MUSICMARAUDERS

Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Denver, CO Words & Photos By Coleman Schwartz Improvisation is one of the best parts of music. When musicians communicate with each other onstage and adapt to each other’s playing, styles and genres fuse together into a beautiful, spontaneous creation. Especially in the jam scene, it is not uncommon to see bands spend a large chunk of their performance on improvisation. Everyone Orchestra takes this concept to the next level by playing an entire two-set show, made up of only improvised music. Conductor, Matt Butler, directs a rotating cast of musicians, helping them to make up a cohesive show on-the-fly. Their lineup is tailored to the location, always featuring plenty of local talent, along with a few out-of-towners. This two-night-run at Denver’s Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom featured a host of talent from Colorado’s vibrant music scene, including Michael Kang and Michael Travis (electric mandolin and drums, String Cheese Incident), Oteil

Nectar Lounge Seattle, WA Words By Coleman Schwartz Kung Fu is a New England funk quintet that has gained a reputation for jaw-dropping live sets. Fans know to expect a ridiculous dance-party to follow wherever they may tour, and this upcoming Saturday (January 30) evening in Seattle is certain to be no exception. Fremont’s incomparable Nectar Lounge will play host to this bombastic, extravagant performance. The band features Tim Palmieri (guitar), Robert Somerville (tenor saxophone), Beau Sasser (keyboards), Chris DeAngelis (bass guitar) and Adrian Tramontano (drums and percussion). While each member is well-schooled in the classics of the funk genre, they are also highly skilled jazz musicians. These influences are fused with modern electronica sensibilities to create a live show that truly has something to offer to fans of all styles. The band has only performed once before in Seattle, in support of funk-legends Galactic. This will be their first headlining gig here, and

Yoshi's Oakland, CA Photos By Derek Miles ( Miles Photography ) View Derek's Full Photo Gallery Here! www.towerofpower.com

Park House Denver, CO Join us on Friday January 22 at Park House in Denver, CO for MusicMarauders Presents Digital Beat Down & That John Arnold! Ticket are only $8.00 (fee free) in advance at www.eventbrite.com ! www.digitalbeatdown.com

Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO Words By Coleman Schwartz Photos By Kevin Hahn ( Split Open & Shoot ) On a cold Saturday evening, thousands of fans gathered at Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium to witness do-it-all jam aficionados Umphrey’s McGee get down for the final show of four consecutive nights at the venue. Guitarist Brendan Bayliss and drummer Kris Myers were fresh off their ridiculous encore sit-in with the String Cheese Incident the previous night, which helped to rocket expectations into the stratosphere. The band enlisted NYC-rockers The London Souls for support. This was my first time seeing the London Souls, and I was really impressed with the duo. Their stripped-down instrumentation features Tash Neal (guitar/vocals) and Chris St. Hilaire (drums/vocals). As soon as they took the stage, I was reminded of the White Stripes because of this. As they began to play, this comparison gained legitimacy. Their sound was gigantic for a duo, mainly due to the thick, fuzz

Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO Words By Coleman Schwartz Photos By Ben Wilson ( Eye And Eye Photography ) There is only one rule when you are seeing Umphrey’s McGee, which is to expect the unexpected. At no time of year is this more important than when you attend their three-set New Year’s Eve show. To ring in 2016, the band delivered one of their best NYE performances to date, loaded with debuts and high energy improvisation. 2015 had been a great year for the band, and they made sure to close it out with an all-out rager in one of their strongest markets. Devout fans arrived early to the sold-out celebration at the Denver’s Fillmore Auditorium and helped to pack out the dancefloor well before the band took the stage. Although conditions inside of the venue were cramped, the spirit and positivity of 3700 music-lovers gathered in one space was quite impressive to behold. The band took the stage and took hold of the room’s vast energy, getting things going with an epic open

The Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO Words & Photos By Brad Yeakel ( Opti Mystic Outlooks ) When it comes to music, New Year's Runs have long been considered some of the best nights of the year to see shows. Embarking on 4 nights of music with Umphrey's McGee at Denver's Fillmore, I felt a deep appreciation for my surroundings. The bitter Denver December air iced the rear of the auditorium as I reconnected with concentric circles of far-flung friends. As McGee hit the stage, a rowdy and ready crowd greeted them with "rawk" hands and prepared for the face- melting to commence. With an ambient start, they quickly assImilated into a sleek killing machine and ripped into their first set. The cogs of the machine were lubricated, and synchronized under a dazzling tapestry of saturated light. Jefferson Waful stood on a platform in the middle of the floor looking like a conductor as he blended and swirled colors with masterful strokes. As first set unfolde

Fort Collins & Denver Colorado Join us for three nights of Joe Marcinek Band feat. Nicholas Gerlach (Turbo Suit) Joey Porter (The Motet, Juno What), Garrett Sayers (The Motet) & Gabe Mervine (The Motet) in Colorado! -Thursday January 7 at Hodi's Half Note in Fort Collins, CO: Purchase Tickets Here -Friday January 8 at Quixote's True Blue in Denver, CO: Purchase Tickets Here -Saturday January 9 at Quixote's True Blue in Denver, CO: Purchase Tickets Here www.joemarcinekband.com