Denver Post Underground Music Showcase: Blog

The Donnybrook Writing Academy just loooves the UMS!

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:56:00 MDT

And we just love them. (Yeah, it’s the best kind of mutual admiration society.) Check out this goodness from the latest in Donnybrookland.

UMS Video: Bela Karoli

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:04:00 MDT

So three girls walk into a bar. One has a stand-up bass, another has an accordion and the last a violin.

And then they played a rock show.

It’s no joke. Denver three-piece Bela Karoli has to be experienced to be believed. And here’s our interview with frontwoman Julie Davis.

UMS Video: Everything Absent or Distorted/Stand By Your Band

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:58:00 MDT

Ever cooked rice with tequila, mercury and under-cooked pork? Didn’t think so.

Check this interview out with Bryce Merrill, the creator of such a dish and one of the frontmen behind eight-piece collective Everything Absent or Distorted.

UMS Video: Born in the Flood

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:39:00 MDT

Think you can rock a green kerchief with a v-neck shirt? Think again!

Here’s our interview with Nathaniel Rateliff, the ever-stylish frontman behind Born in the Flood, the winner of last year’s Denver Post Underground Music Poll. Rateliff is known for his love of v-necks, sure, but he’s celebrated and loved for his voice and songwriting.

UMS Video: Andrea Ball

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:34:00 MDT

Andrea Ball played the classical piano for 12 years, but she didn’t start writing her own music until she picked up the guitar.

Ball is one of the many new faces at this year’s UMS. And we’ll also note here that she is currently looking for a bass player. C’mon, Denver. Let’s all help Andrea with the low-end.

UMS Video: Rachael Pollard

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:28:00 MDT

“You can almost hear music in the air,” says Rachael Pollard of living in downtown Denver.

And we couldn’t agree more. Denver is alive with wonderful music, and a lot of it will be on display on South Broadway at the UMS. Here’s Wenz’s interview with Rachael, who is playing the festival again this year.

UMS Video: Widowers

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:18:00 MDT

Do you wanna know what Widowers bass player Mark Weaver will look like the day after this year’s UMS? Well, here’s the band’s frontman, Mike Marchant, with his thoughts on the subject.

UMS Video: Hello Kavita

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:14:00 MDT

Hello Kavita’s “And Then We Turned Sideways” is one of the strongest local records of the year – and we’re lucky enough to have the Denver indie five-piece at the UMS this year.

Here’s an interview with Hello Kavita frontman Corey Teruya, who is the only person I’ve ever met from Niwot. Seriously!

UMS Video: Dan Craig

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:01:00 MDT

You might have heard about the local band Nathan & Stephen? Well have you heard about how they were almost named Nathan & Stephen & Dan.

Well they weren’t, really. But that woulda been sweet. Hey, check out this interview with Dan Craig! He plays in Hearts of Palm (formerly Nathan & Stephen) and he also has a thriving solo career. Word!

UMS Video: We Are! We Are!

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:58:00 MDT

Dude, have you ever played a gig right after major hernia surgery? The guys from We Are! We Are! have.

“We weren’t sure if he was going to be able to stay stitched together and all that …” says Jim Sutton of his bandmate.

Yikes. Here’s John Wenzel’s interview with Sutton, who will bring his instrumental three-piece to the UMS this year!

UMS Video: Gregory Alan Isakov

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:52:00 MDT

If you’ve ever seen him live, you know that Gregory Alan Isakov is one of the most captivating performers in the state. Here’s a UMS Short with The Denver Post’s John Wenzel talking with Gregory about South Africa and Boulder, and some of the many spaces between.

UMS love from Westword!

Ricardo Baca — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:04:00 MDT

Who doesn’t love good press? We’re happy to see some UMS love coming from Westword this week. We’ve long been fans of their festival – the Westword Music Showcase, taking over the Golden Triangle on Saturday – and it’s lovely to see that they’re fans of our festival!

UMS Video: Hearts of Palm

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:27:00 MDT

Remember Nathan & Stephen? They’re still here, under the name Hearts of Palm. Denver’s favorite eight-piece indie rock ensemble will be representing at the UMS ‘08 – horns, voices, guitars and all.

UMS Video: Cat-A-Tac

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:23:00 MDT

More UMS video!
Jim McTurnan co-fronts UMS veterans Cat-A-Tac – and he’s also been playing on his own lately. (Fans caught his first-ever solo show at the UMS ‘07.) Sweet.

Calling all volunteers!

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:18:00 MDT

Alright, the UMS is nothing without its amazing cast of volunteers. It’s how we give 100 percent of the ticket sales to the artists who lend their substantial talents to the festival.
Do you want to volunteer – with your friends – and score a bunch of cool stuff, including tickets, T-shirts and access to all the sweet VIP parties this year?

UMS Video: The Overcasters

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:15:00 MDT

Here’s the first in a series of UMS videos.
Our kind subject: Kurt Ottaway of the Overcasters. (Formerly Tarmints and Twice Wilted.) Excellent.

We're baaaack!

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:56:00 MDT

Dude, the 8th annual Denver Post Underground Music Showcase is back. We’re going to take over South Broadway on Aug. 1-3, and it’s gonna be real.
Three days! Serious?

Gracias!

Ricardo Baca — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 13:14:00 MDT

Thank you.
For coming out and loving local music.
For playing righteous sets.
For lending the UMS your PA.
For rocking out and buying Magic Cyclops a Hamms.
For volunteering and selling tickets and checking wristbands.
For making South Broadway a rock n roll circus.
For slinging drinks to the thirsty masses.
For watching Pee Pee rehearse in the alley with me.
For sitting down to watch the EAOD boys so the rest of us could see.
For hi-fiving non-stop.
For the hugs.
For paying with exact change.
For showing local musicians the respect they deserve.

Live Photos

Sean Porter — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 13:24:00 MDT

We’ve wired up a live photo slideshow (courtesy of our friends at Flickr ) so you see the UMS in full-frame glory both today and after you’ve recovered tomorrow.

Check out the Photos Page for details.

How well do you know the bands playing the UMS?

Ricardo Baca — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:41:00 MDT

Check out the fun facts and the local music quiz here:
www.denverpost.com/music/ci_6530302
And report back and tell us!

More blog love for the UMS!

Ricardo Baca — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 12:44:00 MDT

Omg! The UMS is totally tomorrow!
More blog love is out today!
Check out what Holly Polo has to say about the bands playing the UMS in this Donnybook Writing Academy post:

Wayward Panties? We're blushing!

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:19:00 MDT

The fine ladies – and we do mean fine – at Wayward Panties have been giving the UMS a ton of love recently.
They’ve written stories on some of the solo performers, the venues and their favorite bands playing on Saturday.
Today’s post is Tiffany interviewing me about this year’s UMS and how it evolved from us latching ourselves onto a 16 Horsepower show seven years ago.

Tomorrow's your last chance to buy UMS wristbands online!

Ricardo Baca — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 13:02:00 MDT

That’s right.
Friday’s your last chance to buy tickets online!
Save money!
Save time!
Click above!
... Otherwise, get tickets Saturday morning at the Sputnik box office, which opens at 11:30 a.m.

Pre-UMS YouTube hotness!

Ricardo Baca — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:43:00 MDT

Life has been busy around the UMS headquarters, but after deadline today, we found enough time to put together some of our favorite videos of bands playing the UMS.

Overheard approx. 1,453 times this month: "I looooove yer website!"

Ricardo Baca — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 16:18:00 MDT

Well, thank you very much.

But really, now, we can’t take any of that credit. All we did was see way too many rock shows over the years with our pal Sean Porter, and then one day at the Hi-Dive or Bluebird or Larimer, Sean was like, “Maybe we could build a website for the UMS.”