Welcome to #UMS2019 Day One – We Know Who You Should See!
July 26, 2019It’s almost here! The Underground Music Showcase (#UMS2019) is about to crawl up into Denver’s South Broadway District and into your life, encircling your brain and squeezing every last bit of fandom from you with plenty of music, booze, beer, food, friends, and fun to keep you going. And with so many bands to choose from (there are more than 250 shows over the three-day showcase), we can see how hard it is to find your way around and choose what you want to see.
That’s where we come in. We’ve been covering the UMS since it’s infancy here at DenverThread – or at least since our infancy (though our writers and photogs have been part of UMS since the first one). So we know how to pick ’em, and we’re doing that again this year. Each day, you can check out our picks for the whole shebang, at least one for every hour of every day.
So – if you know who you want to see at, say, 8:30 (like, say, Black Mountain – hint-hint), but you’ve just finished hoofin’ it with the Grayson County Burn Ban at the Hi-Dive, and it’s only 6:45 – you’ve got some time to kill. Perfect time to look us up and see who we’re picking to best fill your musical needs between then and the big show.
In this case, that would be Briffaut at 3 Kings Tavern, or Professor Plumb at the Denver Distillery – both fantastic choices and chances to get a new band under your belt. Also – see what we did there? We even recommended TWO bands for you during that slot – giving you EVEN MORE to try out – with total confidence that the choice you make will be perfect.
And – if you do follow any of our picks (or all of them, bless your pea-pickin’ hearts!), take a second to tag us on Facebook or the ‘Gram with a #DenverThreadPick hashtag and let us know what you think!
And now – on to the DenverThread hour-by-hour picks for the best #UMS2019 Day One, Friday, July 26
| 3:20 p.m. | Knockout Stage @ Punch Bowl Social |
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Mama MagnoliaThis Denver six-piece promises to be a perfectly soulful, jazzy way to transition from your real world into the world of #UMS2019. |
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| 4:20 p.m. | Showcase Stage @ Goodwill |
Marshall Poole – Showcase Stage @ GoodwillKnown for their high-energy super cross-genre threading through rockabilly to psychedelic garage to southern fried, Marshall Poole will likely be the best thing you’ve heard coming out of Idaho – or Boise, anyway. |
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| 5:00 p.m. | Skylark Lounge |
Easter IsandDreamy pop with falsetto vocals – starting your weekend with a shoegazey mist seems about right, and Easter Island are the perfect, sweeping mid-Pacific sound to do it. |
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| 6:00 p.m. | Hi-Dive |
Grayson County Burn BanThese country folk have pulled a few threads from Camper Van Beethoven right around the famous Telephone Free Landslide Victory, doused it with Colorado mountain soul and found themselves. |
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| 7:00 p.m. | 3 Kings Tavern |
BriffautImagine The Beatles playing in The Overlook Hotel in Kubrick’s “The Shining” while Frank Booth hyperventilates in a theater seat next to you. This is Briffaut. Hey – it’s art, and it’s rock. And a love letter, straight to your heart, fucker! A Brilliant Alternative: Professor Plumb – Denver DistilleryWhen you’re more aligned with King Gizzard and Zappa’s Mothers. Great with local whiskey. |
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| 7:20 p.m. | Odyssey Stage @ Import Mechanics |
RapperchicksPrepare to be schooled by these humans who have more humanity in their fingertips than most of us have in our whole bodies. And their punk rock is fuckin’ awesome to boot. |
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| 8:00 p.m. | The Hornet |
Bevin LunaTake a little Courtney Barnett – even more Patti Smith-y that Barnett – and throw in some Joan Jett and Kurt Cobain, and you might come close to Bevin Luna’s unique roots mix. But add some truly soulful heart and a wicked sweet voice, and you’re even closer. |
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| 8:30 p.m. | Showcase Stage @ Goodwill |
Black MountainStephen McBean might just be the Canadian Brian Jones – from the famous San Fransisco Massacre, not those other old dudes. Stick around to find out. |
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| 9:00 p.m. | 3 Kings Tavern |
SpirettesThis three-piece will bring the night into the cool, spacey place you need about now, only to surprise you with an ethereal explosion of noise at the moment you feel most relaxed. Just like your last relationship – only this will devastate you the right way. A Brilliant Alternative: Turvy Organ – Skylark LoungeNeed a taste of Bright Eyes meets Arcade Fire beauty? This band may bring that too mind, just a little. |
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| 10:00 p.m. | 3 Kings Tavern |
The Savage BlushThis psychedelic surf band brings their own reverb cavern with them, where you’ll find yourself encamped for days, swimming up and around to try and find your way to Rebecca Williams’ siren vocals. A Brilliant Alternative: Neoma – The Irish Rover PubA recent transplant from Ecuador, Neoma brings her beautiful voice and smooth pop hooks up to Denver. Well worth it. |
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| 11:00 p.m. | Moe’s Original BBQ |
Violet’s GunStraight up, loud, pissy hard rock goes well with late nights, and this band brings it. Try them out with some late night BBQ, while you’re at it. Another Brilliant alternative: The Velveteers – 3 Kings TavernFuzz heavy enough to cover you & keep you warm through several upcoming polar vortexes, expertly meted out by Demi Demitro. And two drummers. That is all. And that is all you need. |
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| 12:00 a.m. | The Irish Rover Pub |
OKO TYGRALong time local phenom Joshua Novak’s atmospheric, ambient rock band will grace the passage of the first day of UMS with some major glory – and possibly match the earlier Colorado sunset. Be sure to catch this one. Another Brilliant alternative: Silver & Gold – Skylark LoungeThis five-piece of friends makes friendly, high-energy indie rock to keep you awake and dancing into the wee-est of the wee hours. |
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| 1:00 a.m. | Skylark Lounge |
iZCALLiiZCALLi plays hard, hard rock extracted straight from Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” IT’s what they call RETI – Rock En Tu Idioma – reflecting the true melting pot of our community. |
