More than just a genre, rock and roll is an attitude: rebellious, spiritual and hedonistic. It’s as much of a lifestyle as it is a sound. Local rockers STIL RUNNIN channel the heart of true rock ‘n’ roll – honoring the legends that came before them while bringing their own modern edge.
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Hailing from Fort Collins, CO, self-taught group STIL RUNNIN is made up of lead vocalist Will Given, guitarist Carson Freng, bassist Austin Lohrli and drummer Josh Langhorne. Their sound is raw and electric forged from their early days playing in basements and backyards, all the way to bigger stages. They played their first official show on May 6th, 2022, with a debut show on the front lawn of Colorado State University. But make no mistake, their lore runs deep.
Freng, Lohrli and Langhorne, all originally from California, had known each other for years prior to crossing paths with Given — a Stillwater, Minnesota native — in Fort Collins. It was there in a small apartment that Given and Freng started experimenting with sound, trading riffs, building songs and laying the groundwork for what would become STIL RUNNIN.
Originally dubbed “Stillwater Runnin’” after Given’s hometown, it wasn’t until a later hike with the group that the “STIL RUNNIN” name was solidified. Freng had broken into a spontaneous jog downhill to which Given called after him “He’s still runnin’!” The phrase lingered, serving as a reflection of their pace, persistence and skyrocketing growth.
The bond behind their music is what makes STIL RUNNIN truly electric, however . There’s a brotherhood, borderline old-married couple, energy to the group. From finishing each other’s stories to cracking jokes mid-sentence, it’s not just playing together, but truly creating together. For this crew, their best process comes from all being together and feeling it out as one.
STIL RUNNIN’s sound is rooted in the grit of classic rock, but it lands with a youthful punch – something layered, sharpened and a little more restless. Think driving riffs, heavy percussion and vocals that smolder with a raspy edge and a texture that feels undeniably modern. They pull from icons like Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Van Halen, but not entirely as a throwback. As Given put it, they’re “walking in the footsteps of giants,” grounding themselves in rock’s history while reshaping it with fresh energy and an unfiltered feeling.
Take “DR.SMOKE” — a fast-burning track that hits hard from the jump — as an example. It’s gritty, loud and urgent. Electric guitars slash through the mix with thick, relentless riffs while the percussion holds a steady, pounding pace. Then, there’s “Wander” which opens the door to the band’s more reflective side. Stripped-back acoustics allow Given’s vocals to breathe in a softer, almost sunlit way. The track builds steadily as it catches speed with Freng’s electric guitar cuts. As Freng commented, “you can do anything with music,” and “Wander” proves to be just that – a slower burn that becomes its own kind of anthem.
While STIL RUNNIN’s recordings hit hard, their live shows hit even harder. On stage, they don’t just perform – they detonate. As Lohrli put it, “our intention is to engage,” and they deliver that fully. Their presence commands the room drawing eyes and ears to the stage. Every track in their set is intentionally distinct to give audiences something to grip onto. Either through a tempo switch or tonal pivot, that unpredictability becomes the thrill.
Given himself is incredibly dynamic, quick-witted and always dialed into the crowd. At a recent show, a rogue LSAT prep book somehow made its way onstage. Without missing a beat, Given flipped it open, read a question aloud, and asked if anyone knew the answer. One girl threw up her hand, and declared proudly: “F*** b*tches get money.” The room exploded. Given grinned and replied, “We’ll teach you a lesson about rock ‘n’ roll instead.” It’s moments like these that define STIL RUNNIN’s shows – controlled chaos and unfiltered authenticity that sweeps crowds into the storm.
This summer, STIL RUNNIN takes their raw spirit and riotous energy on the road for the first leg of their “On The Run” tour – a ten-stop journey, with more dates on the horizon, that kicks off on June 28th in Fort Collins at The Coast. It’s more than a tour, but a coming-of-age saga on wheels. As Langhorne described, this stretch of shows is “like that transition between ending high school and starting college” – a time of self-discovery. And while the official schedule wraps in late July, the band has hinted at a second leg rolling out sometime in August. For now, Denver fans get two chances to catch them up close with a pre-tour warm up on June 14th and a post-tour homecoming on August 29th, both at the Black Buzzard.
While fan favorites will definitely make the set list, STIL RUNNIN gave 303 Magazine an early listen to two unreleased tracks making their debut on tour: “Deadringer” and “Deep Sea.”
“Deadringer” follows STIL RUNNIN’s tried and true tones, a track that rises from the band’s own ashes with its teeth bared. It opens metallically with a razor-edge and the haunting lyrics flicker urgently, culminating in the charged line: “Can’t you feel the nightmare side?” However, “Deep Sea” has a melancholic warmth and bluegrass soul to it. Lohrli’s bass and Langhorne’s drums carve out a heartbeat felt in the chest while Given’s vocals go deeper and more vulnerable than ever before. There’s a spiritual haze to it that floats, rather than explodes.
Both unreleased tracks, and a few more, will be woven into their summer setlist and officially released to streaming platforms as the “On The Run” tour rolls out. But, trust this writer when she says these kinds of debuts hit harder under the stage lights themselves before dropping into your favorite playlist.
STIL RUNNIN is what the next generation of rock ‘n’ roll is becoming and it’s in damn good hands. They’re not just playing music; they’re carrying the torch. “We realize how much it means to people,” Lohrli shared, “like your dad showing you old songs.” It’s that kind of generational magic where nostalgia meets timelessness that STIL RUNNIN taps into.
With the “On The Run” tour underway this summer, STIL RUNNIN is not just inviting fans to listen, but to be a part of the story. Catch them while you can; they’re still runnin’ and not slowing down anytime soon.
All Photography Courtesy of Casey Mason
