A Showcase of Local Bands
I had the opportunity to hang out at the Wild Goose a couple of weeks ago with members of several bands who will be performing together in a showcase concert on May 1 at the Black Sheep: Smith House, Get Along, Atlantic Panic, and Modern Suspects. I really enjoyed getting to know these guys, who were introduced to me by Zach Brown and Barrett Muth from Smith House. This show starts at 7:30 p.m., with doors open at 7. I’d get there early, because they are on track to sell it out. With something for everyone, this all-ages show should pack the venue with those who value a variety of local music; it should give listeners a taste of what these local musicians have to offer. I’ve included in this article a short perspective on each band in their order of show performance so you can get a glimpse of each one. Here are some links to make it easy to come check them out:
The Black Sheep’s page on the event: http://www.blacksheeprocks.com/events.cfm?promotion=20427
Tickets ($10/advance, $12/door) at Ticketweb: http://tktwb.tw/1xzBMAI
RXP 103.9’s sponsor page: http://1039rxp.com/2015/04/09/rxp-presents-modern-suspects/
Smith House
https://www.facebook.com/SmithHouseMusic
https://usrepresented.com/staging/2987/2015/02/13/smith-house/
Zach Brown – bouzouki, harmonica, vocals
Barrett Muth – guitar, vocals
I interviewed these guys back in February, and they are so down-to-earth; they really just enjoy music for the sake of making it. They like interacting with an audience and feeding off their energy. Barrett told me in the interview, “We are inspired by our experiences, and we consider our job done if we can help the audience feel the emotions in the songs. That’s why it’s organic: it’s not planned or structured, and we are not obsessed with perfection.” You’ll enjoy hearing songs like “Torn” and “The Busking Song” because they have an easy groove that is vibrant and earthy.
Atlantic Panic
http://www.reverbnation.com/atlanticpanic
https://www.facebook.com/atlanticpanicband?fref=ts&ref=br_tf
Chadwick McIntire – vocals, guitar
Chad Morgan – guitar
Dan Isaacson – drums
Pito Johnson – bass
Band leader Chadwick McIntire inspires his fellow bandmates to connect to one another, and as a result, they all connect to their audience. They classify themselves as “rock and power-pop,” but to me they have shades of David Wilcox, the Barenaked Ladies, and Weezer, which seems unconventional, but for Atlantic Panic, it works when they add their original signature sound to the mix. Their live show should prove to be worth the trip.
Get Along
https://www.facebook.com/GetAlongMusic?fref=ts
http://www.sonicbids.com/getalong#sthash.3bsGyKxO.dpuf
Nicholas Yanez – drums, synthesizers
Cara Yanez- guitar, piano, synth, vocals
If you’re looking for music that follows no genre and is best heard live, you will enjoy Get Along. No two songs are alike, and although they are classified as “indie” they have such a breadth of techniques that classifying them is difficult. Experience them at the Black Sheep to get the full effect of their eclectic blend and unique style.
Modern Suspects
http://modernsuspects.com/
https://www.facebook.com/modernsuspects?fref=ts
Garret Myers – vocals, synth
Tyler Frees – bass, synth
Bart Williams – guitar
Award-winning members of the former Claymore Disco have formed Modern Suspects, a self-proclaimed “popternative” group who combine catchy rhythms with soulful lyrics. With throwback essences of the late ‘90s and early 2000s, they put flair on their music that contemporizes it for a modern audience. Their live performance at the Black Sheep should be an exceptional event. Don’t tell anyone, but Modern Suspects is planning a secret EP-release party for this gig; they want to keep it on the quiet, though, because they don’t want to overshadow the other bands, even though they are the headliners.
***
When I interviewed the guys from these bands, they said, “Instead of griping about the music scene, we’re going to do something about it. We hope doing this show together will encourage other bands to get out there and get some exposure, so they can play out more.” Showcasing these four bands together really does give us locals an evening to experience these bands so we know what’s out there, and we can follow these bands when they play individually at different venues in the future. One thing that makes these bands different from others is their common belief in creating community with people by connecting with them through music. If you’d like a taste of their music in advance, you can either ask any band member for their promo CD or visit this site to listen or download one track from each band:
http://noisetrade.com/modernsuspects/colorado-sampler-2015
