We had planned to go to this show a week or two ago when we heard that a local Denver band called Random Hero would be playing. We'd listened to their stuff online and were really impressed. They actually remind me of a band from back in DC called Waking State. I'm alway curious about bands who have female lead singers--I guess it's cool to see girls out there being successful at something I honestly didn't have the guts to go through with. Anyway, we wanted to see if what we heard on recording was as good in person.
The night ended up being completely different than we were shooting for, but in a great way. First of all, the venue itself is adorable. It's kind of a hole-in-the-wall, but they've got pool tables and a fully stocked bar. I also happened to notice that they host both beer pong tournaments and buzz-in trivia nights. It seems to be a pretty well-known place among the local crowd--the walls were donned with photos of karaoke contests and tons of flyers for various bands. The stage area was bigger than I would have expected from a place like that--a band could get a real good setup going there if they wanted to.
We got there insanely early (we were told 6pm, so we were there RIGHT on time), as we did not realize there would be six bands and that Random Hero would be the last band to play (putting them on stage around 11pm or so). We figured we'd shoot a few games of pool, see if anyone was worth listening to, and take off pretty shortly. When the first guy started playing, we stayed pretty firm in our decision. It's not that he was bad or anything--I admire anyone who has the courage to write a bunch of stuff and then go perform it in front of any people, even if it's just two randoms playing pool who aren't really paying attention. I wish I could remember his name, but I can't for the life of me. Whatever works--I hope he keeps writing, and I hope he continues to get out there and sing. No one should be denied the opportunity to share music.
Next was a real treat. A group called Skyrise to Martus came on and completely defied our expectations. My first observation was how much energy they had, despite the small crowd. They were obviously playing for their own benefit, and to be honest, I think that makes music come across much more genuinely. I think there is always a time and a place to work the crowd, but there's nothing better than watching a band who so clearly just loves doing what they're doing. The music itself was also pretty darn impressive--they show definite musical talent in every song they perform.
Ryan, who does the lead vocals, has a powerful belt and seems to never miss a note. They've put together some nice harmonies in a couple of the songs, which I think is one of the marks of a quality group. Luis does most of the lead guitar work (although Ryan does a little bit also) and has incredible technical ability. He also very clearly has the ear for knowing when to go on a rant and when to blend, which helps the group stay versatile as they move from song to song. All of this combined with Mike's excellent bass tone--it's a little bit higher than I'm used to hearing, which makes it come out a little stronger--and Joshua's fast and furious drumming makes for a great show both on an entertainment and a technical level.
My favorite song they played is called "Red Light Tragedy" and it is up on their MySpace page
(www.myspace.com/skyrisetomartus). I definitely suggest you check it out--it is definitely the anthem of their set, and although they didn't end with it, they probably should. They could really bring the house down. They are playing again this Friday and I'm extremely excited to see them again, this time armed with having listened to their music more and actually knowing it. I want to see them do well--they just have enormous potential.
The next band that came out was Ashfield. While they also clearly have talent, I just was not as blown away by their creativity. It sounded to me like they took the approach of trying to write a bunch of singles. While that could be a good goal, in their case, it caused every song they played to sound very similar to the one before it. I considered asking them for their setlist from the night, but the most I thought about it, the more I realized that it wouldn't make a difference--everything has already blended together in my head and may as well have been one song. Again, I'm not discounting their talent at all, I just would like to see them push it a little more--not be afraid to experiment. Maybe it's simply a result of me not knowing their music well enough, and perhaps I'll feel differently about it the next time I see them. I also was probably reeling a bit from being so pleasantly surprised at the band before them.
The last band we stuck around for (it was getting very late) was Asylum Cinema. I knew it was going to be an extremely interesting set as I watched them set up. As the tenor sax, violin, and bongo drums appeared, I started bracing myself for what was to come. Now, this is a band that's got style. They successfully fuse reggae with electronic with classical with hard rock. I've honestly never heard anything like it before. Their collective energy probably radiated outside the building, and their talent absolutely surpasses most local bands I've seen in any city. Every single member of the band is a complete powerhouse. If you want to hear a guy who can belt out with beautiful tone and perfectly in tune, but then deliver a powerful scream the next minute... or watch a guy display fabulous classical training on both piano and violin, and then pull out the most vicious funk on a 5 string bass... or see a bassist with lightning fast fingers who can also rival Flea and Mike Gordon with his slapping ability... or just hear some serious epic breakdowns (yes, that is plural)... then this is a band for you. Even though I took a ton of notes during their set, I'm actually having trouble writing about it. I almost feel like you need to just hear it for yourself. They have a page at www.myspace.com/asylumcinema and it is definitely worth checking out.
So what was going to be a low-key night actually turned into a night of exciting finds. I'm looking forward to seeing all three bands again at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later. I'll definitely go back to the Iliff Park Saloon, even if just to have a drink and shoot some pool. I want to thank the guys from Skyrise to Martus for hanging out and just generally being nice and fun people, and thanks to everyone for the music. Good night, and till next time.
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