Standout CO Artists From SXSW 2014
Hillary Hand
Playing as a solo/duo act from Colorado Springs, Hillary Hand was featured in four unofficial showcases this year at SXSW, including shows at the 512, Shanga-Li, and the Chuggin’ Monkey. This year was the first time the group has had the opportunity to travel to Austin for the festival but they played with such ease and confidence that it seemed like Austin was a second home. Hillary’s soaring vocals are reminiscent of Adele’s 21 album, with traces of Fiona Apple. Coupled with her lyrics of love and loves’ lost and Hillary Hand is impossible to ignore. Two of her showcases featured a drummer/guitar player that brought an elegant edge to the sound; filling out shallow parts of each song and setting a rhythm to dance along to. Hillary Hand is a must-see so keep an eye out for shows around Denver this Spring.
Rose Quartz
Formally know as FLASH/LIGHTS, Rose Quartz made their way down to Austin with a few of their friends from Holy Underground. This was the first year that Holy Underground has had the pleasure of hosting an official SXSW showcase and they rocked the Speakeasy Kabaret. Ethan and Alex, the two members of Rose Quartz, lay down an electro-drum beat, get the crowd moving and wowed every audience they played for. The unforgettable combination of Alex’s electro-pop beats combined with Ethan’s luscious vocal melodies make it impossible to stand still. With a sound akin to the likes of Cut Copy and Holy Ghost!, it’s no wonder that every concert hall they played was packed to capacity. Catch them live here in Denver either at Snowball or at the Bluebird opening for !!!.
Welcome to the D.O.P.E. Game
Representing the ever growing Denver HipHop crew Welcome to the D.O.P.E. Game, Turner Jackson, Hustle Man and Tommy Brown performed together in a short but energetic set at the AllHipHop.com official showcase. The set opened with Turner Jackson and Hustle Man’s collaboration “Drink These Shots” off of Jackson’s Black Electric Love album. As the first track faded out Tommy Brown stormed the stage, winning the crowd over with his rapid delivery. The rest of the set consisted of alternating solo verses, ending with a rousing back-and-forth chant of “Welcome to the D.O.P.E. Game!” led by Turner Jackson. The three man set was one of the highlights in a long night of hip hop which wrapped up with an appearance from ASAP Rocky. Seeing the way these three interacted on stage, we can only hope they do another collaborative set in Denver soon.