In a state that sees more sunny days than snowy ones, we are reflecting some of that lovely sunshine to this month's Local 303. We welcome new musicians from all across Colorado; plus artists we hope you have heard on our weekly show More From the Local 303 on Friday nights at 10 p.m.
There's a new supergroup that formed earlier this year called Rootbeer Richie & The Reveille and it's an ensemble with members of A. Tom Collins, Bad Licks, Nathaniel Rateliff and Night Sweats, The Still Tide, The Blue Rider, Dirty Few and more! There’s eight members and they have some fun songs that we will be playing this month. Another ensemble is Los Mocochetes who we welcome back this month in honor of their long-awaited, official debut.
We're also excited about the new music out by self-proclaimed, "America's Favorite Twink," That Kid who is 22-years old. Learn about the stories of pop singer/songwriters Isabelle Fries and DeEtta Jain and their own musical journeys. Including some uplifting spins on hip-hop from Coloradoans Cat Evans and Alex Blocker. We cannot forget about rock from Silver & Gold and Satellite Pilot. Finally, softer indie rock from Animal Electricity, Frail Talk, and Desert Atlas. Tune in to Indie 102.3 all month long to hear the singles from all of these artists. Yay for discovering new music!
Don't forget, stream our Local 303 Virtual Meetup with some of this month's artists on Monday November 29th at 4pm. You can find it LIVE on our YouTube channel.
Are you a Colorado musician who wants to be featured in the Local 303? Send us your music.
Meet November's picks:
Alex Blocker
Hometown: Chicago
Formed: 2012
Latest Release: "Zoom Meeting feat. MFnMelo" (Single), available on all platforms.
Pronouns: He/him
About: Alex Blocker is a violinist, vocalist, producer, and songwriter based in Denver. He fuses R&B and hip-hop with folk and pop to create a sound that is all his own. In addition to touring and studio work, Blocker is a full-time music teacher.
Musicians That Inspire: PartyNextDoor, Westside Gunn, Erykah Badu
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? The movement for black lives that erupted during quarantine inspired me to make social justice issues a more frequent topic of my writing. Lockdown also made me more attentive to my social media presence, and making sure I had a website.
What's next?:I will be releasing the 3rd volume of my live album series; Blocker Band Live Vol. 3, and my next batch of original work titled Meet Me By The Lake. Both will be released before the end of 2021.
Website: alexblocker.com
Get Social: Twitter, Instagram
Animal Electricity
Hometown: Bossier City, Louisiana! ...but Denver has been home for a long time now
Formed: First album as Animal Electricity was 2014, a record called Unfit for Man or Beast. But I’ve been playing with the same group of super dudes since 2005 as one band name or another. Back in those days, we played out as The Build-Up.
Latest Release: TheSameThings, 2021
Pronouns: He/him
About: About what? Me? Right? RIGHT?! Let’s see… I started on drums because my dad was a jazz drummer in Louisiana. I then moved to guitar and kind of fanned out from there into other stringed instruments. I was never the singer in the band. Always preferred to be the guitar hero (I watched a lot of SRV videos as a kid). After I moved to Denver I found a great group of dudes and we had a nice little band and we had a great singer named Matt Huseman who had moved here from the East Coast where he fronted his band Splitsville. But one night he quit, was moving back to the East Coast, and I was the closest guy to his now vacant microphone, and I had written one tiny song called Winter Dress, and so my buddy Everett said “hey man, we don’t have anything to play. Sing that one song you wrote” and so I kind of leaned over into his microphone and squeaked out by little song and with my bandmates’ encouragement, including the encouragement of recently retired Matt Huseman as well as a lot of encouragement and support from my friend Heather Dalton, who was also in the band from time to time, I kept at it and kept writing and kept trying to sing without having a panic attack, and, well, now here we are.
Musicians That Inspire: How much time you got?! Ha. Let’s see… I’ll try to narrow this to those that come to mind when I think of “inspire” — Chet Baker, Tom Waits, Velvet Underground, Bad Plus, Bill Frisell, Daniel Romano, Felice Bros, Nels Cline, FJM, Freddie King, Radiohead, LesMcCann/Eddie Harris, Damien Jurado, Lyle Lovett, Malkmus, and of course, Bob Dylan. I’m all over the map, and I really get into some kind of unusual albums, like an album I found called Romantic Japanese Mandolins. Or Alan Lomax’s recordings at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in 1947 collected on a record called Negro Prison Songs (I didn’t name it!) is totally mind-blowing. I bet y’all have a copy at the station somewhere. Turn on Early in the Morning (track 4). I found this album when I was in school in Arkansas and it has stuck with me ever since.
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? I don’t know that lockdown shaped me in any particular way as a musician, but it influenced the making of the record in two key ways. First, it gave me some time to get the damn thing finished. Second, when the world went nuts, I bailed and moved to a cabin in the middle of the Pike National Forest. The only internet out there is through HughesNet and, no slight to Mr. or Ms. Hughes, but it sucks, it’s so slow, and so you end up sort of forgetting about internet and TV and instead spending time chopping wood and walking around, sneaking up on moose (not advised), driving a 4-wheeler and drinking whiskey (also not advised to do at the same time). Not at all a bad way to spend quarantine. And so while in this state I set up the mics and the iMac and got the record done, or at least I got my parts done. I rewrote many of the lyrics and then got them tracked, finished the guitars, etc. And then I would come back to Denver and email the tracks to Everett (who plays bass and helps me a lot with arrangements, and he also dreams up and charts most of the background vox) and to Brian (drummer) and have them add their parts. Also while in Denver I had Sara and Megan over to the basement to drop their background vox into the record. They are both such fantastic vocalists that they walked in, laid em down first take, then cracked a few beers and that was that. The album cover actually includes a drone shot of the cabin where I recorded most of the album. It’s hard to see though because it’s sort of faded behind the wolves, and it’s wrapped so it’s a little confusing, but if you look closely, you can see the gold Aspen leaves and the trees.
What's next?: I love to play live, but a lot of things have to come together to make that happen. But what I can more or less control without too many variables is making records. So my guess is that another record is next. I’d really like to write this next album with Sara and Megan (the female vocalists on the new record) top of mind. They’re such talented vocalists that they give me another instrument, in a sense, so I’m hoping to sit down and write from that angle, kind of seeing the “background vox” at the front of the process. I also just picked up a 1940’s Weissenborn lap steel, so I’d like to incorporate that instrument into a record. I have plans for an instrumental album. I have stacks of recorded but unreleased instrumentals. Track 9 on the new record, TheSameThings, started as an instrumental. That’s probably very obvious. I’m a big fan of instrumentals and, in my view, maybe a little better at writing them because I’m not restricted by lyrics and vocals. Vocals don’t come naturally for me so they end up being pretty constraining. Course, that’s the mother of invention, in many ways. I also would like to record an album where the lyrics to each song were written by my close friend, a poet, ZR Hathaway. He helped me finish Phantom Thumb, the song about Neal Cassady, with the verse that starts with “I never saw any ocean but I sure gunned for the coast” and ends with “I was the protagonist horribly miscast, I was truth and lies, railroad ties, disrobed, and unmasked” I mean, c’mon, that’s pure gold!
Website: https://www.animalelectricityband.com
Get Social: I am terrible at social media. It just never really caught my attention. I don’t love screens. When I was a kid my dad insisted that watching TV would turn my brain to noodles, and even though I knew he was joking, he said it all the time and I think some part of my animal brain believes it. And so, I’m kind of cold on screens, and there doesn’t seem to be any way to do social media without staring at screens. But after years of not having it, someone made us a FB page. I don’t know how to navigate it. It looks like just a bunch of trash to me. And we now have an instagram, which is good because I can watch Always Sunny clips when I wake up in the morning. I don’t think I have many followers. In fact, people don’t even know about it, not even people in the band. Just today I texted Everett, my bass player and songwriting partner in many ways, that I had posted the new record to instagram and he texted back and said “We have an Instagram page?”
Facebook, Instagram
Cat Evans
Hometown: Denver, CO
Formed: 1993
Latest Release: "Livewire" (Single), 2021
Pronouns: She/her
About: My name is Cat Evans. I’m a musician, a photographer, writer and student of all games that propel me. I have been making music since I was 11 or 12, GarageBand days, the love of my life being hip-hop. I try to branch into any genre or sound I find myself naturally inside of in the moment.
Musicians That Inspire: Kanye West
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? What's next?: I think what the lockdown has done is reinforced all my beliefs in regard to the world we live in. When the lockdown initially occurred, we were in the midst of conflict in our country and were all dealing with so much at once. A lot was revealed in that time about human behavior. I feel in all the chaos I was reminded that I know who I am, what I intend to do and how to move with my head straight no matter the situation. The lockdown put me in a place of gratitude for my capabilities, reminded me nothing is permanent, and there’s not much to lose in this world thus I have every right to follow each and every ambition that finds its way into my heart.
Get Social: Instagram
DeEtta Jain
Hometown: Loveland, Colorado
Formed: 2019
Latest Release: A five song tape titled A Walk in the Park made in collaboration with DealzMksBts and Noah Richardson
Pronouns: She/her
About: I'm DeEtta Jain! I'm ultimately just happy to be here. It feels important that I mention the nonlinear narrative which is something I've been hashing out since the Wavy Jain era through words, movement, and shared experiences. There are no straight lines in this life and that in itself is a relief. I hope on the other side of the entertainment that I can help others. Addiction, mental health challenges, and houslessness are all at the forefront of my mind. Art is life itself and I hope to continue on this path that isn't always so clear. I grew up loving other people, loving to dance, and loving to express. After a lot of time spent in the gnarliest of head spaces, living arrangements, and crucial learning lessons I'm very proud to be here, doing what I do.
Musicians That Inspire: Jai Paul, Santigold, Cosha, Kelela, a lot of my friends, Hook, Corbin, Lykke Li, Little Dragon, Jadu Heart, Show Me the Body, Mariah Carey, Vegyn, Nosaj Thing, Judee Sill
Do you think that lockdown has shaped you as a musician? It feels weird to say that the pandemic aided my artistic journey in any way considering how much others have lost. I can tell you though, that I desperately needed to move back home from NYC. My mental health was hardly allowing me to take care of myself let alone see an artistic project through and lockdown forced me to make some big decisions. Upon returning and truly giving myself some grace, as well as time to recenter, the ideas and possibilities left me flooded. In May of 2020 we created "Bronco" and truly nothing has been the same since then. I was able to come to terms with a lot over lockdown and that has directly informed my creative choices.
What's next?- I'm beyond stoked to share that on December 11th at Mercury Cafe, I will be presenting the culmination of my year. Boys to Men is a conceptual EP which we shot three visuals for in June. The evening will include a special performance, in person premiere of the videos, and much like my release party in September, an abundance of disposable cameras for everyone to enjoy. I've never worked so hard at something! It will mean the world to me if people come through that night.
Website: http://www.nonlinear-bin.com
Get Social: Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube
Desert Atlas
Hometown: Unincorporated Adams County, Colorado / San Pedro, Laguna, Philippines
Formed: 2018
Latest Release: The Great Plains are an Ocean, June 2021
Pronouns: He/him
About: Desert Atlas is Mark Ramirez, who grew up in the suburbs of Manila, in the Philippines, before moving to New Jersey at the age of 17. He writes and performs what he calls "lowercase songs for empty spaces," with lyrics that document a preoccupation with place and time.
Musicians That Inspire: Neil Young, Wilco, Big Star, Eraserheads, Pedro the Lion, The Still Tide, Tennis, Lord Huron
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? Since moving to Colorado in 2015, I'd made numerous attempts to put a band together—attempts that invariably failed for lack of a bass player. When the pandemic hit, I decided it was time to record an album; God knows I had enough material, and waiting for the perfect circumstances (or bandmates) seemed more like an excuse than a reason. So I took a few studio sessions I'd recorded the year before, bought a used bass guitar, hunkered down in my basement office / music room to lay down a whole bunch of tracks in GarageBand, and enlisted a former bandmate in upstate New York to mix and master the whole thing.
The result was a 14-track album, "The Great Plains are an Ocean," which I released independently in June this year. With a record in hand, I set about trying to book shows instead of the open mics that I'd been going to regularly (and still try to). One highlight was a set at Down in Denver, a local music festival held over Labor Day Weekend at Larimer Lounge.
Working from home has given my songwriting a boost. Whenever inspiration strikes, I grab my guitar and work on it while the idea's fresh—something I couldn't do at the office. I've also been learning the trombone, never having played it before. That's probably something that would've stayed on my "someday" list if not for COVID. What's next?: I'm hoping to recruit a couple of players to add depth and musicality as I try to play more shows. And I've written quite a few songs since the album came out that another is all but inevitable.
Website: https://desertatlasmusic.com
Get Social: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, BandCamp, Spotify
Frail Talk
Hometown: Fort Collins, Colorado
Formed: November 2019
Latest Release: New Creation Myths, Self Released, Sep. 10, 2021
Pronouns: Corey (He/him) & Alex (She/her)
About: Formed in the foothills of Northern Colorado in 2019, Alex Woodchek and Corey Wright of Frail Talk are creating a blooming universe of squiggly tunes for squiggly people. Their debut indie-folk album, New Creation Myths, springs up from the dirt with spiraling growth, ready to welcome every listener with daydream-love.
“The tales Woodchek and Wright have spun in each song on New Creation Myths truly speak to the human experience and individual moments … There aren’t many artists who can capture that bittersweet feeling of nostalgia or the uncomfortable influence of awkward moments as expertly as Frail Talk has.” - Sydney Kapp with 303 Magazine
Musicians That Inspire: Alexa Rose, Companion, Sufjan Stevens & Angelo de Augustine, Samantha Crain, Beyonce, Tow’rs, Corey Kilgannon, Adrianne Lenker, Great Grandpa, Courtney Hartman, etc. etc. etc. (ad infinitum)
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? In March of 2020 we were set to leave our hometown and tour most of the west coast and southwest for a 20 show tour. The first show happened on March 13th in Fort Collins, and we never played the remaining shows as the world closed down. We experienced heavy loss over 2020, ranging from loss of music to loss of family, friends and even a few sweet creatures in our lives. Lockdown was difficult, but we were suddenly staring at an open opportunity, of sorts, to really express how we felt about the world and the state of the people in it. That’s when most of New Creation Myths was born. From long lonely nights sitting in the same couch where we heard news of the world flood in, to the living space where we recorded a lot of the album and grieved the tragedies of that same world, we created a space to simultaneously escape our reality and ground ourselves in the present.
What's next? We have been incredibly grateful to play live shows again this year, so feel free to follow along on the socials! New creative musings are continually in the works, so keep an eye out for more projects (including new songs, new squiggly drawings, new book!?)
Website: www.frailtalk.com
Get Social: Instagram
Isabelle Fries
Hometown: Denver, CO
Formed: 2019
Latest Release: "Just a Dreamer" (Single), Street Lamp Records, Sep. 12, 2021
Pronouns: She/Her
About: Isabelle Fries' might just stir up emotions you never knew you had. With her dynamic delivery, soulful intonation, and eloquent songcraft, the Australia-born and Denver-based singer, songwriter, humanitarian, and activist approaches pop with jazz fluidity and alternative edge. After independently amassing over 2 million streams and 1 million YouTube views and receiving acclaim from Perez Hilton, 303 Magazine, 5280 Magazine, Bongmines Entertainment, TuneCore’s New Music Friday, and more, she continues to inspire listeners to emote on a series of 2021 singles.
“Music makes you feel things you didn’t think you could,” she affirms. “A song will resonate with everyone in a different way, but it will evoke something. Personally, I need it to be a release and a reminder I can feel—and that’s not something to be ashamed of. Coming from that place, I’ll always do music just because I love it.”
She developed this love for music as a kid. Relocating from Australia to the United States, her family settled in Colorado. By four-years-old, she absorbed her parents’ passion for classic rock. She listened to Kelly Clarkson daily on her personal boombox before eventually embracing Prince, The Lumineers, The Head and The Heart, The Beatles, Queen, Amy Winehouse, and her “favorite artist of all time” Elton John. At seven-years-old, she took voice lessons (she has the same vocal teacher to this day!) and “never stopped singing” from that point forward. In addition to performing in school choir and at dinner parties or charity events, she honed her voice by singing in the car at full tilt to “Let It Be,” “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me,” or “Take Me Home, Country Roads” (which she even has a tattoo of!).
“Driving is a big escape for me,” she goes on. “When I was in high school, I would know exactly what song I needed at the moment and just blast it. That’s how I know if I love the song to this day.”
Along the way, she excelled in the pool, becoming a five-time swimming state champion and breaking dozens of records. Plus, she was certified with Michael Phelps Foundation as part of their IM training and water safety program which is implemented in Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
While attending University of Southern California, she studied voice under Adriana Baltic—a renowned backup vocalist and keyboardist for the likes of P!NK. Most importantly, she began working with GRAMMY® Award-winning multiplatinum producer and mixer Rob Chiarelli and co-writers The Highfields and Seth Baer on various singles. “Spinning” amassed over 180K Spotify streams, while “Every Time” generated 203K-plus Spotify streams. She contributed “Winter Days” as the title track to the Hallmark Channel film A Royal Winter and even opened for country superstar Eric Church. Plus, she garnered two honors at the Hollywood Music Awards, including “Best Holiday Song” and “Best Female Vocal.” She managed to also star in 38 theater productions and eventually appeared as the lead in A Child’s Christmas In Whales and the A Child’s Christmas In Whales-Revival with award-winning actor William Youmans and in The Wild Hunt written and directed by iconic star Bill Pullman. At school, she not only honed her voice, but also achieved a minor in Spanish and a second minor in Non-Profit Humanitarianism and Philanthropy.
Upon graduating from USC, she returned to Denver and began teaching middle school in between releasing new material. Her 2021 single “Shine Through The Rain” represents another evolution vocally and lyrically. Over strains of tense piano, her vocals reverberate with raw power straight from the heart. Perez Hilton described it as “strong and commanding” and went so far as to claim, “Isabelle has inspired us.”
“It’s an authentic representation of who I am,” she admits of the song. “It’s more personal to me. It’s about how my life is a constant balancing act. I have horrible phases where it’s like I’m running in circles or running in place, and I can’t stop just going through the motions. You can pull yourself out of it though. That’s the message. It comes down to perseverance and a dedication to yourself.”
By the same token, she wholeheartedly devotes herself to much bigger causes. After her first trip to Uganda to volunteer for the Global Livingston Institute at 15-years-old, she launched the Bulamu Raise Your Voice Community Foundation, which introduces curriculums (not only academic but also sports and music) to Ugandan schools, spearheads recycling programs, and teaches water safety. Since drowning remains the #1 cause of death in Lake Bunyoni, she taught kids and grownups swimming working specifically with the adults to maintain the lessons and reduce the number of drowning fatalities. Working with Global Livingston Institute in an effort to raise awareness for HIV and AIDS prevention as an ambassador and board member, she also graced the stage of their annual iKnow Concert Series alongside Stelth Ulvang of The Lumineers. At the event, which 30,000 attended, thousands of attendees received HIV testing and medical care.
In the end, Isabelle empowers everyone to feel with everything she does.
“I’m someone who is very vulnerable and full of emotions,” she leaves off. “I try to put my energy towards things that are larger than myself. I’m a humanitarian, educator, and a musician. When you listen to me, I hope you can get whatever you need out of my music.”
Musicians That Inspire: Prince, Amy Winehouse, The Lumineers, The Head and The Heart, Queen, and her “favorite artist of all time” Elton John
What's next? Isabelle looks forward to performing live with her band again, but will be taking a short break from recording to focus on her non-profit and humanitarian work.
Website: www.isabelle-fries.com
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook
Los Mocochetes
Hometown: Denver
Formed: March 2016
Pronouns: They/them
About: Los Mocochetes is a Xicanx/Funk band with a strong message of social justice wrapped up in a deliciously spicy taco that will make your feet move once you take even the tiniest bite. All members were born and raised in Denver and are living proof of indigenous resiliency in the face of historical, institutional attempts to eradicate our people and culture from the face of the earth. We walk in the footsteps of our ancestors and carry their prayers forward to our children and grandchildren for the next seven generations. In this way, every footstep, every dance, every song, every prayer is a symbol of resistance and strength of all our people have endured.
Website: www.losmocochetes.com
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook
Rootbeer Ritchie & the Revielle
Hometown: Denver, CO
Formed: 2021
Latest Release: "Something Like This" (Single)
Pronouns: They/them
About: From the bottom of the swamps, to the mountain tops. Swamp pop coming out of the Mile High. Born and raised in Louisiana, frontman Rootbeer Richie’s songwriting is heavily influenced by New Orleans style rhythm and blues. The band is comprised of some of the hardest hitters in the Denver music scene. Rock n roll drums, boot scootin bass, thumping piano, dueling guitars, dueling saxophones, with soulful melodies over the top. Get your dancing shoes ready, you’re gonna needs em!
Musicians that inspire: Fats Domino, Lee Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Cookie & The Cupcakes, Sam Cooke, Gladys Knight… basically almost all old, southern rhythm and blues, as well as R&B derived rock n roll bands like The Rolling Stones and The Animals
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? No, lockdown sucked.
What’s next? We’re putting out a 7” with Snappy Little Numbers, as well as a couple of spring tours to follow. And we got a lil somethin’ somethin’ extra slow cooking in da pot
! Come see us at Lost Lake headlining our first show on December 18th!
Get Social: Instagram
Satellite Pilot
Hometown: Loveland, CO
Formed: 2013
Latest Release: Satellite Pilot, 2021
Pronouns: Alex Moore (He/him), Lucas Wood (He/him), Cayden Alban (He/him), Sierra Fournier (She/he/they)
About: Satellite Pilot is a psychedelic indie-pop band from Loveland, Colorado, and they are bringing dreamy 60s pop to the manic modern age. Their extensive discography includes albums revolving around gravity defying hotels, the simplicity of a lovely day, and an army of symphonic swamp creatures. Satellite Pilot was founded by songwriter Alex Moore in 2013. In 2017, Lucas Wood, Noah Shockley, Jeremy Long and Cayden Alban joined, and most recently Sierra Fournier and Kai Peters. Their most recent release is their self-titled album, which reflects their strength in narrative driven songs. Satellite Pilot’s overarching goal is to enlarge the telepathic link rooted between people, themselves, and others. They emphasize the power of connection and positivity through music.
Musicians That Inspire: Harry Nilsson, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, Outkast, Wu-Tang Clan, Kendrick Lamar, Dr. Dog, Melody's Echo Chamber, Herbie Hancock, Broadcast, Animal Collective, Of Montreal, Junuun by Shy Ben Tzur
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? This lockdown has impacted the band in numerous ways! It was honestly really good for us while working on this album. We were able to take a lot more time with the songs than we usually do and go at them with a whole new recording approach. We usually would just record around all our various schedules but for this one we all took a week off work and spent about 70 hours in the studio tinkering away, which was a really fun change of pace, as far as recording goes. Aside from a lot of time to work on the new album, we were all able to practice a lot and really feel like we came out better as musicians individually and as a whole unit together. I think also it really has brought to not only our attentions but everyone's that live music and the community and unity that comes from it really is a beautiful thing that we get to have in our lives and not to take it for granted cause it gets pretty dull when you don’t get to share the beauty of music and the world with other humans!
Website: https://www.satellitepilot.org/
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook
Silver & Gold
Hometown: Denver, CO
Formed: 2013
Latest Release: "Everything" (Single), Oct. 14, 2021
Pronouns: Brandon Vela (He/him), Pie Lombardi (He/him), Taylor Drose (He/him), Claire Jensen (She/her), Devon Hildebrandt (He/him)
About: Silver & Gold has been creating energetic indie rock in the Denver music scene since 2013. Meeting as music majors in college, the 5-piece band sought out ways to explore their wide range of music backgrounds to create something of their own. Every song is emotionally driven, yet composed to get everyone on their feet. Silver & Gold has shared the stage with many sold out acts like Motion City Soundtrack, Mom Jeans, Brick + Mortar, Hellogoodbye, COIN, Night Riots, Sorority Noise, Eisely, Civilian and many others of the same genre.
Musicians That Inspire: All 5 of us listen to a very wide array of music on any given day. Individually, each member draws creative influence to their playing style from very different places/genres. A few artists that we feel influence our writing lately are: Microwave, Charly Bliss, Ruston Kelly, Paramore, The Paper Kites, Ben Rector, and The Midnight.
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? Lockdown really taught us how lucky we are to play music together. HUGE emphasis on together. Since the beginning of the band, we have always said that we are friends before we are musicians. 2020 showed us that the music we make is a direct result of that friendship. We spent the year focusing on us as friends, not us as a band. This helped us center on the WHY behind the songs we write.
What's next? We will be releasing a full EP and returning to the studio in early 2022.
Get Social: Instagram, Facebook, Spotify
That Kid
Hometown: Denver, CO
Formed: Have been making music since about middle school, but put my first song out in 2018!
Latest Release: My first EP, Comedown, Oct. 22, 2021!
Pronouns: He/him
About: That Kid, self-proclaimed America's Favorite Twink, is 22 years old and is Denver-based. He began making music in middle school and never looked back. Over the last couple of years he has released multiple projects, landed on the cover of Spotify's Hyperpop playlists, performed at sold-out Hev3n parties, collaborated with amazing artists such as Slayyyter and umru. This is only the beginning for this rising pop star.
Musicians That Inspire: Charli XCX, Drain Gang, and Prince
Do you feel like lockdown has shaped you as a musician/band? If so, how? I think lockdown has made me really think a lot about where I want music to take me. I think I've also become a lot more creative throughout it. I think it has made me more drivin overall.
What's next? More music, hopefully a couple shows and a super cool lyric video :)
Get Social: Twitter, Instagram
