Fences @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm w/ Pitch Invasion and Warhawk
Weekend @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Cities Aviv and Emerald Siam
Moistboyz and Meat Puppets @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm
Wednesday April 2nd
Cheba Hit Presents: Electric Stair Child, Burrito Soup @ Moxi Theater Greeley - 8pm
Jimkata @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 8pm w/ Punch Drunk and Munky Funk
The Black Lips @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ The Cothangers Pnuckle @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Jet West, Kindsight Small Black @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9pm w/ Snowmine
Guttermouth @ Moxi Theater in Greeley on 4/1 Fanfarlo @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Lilies On Mars
Decibel Magazine Tour ft. Carcass @ Summit Music Hall Denver – 6pm w/ The Black Dahlia Murder, Gorguts,
Thursday April 3rd
Leghounds @ Moxi Theater Greeley - 8pm w/ Mike Ring and The Connection, Primary People The Werks @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 7pm w/ Jet Edison and Genetics Birch Street @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ Amanda Hawkins
Grass For That Ass ft. The Mallett Brothers Band @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Ragged Union and Sweet Lilies Crash Kings @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm
Volbeat @ The Fillmore Auditorium Denver – 7pm
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead @ Summit Music Hall Denver – 7pm w/ La Femme, Silver Snakes, and Git Some
Friday April 4th Eef And The Blues Express @ The Moxi Theater Greeley – 5pm
Von Stomper CD Releases @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 8pm w/ Mosey West and Matthew Skinner of Tallgrass Mad Caddies @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 7pm w/ Mrs. Skannatto
The Matt Skinner Band @ Road 34 Ft. Collins – 9pm
Head for the Hills/ Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm In the Whale and Residual Kid @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm Christina Perri @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 9pm w/ Birdy
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
Break Anchor @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9:30pm w/ The Brixton Guns and Plastic Army Tycho @ Summit Music Hall Denver – 8pm
Gary Numan @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm w/ Big Black Delta and Roman Remains
Saturday April 5th
Three 6 Mafia now known as: Da Mafia 6ix @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 8pm w/ Twisted Insane, Whitney Peyton, Sozay Tycho @ The Aggie Theater Ft.Collins – 8pm
The Congress @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm w/ Science Partner
The Werks @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 9pm w/ Jet Edison In the Whale and Residual Kid @ HiDive Denver – 9:30pm w/ The Photo Atlas Mad Caddies @ Summit Music Hall Denver – 7pm w/ Mrs. Skannotto George Strait @ Pepsi Center Denver – 7:30pm
Del The Funky Homosapien @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 9pm w/ Catch Lungs, Delasean, and Russell Grande
Sunday April 6th The Hunger Pains Tour @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 7pm w/ Wrekonize, Kung Fu Vampire, Dirtbag Dan, and G-Mo Skee !!! @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ Rose Quartz and Rubedo
Monday April 7th
Destruction @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ Krisiun and Exmortus
Vinyl Mondays w/ Myke Howierd and DJ Barfy Clark @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9pm Audacity @ Larimer Lounge Denver– 9pm w/ Pizza Time and Lisa Prank
Caravan Palace @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm w/ Diego’s Umbrella
Tuesday April 8th The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub Greeley - 9pm
Open Jazz Jam with Pourhouse Jazz Trio @ Pourhouse Loveland – 7:30pm
Sleep, Ariano, Experience, Maulskull, Native @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 8pm Okkervil River @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ Hundred Visions
Bombino @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm
Behemoth @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 6pm w/ 1349, Goatwhore, Inquisition, and Black Crown Initiate
Wednesday April 9th
Mindless Self Indulgence @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ Death Valley High Betty Who @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Zak Waters and Cardiknox
The Polish Ambassador@ Moxi Theater in Greeley 4/11 MS MR @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm
A Mouthful of Thunder @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm
Tribal Seeds @ The Moxi Theater Greeley – 9pm w/ New Kingston and Inna Vision
Saturday April 12th
Thursday April 10th
Typhoon @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ Wild Ones, Hollow Wood
Grass For That Ass ft. Town Mountain @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Acoustic Mining Company Lydia Loveless @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm w/ Lil’ Thunder and Mosey West
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 8:30pm w/ Deerpeople and My Body Sings Electric Dan Croll @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm
Friday April 11th
The Polish Ambassador @ The Moxi Greeley – 8pm w/ Luminis, Wildlight, Saqi, and Ayla Nereo
GS3 @ Mishawaka Amphitheatre Bellvue – 8pm
The Moses Jones Band @ The Moxi Greeley – 8pm
Cali Swag District @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 7pm w/ AD ft. Kira The Kure, Cottonwood, MC Pimpslap, Diebolic, and Doctor Oscify Joey Porter’s Shady Business @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 9pm 40 Years Young Dyrty Byrds play Neil Young @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Ignatius Reilly Of Feather and Bone “Tour Sendoff” @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm w/ Reproacher, Catholic Girls, Khemmis The Infamous Stringdusters @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 8pm w/ The Boston Boys
Musketeer Gripweed @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 7pm
Rainless Records Official Launch Party @ Summit Music Hall Denver – 6pm w/ The Dendrites, Champagne Charlie, Pink Hawks, How Apostles, Lil’ Thunder, Lawsuit Models, Attic Attack, The Whicker & Pine, and New Ben Franklins
Tinariwen @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm
Sunday April 13th
The Echo Chamber and Rossonian @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 8pm
Tallgrass @ Road 34 Ft. Collins – 9pm w/ the 14ers
The Pack A.D. @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm w/ the Outfit and The Media Fires
The Infamous Stringdusters @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 8pm w/ The Boston Boys VNV Nation @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm
Chuck Ragan & The Camaraderie and The White Buffalo @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 9pm w/ Jonny Two Bags Riff Raff @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm
Afton Showcase ft. Starlife Eagle, Chief, Tony D @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 6:30pm
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
15 SQUARE BLOCKS 8 GREAT SPOTS TO GRUB LUNCH TO LATE NIGHT MUNCHIES ALWAYS A DELICIOUS TIME
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.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014 BandWagon Magazine Presents: Leftover Salmon @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 7pm w/ Grant Farm
OM @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ WATTER
Flatbush Zombie & Dizzy Wright @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 9pm
Nitty Scott, MC @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 8pm w/ DJ Izer and Qbala
Magic Beans @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm w/ Technicolor Tone Factory and Kronen
CunninLynguists “Strange Universe West Coast Tour” @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Sadistik, J Live, Nemo Achida, and Rolphy Tauntaun @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm w/ Muscle Beach
Cunninlynguists@ Hodi’s Half Note on 4/18 and Cervantes’ Other Side on 4/19
The Denver Battle of the Bands @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 4pm Onward and ETC @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm
Monday April 14th
Nekromantix @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 7pm Daley @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ Travis McClung
The Underachievers @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Dillon Cooper and Denzel Curry
Vinyl Mondays with DJ Dick Move @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9pm Avey Tare’s Slashe Flicks @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm
Tuesday April 15th The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub Greeley - 9pm
Open Jazz Jam with Pourhouse Jazz Trio @ Pourhouse Loveland – 7:30pm Nekromantix @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm
St. Paul and The Broken Bones @ HiDive Denver – 9:30pm w/ The Jekylls Phantogram @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 8pm
Wednesday April 16th
Yonas and Def RHymes Divine @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 8pm
Pato Banton and the Now Generation @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 9pm w/ Special Guests Chance The Rapper @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 9pm
Thursday April 17h Waka Flocka Flame and Peter Jackson @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 8pm Figure @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 8pm
JD McPherson @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm
Pickin’ on Dead – A Bluegrass Tribute @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Monocle Shakey Graves @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9pm w/ Crushed Out and Glowing House All Time Low @ The Ogden Theater Denver – 7pm w/ Man Overboard and Handguns
The Hood Internet @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm Flume@ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 9pm
The Belle Jar @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm w/ Anthony Ruptak and Roo and the Howl Sleeper/ Agent @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Holy Child and Pagiins
Saturday April 19th
Sir Mix-a-lot @ The Moxi Greeley – 8pm w/ The Burroughs, Leghounds, Moxi Freestlyle Crew and DJ Dabble
Thrift Store Prom (Free Show) @ The Moxi Theater Greeley - 8pm
CunninLynguists “Strange Universe West Coast Tour” @ Hodi’s Half Note Ft. Collins – 8pm w/ Sadistik, J Live, Nemo Achida, and Aklock
BandWagon Magazine Presents: Leftover Salmon @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 7pm w/ Gipsy Moon The Burroughs @ Road 34 Ft. Collins – 9pm
The Bronx @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm Collie Buddz @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 9pm
Slow Magic @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm
Drive by Truckers @ The Fillmore Auditorium Denver– 7pm w/ Justin Townes Earle
Double Vision Tour 2014 ft. Hyper Crush @ Summit Music Hall Denver – 8pm w/ SirensCoel, TYR, and Jayefkay
Monday April 21th
Tokyo Police Club @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm Vinyl Mondays with Goth Night @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9pm Beware of Darkness @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm
The Knife @ The Fillmore Auditorium Denver– 7pm
Sunday April 20th
Franz Ferdinand @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm w/ Cate Le Bon
Flatbush Zombies @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 7pm w/ DIY
The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub Greeley - 9pm
Julieta Venegas @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm
Tuesday April 22nd
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Friday April 18th
ΣΧ Derby Days @ 9th St. Plaza UNC’s Greeley - 5pm (Go-Cup Service) w/ The Lonely Biscuits
Paper Diamond @ The Ogden Theater Denver – 9pm w/ Kaytranada and Branchez
Method Man & Redman @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 1:30pm w/ High Five, Lily Fangz, and Dirty Bong Water
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
Open Jazz Jam with Pourhouse Jazz Trio @ Pourhouse Loveland – 7:30pm Temples @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm w/ Drowners
Slick Rick @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Mikey Thunder, Eddie Knolls, Bullhead*ed, and Curly One
An Acoustic Evening With Sevendust @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm
Wednesday April 23rd
Graveyard @ Summit Music Hall Denver – 7pm w/ Bombus
The Wanted @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 8pm w/ Cassio Monroe and Midnight Red Arcade Fire: Reflektor Tour @ Pepsi Center Denver – 7:30pm
Switchfoot @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm w/ The Royal Concept
Thursday April 24th
Micky & The Motorcars @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 8pm
Smokey Bluegrass Band performs Bill Monroe @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ World’s Finest and Big Tell CHVRCHED @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 8pm w/ The Range
Friday April 25th
The Queers @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm w/ The Angry Samoans, Reno Divorce, and Stabbed In Back Tommy Freed and the Sound @ HiDive Denver – 9:30pm w/ Poet’s Row Manchester Orchestra @ Summit Music Hall Denver – 7pm The Glitch Mob @ The Fillmore Auditorium Denver – 7pm
Lola Black @ The Moxi Theater on 4/30 in Greeley
Saturday April 26th
Monday April 28th
Z-Trip & Phife Dawg @ Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Denver – 8pm
Vinyl Mondays with DJ Bubblez @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9pm
An Intimate Evening ft. Mobb Deep @ Cervantes’ Other Side Denver – 9pm w/ Prime Element and LivedLife Movement White Fang @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm w/ American Culture and Skating Polly
Local Natives @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 8pm w/ Moses Sumney Only Thunder @ Larimer Lounge Denver – 9pm w/ Mako 1972, False Colours, and Dead Set West The Glitch Mob @ The Fillmore Auditorium Denver – 7pm
Maya Jane Coles and Magda @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 9pm w/ Greg Eversoul, and Tom Schoppet
Sunday April 27th
Bombay Bicycle Club @ The Gothic Theatre Englewood – 8pm w/ Royal Canoe
Ingrid Michaelson @ The Ogden Theatre Denver – 8pm w/ Storyman and The Alternate Routes
Tuesday April 29th
Open Jazz Jam with Pourhouse Jazz Trio @ Pourhouse Loveland – 7:30pm
Danny Brown @ The Aggie Theater Ft. Collins – 8pm Nile @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 8pm Jake Bellows @ Hi-Dive Denver – 9:30pm
Childish Gambinon @ The Fillmore Auditorium Denver – 7pm
Wednesday April 30th Lola Black @ The Moxi Theater Greeley, - 8pm Shlohmo @ Bluebird Theater Denver – 9pm w/ Jim-E Stack and Purple
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
GAMES
SUDOKU © 2013 Knight Features. Reprinted with permission of Universal Uclick. All rights reserved. WORD ROUNDUP by David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek © 2012 Reprinted with permission of Universal Uclick. All rights reserved. ROCK AND ROLL CROSSWORD © 2013 Todd Santos. Reprinted with Permission of UNIVERSAL UCLICK. All rights reserved.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
rock and roll crossword Oh, It’s On by Todd Santos
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Words?” “Cat-O’-Nine- ___” L7 Melanie Doane “Adam’s ___” Kooks album that goes thump? Concert location Echobelly song about physics? Donny Osmond’s state “Funkytown” ___, Inc. Beatles’ meter maid The Left Banke “Walk Away ___” Producer Rodgers Battle of the bands’ way in Singer/songwriter Matthew Sugarland “Stuck Like ___” Fred Durst band ___ Bizkit “Seven Day Fool” singer James Acid What a music class will do Tour 18-wheeler Tennessee music festival What usher will do to fan whose ticket doesn’t jive Guster song Adam and Eve like? Bono, at times How to “Treat” Elvis? Howard Jones “Hide and ___” Clapton “Unplugged” opener Reggae man ___-A-Mouse Irish “Only Time” singer ’90s dance music band ___-Lite
61 62 64 65 66 67 68 69 Down 1 The Goo Goo Dolls hit 2 Seether “___ It” 3 Morrissey “The More You Ignore 4 5 6 7 8
Me, the Closer ___” Metallica “___ Magnetic” Kix “___ Wire” “Sounds Like This” Hutchinson “Si No Te Hubieras Ido” #1ers Stevie Wonder sang about their “Secret Life”
1/27
9 10 11 13 15 17 21 23 25 26 27 29 32 34 36 37 40 43 47 49 51 53 54 55 56 58 59 60 63
Alanis Morissette “Jagged ___” Ramones “___ Amigos” “Inside the Electric Circus” band How Robert Palmer will get “Sally Through the Alley” Hours for seeing rehabbing rocker Disturbed song off “Believe” Scorpions “Sting in the ___” Metallica “___ Sandman” Motown band ___ Earth Whitesnake “Slide ___” Used for a slide in a bar? Mr. West Leonard Cohen “So Long, ___” Events in battle of bands Beyonce “One ___ One” Mudvayne song they planted? Wu-Tang Clan “Da Mystery of Chessboxin” lyric “You scream as it ___ your bloodstream” Village People hit Accompanying melodic riff Skid Row “Makin’ ___” Twilight Singers “Too Tough ___” Killers “Day & Age” bonus track “Forget About What ___” Drifters singer ___ King Ben Harper “Amen ___” Fu Manchu “We Must ___” Larry Mullen, Jr. bandmate “I’m so glad you have ___ track mind like me” Train Porcupine ___ David Bowie, ___ Ziggy Stardust
PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER
PUZZLE ANSWER
Across 1 38 Special “___ Been the One” 5 Fiber used for hippie threads 9 Stryper “Against the ___” 12 Parties, slang 14 Deal band shouldn’t make 15 Ricky Martin “Livin’ La ___ Loca” 16 The Turners 18 Aaron Neville “Tell It Like ___” 19 Furnishing for a music video, perhaps 20 Van Halen “___ Lovin’ You” 22 Bryan Adams “Do I ___ to Say the
1/20
Oh, It’s On
© 2013 Universal Uclick www.upuzzles.com
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine April 2014
VolleyBall oPen may 1st • laser taG CominG June 1st
ChIpper’s Lanes Bowl & Laser for the FUN of It!
“Boogie on Bowling”
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Chipper’s Classic Lanes
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2454 8th Avenue • Greeley, CO 80631
10 PM • Thursday, April 3
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