Green Room Sessions

Ring of Fire 41: Bragging Rights

2011-08-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

RING OF FIRE 41: BRAGGING RIGHTS

by Paige Montgomery

With the promotion’s continued success at Broomfield’s 1^st Bank Center, Saturday’s Ring of Fire 41: Bragging Rights set itself up to be a wildly entertaining night of MMA. The fight card was stacked with some of the most buzz-worthy fighters in the circuit and not a single fight disappointed.

LETS BANG.

The main event of the night was scheduled to be a ROF 170 World Title between Denver’s Brandon “RUKUS” Thatch and Chidi “CHIDI BANG BANG” Njokuan fighting out of Las Vegas but after Chidi failed to make weight the fight was no longer a title bout.

Chidi, who was already on the crowd’s bad side after not making weight, was almost irrelevant—the crowd barely even paid attention when he entered the ring. When Thatch entered, however it was a different story. Thatch has a huge support system in Colorado and they came out in full force for the welterweight phenom.

Both fighters exchanged punches at the top of the fight but Thatch wasted no time getting Chidi on the ground where he proceeded to land punch after lethal punch before the ref put a stop to the beating—53 seconds to be exact. To add insult to injury Chidi walked out of the ring before the announcer could announce his loss—well received boos filled 1^st Bank Center in his honor.

Thatch: “I respected him as a fighter—this was by far the most important fight of my career. I represented 303 Colorado. I fight for you guys. Without you fans I wouldn’t have a job—I fight for you.”

(Commentator) Thoughts on stoppage: “You tell me—fetal position? You know, granted he was covered, I expected to fight through it—I would have let him go”.

(Commentator) Thoughts on him not making weight: “ I just beat him, ya know. You guys want to see me fight him? I take this sport very professionally—I hit the 170 mark every time I fight. I’m a professional. “

ROF 170 MAIN EVENT: Brandon “RUKUS” Thatch vs. Chidi Njkuani

WINNER: Thatch by TKO at :53 of Round 1

145 FEATURE FIGHT: Tyler Toner vs. J.R. Sims

WINNER: Toner by TKO on 3:49 of Round 3

Toner’s performance was one of the most memorable of the night. Round 3 finally saw some action and warranted the night’s biggest reaction from the crowd when the referee called the fight at 3:45 after Toner, who appeared to be on his way to another loss by decision, landed numerous punches into the face of an exhausted Sims who couldn’t hold his hands up anymore.

“This performance was the definition of heart” –ROF Commentator

“I couldn’t let another decision slip away from me. I’m glad to be back in the Ring of Fire.” -Toner

185 INTERNATIONAL SUPER FIGHT: Jason “The Dragon” Lee vs. Bojan Velickovic

WINNER: Velickovic by KO at 1:39 Round 1

265 FEATURE FIGHT: Ryan Martinez vs. Brandon Endriss

WINNER: Martinez by Submission at 3:45 of Round 1

145 FEATURE FIGHT: Brian Wood vs. Jarred Mercado

WINNER: Mercado by Split Decision

170 FEATURE FIGHT: Vinnie Lopez vs. Santana Martinez

WINNER: Martinez by Submission at 2:01 of round 1

155 FEATURE FIGHT: Justin Gaethje vs. Kevin Croom

WINNER: Gaethje by KO from slam at 1:01 of Round 1

Shannon Culpepper vs. Lindsay Jones

WINNER: Culpepper by Unanimous Decision

Cody Mumma vs. Adam Gonzalez

WINNER: Gonzalez by Submission at 2:25 of Round 1

David Treanor vs. Tito Solis

WINNER: Solis by via Unanimous Decision

Kirk Piatt vs. Kris Hocum

WINNER: Hocum by Submission at 1:09 of Round 2

A touching moment during the fights was an overwhelming act of support from ROF President Sven Bean and a group of representatives from different MMA camps who all came together to remember the tragedy that struck cage side doctor Alex Constantindes who lost his family in a flash flood in Wyoming last month. “The one thing that binds us all is that we ARE the MMA community in Colorado,” said Bean as he presented a banner to “Dr. Alex” that simply stated: “You Are Not Alone”.

For more information on Ring of Fire visit ROFMMA.com.

Interview with Max Cavalera of Soulfly

2010-11-30T16:10:00.000-08:00

Reverb Interview: Max Cavalera of Soulfly

by Paige Montgomery

Brazilian born musician Max Cavalera is a legend in his genre. His rise to heavy metal fame began in the 1980’s with the platinum-selling band Sepultura and continues today with his current project Soulfly—the Arizona-based metal band that continues to pull from Max’s Brazilian roots.

Soulfly released their seventh studio album, “Omen”, in May of this year—a throwback to Max’ hardcore roots and an album dubbed their most violent to date.

Q: Where does the title for the album come from?

A: The name ‘omen’ I actually saw on a spray paint wall in London while I was touring and I really thought it was cool. So I wrote it down in a book of mine that I carry with me and I said if I don’t find a better name by the time I go into the studio I’m going to call it “Omen”.

Q: The album artwork is pretty unique. Tell me how you picked out the artist and style.

A: The artist’s name is David Ho and I found him on a book that had stuff he did for George Lucas for “Star Wars” with gas mask kind of prophets that looked striking and really cool. I got in touch with David and he actually gave the idea to do the seven sins—each one of the prophets carrying a different kind of sin. So because of seven albums, seven sins became the idea behind the artwork.

Q: Is there a particular sin that you find yourself relating to?

A: Haha. I like the anger one because of the head full of fire, I think that looks cool. I think that’s the closest one to me—I feel like a lot of my songs are angry.

Q: Now, this album is pretty aggressive. Where did you get the idea for the subject matter on a lot of the tracks?

A: The idea comes from the music because I wanted to have the lyrics reflect the power of the music and the music was really dark and really aggressive. So I started writing songs like “Lethal Injection” and “Bloodbath & Beyond”, which is a joke on Bed, Bath & Beyond. And then later on I wrote “Jeffrey Dahmer” about the serial killer. A lot of the songs end up being about murder—it’s kind of my murder album I think you can call it.

Q: Musically what was the direction you wanted to go with “Omen”?

A: To me a lot of the songs on “Omen” are really made for mosh pits and I had that in mind when I was writing them. A lot of times I’d close my eyes and imagine a mosh pit going on as I was writing. It’s more metal than anything I’ve done—it’s less tribal and it’s more direct metal and hardcore.

Q: Being a legend in your own right, do you have people that influence your music?

A: Yeah. I love stuff like Slayer and hardcore stuff like Agnostic Front and I like some newer bands like Gojira and Throwdown, The Dillinger Escape plan—I ended up recording with Greg (vocalist of DEP) on the new album.

Q: What can Soulfly fans expect at shows on this current run?

A: We’re playing an hour and a half. It’s a great bill with great bands on it—it’s going to be a good night of metal. Can’t wait to see everyone there!

Soulfly will perform live at The Gothic Theatre Tuesday, Nov. 30th along with Desperate Union and Straight Line Stitch.

The Return of Adam's Ruin

2010-11-07T21:44:00.000-08:00

Check out the first performance from the new installment of Adam's Ruin, the future of Denver hard rock/metal.

For more about the band visit

http://myspace.com/adamsruin

http://facebook.com/adamsruin

http://reverbnation.com/adamsruin

Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch

2010-10-28T19:19:00.000-07:00

Denver’s Ivan Moody has become one of the most celebrated musicians to surface from the Mile High City and his band, Five Finger Death Punch, has rapidly become one of the biggest hard rock/metal bands in the world.

Ivan’s rise to fame hasn’t been an easy one however and he has never forgotten about his Denver roots.

“Everything I have to say Denver already knows,” says Moody. “To Denver itself I love you and I’m glad you guys have stuck by me all these years. To KBPI and KILO and all the people out there—I got nothing but love for you.”

Hugo

2010-10-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

**From The Denver Post Reverb

http://heyreverb.com

London-born musician Hugo’s life reads like an epic novel. Stemming from his upbringing in Thailand his musical endeavors have taken him from the Mekong River jungle to London and recently to the New York office of one of the greatest music moguls of our generation.

Q: When and where in your life did you start to seriously pursue music?

A: My first serious band was in Thailand when I was a Thai actor. I had a band that I was sort of funding through that and eventually got signed to a label. We did a record and went on the road; it became a full time thing and I’ve been doing it for ten years now.

Q: You seem to draw inspirations from many cultures and styles of music. Is there a certain genre or style at the core of what inspires you?

A: I suppose that the early ‘70s, late ‘60s is my most favorite period of time; not just the songs but how they were recorded. If given a choice I would want to be listening to records made between 1965 and ‘73.

Q: Is it true that your music was banned from the radio in Thailand?

A: We had a couple of songs that were banned, though to be honest I don’t know if that really affected the eventual sale of the records. Some of the lyrics from the second album were about control and corruption but on a personal level it was a difficult period and I was sort of in a bit of an angry phase.

Q: Do you still draw inspiration from politics or controversy in your music?

A: No, not really. Now that I’m not in a band and now that I’m sort of moving around like a moon-man I’m looking for commonalities between people rather than differences I suppose.

The catalyst for Hugo’s current success in the music industry is his song “Disappear”, which made it on to Beyoncé’s best-selling album “I Am…Sasha Fierce” (2008). The track not only also shows off his strength as an incredible collaborator but it also inked Hugo a deal with Shawn “Jay Z’” Carter’s music management and publishing company Roc Nation.

“As a result of that song being on the record I was approached by executives from Roc Nation,” says Hugo. “I was without direction so I signed based on instinct. My heart really wasn’t in it straight away and it took me a while to figure out what kind of record I was going to make—I had a lot of trial and error because I was still reeling from the music industry. It’s tough.”

Q: You recently made your U.S. television debut on Jimmy Kimmel with your cover of Jay Z’s “99 Problems”. Whose idea was it to record the song and will that track be on your album?

A: Yes, it will. It was my idea—there were several reasons. I liked Jay Z’s original version from “The Black Album”, I like the instrumentation and I like Rick Rubin’s production on it. And I’m on his label. I dunno—it’s like a weird act of gratitude I suppose.

Q: I understand that this is your first time touring in the U.S. How would you compare touring in the states as opposed to Europe or Southeast Asia?

A: I mean the distances are just huge—they’re mind-blowing. When you’re touring America it feels like real rock ‘n roll.

Q: What should fans look forward to at your show?

A: Hopefully we have the set quite honed at this point. It should be a pretty snappy little set and they should be prepared for a complimentary mind-blowing.

Hugo’s pop-debut album “Old Tyme Religion” will be officially released in March 2011 but fans can pick up the EP at shows throughout the current tour.

For more information on Hugo and his upcoming album visit HugoOfficial.com.

Hinder

2009-11-27T16:30:00.000-08:00

Q&A with Hinder

I recently talked with Hinder drummer and co-founding member Cody Hanson about the band’s up-coming album set to be released later this year.

Q: When will the new album be released?

CH: We don’t know for sure. We have a tentative release date for early December.

Q: I hear you’ve been writing mainly out of Nashville. Anyone in particular you’re collaborating with this time around?

CH: We did writing sessions with pretty much everybody all over the country. But the majority of the record ended up being with writers mainly from Nashville; [mainly] the Warren Brothers.

Brad and Brett Warren have made a name for themselves as go-to songwriters in Nashville and have worked with Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and Martina McBride to name a few.

Q: Does that mean there will be a bit of a country vibe to this album??

CH: Some of it might have a little hint but for the most part it’s pretty heavy rock. A little darker, a little heavier than anything we’ve done in the past. We’ve got a little bit of everything but our rock songs are heavier and it’s on a different level.

Q: Any reason for going heavier?

CH: No reason in particular. Just something we wanted to do.

Q: What type of song is the single going to be?? You’ve been known for your ballads in the past—should we expect anything different this time?

CH: The first single is called “All-American Nightmare” and it’s probably the heaviest thing we’ve put out as a single for sure. I’m excited to see what people think about it.

Q: So what exactly should Hinder fans expect from the next album?

CH: We’re just kind of reinventing ourselves and doing something completely unique and different than what we’ve done in the past and what everybody else is doing. We’ve had some pressure from the labels to go out and use certain producers that’s kind of like a factory—you know, people that put out the same sounding song and bands keep going back to them. We chose a different route. We wanted to do something different and unique.

Q: Is that why you’re going heavier?

CH: I think overall just the rock songs are heavier and darker but our ballads are still ballads—we enjoy those as well. It’s a very well rounded album.

Following their current run Hinder plans to take a break from touring until after their single drops in late 2010. According to Hanson, when they do make their next run expect a slightly heavier version of the southern rock band made big by their ballads.

No 1 Left Standing

2009-11-12T09:58:00.000-08:00

Driven: No 1 Left Standing

by Paige Montgomery

Colorado Music Buzz Magazine (archive)

It’s not often I come across a band that leaves me speechless—and not just because it’s impossible to get a word in once these guys start talking; but because their music has such a powerful sound and message that you have to let them do the talking. Just try to keep up. No 1 Left Standing has a sound, a live performance and a general presence that is so powerful and so in-your-face that you can’t help but get into it—and they only know one speed and one volume…fast and loud.

When people talk about N1LS the first thing to come up is an obvious likeness to Rage Against the Machine. Local music enthusiasts often compare guitarist Brenden aka ‘Dino’’s riffs to Tom Morello and front man Jimmy "Inks" Belarde’s vocals and lyrics to a very politically-driven Zack de la Rocha; and although the band welcomes the flattering comparison they are quick to point out that the fact that they have a sound and style that is emphatically their own. “Our music is aggressive but funky, hard but groovin’, honest with no apologies—so either you like it or you hate it. Our influences are from all over the place so it's like taking all that music of the past that made you feel good no matter what the genre and smashing it together with a new school twist on it,” explains James. “We’re not afraid to laugh at ourselves or at society’s downfalls,” adds N1LS bassist Ross. “When Jimmy writes his lyrics he speaks from the center. Because of his influences he really speaks from his heart and his true feelings. We all debate religion, politics, love, hate—but when it comes down to the grassroots we all have solid beliefs. It’s a love for our brotherhood and family—that’s what N1LS is.”

So what exactly is N1LS’s style? Dino explains:“ The N1LS ‘sound’ comes from diverse musical backgrounds of Rock, Metal, Hip/Hop and Funk. It’s all of our creative backgrounds thrown into a big fu*king blender and sh*t out in the form of songs.” The mixing of Metal / Hard Rock / progressive sounding musicians into the existing No 1 Left Standing has done a few things—added a more aggressive sound, while allowing the bass to retain its funk flair and allowing Jimmy to continue spitting his verbs.”

One thing that N1LS understands is the formula for writing a song that works. They know how to put together a hook and a beat that captures the crowd—and they do it in the first 60 seconds of every song. Tracks like Jimmy Tha Kid and Old Skin are only a couple of examples of N1LS’ in-your-face style. “We just focus on a hook, work the transitions, and capture the feel of the song. I want music that makes heads bang and fists raise!” says Dino. “Our style retains the groove and feel of great classic rock but is energized with a modern touch. That in itself makes us stand out more than 90% of the bands out there trying to copy a genre or style that’s already been done rather than create something new.”

Catchy hooks and head-nodding beats aside, what makes these tracks so powerful are the messages behind them. With lyrics like “ I gotta tell ya that it's funny to me,  You wanna lock me up & throw away tha key for smokin weed. Ya fu*kin, hypocrites can suck a di*k fulla piss, and keep ya dirty fu*kin mitts up off tha kid that smokes spliffs” (Old Skin II) you can’t deny that N1LS has no hesitations when it comes to speaking their minds. For the most part their lyrics are centered and bipartisan but songs like Old Skin II push the limits and speak true to the bands’ political beliefs.

“It’s not just a song,” says Jimmy, who also explained that their music and even the band’s name is very much a commentary on what is going on in our country and around the world: “If things keep going the way they are there will be no one left standing.”

N1LS’ harder sound has helped them stand out in the Colorado Rock/Metal circuit, even carrying them into the finals of KBPI’s Best Band in Denver in Fall 2008, but it is their unrivaled ability to incorporate their Hip/Hop influences into their music that has caught the attention of local concert promoters. In fact the Denver foursome was recently called upon to open for one of the biggest Hip/Hop tours in the country, the Wu-Tang Clan. I’ll leave it the members of N1LS to describe what that night meant: “It was amazing to share the stage with legends. Just the name Wu-Tang had the crowd already hyped up. It was a great feeling to be a part of something these guys have been doing for a long time and receive such a positive response. Fort Collins and the Aggie Theater really made us feel welcome and a big thanks to DJ Jimmy Hands for stickin’ his neck out there and askin’ the powers that be to give our asses a chance,” says James. “But all bullsh*ttin’ aside—it was definitely the highlight of my music career. Wu-Tang is and will always be one of the biggest influences in my writing and hopefully we can share the stage with more artists we look up to. It was an important day in the history of N1LS. Everybody at the Aggie was incredibly nice and I enjoyed working with every one of them.”

“They fit the bill perfectly,” comments Aggie DJ Jimmy Hands. “Even though they’re a little more rock the crowd loved it! Their sound is a lot like Rage Against the Machine—they’re a little harder and a little funkier at the same time. One of my bouncers was like, ‘what the hell is going on? A mosh pit at a Wu-Tang show!’ To get that response is pretty intense—especially at a Hip/Hop Show.”

So what does 2009 look like for N1LS? Ross explains: “I think that now N1LS is to the point with the Denver scene that it seems a little ‘played out’—we’re at the point now that its our time to start playing on a national level. I hope that the opportunity to play with Wu-Tang will boost the likely-hood of that happening (sooner than later). In '09 I hope we can just keep our momentum going keep playing with national acts, get aGOOD quality album out there and ultimately go on a national tour of our own.”

Although N1LS has plans to play bigger local shows and even take their live show to a national level, their biggest goal for 2009 seems to be finishing their album by Spring—a project their growing Denver fan base can’t wait to get their hands on. “We want this album to be hard hitting, have a unique sound from start to finish and really emphasize our style and vision. We want it to speak to our listeners and fans and make your head want to bang and your ass want to move,” says Fro.

“2009 is already looking to be insanely busy but jam packed full of doing what we live for—performing live shows. With many more opportunities for our music to drift past the beautiful mountains of Colorado we plan on spending a lot of time and effort to get out to other states and try to build a fan base outside of The Mile High City. I wanna get involved with more local charities and raise awareness and positive change throughout the community. Many families are struggling right here in our own backyards, KBPI's Hand that Feeds was a huge inspiration to get motivated and join up with like-minded people and bands to try to make a difference for some people that need help getting over that damn bump in the road. Our goal is to release our 2nd album by spring of 2009 and we hope the train doesn't slow down. We plan on spending a shit ton of time in the studio getting the sound of this next project just right. Hopefully we can grow as artists and get a better lock on what we are all in this for,” says James.

“We will be finishing our album hopefully before summer. We have three songs done with a sh*t-load of ideas we are working on. Everything will be written, recorded, produced, and mastered by the band at our studio so nobody else can f**k with what we want it to sound like. It will be a fantastic representation of where the band is and where we are going,” comments Dino. “All these songs we are recording will pretty much be a big secret until the album ‘falls off the truck’. I use production techniques that capture the listener and put then smack dab in the middle of all four of us cranking a song loud as sh*t in the studio. I try to avoid using effects or compression that makes the song sound too “perfect”; I want listeners to hear the song live and say “holy sh*t, that was like the album but 10x louder! Bad Ass!”

If there’s one thing N1LS doesn’t have to worry about it’s getting people their shows. They have a very strong core group of supporters who are much more than fans of the band—they are considered friends and family. The guys wanted to make sure they didn’t miss the chance to voice their appreciation: “Thanks for everyone supporting us through this incredible roller coaster over the last four months. It’s been inspirational seeing the familiar and new faces that bring it every show and help us live our dream.”

###

***This year N1LS is taking a second go at KBPI's Best Band in Denver competition; and after last year's 2nd place finish many consider this Mile High City foursome to be the top contender for the title. Their latest album is stacked with high energy tracks, their signature "Agressive Hip Hop" style mixed with a bit of a Punk-Rock influence this time around.

To check out more from No 1 Left Standing you can visit MySpace.com/No1LeftStanding or you can visit kbpi.com to vote for them in this year's Best Band in Denver.

BIG MOVE FOR HERMAN'S HIDEAWAY AND THE CO PUNK SCENE!

2009-09-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

Never before has a Punk show like this gone down at Herman's! It took a while to make this one happen so I hope EVERYONE is there to see some of the hands down biggest names in the Colorado Punk family..not to mention the international Punk scene!

Tickets and Info @ http://www.hermanshideaway.com

"FORE"! ALOFT IN THE SUNDRY SET TO RELEASE 4TH ALBUM

2009-08-06T20:53:00.000-07:00

ALOFT IN THE SUNDRY OFFICIAL CD RELEASE

FRIDAY AUGUST 21ST

THE BLUEBIRD THEATRE

FEATURING PERFORMANCES FROM:

SYNTHETIC ELEMENTS

LOST POINT

THE ALAN BAIRD PROJECT

W/ SPECIAL GUEST DJ YONNAS FROM THE PIRATE SIGNAL!!

Fresh from the world famous Blasting Room in Ft. Collins Aloft in the Sundry are set to release a much anticipated 4th album, appropriately titled "Fore". The album sticks to the band's unique style of mixing hard hitting piano-driven rock with some lighter, memorably melodic tracks. In addition to having an amazingly talented group of engineers behind the album the band brought on well-known Producer Christopher Jak who has worked with some of the state's most successful Rock/Indie bands including The Northern Way and The Heyday.

Following the August release of the album Aloft plans on taking their momentum to the Northwest and down the California coast for a regional tour. No stranger to touring, the band has made strong impressions in Texas after playing South by Southwest and have solid connections in the Northwest circuit--so plan on a lot to come out of this upcoming tour!

For more information on Aloft in the Sundry and to find out where you can buy their tracks visit http://myspace.com/aloftinthesundrymusic

World Viral News: Green Room Session with Spools of Dark Thread

2009-07-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

World Viral News

Episode 1

Part 3

Spools of Dark Thread

http://www.spoolsofdarkthread.com

WORLD VIRAL NEWS EPISODE 1.1!!

2009-07-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

MORE TO COME....

"Last Chance" -Spools of Dark Thread

2009-07-20T11:25:00.001-07:00

Real Deal: Life In Electric Releases Debut EP--Alive Inside The Lie

2009-07-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

On July 16th, 2009 Life in Electric released their debut EP: Alive Inside The Lie.

The recent buzz around this band stems way beyond the all-ages scenesters and loyal LIE backers--some of the biggest names in the local music scene are calling the work from this Denver-based foursome the best of the year. And from what I have heard it's not just Colorado music-goers who are interested in what's to come from these guys....is LIE going Hollywood??

Let's just say that when I heard that they were LA bound for their next trip to the studio I wasn't surprised--this EP is f@*king great!

It's because of artists like this that I try to refrain from using the label "local band" to describe them. Even though it's a geographically correct way to refer to our Denver bands the word "local" comes with an unfortunate stigma. Let's be honest, people who aren't familiar with what the local music scene is all about immediately think that local=sucks. They don't understand that a lot of the bands that just happen to live and play here are better than half the crap you hear on the radio. In fact, I like to sneak some of my local CD's into unsuspecting friend's car stereos and watch them flip out when they find out the band they were jamming to for the last hour was....."local". Then the first thing out of their mouth is "Why aren't they on the radio?" ....(good question).

Bands like LIE, The Epilogues, Synthetic Elements, Spools of Dark Thread, The Photo Atlas, Strange Condition, etc... are yes, "local bands"...but they are so much more than that! I could go off on this subject for a while so I'll stop--but you get the point.

So if you take a chance on checking out just one local band this year I recommend you go see Life in Electric....or at least click on over to ITunes and buy their EP. If you don't want to commit to the whole six songs (totally do it though) I would strongly suggest downloading "Saves the Day"---the track is melodic, it hits hard when it needs to, it has great hooks and the vocals are insane.

For more information on Life in Electric and their EP: Alive Inside the Lie visit http://myspace.com/lifeinelectric

Aloft in the Sundry: Studio Session Day 4 (Blasting Room)

2009-07-09T16:04:00.000-07:00

Day 4 at The Blasting Room with Aloft in the Sundry.....

"Fore"--The 4th album from Aloft in the Sundry

Produced by Christopher Jak and Engineered by Andrew Berlin, Jason Livermore & Felipe. Mixed by Andrew Berlin & Mastered by Jason Livermore.

Spools get Nasty...

2009-07-05T21:59:00.001-07:00

Catch Spools of Dark Thread's interview on 106.7 KBPI (DENVER) with Uncle Nasty!

And don't forget to catch them LIVE AUGUST 15TH @ HERMAN'S HIDEAWAY with Denver Hip Hop favorites The Pirate Signal!! You can buy advanced tickets at www.hermanshideaway.com

Interview with Spools

2009-06-25T15:19:00.000-07:00

Inside Spools of Dark Thread

Meet Spools of Dark Thread

2009-06-16T14:25:00.000-07:00

After much anticipation the new members of Spools of Dark Thread have been revealed. Joining original members Jamey Bartley (drums) and Chris Thomas (vocals) are Justin Williams, Pat Searcy and Andy Bercaw.

You can catch Spools for the first time with the new line up Saturday June 20th @ Herman's Hideaway in Denver.

For more information on Spools visit http://www.spoolsofdarkthread.com

Strange Condition: Mile High Me

2009-06-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

The boys of Strange Condition have confirmed that they will be joining a very short list of local bands to play this year's Mile High Music Fest. They will be playing the same day as The Fray & 3Oh!3--which is Sunday, July 19.

More to come on Strange Condition

Joan Red (Memphis)

2009-06-02T23:43:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of them you need to get familiar with Joan Red. This Memphis-based Rock band is the real deal and has graced the stage with some of the biggest names in the Hard Rock/Metal circuit including Avenged Sevenfold, Buckcherry, Drowning Pool & Saving Abel. The band has already made a name for themselves in the Southeast, Midwest and throughout the Mississippi Valley and will hopefully be making it out to The Mile High City soon!

Their latest single "You Be the Hero" is slated to be released nationally very soon so call up KBPI (if you live in Colorado) or your local rock station and request it. Listen for yourselves!! 303-713-ROCK or 303-713-ROLL!

Aloft in the Sundry Set to Tour....

2009-06-02T23:29:00.000-07:00

Denver's own Piano-Rock/Pop (check the Westword!) favorites Aloft in the Sundry have an exciting few months ahead of them. Not only are they slated to record their next album at The Blasting Room in mid July in between Flobots and Alkaline Trio but they are also planning on leaving The Mile High City for a two month regional tour. The foursome, who played this year's South by Southwest in Austin, plan to hit up Texas again for the first leg of their trip and finish strong through the Midwest and Mississippi Valley.

Be sure to catch the guys from Aloft before they leave!

June 6th--The People's Fair (Capital Hill, Denver) Main Stage @ 11:30AM

June 12th--Herman's Hideaway w/PNuckle, Lola Black & Fulcrum

June 13th--Westword Music Showcase @ La Rumba @ 3:00PM

June 19th--Northfield Stapleton Mall: Hot Topic Appearance Following Local Static Courtyard Show.

Alice' Almost Famous Winners Set to Unvail "Timid Tigers" Live at The Fox Theatre in Boulder

2009-06-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Alice 105.9's Almost Famous Battle of the Bands WINNERS foma* will be gracing the stage with Boulder's own Meniskus this Thursday June 4th at The Fox Theatre! The show will mark the release of their latest single "Timid Tigers"!!

More to come on foma.....

Spools Returns

2009-05-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

Spools of Dark Thread

6.20.09

Herman's Hideaway

You won't want to miss this.......

Reno Divorce Signs to I Scream Records....

2009-05-30T12:00:00.000-07:00

Reno Divorce, Denver Punk/Rock veterans have signed with I Scream Records. Reno's 4th studio album (their first under I Scream), Tears Before Breakfast, is slated to be released state-side on July 21st and in Europe on June 12th.

I Scream Records

Known for its work in the Punk and Hardcore scene, Brussels-based I Scream Records is celebrating it’s 15th anniversary in 2009. I Scream Records' Punk/Hardcore roster includes the likes of Madball, Ramallah, Stigma, Earth Crisis, North Side Kings, Agnostic Front, Discipline, Hoods, MOD, Blood For Blood, Jaya The Cat, Stigmata and Lionheart.

Check out the video for "How Long's It Been", from Tears Before Breakfast.

No 1 Left Standing and 20XIII Head to Head on BPI!

2009-05-25T16:46:00.000-07:00

CALL IN ANY TIME AFTER 6:00PM AND REQUEST "PINK SLIP" BY NO 1 LEFT STANDING OR "DAMN IT SAM" BY 20XIII.

THESE BANDS ARE BOTH AMAZING AND DESERVE AS MUCH LOVE AS THEY CAN GET. SO CALL IN AND BLOW UP KBPI WITH YOUR REQUESTS!!!

For everyone that followed BPI's Best Band in Denver you might know that these two initially tied to win the title this year, but when there was a call for a last minute vote from one of the competition's judges, 20XIII came out on top. What a lot of people don't know is that despite rumors of a growing rivalry, these two bands in reality have nothing but respect for each other and a shared passion for representing the Mile High City's Hard Rock scene nationally. So when you call in to KBPI request them BOTH!

303-713-ROCK

303-713-ROLL

I will be sitting down with both bands to talk about the weeks and months following the KBPI Best Band in Denver competition and exactly what they both have in store....***YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!
http://myspace.com/no1leftstanding
http://mysapce.com/2013rock
You can read about No 1 Left Standing's day with Sevendust at http://greenroomsessions.blogspot.com Be sure to catch the video too! **Vote for N1LS to win Westword's Best Hip Hop/Band now at http:///www.westword.com!!!!!

News and video about 20XIII coming to Green Room Sessions soon!!!

PNuckle w/The Supervillains May 24th @ The Gothic

2009-05-25T13:12:00.000-07:00

Resident Reggae favorites PNuckle are set to open for Florida's own The Supervillains May 14th at The Gothic Theatre!!

Aloft in the Sundry Slated for Blasting Room Session

2009-05-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

This just in....Aloft in the Sundry will be heading to The Blasting Room in July in between recording sessions for Flobots and Alkaline Trio!!

More news about Aloft coming soon......

No 1 Left Standing--Repping The Mile High F@#king City

2009-05-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

When Denver Hip Hop/Rock favorites No 1 Left Standing found out they were going to open up for Sevendust, naturally, they talked about what it’s going to be like to "hang with Sevendust", play in front of 700 people and party in The Gothic green rooms with one of their heroes. This was undeniably going to be a night to add to their rock star resume.

When show day came they arrived at The Gothic for sound check and were immediately taken to their green room--a small section of the back parking lot. The "concrete green room" came complete with the back of someone's car as a dressing room, a cooler full of beer and a great view of Sevendust's tour bus. Welcome to the glamorous life of being a local band.

The perks might not be the same when you're the "local guys" but when you step onto a stage in front of hundreds of people (on a Monday none the less) in your home town, who start singing along to your songs and screaming your name, the amenities in your green room suddenly don't seem that important. Just ask No 1 Left what it was like to be encored before Sevendust--I'm sure they won't be bitching about not even being able to meet the band they were opening for. And let’s be honest—anyone who was at the show won’t deny that N1LS killed. Better than Sevendust?? A lot of people thought so—and not just friends and close fans of the band. People who were there to see Sevendust walked away from the show talking about N1LS. Their live show is unrivaled in the local scene; and I know I’ve said that before about other bands, but after watching this band grow over the past few months I can make that statement with complete confidence. This band is the real deal and with Jimmy “Inks” Belarde leading the way they have the opportunity to put The Mile High “mother fucking” city on the map in the national Rock scene.

We love The Fray, 3Oh!3 and The Flobots but it’s time for someone to represent Denver on the hard Rock circuit—N1LS might be the guys to do it. With the help of industry heavy weights and local music enthusiasts like KBPI's Willie B., N1LS have a chance to make major waves in 2009.

It is impossible to express in words what the atmosphere inside The Gothic was like during N1LS' set before Sevendust. There was much more than a sense of excitement and energy on the floor--you get that at any concert. This time there was a sense of pride and emotion coming from the fans; the people who have watched these four guys play for years at dive bars on Broadway, opening slots on crappy metal shows and struggle to make enough money to pay the rent on their practice studio.

When people think about the music industry it’s all about the concerts, the parties they read about in magazines or the “glamourous” life of touring and being a rock star. But it’s the years of blood, sweat and tears leading up to those moments that really matter.

That’s the REAL music scene.

No 1 Left Standing w/Sevendust @ The Gothic

Random Hero

2009-05-12T22:38:00.000-07:00

Random Hero has been selected to be on this year's Warped Tour!! More info on Random Hero to come!!!!!!

**And ladies, RH front man Aaron Watkins is still "ridiculously single".

Catch Random Hero live Sunday May 17th @ Herman's Hideaway for a benefit show for Steve Patt of local Metal favorites Horse! Random Hero goes on at 5:00PM; directly after Horse, who play at 4:20PM.

You can also catch them live at The Gothic Theatre in Englewood May 22nd for Glyphic's CD release.

The Hand that Bleeds--Benefit for Steve Patt of Horse

2009-05-10T11:59:00.001-07:00

Sunday May 17, 2009

Herman's Hideaway

1578 S. Broadway /Denver, CO

Doors 2:00 PM
Show 2:00 PM

$5.00 (21 and over with valid ID only)

This is a benefit to raise money for our rock brother Steve Patt… Basically, he sawed up his hand. So all of us, (his friends) are going to help make his full recovery more affordable and tease the shit out of him!!! There will be 20 minute sets performed by 14-16 of Denver’s top rock/metal artists on back-lined equipment (including Steve Patt’s drums)... Come support a long-standing, respected, and loved member member of OUR rock community… (Steve Patt). Bring your sense of humor, your wallet and your love for Rock’n’Roll

BIG news.....

2009-05-07T23:17:00.001-07:00

Stay tuned for some breaking news about one of the BIGGEST bands in the Colorado music scene......BIG SECRET!

No 1 Left Standing Opens for Sevendust @ The Gothic

2009-05-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

So we weren't allowed into the actual green room for this show so the guys from No 1 Left Standing were given a much "classier" green room in the parking lot. AKA--the back of someone's car.

Here's a little bit of what went on before the show as Jimmy Inks, N1LS front man prepares to go on. Also check out some post-show comments from bassist Ross aka "Pete".

More to come on No 1 Left Standing!

No 1 Left Standing w/Sevendust @ The Gothic

MILE HIGH MUSIC SHOWCASE: MAY 15TH AT HERMAN'S HIDEAWAY

2009-04-30T12:07:00.001-07:00

The event is showcasing what many consider five of the BEST live acts in Colorado, both established, up-and-coming and coming back.

Aloft in the Sundry was a featured Denver band at this year's South by Southwest, Life in Electric has a new lead singer and is back stronger than ever--they even have a song up on the 93.3 music survey!, Lost Point is a Denver veteran band who holds the title of KBPI's Best Band in Denver for 2007 (they've also played on Warped Tour), Vonnegut is one of the best Rock bands in the state and was recently selected as one of the Alice 105.9's Almost Famous top 32! The Pick Up Artist is one of the most promising up-and-coming acts in Denver!

Get advanced tickets at www.hermanshideaway.com or pay $8 at the door!

Glyphic Announces Release of Debut Album "Everything Eventual"

2009-04-30T11:05:00.000-07:00

GLYPHIC ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF DEBUT ALBUM “EVERYTHING EVENTUAL,”

MAY 22ND AT GOTHIC THEATRE!

Denver, CO— Denver-based hard rock band Glyphic has announced the release of their

debut LP, “Everything Eventual”, to be released at Gothic Theatre (3263 S. Broadway,

Englewood, CO) on May 22nd, 2009. With a perfect balance of heavy guitars, melodic

vocals, and introspective lyrics this album is sure to please fans across a wide spectrum of

rock genres. Including tracks such as “Of Dark and Quiet” (currently in the top 40

Alternative songs on songvault.fm), the album has been highly anticipated by a solid and

growing fan base spanning across Colorado and beyond.

Glyphic has been active in the Colorado music scene for 3 years, sharing the stage with

such national acts as Trapt, Egypt Central, Onesidezero and 32 Leaves, as well as many

of the state’s most popular local performers. Their sound has been compared to

recordings artists such as Chevelle, “White Pony-era Deftones”, and Thrice.

With dates currently being booked across Colorado and regional touring in the works for

later this year, “Everything Eventual” will undoubtedly be a massive success for one of

Denver’s most solid modern rock acts. The CD release party will include some of

Colorado’s best bands: Random Hero, Cypher, Fulcrum and Four to Go. Fans who are

unable to attend the CD release party can also catch Glyphic at the grand opening of the

Railbender Skate Park in Parker, CO, presented by the Town of Parker and Go Fast on

Saturday, May 30th 2009.

FRIDAY, MAY 22nd

Glyphic Debut Album CD Release Party with:

Random Hero, Fulcrum, Cypher and Four to Go

THE GOTHIC THEATRE

3263 S Broadway

Englewood, CO 80113

(303) 788-0984

www.GothicTheatre.com

AGES 16+ DOORS AT 6:30PM ONLY $10 AT DOOR

To hear Glyphic's music and for more information on the band and their latest projects visit www.GlyphicMusic.com or myspace.com/glyphicmusic to print a coupon for reduced-price entry!

No 1 Left Standing

2009-04-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

No 1 Left Standing @ Inferno w/Snot

April 10, 2009

PT's Club Inferno--Denver, CO

No 1 Left Standing

It's not often I come across a band that leaves me speechless—and not just because it's impossible to get a word in once these guys start talking; but because their music has such a powerful sound and message that you have to let them do the talking. Just try to keep up. No 1 Left Standing has a sound, a live performance and a general presence that is so powerful and so in-your-face that you can't help but get into it—and they only know one speed and one volume…fast and loud.

When people talk about N1LS the first thing to come up is an obvious likeness to Rage Against the Machine. Local music enthusiasts often compare guitarist Brenden aka 'Dino''s riffs to Tom Morello and front man James Belarde's vocals and lyrics to a very politically-driven Zack de la Rocha; and although the band welcomes the flattering comparison they are quick to point out that the fact that they have a sound and style that is emphatically their own. "Our music is aggressive but funky, hard but groovin', honest with no apologies—so either you like it or you hate it. Our influences are from all over the place so it's like taking all that music of the past that made you feel good no matter what the genre and smashing it together with a new school twist on it," explains James. "We're not afraid to laugh at ourselves or at society's downfalls," adds N1LS bassist Ross. "When Jimmy writes his lyrics he speaks from the center. Because of his influences he really speaks from his heart and his true feelings. We all debate religion, politics, love, hate—but when it comes down to the grassroots we all have solid beliefs. It's a love for our brotherhood and family—that's what N1LS is."

So what exactly is N1LS's style? Dino explains:" The N1LS 'sound' comes from diverse musical backgrounds of Rock, Metal, Hip/Hop and Funk. It's all of our creative backgrounds thrown into a big fu*king blender and sh*t out in the form of songs." "Before the introduction of me and Dino, N1LS was a hard Hip/Hop style band. They were focused and had written many great songs," adds N1LS drummer Fro. "I come from a different musical background. I have never really focused on the Hip/Hop scene and I have a more in your face, aggressive yet less complex style of playing the drums; my focus is finding the groove and accenting downbeats. The mixing of two Metal / Hard Rock / progressive sounding musicians into the existing No 1 Left Standing has done a few things—added a more aggressive sound, while allowing the bass to retain its funk flair and allowing Jimmy to continue spitting his verbs."

One thing that N1LS understands is the formula for writing a song that works. They know how to put together a hook and a beat that captures the crowd—and they do it in the first 60 seconds of every song. Tracks like Jimmy Tha Kid and Old Skin are only a couple of examples of N1LS' in-your-face style. "We just focus on a hook, work the transitions, and capture the feel of the song. I want music that makes heads bang and fists raise!" says Dino. "Our style retains the groove and feel of great classic rock but is energized with a modern touch. That in itself makes us stand out more than 90% of the bands out there trying to copy a genre or style that's already been done rather than create something new."

Catchy hooks and head-nodding beats aside, what makes these tracks so powerful are the messages behind them. With lyrics like " I gotta tell ya that it's funny to me,  You wanna lock me up & throw away tha key for smokin weed. Ya fu*kin, hypocrites can suck a di*k fulla piss, and keep ya dirty fu*kin mitts up off tha kid that smokes spliffs" (Old Skin II) you can't deny that N1LS has no hesitations when it comes to speaking their minds. For the most part their lyrics are centered and bipartisan but songs like Old Skin II push the limits and speak true to the bands' political beliefs.

"It's not just a song," says Jimmy, who also explained that their music and even the band's name is very much a commentary on what is going on in our country and around the world: "If things keep going the way they are there will be no one left standing."

N1LS' harder sound has helped them stand out in the Colorado Rock/Metal circuit, even carrying them into the finals of KBPI's Best Band in Denver in Fall 2008, but it is their unrivaled ability to incorporate their Hip/Hop influences into their music that has caught the attention of local concert promoters. In fact the Denver foursome was recently called upon to open for one of the biggest Hip/Hop tours in the country, the Wu-Tang Clan. I'll leave it the members of N1LS to describe what that night meant: "It was amazing to share the stage with legends. Just the name Wu-Tang had the crowd already hyped up. It was a great feeling to be a part of something these guys have been doing for a long time and receive such a positive response. Fort Collins and the Aggie Theater really made us feel welcome and a big thanks to DJ Jimmy Hands for stickin' his neck out there and askin' the powers that be to give our asses a chance," says James. "But all bullsh*ttin' aside—it was definitely the highlight of my music career. Wu-Tang is and will always be one of the biggest influences in my writing and hopefully we can share the stage with more artists we look up to." "It was an important day in the history of N1LS. Everybody at the Aggie was incredibly nice and I enjoyed working with every one of them," adds Fro.

"They fit the bill perfectly," comments Aggie DJ Jimmy Hands. "Even though they're a little more rock the crowd loved it! Their sound is a lot like Rage Against the Machine—they're a little harder and a little funkier at the same time. One of my bouncers was like, 'what the hell is going on? A mosh pit at a Wu-Tang show!' To get that response is pretty intense—especially at a Hip/Hop Show."

So what does 2009 look like for N1LS? Ross explains: "I think that now N1LS is to the point with the Denver scene that it seems a little 'played out'—we're at the point now that its our time to start playing on a national level. I hope that the opportunity to play with Wu-Tang will boost the likely-hood of that happening (sooner than later). In '09 I hope we can just keep our momentum going keep playing with national acts, get a GOOD quality album out there and ultimately go on a national tour of our own."

Although N1LS has plans to play bigger local shows and even take their live show to a national level, their biggest goal for 2009 seems to be finishing their album by Spring—a project their growing Denver fan base can't wait to get their hands on. "We want this album to be hard hitting, have a unique sound from start to finish and really emphasize our style and vision. We want it to speak to our listeners and fans and make your head want to bang and your ass want to move," says Fro.

"2009 is already looking to be insanely busy but jam packed full of doing what we live for—performing live shows. With many more opportunities for our music to drift past the beautiful mountains of Colorado we plan on spending a lot of time and effort to get out to other states and try to build a fan base outside of The Mile High City. I wanna get involved with more local charities and raise awareness and positive change throughout the community. Many families are struggling right here in our own backyards, KBPI's Hand that Feeds was a huge inspiration to get motivated and join up with like-minded people and bands to try to make a difference for some people that need help getting over that damn bump in the road. Our goal is to release our 2nd album by spring of 2009 and we hope the train doesn't slow down. We plan on spending a shit ton of time in the studio getting the sound of this next project just right. Hopefully we can grow as artists and get a better lock on what we are all in this for," says James.

"We will be finishing our album hopefully before summer. We have three songs done with a sh*t-load of ideas we are working on. Everything will be written, recorded, produced, and mastered by the band at our studio so nobody else can f**k with what we want it to sound like. It will be a fantastic representation of where the band is and where we are going," comments Dino. "All these songs we are recording will pretty much be a big secret until the album 'falls off the truck'. I use production techniques that capture the listener and put then smack dab in the middle of all four of us cranking a song loud as sh*t in the studio. I try to avoid using effects or compression that makes the song sound too "perfect"; I want listeners to hear the song live and say "holy sh*t, that was like the album but 10x louder! Bad Ass!"

If there's one thing N1LS doesn't have to worry about it's getting people their shows. They have a very strong core group of supporters who are much more than fans of the band—they are considered friends and family.

**The band recently replaced drummer Fro with Caleb, who brings a ton of talent and new energy to the band as they embark on a series of new projects in 2009--including a NEW ALBUM dropping in late Spring. Stay tuned!

No 1 Left Standing will be opening for Sevendust on May 4th, 2009 at The Gothic Theater in Englewood, Colorado. Also watch for their track "Pink Slip" to appear as the theme song on The Speed Channel's Pink's All Access hosted by KBPI's own Willie B.

More No 1 Left Standing news to come....

MySpace.com/No1LeftStanding
N1LS.com
N1LSRevolution.com