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The Super Bowl Halftime Show Sucked!

 

The mind numbing boredom of the Super Bowl is finally over (did Denver even show up?).  We can all go back to our extremely monotonous and boring lives consisting mostly of staring at our cellphones in public and being totally self-involved with shitty internet blogs and writing Super Bowl Halftime music reviews.

With this said, I am sure no one was staring at their cellphones during the “memorable” performance of Bruno Mars and Red Hot Chili Peppers during the Super Bowl halftime show.  For all the glitz and glam of the Halftime Show, there wasn’t a talented individual on stage; after the game, it was apparent the whole stadium was void of talent. Talk about hype…Talk about disappointment…

While I drunkenly stared at the blaring, gigantic TV during the Halftime show in some overfilled LoDo bar; it appeared at first midgets had taken the stage of the Halftime Super Bowl Show…Instantly, I was excited…”Midget Revolution? Midget Super Bowl?” I thought, drunkenly.

Once the lights were switched on and the silhouettes of the mini people were illuminated; my hopes were destroyed.  It wasn’t midgets after all.  Rather it was rosy cheeked children (the worst people in the world); one could sense a true disaster was unfolding right before our very eyes.

Soon Bruno Mars took the stage with his “unbelievable” drumming, covered in full regalia looking like a lesbian Elvis Presley or possibly a blacker Max Headroom.  Was it any coincidence that Pepsi was behind this debacle?? (Remember Max Headroom and Pepsi campaigns of the 80s??  I hated Max Headroom, he was super creepy, but I would have taken him & a Pepsi over Bruno Mars any day, especially on this very day).

Anyways, you got to give it to Bruno; she was one fine looking chick..(pause).  Besides ripping off every great artist of the past, literally from head to toe (moves of James Brown, clothes of The Temptations, garbage of every 90s alternative band) one hopes something, anything of interest would happen; especially with all that stealing of nostalgia and artists of the past thing going on. Unfortunately nothing exciting occurred; all we were left with was a mash up cluster fuck of every generic music genre known to man; what spewed forth was worse than anyone could imagine.  It was a weak attempt of every weak attempt in the history of weak attempts at a live performance. Amazingly, all of this mess was done within 10 minutes!  Quite impressive, but the horror wasn’t over yet…

Geriatric front man, Anthony Kieds, took the stage shirtless as usual Jumping off stage. I was scared, and not in a cool way – more of like the “dude, put your shirt on, you old fuck” kind of way. Soon, everyone was chattering about how good he looked for 50.  I was thinking, sure, but who wants to see a shirtless 50 year old man flop around on stage??? RHCP started kicking out the jams; actually the very same jams I remember from grammar school.  Who thought I would be doomed to listen to the same shitty music I did back when I was a wee young one?  Am I in hell?  Nietzsche was right about the Eternal Return!!! AH!

The Red Hot Chili Peppers sucked then, and with all the fame and exposure one would think that would change, that they would progress. Unfortunately, they still suck and have not progressed in any way possible.  The beanie wearing, 60 year old, arrested development, Will Ferrell looking drummer looked as if he would die at any minute.  Is this what “Rock” has come too?  Watching these old idiots jump around while acting and dressing the same they did 25 years ago???  Playing the very same boring songs they did 25 years ago??? Is this what people want??? Is this entertainment??  I ASK YOU WORLD; IS THIS WHAT YOU SEEK!?!

Tick or Flea or whatever he called himself looked about the same; maintaining his physique through years of drug use that preserved him like a well pickled egg.  Everything was sad and pathetic to me, but the fans looked like they were having fun (hopefully they were handsomely rewarded, because that is the only way I would be looking as they did).

Between the doo-wop dress and dance of 40 years ago and the same song from 20 some years ago everyone must have thought “how original”, “how unique”; rather than think “what a hot mess of outdated pop culture and nostalgia crap quickly slapped together”. Apparently, aging celebrities beyond their prime and ripping off dead artists of the past is all the rage within the music scene today.  This, of course, is due to the absolute void and absence of anything with artistic merit and the dominance and institution of the music industry and nostalgia as a manufactured art dominated by corporations who then feed us back “what is cool”.

In all honesty, I didn’t even watch the Halftime show at the bar on that fateful day of the Super Bowl; I just watched it on YouTube 20 minutes ago.  During the actual Halftime on Super Bowl Day, about thirty seconds in (after being disappointed about the midgets), I decided to go to the 7/11 to buy beer.  This is mostly due to the fact that I am a cheap ass and didn’t want to drop $5 at the overpriced and over packed bar with amateur drunks yelling constantly and incoherently.

In conclusion, can we please dispel of these semi-retarded, elderly performers beyond their shitty prime and “give it away, give it away” and start fresh with some young, up and coming talent?  By young and fresh talent, I do not mean nostalgic douche-bags nor talentless Max Headroom’s.  I, for one, am not holding my breath.  Everything sucks now and there is no turning back. However, I look to all of you – Go out and make it a better world. For the love of god, do something new and original…Please…Time is running out…

 

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Holy Underground Is Proving Their Potential

 

The Denver based artist development agency, Holy Underground, is having no problem in keeping up with the demand for new music. In the past few months, they have thrown an official CMJ Music Marathon Showcase in New York with the likes of Hockey and Shy Girls, have added two new amazing artists to the roster: Brothertiger (out of New York) and Inner Oceans, and are about to announce 2 more new artist signings to their HUG Records imprint in the coming months.  Considering the agency is already home to locally renowned acts such as In The Whale, FLASH/LIGHTS, and RUMTUM as well as national acts out of California: Real Magic and StaG, it’s safe to  say that Holy Underground is absolutely killing it.

Holy Underground functions as a one-stop shop for many of their artists since they do artist management, booking, and have their own record label, HUG Records. What else could a band need? Well how about showcase spots at the 2014 SXSW? Four artists from the roster, Brothertiger, FLASH/LIGHTS, StaG and Inner Oceans will be playing for the masses this year, & showing the industry what Denver has to offer. I have no doubt that each group will uphold their reputation. Add on top of that – appearances at the Treefort Music Fest in Boise, Idaho and it’s clear that Holy Underground’s artists are making some big moves on the national scale.

Considering most of the artists on the Holy Underground roster are from the indie/electronic genre, the firm doesn’t have too much local competition. The Vinefield Agency is another Denver staple that has signed multiple artists in the past year but they tend to deal with clients from the Indie / Alternative Rock scene. Unless someone is crazy enough to take on Holy Underground and their remarkable reputation, I see this company as one that will keep growing to become home to some of the best indie/electronic artists from around the U.S..

 

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A Band In Pictures: Recess (Single Review)

 

Up-and-coming indie rockers, A Band In Pictures, released their first full-length LP, Who Killed the Dinosaurs, at their sold out New Years Eve show at the Larimer Lounge. Well over a year in the making, their album was funded by the bands very gracious fans through a successful Kickstarter campaign. The first song on the album and the official single “Recess” is one of my personal favorites from the band to date and one that I can see getting the band some serious exposure.

The song starts out with Connor Birch’s very recognizable synth-line, reminiscent of late Animal Collective, that, along with the bass, played by Emerson Murphy, is the driving force behind the entire tune. Jake Supple, lead singer, takes the song to beautiful places with his melodious vocals and self-identifiable shrieks. His voice, drenched in reverb, reminds me a lot of Bradford Cox from Deerhunter. Add on top of this delay-heavy electric guitar from Noah Pfaff and complex, for the genre, drums from Nick Berlin and in my opinion you get one of the best songs to come out of Denver in the past year.

To clear up any confusion you might have, as of this month, the band changed their name slightly from Abandin Pictures to A Band In Pictures. I assume they were tired of explaining how to spell it. To check out more from these talented young guns, you can buy their new album at Twist and Shout and online in due time.

 

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Rubedo: Interview

 

I had first seen Rubedo, a kick-ass Denver band, last year at the University of Colorado Denver’s CAM JAM festival.  Their performance was energetic and powerful, while still hanging on to the subtleties that could define their sound in their compositions.  When the offer for and interview came through, I immediately said yes. With their new album, Love is the Answer, out now and a tour kicking off on the 25th, I knew they would have something to say.  As always, the guys did not disappoint.

 

Jennifer: First off I want to say a big “Hey!” to the guys of Rubedo, and start this off with a classic question: Where did you all meet and how did Rubedo come to be?

Rubedo: The 3 of us are Denver natives whose roots reach as far back as grade school. Rubedo is a word that describes the process of integrating ones vibrational nature with the physical plane to produce gold.  Cosmic chance, synchronicity, fate… I’m not sure how we came to be.  All I know is that we are always evolving.

 

Your new album, Love is the Answer, blends a lot of different techniques and genres. When you guys compose, do you keep a specific sound in mind, or does it bloom into its own sound?

R:  I like that.  It is a blooming mess.  Our sound is found through feeling.  Feeling guided mind compositions.  Individually our musical tastes are not limited to genre, so collectively we’re able to channel infinite sounds that match the feeling that the song seeks to express.

 

“My Oh My” is definitely one of my top favorite tracks, I love that you started the album off with a slower song. The brightness of the guitar matched with the echoing vocals provides the perfect balance of musical pleasure. How did you guys decide to arrange the album?

R: Thank you, you know we used to play that song much faster.  That is one of the great things that our producer Ikey Owens (of Mars Volta, Jack White) embedded into the album.  Each song was presented to him with an understanding that his objective prospective may shed light on the overlooked.  His input really is imprinted in each song.  By the time we had the final mixes it was just a matter putting the pieces together to see the full picture.

 

How did the song, “Love is the Answer”, become the title track?

R: Love Is the Answer is one of the first songs we wrote for the album, also one of the most fun to play live.  Simply put.

rubedo cover

 All of the tracks highlight the different instruments and equipment use/d what are your favorite to play, and how long have you all been playing your instruments?

 

R: It’s hard to tell. You see, we’ve got this time machine that grants us the ability to play lifetimes of music and come back for that next gig.  My favorite instrument is a Lunadulcer but alas, it hasn’t been invented yet.

 

You guys are going to be kicking off a tour on the 25th of January at the Bluebird, ending in Arkansas. What do you guys like to do to prepare for life on the road?

 

R: We like to gradually incorporate the touring life style back into our lives by routinely sleeping on hardwood floors and eating truck stop snacks to avoid culture shock.

 

After playing many different venues, which Colorado venue surpassed them all for you? Worst Venue?

R: Both questions same answer Lions Lair

 

If a fan wanted to get back stage, what would they have to do?

R: They’d have to bring a bottle of gin and some corn syrup for libations, 2 living chickens – one white one black one male one female, and one John the conqueror root.

 

I noticed on your Bandcamp page that you have a name-your-price option for your record. How did you decide to use this model as a selling platform?

R: We wanted to put it out as soon as it was done and we wanted people to have it as soon as they wanted it.  We didn’t feel like money was the good middle man.

 

After this upcoming tour, what can we expect from Rubedo?

R: We have a year of pretty much nonstop touring ahead of us, a bunch of festivals, and we’ve moved Rubedo headquarters to Dryer Plug Studios to begin the writing process for our next record.

 

 I want to thank you all again for taking the time to do this interview and good luck on your tour!

R: Thank you so much for your support and we look forward to talking to you again!!

Rubedoooodes out

(Kyle, Alex, Gregg)

 

You can catch Rubedo at the Bluebird Theatre on January 25th!  To find out more about the band, watch videos, and buy their tunes, head over to the links below.

 

CPR performance “Love is the Answer”

CPR performance “Ain’t it Funny”

Moon Magnet Sessions “My Oh My”

WEB: http://www.rubedomusic.com/

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Infinite Rhymes: Inside the Rap-A-Thon

 

The culture in Denver is so thick, I don’t think a knife could slice through it. January 10th’s Rap-A-Thon was a hearty representation of the thriving MileHI Music scene. The Savoy was a delightful concoction of versatile flavor. A rather saucy crowd displayed the Denver fashion scene with much grace & dapper. Local brands Illah Strated, Errld Apparel, & the Hedi Counsel brought offerings of freshness. The first lady of Colorado, Mary Jane, was highly honored with Royal Blunts & Cannoisseur sharing their wealth. The air was fragranced by plumes of smoke & aromas of dabs. Deep Eddy Vodka coated the throats of happily inebriated patrons. Most importantly, ears were adorned & positively permeated with strong rhymes.

For three hours rapper after rapper dropped their piece. More impressive than the quantity was the quality of lyricism. Artists from all corners of the box came out to hard body the cypher. A few of our favorite crews came united and conquered. Special mention goes out to Urbane Society, Soul City Studios, Squizzy & Welcome to D.O.P.E Game. The array of artists who gripped the mic was so vast we just couldn’t cover everyone. The numerous artists I was itching to feature slipped anonymously away into the crowd. I will be throwing lassos & reeling you all in at the next Rap-A-Thon. For now, please know our collective ears were pleased with the lyrical presentations of the night. To those of you who didn’t attend the event, we’ve collected responses from all perspectives of the cypher. The scoop doesn’t come from the goodness of our hearts. Really, we mean to make you jealous about the psychedelic evening you missed. Below you’ll hear the takes of Ru Johnson & Lizzy Brodie who planned & produced the cypher, as well as commentary from the host MC Big House & three of the participants: Ill Seven, Rebel Minority, & Logistixx.

 

Ru Johnson & Lizzy Brodie

Q: What is your vision for the music scene in Colorado?

Ru: Elevation. Cooperation & upward movement.

Lizzy: To continue to support & showcase the talent!

Q: How do you believe cyphers like the Rap-A-Thon impact both artists and audience?

Ru: To see such a big cypher positioned to focus only on the rhymes is quite incredible. Both the emcees & the audiences are always pleasantly surprised to find such a solid focus on the rhymes & the celebration of the emcee. Artists become inspired by their craft while audiences get to indulge in an onslaught of never ending rhymes. Win, win for all involved!

Lizzy: The Rap-A-Thon is special to me because of how positive the feedback is. The emcees get so excited & are grateful to have a platform to showcase
their skills, learn & create with so many other local talents. I think it brings something completely new to the artist & the community.

Q: If you could deliver one message about the creative culture in Colorado what would that message be?

Ru: The scene is thriving, independent & incredibly motivated & inspired by organic movements. Colorado is more than weed & mountains (though we love both), but a place where artists are tapping into the deepest parts of creativity & executing the vision with perfection.

Lizzy: That we are here, growing & learning! There are so many motivated & passionate people here; tapping into your creative skills is not hard to do! Come get inspired in Colorado!

Q: When can we expect another Rap-A-Thon?

Ru: The next Rap-A-Thon is yet to be announced however we will be competing to break the Guinness Book of World Records for marathon rap time. We outchea.

Lizzy: Yes! I don’t think the people would let us stop this event. We are looking to break records next time! The Rap-A-Thon will only get bigger &
better from here.

 

MC Big House

Q: In your opinion what is the ideal outcome of a cypher?

Big House: The ideal outcome of any cypher is to evaluate the elite vs the average; the emcee vs the rapper; the skilled vs those who think they have the ability! All of that while allowing by standers to become fans of what they find interesting in each participant. However, some may leave with fewer fans.

Q: What are your tips for commanding a crowd?

Big House: Commanding a crowd involves skill first, you can’t control a crowd if you first can not control a microphone! Know your craft! Have a commanding voice, speak with authority, be original, be intellectual, be above average. Many people are involved for many reasons, be able to cover as many bases as you can in the length of time provided.

Q: Do you consider it cheating if a rapper isn’t free-styling?

Big House: In this day & age you can’t expect someone to completely freestyle in a cypher, unless it’s classified as a freestyle session. A lot of people these days choose the pen game over the freestyle game. Many rhymes are premeditated in a cypher. Basicially, people bring their cheat sheet, but the class can now use their notes on the tests.

Q: What do you envision for the music scene in Colorado?

Big House: I vision for the music scene to be put on an international spotlight,and allow our scene to be respected for the talent within these walls. I believe that recognition is achieved by creating undeniable music; above standard business practices, & ultimately uniting the community to stand strong for the arts produced here!

 

Ill Seven

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Ill: All my rhymes except for one verse were freestyle; I think the art of freestyle is important because it forces an artist to work that brain without over analyzing. Free-styling gives you the true spirit of an artist, not one that is premeditated.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Ill: My movement. I’m an Artivist, meaning an artist that’s an activist. I do workshops in middle & high schools, as well as colleges. We discuss dealing with social problems & come up with social solutions. I think it’s easy to focus on money. I choose to use my art to provoke & motivate change. I believe revolution is dead & the next step is for the people. For us to step into evolution, the progression of the mind. There’s not only black and white issues, but people issues. Issues ranging from misogyny to the haves vs the have nots.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Ill: I’d like to see the music scene step out of the boxes & limitations that the commercial main stream puts on us. As for my career, I want to see myself grow into a voice of the people & use my art as the vehicle.

 

Rebel Minority

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Rebel: I was, I like to challenge myself & feed off of the energy in the moment. I think that ability does enhance your arsenal & showcases lyrical ability & flow away from writing. Ultimately though, free-styling is fun for an artist.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Rebel: At the event it was all about love & having fun. I think my lyrical content sets me apart, I choose to talk about different topics & address them in a unique way. I make music that is a reflection of me not what the industry demands. I also feel my style & flow stands out, you’ll never mistake me for another Colorado rapper.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Rebel: I would like to see this “Artistic Renaissance,” continue to grow. The amount of quality art coming from not only the music culture but all mediums is booming right now. From my own career I want to the see my new project “Colorful Abyss,” dropping next month do exceptionally well. I want more people to hear my music locally & nationally.

 

Logistixx

Q: Were you free-styling at the Rap-A-Thon? If so, how do you think the ability to freestyle enhances an artist’s arsenal?

Logistixx: I was both free-styling & spitting verses. I went up four lengthy times. I approached the first two times as a warm up with some verses & the last two I mainly free-styled.

Q: What differentiates you from other artists?

Logistixx: I believe that my confidence differentiates me from other rappers. But there are always new ways I will discover which differentiate me.

Q: What would you like to see 2014 bring to the music culture in Colorado & to your career specifically?

Logistixx: I would like to see more dope rappers get out there & form more connections with other rappers. As far as my career for 2014, it comes down to me & how I go about my come up since I’m my own competition.

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Before we part ways we have one friendly word of advice. All of the individuals we interviewed have bequethed you emcees to please familiarize yourselves with the proper form of a microphone checker. As a rapper the mic is your instrument, your tool, an extension of your message. Kind of like a wizard’s wand each microphone is different but here a few tips that will have you well on your way to conjuring magic with the mic.

Placement: Most microphones will pick up sound best at a distance of four-six inches from your mouthpiece.

Angle: Position the microphone at a horizontal angle. The horizontal position ensures that sound is shot directly into the resonator.

Grip: Do not smother the grill of the mic. Wrap your hand firmly around the stem & let that mic know you are not playing.

Movement: Wherever your head goes, the microphone follows. Think of the microphone like the red dot of a sniper rifle. No matter where the target sways, that dot is always aimed at it.

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We’ve listed links that will direct you to the lovely individuals interviewed above & their content:

Ru Johnson: Facebook  – Lizzy Brodie: Facebook – MCbig House: Facebook | BandCamp – Ill Seven: Website – Rebel Minority: SoundCloud – Logistixx: Website