The UMS is rockin’ – Here’s DenverThread’s list for Day Two

The UMS is rockin’ – Here’s DenverThread’s list for Day Two

July 22, 2011 Off By Billy Thieme

Day one’s in the books, and it looks as if the 11th Annual UMS is off to a roarin’ start!

But – if you thought last Thursday night’s activities were brilliant, epic, miraculous – or tragic, melancholy, maudlin – hold on to your pants. The momentum’s just beginning!

Friday is the New Black

Here are our toppers for Friday, July 22 – and we’re happy to say that it was a damned tough job boiling the lineup down! The first few are our predictions for Friday night’s owners of the UMS. Scroll on down for a listing of the rest of our recommendations, in chronological order (still just a fraction of all the action!).

Friday’s UMS Lineup is owned by …

Oklahoma breeds strange, beautiful happiness. Colourmusic said so. (Photo: Colourmusic)

Oklahoma breeds strange, beautiful happiness. Colourmusic said so. (Photo: Colourmusic)

Colourmusic
3 Kings Tavern – Sailor Jerry Stage @11PM

Oklahoma seems to be fertile ground for a sort of bombastic optimism. Or maybe it’s a heightened sense of existentialism that leads artists to just say “Fuck it! I’m partying!” And then watch everything in their lives happily begin to fall into place. It’s chaos at its most beautifully complex, and most hilariously sublime.

Cue Colourmusic.

‘Nuff said. Go see them.

SRSLY.

 

Twin Guns bring the psyche in from Brooklyn. (Photo: Twin Guns)

Twin Guns bring the psyche in from Brooklyn. (Photo: Twin Guns)

Twin Guns (NY)
3 Kings Tavern – Sailor Jerry Stage
@ 8PM

Out of Brooklyn-by-way-of-Pueblo (at least half of the duo), Twin Guns flail with a furious, drug-addled  post core drenched in reverb, and make a rock noise that recalls Spacemen 3, Alien Sex Fiend and BRMC and a few more like them. Sure to leave you massaging your ears, grinning, possibly sleep-drinking (or feeling like you have been).

 

 

 

Joshua Novak = talent. (Photo: MySpace)

Joshua Novak = talent. (Photo: MySpace)

Joshua Novak
Skylark Lounge Verizon Wireless Stage @ 10PM

Denver’s Brit-pop superstar in hiding, Joshua Novak channels both Liam & Noel, and a little Difford & Tillbrook through his brilliant compositions. Just look at how he (famously) plays his guitar – outfitted for a righty – upside down and lefty! Then tell us you’re not entranced…

But it’s the music, really, that gets you. It’ll stick to you, too!

 

 

Virtual CH is Chrisn Harrington - the 21st-Century 1-Man-Band! (Photo: Virtual CH)

Virtual CH is Chris Harrington - the 21st-Century 1-Man-Band! (Photo: Virtual CH)

Virtual CH (Chris Harrington – MN)
Skylark Lounge Verizon Wireless Stage @ 7PM

Minnesota’s Chris Harrington will blow your mind. Visually and musically. There’s something extreme about playing everything yourself. Something more than an inability to delegate. Can’t put my finger on it, but Harrington has it – in spades.

Prepare for the ultimate in a unique one-man band experience – two screens (one Harrington on bass, one Harrington on drums) and Harrington on guitar. And it’s all live. THAT is worth the price of admission on its own, if you ask me…

 

As promised: Here’s the rest of the DenverThread list for UMS Day Two

And we keep chuggin’ through all the excess. like a kid in a candy store. A candy store filled with sonic booms in the shapes of giant lollipops, and screeching metal marshmallow puffs – wait, where were we going with that?

Anyhow – here’s the list:

AlamedaHi-Dive – Illegal Pete’s Stage @ 6PM (also Illiterate Gallery @ 7:30 Sat) – Plays a quiet folk-pop, imbued with Nick Drake, steeped in Simon & Garfunkel.

Night Sweats3 Kings Tavern – Sailor Jerry Stage @ 6PM – is electronic that reminds us of the popular Girl Talk mashup style.

Lee Penn Sky (ID) – Hornet- RMCAD Stage @ 6PM (Also at Michelangelo’s Coffee & Wine Bar @ 7PM Saturday) –  plays strained, pristine folk rock that recalls Bill Callahan and the great  Townes Van Zandt. Try not to cry when you read about Sky’s Idaho life, and then when you hear how he’s made music out of it…

MetermaidsGoodwill Parking Lot – Groove Automotive Stage @ 6:45 PM – are a solid, hilarious hip hop rock band from NYC, recalling Flobots, and mixing in their own blend of hip.

The Omens3 Kings Tavern – Sailor Jerry Stage @ 7PM – play fast, hard postcore, with a tint of burlesque goth and solid shockabilly.

Fierce Bad Rabbit – Hi-Dive – Illegal Pete’s Stage @ 7PM – Play passionate, anthemic string-laden pop – we can’t help but think of DeVotchka, with Built To Spill-leaning vocals

Mr AnonymousTS Board Shop – Bands for Lands Stage @ 7PM – formerly a member of longtime boulder band The Samples, is a new Dancehall/Reggae force, collaborating at times with legends like Ranking Roger, Sly & Robbie, and more.

EpiloguesGoodwill Parking Lot – Groove Automotive Stage @ 7:30 PM – Power pop/hard rock – recalls Silversun Pickups

VarletHi-Dive – Illegal Pete’s Stage @ 8PM – Lilly Scott (American Idol ex-contestant) – features sultry pop, sweet vocals – if a little light headed.

Andy Monley and the High HorsesMoe’s Original Bar B Que – Verizon Wireless Stage @9PM – is Ex- Jux County/Czars/Velveteen Monster hero Andy Monley’s new project – sheer guitar rock, with a swinging undercurrent.

Glass Hits3 Kings Tavern – Sailor Jerry Stage @ 9PM – Play a heavy, shrill, metal noise – reminiscent of Big Black, Shellac and The Jesus Lizard.

Sage FrancisGoodwill Parking Lot – Groove Automotive Stage @ 9PM – Plays solid, smooth hip hop-indie, or poetic rap, recalls an angrier MC 900-ft Jesus

Lil’ ThunderClub 404 @ 9PM – Marie Litton (Ghost Buffalo) plays solid, strong, rooted guitar rock.

Gardens & VillaHi-Dive – Illegal Pete’s Stage @ 10PM – Strong indie synth postpunk.

Kingdom of Magic3 Kings Tavern – Sailor Jerry Stage @10PM – Sludge punk stoner thrash – perfectly pounding, sweaty, sexy.

Kissing PartyIrish Rover – Red Stripe Stage @ 10PM – A replicant Belle & Sebastian in Denver – well worth the wait.

GenerationalsHi-Dive – Illegal Pete’s Stage @ Midnight – Cool pop, this duo channels the best parts of T-Rex in their indie aesthetic.

Git Some3 Kings Tavern – Sailor Jerry Stage @ Midnight – Sexy noise punk metal slash sludge, perfect to inspire nuclear-locomotive sex drives.

Follow us!!

Be sure and follow @DenverThread on Twitter to receive live updates on UMS shenanigans! Follow @RVRB – the Denver Post’s HeyReverb.com Twitter, while you’re at it! We’ll be trolling the same places as you, and would love to say hi!

Tune in tomorrow for Saturday’s List!

Threader

  • Billy Thieme

    Aging punk rocker with a deep of all things musical and artistic, enough to remain constantly young and perpetually mystified. Billy has journalistic dreams, but of a decidedly pastoral, Scottish nature.