The Underground Music Showcase returned this weekend and tore through the town, filling Denver with music as diverse as the city is. The streets of South Broadway filled with people dressed in all manner of costumes ranging from the elegant to the grungy, the vibrant and the subdued. Yet, each attendee wore a kind of crooked, knowing smile, the kind that’s elicited when a crowd of people comes to understand that they are sharing in something truly special. The ground seemed to hum when walking those streets, anticipation rising from the asphalt along with the occasionally blistering heat.
It’s Denver at its best, a time for discovery and new friendships and a chance to celebrate this beautiful city by dancing in its streets. And dance we did. Read on for some of 303 Magazine’s favorite acts from this year’s Underground Music Showcase.
Pink Fuzz
Denver natives Pink Fuzz’s brand of heavy, hazy psych-rock absolutely tore the Showcase Stage apart late Friday afternoon. The band’s led by brother and sister duo John and Lulu Demitro on guitar and bass, respectively, with Forrest Raup on the drums. The band’s set up was rather minimalist but their sound was so huge it seemed to blow the rain that had begun falling at the beginning of their set away. The crowd was rabid, frenzied, high on fuzzy guitar, rolling bass and pounding drums. The band feels so effortlessly cool, hearkening back to bands like Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss, heavy yet inviting, with hints of the desert looked down upon from the top of a mountain. — by Thomas Rutherford
READ: Experience the Power and Mystery of Pink Fuzz: Denver’s High-Flying Desert Rock Sensation (Exclusive Interview)
Joe P
Coming to the Underground Music Showcase all the way from Ashbury Park, New Jersey, Joe P brought a spirited set to the Showcase Stage that had all in attendance smiling wide. While his music has a lot of heartbreak to it, it also has tons of infectious energy and a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. This was palpable in the crowd, people grooving and showing off their outfits, laughing with arms wrapped around each other, words sung along loudly. The set took place about halfway through the day, before night had completely fallen but on the edge of the waning day. It really set a nice tone for the rest of the night, lifting people up and having them looking to what would come next. — by Thomas Rutherford
Des Rocs
Des Rocs is in a league of his own. Simultaneously larger than life and somehow deeply relatable, the artist blends punk with glam rock sensibilities and a stage presence that reminds one of a punk rock Springsteen. The Underground Stage set was filled to the brim with theatrics including “jacket techs” that came out and took the sleeves from Rocs’ jacket while he was soloing. He also played a whole song with his shocked-white Flying V behind his back and did a pretty damn good job. — by Thomas Rutherford
Evening Elephants
When walking around UMS and the surrounding area, you may have noticed some rather distinct flyers posted on walls and telephone poles. Their messages ranged from kinder fare such as “Did you call your mom this week?” to absolutely unhinged questions along the lines of “Do you want to see someone smoke a cigarette out of their ass?” These all were intended to advertise Evening Elephant’s 10 pm set at UMS House and they paid off. The place — which gained a reputation throughout the weekend for being incredibly hot inside — was absolutely packed. While the promise of seeing someone smoke a cigarette out of their ass was never fulfilled, the duo put on a great show. Their music is a vibey blend of hip-hop and indie rock and the show was a sweaty good time. — by Thomas Rutherford
Hex Kitten
Hailing from Denver, DJ and producer Hex Kitten proved why she’s one of the best in the city. Hex Kitten played a delightfully dancable hour set at the Oasis Stage that mixed the best of dancehall, reggaeton, pop and more. While known for the a chill, head-bobbing kind of vibe, she brought the heat to the mid-August afternoon. Beach balls bounced around the crowd as fans danced and spun, made safe from the scorching heat by the vibrantly colored canopies that adorned the dance floor. — by Christian Garcia
Emmit Fenn
Emmit Fenn ended the night on the Showcase Stage with a show that delivered a warm-colored blend of euphoria, melancholy and dance. The downtempo vibes were the perfect way to cap the night with a mix of emotions seeping through the violin, light show and vocals. Emmit Fenn perfectly captured the joy felt throughout the Underground Music Showcase while at the same time reminiscing on the night’s events. Lucky on-lookers rejoiced, danced and threw their hands in the air in unison as the Denver sky thundered overhead. — by Christian Garcia
Colfax Speed Queen
Oh man, Colfax Speed Queen returned to the Underground Music Showcase and stole a piece of the souls of everyone at their 11 pm UMS House set. The notoriously hot venue was made even more so during the set as the venue erupted into a nearly all-encompassing mosh pit. Shirtless people drenched in sweat bounced off each other. Shoes were lost and found again. New friendships were forged in fire as people picked each other up when they fell, hugging quickly before pushing one another back into the chaos. The music was fast, grimy, felt made in some garage somewhere but it was intoxicating. When the set ended, it was as if snapping out of some kind of fugue state, the crowd searching for their bearings while wandering out into the night absolutely drenched in sweat. — by Thomas Rutherford
Machete Mouth
Machete Mouth showcased their unique sound and impressive stage presence at The L late Sunday afternoon. The Denver-based duo gave the crowd a UMS set that was genuinely unforgettable, as lead singer, Janèe Elise, encouraged fans to find their own personal meanings behind every song. Machete Mouth songs are sometimes parables and occasionally abstract stories but are often about universal themes like love and anger and finding peace within yourself. Elise has an energy that is somehow simultaneously warm and calming while also being challenging and bold. She featured live looping of her voice with a mix of analog and digital synths as David Bailey bounced between bass and keyboard, taking the audience on a journey of sounds and stories. Halfway through the set, two members of the band RAREBYRD$ were brought up to accompany Machete Mouth. The rapping from RAREBYRD$ left the entire room smiling, dancing, and absolutely beaming as we all joined them chanting “Motherfucker stop playing with me!” It was a bonding experience for us all. — by April Dawn
Dog Tags
The Denver-based band Dog Tags stole the show at the Meiningers stage Sunday afternoon. The 8-piece soul band played a slew of unreleased music giving locals a taste of what to come. Playing a blend of indie soul, jazz, RnB and even cumbias, the up-and-coming band is one to watch. The lead singer’s vocals soared through the lot, stopping passersby in their tracks to take in the vibes. While eight members in a band may seem tough to navigate, the group was in sync, seamlessly transitioning from one solo to the next. The musicians complimented rather than competed with each other in a cheerful way that served to uplift instead of outshine. While Dog Tags does not currently have any songs on Spotify, they are worth a follow on Instagram to keep an eye on the up-and-coming band. — by Christian Garcia
Com Truise
Seth Haley — known by his stage name Com Truise — is an American electronic musician from New York. He graced the Underground Music Showcase’s Oasis Stage on Sunday evening. Under a colorful canopy, surrounded by hammocks, fans watched Come Truise as he played on an elevated truck stage covered in vibrant greenery. The crowd danced for over an hour in what truly felt like an Oasis away from the heat and heavier sounds from other stages. His performance of songs like “Propagation” and “Cyanide Sisters” encapsulates the slow-motion synth-wave sound he is known for. This set had us all sucked into another world where we were no longer on South Broadway but were caught somewhere between a summer dance party and the Stranger Things soundtrack. — by April Dawn
Green Druid
Denver-based stoner metal band Green Druid shook the earth from the Showcase Stage, the ground rumbling ominously with each droning chord, each brutal drum fill, each chest rattling bassline. The music felt primal, primordial, something bubbling beneath the earth’s surface ready to emerge and destroy all in its wake. They sound akin to bands like Weedeater, Sleep, Electric Wizard and Acid King with melodic moments reminiscent of bands like Elder thrown in. Surprisingly, the set featured a cover of The Beatles “I Want You (She’s So Heavy) which easily translated to the stoner/sludge metal genre and had many in the crowd headbanging while singing along. — by Thomas Rutherford
spill tab
spill tab brought something special to the Showcase Stage on Sunday night. Claire Chicha is a French-Korean singer-songwriter, known by her stage name spill tab. She combines elements of bedroom pop with dreamy electro-pop and R&B to craft her signature sound. Accompanied by her bass player and drummer, spill tab kept the crowd on their toes with a set that captivated both fans and first-time listeners. Chicha not only sings in Korean, French, and English but she also is known to alternate between guitar and ukulele during her sets. One minute, the crowd had formed a high-energy pit, the next they were singing along to an acoustic cover of Usher’s “Yeah”. Everyone was jealous of an audience member spill tab nicknamed “Shawnathon” as he watched in a chair on a nearby rooftop, clearly the best seat in the house. — by April Dawn
Bluebook
In one of the final sets of Sunday evening, Bluebook entranced fans on the upstairs stage of the UMS House. The four-piece from Colorado transforms the room and transports the crowd when they perform. Performing under a glow of red lights, their sound was haunting, ethereal and dynamic to say the least. Lead singer Julie Davis made a declaration to her audience early in the set “All of this is a benediction for you.” Without a doubt, their set was a spiritual experience. Parsons shines but all members contribute vocals in a balanced blend at exactly the right moments. During their performance of “I Am the Underneath,” their voices rained on us from the ceiling and drowned us in harmonies. The feeling of frisson was heavy in the atmosphere as Bluebook impressed first-time listeners and awed long-time fans. — by April Dawn
Crumb
The final headliner of the weekend, Crumb absolutely crushed their 9 pm Showcase Stage set, reveling in ethereal psychedelia and deep creativity. It was by far the most crowded set 303 Magazine had seen all weekend, a sea of people smiling and grooving, friendships made that weekend now solidified by the experience. That’s what Crumb does: they bring people together, bond them and are shared by them. It felt like color washing over the crowd, rainbows getting into their bones to stay forever, the kind of set that makes you look at the world with a little more wonder. — by Thomas Rutherford
Ramakhandra
Ramakhandra closed the festival with their 10 pm UMS House set, ending the weekend on a beautiful note. The music sounds like communing with another universe, strange and ethereal but comforting in its confidence. The crowd was swept away. Eyes were closed, hearts wide open, lost in the sound. It did a great job of encapsulating a lot of what UMS is about: the purity of creation, the beauty of finding new music and the strength it takes to defy convention. It was a soul-fortifying set, the harp ringing in the bones of those in that sauna of a venue. A beautiful end to a beautiful weekend at the Underground Music Showcase. — by Thomas Rutherford
READ: Q&A — Ramakhandra Stands On Solid Ground With New Single “Minogame”
